Before Jamaica Lane (28 page)

I barely got a chance to see the way his lower abs jerked at my words before he was on me. His kisses were bruising as he slammed into me, pushing his jeans down to free his dick, seconds before he wrapped his hands around my legs, sliding me up the wall, angling my body just right.

He thrust into me.

Hard.

Deep.

We both cried out as my sex clenched around his invasion. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, my
legs around his waist, hanging on for dear life as he pounded into me.

‘You’re drenched,’ he said on a harsh breath. ‘So wet for me, babe. I love how hot and wet you are.’

‘Just for you,’ I promised on a pant and that made him pump into me harder, faster.

I yelled out to God and the heavens as the delicious, rough friction quickly created the right pressure inside me.

And then suddenly I was moving through the air, falling against Nate as he took us to the floor. With him still inside me, he flipped us, now with my back on the floor. He lifted my right leg higher, pushing my left leg gently, spreading me wider. His eyes burned into mine as he moved above me, this new position allowing him to thrust deeper.

The pressure in me built and built.

‘Nate!’ I cried, unable to move against him since he held me so tight. It only made the tension coil, my climax nearing …

‘That’s it,’ he panted, his eyes never leaving mine. ‘Let me take you there, baby.’

‘I’m coming.’ I scraped my nails into his hardwood floor. ‘I’m coming.’

Then suddenly his movements slowed and the pressure stabilized.

‘No!’ I gasped frantically, reaching for him. ‘Don’t stop.’

His eyes glittered at me. ‘Say you’re mine.’

‘What?’

‘Tell me you’re mine.’

What the hell was he doing?

‘Nate, don’t stop, I’m so close.’

He circled his hips against me, teasing me. ‘Tell me you’re mine.’

‘Of course I’m yours,’ I snapped. ‘Now bloody well fuck me!’

Nate’s grin was quick, melting hurriedly beneath his own growing need as he began to pump into me again, his movements gaining speed as my breathing stuttered.

‘Oh God!’ I slapped my palms against the floor. ‘Oh God, oh God! Nate!’

The pressure blew and the orgasm that tore through me was so epic my eyes actually rolled to the back of my head. My lower body shuddered against Nate’s thrusts, my inner muscles clamping hard around him. Nate came with a shout of release rather than his usual groan. His hips jerked in hard shudders against me as the orgasm rolled through him, setting off little aftershocks in my body.

He braced over me, his eyes wide as we stared at each other in blissed-out shock.

It was safe to say … best sex ever. Ever!

Gently releasing his hold on my legs, Nate fell to the floor beside me, and we lay with our heads together, panting hard, slick with sweat, staring up at his white ceiling.

‘So,’ Nate said once he had his breathing under control, ‘this is my place.’

Smiling, I said, ‘I like the wall. And that’s a good ceiling.’

We turned our heads to look at each other and instantly burst out laughing.

I was still giggling as Nate rolled into me, his hands shifting through my hair as I wrapped my hands lightly around his back. ‘Want to see the rest of it?’

I pretended to contemplate this for a moment and then asked, ‘Do you have a slatted headboard?’

His answering grin was slow and wicked. ‘Are you asking me to tie you down?’

I nodded my affirmative. ‘In every way you possibly can.’

Nate’s expression softened to absolute tenderness and he leaned down to press a soft kiss to my mouth. ‘That,’ he whispered, ‘I can definitely do.’

It was a warm spring evening, a slight breeze whispering over my bared arms as I stalked toward Club 39 in my stilettos. Two guys passed me and I felt their eyes drift over me. Glancing up at them out of the corner of my own, I found them staring appreciatively at my legs.

A few months ago I would have somehow managed to convince myself that they weren’t staring appreciatively – that they were staring in bemusement at the fat girl who had dared to wear a dress. I knew that wasn’t true anymore. I had good legs. I was showing them off.

But not for these guys.

No, my pins were out on display for Nate Sawyer and Nate Sawyer only.

I’m happy for you, Soda Pop
.

I smiled to myself. Yeah. I think my mom would be really happy for me.

My heels had just hit the end of the line to get into Club 39 when my cell rang. Pulling it out of the black clutch with the ruby clasp that matched the scarlet red dress I was wearing, I saw my dad’s name and instantly answered.

‘Hey, baby girl. Dee and I were wondering if you and Nate wanted to pop by the flat for a beer?’

‘I’d love that, Dad, but how about tomorrow night instead? I’m meeting Nate and the gang for drinks.’

‘Not a problem. Sounds good. Is Nate there? I wanted to ask him if he’d talked to his journalist friend yet about doing a piece about the business.’

I grinned, looking at my stilettos. They were suede and they were dark red. They were awesome. I’d chosen my outfit carefully for Nate. Nate, whom I’d officially been seeing for only the past week. Already my dad was trying to extract favors out of him. ‘I’m meeting him inside. You can ask him tomorrow.’

‘Okay, sweetheart.’ He was silent a moment and I moved along the line, now descending the stairs to the basement bar. ‘So things are good?’

‘Things are great.’

‘I’m happy for you. Your mum would have been so happy for you.’

Tears burned behind my eyes. ‘You know I was just thinking that exact same thing.’

‘Well –’ My dad’s voice was suddenly gruff so I knew he’d gotten all emotional on me. ‘I’ll let you go. Have fun.’

‘ ’Bye, Dad.’

I slipped my phone back into my clutch and pondered the fact that I felt physically brilliant. For the first time in the longest time, I felt like I was breathing free. Although I’d once admitted my fear to Nate that I was somehow, maybe, deep down, harboring some kind of
resentment toward my mother, I knew now that it wasn’t true. I think what I really feared was somehow disappointing her, and I knew that the only way I could ever disappoint my mom was by not being happy.

It was amazing the kind of relief being happy brought a person.

The pieces of my life were falling together nicely. I had a job I loved, friends I adored, a makeshift family I couldn’t be without, I finally liked myself
all the way through
, and I was in love with a beautiful man who loved me back just as much.

Something Nate had set about proving all week long.

Much of that proof of love had been physical, and I swear to God I’d lost five pounds from all the activity. Not that I was complaining.

The bouncer at the doors to Club 39 smiled wolfishly at me, giving me a chin lift as I passed him with a secret smile. My secret smile wasn’t for him, though. It was for Nate. After Angus had asked me to work a little later that night, I’d called Nate to tell him to meet me at the bar rather than picking me up. This meant I got to make an entrance for him, but it also ensured that we actually went out, rather than becoming distracted by each other in the bedroom. It was important that we went out tonight, since it was the first night we’d be spending as a couple with our group. Despite not being able to drink, even Joss would be there.

‘You’re coming?’ I’d asked, surprised when she’d called me to confirm the time.

‘Hell, yeah. Nate Sawyer brought to heel. Yeah, that’s definitely something I want to see for myself.’

‘I haven’t brought him to heel,’ I’d argued.

‘Olivia, he’s been screwing anything that moves for as long as I’ve known him. I’ve wanted a woman to throw him off course since the first night I met him. Nothing on this earth will stop me from witnessing him drooling over you.’

I’d laughed, not wanting to disappoint her by telling her Nate wasn’t the drooling kind.

When I walked into the bar I zeroed in on my friends sitting around a table and began to stride toward them, my heart picking up pace at the sight of Nate laughing at something Cam was saying to him. As if he sensed me, Nate turned slowly and as his eyes drank in the sight of me his expression was as close to drooling as I’d ever seen it.

He stood up as I neared, coming around the table toward me.

My welcoming smile was suddenly lost in his hard kiss as his strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me against his body. I kissed him back, my fingers curling lightly in the hair at his nape. When our lips finally unlocked, I raised my eyebrows. ‘That was some hello.’

Nate’s hooded eyes were trained on my mouth. ‘That’s some dress.’

‘Your favorite color.’

‘On my favorite person.’

I smiled and gave him another quick kiss. ‘Should we sit down before we cause a scene?’

‘Or we could just go back to your place,’ he suggested, caressing my hip.

Although I shivered with delight just at the thought of it, I pressed a hand against his chest and leaned back. ‘I think we can afford to take a tiny little break from the bedroom for a few hours to spend time with our friends.’

‘An hour.’

‘Three.’

‘An hour and a half.’

I chuckled and shrugged. ‘Okay, two.’

‘Two hours.’ He gave me one more quick kiss and let go of my waist, only to take hold of my hand. As he led me over to share his seat with him I felt all my friends’ eyes burning into us.

After I took my seat I looked around at Ellie, Jo, Joss, Braden, Adam, and Cam, and I had to bite my lip to stifle my laughter. They were staring at Nate as if they’d never seen him before.

‘It’s a manwhore miracle,’ Joss breathed, her eyes wide.

I giggled, nudging my shoulder against Nate as he glared at her.

‘Seriously.’ Ellie smiled. ‘I don’t think I actually believed it until I saw it with my own eyes. Nate loves Olivia.’

Nate’s glare grew darker, but the girls didn’t seem to notice.

‘I knew.’ Jo smirked at them. ‘I knew he fancied the pants off her all along.’

‘I’m just glad he’s finally met his freaking match.’ Joss grinned smugly at him.

‘He did go through a lot of women to find her,’ Ellie added. ‘It was a long time coming.’

‘Men,’ Nate suddenly growled through clenched teeth, ‘control your womenfolk.’

While Braden, Cam, and Adam laughed, enjoying Nate’s discomfort, I attempted to restrain my amusement. It was very hard for me. But it was fun to see someone as laid-back as Nate get wound up over a little teasing.

When Joss opened her mouth, obviously ready to deal out more teasing, Nate cut her a deadly look. ‘Liv needs no more reminders about my … colorful past with women, so can we all shut up and talk about something else, please?’

The group shared gleeful little looks but did as they were asked, and we started discussing the renovations Joss and Braden were making to Ellie’s old room in their apartment. They were turning it into a nursery, and once they knew the baby’s sex Jo, Dad, and Dee were going to help with the decor.

‘I’m getting another round.’ Nate turned to me. ‘Want to come up to the bar with me?’

I told him yes, still holding his hand as he pulled me through the crowd to the bar. As we waited I leaned
into him, squeezing his hand in mine. ‘Babe, you know I don’t care about your past hookups, right?’

A muscle in Nate’s jaw ticked as he looked at me. ‘I just don’t need people reminding you of it.’

‘Why does it bother you so much?’

He seemed genuinely surprised by my question, as if somehow it should be obvious. ‘It took me weeks to convince you what I felt for you was real, Liv. I don’t need my past messing us up again.’

Wow. Nate was worried about losing me?

Pressing against him, I gave my head a little shake. ‘Nate, those women didn’t mean anything to you. They’ve never worried me.’

‘You sure?’

‘I’m sure. All that uncertainty was about Alana, but that’s over, okay? I love you and I’m here with you. I’m not going anywhere.’

His eyes darkened with heat and something else I hadn’t seen before. ‘Promise?’ he demanded.

I felt concern wash over me as I realized that our separation had caused more demons in Nate than I’d been aware of. It suddenly occurred to me that I’d spent the last week allowing him to drive away any uncertainty I had over the depth of his love for me, when I should have been working just as hard to prove to him that now that I knew he loved me I wasn’t going to let anything else come between us.

Reaching up I brushed my lips over his ear. ‘Let’s go back to my place now.’

Nate pulled back, his eyes questioning.

‘I have a promise to make,’ I answered on a saucy smile.

Understanding flared in his eyes, and just like that we were moving toward the exit. I texted Jo to let her know we were leaving, and Nate and I hurried along the street in silence until we got to Jamaica Lane.

Upstairs in my bed, where it had all started, I slowly made love to Nate, promising him with every inch of me, that the ‘after’ we’d found together … well … it was
forever
.