The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (10 page)

Plastering a huge smile on my face I turned to Nate. “Ready?” I asked brightly.

He was stood scrutinizing me, a deep look on his face. “You see a psychologist, Liv?”

Laughing nervously, I looked away. “Who doesn’t nowadays?” I asked awkwardly. “Come on, we’ll be late,” I said, ending the discussion abruptly.

Gathering my things, I gestured to the door without looking at him. He walked over to me slowly still analysing my face and placed his finger gently on my nose. “I think me and you need to talk soon baby,” he whispered strictly, his breathing hard and slow.

Chewing my lip, I dropped my gaze away from his and walked to the door, my heart slamming in my chest. “Come on,” I answered simply.

We arrived at work a short while later and Bert was stood on duty. “Morning Olivia,” he beamed at me, his eyes flitting between me and Nate. “Mr Carter,” he greeted with a nod of his head. Nate nodded back to him.

“Hi Beef, a little bird told me that you and a certain lady hit the town this weekend.” I grinned, raising my eyebrows and pursing my lips.

“The little birdie was correct, sugar.” He winked back with a deep chuckle.

Laughing with him I patted his arm. “Well done you, it took you long enough.”

“We can’t rush true love Olivia,” he smirked.

Taking my hand and pulling on it Nate grumbled, giving Bert a suspicious look. “Come on, Liv.”

Biting my lip, I said goodbye to Bert and entered the foyer behind Nate.

“I just need to retrieve my messages from Samantha and then we’ll ride up together,” he commanded. Pulling my hand out of his he gave me a questioning look. “Something wrong, Liv?”

Tilting my head at him, stumped by his attitude, I glared at him. “Did you have to be so rude to Bert? He’s my friend.”

“You shouldn’t make friends with the staff, Liv.”

“
WHAT?
” I scoffed, astonished.

“I
said
you shouldn’t make friends with the staff,” he repeated slowly as though I was dumb.

“How dare you!”
I stammered. “You don’t have the right to pick my bloody friends, Nate.”

“He’s just a fucking doorman, Liv,” he countered, amazed at my outburst.

“Just . . . a . . . fuckin’ . . . doorman?” I repeated gobsmacked. “Listen to his highness. Too far up his own arse to talk to the minions,” I mocked acidly. “Well, I’m one of those fuckin’ minions, Nate and I’m sorry if I’m not up to your fuckin’ standards.” I stormed to the elevator, noticing Miss Wet Kipper’s stunned face.

“Liv!” Nate shouted to me as I hurled myself into the lift and rapidly banged the ‘close door’ button. I needed to calm down before I reached my floor and Nate joining me in the lift was not going to help me achieve that. I was livid. How dare he dictate to me who I could friends with. We weren’t even in a relationship and even then I wouldn’t put up with that shit again.

Departing the elevator on my floor, I made my way to the bathroom, taking huge gulps of air and mentally prepping myself for work.

Banging the door back against the wall as I entered I heard a gasp from one of the cubicles. “Sorry,” I muttered to whomever.

“Olivia? That you?” Leah’s voice came from behind the closed door.

“Yeah, it’s me. Late and flustered again,” I laughed ironically.

“You okay, Honey?” I mumbled a confirmation, repairing my make-up in the mirror as the toilet flushed and Leah emerged from the cubicle. “Men Trouble?” she asked, scrutinising her own make-up in the same mirror, her eyes fixed on mine as she washed her hands.

“Humph,” I grumbled without elaborating further. “How did the date with Bert go?” I asked, changing the topic to her.

“Oh God, he’s wonderful Olivia,” she gushed with a dreamy look. “Sweet, attentive and such a gentleman. He opened every door for me, refused to let me pay half and even made me breakfast,” she added with a sly grin.

“You didn’t?” I spluttered my eyes wide.

She shrugged shyly. “I couldn’t
not.
”

“Hey, I’m not judging. Good on you girl! Why not, you’re both adults,” I appeased, rubbing her arm. “At least someone’s getting it.”

“Talking of ‘getting it,’ is it true about you and Carter?” she asked sheepishly.

“We’re just friends,” I told her. “We used to go out at uni.”

“Oh right.” She nodded as we exited the bathroom and made our way to our desks. “Is it true what they say?” Puzzled, I turned to her and shrugged. “That he’s fucking hot in the sack?”

“I couldn’t possibly comment on that, Miss Ward.” I smirked.

An hour later I was at my computer, working furiously when my phone alerted me to a text.

NATE:

I’m sorry, baby.

Lunch in my office? 12.30?

Xxxx

Well that was something I suppose, at least he had the decency to apologise. I texted back a confirmation.

ME:

Sure

Xxxx

Lunch in his office. That should be fun. I was starting to get uncomfortable in his presence, in more ways than one. Even though I craved him, there was also a part of me that was nervous around his cross-examining, not sure how much would slip out when he was being intimate and my brain shut down.

Continuing with my work to take my mind of it, the morning flew by and glancing at the clock, I found that it was already 12:20.

Standing from my desk, I shouted over to Grace. “I’m off for lunch now.”

“Okay sweetie. You couldn’t fetch me a sandwich from the deli could you?”

“Well . . . I’m not going to the deli. I’m having lunch with Nate in his office,” I mumbled, embarrassed.

Her eyes widened as she looked over at me. “Oh okay sweetie, no problem.” She smiled “Have fun.”

Exiting the elevator on the 50
th
floor I was amazed at the difference between our floors. This one was still hexagonal but only had 2 small corridors and 1 large corridor branching from the main reception area.

I approached the desk where a young, happy faced man was sat. “Hi.” I smiled. “I have an appointment with Mr Carter.” Looking up, he smiled widely showing glorious white teeth, teeth I was quite jealous of.

“Miss Adams?” he asked politely. I nodded my confirmation. “He’s expecting you. Just down that corridor,” he directed, pointing to the largest hallway.

Thanking him I headed down the barren corridor, reaching another large reception desk. “Hi. Miss Adams to see Mr Carter,” I repeated to the prim, forty-something woman. She was very striking, sporting a close cropped pixie cut while her angular features emphasised her stunning face. She was wearing a severe, expensive black trouser suit that was as tight as her face.

She peered at me, her eyes sliding up and down with her lip curled in disgust. Pressing a button on her desk, she spoke into a microphone, “Miss Adams in reception, Mr Carter.”

“Send her in please, Rachel,” Nate’s voice came through a speaker.

“Please go in,” she barked, signalling towards a door.

Scurrying away trying to escape her glare, I stumbled through Nate’s door and ended up on my knees in his office. Laughing he came over, settled his hand on the top of my head and smirked. “You don’t have to kneel, Liv. A simple ‘hi’ will do.”

Mortified I raised to my feet. “Sorry Sir.” I bowed, sarcastically. “I wanted to kiss your feet.”

Smiling his unique sexy smile he sighed. “There’s more than my feet you can kiss while you’re on your knees, baby.”

My breathing accelerated and my heart pumped violently. “Do you ever stop?” I chastised him.

“Never,” he returned with a wry smile and a wink.

Taking my hand he led me over to a glass coffee table and I took a quick glance around his office. It was huge. Again, the furniture was white leather but with severe black fixtures. The simple white walls were adorned with bright abstracts, the splash of colour warming the coldness of the room. His desk stood against a colossal window, overlooking London. On one wall was another door, presumably Nate’s private bathroom and to the side of this was a huge, wall mounted flat screen television above a mini bar. On the opposite wall to his desk were a large couch and the coffee table Nate had steered me towards.

“Sit,” he ordered. Placing myself down on the sofa, Nate sat next to me and reached towards the table where there was a selection of breads, meats and fruits. Placing a selection onto a plate, he handed it me along with a napkin and then proceeded to pour me a glass of wine. He raised his own glass to mine in a toast. “To being on your knees, baby,” he winked.

Shaking my head at him, I took a bite of the fresh, crusty bread. “Mmm,” I chewed, closing my eyes. It was delicious, crusty on the outside and soft and airy on the inside.

Nate growled low in his chest. “That good, Angel?” he whispered huskily. My eyes flew open as I stared at him. It had been twenty years since I’d heard him call me ‘Angel’ and it stunned me back to the time he had first said it me.

We had been snuggled together after making love, both lost in our own thoughts. “I love you, Liv,” he had said softly, his fingers gently stroking my back. Nestling deeper into his chest I had murmured my own loving declaration. “You own me. You’re the other half of me Liv, the angel of my soul,” he had breathed. Ever since then he had adopted the ‘Angel’ pet name every time he told me he loved me.

His fingers touched my cheek, bringing me back to the present. He took my plate and placed it on the table. His gaze was intense as he gazed at me, burning me up and stunting my breath. His fingers trailed down to my mouth as he leisurely glided his thumb across my bottom lip.

My tongue sneaked out and swept across them, attempting to replace the moisture he had wiped away. His breath caught and his lips parted, imitating my action on his own lips. His eyes were blazing, his pupils had dilated intensifying their blueness.

Very slowly he leaned into me. His hot breath mingled with my own as his mouth lingered next to mine without touching. His hand snaked round the back of my head and he pulled my face closer until his lips finally met mine with a hungry clash.

A low moan escaped my throat and he growled in response, kissing me deeper. Sliding his tongue between my lips he drove it into my mouth, seeking my own. I kissed him back passionately, twenty years of pent up want and need flowing out. Twenty years of missing him so much it felt like he had took my soul with him when he left.

His hand dropped to my back and he pulled me onto his lap, his back to the couch as I straddled him with my skirt bunched high on my hips to accommodate my open thighs.

My hands lifted to his head and grasped his hair fiercely, pulling him into me as my need to devour him took over. My body remembered this was my man, my love, my soul and it roared to life as desire flooded me.

His mouth left mine as his lips targeted my neck, kissing and suckling his way down my throat. His fingers slid up the outside of my bare thighs and continued up; leaving goose bumps on my skin as he gently worked his way to my breasts.

Returning his mouth to mine, the hunger in the kiss grew stronger as his hands found their goal. My breath hitched and I ground onto his erection as he caressed me.

“
Jesus baby,
” he growled as his head slumped back against the couch and his eyes closed. His fingers found my hard nipples through my shirt, pinching and rolling them as I pushed further into his touch. My own head dropped back on my shoulders and I closed my eyes as I pulverised his groin, sliding my wetness against him in a frantic crave for release.

“
Oh God Nate,
” I cried as I took his mouth again, kissing him vehemently.

Just as I was nearing the intense orgasm I knew was going to smash me into smithereens, I felt his fingers start to unbutton my shirt. Shaking my head to him as I continued to kiss him, I removed his hands.

“Baby, please. I need to feel your skin. I’ve missed you,” he breathed alongside my lips.

I shook my head again as I resumed the kiss and replaced his hands over my breasts on the outside of my clothing. His massaging intensified as his erection grew harder under his trousers and he ground his hips into me, desperate for his own relief. The friction was getting feverish as we kissed and ground wildly.

Then he restarted his relentless mission to free my breasts, popping the buttons with determination. Grumbling a warning to him, he intensified the kiss, sucking on my tongue as he continued working at my buttons.

“I can’t do this Nate!” I cried, pushing off his lap and pulling my shirt together, swiftly refastening it as my heart hammered inside my chest.

“What!?” he scoffed, flummoxed. “What did I do?” He stood up and adjusted his lap, his hardness straining painfully against the material.

“Nothing,” I gulped, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to surface. “I have to go,” I said, looking away quickly, collecting my bag off the floor.

As I reached for the door his hand slammed against it, holding it shut. “Talk to me dammit, Liv.”

“I . . . I . . . I . . .” I tried but shook my head, the tears now spilling freely down my face.

“Baby” he agonised, wiping at a tear and placing it on his lips.

I looked into his eyes, trying to display a heartfelt apology in my own eyes. He cocked his head to one side, an unvoiced question. Shaking my head to him, I removed his hand, opened the door and walked through, my heart still in his office.

Chapter Seven

I DIDN’T SEE Nate again for a few days. Josh had appeared Monday afternoon with my car keys and a message saying it was fixed.

On Thursday I received a text from Nate.

NATE:

Hey, sorry been quiet, been mega busy

You still ok for sat night?

Xxx

ME:

No probs and yh still ok

Xxx

NATE:

Good, pick u up at 7:30

Xxx

I was not looking forward to spending an evening with the high and mighty. These kinds of events always made my stomach lurch and my jaw ache from all the fake smiling I did.

I only had one cocktail dress and I’d had to take it to the dry cleaners because it hadn’t been aired for about three years, Nate’s text reminding me to pick it up on the way home.