“Both?” he asked, confused by her choice of words.
“First to the car, and second to Natalie’s reaction. My best friend is a lot of things but a good actress is not one of them.”
“Oh.”
“You devastated her.”
James sighed, feeling defeated. “I know.”
“No, I do not think you do. I do not think you truly understand what you did, James.”
The handprint-shaped stinging that lingered on his cheek gave him a fairly good understanding of exactly what he did. “I was angry,” he conceded.
Quinn stood up from her seat and shook her head as she paced a few feet out from the couch. “That is not an excuse!”
“I am not allowed to be angry that Natalie slept with Joe and carried on with my best friend and business partner?”
“You are allowed to feel however you want, James, but you did not leave it at that. You took it several steps further and used your money to make good on some stupid bet. You humiliated her! I mean, would it not have been cheaper to just hire a plane to sky write, ‘James hates Natalie’?”
James flew off the couch and squeezed his fists into balls in attempt to focus his anger away from his head and his heart. “I do not hate her!” He grimaced at having to hold back. “I do not hate her,” he said again with less of a sharp edge to his tone. “Far from it.”
Quinn crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a pitying look, a look which he would have despised from almost any other person.
“Why did you call me here tonight? If you think I am going to be your messenger to Natalie-“
“No, no nothing like that,” he dismissed her question before she could even finish it. “You are the only person with Natalie’s best interests at heart that I trust.”
“That is too bad. You may have your issues with Joe, but he cares very deeply for Natalie, and quite frankly I am surprised he is not here to give you the ass kicking you deserve.”
James scoffed and rolled his eyes heavenward. “He knows better.”
Quinn shook her head. There was zero sympathy for James or his plight evident on her face. “You think he is just some guy she slept with to hurt you? They are not just friends, James. They have built this amazing company together. Natalie and Joe are not much different from you and Audra as far as I am concerned.”
“Except Audra’s a lesbian,” James interjected, as though the fact made the point for him.
“Her sexual orientation makes the situation different? Do you really mean to tell me that after ten years of building a life with Audra you would not have slept with her if she was not gay?”
“That is beside the point.”
“So then it is true?”
James’ brows furrowed above his eyes. “It does not matter whether it is true or not. I have never slept with Audra. It is who Natalie slept with that is the problem.”
“It is only a problem to you, James. Natalie does not share your issues with Joe. And in any event, Joe is not your problem.”
“What is my problem, Quinn?”
“You committed the cardinal sin of relationships. You leveraged your own pain and suffering to cause harm to someone you claim to have once loved.”
“Not once. Still. And that is the reason I called you. I need to know that it is not too late.” She cast her eyes away from his questioning glare, obviously avoiding him. “Quinn?”
“I am not the person you should be asking that question to,” she said, finally glancing up at him, if only briefly.
“But I am asking you. Is it too late?”
“I think it was too late the night Audra showed up at our house and told Natalie she was not going to deny her feelings any longer. Even if you still had a chance then, it expired the moment you announced to the world via that stupid car that you no longer love her. The fact that you could not forgive her for something you did yourself…” She left the sentence unfinished as her eyes shifted from James’ to some point past him. He turned and saw Celine standing a few feet away, a sleeping Colin wrapped up in her arms.
“I am going to go,” Quinn said through a tight smile in Celine’s direction. “Please do not make the mistake of thinking that I will defend you to her. We may be friends, you and I, but you are still the asshole who sent my best friend a million dollar ‘fuck you’, and Audra’s the one she went to for comfort tonight.”
She could not have hurt him more even if she punched him, and part of him felt like she did - straight in the gut. As he watched her walk the path back to the house and out to her car, James was left with only one realization, one he had hoped to avoid at all costs: it was over.
And at that very moment Natalie was choosing to be with Audra - his most trusted friend in the entire world. She was quite possibly lost to him for good.
Natalie’s every nerve ending was alight with fire in the wake of Audra’s touch as it caressed down her neck, over her breasts, and across the soft expanse of her stomach. She arched her back and let her head rest on Audra’s shoulder as her breasts spilled into waiting hands. Audra gently squeezed, rolling the flesh between her fingers. Natalie opened her mouth to moan but the sound was lost against Audra’s lips. One arm crossed her chest to hug her close to Audra’s torso, while the other hand slipped down between her legs to find her wanting center. Audra’s first and middle fingers circled intimately around her clit, eliciting more soft moans as she moved against Audra.
The sensation of Audra moving behind her, gradually rocking her hips against her backside was new but welcome. On instinct she matched her rhythm, smiling when she heard the distinct sound of Audra’s breath hitch in her throat against her mouth.
“I want to taste you,” Audra whispered, her voice hoarse with need as her hand swept across Natalie’s sex.
Encircled in Audra’s embrace, Natalie turned to face her lover and continued her pursuit of the taste of Audra’s tongue. Using the force of her hands on her backside, Natalie pushed their bodies closer together until there was little more than air between them.
“Do you trust me?” Audra whispered.
“Yes,” Natalie said through her own breath as their hips moved in tandem. She was desperate to feel Audra inside her again, stroking her.
“Good.”
Natalie parted her lips and watched as Audra climbed onto the bed with her back against the headboard. She nodded ever so subtly, beckoning Natalie to join her. Natalie followed, straddling her hips at the encouragement of Audra’s hands pushing against her backside.
“Sit up on your knees,” Audra commanded, her voice low and molten with need. Natalie did as asked, gasping when Audra's firm hold of her backside tightened, squeezing the tender flesh of her cheeks.
“What are you-“ Her hips weakened as Audra’s mouth met her center, lips pursed against her sex. She arched her pelvis, shuddering when Audra’s tongue parted her and made one long lap inside her. “Oh… my… God…” Using Audra’s firm grip on her backside to keep her steady, Natalie arched her back and opened wider to Audra’s mouth, wanting to be filled completely with the velvet tongue that worshiped her. Natalie fisted her fingers in Audra’s blonde hair and held her close as she moved her hips against Audra’s tongue.
Natalie looked down at Audra and found her chestnut eyes watching her intimately, an unmistakable mixture of admiration and lust evident in her gaze. If this was Audra’s lovemaking, her idea of making Natalie hers, Natalie would accept it in a heartbeat. She watched unashamed as Audra’s mouth made love to her, feeling with each passing moment a deepening connection with the woman.
Her release came suddenly, and wildly, a crescendo of pleasure that erupted into pure, unadulterated bliss. She hardly knew she was falling until the pillowy surface of the bed caught her, enveloping her in its cool comfort. She fondled her own breasts, kneading against the soft skin glistening with perspiration in an effort to encourage the contractions between her legs that radiated warmth throughout her body.
Natalie was still
awash with sensation when Audra stretched out above her. She wrapped her arms around Audra’s neck and welcomed the feel of bare breasts against her own. Natalie parted her thighs willfully, and cried out when Audra’s mons rubbed against her folds. Her heart pounded in her chest at the new awareness while her hips freely reciprocated, pressing her sex against Audra’s. The friction of their groins grinding against one another reignited a deep pleasure within Natalie. Audra took a breast in her mouth and lavished her tongue across the soft mound of flesh. Natalie, lost in a landscape of her own lust and desire, could only think to squeeze Audra’s arms and backside as they thrust together.
Audra exhaled short pants of breath against Natalie’s warmed breasts, accompanied by the occasional melodious moan. Using what little strength she had left, Natalie encouraged Audra to pull her torso up so she could look in her eyes. The raw energy of keeping eye contact with her lover had always been just short of overwhelming for Natalie, but with Audra she insisted. She wanted to watch the powerful woman’s face as she came apart between Natalie’s legs.
“Fuck you look so beautiful right now,” Audra panted. “I want to come for you.”
Emboldened by those words, Natalie leveraged her position and flipped their bodies over on the bed. Natalie slid down the woman’s body and thrust her tongue into her entrance, tasting the arousal of another woman for the first time. Audra’s hips bucked at the intimate contact, thrusting her hips over Natalie’s tongue while crying out for release. Natalie kept her eyes on Audra as she altered between long laps and short bursts of pressure at her clit, and with one final lick Audra was unraveling around her, singing a chorus of yeses punctuated with heavy breaths. She was incomprehensibly beautiful in her heightened state of arousal, with her unkept blonde hair, pink cheeks and burning chestnut eyes. Her toned body glistened with a thin layer of perspiration that seemed to glow in the low lighting.
Natalie slinked into the space beside Audra and stretched out her body, relishing in the utter relaxation only great sex could provide. Audra turned on her side and smiled - a genuine, face-splitting smile that only added to her natural beauty.
“What are you thinking about?” Natalie asked, unable to resist her own smile.
“I am thinking about how much you surprise me,” Audra admitted.
“What do you mean?”
Audra tucked a loose strand of red hair behind Natalie’s ear, then let the back of her fingers caress along the lobe. “When I first met you I had you pegged as a good girl.”
Natalie feigned surprise. “You mean I am not?”
“I guess I meant ‘good girl’ in a prudish way. Clearly you are not,” Audra teased.
“I am glad I can surprise you. You certainly surprise me.”
“What do you mean?” Audra asked, borrowing Natalie’s own words.
“This,” Natalie gestured with her head at their naked bodies in bed as way of explanation. “I just made love to a woman for the first time. And not just to any woman.”
“And? How did you find your first experience making love to a woman?”
Natalie pressed her lips to Audra’s and breathed in deeply through her nose, enjoying the lingering kiss. Before pulling away she kissed each of Audra’s cheeks, the tip of her nose, and finally her forehead.
“I found it to be amazing and worth frequently repeating.” She laughed and kissed Audra again, deepening it until their tongues mingled with the scant trace of one another between them. “Very frequently,” she added between Audra’s lips.
They remained locked in the embrace of the other and kissing for what felt like hours before Natalie finally fell asleep, naked and more carefree than she had felt in months.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Are you sure you don’t want to come to brunch?” Natalie pouted her lips and tried for her best puppy-dog eyes as she looked up from the drawer full of Lululemon inside Audra’s closet.
“It’s Sunday, remember?” Audra stood on the opposite side of the lavish room, pushing aside hanger after hanger of beautiful blouses in every neutral color imaginable. “Family day in Montecito,” she added with feigned enthusiasm.
“Oh, right.” Natalie stood and purposely dropped the robe she wore, letting it fall to the carpeted floor in a tumble of silk, exposing her naked body underneath. It did not surprise her to realize she was comfortable being completely undressed in front of Audra, and not just because they had spent the majority of the weekend in bed together. “You are leaving again tomorrow?”
“Through Thursday,” Audra answered as she draped her chosen ensemble out on the back of a tufted chaise lounger. “Salt Lake City and then Las Vegas. You should join me.”
Natalie’s lips perked into a smile at the sudden invitation. “In Vegas?”
“Come out Thursday night. We can spend the weekend at Eden.”
Natalie quickly changed into a tank and leggings, then turned to watch as Audra dressed, her movements that of a practiced dancer - graceful and purposeful. She did not just throw things on like Natalie often did, but treated each garment as though it were a piece of wearable art. Judging by the designer labels Natalie spied on nearly every article of clothing, they might as well have been art. Her wealthy, sophisticated style could not entirely mask the youthful beauty of her face. Natalie could not help but wonder, as she stared at her new lover, whether Audra was ever truly young.
“I would love to. Why don’t you let me take care of everything? I have the distinct feeling you have never had a proper weekend in Vegas.”
“Proper as in getting wasted and staying out until five in the morning?” Audra’s eyes were furrowed in a dubious look, but she smiled nonetheless, which only encouraged Natalie further.
Natalie gave a noncommittal shrug. “I guess you will just have to find out.”
“Okay,” Audra agreed as she slipped her manicured foot into a polished nude Louboutin pump. “As long as I am not featured in some gossip blog the next day, I am down for whatever.”
Natalie bit her bottom lip down to keep from smiling too broadly. “Just remember you said that.” She padded across the room and stood on the balls of her feet to reach up and kiss Audra’s lips. The intimate contact was soft at first, but the moment she felt Audra’s hands brush against her hips she deepened the kiss, wanting to savor their last few moments, knowing it would be days before they saw each other again.
“Are you sure… I cannot convince you… To come to brunch?” Natalie asked again between kisses.
“As much as I would like to, I am looking forward to seeing Frankie and the baby. And I am curious to see this house I have heard so much about.”
Natalie was equally curious knowing Audra and James would be reunited for the first time since their epic fight weeks ago. Between that fight, James leaving Fitson, the Bugatti, the slap… what she would not give to be a fly on the wall in that house that afternoon.
The drive through the tony streets of Beverly Hills in the super expensive supercar was an odd experience. Even in one of the wealthiest cities in the world she still felt like she stood out, and not in a good way. Even the valet attendant did a double-take when she pulled up outside the restaurant Quinn picked to meet at for brunch. She swore she could hear the hushing of conversation as heads turned to appreciate the fancy car and judge the woman driving it. Quinn stepped out through the entrance just as Natalie handed the key fob to the attendant.
“Don’t you look like a million bucks?” Quinn greeted her with a wicked smile.
“Ha-ha. It is going back tomorrow,” Natalie promised.
“You can tell me all about it and your weekend with Audra over coffee and french toast,” Quinn beamed. Natalie sighed when Quinn wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided them through the entrance of the restaurant, relieved to be back in her own somewhat normal world with her best friend.
James ran his hands up and down the legs of his jeans to wick away the excess sweat from his palms. Next to him his father was going on and on about
a potential acquisition, but James’ mind was preoccupied with Audra’s impending arrival. It had been weeks since the night of their fight, when Audra left New York to come back to Los Angeles. It was the longest he had ever gone without seeing the woman who had been his constant day in and day out for the past decade. Despite everything that had happened between them - the anger he felt towards her, and her feelings for Natalie in particular - he missed her. He missed their friendship and their partnership. And he was more than a little curious about how her life had changed since coming back to L.A.
The idea of Audra and Natalie being together in any romantic sense was difficult for him to comprehend. But something had happened between them. Celine said Audra was in love with Natalie. Was Natalie in love with Audra? Could an entire relationship have been blossoming between the two women right before his very eyes? And if so, had his actions helped cement the fate of his future without Natalie?
James cast a rueful glance at the drink his father was holding, wishing he could pour himself a glass and lessen the stress that was infiltrating every corner of his body. Alcohol was not the solution. He needed clarity, and all drinking did was numb his feelings.
“They are a talented team, son. Imagine what could be accomplished if we acquired them. Not to mention how much money we would save in billable hours alone.”
James had no idea what his father was talking about, and was about to say as much when Celine sauntered into the living room with baby Colin in her arms.
“Jackson it’s Sunday, and a family Sunday at that,” she softly chided the elder Fitzgerald. “You two can discuss business later. Looks like my sister is here.” She nodded her head in the direction of the driveway-facing windows. “Frankie!” she called out in the direction of the kitchen. “Come out and say hi to your aunt! James would you mind going outside and checking on the caterers, please?”
James grunted his response before stalking out through the patio doors. He heard Frankie making a run for the foyer just as the doorbell rang, and had half a mind to turn around and tell her to slow down. The outdoor kitchen was buzzing with caterers setting up food and drinks as a team of women dressed in head-to-toe black fussed about decorating the dining table with floral centerpieces and place settings. Leave it to Celine to turn a simple family barbecue into a full blown social event.
Unbidden Love (Book Five of the Bidden Series) Page 10