My hands intertwine behind his neck as my legs lock around his waist and I’m immersed in all that is Nate: his tongue, the hardness of his chest against mine, the palms of his hands squeezing my ass as he holds me up.
He takes a couple of steps forward and my back hits the flat edge of a rock, his hips rocking into me as he deepens the kiss. We’ve kissed and had little touches before, but this time it feels different. This time I know I won’t be able to stop and by the way he’s pressing against me, I’m hoping he won’t.
He pulls back from my lips, his green orbs darkening as he gazes at me. There’s a silent question in their depths, but whatever it is, I’m down for, because from this moment there will be no going back.
His palm slowly glides up and over my waist, pulling me off the rock as he trails it up to the back of my neck. His deft fingers untie the knot of my bikini and I nod a little to let him know I want this.
The material of my bikini top falls and Nate watches as it gathers around my waist before his palm moves around, cupping my breast and rubbing the pad of his thumb over my nipple.
“Nate,” I moan, my head pushing back against the rock as my eyes close. I feel his wet hair tickling my chest before his mouth is covering my nipple, licking and sucking.
My hand threads through his hair, not knowing whether to push him away or pull him closer.
I’m so caught up in what he’s doing to my breasts that I don’t realize his other hand has made its way down my waist until his finger is dipping under the waistband of my bikini bottoms.
My eyes spring open and I watch as he pops my nipple out of his mouth and stares up at me. The green in his eyes is the darkest I’ve ever seen it be. Lifting his head, he rests his forehead against mine, not moving his gaze off me as his hand dips even lower.
The bite of my teeth sinking into my lower lip keeps me from calling out as his finger swipes over my bundle of nerves. My breath catches, my eyes fluttering shut.
“Don’t close those beautiful eyes, Lia.” I open my eyes, catching the seriousness in his gaze. “I want you to stay with me for every second of this.”
“Okay,” I manage to answer, trying my hardest to not close them as he swipes over the same spot again. He moves his fingers faster, flicking continuously and driving me insane with the need to— “I’m close,” I moan, my hands trailing down and landing on his tensed biceps.
The slow burn in the pit of my stomach turns into a roaring flame as I get closer to my climax. It’s there—right there, and I need him to not stop. I tell him as much, and his answer is to move faster and slam his lips down onto mine.
His tongue works in the same rhythm as his fingers, and my back bows as a euphoric feeling hits me as fast as a train going two hundred miles per hour. I break my mouth away from his, the back of my head thudding against the rock as the orgasm takes over my whole body.
I’m in a world of pleasure, and when his mouth latches onto my nipple again, he has me moaning so loud I’m sure anyone within a three-mile radius can hear.
My muscles start to relax as he slows down his motion, but as soon as they do and my gaze seeks his out again, I know I want more. I want—need—him. All of him.
“I need you.” I repeat my thoughts and he smirks, his hand pulling out of my bikini bottoms. I open my mouth, not opposed to begging him but he cuts me off.
“Good, ’cause I’m not done with you. Not even close,” he growls out.
He shifts and when I look down into the clear water, I see him pulling his board shorts down and watch with wide, fascinated eyes as he reveals his hardness before he moves my bottoms aside.
My tongue swipes along my bottom lip, anticipation rolling through me.
Clutching onto his shoulders, I keep my legs locked around him as he tilts his hips closer to me, the head of his hardness touching me.
I want to rock my hips forward and plunge him inside me, but his hands gripping my hips stop me as he rests his forehead against mine.
Slowly, he pushes inside, inch by inch, letting me feel all of him. He brushes my G-spot and my breath catches, my fingers digging into his shoulders at the sensation.
“Faster,” I beg.
He pulls out just as slowly as he pushed inside before he thrusts back again at the same pace. It drives me crazy, and each time I try to meet his thrust and quicken the pace, his fingers tighten on my hips to stop me.
“Please,” I try again.
He stops when he’s fully inside again, pulling his forehead off mine and examining my eyes. I swallow at the adoration swirling in his, knowing mine reflect the same thing.
“Fuck falling. I’m already in love with you, Lia.”
I gasp, my eyes blinking fast as I feel the telltale sign of tears stinging the back of my eyes. My hands flutter up and over his neck before they cup his cheeks in the same way he always does to me. “I love you, too.”
His eyelids slam shut as his muscles tense and then a couple of seconds later, he opens them back up, his gaze connecting with mine before he pulls back and thrusts back into me, harder this time.
I relish in the way he seems to lose control as he pistons his hips to a bruising rhythm, not letting up for a second. My moans mix in with his soft grunts and I clutch onto his shoulders, trying to keep myself rooted as he takes me in the way I wanted.
He may have said the words, but right now he’s showing me just how much he loves me. Every single grunt coming from his throat seems to bring me closer to the edge, and when I shatter for the second time, I tense around him. He buries his head into my neck, baring his teeth and biting softly as he explodes, releasing inside of me and stilling.
We hold onto each other for a while, the water flowing around us, the sounds of the waterfall slowly making its way back into the bubble we created.
“Wow,” I whisper, running my hands through his hair. I had a feeling I knew what being with Nate would be like, but I had no idea it would devour me in that way.
He lifts his head, his gaze focusing on his task as he rights my bikini bottoms and then lifts my bikini top, tying it back into place.
I frown as he continues his ministrations, not bringing his gaze to mine no matter how many times I tilt my head to put my face in front of his.
When he pulls away and gently lets my legs down, I grind my teeth together as he still doesn’t say anything.
“Nate?” He shakes his head a little, his face a mask I can’t penetrate. “Nate?” I say, louder this time.
“That was amazing but…” He looks up at me. “We didn’t use protection. I didn’t plan on this happening, I got carried away.”
My mouth curls up into a smile before turning into a grin as I watch the way he’s freaking out. “We’re fine,” I tell him, wading forward. “I’ve got us covered, I’m on the pill.” I wink in jest and walk back through the waterfall, turning back when he follows me. “I’m clean… are you?”
His laughter echoes around us as he threads his fingers through mine and pulls me toward him. “We’re good, I promise.”
He plants a soft kiss on my swollen lips before his cell rings out from his bag. It stops before it starts back up again and his eyes flash with annoyance.
“Go and check it,” I tell him, placing my lips against his again.
“Sorry about this, it could be work.”
“It’s okay,” I tell him as he pulls away, his eyes twinkling as he gives my body a once-over, biting his lip.
I don’t move my eyes off him as he wades through the water, staring in fascination as his back muscles ripple. My eyes follow a droplet of water as it flows and dips between the contours of his back and finally stops at the waistband of his shorts.
When he bends down in front of his backpack, I lie back and float in the water, closing my eyes and basking in the silence.
“Shit!” I turn my face toward him and see him holding his cell up in the air before he looks at me. “I’ve got a bunch of messages and missed calls from work. Sorry to do this
right now but do you mind if I try and find a signal?”
“Sure.”
He flashes me a grateful smile and walks off, holding his cell up in the air above him as he goes, turning around in a circle before he walks around a tree and out of sight.
I lie back again, closing my eyes and enjoying the warm water and the peace surrounding me. My mind is empty, no rampant thoughts batting around. For the first time in months, I’m not worrying about anything at all.
The sound of leaves being crushed and a twig snapping has me standing up and zeroing in on where it came from, expecting Nate to appear. But when I hear his voice in the opposite direction, my eyes widen.
Goose bumps travel over my skin as another twig snaps, the hair on the back of my neck rising. I haven’t had this feeling in weeks, but I know I’m not imagining it—I’m being watched.
I quickly wade through the water, not drying off as I grab my shorts and tank top and get dressed. Wrapping my arms around my waist, I watch the trees for signs of… anything.
Whipping my head around as someone steps closer, I prepare myself for the worst but when Nate’s grim face comes into view, I relax slightly.
He tilts his head to the side when he looks up, but before he says anything, I ask, “Everything okay?”
He smiles and walks over to me, throwing his cell back in the backpack and pulling his t-shirt over his head. “I could ask you the same thing.” He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him, kissing me lightly on the forehead and sighing. “You look worried and I don’t know why, but I just want to say I meant everything I said.”
I have two choices here: I can either tell him the truth about why I’m panicking and feeling like even now with him back beside me, I still feel eyes on me. Or I can grasp onto the excuse he’s giving me and run with it.
Tilting my head back, I stare into his eyes for a beat, ready to tell him everything, but when my mouth opens, I hear myself saying, “You meant everything?”
“I did. I never say something I don’t mean,” he replies right away.
“Me too.”
His chest rises and falls on a deep breath before he runs his hands down the length of my arms and says, “I hate that I’m about to say this, but… I need to go into the office.”
“Oh.” Even I can hear the sadness in my voice.
Sitting on a rock, I pull my socks and boots on at the same time as him. When he stands up, he lifts his backpack and holds his hand out to me.
“I hopefully won’t be too long so you can come with me, then maybe afterward we can grab a bite to eat?”
My slowly saddening mood flips one-eighty and the smile that overtakes my face shines bright.
Turning my head, I gaze one last time at the waterfall, knowing we’ll come back and that it will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where we confessed our true feelings and where we showed them to each other.
Sighing happily, I turn back around as we head back the way we came: through the wooded area and back onto the main trail. It seems to go by in a flash on the way back and I wish I could prolong it, but before I know it we’re getting into Nate’s SUV and he’s driving back toward civilization.
Nate keeps my hand in his the whole journey, his thumb rubbing back and forth. Every so often he lifts my hand and places a kiss on my knuckles, his gaze connecting with mine.
That unnamed emotion I saw in his eyes earlier I now know is love—his love for me—shines bright. I only hope I can hold onto his love and not destroy it.
Staring out the window, I will my thoughts not to turn dark as everything starts to come down on me. After today I know there’s no chance of being able to keep Nate out of the fray, but I have no idea what I can do to stop what is about to happen. It’s like seeing a car crash in slow motion: I know the hit is inevitable, but when and how hard still remains to be seen.
I shake my head, flinging the thoughts out of my head and refusing to spend this time with Nate thinking about what could happen. Instead, I focus on the here and now as Nate pulls into an underground parking lot, parking in a bay that has his name on a plaque attached to the wall.
Turning the engine off, he spins in his seat, smiling softly. “Are you sure this is okay? I called my partner to try and get her to come instead but she’s out of town again.”
“Honestly, it’s fine.” I unclip my belt and reach for the door handle. “I’m dying to see where Nathan Cole displays his badassery.”
“Displays his badassery?” He laughs loud, climbing out of the car. “I do my best.”
Snorting, I walk around the back of the car and slip my hand into his—the most natural thing in the world. “I imagine you walking around in one of your designer suits and bossing people around all day,” I say, walking beside him before he punches the button to what I presume is an elevator.
“It’s not half as glamorous as that; I promise.” We step into the elevator and he presses a button. “Case and point: being called into work on weekends.”
“Hmm.” I stare at our reflection in the polished steel doors. “I suppose there is that.”
Seconds later, the door is opening up and Nate pulls me out. Men and women in suits rush past us, going in different directions and disappearing behind doors, until all of a sudden a pair of eyes are connecting with mine and then Nate’s before a voice shouts, “Cole is here!”
I step back as people flock toward him, practically pushing us back into the elevator. They start talking a mile a minute and handing him files; he has to let go of my hand when he’s passed the seventh—or is that the eighth?
“Quiet!” he shouts over everyone and I shiver at his commanding tone. “Thank you, you’re all starting to give me a headache.” He turns to the man beside him. “Where’s Stacey?”
“Conference room three,” he tells him.
Nate nods as he looks through the first file before looking up and giving me another small smile. “Everyone, this is my… girlfriend, Lia. Lia, everyone.” My stomach dips at the term girlfriend and I stare at him for a beat, repeating it over and over in my head. Pulling myself out of my own head, I offer them a small wave as they all start to murmur. “Yes, I have a social life, guys. Get over it and quickly.”
He reads over the file in front of him one more time before calling, “Murphy?”
A red-haired man steps toward us. “Yeah.”
“Get me Mrs. Kent’s lawyer on the phone and patch it through to C-three,” he commands, grinning a little before tucking the files under his arm and holding his other hand out to me.
I take it gingerly, eager to get out from everyone’s stares. I know they’re only curious about me because he’s their boss, but it’s starting to make me a little uncomfortable. I’m not used to being around this many people: Tris, Clay, Izzie, Edward, and sometimes Nate and Charlotte, but never this many pairs of eyes on me all at once.
“I’m sorry about this,” he whispers into my neck.
“It’s fine. I…” I examine the hallway, noting all of the glass surrounding us—what is his obsession with glass? “Like seeing where you work.”
He must notice me scanning the place because he says, “I’ll give you a proper tour sometime, but for now my junior needs me.”
He motions toward another room made out of glass that has a young woman who looks to be close to my age and two men sitting inside: one older and one around Nate’s age.
Not letting go of my hand, I realize he’s bringing me into—whatever it is this is—a meeting?
“Is there a waiting room or somewhere I can sit away from everyone?” He shakes his head emphatically and opens the door, waving me through. “But… I really don’t—”
With a little nudge from him, I step into the room and it instantly quiets—you could hear a pin drop. Nate steps around me and I follow as he pulls out a chair for me at the other end of the long, glass table from where everyone is sitting.
I stare at it with wide eyes. “It doesn’t bite.” He
tilts his head toward it.
I nod resolutely and sit down slowly, aware the other three people in the room are staring. It doesn’t seem to faze Nate as he lifts my hand and kisses it before he walks around the table, shaking the hand of the older man.
“Joe, please forgive my attire. I was out hiking when I finally got a signal and all my messages came through at once.” He sits down in a chair beside him and I watch with keen eyes. “The city was closer than my home so I came right here.”
The man he called Joe chuckles. “At least you’ve got the legs for those shorts. I wouldn’t be caught dead in shorts these days.”
I’m like a deer in headlights, watching their interaction and seeing a different side to Nate. He’s calm and collected but there’s a power radiating off him, even in his shorts and t-shirt. I can’t imagine what he’d be like sitting here in a suit—wait… I can.
Finally pulling my attention from Nate, I catch a glimpse of the only other woman in the room and realize she hasn’t taken her eyes off me since I walked in here. They narrow slightly as she slowly turns toward Nate, clearing her throat.
“Nate, can we address the elephant in the room?” she asks, her tone biting.
I swing my gaze back toward Nate. “Excuse me?” He sits up straighter in his chair as his brows lower over his eyes. “I know I’ve put on a bit of weight lately, but…” he trails off and laughs at everyone’s expressions. I pinch my lips together because this is the side of Nate I know well… the side that likes to make a joke of things. “Alright, everyone, this is Lia, my girlfriend.”
He turns his head and gives me a secret smile, one that has me squirming in my seat. I wave, finding my voice as I turn to the man that Nate was talking to. “Hi.”
“Lia, this is one of my clients, Joe Kent, and two of my junior associates, Stacey, and Jamie.”
“Nice to meet you,” I squeak out as they all nod their heads in greeting.
“Nate, I’m not sure she should be in here,” Stacey blurts out.
Resting my elbow on the table, I tap the pads on my fingers against the glass and tilt my head, watching her. I get that she’s one of his—did he say associates?—but there’s something else to the way she’s looking at me and the way her hands tightened around her pen when Nate said, “girlfriend.”
Fighting Our Way (Broken Tracks Series Book 2) Page 20