Nate

by Kali Hart

  “Sorry, this is our last available table tonight.”

  This is what I get for foregoing my original plan and taking Ember somewhere that requires reservations. It’s not that she isn’t worth the fancy dinner—because she absolutely is—but this place doesn’t have the flexibility I’m accustomed to.

  “This table is fine,” Ember says with a dazzling smile to the waiter. It’s sickening that I’m jealous of that little interaction. I don’t do jealous. Never have. This protective feeling I have for her is foreign.

  “I’m sorry,” I say to her after the waiter leaves us to grab us some drinks. “I thought we would have somewhere quieter.”

  “I don’t mind.” Ember shrugs, completely unaffected. Completely unaware of anyone looking at her. It’s hot as hell that she doesn’t realize how fucking beautiful she is. Every head in this restaurant has turned at least once to admire her.

  She adjusts the strap of her dress. I’m fixated on the manicured fingers that run up and down the silky material. My eyes were already drawn to the generous amount of cleavage she’s showing off—another reason I don’t want her to be so publicly visible. If I’m thinking about freeing those large tits from their prison, I’m not the only one with that thought.

  Fuck, I’ll have to think of more intimate dates in the future. I’ll drive myself mad otherwise.

  “Have you always been a firefighter?”

  The question helps ground me back in the moment. “Since I graduated college.” I don’t want to admit how long ago that was. I know I’m at least eight or nine years older than she is, and I’m not sure if that’ll scare her off.

  “Do you love it?”

  I know the smile that spreads across my lips is cocky. I get asked this question a lot, but the answer is always easy. “Yes, I do. It gives me purpose.” It sounds like a line, but it’s the truth.

  “Do you ever get scared?”

  I shrug. “Not really.” Okay, so maybe that’s not entirely true. But usually adrenaline takes over and doesn’t give me time to be afraid. I almost tell her that, but the words sound conceited in my head. Instead, I switch the focus to her. “What do you do, Ember?”

  “Nothing too exciting.” She dips her head, staring at the table. Her smile dims. “Nothing as heroic as fighting fires.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “I work a couple of waitressing jobs. Grad school—”

  “Nate Manchester, is that you?” The voice isn’t familiar, but it is female. My eyes lift reluctantly to the blonde woman passing our table. She looks vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t recall her name if my life depended on it. I’m not sure how I know her, but I know this doesn’t look good.

  “In the flesh.” The smile has yet to return to Ember’s soft lips. Dammit, this little encounter isn’t helping my case any. She’s probably jumping to all kinds of conclusions, and how could I blame her?

  “I don’t know if you remember me?”

  I search my memories, hoping for some clue. Because the sooner I can piece together who this woman is, the sooner I can get rid of her. I know I was a different man before Ember entered the picture. But I’m leaving that man behind. The woman sitting across from me is my future.

  “Sorry, can’t say that I do.”

  The woman’s smile fades too. Surely she thought she made some impression on me, but it’s so not the case. Though she seems very used to attention, she wouldn’t turn my head in a crowd. “You don’t remember the—"

  An older man appears at her side and scoops her away, cutting off whatever she was about to say. I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Where the fuck was he five minutes ago?

  “I’m sorry, Ember.” I reach my hand across the table, palm up. My heart pounds in my chest waiting for her to decide her next move. She keeps her hands tucked in her lap. “I honestly don’t remember that woman, and it’s not important. What’s important is sitting across from me right now.”

  “Sounds typical.”

  She’s smart. I like that about her. A lot. “I’ve dated before. Maybe I dated her once. But if I did, she didn’t even make an impression on me. You’re the only one I see tonight.”

  Slowly, a smile forms on those precious lips. I know she wants to believe me. She cautiously sets her hand in mine. The graze of her fingers creates a flame deep within me. My dick stands to attention beneath the table cloth.

  “Are you two ready to order?” The waiter asks.

  Suddenly dinner doesn’t sound at all appealing. I squeeze her hand and take a risk. “What do you say we skip dinner and go right for dessert?”

  That wicked smile she gave me yesterday when I left her apartment returns. “Okay.”

  Chapter 4

  EMBER

  I have to admit, the moment that long-legged blonde stopped at our table, I nearly left. Almost threw my napkin on the table and marched right out the front door to call an Uber. She’s the kind of woman I would expect Nate to pursue. Skinny and model-perfect.

  I stayed because he hardly batted an eye.

  Everyone has a past. I don’t remember who told me that little nugget of wisdom, but the phrase has been repeating over and over since we left the restaurant. Obviously, whomever the woman was doesn’t matter. She’s with someone else.

  And I’m the one going home with Nate right now.

  The ride is almost torture. Drunken butterflies are throwing a rave inside my stomach. My sexual experience is limited to a couple of mediocre nights with men I’ve never spoken to since. Until that kiss in my kitchen, I had pretty much given up on sex ever being something to look forward to.

  But right now, it’s the only thing I can think about.

  “We’re almost there.” Nate squeezes my hand. It’s a sweet gesture. But it’s also the maximum amount of physical contact we can afford if we want to avoid a wreck. If I thought there was a whirlwind of chemistry yesterday, it’s nothing compared to the hurricane forces dancing in the air between us now.

  I’m nervous. Holy ice buckets I’m nervous. My palms are sweating, and I wipe them against my dress as I wait for Nate to open my door. We’re here.

  “C’mon sweetheart. Now is no time to get shy on me.”

  I slide from the seat into his arms. Neither one of us pulls away when my feet are firmly planted on the ground. Well, my feet are good. But my legs are limp with anticipation. My hands slide up his chest until my fingers clasp the edges of his jacket. Unable to contain myself a second longer, I yank him down toward me until I capture his mouth with my own.

  The kiss yesterday has nothing on the one happening now.

  He squeezes my boobs, and I moan in ecstasy. Hungry lips devour my neck before moving down to my collarbone. If we don’t get inside pronto, we might just end up naked in his driveway.

  “Let’s go. I’m ready for dessert.” Nate takes me by the hand and leads me to the front door.

  I’m panting from that brief interaction. Every nerve ending is tingling with anticipation of what’ll happen once we’re inside.

  The door hardly closes before I’m pushed up against the wall. Nate’s lips are back on my neck. His hands roam from my hips to my breasts and back again. I feel so desired. It’s a high I don’t ever want to come down from.

  * * *

  NATE

  All night, I’ve been imagining how those amazing tits would feel in my hands. My mouth waters at the thought of her nipples in my mouth. I move my lips down her neck until I reach her cleavage. It doesn’t take much effort to slide the straps of her dress down her shoulders and spring those tits free.

  She gyrates her hips against me, distracting my conquest for a moment. My eyes fall shut as my hands grip her ass and yank it toward me. My hard length rubs against her, causing us both to moan. If we kept this up for too long, I might just fucking come.

  “Sweetheart, I don’t know what you’re doing to me.” I take a nipple into my mouth and nip it gently with my teeth. She arches into me. I give the other one
equal attention.

  I could take her, right here on the other side of the front door. It would be hot as hell. But Ember deserves better for our first time. I want it to be something she remembers. “I’m taking you upstairs to my bed, okay?”

  “Yes,” comes her breathy reply. “Please.”

  “Once you’re in my bed, you’re mine Ember. Only mine.”

  “Yes.”

  I release her tits and take a step back. She whimpers at the loss of my touch. Good. After I’m finished with her tonight, she’ll crave me every minute we’re not together. I’ll make sure of it.

  In the bedroom, I flip the light on. Panic flashes in her eyes. “Can we turn that off?”

  “No, sweetheart. I want to see all of you.” I’ve been thinking about getting that dress off since I first saw her in it. My dick is hard as a rock, desperate to be inside her just at thought of her naked. “I don’t want you to hide any of your beautiful body from me.”

  She unzips the back of her black dress, and it drops to the floor. Ember is completely naked before me.

  “No panties? Naughty girl.”

  I cup her cheeks in both my hands and bring her mouth to mine. Fuck, I will never get enough of this amazing mouth. Her lips are like a drug I’m helpless to resist. My hands caress her silky skin. I want to feel every last inch. “You’re beautiful, Ember. So beautiful.”

  When I reach her hot center, I nudge her legs apart and drop my hand between them. She’s fucking soaked. I stroke her slowly, relishing in the feel of her wet cunt in my hand. “I bet you taste so fucking sweet.”

  I flicker a finger over that swollen nub. “Don’t stop, Nate,” she moans. Her legs are losing their sturdiness as pleasure takes over. That wicked smile is spread across her lips. Fuck, it’s so sexy.

  I slip one finger inside her pussy, then two, as I continue to stroke her. She claws at my shoulder. If I wasn’t still wearing my shirt, she might be drawing blood right now. I quicken my pace until she’s screaming out my name.

  Chapter 5

  EMBER

  Holy ice buckets I just had the most explosive orgasm ever.

  My legs are limp noodles. I collapse onto the bed, unable to stand.

  “I’m not done with you, Ember.” Nate flashes me a roguish smile as he undresses. I can’t tear my eyes away. I’ve been dying to see what’s under those clothes since he showed up in my apartment. It’s hard to believe that was only yesterday. It feels like Nate has been a part of my life for so much longer. It doesn’t make any sense.

  “I want you inside me, Nate.” I don’t want to beg, but I will.

  “Soon, sweetheart.”

  He loses the last remaining article of clothing, and I swallow. That cock is huge. I don’t know how it’s going to fit inside me. I might split in two.

  “Lay on your back.”

  I shimmy up the bed until my head finds a pillow. My chest heaves because my breathing has hardly slowed since that last orgasm. I can’t imagine having two of those in a row. I might spontaneously combust.

  Nate crawls onto the bed like a hungry animal, eyes drenched with desire. I don’t know how I got so fucking lucky, but I’m not questioning anything right now.

  He stops between my legs. “I need to taste you.”

  If I thought his fingers were capable of magic, his tongue is demonstrating some kind of high-level sorcery. He devours my cunt like a hungry wolf. The sight of him between my legs is the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. It turns me on in ways I didn’t even know were possible.

  I grab his hair and push him harder against my wet folds. I might suffocate the man, but he seems unconcerned about that if that evil laughter vibrating against my pussy is any indication. My hips begin to gyrate against his mouth, faster and faster.

  The last orgasm came quickly. This one is building slowly. I can feel tingling in my belly. In my fingers. I’m crying out, but I don’t care how loud I’m being. This is the best fucking feeling I’ve ever experienced. I climax in a tidal wave of pleasure.

  When I’m finally able to open my eyes, Nate is wearing a victorious smile. “How was that?”

  “Amazing.” That one simple word doesn’t come close to describing what I just experienced, but it’s the only one I can conjure. My head is swimming in a dizzy pleasure. Whatever spell this man has over me, I hope it never breaks.

  It’s too soon to know if I love him, but I know I could.

  “I’ll give you a couple minutes, but I need to be inside you.”

  Three orgasms? Impossible. “Okay.”

  “Do you want me to use protection.”

  I’ve never not used a condom, but tonight I want to feel Nate inside me. I don’t want there to be anything between us. “No.”

  He rises to his knees, that gloriously enormous cock standing tall. He strokes it a couple of times, never breaking eye contact with me. “Once I’m inside you, Ember, you’re mine. There’s no turning back.”

  Yes, I could totally fall in love with this man.

  I spread my legs in invitation.

  “Say it, Ember. Say you’re mine.”

  I’d say just about anything to get him to hurry up and bury his length inside me. But I mean these words. “I’m yours.”

  He hovers on top of me, that cologne intoxicating my senses. Everything about this man is perfection, from his chiseled body, his scent, to his fucking enormous cock. I should be terrified what that thing might do to me, but instead I’m desperate to feel him fill me.

  I reach my hand between us to line him up with my center. Holy shit. It’s bigger than I thought.

  I arch my hips up until his tip is pressing against my opening. He enters me slowly, stopping every few seconds to allow me to adjust to his size. “My cock fucking loves you, Ember.”

  He’s halfway in when he abandons his slow pace and slams the rest of the way into me. I gasp. My back arches. Then ecstasy washes over me. I need him to move inside me. I need it as surely as a fire needs oxygen to thrive. I rock my hips to set the pace.

  “You feel so good,” he growls against my ear.

  His hands greedily squeeze my boobs. The combination of that and his thrusts is overwhelming. I feel myself slipping. I should be terrified of losing control like this, but instead I surrender completely.

  “I’m going to come,” he says.

  “Come inside me, Nate.”

  He pumps faster and faster until both of our worlds erupt in a powerful explosion.

  * * *

  Is this real life? Nate softly snores beside me in his king-sized bed. A girl could get used to this. I have a bed that’s slightly smaller than a twin back in the apartment. It’s not even comfortable enough for me, let alone a visitor.

  I’m crazy thirsty after all those amazing orgasms, so I slip out of bed in search of a glass of water.

  I find my purse near the front door. I guess, once we got inside, I dropped everything. Literally. Two days ago, I would have said there was no way my knight in shining armor was real, let alone a freaking firefighter. But now, I just might be in love with one.

  With Leah locked in with her man for a couple of days, I didn’t think to check my phone after dinner—well, our non-dinner. Leah is the only real friend I have—the only one who would text or call me. But I can’t resist the urge to check it now with my purse in hand.

  “Five text messages?”

  In the kitchen, as I wait for a glass to fill with water from the fridge, I unlock my phone. They’re all from Leah. I worry something might’ve happened to her. Maybe she and Chase got into a fight. I’d do anything for her, and if she needs me, I’m in the first Uber to her.

  The first message isn’t concerning at all. In fact, it makes me smile.

  Leah: Have fun on your date! XOXO

  After that, it goes downhill.

  Leah: I don’t want to spoil your date, but there’s something you should know about Nate.

  Leah: I asked Chase to tell me about his brother.

&
nbsp; Leah: He plays the field. A lot.

  Leah: Call me if you need me sweetie. XOXO

  My heart plummets into my toes. The girl at the restaurant… it all makes too much sense. I believe that he didn’t recognize her. I was touched by that earlier, but now it makes my stomach twist. He doesn’t recognize her because there have been too many girls after her.

  It makes me wonder if Nate would recognize me if we passed on the sidewalk a month from now.

  Desperate to prove Leah’s intel wrong, I pull up my social media and search for a profile matching Nate Manchester. A part of me hopes I won’t find one at all, but his picture is unmistakable.

  With a deep breath, I scroll through his public photos. Though his profile picture is just him, he’s been tagged in an alarming number of photos with other women. I want to believe that he simply has a lot of friends, but some of the comments say otherwise.

  Water abandoned, I tiptoe upstairs to find my dress and request an Uber. Nate continues to snore softly. I don’t want to wake him. It’s easier this way.

  Tears finally fall as the car pulls away. I’m thankful the driver isn’t in the mood to talk. She takes me back to my apartment, letting me cry in silence. I never sleep with a guy on the first date. I never act this way on a first date. But I took a chance on Nate because I thought he was different.

  I was just another notch in his bedpost. Him telling me that I’m his? It makes my stomach twist to think of how many girls he’s said that to before.

  As I drop into my pitifully small bed, I vow to never let a man deceive me like that again.

  Chapter 6

  NATE

  Sunlight peeks through my bedroom blinds the next morning, waking me. A wide smile spreads across my face. It feels perfectly cheesy, and I don’t care. Because after last night, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I’m in love with Ember Clarke.

  I war with the desire to have her once again this morning, or to make her breakfast in bed first.