Another orgasm built within me-deep and secret. Nate fell over me, and I raised my hips to welcome more of his length. His lips silenced my groans, too loud to let pass into the silence of the perfect night, sheltering our pleasure.
This wasn't fucking. It wasn't anything close, and the thought should have scared me more than the moment I realized I was pregnant.
But it didn't.
It felt right. Natural. We fit so perfectly it was a wonder we had ever parted before.
Nate groaned against me, tensing just as I did. God, everything about us was in sync. Our breathing gasped together. Our heart beat the same jagged pulse. And our desire?
It built within me, ready for the moment Nate crested with his.
I clung to him, soundlessly begging. My head fell back, and he held me still so he could bite the sensitive spot on my neck that nearly sent me over the edge without him. His thrusts quickened, harsher but not rough. Never rough. His touch and kisses promised only perfection.
And he gave it.
He grunted and slammed inside as deeply as he could fit. I tightened against his cock.
And we were one.
His heat coated me as I collapsed into the same shattered excitement that had stolen me before. I fell limp against his hands and surrendered.
I cried out only once, calling his name and nothing more in my last, desperate grip of sanity.
The rest of everything I had to say, every secret, every dark and confusing emotion, I tucked inside and hid. I held onto him instead and buried my head in his shoulder. Nate did the same.
We rolled onto our sides, safe and warm on a blanket in the most beautiful place in the world. I counted stars again, just to ensure they still rested in the sky. His breath returned to normal. He pulled me close again. I sunk into his arms, turning to seek comfort in the strength of his chest.
I didn't know what to say.
Nothing I thought was right or honest or could explain how I felt.
And so I held tight to him, protected and warm. Then, once our bodies stirred again, we moved together in pleasure once more.
I made love to him all night, except love wasn't something to make. It was a curse to inflict and a struggle for us both.
As much as I denied it, I'd never escape the truth that passed every moment I rested safe in his arms.
I was falling for him.
And it was the worst and best thing that might have happened to me.
10
Nate
Some men said chivalry is its own reward.
I always thought they were full of shit.
I told myself I was in it for the reward. That I left my bed at one in the morning to help a group of stranded girls on the off-chance that Mandy would make it worth my while.
Christ, was I an idiot.
I raced to their car because the thought of them trapped on a deserted highway in the middle of nowhere made my skin crawl. I wasn't leaving Mandy to be rescued by a sketchy midnight tow-truck driver.
It didn't matter if she sat or spat on my face, I wanted to make sure she was safe.
That wasn't like me.
But … chivalry did get me a night wrapped in the arms of the most beautiful girl in the world. Maybe there was something to it.
It worked once, so I tried again. I woke the Barbie Hangover House with breakfast.
Mandy, ever the responsible one, had packed a cooler with sausages, bacon, eggs, English muffins, and orange juice. I hated to wake her. She'd finally collapsed at five AM, and she snuck into the house to sleep on the couch. I still had her sock in my pocket, but we lost her panties in the lake.
If it were up to me, she wouldn't have gotten dressed. Probably would've been an awkward breakfast with her fellow bridesmaids, but hell, they were women. They understood what it was like to get fucked every which way from Sunday.
Unfortunately, most of them learned from me.
Mandy rolled off the couch, plopping onto the floor. She groaned, stood, and bolted to the bathroom, nearly tripping over herself to close the door.
Why was she so insecure? I'd have fucked the hell out of her, bedhead and all.
She emerged a few minutes later looking exhausted. Probably my fault.
Entirely my fault.
I kicked the dining room chair out for her and sat a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon on the table. She shook her head.
"Not a breakfast person. Thank you though." She scooted the plate away with the edge of her finger and didn't look at me. "I figured you'd have left by now."
Maybe, if she had been any other girl. "I wouldn't miss a chance to butter your muffin."
Her eyebrow arched. "What?"
I offered her a plate with the toasted English muffins. "What'd you think I meant?"
"God only knows."
"Want to find out?"
"You should behave."
"Why? There's no fun in behaving."
I leaned close. She stilled as I brushed my lips against hers, but a thud from one of the rooms spooked the hell out of her. Mandy jumped away.
"Nate-last night … I don't know what happened, but … "
"Greatest night of my life."
I reached for her again. She avoided me and lowered her voice, watching for the other bridesmaids.
So we were doing this on the sly? Fine by me, but the thought of getting caught just got me more excited.
"I know it was fun for you," I said. "Hate to say I outdid myself, but … "
"I'm not sure what happened."
"We had sex."
"Well … I know that much, but … " Mandy twisted her fingers in a napkin. "I shouldn't have asked you to stay. It was selfish, and I wasn't thinking-"
"What part of greatest night of my life don't you get?" I edged closer. "I would have asked to stay anyway, and you would have said yes. We both knew what we wanted."
"I know. I wanted it then. But now? You know I'm not the simple pleasure type."
But I was. That much was true.
Mandy bit her lip. What the hell was it was about her that made her seem so soft, so vulnerable, so utterly irresistible.
I could be honest. "I don't think it's ever gonna be simple with you."
"I don't think it is either," she said.
"I'm not afraid of complicated."
She didn't believe me. "That's not you, Nate."
"How do you know what's me?" Hell if I even knew what I wanted. "Maybe I like complicated with you."
"You have no idea how complicated it could get."
"Try me."
The doors to the spare bedrooms opened. Mandy flinched away from me like she was caught with my cock in her mouth.
A man could dream.
Hungry, cranky, hungover bridesmaids spilled into the living room and kitchen, swearing off liquor and men and everything but chocolate. The bathrooms crowded with them throwing up memories of last night, and only Lindsey seemed halfway normal.
Then again, she stumbled into the fridge and giggled.
Still tipsy. That explained it.
The Bloody Mary would stem her headache until after breakfast at least. Mandy stepped aside as Lindsey unloaded a second cooler full of beer, mixers, and liquor.
Lindsey set a bottle of tequila on the counter. She swirled the amber liquid.
"Did I bite the stripper?" She stared into the distance.
Mandy nodded. "Yep. Right on the tush."
Damn, these girls knew how to party. Lindsey shrugged.
"Ah well," she said. "It happens. Let's get down to dancing!"
Mandy didn't seem keen on the tush biting or dancing. Lindsey sucked down half of her liquid breakfast and nudged her sister with an elbow.
"Mandy, gonna show Nate some of your moves?"
The images in my head were not fit for a strip joint let alone a wedding. "I think I've seen most of them already."
Mandy awkwardly crossed her arms. "I can't dance."
"Sure you can." I flexed my own hips. "You know how to bump and grind."
Lindsey snacked on a piece of bacon, turning to rummage through the cooler. Mandy poked a finger into my chest, her eyes wide.
"Don't start," she whispered.
"Start what?"
"Anything."
"Baby, I never stopped."
"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."
Lindsey poured Mandy a Bloody Mary. "Now, you're gonna need the most help to learn this routine. It has to be perfect, so get focused."
Mandy didn't drink. "Then shouldn't I be sober?"
"You're even more awkward sober. Believe me. You need a drink."
If I was sticking around to watch this, I'd want a drink too. And probably some popcorn.
The girls descended on breakfast like a pack of ravenous hyenas, laughing and braying and snapping at the others for being too loud with their headaches. It took them five minutes to destroy the meal I prepared and an hour to get ready to dance, which didn't make much sense since most of them just tossed on yoga pants and put their hair up.
But, until last night, I only fucked women; I didn't try to understand them.
Mandy was the first one I attempted to figure out, and she made chasing her into a goddamned competitive sport. I didn't know if I was supposed to tackle her, drift behind her, or score. Not like she'd tell me what the hell to expect either.
"Okay, girls. I need you all in a line." Lindsey clapped her hands. "You better stretch too. This isn't going to be quick, and it's certainly not going to be easy. You've been warned."