Open Your Eyes (12 page)

Chapter Twenty-one

Nick

This was our lucky day; fortunately for us we hadn’t had any interruptions this morning. Yet. But I wasn’t going to tempt fate further. Not with our track record. I slowly pulled out of Natalie and slipped on my pants. She pulled her nightdress down, smoothing it over her thighs with her palms.

The timer on the oven beeped several times.
I switched it off and swooped the scrap of lace off the floor, then lifted Natalie in my arms and walked out of the kitchen.

“What now?”
she asked, holding her breath.

“Our first morning shower together
.” I beamed as I carried her up the stairs, praying that we wouldn’t bump into anyone.

Natalie hid her face in my neck, suddenly shy. I grinned. It warmed my heart that I could bring out the tigress in her
, yet her bashful side was also extremely sexy. I doubt she ever uttered words like the ones she did this morning. My cock jumped at the memory, begging to bury itself deep inside her again.

I kissed the top of her head and set her on her feet in my bathroom. I quickly locked the door.
No more fucking interruptions!
I slipped my pants off again, my dick still half-mast, not nearly close to being satisfied. Now that I’d finally had her, I only wanted more. She was getting under my skin in ways I had never imagined was possible.

A
shy smile played on her lips as her gaze drifted down my body, stroking my cock with her eyes. Her skin flushed when she saw me catching her looking at my cock, but I loved the effect I had on her. If only she knew how desperate I had been to get to this point, she wouldn’t be half as embarrassed. I laughed heartily as I turned on the taps and tested the warmth of the water with my hand.

Her eyes gl
eamed, her lips moist and swollen from my kisses, her hair sticking to her skin as the steam filled the bathroom. “Natalie, what you do to me,” I groaned as I lifted the nightdress over her head. Seeing her stand naked in front of me had my cock lurch, and she couldn’t suppress a small giggle as I held out my hand to her to follow me into the spacious shower cubicle.

I poured shower gel into my hand and soaped it up between my palms before spreading it all over her
skin, discovering every inch of her luscious body as I reverently washed her. I came to her apex and nudged her legs open, then slipped my hand between her legs and gently washed the area I was sure was slightly raw from the scraping of my overnight stubble. After I rinsed all the bubbles off her, my mouth quickly found hers as the water streamed over us. I kissed her, deep and long, savoring her taste.

Natalie pulled away and whispered, “My turn now,” as she soaped up her hands. S
tanding on tiptoes as she washed my neck and shoulders, she worked her way down my torso, trailing bubbles from my navel down lower till she found my long hard cock. She paid special attention to that area, cupping my balls in both hands and massaging the soap in lightly. A mischievous grin twisted her mouth as she gave my balls a firm squeeze. I grunted, lust rumbling through my chest. Then she took my shaft in her small hands, rubbing along the length of it, slowly at first, then faster, till I had to lean against the tiles to stay upright.

A
llowing the bubbles to rinse away before falling to her knees and taking my hard cock into her sweet mouth, she flicked around the rim, teasing my tip with her tongue. She licked and sucked the length of my dick, then took me completely in her mouth. My hands were in her tangled hair, holding her in place. It was so good; I didn’t want this to ever end.

This
woman has me by the balls, literally and figuratively.

The image
of Natalie on her knees, head bobbing up and down, drove me to the edge of insanity. Swirling her tongue around the head of my cock, while pumping the base of my shaft with her fist, finally undid me. I could feel my heartbeat in my cock. “Fuck, I’m going to come, baby,” I grunted as my balls tingled just before exploding in her mouth. She took all of me, swallowing every drop. Moving slowly up my torso, she kissed her way to my mouth.

“That was
so
good.” I smiled down at her, groping at her breasts. She leaned back and let me nibble on them, biting softly into her skin, and then lavishing them with my tongue. I pushed her against the tiles and spread her legs. Diving in, nose first into her sweet cunt, I licked and sucked as vigorously as she had just done to me. She fisted my hair in her hands, writhing against the wall as I pushed two fingers into her while licking her clit.

“Come, baby,” I growled as
she tightened around my fingers.

“Nick!” she cried. Fuck, I loved hearing her call my name when she climaxed. It made my dick hard all over again. I drank her juice as she convulsed around me, moaning as her head tossed side to side.

“I want in,” I mumbled as I pushed to my feet and lifted her leg over my hip. My tip was at her entrance when I looked into her eyes and gasped. Her big eyes were dewy and soft, her pupils dilated, radiating warmth. The sadness I had seen earlier was gone – for now at least. I wanted to beat my chest, like an ape, gone wild with happiness.

“Nick,” she whispered again as I took her lips.
She locked her legs around my hips as I pushed her back against the cool tiles. I groaned as I slid into her warm core, loving the feel of her enveloping my cock. Her insides had gone liquid around me. Adrenaline spiked through my bloodstream and I thrust hard into her, over and over, chanting her name, my hands firmly on her ass. Sharp nails dug into my back as she shivered. Her insides gripped me with such force I couldn’t hold back longer. A climax tore through my body as I pumped every last drop I had left into her.

O
ur chests heaved in unison, and her legs trembled as I set her down gently, bending my knees so I could stay inside her as the water washed over us. I could fuck Natalie all day long and never grow tired. I pushed the hair from her face and kissed her tenderly.

S
ure that she was a bit sore, I gently pulled out of her, washing between her legs again till no more of the liquid I had deposited inside her ran down her leg. She was my woman; I wanted to take care of her, even in the most intimate ways.

I turned off the taps and pulled her out of the shower, quickly drying her with the biggest fluffy towel I could find.
Trusting me completely, she spread her legs gingerly so I could gently pat her dry between her legs, grimacing as I touched the towel to the pink, chaffed area.

“I'm sorry
. Next time I will be gentler, I promise.” She just smiled sweetly, not complaining. “I don’t think you should wear a panty today.” I grinned sheepishly.

“Now wouldn’t you just love that?”
She laughed, a deep belly laugh that warmed me from my heart to my toes.

After
I towel dried her hair, I wrapped a smaller dry towel around it. Then I slipped my oversized bathrobe around her shoulders, rolling up the sleeves that were hanging way over her hands.

Grinning,
I tied a big knot at her waist. “There, that should keep the big bad wolf at bay for a while.”

“Hmm, don’t think that would really stop him getting what he wants
.” She laughed heartily.

She was right. When it came to Natalie, my heart – and my dick – knew what it wanted and was determined to get it. I would overcome any obstacle to get to her. And she knew it instinctively.

“Meet me downstairs in ten minutes,” she said as she opened the door. “Let's see if the frittata is worth saving.”

Chapter Twenty-two

Natalie

Nick worked in his studio in the afternoon, which gave me precious time to pamper myself. He wanted to do a complete photo shoot of the youngsters before they went out to the New Year’s Eve party tonight and I was excited at the prospect of watching him while he was at work.

A
long leisurely bath while the girls were getting ready to go out under the guardianship of Josh and Connor was just what I needed. All the candles in the bathroom were lit and I added a delicious vanilla and fig bubble bath to the water. I had just sunk into the bubbles, closing my eyes and resting my head back, when the door squeaked open. Nick snuck into the bathroom, a bottle of champagne and two glasses in his hands, his camera dangling around his neck.

“Shh,” he whispered with his finger on his mouth, his lips twisted into a wicked smile, eyes gleaming.

“You’re so naughty. What if we get busted?” I whispered, supressing a nervous giggle.

“Hey
, you’re covered in bubbles, where’s the harm in that? I promise I will behave.” He chuckled as he poured the bubbly liquid into the glasses and handed me one. “I thought we’d start celebrating a bit earlier.” He touched his glass to mine.

“To a happy New Year and a bright future filled with love and happiness
.” He smiled down at me, his eyes serious under his thick brows.

“Hmm
.” I nodded, my stomach clenching. “
From your lips to God’s ears.”
If only he knew how much I meant that. My eyes rolled closed for a few seconds, sending up a silent prayer.

T
he bubbly liquid tickled up my nostrils when I took a sip and I wrinkled my nose. At that moment, a flash went off and I looked up, bewildered, as another flash lit the room. I hadn’t paid much attention to the camera hanging around Nick’s neck, and I didn’t realize he intended pointing that lethal weapon toward me.

“No!” I groaned as
I held my hand up in protest. “I look terrible, all wet and no makeup…my hair must be a mess in all this steam…”

Nick peered at me from under his
sweeping lashes. “You look breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn’t help myself, I had to capture that moment.”

Really?
I looked into his eyes; they were so sincere, I couldn’t be mad at him, even though he had caught me completely off guard. But there was something else lurking there too. My skin prickled and my insides liquefied. It wasn’t just the champagne doing this to me.

“I wish I could join you in the bath right now
.” He exhaled a deep warm breath; it caressed over my skin, his lips mere inches from my face.

So d
o I.
My nipples were puckered, my apex throbbing. I swallowed hard. Thank God for bubbles covering me. My gaze drifted over him, his pants were tenting. I knew what he had in mind and I was so ready for that.

He reached out and cupped my chin
and kissed me passionately, ensuring I understood exactly the depth of his longing. I moaned against his mouth, all my bones going limp.

“I better get out of here before I break my promise. Right now I really
do
want to misbehave.” He grinned as he kissed my forehead and headed out the door, leaving me frustrated, my body throbbing for him. I would just have to wait till tonight when we would finally have the house to ourselves.

A
dding warm water with my toes, I lay back in the bath, taking long, slow deep breaths to calm the hammering of my heart and the throbbing between my legs.

Relax, Natalie.

The state of my heart worried me. How was it possible to feel such a strong connection to another human being in such a short time? How could I possibly go back to the way I was
before Nick
? Nothing would ever be the same again – my world had changed irreversibly and I had no idea what to do about it. My heart clenched at the inevitable loss I knew was looming.

After a while
my skin shriveled like a prune, so I quickly got out and dried myself. I smiled as I remembered how sensuous and delicious it was to be dried off by Nick earlier. I’d never had that experience before and I hoped I would get that chance again –
soon
.

I slipped into jeans and a top and my faithful Ugg boots, not sure how to dress for this evening. I could always change later when I knew more about what Nick had in store for us. But having seen
that
look in his eyes, I guessed I would be spending most of the evening
without
any clothes on. Thank goodness for central heating.

The
girls had spent most of the afternoon pampering and preening. After my bath I prepared a tray of tea and biscuits and went to join them in Sarah’s room. They had applied green clay facial masks and were busy painting one another’s toenails. Chattering excitedly about which hot guys would be at the party, Sarah filled Olivia in on the history of the people she thought Olivia would be most interested in.

“I don’t like blond men,”
Olivia said. “Nor do I like overly tall ones. They just make me feel shorter.”

Sarah
quirked an eyebrow, cracking the mud mask on her forehead as she did. “That pretty much describes Josh,” she observed. “So exactly what kind of guy are you into?”

Olivia
thought about it for a moment, rolling her eyes back and staring at the ceiling. “I am a Daddy’s girl. I like my men dark and handsome. And well-built rather than skinny. You know – muscles I can feel? Oh, and with a big dick.” She laughed, throwing a quick glance in my direction to gauge my reaction.

I didn’t want my daughter thinking about men’s appendages.
“Olivia!” I frowned. Then I realized that pretty much described Connor perfectly. Oh dear, I could see a problem on the horizon. There certainly was a bit of tension in the room. Maybe this friendship would be put to the test sooner rather than later. It would be interesting to hear the stories tomorrow. I was sure there would be plenty.

***

Finally the young ladies were dressed and ready for a night out. I had never seen Olivia look more beautiful. She had bought a deep cerulean-blue dress that matched her vivid eyes and hugged her curves in all the right spots.

At my request, Nick took several portraits of her alone, and I was surprised at how well she worked the camera.
She wore a half up-do with a knot sweeping the hair off her face, while the rest of her dark locks cascaded down her back. I peered through the lens and saw how perfectly he had captured her beauty, focussing on her expressive blue eyes. Her pink-glossed lips glistened in the light as she smiled sweetly.

Sarah
joined Olivia in front of the camera. Nick was in his element, shooting one picture after the other like a fashion photographer, clicking away furiously. She was equally as gorgeous, with her long blond hair swept up into a chic chignon, accentuating her slender neck, it actually made her look older than twenty-one. Her and Olivia were breathtaking together, so different in every way. Sarah’s red dress emphasized her tall slim figure to perfection. She looked elegant and beautiful; as if she stepped out of a glossy magazine. Her luminous almond-shaped eyes were sexily made up with a smoky effect and her pouting lips were scarlet red. These photos would certainly be treasured.

The guys joined in as well, all looking dashing and ready for a night out. They did a few silly poses as well, trying to outperform one another. We all just laughed at their antics. Eventually Nick was satisfied that he had plenty of good shots to develop and put his camera away.

We stood at the door waving the crowd of youngsters on to their party. I blew them a kiss and leaned my head on Nick’s shoulder. Finally – a night all to ourselves. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach.
Possibly our last alone.

Nick’s low and sexy voice rumbled in my ear.
“I have ordered dinner in tonight; wear something special. Oh, and no underwear, you know I'm just going to take it off…” He grinned cheekily.

I had just the right dress in mind, a backless number I couldn’t wear underwear wi
th anyway – ok maybe a thong, but who was I kidding? I wanted to present as little resistance as possible tonight.

“Hurry back to me, so our night together can begin
,” he said huskily as I started up the stairs, with him following closely behind. I could feel his gaze burn into my backside; it made it even more difficult to ignore the fire burning between my legs.

Excited to have the chance to wear
the new sensuous silver-white dress, I slipped it over my naked skin, once again grateful for underfloor heating. I stacked my hair up on my head in an attempt to look sophisticated. Then I applied mascara to my lashes, barely able to stop the trembling of my hands. Finally, soft pink lipstick to plump my lips and I was ready for the night to begin.

I made my way down the stairs, following the sound of the music floating in the air.
The scent of fresh flowers from the hallway whiffed past me. Something magical infused the air tonight – electricity so tangible that I felt I could reach out and grasp it in my hands. I came to a stop on the last step, just before entering the living room. The heavy curtains were drawn and a huge fire crackled in the fireplace. It was cozy and intimate. But it wasn’t what had caught my attention.

Nick
stood staring into the roaring flames, his arms outstretched, warming his hands. Dressed formally, in an evening suit, the top three buttons of his crisp white dress shirt undone, he looked ridiculously handsome; his square jaw clean-shaven, his broad shoulders proud, his lean frame filling every inch of the dark suit to perfection. I was touched that he had dressed up for me too.

He sensed my presence and turned his head toward me
. My heart did a crazy summersault, leaping into my throat. Dark, glowing eyes found mine.