Page 103 of No One Else

More dominant than all the other emotions coursing through me, hope springs its head, wanting to know if there’s a future for us.

God, let there be a future.

I step in the house quickly and grab my wallet and keys. “I’ll be back in a little bit, Dad,” I call out to him. He waves his hand in response, not really looking at me, and I get out of there before he can find it suspicious I’m leaving right after I answered the door.

She’s waiting by the passenger side of the Bronco, her demeanor hesitant now after my earlier rejection. I can’t stand being the one to make her look like that. To have killed her spirit, create doubt.

But I need to hear the whole story first. My heart is still wary.

I unlock her door, holding it open for her, and give her my hand to help her step up inside. I fully register the feel of her palm now, soft and delicate against my own, and squeeze it before I shut the door. The shy smile she sends me through the window is so like the ones from months ago when we were still feeling each other out, unaware that we each liked the other.

Once I’m settled in my seat I ask her, “Can you start from the beginning?”

She does, telling me how Carter approached her outside her dorm the night of the gala. His stipulations. Her agreement and how she felt like she didn’t have a choice in the matter. All the fake pictures she had to take, how she loathed having to lie to everyone. Her family. Her friends. Me, most of all. And then what she did tonight at his house with the picture I took. Standing up to him. Finally getting him to back off.

“I would have taken the risk,” I tell her. “If it meant still being together. You didn’t have the right to make that decision for me-”

“That’s what you do when you love someone,” she interrupts me, her voice fierce now. “I couldn’t let him destroy you. Because he would have, and with pleasure because you threatened him.”

I absorb her words and the passion she wields them with. Her protective nature is in full force, an avenging Natalie looking out for me. It kills me that Carter would stoop so low as to use it against her, knowing she couldn’t turn her back on protecting someone she loves. “You already yelled at me about threatening him.” I’m still sore about that. “Did you really mean all the other things too?” I ask her quietly. “What you said outside your dorm?” It’s been killing me, repeating ad nauseam in my head these past few weeks.Possessive. Jealous. Controlling.One moment I’m berating myself for acting that way, the next excusing myself completely, knowing that Carter deserved that punch and more.

“That was fake yelling,” she says in a softer voice, taking my hand, intertwining our fingers. “I don’t think you’re an alpha asshole or any of the other things I said. I was mad the night of the gala, but I got over it. You were defending me. And you were right to be so suspicious of him. He obviously had ulterior motives.”

I don’t want to bring up any more of that awful break up scene, focusing instead on her hand in mine, so small in comparison, so utterly right.

“Evan, I was serious when I said there will never be anyone else. It was all an act with Carter. Even if I hadn’t got him to back off, if the ruse had gone on a long time and you’d found someone else-”

I try to interrupt her, tell her that it’s the same for me, she’s in too deep under my skin for me to ever think about anyone else, but she holds up a staying hand. “There would still only be you,” she states, so confidently, so matter-of-factly, I can’t help but believe her. “You’re the only man I ever want to be with.”

I swallow thickly, unable to respond, and she must take my silence as me still being mad at her because she continues passionately, “I got past finding out you were secretly in love with me, the fake girlfriend lie, almost getting kicked out of Suncoast Serves, and you threatening Carteron cameraafter I asked you to leave it alone. I did this to protect you, to protect your Dad-”

“I get it,” I tell her, stopping her before she gets too worked up. “I understand why you did it. I’d do anything to protect you too.” I let go of her hand to cup her face, letting the love that’s been buried deep these past few weeks finally shine through again. “There’s no question you’re forgiven, but I’m allowed to be mad about the deception.”

“I was hurting right alongside you,” she whispers, her eyes filled with sorrow.

I nod, knowing she must have been. She not only had to break my heart but also convincingly act like she was back together with Carter, all while suffering herself.

“So let me be mad for another two seconds and then tell you how in awe I am that you would sacrifice yourself like that for me.” I stroke my thumb over the freckles on her nose, down her cheek, and across her bottom lip, her skin soft, inviting. She parts her lips at my actions, her eyes closing, her whole body swaying toward me, like she craves my touch. “I admit, it would have been incredibly difficult if Carter had made good on his threats,” I whisper, running my thumb back and forth along her lip. “I’d have found a way, but it would have put my future on hold. Our future.” I lean in, barely brushing my lips against hers. “Because I can’t imagine any kind of future worth living without you in it.”

I take her mouth, giving her a full-on kiss, her intoxicating sweetness surrounding me, both soothing and igniting me until I’m completely drunk on the taste of her lips, on her. I need to make up for lost time, drink my fill of her, but the well within me is neverending. I’ll never have enough of her.

I move my hand to the back of her head, urging her closer to me, the space between us suddenly too great a distance. I need her as close as possible, for her to never be apart from me again. The last three weeks have been pure agony.

She twists her body to bring herself even nearer, until it’s more on my side of the car than hers, her lips eager and enthusiastic. She cradles my jaw in her hands, then wraps them around the back of my neck to pull me forward. “I missed you so much,” she pants, her eyes glittering with desire, already worked up.

Yes, give me hot-as-hell eager Natalie any day of the week. The girl’s looking at me like she wants to jump me, my dick rising just at the thought.

“Can we- do you want to?” I ask her in between kisses, my hands roaming over her breasts now, down her sides, delving into the juncture of her thighs. The neighbors are definitely getting one hell of a show.

“Yes,” she breathes, parting her legs to give me better access, practically purring as I rub her over her leggings. “Where?”

I haven’t had her in so long, over a full month, that I’m about ready to tell her to climb on top of me right here in the middle of the driveway, but then another idea comes to me.

“Give me a minute,” I mumble, settling into my seat and putting on my seatbelt. She follows suit and I start the car, driving a few minutes away to a small office complex off the main road, the parking lot deserted this time of day after everyone’s left work. I pull around to the back of the building, away from any lights, the two of us in our own secluded world.

How have I never thought of this before? Desperation must breed inspiration.

She immediately climbs over, straddling me, and I pull down her top, her nipples already hard and begging to be licked. I take one in my mouth and she moans, running her hands through my hair, grinding herself down on my lap. I switch to her other breast, squeezing her trim waist, my palms spanning her ribcage.

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