by Ellis, Aven
I see that Nate’s watching me, and my heart dances inside my chest. I smile at him, and he flashes me a grin before taking another shot.
I trust you, Nate, I think, watching him move across the ice. More than I have any man.
Now I have to trust he’s going to fall in love with me.
Because I’m already starting to fall for him.
Chapter 19
Caramel Stage: When you heat sugar to between 320-350F, at which point the water has boiled away and the sugar has caramelized, resulting in a rich, brown color — Kenley
This has been the best night ever.
Seeing Nate play—even for the few minutes that he did—was exhilarating. He’s amazing on the ice! Nate moves with precision and speed—I still can’t believe how fast he can skate. He even had an assist, as Lexi explained, to Harrison that resulted in a goal. I remember leaping to my feet and cheering, and I know if I’m this excited over a preseason game, I’ll be out of control when I go to the first real game of the season.
And now comes the next best part of the night—meeting Nate at his place after the game.
I move down the hall to his door. Nate had explained to me he had to workout after the game, some core work and light toning, and then he’d be ready to leave. I shake my head. Seriously, he works out after playing hockey? This is a whole new world for me.
He texted me when he was leaving, and I headed over to meet him at his place.
I feel the butterflies shift in my stomach as I ring his doorbell. I wait for him to open the door, and as he does, my heart stops inside my chest.
Nate is standing there in a crisp white dress shirt and black suit pants. The shirt is unbuttoned a few spots, revealing his gorgeous olive skin, and now my heart jumps back to life, accelerating at a dangerous pace. If you were to take my temperature, it would be at the freaking caramel stage because I’m burning up now.
Sexy as hell. The man is sexy as hell.
“You’re so gorgeous tonight,” Nate says, his espresso-colored eyes flickering over me.
Huh? Then I glance down at what I have on. I’m wearing a black, gathered-neck trapeze top, with my Rag & Bone denim jacket thrown over the top. I paired it with my white slim-fitted jeans and my black skimmer flats. A stack of silver bangles on my wrist and a silver link statement necklace complete my outfit.
Nate lets me in and shuts the door behind me. I turn around and smile at him.
“Thank you,” I say, happy that he complimented me. “I’m glad you approve of my game day outfit.”
“I love it,” Nate says, sliding his muscular arms around my waist.
I shiver from his touch. “Why are you so dressed up?” I ask, gazing up at him.
“We dress for game days,” Nate says.
“I have so much to learn,” I say, my arms finding their way to Nate’s waist. I feel the crisp fabric of his expensive shirt against my fingertips, and suddenly all I can think of is unbuttoning the rest of it so I can feel his chest.
“Learn?”
I nod. “You do Pilates, you have to workout after a game, and you have to wear suits even for a home game. I need a handbook to learn everything you do!”
“You don’t need a handbook when you have me,” Nate says, lowering his lips to mine.
His lips brush against mine in one of his delicious, sweet kisses. Then he slowly eases my lips apart, deepening the kiss, and heat fills me as his tongue demands more of me.
Both of his hands are in my hair now, caressing it as he continues to explore my mouth with his own. I match his kiss, which is getting more passionate by the second. His stubble is burning against my skin, which is making me crazy with desire. I slide my hands around his back, feeling his hard muscles through his shirt, and I moan against his lips in response.
Nate breaks the kiss, pausing to catch his breath, and I do the same.
“Hi,” he finally says, smiling at me.
I regain my breath and smile back at him. “Hi.”
Then we both laugh, as we realized we never got that far in our greetings tonight.
“I loved seeing you at the game,” Nate says, cupping my face in his hands and stroking it in that sensual way he has. “Sorry you had to endure watching me sit on the bench for most of it.”
I shake my head. “Are you kidding? I loved being there,” I cry. “The whole experience was incredible. Seeing how fast you skate, how you can shoot that puck. I relished every second of it.”
Nate grins at me. “But did you check out my ass? I’d been working on it the past week since your comment.”
Embarrassment sweeps through me, and I feel my face grow warm. Suddenly Nate’s eyes are sparkling at me.
“I love to make you blush, Bae.”
I laugh. “I’m so not your Bae.”
“You so are.”
Then his expression gets serious. He clears his throat and gazes intently into my eyes.
“Those tickets are yours,” he says softly. “You can come to as many games as you want. But don’t feel like you have to. I know you have a life. I know you work on your business, teach classes, have other things you want to do a—”
I interrupt him by placing my finger over his lips. “I’ll go to every game possible,” I promise, meaning every word. “I’m going to support you in any way I can.”
Nate entwines his fingers with mine and gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
“Thank you,” he says. “That means a lot to me.”
“I know it does,” I say. “And that’s why it means just as much to me to be there for you.”
Nothing is said for a moment. I’m standing with Nate, his strong hand still wrapped around mine.
But nothing needs to be said.
Because I know we’ve taken another step forward.
“I want you to stay over tonight,” Nate says, squeezing my hands gently. “Please sleep here. Stay with me.”
I feel my breath catch in my throat. I know what my answer is, but I decide to play coy with him first.
“I didn’t bring a toothbrush,” I say, smiling at him.
A grin spreads across Nate’s face, as he knows what my answer is going to be, too.
“I have an extra one.”
“Okay, so that problem is solved. But I don’t have anything to sleep in.”
“And this is a problem?”
I laugh. “Nate.”
Nate winds his muscular arms around me. “You can sleep in one of my T-shirts.”
Oh I love this idea, of being in his clothes.
I gaze up at him and lift an eyebrow. “And we’re still taking baby steps?”
“It’s a king-sized bed. You’ll practically be sleeping in Fort Worth. You won’t even know I’m there.”
I burst out laughing, and Nate does, too. But his answer tells me while we’ll be in the same bed, we won’t be having sex tonight.
“I think I’ll know you’re there,” I say.
Nate cocks his head to one side. “I don’t snore when I sleep.”
“Are you a cover hog?”
“Okay, this is the hardest time I’ve ever had getting a woman to sleep with me,” Nate exclaims, his eyes still sparkling. “And I do mean sleep.”
I can’t help but grin. Oh, yes, Nate, you’re right about that. Most women would be naked and waiting in your bed at this point.
And while he could easily have that, he’d rather take it slow with me, which makes me treasure him even more than I already do.
“You’re evading the question,” I say smartly.
Nate laughs. “No, I don’t steal the covers. I get hot when I sleep, actually.”
“Then we coordinate well since I love being wrapped up in covers.”
“You make us sound like bed linens.”
I cup his face in my hands, feeling his stubble underneath my skin.
“Okay, I’ll accept your offer,” I say, pulling his face down toward mine. “I’ll sleepover tonight.”
Nate’s lips find mine, and we kiss to seal the deal.
“Care to see your sleeping accommodations?” Nate asks.
A shiver of excitement rips down my spine. I nod, and Nate takes my hand again, leading me through his condo, to the room I haven’t seen yet.
Nate’s bedroom.
My heartbeat is picking up the closer we get. Nate pauses in the doorway and turns on a light.
“Your room for the night, Ms. Hunter. I hope you find the accommodations meet your standards,” Nate says.
His room is sexy and cool, just like Nate. It’s very minimal and uncluttered. The walls are painted a sleek gray. I see a king-sized black leather platform bed, covered with chic white linens. I see he has a modern black chair and ottoman, and a long, tufted bench at the end of his bed.
And then there are the stunning, floor-to-ceiling windows that provide a dynamic view of downtown Dallas, all lit up against the black sky.
“This is gorgeous. The view is fantastic.”
“I prefer the view I have of you better,” Nate says.
I turn around. My pulse twitches as I study him, here in the low lighting of his bedroom. Nate is so gorgeous in his white dress shirt, right next to this seductive-looking bed . . .
Okay, this might be a totally bad idea, me sleeping with him tonight.
Like I will be able to sleep with Nate in the same bed.
Because I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my hands off him.
Nate removes my jacket. With shaking hands, I try to undo his dress shirt, but I’m having problems. Suddenly I’m nervous and excited and seriously debating giving everything to Nate tonight instead of waiting.
Nate must sense this, because he gently places his hands on mine. “I’ll do it. We’ll just get comfortable, okay? That’s all I need.”
I’m so falling in love with you, Nate.
Nate slowly unbuttons his dress shirt. I bite my lip as he slides it off, walks over to his chair, and gently drapes the shirt over it.
I can’t take my eyes off him, the chiseled abs and a full-sleeve tattoo and damn it, I should throw myself on this bed and beg him to take me right now. His arms are so beautiful, the sculpted muscles, the veins running through them. His body is powerful and strong.
Nate moves his fingertips down to his belt buckle, undoing it, and then he takes off his pants.
Now Nate is standing before me in his boxer-briefs. His body is all muscle and athletic, completely beautiful.
And now this man is moving toward me, wanting me.
My heart slams inside my chest. I reach for my jeans button, but I’m so nervous my hands are fumbling with it.
Nate doesn’t say a word but slides his fingers around the button, undoing it. I’m able to slide out of my jeans, and I put them on the bench at the front of his bed.
Nate’s eyes are moving over me, skimming down my legs, back up my stomach, my chest, and then resting on my face.
“Christ,” Nate whispers. “You’re so beautiful.”
I change my mind. I want to be with Nate.
In every way.
“We don’t have to wait,” I say. “I want you.”
I watch as Nate’s chest rises and falls. I know he wants this as much as I do.
He doesn’t say anything. He takes my hand and leads me to the bed, pulling me down with him.
We’re now lying face-to-face. Nate props himself up on his elbow and begins stroking my face with his fingertips.
“I want to ask you something personal,” he says in the darkness.
“Anything,” I say, barely about to hear the words over the pounding of my heart.
“What was your first time like? Be honest with me.”
I freeze. “You want to know about Chase? Now?” I ask, confused.
“Not details, but what the experience was like. Was it everything you expected? Was it what you dreamed of?”
I study Nate’s handsome face before speaking. He’s so open and honest, and I can’t help but want to be the same with him.
“As far as what I expected it to feel like, yes,” I say slowly. “And I thought I was in love, so it was nice to have that physical connection with a man.”
“But was it romantic?”
“Chase said all the right things,” I say softly, reaching up and touching Nate’s stubble, which I feel like I need right now, to touch him. “But he didn’t mean them.”
“I’m not going to sleep with you tonight, Bae,” Nate says softly.
“But, Nate, that doesn’t matter,” I protest. “I know I don’t have a lot of experience, is that why you’re hesitating?”
“Oh, God, no,” Nate says, leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Believe me, I want this, too. But I want your first time with me to be the first time you never had. I want to give you that. I want it to be special and romantic and everything you’ve dreamed of.”
Tears fill my eyes. Nobody has ever touched me like this. Ever.
“Nate, it doesn’t have to be like that,” I say as he becomes blurry in my vision. “Just you. That’s enough.”
“No,” Nate says firmly. “You deserve this. And I’m determined to give it to you. And when the time is right, I will.”
I see nothing but passion in those espresso eyes right now. Nate is going to give me the first time I never had. And I know it’s going to be everything I ever wanted, simply because I’ll be making love to Nate.
“What did I do to deserve you?” I whisper, choking back tears.
“I could say the same thing,” Nate says.
We fall silent for a moment. The shining lights of Dallas are coming through the window, illuminating Nate’s gorgeous body, and I can’t help but think this is where Nate was always meant to be. Nate was meant to be here, in this city, sharing his life with me.
“Bae?” he says, breaking the silence.
“Yes?”
“Since we’ve decided we’re not having sex, we’re wasting valuable time that I could spend kissing you. And I refuse to talk for another second when I could be doing that instead.”
Nate draws me to him, moving me so I’m now on top of him. I feel the warmness of his skin against me, his hands in my hair, his lips taking from mine.
Never has anything felt as right as this. I know I’m with the man who is meant for me. I know it.
And I can’t wait for the day when Nate wants to take that next step with me, and I can show him how much I love him, in every way.
Chapter 20
Ice Resurfacer: Ah, the Zamboni. It smoothes out the ice between periods — Nate
“I have never been so happy to be done with macaroons in all my life,” I declare, shutting the apartment door behind me.
Lexi doesn’t even glance up from her Kindle. “Hmmm, would that be because you get to see a certain hockey player today?”
I drop my Modalu tote on the kitchen countertop. Lexi is exactly right. Normally I love doing my macaroon class, which is a long one—two and a half hours, to be exact—but this Saturday afternoon I wanted nothing more than to fly through it.
Because I’m seeing Nate this afternoon, I think happily.
“Have I mentioned how excited I am to see him? It’s been three days,” I say.
Nate went on the road right after I spent the night at his place, and he got back late last night. Of course, we did Connectivity video connects and texted each other every day, but I truly missed him, everything about him. His voice, his scent, the way he l
ooks at me through those long eyelashes—
“Yes, it’s a good thing he gifted you his University of Minnesota T-shirt so you remember who he is,” Lexi teases. “Otherwise I’m sure you would have forgotten what he smelled like.”
“Ha, ha,” I say, grinning. I flop down on the couch next to Lexi, who is still engrossed in her Kindle.
“What are you reading?” I ask, curious.
“One Hundred Proposals by Holly Martin,” Lexi answers. Then she glances up at me. “Since I’ll never get a proposal, I might as well read good ones.”
“Stop it. I bet you’ll be getting one in the next year. Your future husband is close to finding you.”
Now I have Lexi’s full attention. “Riiiiight. But you might be getting a proposal within the next 12 months.”
“That’s crazy to even think about.”
“Why?”
“Why?” I ask, incredulous. “Okay, we just met. I’ve known Nate for only a month.”
“How many times do I have to tell you there are no timetables for feelings? Do I need to write that on your forehead so you see it every day?”
I laugh. “No, but it’s still early. And then there’s what happened to Nate,” I say softly.
“I think this isn’t about your feelings,” Lexi says, putting her Kindle aside. “Because I have never seen you happier. This is about Nate.”