“Okay.”
Twenty-Six
“Adam made the news again,” Dad said.
I sighed heavily. “I don’t want to know.”
“It’s about the foundation.”
“What?” I sat up quickly, taking the phone from his hand. I looked at Nathaniel, who was sitting on Dad’s other side. “Did you ever give him money for the foundation?”
“Not yet.” He frowned. “My accountant is supposed to transfer it at the end of the month.”
“Call it off.”
“Why?”
“Just call it off,” I plead.
“What the—”
“He’s being looked at for embezzlement,” Dad said, shaking his head as he took the phone back from me.
Nathaniel’s eyes widened on mine. “What?”
“Long story.” I closed my eyes. “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you not to give him money.”
“You shouldn’t have let him keep the foundation to begin with.”
“I did the right thing. Trust me.”
“If you’d kept it, you could’ve taken his money out and kept what was for the good of those kids.”
“If I’d kept it, I would’ve had many problems on my hands,” I said. “It wasn’t just his money. It was anyone who gave him money for the foundation. He was basically funneling money for his campaign through there. Why do you think I told him to go fuck himself?”
“You did good.” Dad put his hand on my knee, trying to control my response.
“Well, shit,” Nathaniel said finally. He took a swig of his beer. “What an asshole.”
“I know.” I yawned. “This whole leaving our bags with the bellman and coming straight to the game thing is for the birds.”
“You slept the whole train ride.” Dad shot me a sideways glance.
“I had a migraine. I was restless.”
“You still up for dinner?” Nathaniel asked.
“I’m going to pass,” Dad said. “I’ll let you two youngsters paint the town without me.”
“It’s just dinner,” I said, hopeful. “We can eat at the hotel.”
His expression was thoughtful as he looked at me. “Okay, I guess I can eat and then rest.”
I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. I didn’t mind going out alone with Nathaniel, but I didn’t want to exclude Dad from a trip that was supposed to be father-daughter time in the first place. We went to the hotel and checked in. The three rooms were on the same floor, side by side. As we walked toward the elevator, Dad a couple of steps ahead of us, Nathaniel placed his hand on my lower back and leaned in close.
“I hope you know I’m planning on sharing a bed with you.”
My pulse quickened. “I hope you know I’d kick your ass if you didn’t.”
I’d just finished applying my makeup and getting dressed when I heard a knock on the door. I was walking toward it when I heard the knock again and stopped short, my eyes on the door that separated my room with the one next door. I walked there, unlocked, and pulled it open, finding Nathaniel standing on the other side. My breath faltered. He looked so handsome in a dark suit, with his arm raised, forearm resting on the top frame of the door as his eyes wandered over my body.
I was wearing a tight little black dress and heels. We were staying at a ritzy hotel, which meant even eating in the lobby meant going to a fancy five-star restaurant. I figured I’d dress the part, and of course I’d thought about what his reaction would be when he saw me. I couldn’t lie about that. I’d let my hair down and used my curling iron to create loose waves, a difference from the pin-straight hair I was always rocking.
He dropped his arm, taking a step toward me, not wasting a moment before wrapping an arm around me and pulling me flesh against his body, his lips coming down hard, fast, his mouth moving frantically over mine. I kissed him back with the same fierceness, throwing my arms around his neck, my fingers tugging the ends of his hair hard as I pressed onto him, getting lost in the lust-filled haze we created. When I was like this in his arms, it was a wonder I’d ever hated him at all. He made me feel more wanted than I’d ever felt before, more alive than I’d ever dreamed. He walked me backward until my knees hit the side of the bed and I fell upon it with a whoosh. He shrugged off his jacket, tossing it aside, his eyes predatory on mine as he knelt in front of me.
I lifted my head so I could see where he was going with this. Surely he wasn’t going to . . . I mean, we were due downstairs in five minutes. We had no time for . . . His hands held my ankles, pulling my legs apart as he positioned himself. He brought his mouth to my knees, kissing each one before finding my gaze again.
“So fucking beautiful,” he whispered.
I felt those words from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. My hips moved of their own accord. Nathaniel smiled, acknowledging my need, and dropped his head again, dragging his lips up my legs as his hands pushed my dress farther up my waist and his fingers searched for the underwear I wasn’t wearing. His eyes flashed with recognition. He groaned against me, his tongue licking from one end to another in a slow, unrushed movement. I jerked against his mouth, my hand flying to the top of his head as if to keep him there.
He chuckled. “Not going anywhere, baby.”
I gasped. I’d never let Adam call me that. We both agreed it was a stupid nickname. But I’d never heard it from Nathaniel. Never thought a simple expression could make me feel this intense pressure in my core. His tongue along my folds helped, his gentle suckling on my clit definitely helped. He took his time, working his tongue in all the right places, the sounds I made and pressure of my fingers guiding him. If I tightened, he paid extra close attention, licking me gently there. If I moaned, he sucked on my clit a little longer, but never long enough for me to come. He was dragging this out and the building need was so intense, I felt I would explode if he didn’t finish this.
“Please, Nathaniel.”
His eyes snapped up to meet mine, but his tongue continued its onslaught. He only paused to ask, “You want to come?”
“Please.” I nodded furiously, tugging at his hair, gyrating my hips.
“Maybe I should wait.” His tongue slowed, his lips now kissing me chastely, moving to my inner thighs. “Maybe I should make you sit through dinner like this, with this need that only intensifies over time. The way you’ve been making me feel since the day I met you.”
“You’re such a liar.” I was panting. I tilted my hips up. “Please, Nathaniel. Please.”
I couldn’t go to dinner like this. I wouldn’t survive it. He shook his head, his eyes amused. He set another kiss on my thigh. “I’m not going to make you come right now, baby. I want you to wait.”
“But . . .”
He stood, looming above me. “You look so fucking gorgeous right now. You have no idea.”
“I’m going to make myself come. The moment you walk out of this room.” I spread my legs, bringing my fingers where his tongue had just been. They slipped easily along my folds. I bit my lip, arching my back. “Fuck, Nathaniel.”
“Fuck,” he hissed, his eyes wild as he watched my hand move.
He walked closer, spreading my legs farther apart, standing between them as he watched me. He wasn’t touching me, not really, but with our eyes locked it felt more intimate than the sex we’d had. It felt more intimate than anything I’d ever done. My pulse sped up. My core tightened with an immense pleasure that threatened to explode out of me. I bit down on my lip, keeping my gaze on his as he stroked my knees with his thumbs and watched me find pleasure. As my body shook with the aftermath of the moment, I finally willed myself to close my eyes, but even beneath my lids, all I could see was him and the way he watched me—with a look of awe, as if he couldn’t quite believe this was happening.
I made him go downstairs before me. I needed to cleanup and sort out what I was feeling. I’d come around to the idea of us potentially dating, and definitely the sex was incredible so I was okay with that, but love? I wasn’t sure I was ready
for that. I couldn’t fall in love with Nathaniel Bradley. Like seriously couldn’t. Yet, I wasn’t sure I could stop it either. It seemed like with him, all my emotions were laid bare, raw and unequivocal. It scared me in a way that nothing had scared me before. Not even my relationship with Adam, as publicized as it had been, had scared me this much. With Adam, the entire thing went from a couple of kids in college falling in love to feeling like grownups showing up for a mediocre job. With Nathaniel, things felt electric, like something we could power the world with.
As if he had any right to interrupt my thoughts, Adam called me when I was riding the elevator downstairs. I answered, attitude on hand.
“I read the news.”
“And?” He sounded like he was bracing himself.
“And nothing. The very last thing I need in my life is to be associated with your crooked shit.”
“I didn’t . . . it wasn’t supposed to—”
“I don’t care. As a matter of fact, I’d rather you not tell me anything at all. I’d rather not be complicit to anything you’re doing.”
“Well, unfortunately for you that’s exactly what it’s going to look like.” Is he for real? No apology, just a statement telling me my name would be dragged through the mud again too. Asshole.
“Do you need a reminder that we’re divorced?”
“Do I need to remind you that you’re still listed as an agent?”
“I’ll have my lawyers handle that and you better believe you’re getting the bill for it,” I said, exiting the elevator and walking toward the restaurant. I could see Dad and Nathaniel at the table from where I stood outside. “I’m really disappointed in you, Adam.”
He exhaled into the phone line. “I don’t need—”
“I don’t care what you need or don’t need. I don’t need to be dragged through the mud because you were doing illegal things with a company that we set up in order to help kids in need. And you know what? The world doesn’t need it either. It’s not fair to those kids.
“Maybe if you get your head out of your campaign manager’s skirt long enough you’d see it too. Or have you already moved on to the senator’s wife like I was told a month ago?” I paused. “Oh, that’s right. You don’t really do get your head out of a woman’s skirt, do you?”
“Presley.” He was silent for a beat. “Are . . . are you dating again?”
“How is that any of your business?”
“I just . . . are you? Jesus, Presley. The ink isn’t even dry.”
“How dare you?” My mouth dropped. “You fucking idiotic, cheating, no-good asshole.”
“I’m sorr—”
“Don’t call me again. Ever.” I hung up the phone and walked to the table. Both of them stopped talking and looked up at me.
“You look beautiful.” Dad smiled.
“Thank you, Dad.” I sat in the seat between them, setting my phone down. I felt like dropping it in my glass of water, but I wasn’t going to pay for a new phone because of Adam’s stupidity, and I needed to call Victor. On that note, I picked it up and sent him a text, explaining what I needed done and set it down again.
“You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind,” Nathaniel said, frowning.
“Adam just called.” I took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Dad and Nathaniel exchanged a look before looking at me again. Nathaniel spoke first, “Why don’t you just have him go through your lawyer for everything?”
“I’m changing my phone number tomorrow. It’s the only way.”
“You can’t just change your phone number every time something happens with a guy,” Dad said. “Last time you did that you regretted it and it wasn’t even over a guy you were dating.”
I glanced away. I could feel Nathaniel staring at me. “Where’s the wine?”
“She’s bringing it now,” Dad said. “What ever happened with that guy anyway? I remember you were all riled up about him. Maybe he’s single.”
“No, I don’t think he is.”
Jesus Christ, this couldn’t get any worse. Thankfully, the wine arrived quickly and served as a distraction, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to get away from this. Nathaniel was too smart not to put two and two together. I’d changed my number right when I’d gotten married, right after he’d kissed me. I buried my attention in the menu in front of me.
“Is your mother still in Greece?”
I looked at my father. “Yeah, she’s supposed to stay until Christmas.”
“You should visit her for Thanksgiving.”
“And leave you behind? Nope.” I brought the menu back up to my eyes. “Unless you want to come with.”
Dad scoffed. “Wouldn’t that be rich? Would you go to dinner with Adam and one of his mistresses?”
“I have, actually.” I laughed, setting my menu down. “Obviously I didn’t know he was fu . . . I mean, sleeping with her.”
“He’s a bastard.” Dad shook his head in disgust.
“Asshole,” Nathaniel added. “He didn’t deserve you.”
I shrugged.
“Nate, I keep forgetting to ask, how’s Lisa doing?”
“Last I heard, she was doing well.”
I held my breath.
“You haven’t spoken to her?” Dad asked.
My stomach coiled. I didn’t want to know if he knew how his ex-girlfriend was doing. I set my menu down and looked at Nathaniel anyway. He glanced at me quickly and back at my dad.
“I spoke to her the other day.”
“I’m going to give this hiatus two months,” Dad said. “I’ve noticed that’s usually how long it takes you two to link up again.”
“We run the same circles.” Nathaniel laughed. “And I only attend galas every couple of months.”
“She’s smart to keep showing up to them and getting you back.”
“I don’t think that’ll happen again. I’m done with the back and forth,” Nathaniel said.
He wasn’t looking at me, so I picked up the wine glass in front of me and looked around the room. I had a knot in the pit of my stomach that I really needed to get rid of if I was going to make room for food. He’d spoken to her recently and knew he’d see her again soon? And apparently even my dad didn’t believe he wouldn’t get back together with her. I needed to seriously restrain the warring emotions running rampant inside my body.
I couldn’t, wouldn’t fall for him. Not under these circumstances. Dad and Nathaniel spoke throughout dinner as if I wasn’t sitting there. Once in a while, Dad asked a question that I would answer, but for the most part, they spoke about inventions and apps that Nathaniel was trying to launch. I knew damn well I could’ve contributed to the conversation. It wasn’t like they were rudely excluding me. I was excluding myself. Too many things were running through my mind for me to relax and enjoy the moment and that was my biggest regret of all.
Twenty-Seven
Nathaniel
I could see her growing distant the longer we sat at the dinner table. When the check was paid, she gathered her phone and the room key she’d brought down with her, said good night, and walked upstairs ahead of us. Winston and I were still finishing up our drinks as we watched her leave.
“She’s a good person,” he said wistfully. “She didn’t deserve what he did to her, how he’s screwed her over at every turn.”
“Do you think she’d ever go back to him?”
“Honestly?” He glanced over. “I don’t know. I hope like hell she wouldn’t.”
I hated what his admission made me feel. I kept drinking, hoping it would diminish the sudden weight on my chest. It didn’t. If anything, it made the jealousy sitting there burn, flourish. It made me want to get up and stomp upstairs, claim her and make her swear she’d never go back to him, that she’d stay with me.
“I think I’m falling for her.”
“Presley?” Winston’s eyes widened. I nodded. I hadn’t meant to say it, but Winston was my go-to. Damn the fact that he happened
to be her father. Luckily, I’d worded it in such a way that it didn’t make anything suspicious or official. “Presley?” he said again. “You know she’s not very fond of you, right?”
“I know.” I chuckled. “I think she’s coming around. Slowly, but she’s being nicer.”
His brows pulled together. “How long have you felt this way about her?”
“Not long.”
“Well.” He drained the rest of his drink. “Good luck with that. She’s going through a lot, so you’ll have to be patient with her if you decide to pursue anything.”
“Noted.” I drained my drink and twirled the glass, focusing on that rather than his expression, which wasn’t thrilled the way Presley would’ve imagined it. The way I wanted it to be.
If anything, he looked put off by this idea. We stood up and walked in silence toward the elevators. While we were waiting, he turned to me.
“You know, before Adam came along, I would’ve loved for you two to get together and make something work,” he said. “But then it didn’t and she married Adam, and I figured if you hadn’t tried up until then, you probably just weren’t into her and vice versa. Over the years, I’ve been glad that it worked out that way because it meant I didn’t have to be in the middle of a war between two people I love.”
“You don’t want me to pursue it,” I said.
“I’d rather you give it time.” He shrugged. “But who am I to tell you what to do? If you think you can make her truly happy and you won’t leave her high and dry when she needs you most, go for it, but be mindful of those things. I don’t think my daughter can handle another heartbreak right now.”
“I would never break her heart.”
“I don’t think anyone ever sets out to do that.”
We walked into the elevator and rode up in silence. His words echoed in my head. I could never leave her high and dry. I could never break her heart. If anything, I was the one in peril. Winston went to his room, I went to mine, and then headed right to the door between our rooms. It was closed. My heart jumped into my throat at the thought of her shutting me out, but when I pulled mine open all the way I noticed hers wasn’t completely shut. There was a sliver of light visible. A heavy weight seemed to lift from my shoulders as I pushed it open. Her room was quiet and dark. It smelled like lavender and tea tree, a mixture of her body wash and hair products. I inhaled deeply as I shrugged off my jacket and toed off my shoes, undressing until I was in my boxer briefs when I hit her bed. Maybe she wouldn’t want me tonight. Maybe she wouldn’t turn over when I kissed her bare shoulder. Maybe she’d feign sleep. I’d stay either way. Even if it meant just sharing this space with her and not touching her, I’d stay. Having her this close brought me more comfort than I’d ever allowed myself my entire life, and I wasn’t willing to part with it.
The Consequence of Falling: New York Times Bestselling Author Page 15