I keep my eyes focused on Aubrey and try to think through my options and what I really want. I realize that Aubrey is standing there to give me time to think and to let me decide for myself. I feel certain that a shake of my head would send the two of us our way with little regard to Nathan or his fancy new house.
There is part of me that wants to scream running in the other direction. The past week has been enough to make me crazy with uncertainty.
The other part of me just wants to be wrapped in Nathan’s arms. From that first dance it is all that I have wanted and the feelings I have felt tonight just solidify that want.
I look over at Nathan and he is still standing at his door, watching my exchange with Aubrey. His face is clear of emotion but I am sure he is displeased that Aubrey would give me the chance to question the plan. He’s also probably unhappy that Aubrey and I can discuss it without a word.
I look back up at the man in front of me and I can’t decide if I am grateful or angry that his presence is what makes the decision for me. After all this time, I still can’t seem to function without the protection of a good marine.
“Do one of those rooms belong to you First Sergeant?”
“I’ll be sleeping wherever you do tonight, Is.”
While I know that he is just reassuring me that it is my choice whether we stay or not I can’t help but give him a hard time for his choice of words.
“I think you are about 9 days late for that Aubrey.” I say as I give him a mischievous smile and a small slap on the shoulder. Suddenly we are all moving toward the front door and I feel Nathan wrap his arm around my waist and pull me close.
“Nine days? Haven’t you been engaged for about a year?” Aubrey teases back.
“Oh that. Not a problem,” I laugh, “Apparently I was in an open relationship. I never thought I was the type.”
Aubrey chuckles and shakes his head. “Yeah, it still surprises me. You would think he would know that I am just one of many that would be happy to put a bullet in the head of any man who hurts Isabella Scott.”
My mouth drops as Aubrey jogs up the steps in front of us and I don’t know whether to be amused or upset at his blatant warning to Nathan. But Nathan only squeezes a bit tighter and whispers in my ear.
“Subtle, isn’t he?”
I look at Nathan and he gives me a reassuring smile.
“I have nothing to worry about. I have no intention of hurting you.”
We enter the house and I am amazed at how warm such a modern space can seem. Every room flows easily into the other and each is organized with cozy and inviting sitting areas. Eric hands us each a glass of wine as we pass through the kitchen and Nathan gives me a bit of background on the house.
The house belongs to a Dartmouth alumnus who worked with Nathan’s father for several years. He lives in New York but enjoys the escape to the country with his family. Being in the security business, the house has a state of the art security system and its location makes it easy to see who is coming and going.
Nathan makes it sound as if it is just coincidence that the house is available and particularly secure and I do all I can to agree that it sounds like great luck. I take another long sip of wine and try not to think about the fact that I am in way over my head.
This is a man who is accustomed to getting everything he wants. He wants a secure location to play house with his new girlfriend and is moved in within a matter of hours. The beautiful god snaps his fingers and his latest whim appears.
I can’t help but feel like I am just along for the ride. And it’s not comforting to think about the fate of mortals who dare to play with the Gods.
I take another deep drink and finish off my wine. I look around for a refill but Nathan takes my glass and leaves it on a table in the corner. He pulls me toward the stairs and the upstairs bedrooms and slides his hand under my shirt and along my back. At his touch I forget to breathe, much less worry about my fate.
At the top of the stairs is another sitting area and we turn right into a large bedroom hidden behind another frosted wall. Nathan disappears into a bathroom across the room and I hear the shower spring to life.
I cross over to the wall of frosted glass that separates me from the outside world. Once again I find myself confused. It has been 9 days until my normal life fell apart on a dance floor and now I find myself playing house with a man whose power, money, and incredible body are enough to overwhelm my good sense. I can’t really decide if I should be here or not. I can’t really decide what is real.
I reach to place my hand on the glass in hopes that the cool night can reach through the glass and my confusion to clear my head. I gasp when the glass clears instantly and I find myself peering out into the dark New Hampshire night.
Nathan is at my side in seconds and places his hand on the glass. It frosts immediately and seals us back inside. Excited, I reach for the glass again but he catches my hand and turns me toward him. “I think we should stay under wraps until we can figure out who might be watching.” He says as he kisses the inside of my wrist.
“But it’s so cool!” I think we are both surprised at how excited I sound. “Is the whole house like this? I’ve seen this in bathrooms and conference rooms, but a whole house? That is so cool!”
Nathan gives me a broad smile and I can tell that he is amused. “Yes, it’s the whole house.” He walks over to the wall between the bedroom and the sitting area and touches it. The glass clears immediately.
I can feel my eyes widen as I look around the house with a new appreciation. Almost every wall is glass. The possible combinations of cozy rooms or open areas are endless.
“Oh my God this house is awesome!” My voice is high and I am talking way to fast. “How do they do that, make it so it changes when you touch it? I’ve never seen that before. And is that the only way or is there some sort of control panel so you don’t have to go around touching everything?”
Nathan laughs but I can tell that underneath his cool facade he thinks it is as amazing as I do.
“There is a control panel so you can do rooms at a time or even the whole house. And the technology behind the touch is proprietary. There is a reason my dad’s friend can afford a place like this. But I’ll make sure to tell him that you think it is awesome.”
He wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a kiss.
“Don’t make fun of my choice of words. This is one of the rare times that a word like awesome is accurate.”
He nips my attempts at a pout and smiles. “I’m not making fun. I agree that it is amazing. Now let’s go clean up and let me show you something awesome.”
Chapter 17
Nathan starts to pull back from the kiss and I pull him closer.
“Let’s skip the shower and just enjoy ourselves.” My voice is low and full of need and for a moment I think he is going to agree.
“Let’s wash the sand and the salt off that body of yours. I promise we will enjoy ourselves.”
He leads me into the bathroom and into a large glass enclosure that is almost the size of a stall back at the barn. He strips himself naked and then removes each piece of my clothing with care and gentle touches. I finally manage to take my eyes off of his naked body and look around.
There is a large dome shower head in the middle and several nozzles spaced evenly along the walls. Nathan goes to a control panel and types as the dome above and several of the nozzles on the wall spring to life. I suddenly feel like I am standing in a warm rain. Nathan smiles at me again as I move to one of the walls and touch it. I’m still amused to see it transform so quickly and touch it a few times again just to watch it. I hear his low chuckle and finally walk away from the frosted wall and join him under the dome of water.
Rather than pull me close he reaches and runs his fingertips down my cheek. I feel the goose bumps start to spread over my body as he continues down my neck and the length of my arm. He moves up and again and my nipples harden and tingle as he caresses innocently down my side.
<
br /> He is watching every breath and movement I make as his fingers drift down the outside of my thigh and then trail across and move back up the inside of my leg. His fingers drift back to the top of my leg and across my belly without actually touching any of my sensitive spots but not before I feel the blush spread down from my cheeks and across my body. The man hasn't even really begun and I already stand there quivering with anticipation.
“So responsive.” He whispers and brushes his lips gently over mine. “Why don’t we go away? Take a week on a private beach in Hawaii and let me explore every inch of your beautiful body.”
I start to lean in and deepen the kiss but he pulls back and smiles as he lets his hand drifts lower again, fingers drifting slowly across my lower belly, and sending shivers down my spine.
“Patience.” He whispers in my ear before gently pulling on my ear with his teeth.
“I think you are pretty familiar with my body.” The sound of my shaky voice and the clear sound of need only causes his smile to grow.
“There is never enough time. Time to focus. Caress.” His hand never leaves my body but he begins to walk slowly around me, his eyes drifting over every square inch. I suddenly feel so exposed, standing naked under the cascade of water as this beautiful god examines me.
I bring my arms up to cover my breasts and his arms reach from behind me and gently pull my hands back down to my side. For a moment I feel the imprint of his naked body along my back and his erection burning against my skin. “Don’t. I love to see you.”
Suddenly his warmth is gone as he continues his slow walk around me. He comes into my vision and I am struck by the image of a predator circling his prey. His naked body is tense and I can see the changing texture of pure muscle with every movement he makes. I trace a single bead of water as it falls from his dark hair and takes a wondering path down the length of his body. He is so beautiful. I would give anything to follow the path of that water with my mouth.
I blush again from the thought and bring my eyes up again to his. His eyes are locked on my body with an intensity and need that causes a small gasp to escape my mouth. He smiles again and finally brings himself to a stop in front of me.
I reach toward him to pull him closer and feel his hands close over my wrists and squeeze gently as he places them back by my side. “Patience.”
His fingers drift over me again, this time circling each breast and then tugging just slightly on my nipple. I blush again at the soft moan that escapes from my lips. His hand drifts further and I feel my entire body tighten in anticipation. I realize I have forgotten to breathe as his fingers circle and tease and then slide gently into my sex.
“So, so responsive.” He whispers and it is his voice that is breathless and filled with need. He steps closer until there are only inches between us and I can feel the heat radiating off his body through the falling water.
His body betrays him and his game as his erection swells even more and closes the distance. I startle slightly as it brushes gently across my clit. I find his eyes again and can easily see he is as surprised by the contact as I am. I decide to give him a taste of his own medicine so I move just slightly back, breaking the contact.
His fingers slide from me as I kneel down until my mouth is almost touching the round tip of his erection and I am sure that he will be able to feel my breath over the sensitive skin. I lean forward, careful not to touch him and whisper tauntingly, “Patience.”
I glance up at his round eyes and am pleased to see that he is both surprised and filled with need. I know that this isn’t what he had planned, but I can tell that he isn’t going to stop me.
I let the tip of my tongue close the distance and hear his low moan as I begin to explore him with my mouth. His taste is salty and sweet with subtle hints of the chocolate and vanilla that makes up his smell.
His hands move into my hair and I can feel his fingers tighten as I move in and take him further into my mouth. Within moments I have lost my cool and have pulled him as deep as I can. His moan of pleasure feeds my excitement as I feel him start to move his hips.
I can tell he is trying to maintain control and not push me too far and it only drives me to push further. I want to feel him lose control, to lose himself in the pleasure. I want to give him so much that he can’t stop himself.
I wrap my hand around his base and pull him deeper, sucking and licking and losing myself in the pleasure of his taste. His moans are becoming louder and I can tell that he is close.
“Isabella, I’m going to come.”
He emphasizes the words with a gently pull again on my hair and I realize he is warning me so that I can pull away. But I do not want to pull away; I want to take in every moment of this. I want to give him every pleasure that I can. I pull him close and feel his body tighten in anticipation.
Finally, I feel him burst into my mouth as I hold tight and take all of him in. He lets out a harsh moan that almost doesn’t sound human and I look up to see him watching me in shock.
I let him pull me up and into his arms and am surprised to feel his body quivering against mine. At least I think that he is the one quivering. He tilts my chin and for a moment we just stand there under the water, watching each other.
“That was the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.” He looks and sounds so sincere but I know that it can’t be true. Still, there is part of me that feels so unbelievable, so powerful, to bring him this much pleasure. His look is full of wonder. And I can’t help but feeling pride. I, a mere mortal, have filled the god with wonder.
He brushes his thumb over my lips and then his mouth is on mine. His kiss is urgent and hard and I am reminded of this morning. It feels like he is connecting me to him, locking our bodies and souls together with the force of his kiss. I close my eyes and I feel like I am lost, floating into a wonderful oblivion.
The feel of the cold wall against my back brings me back to reality and the water shuts off as Nathan runs his fingers over the control panel. He never breaks the kiss as he carries me out of the shower and drops me gently onto the bed.
“Stay.” His voice is stern and commanding and I can’t help but be amused at being told so forcefully what to do. Before I can think of a teasing comeback he is back. He has a large towel wrapped around his waist and is carrying an extra for me.
He is gentle yet firm as he moves the towel across my back and shoulders, stopping to dry each trail of water from my skin. He tosses the towel and grabs a brush from the nightstand and begins to run it through my wet hair.
I reach out to run my fingers along the top of his towel and suddenly find myself flat on my back with Nathan on top of me. He is holding my hands firmly above my head and his eyes are fierce.
“You. You will stay. Here. Like this. No more trying to distract me. If you move from this position you should know that I’m not above tying you to our bed.”
I feel my breath catch. Did he say tie me to the bed? Judging from the look on his face he is serious. I’m not sure whether the idea scares me or excites me. Just to be safe I stay very, very still. The smirk spreads across his face as he notices my sudden lack of movement.
His words echo through my head several times until I catch myself focusing on a different part of the sentence. He didn’t say the bed, he said our bed. For some reason the choice of words throws me off. I have known this man for 9 days. My engagement has been over for 9 days. And yet here I am, lying perfectly still under the intense gaze of a man who is so perfect I question whether he is even human. Lying perfectly still lest he decide that he should tie me down in a bed that is decidedly not ours. It’s too much. Too fast.
“This is not our bed.” I whisper in my alarm.
“What?” His smirk fades.
“This is not our bed.” I repeat. “This bed belongs to some guy your dad knows. Or maybe it could be considered your bed since your renting the place. But it’s not mine. I don’t live here. I don’t live with you. It’s not ours. There is no ours.”
>
The moment the words leave my mouth I am horrified. He looks at me for a minute as if I just kicked him in the stomach. I have hurt him. And I have never felt worse. I start to panic at what he might do next. Surely he knows that I am just afraid.
I look at him as the tears moisten my eyes and pray that he can see that I want there to be an ours. And in that moment I know it is true. I do want there to be an ours. We may only be 9 days in, but I know already that I could spend the rest of my life turning everything, every bed, every moment, and every memory into ours.
I keep my eyes locked on his but I have no idea what he is thinking. I wait patiently for his response. I can’t believe that I was able to so quickly screw things up.
But Nathan just tightens his hands on my wrists and stretches his body out across mine. He positions himself and I gasp as he pushes deeply inside of me. He pulls back almost completely and drives himself forward again.
I can feel his hurt and frustration in the tenseness of his body. His roughness feels like desperation to join us completely and it feels like it is working. Each thrust puts him deeper inside of me and I feel him connecting more completely and inextricably than I ever thought possible. My fear is melted away by pleasure and my moans are muffled by his kisses as my body shakes with orgasm.
Nathan’s mouth moves lower as his teeth nibble and then pull at my nipples. He brings my breast into his mouth with a hard suck before moving on to the other. I am overwhelmed with sensation as this new pleasure crashes into my still lingering orgasm.
I call his name and find myself flipped over as he reaches under my belly and pulls me backwards onto his still raging erection. With his hands on my hips he supports me as drives into me again. I can’t imagine how my body can take much more but within minutes I feel myself crashing over the edge again, this time screaming his name as the orgasm sends me melting limp into the mattress.
He pulls out and I feel his mouth at my ankle as he licks and nips up the length of my leg. I yelp as he pauses briefly to bite the left cheek of my ass. I jump in surprise and roll over only to find him back on top of me. It is clear that it was exactly the response he was looking for.
Confusion: (a love story) Page 15