Page 119 of Lovers' Dance

Nathan continued to shout at him, angrily listing all the whys and wherefores Matt shouldn’t consider marrying Madi, while Bella tried to calm Nathan down and reason with Matt at the same time.

He let them go on for about thirty minutes before saying solemnly, “I understand and appreciate your concerns, I really do, but she makes my soul sing. I have never felt this way about another woman. She’s mine and if, she’ll have me, I’ll be hers for the rest of our lives.”

They both fell silent for a few moments. Then Nathan, whose face was almost purple with rage, started in on him again. “Makes your soul sing? Fucking hell, Matt. Are you on drugs? Are you hearing yourself? Slow down for one goddamned minute here—”

“What did you tell me, Nathan?” Matt cut him off. “The first day you met Bella all those years ago? Do you remember?”

Nathan jerked back, glancing slowly at Bella. She stared at them, head swivelling between them.

“I—” Nathan rubbed a hand over his frustrated face.

“Sweetheart.” Bella touched his cheek. “What is it?”

Matt continued on, seeing as Nathan was at a loss for words. “You said to me that you’ve met the one, your future wife, the only woman you could ever be with. She only spoke to you for five minutes and you’d already decided she was it for you.”

“And you said I was crazy. That I needed my head testing as there was no such thing.” Nathan had found his voice.

Matt nodded, flashing Bella an adoring smile. “I did, and I was wrong. You two are meant for each other. The same way I know Madi’s meant to be mine.”

Nathan flopped back against the upholstered seat, eyes squeezed shut. “You’ve lost your mind. The pressure has finally gotten to you.” Nathan’s eyes flew open and he glared at Matt, coldly stating, “You’re thirty-seven years old, at the age where you know you should settle down. This—this ridiculous notion you have to marry Madison is nothing more than a response to that. Look, I’ll be brutally frank with you. You know how I feel about Louisa. I don’t like her, I never did. And I want you to find someone special like I have. I want you to find your own Bella, but it’s not Madison, mate. She’s lovely, don’t get me wrong, but she’s not right for you, Matt. She’s not the one for you.”

“Why?” Matt asked in a tone as frigid as Nathan’s. “Because she’s black?”

“No, you fucking arsehole,” Nathan yelled. “I’m bloody tired of you implying I have a problem with her because of her race. I don’t.”

“Nathan,” Bella rested a hand on his arm, squeezing gently. He shrugged her off and leaned forward, blue eyes filling with pure disdain.

“Because she’s young, Matt. When you eventually get bored of her, which I know you will, it’ll destroy the poor girl. Do you want that on your conscience? Do you want to taint her? Yourpoppet? Are you going to protect her from the media? Your family? From all those envious people out there who would do about anything to see you fail?”

“Yes,” Matt said with certainty. “I will protect her.”

“Oh, I see,” Nathan mocked nastily. “And yourself? Will you protect her from yourself? You don’t get it, do you? You’re what…her first boyfriend?”

“Yes. What’s your point?” Matt asked quietly.

“She’s inexperienced, and you’re so bloody domineering the poor girl has no idea what’s hit her. What’s going to happen five, maybe ten, years down the line when she starts to resent you for stealing her youth?”

“Damn it, Nathan. She’s not sixteen.” Matt let out an incredulous short bark of laughter. “You’re acting like she doesn’t know what she wants. Let me remind you that she’s a determined woman who—”

Nathan cut him off with a terse, “If you’re that strung out about getting married, you can live vicariously through my wedding. Hell, I’ll let you plan the whole damned thing. I’ve already got a date and place in mind—” Nathan stopped suddenly, head snapping around to see Bella’s transfixed expression.

“Nathan Walthamstow,” she said after a few charged seconds. “If that was a marriage proposal, I must say it is the most unromantic thing you’ve ever said to me.”

Nathan gulped nervously, running a hand through his hair wildly before sending a mean look in Matt’s direction. “Look at what you’ve made me do.”

Matt held his hands up, regarding Nathan and his girlfriend with growing surprise.

Bella continued to frown at Nathan…but was she frowning? On closer inspection, Matt detected the glimmer of a smile fighting to escape.

“Um, Bella, darling.” Nathan cleared his throat harshly, sending another vicious look at Matt’s grinning face. Nathan cleared his throat again. “Ah, can we discuss this at a later time?”

She folded her arms; her expression said it all.

Nathan’s mouth made an attempt at a limp smile.

“You should ask her already, Nathan,” Matt drawled. “We know you want to.”

“You, shut up.” Nathan jabbed a finger at Matt before increasing the strength of his smile as he faced his girlfriend. “Darling, now is neither the time nor the place to discuss our personal situation. I’m trying to talk sense into Matt right now.”

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