Freedom_A Captivating and consuming contemporary romance

by J Grayland

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Casey

  With my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist, he moves deep inside me pushing me into a world of euphoric ecstasy. His ridged stomach pressing against mine, his hard chest rubbing against my breasts, my nipples tingling with his every move as his skin caresses mine. With one elbow pressed into the bed, his hand holding the back of my head while our mouths assault each other’s, then his hand moves down gripping my hip, pulling me into him with every grind of his hips, rolling and grinding. Little sparkles of electricity dance up and down my spine, making my sex throb and pulsate and Nate breaks our kiss. “Look at me” he demands. Looking into his grey eyes I see a hunger and all that I manage to breathe is “Nate.”

  “Just keep your eyes on mine and feel baby, feel me and let go.” With his lips close to mine, my body arches into him and those once little sparkles of electricity now increase with every one of his hard, long thrusts, pushing me up higher until I reach the height I was seeking and with another last thrust I am pushed over the top, writhing and moaning in pure rapture. His mouth is on mine, breathing in every one of my gasps and moans until his head pulls back and I see the thick corded muscles of his neck bulging as he reaches his own plateau of pleasure and growls out an explosive, “ Fuck.”

  Holding his weight on his elbows above me, but still inside of me, we both continue to pulse and throb around each other, then looking down at me he lightly touches the tip of his index finger at the top of my forehead and slowly slides it down between my eyebrows, over my nose and lips and down to my chin then lightly kisses my lips. “That was…”

  “Wonderful,” I finished for him. Eventually sliding himself from my body he walks into the bathroom to dispose of the condom then comes back and slides back into bed. Engulfing me back into his arms and pulling the sheet up to cover us then he kisses the top of my head. “Sleep baby.” And with my head pressed against his warm chest, I drift off.

  When I wake again it’s just becoming daylight outside, and we had become disentangled from each other. Nate lay on his back, one arm laying across his stomach, his chest slowly rising and falling, and I watch for a few moments just taking in this man lying next to me, who had just given me so much more than he would ever be able to understand. Quietly sliding from the bed I scoop up my panties and Nate’s shirt and pull them on as I quietly creep out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the kitchen, where I get myself a glass of juice and take it out onto the balcony, grabbing my iPod off the kitchen island on the way. Sinking down into a lounge chair, I pull my legs up onto it and plug in my earbuds, scrolling through the music list until I find my favorite Pink album and press play. Leaning my head back against the chair and closing my eyes, I relax into my thoughts of what just happened. I have never let anyone get as close as Nate did tonight, and I am amazed at how it feels. I feel…different, unbound, released and so intoxicated by this feeling, it’s sublime the way he makes me feel and I trust him, holy shit! I trusted him enough to let him into my fucked up body and my fucked up mind, no, no, not fully into my mind...yet, I gave him snippets of my past, I mean I had to give him something to explain my scars, my apprehension, my anxiety. Fuck, I sound like a real nut job. Why the hell would he want to be involved with someone like me? There were so many things he still didn’t know about me, somehow I had to tell him everything so there’s were no secrets between us. I needed to speak to Flynn.

  With my mind made up to give myself a fighting chance with Nate, I felt even lighter. I always told myself that the past needed to stay in the past, where it belonged. I needed to break free from its bindings and I’d always thought that I was trying but after how Nate made me feel inside. I’d just been doing the opposite, I’d been making those bindings tighter every year since it happened until they had a stranglehold on me and now it was like a light bulb moment and holy shit! I’m the one who keeps them there, Jesus! Twelve years of fucking therapy and it takes one night of hot sex to wake me the fuck up and smell the coffee? I’m the one who controls my life, my mind, my body me…just me alone.

  With music soothing my brain and my eyes closed, feeling the warmth of the early morning sun on my face, it’s heat is interrupted by a shadow blocking it. Opening my eyes and pulling out the earbuds, I look up to see what is causing the shadow. And I see a sleepy looking sexy man, his black hair mussed, a dark shadow of stubble across his jawline, his broad shoulders and bare hard sculptured chest moving down to the tight muscles of his abs that lead right down to that sexy V that disappears into a black pair of loose sleep pants that are sitting low on his hips and that’s right where my gaze has stopped, until I hear the low rumble of his delicious voice. “Everything okay?”

  Jerking my gaze from his crotch to his face, I see the worry in his eyes. “Everything is great.” I beam at him.

  “I woke up and you were gone and I thought….” He trails off.

  “No, honestly Nate everything is just perfect, I just needed some thinking time.” His fingers lightly pulled on the cord of my earbuds.

  “This helps?” he asks curiously.

  “Yes, it helps me to stop over thinking,” I say smiling at him.

  “And are you?”

  “What? Overthinking? Always, but not now.”

  “Good, so there’s no reason for you not to get that sexy ass back into bed so I can explore some more of that body then,” he says grabbing both my hands and pulling me to my feet.

  We ended up spending most of the day in bed discovering each other for what felt like the first time. We touched and tasted and shared our bodies and took little naps in-between and the only words that were spoken were whispers of endearment, filled with passion until, while laying with my cheek pressed against his chest, I heard the distinct sound of his stomach growling. He glanced down at his watch. “Wanna get dressed and I’ll take you out for some food?”

  “Hmm, a date huh?” I looked up at him with a smile.

  “Yes a date,” he said, leaning down and kissing the corner of my mouth.

  “So we’ve kind of done this the wrong way around haven’t we? I think you’re supposed to take me on a date first, feed me, then get me into bed.” I smile at him and he shrugs “What can I say; I never do anything the easy way baby.”

  After dressing in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and went downstairs to where Nate was waiting at the bottom, dressed casually in jeans and a snug fitting black T-shirt, with his hands pushed into his pockets. I walked up to him and brushed a hand through his messy hair trying to tame it a little .“You look like you just got out of bed” I laugh.

  “Not sure where you’ve been all day woman but I’m pretty sure I just did,” Taking my hand he lead me to the elevator and pushed the call button. Once inside we traveled down to the lobby and placing his arm around my shoulders he guided me to the front doors and out onto the pavement. “So what do you feel like?” he asks. “Hmm something typically American, surprise me”. We walked down into an array of lights and wonderful smells coming from all the different restaurants that spilled out onto the sidewalk until we stood outside a small place with “Stella’s” printed in red over the front window. Nate pulled me inside and we were instantly greeted by a short older- looking woman wiping her hands on her apron, her face breaking out into a huge warm smile as she came towards us. “Nathanial, my boy where have you been?” she said as she walked into his open arms and he wrapped her into a hug.

  “I’ve been busy working Stella. How’s business?”

  Pulling back, she looked at him with concern. “Business is good, but you look so skinny, take a seat and I’ll get you some of my ribs.”

  “Now that’s just what I’m looking for. Stella, this is Casey, and she’s from Australia and I have promised her some good, tasty American food.” Looking at me, her smile seemed to grow even bigger, “Then you’ve come to the right place, you both take a seat and I’ll feed you up good and proper”.

  Leaning
back I licked the last bit of barbeque sauce from my fingers. “Holy crap, I think I am about to pop,” I said running a hand over my full stomach.

  “I take it you liked it then?” Nate asks.

  “Like is not the right word, that was phenomenal, I have never had ribs that taste so good and they were so bloody big.” Looking at the smile of satisfaction on his own face, I could see that he was happy with his choice of restaurant he had brought me to. As we walked back to the Penthouse I spied a vendor’s cart at the side of the road. “Nate, I need one of those,” I said, pointing to the large pretzels hanging from a rack on the cart. Dragging him over, he purchased one and handed it to me, and I bit into it. “Oh wow, I have always wanted to try one of these,” I said, around moaning and chewing the warm, soft, buttery dough Nate. just stared at me with an amazed look and shook his head “What?”I asked with a mouthful of pretzel.

  “If I’d have known how happy and relaxed you are with a mouth full of dough, I would have brought you a whole cartload to yourself.” I bumped him with my elbow and we continued walking back to the apartment, where we spent the evening spooning on the couch watching a movie and trying to recuperate from our night of feasting. When the movie finished Nate turned off the T.V and dropped the remote on the table. Stroking his fingers through my hair he said: “Can I ask you something?”

  “hmm hmm” is all I could manage through the food coma I had sunk into.

  “The guy in your past, the one that hurt you.” He said slowly making me stiffen instantly in his arms. “Relax” he whispered into my ear.

  “What about him?”

  “Did he pay for what he did…to you I mean”

  Pausing for a moment to think I answer.“Yeah, he paid legally and illegally,”

  “Illegally?” he questions.

  “Yeah, Flynn got to him first and gave him a dose of his own justice.” Nate’s voice sounded slightly strained when he said: “I like the sound of this Flynn, he sounds like a great friend.” “He is,” I sighed.

  “And…the scars? Did he….” He trails off and I knew where he was going with his question so I stopped him.

  “No! That was just from an accident when I was younger.” He nodded, but I saw the flash of interest in those curious eyes and I hoped that my answers would satisfy that inquiring mind of his for a while longer.

  That night in bed I was encased in Nate’s strong arms. There was no making love this time, just sleeping. The last thing I remember before my eyes closed was Nate whispering against my temple “Get some sleep baby, I think you’ve had enough sexual discovery for one day, besides I don’t want to give you too much of a good thing, I might scare you away”.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Nate

  Turning my head, I looked at this beautiful woman that lay beside me, her hands clasped together and tucked under her cheek, her blonde hair spread out over the pillow, her eyes with those luscious long eyelashes closed and those succulent lips slightly open breathing in slumber. The wonderful curves of her body covered only by a sheet, she looked so serene and untroubled by anything, it was hard to believe that this was the same woman from the other night. Once she opened up to me and embraced the chemistry that had built up between us she let me see the real her. Now, I just had to keep her this way.

  Quietly slipping from the bed, I went into the bathroom and took a shower. With a towel wrapped around my waist, I pulled out a shaver and shaving cream. I desperately needed a shave before I went into the office this morning. Spraying some foam into my hand, I looked up into the mirror and saw the reflection of pure beauty staring back at me. She was standing behind me dressed only in a thin black tank and a black pair of panties. “Morning.”

  “Hey,” she said, tracing a finger over the tattooed wings on my back. “Can I?” she pointed at the shaving foam.

  “You want to shave me?” I asked and she answered me with a simple raise of a brow. “Have you ever shaved a man before?” I asked and she scooped the foam from my hand. “No, but trust me, I’m a surgeon” she winked.

  Making some space next to the hand basin, I lifted her up and sat her in front of me moving her legs apart so I could step closer into her. With soft tender strokes, she coated my face in foam, then picked up the razor and moved it over my stubble. My eyes never left hers as I watched her concentrate on every stroke she took with the razor. When she finished, she wet a washcloth and wiped any excess foam away from my face. I looked over her shoulder into the mirror, “You did a good job Doc, there’s only one problem.”

  “What’s that?” she asks, and I move in closer to her and rubbed my erection against the crotch of her thin panties then lean in closer to her ear. “You have made me incredibly hard.” I kissed the side of her neck and down to her collarbone.

  “Sorry,” she whispered.

  “No, I’m just sorry that my dick will have to behave itself until later, I have to get into the office and although I would love to take you here fast and hard, I have a feeling you’re pretty sore from yesterday.” She pouted her lips and dropped her head in defeat, letting out a long sigh. Placing a finger under her chin and tilting her face up to mine, I gave her a quick kiss. “You’ll thank me for it later ok?” smiling, she nodded.

  “Do you want me to make you something for breakfast?” she asked.

  “No, that’s ok, I have an early meeting so I’ll grab something later, remember if you want to go anywhere today Nick’s number is next to the phone in my office, just give him a call and wait for him ok?”

  “I will,” she nods, giving her a knowing stern look she holds out both hands in defeat, “I promise ”.

  Pulling on a pair of jeans and a navy button-down, shirt I roll my cuffs up my forearms and pull on my boots. When I get downstairs Casey is pouring herself a glass of juice. Grabbing my keys and phone, I went to her and took her face in my palms “I’m sorry you’re cooped up in here, but hopefully it won’t be for too much longer.”

  “It's fine. After back to back shifts for years, I’m enjoying the rest.” Brushing my lips across hers once more, I got into the elevator and down to my office. I had only just unlocked my door, sat down and flipped on my computer when Paxton came in.

  “Paxton”.

  “Morning Nate.” He greeted. “I brought you the revised contracts for the club,” he said handing me a folder and I take a quick glance down at my watch.

  “Thanks, I’ve just got enough time to check my mail then I’ll head over there.” “Sounds good.” Looking up at where Paxton was still standing in front of my desk, his hands pushed into his pant pockets, he had a weird grin on his face.

  “Is there anything else?” I asked him.

  “You tell me” he shrugged his grin growing wider and I lean back in my chair.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing, I just thought you might have something you wanted to talk to me about”

  “Like….”

  “Oh come on, the other night? At the club? What? you don’t think anyone with half a brain saw what was going on between you and Casey?”

  “Nothing was going on.” I matched his grin with my own.

  “And I’m calling bullshit.” He said, shaking his head.

  “I’m not getting into the details of my private life with you little brother, although I will tell you that I did manage to break down some of that wall she hides behind.”

  “Damn Nate, you got her in the sack?” I gave him a warning look.

  “Ok, ok chill, I get it.” Paxton held his hands up defensively, then asked: “Did you manage to get any more information about her history, I mean anything new?” I blew out a breath and leaned back in my chair.

  “She had a bad experience with a guy, I’m not sure if he was a boyfriend or just someone she knew, but he messed her up Paxton. Reading between the lines, he forced sex on her and I’m not sure what else, but she has scars. Now she told me they were from some kind of accident when she was younger.” Running m
y hands through my hair, I tried to dampen the anger that was starting to build again at just the thought of someone causing her pain.