Page 84 of Winter at Wishington Bay
‘I have no doubt of that,’ Nate replied, pulling me back against him gently. His warmth, plus the faint lingering smell of his aftershave all wrapped up in the scent that was Nate caused another shiver, but this one was for an entirely different reason.
‘You’re still cold.’
‘No.’ I looked up at him and saw the concern in the bright blue eyes. ‘Really, I’m not.’
He gave me a disbelieving look that was half smile, half frown and entirely sexy.
‘I’m not.’ I bumped against him gently.
‘Well, I think I still need to try and keep you warm.’ The frown disappeared and the smile widened. ‘Just in case.’
‘Always better to be safe than sorry.’
‘That’s what they say.’
I couldn’t get any closer to him now and still it wasn’t enough. Despite the layers of Victorian style clothing, there was no denying Nate was of a similar opinion. At least, parts of him were, and when I looked up into his face, the darkening heat of his eyes confirmed his mind was on the same track.
‘I have no idea what I’m doing but, with you, somehow it feels right.’
‘I know what you mean,’ I said, taking a step back and reaching up to remove the hat from his head, tossing it onto the chair. ‘I’ve no idea either but, at this point, I don’t really care because I don’t think anything has ever felt so right.’ I pushed the coat from his broad shoulders as I said this, and he wriggled, helping it slide down his arms. It landed in a puddle behind him and I was already working at the buttons on his waistcoat. My fingers, in their haste, struggled with the small fastenings and Nate’s large, warm hands took over, ensuring a quicker progress. I didn’t take any chances with the shirt buttons and instead pulled the fabric. Buttons pinged in various directions.
‘I’ll sew them back on tomorrow,’ I breathed as Nate smiled down at me, his hands around my waist, the long fingers working at the button of my skirt. Of course, I’d first have to learn how to sew a button on but the chest beneath the fabric was worth whatever effort it took. Smooth, tanned and broad, I slid the palms of my hands across it, feeling its strength beneath my touch as I linked my fingers behind his neck and his mouth met mine at the same time the heavy skirt fell to the floor. Without parting our lips, Nate pushed my fitted jacket I’d now unhooked back over my shoulders and began to work on the lacing of the corset beneath.
‘What the hell?’ he growled, pulling away, his voice thick with a desperation that made my knees feel weaker than they already were. His hands gently but firmly turned me round so that he could see the problem. Within a couple of moments, he’d loosened the ties and I was able to wriggle out. Not the most elegant of moves, but at this point both of us were beyond caring, as the remainder of our clothes tumbled to the floor, and we tumbled to the sofa.
* * *
At some point, we’d made our way to the bedroom, and when I woke late the next day, it was to the unfamiliar feeling of a man’s arms around me, his hard body pressed against mine under the warmth of the duvet. I turned my head as far as I could but couldn’t see his face. For some reason, I wanted to. Needed to. This was all a new experience. For one thing, I’d never slept with a man on a first date – and I wasn’t even sure that Nate helping me out in the shop qualified as a date at all. But I’d known plenty of people who had. And I’d listened to them lament the throes of passion that had led them into it. But I wasn’t lamenting anything. My body ached in a way it never had before and a happiness, a peace, flowed through me in an entirely new manner. All I could hope was that Nate felt the same way.
‘Good morning.’ The words were deep and raspy with an early morning huskiness that did nothing to quell the flames already flickering in my stomach.
I shuffled round so that I could face him.
‘Good morning.’
His hand lazily stroked up my thigh and the smile on his face matched the sentiment.
‘You OK?’
‘Um-hmm,’ I nodded, pushing my fingers gently back through his hair.
Suddenly he moved, scooping me underneath him as he propped himself up on an elbow, and now rested above me. There was no need for any more words as he lowered himself enough to begin tracing the line of my shoulder with soft, butterfly light kisses. I felt my body respond as his did to mine. A small, sensuous moan reached my ears and I realised it had come from me. Something else new then. Nate pulled back and gave me that lazy smile again before reaching back for the duvet and pulling it up over both of us as his free hand moved lower.
* * *
‘So, I’ll see you later?’ Nate asked as he leant against the door jamb, looking far too attractive for a man I was having to force out of my flat when what I really wanted to do was drag him back in.
‘Definitely,’ I replied, standing on tiptoes to plant a kiss on his smiling mouth.
‘Good,’ he checked his watch. ‘I’d better go and pick up Bryan from Ned and Carrie, take him for a walk and then get back to the book. I’ll come and meet you after your shift though.’
‘You don’t need to do that.’
His arm pulled me close. ‘I know. But I want to. I really, really want to.’ The last words were muffled as his head dipped and his lips skimmed the curve of my neck.
‘You’d better go or I’ll have no job to be met from.’
Nate made a noise that mixed complaint with regret, but he took the hint.
