Chapter Eleven
Alice
Two evenings before my date with Nate, I rope the girls into a trip to the spa. It’s become our designated activity for a girls’ night out. A few years ago, we usually went to a bar, downed cocktails, and talked about everything under the sun. But since Pippa and then Ava gave birth and breastfed, and now Nadine is pregnant, bars have lost the appeal. And honestly, a few hours of getting pampered at a spa are infinitely more relaxing than cocktails.
Pippa, Ava, and Nadine are already there when I arrive. Victoria and Emilia, Christopher’s and Max’s fiancées, usually join us too, but they’re all gone on a trip.
This place has an incredible vibe. From the moment I step through the front doors, I already feel like I’ve left any stress behind me. Whether this is because of the relaxing music playing in the background, or the sound of water dropping coming from the small waterfall built into the wall behind the reception, I can’t tell, but I love coming here.
“Hi, girls,” I greet Pippa, Ava, and Nadine. We’re in for a few hours of treats: sauna, swimming in the heated pool, and we’ll also take turns going in for our mani-pedi, massage, and facial appointments.
The deck has a nice view, with the Golden Gate Bridge looming in the distance. The heated pool is half outside, half inside, perfect for when it’s chilly outside as you can just relax in the indoor area.
As I said, I love this place. Whenever I feel like I’m about to burst from stress, I drop by, even if it's just for a mani-pedi or massage if I need a quick fix.
“Oh, this is so great,” Ava comments. The four of us are in the juice bar adjacent to the pool, relaxing. We’re alone in this space, which I prefer.
“So, who starts sharing news?” Pippa asks, clapping her hands excitedly. She looks at each of us in quick succession, then lingers on me. “Alice, you look like someone who has big news.”
“I agree,” Ava adds. Nadine merely smiles.
Oh yeah. I have no doubt they heard through the Bennett rumor mill about Nate’s permanent job in San Francisco, but I haven’t updated Pippa on the rest. Heck, I haven’t even told her about the kiss, but it was mostly because I wanted to put it out of my mind. Thinking about it got my hopes up. But now things have changed. Now I can hope and dream.
“You agreed so quickly to this spa day just so you could quiz me,” I accuse my sister.
She shakes her head with vehemence.
“That’s not the only reason. But I agree, it was a great incentive.”
“Fine, here’s the short version. Nate asked me out on a date.”
The girls erupt in cheers, with Pippa saying under her breath, “I knew it.”
“We really want the long version though,” Nadine chimes in.
“Don’t leave out any detail,” Ava adds.
They listen with rapt attention while I tell them everything.
“Five dates?” Pippa says, awestruck. “Sister, you have great self-restraint if you can resist him for so long.”
“I’ll do my best,” I assure her. Almost unwillingly, my mind flies to my conversation with Nate about what kind of kissing is proper for a first date.
“Did any of you ever have good wall sex?” I blurt out.
Pippa jerks her head back, and Ava and Nadine seem too stunned or embarrassed for a split second before we all burst out laughing. We talk about mostly anything but carefully avoid the sex topic, since half the girls in the group are actually dating or married to our brothers, and neither Pippa nor I want too many details. I’m sure Nadine and Ava talk about it, but I hope such details never reach my ears. Some conversations you can’t unhear.
Well, now the cat is out of the bag. Anyone else would balk down and switch topics, but not me. The way I see it, I’ve already put my foot in my mouth, so I want my answer. “A yes or no is enough, no need for details.”
A chorus of “yes” greets me, followed by chuckles.
Damn it, Nate.
“So, I predict you won’t make it through three dates,” Pippa says.
“Make that two,” Ava says.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“He’s already got you thinking about wall sex,” Nadine says wisely. “By the way, not to volunteer too much information, but the most important part in wall sex is for the man to be strong enough. I took a good look at Nate. The man is a mountain. He’ll have his way with you any way you can imagine, and do it exceptionally well.”
“True,” my sister adds. “He looks like someone who’ll know how to love you up good.”
I swallow hard, blood rushing to my cheeks. These girls are crazy, but they’re my brand of crazy, and I love them to bits.
“Right, how about switching topics? Who else has news?” My imagination is running amok already.
“Well, mine is less interesting, but my morning sickness finally subsided,” Nadine says. “But I’m still sleepy all the time.”
“Do take advantage of that,” Pippa says. “Sleep is the one thing you won’t get back for a while. Oh, how I miss it.”
“Me too,” Ava says wistfully. She looks as tired as Pippa was in the first year after giving birth, but the dopey grin she has when talking about Will is adorable.
“Oh, I have some fun news,” Pippa says. “Julie has been asked out on a date, and Eric completely freaked out. It was fascinating to watch him in full overprotective dad mode. I managed to reason with him about two days later.”
Her husband, Eric, was a widower with a twelve-year-old daughter when Pippa met him. Julie’s a teenager now though, so I predict Eric will go into overprotective dad mode on a regular basis. It’ll be good practice for when their twin girls grow up.
Though judging by the way our dad and brothers react when Summer and I speak about dates, that overprotective gene is deep in their DNA. Once activated, it never dims.
Our chat turns to us reminiscing over the crazy bachelorette parties we threw for Ava, Nadine, and Pippa. I swear to God, each one was crazier than the one before. We didn’t even plan it, but things got out of hand, fast. My mind flies to Nate too, to the way he kissed me after the meeting with the Delicious Dining team, how he was championing me during the meeting. Just knowing he believes in me so much warms my chest, and that is dangerous in more ways than one.
He just asked me out on a date. I need to pace myself, keep my hopes at a reasonable level. Just because I’ve been carrying a torch for him for years doesn’t mean we’re meant to be together, or that we’ll work out. Maybe we’ll discover we’re not compatible after all and this is all just crazy chemistry we need to get out of our systems. My heart stings as I consider that thought, but I have to be prepared for any outcome, keep an open mind and heart.
Even so, my grin grows wider.
***
On the evening of my date with Nate, I stop by Blue Moon just before, bringing in the last of the supplies needed for the official opening tomorrow. The Delicious Dining team called earlier, informing me that the network green-lighted the project, and they’ll film the segment next month. As a result, I’m feeling on top of the world tonight.
Right until I step inside the kitchen, slip on the tiles, and nearly face-plant. Luckily, I grab the nearby counter in time, steadying myself.
Turning on the lights, I inspect the slippery floor. The tiles are wet, as if someone just wiped them. The cleaning crew finished two hours ago though, so they should be dry by now. This can only mean one thing: water is coming from somewhere. Within thirty seconds, I locate the problem. The pipe from under one of the sinks is leaking.
I call the maintenance company but get the answering machine, stating I’m calling outside office hours and the earliest I can contact them is tomorrow morning. Fantastic. Desperate, I start to search online for emergency plumbers when my screen lights up with an incoming call from Nate.
“Hey! Sorry, I’ll be late. A pipe is leaking at Blue Moon, and I’m trying to find a plumber who’ll come right away.”
“No need. I’ll come and fix it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Is there a toolbox there?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m on my way.”
***
Fifteen minutes later, I’m desperate because the water isn’t leaking anymore—it’s coming in a heavy stream. I place a bucket underneath the pipe, but unable to just stare at the water and do nothing, I sit on my haunches and inspect the pipe closer, hoping the water won’t come anywhere near my dress. I swear loudly.
“Sailors have nothing on you, Bennett.”
I bang my head against the sink as I flinch.
“Jesus,” I exclaim, pulling back and putting my hands on the painful spot above my eye. Nate is just a few steps behind me. “Announce yourself next time.”
“I did.”
“Try knocking at the door first, then saying something like ‘Hot plumber here. At your service, ma’am.’”
“I love how you don’t lose your sense of humor even when you nearly poke your eye out.”
Chuckling, he motions me to step aside. He glances at the toolbox, then lowers himself to his haunches like I did minutes before. While he busies himself under the sink, I call the restaurant where we’re going for our date, informing them we’ll be late. Afterward, I hop on a counter, ogling Nate’s ass. Damn, from this position his backside looks even more perfect than usual. A naughty voice at the back of my mind tells me there are plenty more pipes I could accidentally break around the kitchen.
“Are you ever gonna offer to help?”
“I’d rather stay here and enjoy the view,” I tell him.
A few short minutes later, Nate pulls back, rising to his feet. He turns the sink on, which nearly gives me a panic attack, but what do you know? Not one drop leaks from the pipe.
“All done.”
Hopping off the counter, I check his work for myself, even though it’s not necessary.
“Thank you, Nate.”
“At your service, ma’am,” he says, repeating my earlier words.
“Can I give you a tip? Take your shirt off next time.”
He pulls his head back. Up close, I can see a thin sheet of sweat dotting his upper lip. I barely hold back the impulse of lifting on my toes and licking him.
“To fix a pipe?”
I shrug one shoulder, offering a grin. “They do that sometimes in movies.”
“What kind of movies have you been watching, Alice?”
“Naughty ones.”
I haven’t been watching any movies other the ones in my head, but seeing his look of shock was totally worth stretching the truth a tad.
“Since we’re exchanging information, I was half hoping you’d be waiting here for me wearing just an apron.”
Damn, damn, damn. The air between us instantly charges, firing up my synapses. As if sensing it too, Nate cradles my face with both hands. I cuff his wrists with my hands, loving the feel of his pulse under the pads of my fingers. It races frantically. As he kisses my forehead, the smell of him overpowers everything else. This feels so impossibly good; I wish we could stay like this the entire evening. But the strong smell of soap and man serves as an aphrodisiac, clouding my brain and awaking all my senses. My body responds to his proximity by humming incessantly, pure energy coursing through me, jolting every cell to life. I clamor for him, needing him to touch more than my face. I initially went to the spa for a mani-pedi, but then thought I’d better get a Brazilian wax too. I’m oversensitive after waxing. When Nate kisses the spot above my eye where I hit myself earlier, my center becomes slick. With a low sigh, I press my thighs together. Gathering my wits, I step to the side, needing to gain some distance.
“You’re handy to have around,” I say once I’m out of his grasp. “How would you know how to fix a pipe?”
“When you’re constantly on the move, it’s easier to learn to fix things than to find people to do it for you.”
“Makes sense. Guess you don’t seem the fixing type.”
He winks at me, and my intimate spot tingles dangerously.
“Lots of things you don’t know about me. There’s more to me than my pretty face.”
Oh, why yes there is, Mr. Becker. You have strong arms to go with it, and I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I’m pretty sure the package in your jeans is just as alluring. Can’t wait to discover what you’re hiding in there.
“What just went through that dirty mind of yours?”
“Nothing,” I say a little too quickly. His eyes zero in on my mouth, and I become aware I’ve been gnawing at my lower lip.
Nate steps in front of me again, placing either hand at my sides, propping his fingers on the counter. He’s caging me in.
“Liar.” He brings his lips to my cheek, peppering the side of my face with kisses, trailing to my ear. “You’re a naughty woman, and it’s a fucking turn-on.”
Oh no. Not the dirty talk. If he starts with the dirty talk, I’m a goner.
“I didn’t mean to. But I got a Brazilian wax two days ago, and I’m very sensitive there. Even the friction with my panties is too much. When I’m thinking about you, I go up in flames in minutes. When you’re with me it’s even worse.”
“You got a Brazilian?” His mouth is still at my ear, so I feel every hot exhale against my skin. It isn’t helping my cause at all.
“Yes. I went to the spa in the evening and thought, ‘What the heck. If I’m here, I’d better be practical and take care—’” I stop when he pulls back a notch, and I take in the expression on his face, wanton and desperate.
I realize I’ve been rattling off like a madwoman, which is very unlike me. Something happens to me when I’m around Nate. I can never find my balance when he’s near. I’m in a continuous freefall.
“Too much information?” I ask weakly.
“Way too much,” he says on a groan. “You tell me that and expect me to behave? I’m not a weak man, Alice, but I’m weak for you. And right now, I’m dying to taste you. I need to taste you.”
I fist his shirt, a jolt of pleasure rippling through me at his words. Not “I want to taste you” but “I need to taste you.”
Sweet heavens, I need it too.
“How turned on are you now?” One of his hands moves across my collarbone, up my neck, and to the back of my head. He threads his fingers in my hair with barely restrained passion. When he presses his forehead against mine, I can feel his breath against my upper lip, hot and heavy. A soft moan is the only answer I manage to give him. His fingers tighten their grip on my hair.
“Are your panties wet?”
Nodding, I fist his shirt even stronger.
“Do you want me to touch you?”
“Yes, I need it so much, Nate.” My words come out in a rush. “So much.”
He moves the hand that was still propped on the counter to my waist, then drops it south, letting it slide down my thigh a few inches before gathering up the fabric of my dress. When his warm fingers touch my bare skin, I shudder. When his hand inches closer to the apex of my inner thighs, I grip one of his arms tightly, needing to steady myself.
“Open your legs, Alice.” His voice is a little hoarse, a lot commanding. Licking my lips, I do as he says. The very next second, he slides his fingers over my panties, rubbing my slick spot. My knees almost buckle as pleasure spears me.
“Ah!” Exhaling sharply, I pinch my eyelids closed, seeking to ground myself.
He presses the heel of his palm against my clit while his fingers move up and down my seam, drawing small circles over the soaked fabric. I nearly break out of my skin from the pleasure. “Fuck, I love having you so hot and bothered. You could come just like this, couldn’t you?”
“Yes. Yes, I—”
I don’t manage to finish the sentence because Nate seals his mouth over mine in a kiss that is the perfect mix of sweetness and passion, of tenderness and heat. When he pulls back, I groan in protest.
“I want my mouth here”—his fingers press right into my opening—“when you finish.”
Holy hotness. I think I had a mini-orgasm just from hearing him say it.
Taking his hands off me, he steps back.
“Strip for me, Alice.”
“Here?”
“Yes. Now.”
Biting the inside of my cheek, I look around nervously. “I’ve never done anything like this here.”
“Then let me be your first.”
My breath catches as I nod because I don’t want him to just be my first. I want him to be my last. The heat in his gaze is so powerful it melts away all my questions and insecurities. Nate kisses my shoulder, then slowly inches toward my neck. He stops time and again along the way, breathing in deeply, occasionally teasing me with a dip of his tongue.
“I don’t want to rush this,” he whispers against my skin, the shot of hot breath turning my knees to rubber. “I want to worship you, lick every inch of your skin, commit every part of you to memory.”
I’d be completely on board with his plan if I didn’t have years of pent-up desire threatening to spill out. But when Nate snaps his head up, his gaze holds more than heat. There is so much tenderness in his beautiful green eyes that my chest fills with warmth. The warmth travels all over my body, making my toes curl.
With one swift move, he undoes the zipper of my dress. Strapless, the fabric falls to the ground within seconds. His gaze rakes over me, hunger flashing on his features as he zeroes in on my panties. Feeling bold, I push them down to my ankles, stepping out of them as seductively as I can. Next I unclasp my bra, which lands with a soft thump at my feet.
“You’re beautiful.”
His voice is a low baritone, rich like caramel, and it turns me on to no end. Lifting his hand to my face, he traces the hinge of my jaw with the back of his fingers before resting his hand at the side of my neck right about where my hairline begins.
After undoing the button of his jeans, I push the zipper down. Licking my lips, I lower my hands in his boxers and hot damn. To say the man is well endowed would be an understatement. Judging by the way his mouth curls into a smirk, he’s well aware of this. Wrapping my hand around his impressive erection, I move up and down in a rhythmic stroke. He slowly comes undone, his Adam’s apple dipping low as he swallows hard. When I drag my thumb over his tip, he rewards me by rasping out my name on a low, almost primal groan.
“Alice!”
Desire roars inside of me, singeing the tips of my breasts like a lightning bolt. Greedy to touch more of him, I undo the buttons of his shirt with my free hand, kissing every inch of skin I reveal. God, the taste of him is pure bliss, and his grunts of pleasure are music to my ears. When I undo the button just below his navel, Nate abruptly says, “Stop.”
Pulling back both hands, I straighten up, looking at him questioningly. He tilts his head to one side, sizing me up and down.
“What are you doing?” Suddenly, a prickle of shyness gnaws at me. I’ve never paraded buck naked in my kitchen.
“Trying to decide which part of you to worship first.”
Without warning, Nate loops an arm around my waist, lifting me onto the counter.
“Oh!” Damn, I wasn’t expecting it to be so cold.
Nate pulls his brows together. “Everything okay?”
“Yep. Counter is a little cold.”
The corners of his lips twitch. Stepping between my legs, he lifts them, placing my feet on the counter. I momentarily lose my balance, falling back on my elbows.
“Don’t worry, I’ll warm up your nice little ass right away.”
A white-hot current races through me at his words, and I’m soaked between my legs as he leans lightly over me.
“Your breasts are beautiful,” he murmurs. “Every part of you is.”
He circles the edge of one of my nipples with his thumb, lowering his head and suckling on the other. My head falls back as I enjoy the sinful sensations he spurs inside me. The heat intensifies, the ache between my thighs becoming almost unbearable.
A loud moan escapes my lips when he lowers one hand, dragging his fingers along the edge of my opening in one swift move. I spread my legs farther apart to give him better access, wanting to take anything and everything this man has to offer. His mouth moves to my other nipple while he presses his thumb on my bundle of nerves.
Lifting his mouth from the tip of my breast, he blows a hot breath on the sensitive skin there. My entire body seems to be made of pure sensation and need. Every part of me responds to his expert lips and fingers.
“Fuck, I love seeing you this wet and wild for me.” Keeping his thumb firmly pressed on my sensitive spot, he slides one finger inside me, and my breath catches. While his fingers torture me, he places his mouth on the hollow of my neck, licking me there before descending between my breasts, lavishing my torso with kisses.
When he abruptly removes his hand from between my legs, I’m left feeling cold and empty. I’m about to complain when Nate leans back, lifting my ass, taking each cheek in his large hands, bringing my core level with his face.
“This ass of yours is so sweet. I bet you’ll taste even sweeter.”
Nate Becker’s between my legs. Heavens, I might come just from this sight alone. The first stroke of his tongue against my slick sex appeases my ache. The second intensifies it. This will be both bliss and torture until the very end.
When I feel the roots of my orgasm pulling at me, I cry out his name. His mouth on me is delicious, every second bringing me closer to my release. My fingers desperately gnaw at the counter, seeking to ground me, but the hard surface offers no reprieve, just as his lips and tongue offer me no mercy. Nate squeezes one ass cheek tighter as he brings his other hand to my belly, resting it there with his fingers splayed before inching downward and pressing his thumb on my clit.
“Nate, oh I’m going to—ah!”
I come hard, a million tiny beads of pleasure exploding inside me, clouding my vision for a split second, my body giving in with an almost violent arch. Nate holds me tight until my body calms down and I descend from cloud nine.
He helps me hop down from the counter and caresses my cheek, his eyes still hooded with desire. I wrap my palm around his erection again. He needs his release. I want to give him pleasure, to make him happy.
He inhales sharply as I move my hand up and down, dragging my hand across the thick crown. There are drops of clear liquid already on his tip, and I know he won’t last long. I squeeze him tight and good, increasing my rhythm, seeing him slowly come apart. Seconds later, he fists my hair, a primal groan reverberating from his throat. Liquid squirts on my belly, hot and sticky. After he calms down, he turns on the water, cleaning us both.
“As far as first dates, this one’s going great,” I tease as I shimmy back into my dress. “But we missed our reservation. When I called, they told me if we don’t make it in half an hour, we lose our spot. Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere you want.”
“A few nearby places have an intimate atmosphere.”
Nate smiles wistfully, caging me in again against the counter. “Not a good idea.”
“Hmm?”
He presses himself against me and I feel the bulge in his pants—hard again. “I didn’t get my fill of you, and if we’re going to be alone, or somewhere intimate, I might try to seduce you. So we should go somewhere where there are many people and I can’t get away with making you forget about your five-date rule. Remember?”
“Oh.”
The corners of his mouth tilt up. “I do, and I don’t want us to do something you might regret tomorrow.”
Even through the post-climax haze, I realize he’s looking out for me, and I all but melt.
“Let’s go to Blake’s bar. It’ll be full, and my brother will be keeping an eye on us. Seductive maneuvers will be out of question.”
“Great idea.”
***
Several hours later, I’m in my bedroom, sliding under my covers, a satisfied smile on my lips. As I predicted, the bar was full, and we both behaved. Completely unaware that we were on a date, Blake spent most of the evening with us. It was a lot of fun. I’m nearly asleep when my phone beeps.
Groaning, I’m tempted to just ignore it, but it will beep periodically if I don’t read the message. So even though all I want is sleep, I push myself out of the bed. I never put my phone on the nightstand, because in the morning I’d just hit the snooze button on the alarm. Instead, I place it on the vanity across the room, which forces me to get out of bed in the morning.
When I see who sent me the message, I instantly light up.
Nate: Home safe?
We left the bar separately.
Alice: Yeah. Was just about to fall asleep.
The little dots indicating he’s writing appear on screen. Then they disappear, but no message arrives. Hmm… someone can’t find the right words?
Alice: Was checking in on me just an excuse? You can talk to me about anything.
His reply hits my inbox in a matter of seconds.
Nate: I really did want to make sure you got home okay. But I also wanted to talk to you.
A pause follows, in which my heart seems to double in weight as my mouth suddenly goes dry. I rest my ass against the vanity, trying hard not to imagine scenarios of doom. God, I’m ridiculous. Instead of writing back, he calls, and I answer right away.
“You had me panicking for a moment there, waiting for you to write,” I say into the phone.
“Yeah, I thought calling would be better.”
The tone of his voice has a slight edge to it, which does nothing to soothe me.
“Okay.”
“Tonight was amazing, and I want to be honest. I don’t know how to let people in, Alice.”
I breathe out slowly, carefully choosing my words. “I know.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. I’ve been watching you closely since I was a kid. Sure, there’s been a gap in which we haven’t seen each other, but some things don’t change. So yeah, I’m aware you have some solid walls around you.”
“What do you plan to do about them?” There’s a playful note in his tone, and a lump in my throat dissolves. I hadn’t been aware of its existence. I also realize he’s giving me an opening, which I take with both hands.
“Depends. I need more information. What are those walls made of? Ice? Stone? Concrete?”
Nate laughs, and I make myself a promise. I will make him laugh often. You can never go wrong with that. The way I see it, people don’t laugh nearly as much as they could.
“Those are some pretty specific questions.”
“I need to know what tools I’m gonna need.”
“You won’t need any. You’re a force of nature, Alice.”
“Best compliment I ever got.” I fight to stifle a yawn, but it gets the better of me.
“Go to sleep,” Nate says immediately.
“Nooo, I love talking to you. Especially when you’re complimenting me. And especially after you’ve given me an orgasm. I’m still a little high.”
“So, good, huh?”
“Oh yeah. Wait, why do you have to ask?”
“My ego needs it.”
“Men,” I mutter. “Don’t worry, I’ll be louder next time.”
“Next time, you’ll be underneath me, and I’m going to be deep inside you. The only thing you’ll be doing is begging me for more.”
“Oh my. That’s a promise right there.” I intended for my reply to come off as playful, but my voice is breathy and needy.
“It is. Now go to bed.”
“Good night.”
After ending the call, I place the phone back on the vanity table and crawl under the covers. Nate might think this is new territory for him, but he sure is sweet and attentive. His message to ask if I’m home is proof.
My last thought before falling asleep is that I’m going to tear down those walls, take care of him, and also try to guard my heart in the process.