The Kiss (9 page)

Chapter Thirteen

The morning light hit her straight in the face, and Eliza tried to turn on her stomach, only to find a solid obstacle in her way. Still not fully awake, she tried rolling the opposite way, but something apparently made of steel was wrapped around her waist, not allowing for much movement.

She opened one eye just a smidgeon and looked. Nate lay on his side in her bed, his hair tussled, the sheet only covering his feet and exposing his naked body to her. His half hard cock was pressed against her thigh, though his posture wasn’t sexual. He looked innocent.

He looked happy.

This time she managed to turn her body toward him and press her face against his chest. She inhaled his scent, mingled with that of sex. He was there. He was still there, holding on to her like he was afraid of losing her.

The previous night had been unlike anything she’d experienced before. After a short nap, he’d woken her and made love to her again in a way she’d been sure only existed in romance novels. He’d worshiped her body, made her feel wanted—
special
. Then he’d tucked her against his side and bid her goodnight, showing no sign of wanting to leave.

She hadn’t expected him to still be there in the morning.

She’d thought the night before had been a gift to her and a way for him to get her out of his system. The memory of it would tide her over for months, and in the end would be stored in the same file cabinet in her mind as everything else that didn’t work out in her life. Waking up in his arms had changed that, and she wasn’t sure how to deal with it.

Should she get out of bed, get them some breakfast, and act all girlfriend-y? She doubted she could do that. There were too many explanations still pending between them. No future could be based on a single night.

Yet, every relationship had to begin somewhere. Was this a beginning, or a random occurrence? What did she want it to be? She’d known she was attracted to him for a while, and the side of him she saw in the last twenty four hours was one she could fall for. The problem was she had no clue whether or not she could trust him.

Nate’s arm tightened around her almost imperceptibly, and he laid a gentle peck on her hair. “You up?”

She nodded, looking up at him. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Don’t be silly. Nothing better than waking up beside you.” He leaned in, but she averted her face.

“Not until I’ve brushed my teeth.” She wiggled, trying to get out of the bed, but he wrapped his legs around her and held her still.

“Kiss,
then
bathroom. Non-negotiable.”

She touched her lips to his lightly. “Bathroom, then breakfast.”

He let go with a sigh, but there was a smile hiding at the corners of his eyes.

***

He was still in bed when she came out of the bathroom, but it was like something had shifted between them. Gone was the playful mood. He stood with the sheet wrapped around his waist and got dressed in a hurry.

The two people who went to breakfast seemed like strangers.

Eliza knew it was her fault as well as his. She’d seen his smile when she’d exited the bathroom and noticed how his face had fallen when her eyes wouldn’t meet his, but couldn’t help herself. Once she’d left the bed they’d shared, the real world—the one in which he’d been on her case forever—had swarmed in, driving them more apart by the second.

She wished he’d say something to break the awkward silence that had settled in since they’d agreed to have breakfast outside campus.

“Is
Cup o’ Cappuccino
all right with you?”

“Yeah. Fine.” And the awkward silence was back. They walked side by side but stayed out of each other’s personal space.

His arms swung on his sides, and she longed to lace her fingers with his.

She didn’t.

Luckily, patience wasn’t one of Nate’s virtues. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Despite his harsh phrasing, there was hurt in his voice.

Eliza flinched. “Nothing. I’m fine.” She crossed her arms and began walking faster. “Just hungry.”

A big palm curled over her upper arm, forcing her to stop and face him. “That’s how it’s gonna be? Or are you blaming the pissy act on low blood sugar?”

Irrational anger made her raise her voice. “
Going to be?
This is how it always has been, Nate. We fight. We hate each other. How can that change now?” It had already changed; she no longer hated him, and she was sure he no longer hated her. The more she urged him to agree with her, to see there could be nothing between them, the more she hoped he’d prove her wrong. If she wasn’t so busy trying to hold back tears of frustration, she’d be rolling her eyes at herself.

He kissed her. It was becoming a trend with him, sealing her lips with his when talking might not get them anywhere. She liked that trend. She liked how he cupped her cheek; how he clutched her shoulder; how he breathed against her lips. She forced herself to pull back. “What is this, Nate? What do you want from me?”

*

He opened his mouth to reply, but she went on.

“I mean, it’s okay if this is just what happened yesterday. It was great, and it was the first time that I—Well, it was great.” She’d lowered her eyes and was now talking to his chest. “But if that was all, I’m okay with it. Not that I want more. Or that I don’t want it.” Her cheeks got more flushed by the second.

He chuckled, and she narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you dare laugh. I just want someone to be honest with me, for once. I want them—
you
—to tell me,
Eliza, it’s been fun, but I don’t feel that wa
—” Her eyes widened when he tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her to him. “Don’t you dare kiss—”

He silenced her protests, smashing their mouths together, pressing her body to his until she stopped trying to withdraw.

By the time he let go, her gaze looked dazed. “I told you, I want you. Weren’t you listening? I want you for good. I want a relationship. Holding hands on our way to breakfast and secret words that make only the two of us crack up.” To demonstrate what he was talking about, he took her hands in his. “You said you wanted something real. You and I can be real. Can you handle that?”

*

Could she? Could she take him on his word and be with him after he’d ridiculed her so many times? “What about Greg?”

“Not really my type.” She arched an eyebrow, and it was his turn to avert his eyes. “I’m not hanging with him anymore. Should have stopped sooner. I’m sorry, Eliza, I really thought I was doing what was best. When I got him to leave you alone, I thought that was it. I’d piss you off a while longer and then get off your case.”

“You got him to leave me alone?” She narrowed her eyes.

“I sent him an unsigned note, saying I knew he’d been doped in one of the games and would tell if he didn’t start treating you well. It was the game that got him his athletic scholarship. He’d lose it all, if anyone found out.”

It was too much for her to digest. She’d accepted that, by being a jerk, Nate had meant to get her mind off her grief over her relationship with Greg. That he’d been her protector just seemed too much. It made her reevaluate everything she’d considered a given in her life. “You—All this time!” She shook her head.

“Me. All this time. Can you handle it?”

She cupped his chin and lifted it so he’d face her. “Can we take it slow?” She didn’t mean the sex; there was no taking that slow, after the revelation the previous night had been. It would just be hard for her to open up to him after everything.

He nodded, and she knew he understood.

“Hmmm…”

“Ah, come on.” He squeezed her hand gently. “I’m dying here!”

“I can handle it.”

Chapter Fourteen

Eliza looked at her watch.

Nine twenty three.

If her boyfriend didn’t get his cute little ass to her dorm soon, they’d lose their reservation. Didn’t he know you’re not supposed to stand up your girl when you’ve promised a classy night out?

She grinned. One month together. Who’d have thought it possible? Certainly not Greg. Her grin widened at the memory of the jerk’s reaction when Nate had walked her to class for the first time. His eyes had almost bulged out of their sockets. He’d tried to cover it up—had approached them, smirked at Nate, and said, “Nice work.” He’d even raised his hand for a high five. Nate had ignored him completely.

Bill had walked up to them during the first break that same day. “Tall, dark and broody said a miracle happened—only he used different wording.” His smile was genuine when he patted Nate’s back. “Make sure you don’t mess this up, dumbass.” Eliza had been exhilarated; she’d have hated for Nate to lose all his friends because of her.

With the exception of Krista, her own friends had been shocked but supportive. If she was sure about her decision to be with Nate, they were happy for her, and that was all she needed to really be happy. With her boyfriend.

The knock made her jump. She grabbed her purse and rushed to the door. They’d make it to dinner, after all.

Or not.

Nate stood at her door wearing dress pants and a tight black T-shirt that made him look absolutely edible. The yummy smell that reached Eliza’s nostrils wasn’t coming from him though, but from the bags he held, that were filled with Chinese food.

Eliza did a double take, unsure whether to be happy they wouldn’t have to stay away from bed for longer than necessary, or upset he hadn’t asked her if she wanted to eat in.

He grinned. “We can go out.
After
.”

She bet he didn’t mean after they ate.

Yup, she was happy.

She took the bags from him and all but threw them and her purse on Krista’s bed, which was closer to the door, before jumping in his arms.

God, she loved his lips. Whenever he’d start kissing her, she’d forget everything else—even forget to take things further, sometimes, enjoying how he brushed his lower lip over hers, ran his upper one along the seam of her mouth. And his breath… It was weird that she, anti-smoker to the bone, loved smelling the scent of cigarettes on him, loved tasting it when he slipped his tongue inside her mouth.

She loved his hands, too. Loved how big the palms were, how long the fingers. It made it all the better when he kneaded her buttocks, like he was doing now, and lifted her to carry her to the nearest available surface or pin her to the wall. And boy, could he pin her. He could hold both her wrists in one hand or hold her thighs in place around his hips.

He stepped closer to her bed, kissing her neck.

“I thought we were eating.” Her protest was nowhere near sincere.

She loved his legs. Lean and muscular, with just a sprinkle of golden hairs she loved rubbing her foot over as she came down from ecstasy.

Suddenly she needed to see those legs. And his feet. And the magnificent curve of his ass, that she always bit when she got out of bed first.

He placed her on the bed and lay next to her. With one more kiss, she ran her fingers down his sternum and hooked her index and middle finger in his waistband. “Are we? Eating?”

He bit his lower lip almost bashfully, and she couldn’t believe she’d forgotten how much she loved his teeth. Especially the right canine, which was a bit quirky. It made his smile unique. She smiled back.

“I’m hungry for you,” he said. He tried to climb down her body, but she stopped him.

“Take your shirt off.” She wanted to see his breastbone. Lick it, maybe. And his pecs. And his abs. “Actually…” She couldn’t wait. She rolled him on his back and tugged the hem of his shirt out of his pants. She had to have him naked under her.
Now!

“What about the food?” He sat up, so she could peel the Tee off his shoulders. “It’ll go cold.” His hand sneaked under her short dress and cupped her bum to pull her closer.

“Chinese can be eaten cold.” She flattened her palm to his sternum and straddled him. “You ruined my appetite for food now.”

Licking breastbone:
Check.

He moaned and grabbed her hips. Pressed her against his erection. “Good.” A finger found the right strap of her dress and lowered it, so he could kiss his way from her neck to her shoulder.

Eliza trailed her fingernails down his front, gaining herself another moan. She loved to hear him moan. Loved the bunching of his abs, the little goose bumps that broke on his silken skin under her touch. She did it again.

His hips bucked under her, and he pulled down her other strap, freeing her breasts. She loved how his eyes glazed over every time he saw them, how he seemed unable to resist the view of her nipples. He pulled her down to close his lips around one of them, ghosting his fingers on the underside of her breast. The next moan was hers.

She gyrated her hips, rubbing against his length. His hands flew to her thighs and under her dress. “You’re not wearing any panties!”

She loved the delighted shock on his face. “Nope.”

He found her clit with his thumb. “God, you’re wet.”

“From the moment you walked in.” She pulled away from his touch and moved down the length of his body.

“Where are you going?”

Instead of answering, she undid his belt. Then his fly. He tried to sit up and help, but she shook her head and went on to take off his shoes. Once his feet were naked, she tugged on his trousers, and he assisted by lifting his ass off the mattress.

Eliza wasn’t the only one going commando.

Her tongue was about to loll, so she ordered it to wet her lower lip instead. She always had that reaction to his cock. Sometimes there was a little drooling involved, too. She loved looking at his shaft, wrapping her fingers around his length, stroking it, tasting it, having it inside her.

She couldn’t decide which of those things to do now.

He helped her make up her mind.

He wrapped his long fingers around his length and started stroking himself, and she felt powerless to do anything but watch his fist move up and down slowly.

“Take off your dress.”

She did.

“Do you like watching?”

She nodded mutely, absentmindedly caressing her stomach.

“I like watching, too.” He tilted his head to the side and pinned her with those green eyes of his. God, she loved his eyes and the myriads of looks they were capable of. She could see his soul through those eyes.

She cupped her breasts, pushed them together, pinched the nipples.

He shook his head. “Sit on me, and do that.”

His knees were apart, keeping her own legs spread when she straddled his thighs, her ass on the sheets. She felt so vulnerable. Then again, she always felt vulnerable with him; he had the power to break her. She loved how he only used that power to make her happy.

Holding his gaze, she began caressing her pussy. Her movements were languid, like those of his hand.

“Show me how wet you are.”

She pushed two fingers inside her and brought them up for him to see. He grabbed her wrist, brought her fingers to his mouth to lick them clean. “Good girl. Now show me how you bring yourself off.”

One arm behind her to keep herself propped up, she started circling her clit.

“That’s not how you do it.” He pumped himself faster. “That’s just teasing.”

She began to protest, but he lifted her, and then the head of his cock was at her entrance. “Maybe you need some help,” he said with a leer.

Nodding again—what was wrong with her vocal cords?—she lowered herself around him, loving how he slowly filled her. Yes, that was what she loved the most about his cock: it was made for her. It was a perfect fit, stretching her just right.

They sighed in unison when he was completely seated inside her.

“Now, show me.” His hands were around her waist, directing her rhythm.

And she did.

She planted her feet on the bed and rode him for all she was worth.

He kept talking to her, telling her how he loved seeing her so wanton, how he craved nothing more than being inside her, how hot it made him to see her play with herself while he pounded into her.

She loved how he loved her.

And maybe tonight, after they were sated and cuddling under the covers, she wouldn’t pretend to be asleep when he said he loved her—like he had every night before.

Maybe tonight she’d say it back.

His fingers digging inside the flesh of her hips, he took her harder. Faster. His eyes never left hers, his teeth worrying his lower lip. She was close. She knew he was, too.

Her name on his lips sounded like a prayer.

Yes, maybe tonight was the night.

The End