Natasha's Awakening (35 page)

“Stop being so melodramatic Eric.” She laughed at him.

Eric collapsed back on the bed grumbling about whether his health insurance was up to date and Natasha just shook her head at him, laughing at his performance as she returned to the clothing in her hands. She came across the jeweller’s box with the bracelet she’d bought for Eric, tucked amongst the lingerie. The heavy box slipped from her fingers and made a thump when it hit the floor. Eric’s head shot up again at the sound as he looked to see what she’d dropped. He spotted the jeweller’s box lying on the floor. “What’s that?” He asked her and Natasha blushed, hastily picking it up and stuffing it into her bag. “What is it baby?” He asked her again and Natasha tried to dismiss it.

“It’s nothing.” She told him but Eric threw back the blankets and padded towards her naked. He squatted down beside her, reaching into her bag. Natasha swatted at him trying to get him out of her bag, but he grabbed the red velvet box and held it up out of her reach. “Dammit Eric, give it back.” She said, lunging for it, but he wouldn’t hand it over. He stood up opening the box and stared down at the heavy silver bracelet inside.

“This doesn’t look like something you would wear baby.” He said, his eyes still on the bracelet.

“It’s not for me.” She said quietly.

“Whose it for? This looks like a man’s bracelet. What man would you buy a bracelet for?” Suddenly his expression darkened. “This better not be for that bronzed idiot on the beach.” He snapped and Natasha’s anger rose.

“Don’t be such a damned fool Eric.” She yelled. “Why would I buy him something and he’s not a bronzed idiot, his name is Brodie. You’re the idiot Eric.” She snapped at him.

“Don’t call me an idiot.” He yelled.

“Well stop acting like one.” She yelled back. They confronted one another, anger radiating off Eric and Natasha bristling at his behaviour. Suddenly her annoyance at him crumbled and Natasha’s shoulders dropped. “I bought it for you.” She spoke so quietly Eric had to lean towards her to hear. “The day you had to meet up with Carmichael and I went to the beach. I stopped at the shops too and had a look around. I saw it and I thought it would be nice for you, but maybe you don’t wear jewellery or something like that. I would have given it to you that day but. . .” Natasha paused for a moment. “You know what happened when I got back.” She said.

Eric said nothing for a while and Natasha felt incredibly embarrassed that she’d been so stupid to buy him something. He’d financed this trip so far, but he hadn’t bought her anything. Suddenly she felt very foolish when his silence dragged on. She wasn’t game to look up at him in case she saw pity or horror, any emotion that would only add to her growing mortification.

When she finally risked a glance at him since he’d said nothing for what felt like ages, he was staring at the bracelet as though hypnotized by it. She could see a muscle twitching in his jaw and there was something in his eyes she couldn’t read but at least he wasn’t looking completely freaked out. Finding his silence uncomfortable, Natasha nervously swallowed, “I was going to give it to you when we went home. To thank you for this time away, but, if you don’t want it, or like it, it’s ok.” She tried to hastily reassure him. “I can take it back.”

Finally after what felt like an eternity of silence and Natasha biting her lip so hard she almost drew blood, Eric finally whispered. “No one’s ever given me a gift before.” His eyes shifted from the jewellery box in his hands to her face.

Natasha looked at him in surprise. “You can’t be serious Eric. Your Mother would have bought you things, people from work.” She said.

“Sure, my Mother bought me what she could afford, but only things I needed like clothes and food. Not toys or anything like that and I get things from employees sometimes and gifts from other companies, but not like this. No personal gifts.”

Eric’s gaze shifted back to the bracelet. His fingers touched it gently, running over the chunky links and Natasha was surprised to see a faint tremor in his hand as he caressed it.

“Do you like it?” She asked tentatively and Eric nodded, swallowing noisily. Natasha didn’t know what to say to him. His behaviour was making her feel tense. She couldn’t gauge his reaction fully, whether he really liked it. In fact she couldn’t work out what was going on with him since he was acting in a way she’d never seen before. He swallowed a couple more times and turned away from her, his hand sweeping over his face. She watched him and suddenly realisation dawned. “Eric.” She said softly and put her hand up to cup his cheek, stepping in front of him and forcing his head up, which he had lowered to shield himself from her watchful gaze. As she watched a tear squeezed its way from the corner of his tightly closed eyes and made a slow track down his cheek. Natasha slid her thumb across brushing the moisture from his skin. “Eric, oh god Eric, what’s wrong?” She asked.

“Fuck it.” He cursed softly. “Dammit woman, you’re making me soft. One fucking gift and I’m crying like a bloody baby.” He said, reluctant to meet her eyes. Natasha stretched up and kissed Eric softly on the lips.

“It doesn’t make you soft just because you cry Eric. I don’t get this need for men to try and act all big and tough. It doesn’t make you less of a man. My guess is this gift has triggered something from your past, more than likely your childhood. Do you think that’s what it is?’’ She kissed him again. “Your secret’s safe with me.” She smiled at him. Eric rubbed his hand over his eyes, clearly embarrassed that Natasha had seen him so emotional. “I still don’t know if you like it though Eric. You might have shed a tear because you hate it and don’t know how to break it to me.” She said with a trace of amusement in her voice.

Eric looked down at her. “I don’t hate it baby.” He said. “I can’t believe you bought it for me. I’m just sorry that I acted like such a bastard that day. No wonder you never gave it to me. Would you have given it to me, at all?” He asked.

“I’m not sure Eric.” She said being honest with him. “I probably would, but not until we were going home.”

He carefully removed the bracelet from the jeweller’s box and held it out to Natasha. “Put it on me baby, please.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “You want to wear it now?” She asked.

“Yes baby, I do. Have you got a problem with that?” Natasha shook her head and took the bracelet off him, carefully doing it up on his right wrist. He often wore a watch so the bracelet had to go on the right and he vowed he wasn’t going to remove it.

Natasha wasn’t sure what to make of his behaviour. Her own emotions were conflicting and confusing. Eric was showing a side of himself she never knew he had and she guessed it was a side he wouldn’t want many to see. He was obviously embarrassed that she had seen him emotional but inside she couldn’t be happier. A gift from her had reduced him to tears. She wasn’t sure what that meant though. Did it mean he cared more than even he was prepared to admit or was it merely a case of her gift triggering something he had kept buried inside? She had no idea, but she was happy at least that he loved it and wanted to wear it. Seeing it on his wrist was like his constant reminder of her.

Eric pulled Natasha into his arms and kissed her deeply, his lips moving over hers, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and suddenly she was reminded that he was naked. He cupped her buttocks and hauled her in closer against him and she could feel his erection pressing into her stomach.

“Eric.” Natasha moaned. “I need to get some washing done.” She tried to tell him, pushing him back but he wouldn’t let her go.

“Natasha baby, I need you. Fuck it sweetheart I want you.” he groaned. “Fuck the washing, I’ll damned well help you with it, but I need to be inside you.” He thrust against her and Natasha knew she was lost when she felt herself get wet, her nipples pushing against her dress at his huskily spoken words.

Her hands moved to Eric’s chest and she smoothed them down the front of him, over his stomach, feeling it quiver under her touch. She continued on down until she could grasp his straining penis in her hand.

He pulled her dress over her head and threw it to the side, slipping his hands into her panties to bury a couple of fingers in her dripping entrance. He rubbed his thumb over her clitoris and Natasha moaned. Her panties were hastily pulled down her legs until she could step free of them and Eric’s attention returned to her mouth, crushing her lips beneath his until they parted and he could slip his tongue inside. He cupped her breasts teasing her nipples, plucking at their hard peaks before moving his hand back between her legs, cupping her mound, grazing his thumb over her swollen nub back and forth until she was shaking in his arms.

With his lips still locked to hers, his tongue in her mouth as they tangled and tasted one another, Eric began to back Natasha up until he had her at the edge of the bed. He tore his lips from hers, leaving her feeling lost while he grabbed a condom, shredding the wrapper and hastily rolling it down his length.

He turned her until she was facing the bed and pushed her between her shoulders until she was bent over the bed, her feet still on the floor and after moving up close behind her, he held her hips still and rammed himself into her. Natasha moaned when he banged against her cervix and she wriggled her hips when Eric paused. He pulled out of her and she cried out at the sense of loss but he lined up at her entrance again and slammed into her, making them both cry out.

Eric continued with his torturous thrusting into her, then withdrawing until Natasha was almost sobbing with her desperate need to have him fill her, to have him thrusting into her, hard and fast. Finally he stopped tormenting her and began to thrust steadily in and out of her body. He brought one hand around underneath her and started circling her clitoris until she could feel her climax building within her.

She was panting and braced herself, pushing back as Eric thrust forward into her. She wanted him to go harder and she moved her hips, pushing back as he thrust forward trying to encourage him. Instead he kept up his steady pace and Natasha wanted to scream as his controlled movements just kept her from reaching her orgasm. “Eric.” She gasped. “Harder, fuck me harder, please.” She begged and Eric bent over her.

“What do you want baby?” He asked.

“Fuck me harder Eric, dammit fuck me harder!” She cried out and Eric gave a strangled sounding chuckle. He was acting like he was unaffected but it was obvious from the sound of his breathing and the tremors going through his body that he was just as affected as her. “You want me to go harder baby?” He gasped and a sob escaped her lips.

“Fuck you Eric.” She groaned, then a sharp cry was torn from her lips when Eric began to pound into her harder and harder, the sound of their bodies coming together, loud in the room. He worked his fingers over her clitoris and Natasha screamed as her climax rocketed through her body. She clamped down around him and he cried out, spilling into her, his hips jerking as he pumped his seed deep inside her.

Natasha’s legs gave out and before she could fall to the floor, Eric supported her and eased her onto the bed, coming down behind her, not breaking their intimate connection. They lay like that for a while until their heart rates had settled. Eric pulled out of Natasha and sat up. He walked off to the bathroom and when he returned, he picked up Natasha and deposited her in the shower with him.

He bathed her, then himself and brought her out to dry her off. She sighed. She could get used to him pampering her the way he did. They got dressed and once Natasha had gathered up all her washing, they went downstairs.

“If you want anything washed get it in the laundry.” She told Eric and he brought her a pile of his own things. Once the machine was loaded up, Eric found some washing powder and then they both went into the kitchen to have breakfast and coffee. Natasha felt a strange kind of enjoyment out of their morning. She could almost fool herself that they were a married couple doing the regular domestic routine, washing, sitting together to have breakfast and enjoy a cup of coffee.

“What do you want to do today baby?” He asked her as he sat at the table checking emails on his laptop. “I don’t know Eric. I hadn’t thought about it. What did you have in mind?” She asked, sipping her coffee.

“We could go horse riding if you like.”

“Really?” Natasha’s face lit up and Eric smiled at her. “You like that idea?”

She laughed. “That obvious, huh?” And he grinned.

“Just a little baby. You do whatever you’ve got to do this morning and we’ll go riding after lunch. How does that sound?” Eric gave her a questioning look over his laptop.

“Sounds perfect.” She said. Natasha sat for a moment watching Eric on his laptop. “How many horses do you have?” She asked him.

“Not many. Only four of them.” He told her.

“Do Thomas and Maggie take care of them when you’re not here?” She asked and Eric shook his head.

“Thomas keeps an eye on them, but I have some neighbouring kids who exercise them for me. I have Arabians baby, the kids take them to shows. They can’t afford show quality horses for themselves and I need mine exercised, so it works out well for all of us. They’re good kids, experienced riders. I trust them with my horses.” He told her before going back to typing something on his computer.

Natasha couldn’t stop the shiver of excitement that went through her. “Arabians, oh Eric, I love Arabians. They are the most stunning animals.” Her eyes shone with excitement and Eric grinned at her. “Damn, what will I wear? I didn’t exactly pack for horse riding.” Her face fell briefly as her mind went through her wardrobe.

“You’ve got jeans baby, I’ve seen you in them but shoes. What kind of shoes do you have? You can’t ride in high heels.”

Natasha snorted at his comment. “Really Eric?” She gave him a wide eyed mock innocent look. “You think?” She poked her tongue out at him.

Eric laughed at her. “You are sassy woman when you want to be, aren’t you baby? Ok, I have to get these emails done. Can you amuse yourself for a little while?” He asked and Natasha raised an eyebrow at his words. His eyes darkened at her look. “Don’t you dare baby, not without me being there.” He warned and Natasha pouted.