“I thought maybe we were in the wrong neighborhood.”
“Cheap rent.”
“As if you can’t afford expensive rent.” I raised an eyebrow as I reached him. His arm came around me, pulling me into his side. My heart galloped as his face lowered to mine.
“I’ll tell you a secret, sweetheart,” he said, his mouth tickling my ear. “I’m not a big spender.”
“You invested a lot of money in White Oak.” I turned to face him. Our faces were so ridiculously close right now that all I wanted to do was pull his face down to mine and kiss him.
“Invested being the key word. I don’t consider that throwing away money.” He searched my eyes for a beat, then another.
“Are you going to kiss me?”
“Do you want me to kiss you?”
“More than anything.”
As he brought his lips to mine, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing myself onto him. I kissed him unabashedly, with no reservations. I realized as our tongues moved and his hands roamed my body, that it was the only way I knew how to be with Nathaniel. I’d never generated a filter to keep my emotions hidden from him, so even as I tried to hold a part of me back, I found myself faltering. He broke the kiss, breathing heavily as he placed his forehead against mine.
“Thank you for coming.”
“Are you kidding? I’ve been dying to come here for years.” I dropped my arms and looked at my boots, biting my lip.
Had I really just admitted that? And had I really told him I wanted him to kiss me more than anything? A filter would be nice right now. Yes, he’d kissed me again, but I’d asked for it. Yes, he’d told me he wanted to continue hooking up, but he was single and I was a rebound. I needed to keep these things in mind before I made this out to be something it would never be. He pulled away, but grabbed my hand to usher me into the building.
“What do you mean for years?”
“I wanted to see where the CEO of Whiz came up with his ideas.” I smiled. “This was where you guys came up with the vape thing, right?”
“Not exactly. We came up with the idea at a bar. We rented out this space out shortly after realizing it was something we could achieve.” He stopped in front of a set of stairs and shot me a lazy smile that I felt everywhere. “No fancy elevators here.”
“I think I can handle it.” I walked ahead, but stopped suddenly, looking down at my attire.
I was wearing a short tie skirt that was literally made of ties, a birthday gift from Morgan that Adam would’ve never let me leave the house in. I’d worn a white blouse and blue blazer, making the ensemble look chic, not skimpy at all, but the thong I wore beneath it was definitely questionable. If I walked ahead of him, he’d be able to see up my skirt. The thought made me bolder. I started making my way up, not daring to look back to see his reaction. His footsteps behind me were the only indication I had that he was behind me.
We made it to the first landing. From memory, and Dad telling me about the place, I knew there were three more since his office was all the way up on the fourth floor. The second floor was silent, maybe used for storage? I made my way to the third, where I heard a lot of buzzing and commotion. When we rounded the corner and stepped into the massive space, I was taken aback. It was nothing of what I’d pictured Nathaniel’s workspace to be. This was vibrant and fun, and every single person in here seemed to be working on something and excitedly talking to his or her peers. There were about thirty people in the room. Some of them looked up and acknowledged us. The ones who did, smiled and waved at me, obviously having seen him earlier.
“Let’s go up one more floor.” He grabbed my elbow. “We’ll come back down.”
Instead of walking toward the employees, I rounded the stairwell and continued walking up the stairs. This time, Nathaniel was really close behind me, like probably eyelevel to my ass.
“Why are you walking so close to me?” I asked without turning around.
“Trying to block these motherfuckers from the perfect view of your perfect ass.”
For some reason, that made my stomach flip. When we reached the landing, I stopped and admired the space. It looked like a high-end bachelor pad with gray walls, nice wood floors, a huge television, gaming system, a ping-pong and foosball table. To the left, there was a door that I assumed led to his actual office. On the opposite end, there was another.
“Which one’s yours?”
“This one.” He started walking left. I followed.
“I can see why you had a hard time going home after a day here. Your poor girlfriend had to compete with all of this.”
His office was simple. He had his degrees up and framed, a bookshelf, desk, computer, his chair, a chair across from it, and a futon in the corner that really didn’t match the vibe.
“Do you sleep here often?” My chin jutted to the futon.
“Not as often as I used to when I first got this place.”
“Before you sold the invention?”
“Before I made enough money to get my own place,” he said. “I was still rooming with Ryan when we got this place and this futon was as good as it got. It gave him and Mirna space from having me around and gave me space from them.”
“I’m sure there were plenty of women who’d have let you stay in their place.”
“You think so?” He stepped closer, closing the distance between us.
“I know so.”
“Would you have been one of them?”
I squinted at him. “Possibly.”
“You were engaged.” He brought his lips down to my neck. “Would you have welcomed me in your bed despite the ring on your finger?”
“Would you have wanted me to?”
“It’s hard to tell. I don’t condone cheating. I’ve seen how it rips people’s lives apart, but I wanted you so badly, I probably would have.”
“I wouldn’t have,” I breathed, holding his forearms to keep me steady because the way he was moving his lips all over my neck and now exposed shoulders was intoxicating and completely unsettling. “In hindsight though? Knowing what I know now? Hell yes.”
He pulled away. “What do you know now, sweetheart?”
“That men like Adam don’t deserve saints for wives.”
“You’re not a saint.” His lip tugged. “And I’m not a cheater.”
“You say that now, but who knows.” I shrugged. “Maybe if you had me every day you’d tire of me.”
“Doubtful.” He let out a laugh, then raised his eyebrows when he realized I was serious. “Presley, I can barely think when you’re around.” He brought his large hands to my waist, running them on either side of me, pulling my skirt up slowly until his hands were covering my ass beneath it. “It took everything in me to lead you up those stairs and not into one of the broom closets so I could bend you over and fuck you in this skirt.”
“Do it now then.” I licked my lips, moving away from his grasp.
I walked to his desk and bent over it, reaching back to lift my skirt so my ass was exposed. His gaze roamed over me slowly, as if he was savoring the moment. I swear the heat in his eyes was palpable, burning me from the inside out. He turned his body slightly and closed the blinds, but kept his hooded eyes on me as he did so. He came to me slowly, his gaze on mine until he was standing behind me and I could no longer see him.
“This is a dream, princess,” he started, his voice low. He crouched behind me, sucking my calf before dragging his lips up along the length of my leg. “I’m waiting to wake up from it, but I hope I never fucking do.” He brought his lips to my other leg, doing the same. When he reached my ass, he bit me. Hard. I yelped.
“What’s a dream?” I whispered, panted, it was one and the same.
“Having you bent over like this. Exposed to me in my office.” His hand rubbed my ass before he tugged my panties down slowly. “God, you’re too fucking much.”
Before I had a chance to ask what he meant by that, his mouth was on me, his tongue moving along my folds, nipping, s
ucking. I gasped loudly.
“Nathaniel.”
“Yes?” he murmured against me, licking again, sucking my clit into his mouth. “You want me to stop?”
“No.” I pushed back closer to him, needing him to rid me of the pressure building inside me. “Please don’t stop. Never stop.”
“Never?”
“Never,” I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. I was so close.
He teased and licked and nipped and sucked, and brought a hand up to help tease even more. It was as if he wanted me to accumulate so much pressure, I’d explode. He was definitely achieving that. I was definitely going to any minute, all over his mouth and his face. I said as much and he groaned, bringing both hands to my thighs and squeezing.
“Do it,” he said as he sucked. “Let go.”
Ecstasy felt like a firework I never wanted to dim. I continued gripping the desk as I shook, fully expecting him to slam into me, but it never happened.
I continued gripping the desk as I shook, wondering if I’d ever come so forcefully, so exquisitely. Every part of me shook with sensation. Adam had never made me feel so satisfied . . . as if my orgasm was his goal. I felt languid and so turned on, even though I’d just come in Nathaniel’s mouth. God, his mouth. I wanted him inside me. Hard. Fast. Now. I was so ready for him to slam into me, but that was when it clicked that he was silent. Still. I stood up slowly to find him watching me with a peculiar look on his face.
“What happened? You’re not going to . . .”
He stepped forward, cupping my face. “We have plenty of time for that later. I want you to meet everyone.” He what?
“But you’re . . .” I looked at his very obvious erection.
He smiled. “I can deal with it.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted him to, but he helped me find my underwear and went to the bathroom before I could demand anything else. I really, really wanted to have sex with him again. I really, really wanted to do anything with him again. When was the last time I’d felt like that? I couldn’t recall.
Nathaniel introduced me to all his employees. I small talked with Ryan, whom I’d met in college a handful of times. He showed me pictures of his newborn daughter, and I marveled at how crazy it was that he was a father.
“Not that crazy.” He grinned, his brown eyes twinkling. “Crazy is our friend Nathaniel still not having a long-term partner.”
I laughed. “I wouldn’t doubt it if he’s a bachelor for life.”
“That sounds like a nightmare,” Nathaniel said. He looked more pensive than usual as he looked up at me from where he was sitting, cross-legged on the beanbag chair beside me. “I’m working on long-term commitment.”
“Not with Lisa,” Ryan said, clearly hoping it wasn’t with Lisa.
“Definitely not. She’s out of the picture.”
I kept my eyes on him because the long-term comment had completely taken me by surprise. Was I the rebound before his long-term woman? Still not the woman he actually wanted, but the stand-in until the woman he actually wants notices him. The thought pestered me. Ryan changed the subject and kept talking about an innovative baby bottle he and Nathaniel were working on and how it was taking up so much of their time, but it would be worth it if they could find a way to create it and get it approved before he had another kid. I kind of tuned out, my mind staying on the whole long-term thing longer than it should’ve, but I couldn’t help it.
“Presley and I are off to celebrate.” Nathaniel stood up. “Her brewery is finally ready to open.”
“Nice.” Ryan smiled wide. “I’ll be sure to stop by for a beer or two.”
“That would be lovely. Send my regards to Mirna.”
“I will. She’ll be excited to hear from you.”
We walked out of the building in silence. Outside, a mother was struggling with opening her stroller while carrying her baby, and Nathaniel stopped to help her, opening it with ease. Everything was like that for him—easy and seamless. Like he didn’t have to try, though I knew the truth. I knew he’d tried like hell before he got to this comfortable space in his life. I was quiet as he spoke about getting an Uber, about where we were going to eat, about strollers and bottles and how behind the times we were in both and how he hoped to change that alongside Ryan. He talked so much and I let him, because for once, I enjoyed listening to him. I didn’t feel the same jealousy about his relationship with my dad, nor want to roll my eyes at his arrogance. This Nathaniel deserved respect and a little awe. I wanted more of this man. Of his fire. His energy. That was why my skin felt itchy when I thought of the woman he didn’t get. When I thought of his future, one where I’d have to watch from the sidelines as he found his forever woman. Yet for the moment, I had him to myself, so I enjoyed the light in his eyes and how animated his hands were when he incorporated them into a topic he was passionate about. I was trying so hard to follow along and be a good listener, but my eyes kept focusing more on his mouth than his words, more on his hands than his gestures. Finally, halfway through our Mediterranean dinner, he slapped his hand on the table so loudly I jumped.
“What are you doing?”
“What am I doing?” He raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing? You haven’t said a word since we left the office.”
“I’m listening.”
“Bullshit, Presley. You think I don’t know when you’re listening and when you’re dozing off?”
“I’m sorry.” I closed my eyes. “I’m trying to be present but I keep thinking about other things.”
“What are you thinking about?”
“Just . . . stuff.”
He reached across the table and put his hand over mine. “What stuff?”
“You said you were working on a long-term relationship.” I swallowed, hating that it was so difficult for me to bring this up. “Where would that leave whatever it is we’re doing? Is this a rebound?”
He blinked. “That’s what you’re thinking about?”
“Don’t make fun of me, Nathaniel.” I pulled my hand from his.
“I’m not trying to make fun of you. I just . . . where did this come from? You were the one who said you wanted this to be a hookup.”
“I know what I said.” I went back to my food. “I’m allowed to change my mind.”
He grinned. “You’re allowed to want whatever you want.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to give it to me. I know.” I rolled my eyes. Should’ve seen that one coming.
“Who said I won’t give it to you?”
I exhaled. “Let’s change the subject.”
“I don’t want to change the subject. I want to hear you say what you want from me.”
“Why? So you can make fun of me?”
“Why do you think everything will turn into me making fun of you?”
“Because it’s you and it’s me and we don’t know how to just be. We make each other mad and then we’re okay and then we go back to making each other mad again. That’s our normal.”
“No, princess. That’s your normal. Your way of coping with your emotions is to lash out. I’m just along for the ride.”
My mouth dropped. “What does that mean?”
“It means I humor you. I’m not going to let you sit here attacking me without giving something back.”
I shook my head. “Why are we even talking about this?”
“Because you haven’t told me what you want from me.”
God, that was the million-dollar question. But was I really willing to answer him, because it was putting my heart on the line again with a man almost as well-known as my ex-husband. I would be in business with this man, and it felt as though more was at stake. But then I thought of my dad and how we weren’t guaranteed long, happy lives. So, I was taking a giant leap and hoping with all I had that Nathaniel would break it to me more gently if I was once again asking for more than he’d ever wanted to give me.
“I want you.”
His gaze heated. “You have me.”
“I don
’t mean . . . I don’t mean just sex,” I whispered.
“So tell me. What do you mean?”
“I can’t.” My voice was as meek as I felt right now.
I’d never had to have this conversation with Adam or any other guy for that matter. They’d started something and I’d gone along for the ride, and sometimes that ride was fun and other times it ended awfully, but I was strapped in for it all along. I wasn’t navigating the whole thing. I wouldn’t know where to start or what gears to shift.
“Presley.” His stern voice beckoned my attention. “The first rule in a negotiation is that you have to state your terms. If you get a seat at the table, you need to take advantage and make demands. Otherwise, how will you ever get what you want?”
“I don’t know what I want.” No. That wasn’t true. I wasn’t able to articulate what I wanted, and Nathaniel wouldn’t allow me to get away with that.
“Mistake number one.” As I thought. He raised an eyebrow. Let the lecture begin. “Besides, you think I’m going to that bullshit? You know damn well what you want. I’m not one of those clowns you’ve dated in the past. Or married. This is me and you. What do you want?” He brought his hand over mine again.
“I want you, but I don’t know in what capacity.”
“We’ll work with that.” He brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed it. We’ll work with that? What the hell did that mean?
“We’ll work with that? Do you want that? For me to want more with you?” Oh good God, Presley. Shut up.
He shook his head and smiled against my fingers. “Yes. I want that.”
“I have to say, you have a lot of control.”
“In what sense?” He kept eating the tabbouleh and kibbeh on his plate.
“In the sense of you bending me over in your office and going downstairs like nothing happened, and not trying to make a move on me since.” I tilted my head. “I mean, it could be that you absolutely don’t want to make a move and that’s understandable.”
The Consequence of Falling: New York Times Bestselling Author Page 13