Chapter Fifteen
Alice
The next morning I wake up with a jolt and instinctively cross an arm over my face. Drawing in a deep breath, I can’t detect one single whiff of lavender in the air. Seconds later, I remember I’m not in my bedroom. I’m in a hotel with Nate. With my eyes still closed, I pat the bed beside me. It’s empty and cold. Maybe Nate’s sleeping at the edge of the bed. I blink, peering to my right. Nope, he’s not here. My heart rate picks up as I push myself into a sitting position, glancing around the room. There’s no sign of him. My clothes are in a messy pile by the couch, but his are nowhere to be seen. Still, I’m persistent.
“Nate?” I call loudly, then add in a smaller voice that sounds like a whimper, “Are you in the bathroom?”
I receive no answer, and there is no sound of water running from the bathroom. My throat closes up and I bite into my bottom lip. Then I shake my head, pushing a hand through my hair. I’m being very unreasonable. Maybe he had to meet with his team again and he left early. I don’t remember him saying anything yesterday, but that’s not saying much since I was out of sorts over Daniel. It’s possible I just tuned out that particular bit of information.
Pushing myself out of the bed, I head to my bag, which is next to the couch. My phone is in it, and I need to check the time. It must be before eight thirty, because I set the alarm for then. Daniel will arrive at nine.
It’s eight fifteen. I play with my phone for a few seconds, looking over the message icon, which isn’t showing any new messages. Then I shove it back in the bag and walk straight into the shower, leaping under the warm spray and spreading soap on my body with vigorous moves.
Even as I try to keep calm and reasonable, a small voice at the back of my mind teases me. Stupid, stupid Alice. Why do you keep hoping?
Well, if he thinks he can hurt me and get away with it, he has another think coming. I’ll hide my heartbreak under vengeful tactics.
By the time I turn off the water and step outside the shower, I’ve brainstormed about ten different ways to get back at him. That’s when I hear someone singing in the other room, then abruptly stopping.
“If you don’t hurry, your coffee will be cold,” Nate calls.
My heart soars and I slap my forehead. Oh my God. I have to dial down the crazy a notch… or a thousand.
Wrapping the towel around me, I tiptoe back into the room, hoping he can’t guess all my previous thoughts of revenge and whatnot. I shouldn’t have worried because my relief that he didn’t take off manifests in a grin so out of control, I suspect he might think I’m nuts. Which, in all honesty, I am.
“I bought turkey sandwiches, hummus and falafel wraps, a salmon wrap, and a salad. Didn’t know what you like in the morning.” He points to a plastic bag on the table full of sandwiches. Sitting on the couch, he takes a hearty bite from his wrap.
“What’s in yours?” I ask.
“Beef.”
“Then that’s what I want.”
He sets his jaw, shaking his head and muttering “Women.” With one regretful look at his wrap, he stretches his hand out. “Take it before I change my mind.”
Aaaand butterflies explode in my stomach, making my heart soar even more. “You don’t like to share food. You’ve never liked it.”
“I’ll have to learn if I want to coexist with you. I forgot your favorite pastime is stealing people’s food.”
“Not anyone’s food. I just steal food from people I like.”
“That’s supposed to make me feel better?”
I nod with conviction, then let him off the hook.
“Keep it. Next time buy me whatever you’re having. I’ll eat the turkey sandwich.”
Filled with too much energy to sit down, I double-check if my towel is safely fastened over my boobs, then grab the wrap with one hand, the coffee cup with the other. I realize I’m drinking from a plastic take-out cup. And the sandwiches were in a plastic bag. I’m really slow this morning.
“This isn’t the hotel’s breakfast, right?”
“Nah. Woke up at seven and went down with my team to eat before the day started.”
“Oh. Are they waiting for you now?”
“No, the joint program for today starts at ten. They all have free time until then.”
“Okay. So, you were saying about breakfast….”
“The food and coffee was so appalling I knew you’d have an aneurysm if you saw it. Clara did warn me about online reviews slashing their breakfast, but I figured the reviewers were jerks. Turns out I was wrong.”
“So where did these come from?”
“Drove around town until I found a decent-looking place.”
“Wow, how thoughtful.”
Thoughtful is an understatement. It was kind and sweet, and it fills me with an infectious joy. I nearly want to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming, and I might have done it if Nate wasn’t watching me. Grinning, he pats the empty space next to him on the couch and I sit, munching on my delicious sandwich.
“Just doing my part in saving the world from a hungry Alice Bennett.”
“Uh-huh… and you were accusing me of being a closet romantic.”
“What can I say? You’re rubbing off on me.” Having finished his wrap, he sips from his coffee cup, eyeing the rest of the food on the table.
“Why did you buy so much food?”
“Thought Summer and your brothers would appreciate a good breakfast too.”
I put two and two together. “Are you trying to bribe my siblings with food? They’ll sniff this out”—I point with my finger between us—“right away.”
“Are you calling me a coward?”
“Hey, I was going to say you’re smart.” I place my now-empty coffee cup on the table and lift both hands in mock defense. “But if you want to go with coward, your choice, not mine.”
“You’re too sassy for your own good. The only time you’re not sassy is in your sleep.”
“Fair assessment. I didn’t hear you get up this morning.”
Something in my expression must betray me, because Nate asks, “You thought I took off?”
I clear my throat, trying to downplay it because I feel like more of an idiot with every passing second.
“Alice?” he insists.
“Well, I woke up alone. The bed was cold and all your clothes were gone. I hadn’t had coffee, so my neurons weren’t up yet.”
“So you jumped to planning my early death?” he supplies, a corner of his mouth lifting in a half smile.
“I love your confidence in me, but I was merely contemplating painful torture methods. I’m far more innocent than you give me credit for.”
“Bet you are,” he murmurs. “You do know my entire team is here, and my bag with fresh clothes is in my room? Even if that weren’t the case, I’d never just leave.”
I lick my lips, nodding. “I see that now. It’s all about the coffee. Breakfast helps with thinking too. Basically the only thing I’m good at on an empty stomach is being neurotic.”
I’m rambling now. Nate plunks his coffee cup next to mine on the table, surveying me closely. I’m sitting with my feet tucked to one side, and I barely have time to register that Nate is up to something before he grabs both my ankles, pulling me toward him. As if anticipating I’ll try pushing my ass against the couch to stop from sliding right into his lap, he reaches under the towel, grabbing my ass firmly and lifting it.
When he drops me in his lap, I desperately check my towel, but of course it’s come undone. I’m flashing him my tits and my hooha. I thought he’d take advantage of this, but to my astonishment, he meticulously covers me with the towel.
“What are you doing?” I ask suspiciously.
“We’re having a conversation. Having your nipples in my face is distracting me.”
“Okay, then. Get to it.”
“You’re not gonna help?” he asks as he tries to fasten the towel above my right boob. By the way his fingers linger on my skin, it’s obvious he’d prefer to yank the fabric away altogether.
“No, I’m quite enjoying watching you struggle.”
His eyes flash, and I’m certain I’m going to pay for this. What does it say about me that I’m looking forward to it?
After successfully fastening my towel, he rests his hand on my inner thighs, very close to my intimate spot. I cock a brow at him.
“If you’re distracted, I have the advantage,” he explains, and I know this is my payback. Right up my alley. I open my thighs a tad, wiggling my eyebrows at him.
“If you’re gonna distract me, do it properly.”
Nate chuckles. “I was saying I’d never just leave. I might not have any ‘boyfriend of the year’ trophies, but I know a thing or two. Since I’m a lucky bastard and have you, I’m going to do nice things for you. Take care of you.”
“Well look at that,” I say in a rough voice. “You can make me swoon.”
“Told you. Doesn’t mean I won’t screw up, but”—he holds up one finger, as if saying, pay extra attention to this—“you have good instincts. If you feel a screw-up coming, don’t be afraid to do something about it. But in the meantime, I’m gonna do the right thing by you.” He kisses the tip of my nose and, despite his warning, I sigh happily. It’s all we can do, really. Do our best and see where this takes us.
Next thing I know, Nate kisses down my neck, undoing my towel, which falls around me, leaving me naked and exposed.
“What are you doing?”
“Rewarding myself for being on such good behavior.” He circles a nipple with his thumb. “I made eye contact the entire time, despite these beauties pressing against the towel.”
“How would you know that if you looked into my eyes the entire time?”
Nate doesn’t miss a beat. “I have distributive attention.”
Palming one breast, he pushes me gently off his lap until my ass is on the couch. He lowers his head over my stomach, then trails his lips up and down my skin.
“Lie back, Alice.”
His voice has dropped an octave, and damn his bedroom voice is sexy. As I do what he says, he spreads my thighs, his hand inching closer to my center.
“We don’t have time,” I protest weakly. “Daniel will be here at nine.”
“We still have plenty of time. I want to make you come, baby. You’re so beautiful when you come apart.” He turns his head slightly, focusing on me. “It’s my favorite sight.”
Still holding me captive with his sinful gaze, he runs two fingers from my clit to my opening, and my hips buck off the couch. He coats his fingers in my arousal before sliding them in, arching them in a come-here motion that drives me crazy. The heel of his palm presses against my clit, and I become a bundle of sensations. Nate peppers kisses all over my torso, moving from my stomach up to my breast while keeping his hand between my legs. I don’t know how much time passes before my orgasm builds inside me, but I feel like I’m burning up from the inside.
“I love seeing you like this, Alice,” he murmurs. His voice is all it takes to send me over the edge. I’m only vaguely aware of my fingers tugging at his hair as I cry out, holding on to him, hoping I’ll never have to let go.