“Don’t mention it,” Isabella shrugged. “I’m wise enough for the both of us.” The tiny crow’s feet bracketing her eyes crinkled upward as she laughed.
“Next week a reporter from the SCMP is doing a profile on me.” Nat tried to inch closer to Isabella but their bodies were already glued together. “I’d like you to be there for the interview.”
Isabella arched her thin eyebrows up. “And announce to the Hong Kong population you’re off the one-night-stand market?”
“Something like that.” Nat ran her fingers along Isabella’s back. “I’m sick and tired of running away from what I feel.”
“Well,” Isabella pecked Nat on the cheek, “that’s the closest I’ll ever come to letting someone ask for my hand in marriage ever again.”
“Does that mean yes?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Isabella tilted her head back and stared into Nat’s eyes. “But what happened to one day at a time?”
“Try as I might.” Nat eased her body on top of Isabella’s. “I’m not that kind of girl.”
“I’ve heard that before. It concerned other types of behaviour, but still.” Isabella nodded her head in the direction of the discarded dildo and harness. A smug grin tugged at the corners of her mouth.
“What can I say?” Nat nuzzled her nose against Isabella’s neck and found her ear. “I love it when you fuck me.” She felt Isabella’s muscles tense underneath her. “And I’m not ashamed to say that, for you only, I’m a big fat bottom.”
“Well then,” Isabella pushed Nat up by her shoulders, “on your back you go.” She toppled Nat off of her and, before Nat had a chance to protest or say anything, she straddled her, her pussy inches away from Nat’s chin. “Time to use your tongue for other purposes than all this endless talk coming out of your mouth.” Isabella grinned down at her. She inched closer and let the palms of her hand fall against the wall for support.
Nat pressed her hands against Isabella’s butt cheeks and pulled her close. She smelled of silicone and orgasms and her scent transported Nat back to a few minutes ago, when she lay face down, her head buried into the pillows, while Isabella fucked her from behind.
She ran her tongue along the length of Isabella’s slit, tasting her musky wetness, while pressing her nose into the tiny curls above her clit. With her hands she parted Isabella’s cheeks and let her fingers dip down, delving deep into Isabella’s flesh. Looking up between the swell of Isabella’s breasts, she witnessed Isabella chewing her bottom lip while throwing her head back.
She dug her fingertips deeper into the skin of Isabella’s bottom while thrusting her tongue high up into Isabella’s pussy. Isabella arched her back in response, pushing her pelvis more into Nat’s face. Nat’s tongue probed inside of Isabella, lapping up her sweet juices and licking around the rim of her pussy. She avoided Isabella’s clit for now, wanting to drive her crazy a little bit longer first. She let the tip of her tongue slither between Isabella’s folds, while her fingers explored Isabella’s backside more. One finger inched closer to Isabella’s pussy lips, while the other more daring one circled the delicate rosebud between Isabella’s butt cheeks.
“More,” Isabella groaned.
“More of what,” Nat wanted to ask, but her mouth was full of Isabella and hardly free to form sentences. Nat sucked Isabella’s lips into her mouth and briefly let her tongue flick over her clit. It felt engorged against her.
“Yes,” Isabella cried out in response, but Nat held back. Instead of focusing on Isabella’s clit, she inserted the tip of her finger into her pussy while licking around it. Her other finger pressed against Isabella’s back entrance a little harder, not deep, barely slipping in, just enough to make its presence known and apply some delicious pressure.
Isabella’s knees started shaking underneath Nat’s arm pits. Nat trailed her tongue in a wide circle around Isabella’s clit, both fingers gently probing. It stood in stark contrast to the pounding Nat had received earlier, but then again, as Nat had come to realise, they were two vastly different people.
“Please.” Isabella’s voice was hoarse, a mere whimper splintering against the wall she used for support. “Oh god, please.”
Nat unleashed a frenzy of flicks on Isabella’s clit. Isabella bucked closer, shoving Nat’s head hard into the pillows. Nat stiffened her fingers and let them both delve a little bit deeper while her tongue twirled around Isabella’s clit.
Isabella’s entire body trembled as her orgasm convulsed through her. Her legs chained Nat’s head to the bed as a stream of juice leaked out of her pussy into Nat’s mouth. Nat withdrew her fingers and traced them up Isabella’s sides, waiting until Isabella was ready to release her from her leg grip.
“I could have died down there,” she said, when Isabella crashed on top her.
Isabella chuckled. “Can you think of a better way to go?”
ISABELLA
Isabella woke up in her guest room in an empty bed. Instantly, a cold fist clenched around her heart. Had Nat done a runner already? She listened for sounds in the apartment, but heard nothing but the incessant hum of traffic outside. She allowed her body to sink deeper into the mattress, her muscles sore and her skin sticky after a night of hardly any sleep and a lot of after dark activity.
Refusing to think the worst, she tried to remember if Nat had said anything about an early morning appointment, but all they had talked about, when their mouths were not busy tending to the needs of various body parts, was how to leave the ruins of their early relationship behind and move on.
Isabella had believed every word Nat had said. Not only because she desperately wanted to, but also, and even more so, because she knew that if they were to stand a chance, she had to trust her—no matter what. Is this how her trust had been repaid? By bolting out before the crack of dawn?
What time was it anyway? Isabella didn’t have a clock in her guest room, only a bed with a set of dirty sheets. She crawled out from under the duvet and tip-toed to the bathroom. From the hallway she noticed Nat’s bright yellow t-shirt in a puddle on the floor. If Nat wasn’t wearing her t-shirt and she wasn’t in the apartment, where was she?
The rasping of keys in the lock startled Isabella. She quickly wrapped a robe around her and hurried out of the bathroom. Nat walked in with a huge smile on her face. Isabella recognised one of her blouses hanging loosely from Nat’s frame. Nat carried in a shopping bag and deposited it on the table.
“Breakfast in ten.” Nat’s eyes shimmered with something unknown to Isabella, something she’d only briefly—fleetingly—seen a flicker of before.
Isabella glanced at the wall clock and was horrified to learn it was eleven a.m. She brought a hand to her mouth.
“I believe I missed my eleven o’clock appointment.” She looked around for her phone. Why hadn’t her assistant called her?
“Not to worry, Doc. I still had Charlotte’s number.” Nat winked. “And I rang her to ask if she could cancel your clients this morning. I told her it was a medical emergency.”
Isabella’s jaw sagged. Before she could say anything, Nat interjected, “You were out like a light. Seriously, I tried to wake you at nine, but I figured you needed the rest.” She smiled smugly while lifting a carton of eggs out of the shopping bag. “I made an executive decision. I hope you don’t mind.”
Isabella minded a little bit. Nat had no business giving instructions to her assistant, but she couldn’t be angry with the person standing in front of her when all she wanted to do was kiss her and repeat every single action that had made last night so exquisite. Truth be told, Isabella was secretly happy with the extra hours of sleep she’d gotten. And at least Nat was still there, looking the picture of domestic bliss while emptying the contents of the shopping bag into Isabella’s fridge.
“I’m famished.” Isabella headed into Nat’s direction. “Best get your eggs on, chef.”
“Let me take this off first.” Nat started to unbutton the blouse she was wearing. “I’m a very messy cook.” S
he let the silk fabric slide off her and tossed it on the nearest chair. No sign of a bra.
“A naked private chef. At last, my prayers have been answered.” Isabella curled her arms around Nat’s waist and drew her close.
“Shower. Now,” Nat whispered in her ear.
Isabella slid her hands under the waistband of Nat’s jeans and learned she wasn’t wearing any panties either. She nipped at Nat’s neck with her lips, instant heat coursing through her body.
“If you want to make it to your office at all today, you’d better get a move on.” Nat tried to sound stern, but the mock harshness was already slipping from her voice.
“There’s always time for this.” Isabella unzipped Nat’s jeans and tugged them off her. Overcome by a bout of extreme lust, she pushed Nat against the nearest wall and spread her legs with her knee.
The eggs could wait.
* * *
After Isabella’s last client of the day had left, she wondered if she wasn’t the one who needed her head examined. She was about to reach for her phone and call Maddie when Charlotte snuck her head through the gap in the door.
“There’s someone here to see you. She doesn’t have an appointment, but she’s been here before and she claims it’s an emergency.”
Isabella hid the smile about to form on her lips. This was exactly the kind of trick Nat would play. “Show her in, Charlotte. You can go home now.”
Charlotte turned around and invited Miss Evans into Isabella’s office by opening the door wide. Nat wore a tight pair of black jeans, a pair of pointed leather men’s shoes and an orange t-shirt saying Taken.
“I believe you still owe me about thirty minutes of your professional time, Doctor Douglas.”
Isabella leaned back in her chair and shook her head. “If I recall correctly, you ordered me to treat myself to some excellent champagne with what was left of my fee.”
Nat closed the door behind her and sat down in the chair opposite Isabella. “Did you?”
“I had no reason to celebrate. Not even my obvious superiority.” The t-shirt strained around Nat’s shoulders and Isabella wondered why she always bought clothes one size too small. It must be a generational thing.
“My word choice can be dramatic sometimes. It comes with the job.” Nat folded her hands over her belly and eased into the seat.
“What did you want to talk about?” Already, lust tore through Isabella’s flesh. They’d have to get out of her office soon because Isabella had no intention of giving into her desire here. She’d never be able to focus on anything ever again when working.
“My situation has changed somewhat since we last spoke.” Nat curled her lips into a small smile. “I’ve reacquainted myself with the most amazing woman. A really classy bird. I’m desperate for it to work, but well, I seem to have a tendency to fuck things up.”
“Could you clarify what you mean by a really classy bird, please?” Isabella kept her face as expressionless as possible. Not an easy feat when her heart started thumping frantically and all she wanted to do was rip that silly t-shirt off of Nat.
NAT
Nat noticed Isabella staring at her chest. She hadn’t stopped by Isabella’s office for a quickie. In her own way, she had wanted to make an attempt at having a genuine conversation in an environment not inviting sex. But Isabella’s office suddenly seemed very sexy.
“Someone so posh she should, objectively speaking, be out of my league.”
“Do appearances mean so much to you?” Isabella licked her lips briefly and Nat felt heat rise from her center.
“Do I look as if I care about appearances?” Nat pointed both her thumbs at her body. “She’s very different from me, and honestly, I’m scared witless. Scared I’ll do the wrong thing again. Scared I’ll do something that is quite normal in the world I live in, but very alien to her.”
“Can you be a bit more specific?”
Nat had trouble finding the right words. Isabella wore her hair up, exposing her long, lean neck. Her pale blue blouse was open at the throat and Nat couldn’t keep her eyes off the hollow of her neck that deepened every time she tilted her head. Her brown eyes sparkled and scanned Nat’s face and body in a way that, if Nat were to get up, would surely make her knees buckle.
“I guess what I’m asking is how I can make my intentions known, in case I lose it again?”
“Maybe you’re asking the wrong question.” Isabella leaned forward. She was still a few feet away from Nat, but just the thought of her coming closer made Nat squirm in her seat. “Maybe you should ask yourself how you can make sure you don’t lose it again.”
“You’re good, Doc.” Nat slanted her body forward as well. “Worth every penny of that ludicrous fee.”
“Tell me, Miss Evans.” Isabella uncrossed her legs. “Do you have a tendency to steer conversations into a deflecting, humorous direction once they start getting serious?”
“Only when I feel as if I have no clue what I’m talking about anymore.”
Isabella nodded her head. “I think it’s time for another one of our infamous deals.” She painted the beginning of a smile on her face. “Why don’t you write it down for me? And I’ll let you off the hook for now.”
“I may need a bit more incentive than that.” Nat rose from her chair. She extended her hand, which was shaking a bit too much for her comfort, and waited for Isabella to take it. She hoisted Isabella up and coaxed her towards the door. Nat was quick to slam Isabella against it before Isabella turned the tables on her again. She made sure the door was locked before hitching up Isabella’s skirt.
Her hand dived straight into Isabella’s panties. Nat was not surprised to find her soaking wet. She slid one finger into Isabella slowly while gazing into her eyes.
“Come for me and it’s a deal.”
“Mmm,” Isabella moaned. Her eyes glinted with lust and she pressed herself onto Nat’s finger.
Nat added another finger and slowly, almost teasingly, fucked Isabella against her office door. With her other hand, she undid the buttons to Isabella’s blouse and lifted her breasts out of her bra. The exposure to the conditioned air creased her nipples into stiff buds immediately. As she withdrew her fingers from Isabella’s pussy to refocus their action on her clit, she pinched one nipple hard between her thumb and index finger, twisting it for more effect.
Isabella came shivering against her, cursing like a sailor.
“Fuck,” she said, after Nat had removed her hand from her panties and left Isabella to get properly dressed again. “This is my office, god damn it. This is no place for shenanigans like this.”
“A deal’s a deal, Doc.” Nat unlocked the door. “I’d better get home and start writing.”
Isabella shot Nat a smile that wrapped her heart in a warmth so glorious and thrilling, Nat skipped all the way to The Ivy.
She headed straight for her office, pulled a sheet of paper out of the printer and started writing.
Isabella,
I am an irresponsible, hedonistic, spoiled brat. This doesn’t mean I don’t think well of myself, but when people continuously tell you how wonderful and great you are for years on end, at one point, a certain amount of entitledness settles into you. This is not an excuse, more of an explanation.
I am also a wounded, frightened, and for a large part, emotionally unavailable bottom who thinks she is a top—just another way of fooling myself. I have treated you in an appalling manner because of this, something I will regret for the rest of my life.
We are an unlikely pair, but, I guess that ever since I got my heart broken three years ago—and I became convinced love was forever out of the question for me—I’ve been waiting for someone like you to come along. Not someone who could save me from myself (what does that even mean?), but someone who could hold up a mirror to my face and make me look for such a long time, I couldn’t hide anymore.
You are that person.
No matter what happens between us, I will always be grateful to you for opening my e
yes and making me see there is so much more to life than the pathetic little world I had created for myself.
As much as I believed to be set in my ways, the comfort my (let’s call it frivolous) behaviour brings me pales in comparison to what you bring to the table. The sparkle in your eyes when we greet. That bossy grin when you pin me down and know that, once again, you have won. Waking up next to you and not wanting to run away for the first time in years.
In the short time I have known you, you have broken me down and given me the opportunity to build myself back up. You’ve changed me. Already.
The fact that you have given me a second chance after I hurt you so much (and so recklessly), speaks to the greatness of your heart. Before I met you, when I couldn’t sleep and tried to conjure up the perfect woman, someone like you never popped up on the catwalk in my mind. I had to meet you to find you. I had to fight you to find you. Now that I have, I couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t be more me—something I haven’t been in a long time.
I can’t promise I’ll be perfect, but I promise I will try.
Love,
Nathalie (Orange)
Nat usually didn’t show people first drafts, but this one had bled straight from her heart. She shoved it in an envelope, licked it shut the old-fashioned way and dropped it in Isabella’s mailbox in the lobby downstairs.
Then, she waited.
ISABELLA
Isabella grinned at the huge cake in front of her shaped in the form of a voluptuous bosom. It had Nathalie Orange written all over it—she probably had them modelled after her own.
“Why did you let her do this?” Isabella faced Alex. “Such vulgarity to mark such a milestone in my life.”
“Do you honestly believe I hold any authority over Nat?” Alex slapped Isabella on the shoulder. “I’m so glad you’ve taken her off my hands. Obviously, you’re so much better at dealing with her than I am.”
Close Enough (High Rise Novella Four) Page 6