“I need you,” he whispered in my ear. “Every little piece of you.”
“I’m yours,” I replied simply, as Nathan hooked his fingers into the elastic on either side of my panties. I pulled myself up, expecting him to slide them off, but instead, with a roar, he ripped them away, rolling me back onto the floor.
“I’m going to kiss you all over,” he promised, nuzzling me behind the ear in that little sensitive spot I had that always drove me wild. Although this was the first time we’d made love, it felt as though he already knew all my body’s secrets, that my heart, body and soul were laid bare before him.
Slowly, he kissed his way down my body, running his tongue over my nipple, flicking and sucking at it while he massaged my other breast with his hand.
“Lower, Nathan. Lower,” I begged, pushing his head down.
“All in good time, Abi.”
Gently, he carried on kissing me, gradually making his way down towards my pussy. I’d always felt a little self-conscious about the fact that I didn’t have a perfectly toned body, but Nathan was proving that a real man really did prefer curves as he worshiped my body as though I were a sexual goddess.
At last, he buried his head between my legs, his tongue darting out to play with my clit. I couldn’t contain the cries that escaped me as his fingers slipped inside me to find my G-spot. As he continued to work his magic, I could feel myself building up to an orgasm and when it came, it was the most intense climax I’d ever experienced.
“Oh. My. God. Nathan,” I panted. “How did you do that?”
“I’m only just getting started,” he told me, as he moved up to lie on top of me. I could feel his enormous cock nudging against me and despite his size, I was so wet that he easily slipped inside. He kissed me again and again as my hips bucked to meet his, wanting him to feel as good as I did.
I could feel his cock pulsing and I could tell that he was about to come. Suddenly, he let out an almighty roar as he came hard and fast, while a second orgasm engulfed me.
“Nathan!” I screamed as I jolted awake.
“I’m right here.”
Confused, I twisted round to see him lying next to me, as naked as he’d been in my dream.
I gasped, not knowing where to look. Just as I was trying to figure out what I was supposed to do, there was the sound of a voice at the door.
“Woah! I’m sorry.”
I turned to see Shelby covering her eyes and backing away from the doorway.
“Shelby!” I scrambled to my feet, leaving Nathan behind as I rushed after her before the door could lock again. “You have no idea how pleased I am to see me. You’ve saved me!”
“You didn’t look as though you needed any saving,” she remarked wryly. “The way you were all curled up next to Nathan was very sweet. I thought you guys hated each other, but it looks as though I got you all wrong.”
“You didn’t. I mean, you did. I mean…” I sighed in exasperation as I tried to explain what had just happened. It was difficult when I didn’t even understand it myself.
I decided to take a deep breath and start again.
“We got locked into the wine cellar after somebody,” I glared at her, “didn’t tell me about the hook to keep the door open.”
“I’m sorry,” gasped Shelby, her hand flying to her mouth. “I completely forgot. I guess I just figured that there were so many people around last night, it wouldn’t have mattered. Anyway, isn’t there a panic button? Surely Nathan should have been able to get you out in no time?”
“Yeah, well the panic button didn’t work, despite both our efforts,” I told her. “And you could have warned me that he was a shifter – he had to change into a bear to get us out. Only it turns out that the door to the wine cellar is so thick that not even a grizzly could break it down.”
“Wow. It sounds like you guys had quite the night.”
“Yeah, well, there is one good thing that came out of it. Nathan and I got to talking and although I wouldn’t describe us as friends, we have at least come to an understanding. I don’t think there are going to be any more arguments when I cater for his parents’ vow renewal.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Shelby said. “Still, you must be feeling awful. You can’t have slept well on that cold floor.”
“It’s all right. She had my bear to keep her warm.” Nathan was back to his usual smug self as came out of the wine cellar to join us. There was a part of me that was disappointed to see that he was fully dressed. As I gazed at him, he gave me a look that said that he knew exactly what I’d been dreaming about, even though he couldn’t possibly have had any idea.
“Yes. Thank you for that, Nathan,” I blushed. “I appreciate your being a perfect gentleman.”
“It was my pleasure.” Nathan sketched a mocking little bow. “Now if you don’t mind, ladies, I’m going to go and have a nice hot shower. Abi, you’re welcome to join me.”
“Excuse me?!” I gasped as Shelby stifled a giggle.
“I meant that we have plenty of bathrooms available,” he clarified. “You can take your pick. I’m sure you’d feel a lot better after you’ve freshened up. You could even nap in one of the spare bedrooms if you don’t feel up to driving home just yet.”
“That’s very generous of you, but I really think I ought to get going,” I replied. “Much as I appreciate your hospitality, I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’ve got another catering gig tomorrow evening and I need to get everything prepped.”
“Are you sure?” I could have sworn I heard a hint of disappointment in his voice.
“Very,” I nodded.
“All right. Well how about you and I go out for dinner later this week?” he suggested. “After all, there’s my parents’ party to plan and I feel as though I owe you a better evening than the one you just had. After the way I’ve been treating you, you need to let me make it up to you.”
I was fully aware of Shelby’s presence and I could tell that she was dying to go and tell Caleb that his brother was hooking up with me.
Ugh. I hated having an audience. Last night had been weird enough without having Shelby around for the morning after, making it difficult for me to figure out the best way forward.
“I don’t think so,” I finally decided. “We don’t need to have dinner to plan a menu.”
“Please?”
Maybe it was the hint of vulnerability in his voice. Maybe it was the fact that I knew that I would never hear the end of it from Shelby if I let her future brother-in-law down.
Whatever it was, somehow I found myself agreeing to go out to dinner with him.
Chapter Six
I gazed at the gorgeous woman staring out at me from my laptop screen. Brooke Lamont was everything I wasn’t. Tall, beautiful and with a figure to die for. If Nathan had been about to propose to her, there was no way that he’d been telling the truth when he’d said that I was his type. Maybe the cold had addled his brain or perhaps he was just trying to make me feel good so that I’d cater for him. I wouldn’t put it past Nathan to use flattery to get what he wanted.
Either way, Brooke was way out of my league – which meant that so was Nathan.
According to her Wikipedia entry, Brooke was a 26 year old socialite. Just as Nathan had told me, she came from old money, her family owning a number of different businesses across a range of industries. She’d graduated from Harvard with a law degree, but instead of going into practice, she seemed to spend her time working with her family’s charitable foundations. Most recently, she was focusing her energies on making sure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds had the chance to get involved in the arts. She was quoted as saying that her mission was ‘to enrich children’s lives.’
I was most intrigued by the section on her love life. Apparently, although she’d been dating Justin St. Clair, that relationship was over and she’d moved on to Hollywood megastar Mike Mackenzie.
“Ugh. I hate her already.” I shut down my laptop. I’d done enough cyber stalking f
or one day. It was time to get ready for my dinner with Nathan.
I had no idea where he was taking me, and as I opened my wardrobe, I couldn’t see a single thing I wanted to wear. This dinner was supposed to be a business meeting, not a date, but all my business suits seemed a little too conservative and drab to go out with a man who always looked suave and sophisticated.
At last I spotted a dress I hadn’t worn in ages. Pulling it out, I held it up against me, hoping that it would still fit. One of the downsides of working in my industry was that I was always sampling the food I prepared to make sure it tasted good. There was no way I’d ever be able to go on a diet, even if I wanted to. As it was, I was proud of my curves. I might not ever be as skinny as someone like Brooke Lamont, but I knew how to dress to flatter my figure and as I slipped on the dress I’d selected, I could tell that it was perfect for tonight.
The dark green tones of the dress complemented my auburn curls, the unusual color making it stand out from the usual LBD someone might wear to a date. The soft, stretchy material wrapped around my body, hinting at cleavage without revealing too much. A sash tied at the side of my waist, creating interest and enhancing my hourglass figure.
Teaming it with brown, suede ankle boots, I tied my hair up in a loose bun knot before dashing on a slick of a subtly shaded lip gloss. A hint of light green eye shadow completed the look and as I examined myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help but be impressed by what I saw. So I didn’t have Brooke’s millions to buy the latest trends. I still managed to look fantastic on a budget. When Nathan picked me up, he’d see a smart businesswoman who knew how to present herself to suit her clients.
My doorbell went, sending the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy. Why was I so nervous about seeing Nathan again? His email confirming our dinner had been pure business and there wasn’t going to be any cold wine cellar on tonight’s agenda.
More’s the pity.
I grabbed my work bag that contained all my notes and menus and headed out to the door. I fought to keep my expression when I saw Nathan standing in front of me. Damn, the man was gorgeous and knowing what he looked like under the suit made it even harder to keep up a professional front.
He smiled and my insides did a flip. “Are you ready to go?”
“Sure.” I locked the door behind me and followed him out to where his Mercedes was waiting. As I got in, I tried to contain how impressed I was. It was a world apart from my work van stuffed with casual debris of coffee cups and paperwork. Not only was it spotless, the leather seats were incredibly comfortable with no loose springs digging me in the back.
“I thought we’d go to the Stuffed Lobster,” Nathan told me. “I hope you like seafood?”
“Love it,” I nodded. “I’ve always wanted to go there. I’ve heard their scallops are to die for.”
“The food is pretty good,” agreed Nathan, “but my reason for choosing there is more practical. It’s quiet and out of the way and nobody will see us there.”
If I’d thought that we were on anything vaguely like a date, his words shattered my illusion. He was taking me to a restaurant where he wouldn’t be embarrassed about being out with me. Whatever it was that had happened between us that night in the wine cellar, he clearly wasn’t interested in taking it any further.
I was irrationally depressed by the thought and I desperately tried to remind myself that I’d never liked Nathan anyway. He was rude and arrogant and entitled…
…and sexy and witty and considerate and nothing like the front he puts on to scare people off.
I sighed. Why couldn’t life be easy for once?
“What’s up?” Nathan glanced over at me. “I hope you’re not going to be in a bad mood during dinner. I thought we’d got past any animosity by now.”
“I was just thinking about all the work I’ve got on this week,” I lied. “I thought I’d enjoy a night out, but right now, all I can think about it is how much I’ve got to do tomorrow.”
“I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule for me,” Nathan said without a hint of sarcasm. “Hopefully tonight will take your minds off things a little bit.”
“What – forget about work by talking about work?” I laughed.
“I suppose,” shrugged Nathan. “How long does it take to discuss a menu?”
“Hours sometimes,” I replied.
“Are you serious?” Nathan did a double take.
“Oh yes,” I nodded. “It all depends on the client. Some of them just can’t make up their minds, so I have to take them through all their options and then steer them towards a decision. If I didn’t take charge, some client meetings could go on for days.”
“Sheesh,” breathed Nathan. “No wonder you have an Annoying Client Surcharge! There was me thinking that we could sort it all out in five minutes and then enjoy ourselves for the rest of the night.”
“Really?” Talk about mixed signals! First Nathan says that he doesn’t want to be seen with me and now he talks about us having fun. Well if he thought that I was going to be content with being his dirty little secret, he could think again.
My Annoying Client Surcharge didn’t just apply to my invoice. I made a mental note to order the most expensive items on the menu tonight before going home. Alone.
“Will you look at that?” Nathan indicated to pull in. “A parking space right outside the restaurant. It must be our lucky night!”
“It must be,” I murmured non-committedly. A parking space was about as lucky as he was going to get today.
As we headed towards the restaurant, he held the door open for me.
“After you, milady.” He gestured for me to go before him and he followed behind, as a waiter came over to greet us. “Reservation for Love,” Nathan said. “Two people. I’ve requested a table away from the window for privacy.”
“Of course,” the waiter replied. “If you’d like to follow me.”
He led us through to the back of the restaurant and I raised my eyebrows when I saw our table. It couldn’t have been more intimate. Away from prying eyes, a couple could easily flirt without caring what observers might think, a flickering candle illuminating the dim booth in a gentle glow.
The waiter handed us both a menu and withdrew, leaving us alone.
I buried myself in the menu, my mind buzzing in confusion. Nathan had completely lost me. This was supposed to be a business meeting, yet he’d brought me to the most romantic place I’d ever been. I had no idea what he wanted from me, so I decided to focus on choosing some food, promising myself that I’d keep the conversation firmly fixed on what he wanted me to make for his parents’ celebration.
“Do you see anything you like the look of?” asked Nathan, a definite undertone to his innocent question, as he gazed at me intensely.
“Mm-hmm,” I nodded, folding the menu and putting it to one side as an excuse not to meet his eyes. “I thought I’d try out the famous scallops to start and then have the paella with oysters for the main.”
“Good choice,” Nathan told me. “Oysters are supposed to be an aphrodisiac, you know.”
“I have heard that.” I kept my tone light, not rising to the bait. “But since we’re here to discuss business, I’ll do my best to restrain myself. Now have you had a chance to look over the menus I sent over?”
“Not really,” came the reply. “To be honest, I’m not really all that bothered what you cook. I figured that I’d leave the decision in your more than capable hands. I’m sure that whatever you choose will be delicious.”
“Some clients take that approach, which is fine, but if you don’t want to discuss my menu, why did you invite me out to dinner?”
“I told you. I wanted to make up for my rudeness when we first met. Besides, what man wouldn’t want to have the excuse to spend the evening with you?”
“Just as long as no one knows about it, right?” I drawled sarcastically.
“What?” Whatever Nathan was about to say was lost as the waiter came over to take ou
r orders. One look at Nathan’s dark expression, however, and he retreated to give us some time.
“Well, you did say that you wanted to come somewhere out of the way where no one would see us,” I pointed out.
“What?” Nathan repeated, frowning until realization spread across his face. “Oh god. Is that what you thought? No, Abi. That was the last thing on my mind and I’m really sorry if you ever thought that I’d be ashamed to be seen with you. Any hot blooded male would be proud to have you by his side. It’s just that whenever Brooke and I went out together, we were always hounded by the paparazzi and I know there are a few gossip columnists out there that would love to run a piece on who I’m dating now. I want you all to myself while we figure out whatever this thing is that we have between us.”
“Oh,” I gulped. That was the last thing I was expecting him to say. “What do you mean, figure out this thing?”
“Come on, Abi. Now is not the time to be playing games. I watched you sleeping that night. I know that you feel the connection between us just as strongly as I do.”
“Where’s that waiter?” I desperately looked around, indicating to the waiter that we were ready to order, needing some time to process what Nathan had just said.
“Yes?” The waiter hovered by our table, pen in hand.
“Could I get the scallops and oyster paella, please?” I asked, while Nathan picked his fork, impatiently tapping it against the table. “And wine. A large glass of wine.”
“Forget the wine. Bring us a bottle of dry champagne with two glasses,” Nathan ordered. “And I’ll have the pesto mussels and toast followed by the chargrilled whole squid.”
“Right away, sir.” The waiter took our menus, immediately returning with the champagne. He expertly popped the cork before pouring out two glasses, bowing as he handed me mine before turning to Nathan to give him his and disappearing off, leaving us alone again.
“To new understandings and beginnings,” Nathan said, raising his glass.
Healing Bear: A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Love Laid Bear Book 3) Page 5