Long Time Running (25 page)

His hands trailed up and down her legs, teasing her thighs apart, before pushing her dress up. She shuddered as his knuckles grazed across her hot center.

"These will have to come off" he told her as he peeled her black lace panties down her legs and throwing them over his shoulder. Leaning forward, he dropped a long, lingering kiss at the apex of her thighs.

"Oh my god! Eric! Wh-what are you doing?"

"Tasting" he told her before he dragged his tongue along her sex.

She cried out as his tongue dipped inside, her legs shaking as he covered her skin in hot kisses. Frustrated by the barrier of her dress
and suddenly overcome with a need to touch all of her, he pushed her dress up higher before finally getting it over her head. Quickly, he reached around her back and unhooked her bra, sending it to join the growing pile of clothes. Her
nipples puckered and hardened and she moaned loudly as he closed his mouth around the tip, laving it with his tongue. Arching up from the bed, she pushed her breast further into his mouth as she scratched her fingers along his chest.
Her hips bucked as he traced the outline of her sex, teasing the bundle of nerves nestled at the top. She spread her legs wider in invitation but he ignored her request, instead continuing to tease and touch and push her ever closer to the edge. She mewled as he switched to her other breast, biting
playfully at the hardened peak. She was desperate to cover him in kisses, to taste him, to free his erection from the confines of his jeans but she was incapable of keeping a complete thought in her head as he assaulted all of her
pleasure points.

Her body was humming from his touch and she felt almost off balance from the rawness of her nerve endings. He brushed his cheek along hers as he nuzzled her neck before moving to the hollow of his throat where his
tongue worked in small, deliberate circles.

Though it had only been a month since they had last made love, this feeling, this unencumbered giving of themselves to each other was overwhelming and sustaining all at once. Fumbling, her hands went in search of
his belt as she clumsily undid it before turning her attention to his jeans. She dragged her fingertips along the outline of his arousal, straining dangerously against the denim and smiled as she felt him shudder. He stopped
moving as she pushed his pants over his hips, freeing him, and groaned as her hand wrapped around him and stroked his length.

He crawled to her on the bed and was taken by surprise as she pushed him against the pillows. Taking the opportunity to return the favor,
she started at his neck and began a trail of kisses down the length of his body. She paused at his chest and placed a lingering kiss over his heart. He threaded his fingers through her hair and reveled in the sensations she was
sending through his body.

He grabbed the bed sheets, his eyes clenched shut as he felt the warmth from her mouth envelop him. He groaned as she straddled him, her hips undulating against his. He once again went in search of her mouth, needing
to kiss her. They moved around the bed, their bodies joined together as they hungrily reacquainted themselves. It had been weeks of passion and love denied and now they could not refuse it any longer. There was a flurry of limbs
tangling, breath mingling and bodies touching. As the pleasure built, they pushed each other over the edge holding on to each other as though each was afraid to let go.

They collapsed on the bed, breathless and ragged. Eric reached
for Nathalie, tugging her to him as he dropped soft, loving kisses on her lips.

"Say it again" she asked quietly, tracing patterns along his chest with her fingertips.

He knew instantly what it was she wanted to hear and how
much the words meant to her. "I love you." Feeling several tears drip onto his chest he stroked the back of her head. "Nat?"

Lifting her head she smiled tenderly. "I used...I used
to think that there were some wounds that could never be healed. But I know now that love is stronger than anything."

As the early morning sun slipped through the blinds Nathalie sighed happily. It had been a night of affirmation and love and they had wrapped themselves around each other and not let go. Snuggling in closer to
Eric she left a soft kiss on his chest.

"Mmm," he moaned happily, trailing his fingers along her back. As he came to the top of her scar, he traced its outline.
"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly.

She gave a light shake of her head.. "It twinges every once in a while but it doesn't hurt." Silence surrounded them for several minutes as he continued to trace it. Lifting her head from his chest, she
looked at him curiously. "You keep touching it."

"Should I not?"

"No, that's not it. It's just the other...the very few other men I was with never touched it - not on purpose anyways."

Eric again traced the winding pattern of her scar, his finger leaving chill bumps on her back. "Did you love him?" he asked softly.

"Who?" Nathalie asked before understanding dawned.
"Keith?"

Eric nodded softly as his eyes remained focused on his fingers trailing over her skin.

Nathalie swallowed the thick lump in her throat as she gently took his hand and laced her fingers through his. "Eric," she
whispered. "Look at me"

Eric inhaled a ragged breath as his stunning blue eyes finally met hers. "He mattered to me. I needed someone to prove to me I wasn't worthless."

He nodded in understanding as his eyes fell to the bed as she continued to speak.

"But," she stated calmly, "I couldn't love him."

"You couldn't?" he responded softly.

She shook her head in response. "I couldn't." she affirmed. "I couldn't love him when I never stopped loving you."

"But you tried."

"I thought I did. But now I am not sure I ever could.
Your love is greater than anything I have ever known."

He softly nipped at her lips as she cuddled into him further. "I love you, Nat."

"I know." She said, her green eyes shining with
tears. "And that is why I think I can be so comfortable with you. I hate what my scar represents. But you are the only person who understands what it truly cost me."

Pulling them both to a sitting position, he brushed her
bangs from her face. "It's part of who you are," he told her. "And I love who you are," he reminded her. "All of you."

Leaning forward she captured his mouth in a soft, gentle
kiss. "It's also evidence of a lot of pain," she added. "And I know that not all scars are visible."

Cocking his head to the side, he paused. "What do you mean?"

Drawing her fingertips along his brow she smiled lovingly at him. "My scar is visible but yours aren't and I know that I caused you a lot of pain."

"I've forgiven you," he reminded her quickly.

"But that doesn't undo what I've done Eric," she continued. "And so I want to make you a promise here. No matter what happens in the future, no matter how scared or overwhelmed I may get I promise I will never, ever run again. For better or for worse, I'm staying put."

Cupping her face, he kissed her passionately. "I love you," he whispered against her mouth. "When are you moving in?"

Pulling back a little, she gave him an apologetic look.
"I need to talk to Sarah. I really need to tread carefully here Eric and not rush her because she is going to be hurt no matter what."

"Okay" he told her as he nuzzled her neck.
"I'm just anxious for us to be together under one roof."

"Me too" she told him. "And we will be soon. I'll talk to Sarah today and we'll work it out."

#

Nathalie had no sooner slipped in the door than she came
face to face with her sister. It was proving difficult to tell if Sarah was giving her a look of disapproval or concern. Neither option was going to make the forthcoming conversation with her any easier.

"I guess you had a good date," she observed dryly.

Nathalie smiled sheepishly. "It was a great night. He...he loves me."

Sarah arched her eyebrow. "I wasn't aware there was any
doubt about that."

"Maybe not to others but I wasn't very sure of it at all."

Nathalie's eyes were shining brightly and Sarah was finally seeing something she had not seen in years - her sister was happy. Not content,
not satisfied but truly happy. And for that she was incredibly grateful. Hugging her tightly, she kissed her cheek.

"I'm happy for you Nat. You have worked really hard to
get here."

"So listen," she began carefully, taking her sister's hand and leading her to the couch. "One of the conversations Eric and I had last night was about the three of us living together - as a family."

Sarah stiffened. She knew this was coming, she knew it was inevitable but knowing something rarely softened the blow. "Oh?"

She nodded, trying to contain her excitement. "We...we have a lot to catch up on and we need to work at being a family. I think - I
think the best way to do that is for us all to be together."

"So you're taking Jack. When?" She hated how strident she sounded.

"Sar, I'm not taking him away from you. But it's time
for him to be with his Mom and Dad. I don't mean right this instant," she added hastily. "You and I can pick the time."

"How generous," she drawled.

Letting go of her hand, Nathalie sat up straight. "Sarah, I'm really trying to be sensitive here and be considerate of what this means for you but he is my son. And he belongs with his father and me. I love you Sarah and I love everything you have done for Jack but it's
time."

"I know" she said flatly. "After all the whole reason I kept him was because I was sure you were coming back and look at that, here you are."

Tilting her head to the side, she studied her carefully.
"I can't decide if you're pissed that Jack and I are going to move out or you're pissed that I wound up here in New York."

"I'm not pissed," she protested.

"Want to try that again?"

"I'm not!" she insisted. "God Nathalie, is it okay with you if I just take a moment to catch my breath without you automatically making it about you?"

"By all means. And so if you're not pissed than you'll be okay if we move in with Eric next week, right?"

"Do what you want" she bit out, "you always do."

"Sarah."

"Is it not true Nathalie? You wanted to have a baby so you did. You wanted to give him up, so you did. You wanted him back, so you have him."

Sucking in a deep breath before slowly blowing out her
cheeks, Nathalie finally spoke.

"Sarah it isn't as straightforward as that and you know it. Look, I know this feels like you are losing Jack but you aren't. You are so important to him - to his life - that you could never lose him. He loves you so
much and he trusts you with everything he has. You aren't losing him, he's just going to have a different address."

Her eyes pricked with tears unshed and her hand trembled
slightly as she brushed out the imaginary wrinkles on her jeans. "I know" she said softly. "And I'm sorry I'm being such a cow."

"Sarah, I know this is hard and I want to make it easier for you but I need you to tell me how because right now I don't know
what you need."

She shook her head. "There is no making it easier. I'd like to be with you when you and Eric tell Jack. In the meantime, I'll arrange for some boxes for his toys and things." Getting to her feet she headed
out of the room and to the safety of her office before the tears she was trying so desperately to hold back tumbled down her cheeks.

"Dad!" Jack cried running down the hallway and jumping into Eric's arms.

Scooping him up, Eric hugged him tightly. "Hey buddy,
how are you?"

"Awesome." he told him. "We went to the zoo today and I got to touch a monkey!"

"I've already told him that we can't have a monkey as a
pet," Nathalie teased as she emerged from the living room.

"But we already have a monkey for a pet," Eric replied. "We have this monkey!" He spun Jack around as the young boy
laughed loudly, thrilled to be the center of his parents' attention.

Eric set him on the ground and taking his hand, led him into the living room where Sarah was sitting in a chair waiting for them. Nathalie had told him about how difficult her conversation with Sarah had been. He was
not insensitive to Sarah's feelings about Jack but he felt as though he had been in a holding pattern for years, living within her rules and not admitting he was Jack's father. Now that the secret was out, he wanted it all and he
wasn't willing to be patient any longer.

As Nathalie sat down on the couch and Eric beside her, Jack raised his eyebrows. "Am I in trouble?" he asked.

"No" Nathalie smiled at him, patting the space
between her and Eric. "We just wanted to talk to you about some stuff."

Jack shrugged and climbed up on the couch, sliding his arm through his mother's. "What kind of stuff?"

"Well," she began, "your Dad and I were talking and we think it would be a good idea if we all lived together-"

"Like a family?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah bud," Eric replied. "Like a
family."

"Yes!" he exclaimed as he ran over to throw his arms around Sarah. "Aunt Sarah!" he exclaimed "we're moving in with Mom and Dad!"

A hush fell over the room and the adults looked from one to
the other as none of them spoke.

Jack retreated back to the couch, unsure of what was going on. "Aunt Sarah?" he asked again timidly.

Sarah's hands were folded neatly in her lap as she sat
ramrod straight in the chair.

"Jack, sweetie," she began tenuously. "I...I won't be moving with you. It's going to be the three of you."