Enjoying the Chase (44 page)

When the material of my boxers moved, my
whole body tensed up as I realised what she meant. I sat up and shook my head.
I couldn
’
t let her do that; I
couldn
’
t let her touch me yet. I
still couldn
’
t focus on the
reasons why, but I knew that there
were
reasons, and that was good
enough to stop this before it got too far. She frowned, seeming confused as I
grabbed her hand that was just about to push down the front of my briefs.

“Stripes, I
’
ve never wanted a girl to do that to me more than I want you to do
that at this moment,” I admitted. “But I told you last night, I want to wait.”
My voice said one thing, but my body was screaming at me for the complete
opposite.

What am I doing? She
’
s offering a fucking blow job that includes a
candy necklace, and I
’
m
refusing? Something is seriously wrong with me!

She shook her head. “Nate, it
’
s fine. I want to,” she whispered, her eyes
locked on mine.

I kissed her roughly as I laid back down,
bringing her with me as I rolled so that I was hovering above her. I pulled out
of the kiss and just looked at her, I could see her desire clear across her
face, she wasn
’
t lying, she really
did want me in that way – but that just wasn
’
t enough for me, I wanted more than that.

“I still want to wait and prove to you that
I
’
m not like the ass of an ex that
you have. I want to stick to what we agreed,” I said sternly. She pouted, and I
couldn
’
t help but chuckle at her
disappointed face. “You don
’
t
think I
’
m worth waiting for?” I
teased.  

She pursed her lips, pretended to think. “
Well, I
’
ve only had a few
teasers here and there, but you
’
ve
passed the test so far,” she finally answered.

I nodded. “Of course I did, I ace all
tests.” I kissed the base of her throat, trailing my tongue along her
collarbone, making her breathing speed up.

“Who said you aced? You barely scraped a
C,” she joked, giggling when I bit her neck warningly. “Okay, okay, a B?”

I shook my head and pulled back, grinning
at her. “
Tell me I don
’
t rock your world. Make it convincing though, I
’
ll know if you
’
re
lying,” I challenged.

She opened her mouth to speak, and I waited
for the witty comeback, but she just looked at me and closed her mouth again.
“Fine,” she whispered. “But you don
’
t just rock my world, Nate, you
’
re shaking it to the core.” All of her cockiness and confidence was
gone now.

I
paused
at the
intensity of the words; clearly, we weren
’
t just talking about the physical stuff now. I traced my finger
across her cheek, even in the dim light in the room I could see that she was
blushing.

Okay, Nate, say something nice back.
Tell her that she
’
s making
you crazy, that you can
’
t
get enough of her, that you
’
re totally falling in love with her… 

Did I say any of those nice things though?
Nope. No, I didn
’
t. 

“Well that
’
s great, it means that you
’
ll fall for me pretty soon, and then I won
’
t have to keep jacking off to a picture of you,” I stated instead.

What the fuck?
I slapped my palm on my forehead at my stupidity, and she just burst
out laughing. I shook my head in disbelief. Why couldn
’
t I ever say anything romantic? She tells me I
’
m shaking her world, and I make some stupid comment about jacking
off? What an idiot.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

She was still laughing underneath me.
“Nate, you are too funny for words. I swear I haven
’
t laughed this much with a guy in,” she shook her head, “actually, I
don
’
t think I
’
ve
ever
laughed this much with a guy.”

I looked at her apologetically; I really
didn
’
t understand her at all. She
just seemed to accept and like everything about me, even my perverted, idiotic
side. I was an emotional imbecile; I had no idea what I was doing or what I
should be saying to a girl. I had no idea how to actually be in a relationship
with a girl and make them feel special or appreciated. Yet she was still
smiling and looking at me like I was fucking Superman.

Okay, second chance, Nate. Say something
romantic back. Something like, she
’
s the most incredible girl you
’
ve ever met, that she brightens your day, or that you think about
her all the time when you
’
re
not with her…

Did I say any of those things though?
Again, no, I didn
’
t.

“
Well, I
’
ve never had this much fun with a girl that I
wasn
’
t banging,” I said. She
started laughing again, and I immediately realised what I
’
d said. I groaned loudly. “Can we just pretend I stopped talking
right after the word, ‘girl
’
? That
I said, I
’
ve never had this much
fun with a girl, and then I just stopped talking?” I asked, hopefully.

She raised one eyebrow, still grinning.
“You should just stop talking all together and kiss me already,” she suggested,
tightening her arms around my neck, making me press harder against her.

I sighed contentedly and pressed my lips to
hers. We had an intense make out session for a good half an hour and then we
broke apart. We just laid there on our sides, our chests pressed against each
other
’
s, talking into the early
hours of the morning about everything and anything. When she yawned, I pulled
her closer to me, and she snuggled into my chest, her legs tangling in with
mine as I wrapped my arms around her.

I kissed the top of her head and fell
asleep with a smile on my face. That was easily the best day and night of my
life.

Chapter
Twenty-Four

I woke to the sound of Britney Spears’
voice blasting near my ear. I winced and flinched away from the sound as Rosie groaned
loudly, shifting and pressing her face into the side of my neck. Her hand
blindly slapped onto her bedside cabinet, looking for something. I smiled, a
little confused, then I realised she was reaching for her cell phone. I laughed
as I noticed what the Britney song actually was, ‘Womanizer’ was blasting way
too loud for this time of the morning.

Finally, she found it and pressed it to her
ear without moving her face away from my neck. She didn
’
t bother with any hellos. “This had better be important or I
’
m gonna kick your ass,” she growled into the
phone, her voice thick with sleep.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around her
tighter, kissing the top of her head as I blinked, trying to get my stinging
eyes to adjust to the light in the room.

“Heck yeah you woke me up! What time is it
anyway?” she asked, then she groaned again. “Josh, I hardly ever get to sleep
in, let alone sleep in with an incredibly hot guy, and you have to wake me up
at seven thirty? Seriously, do you not know me at all?”

My muscles tightened unconsciously at the
mention of Josh. I closed my eyes as she pushed herself away from me and sat
up, rubbing a hand over her face.

“Yeah, he
’
s here. Why so interested? I don
’
t think he swings that way, but I
’
ll ask him, if you want,” she teased, laughing at his response.
Suddenly she frowned, looking a little shocked at whatever he
’
d said.

“What? No! I told you last night that I was
busy today. No, I can
’
t rearrange.
Look, just call your mom back and tell her that her son
’
s an idiot and was obviously too drunk to remember the agreement
that we made last night. No, I said that I
’
d call her for coffee. Josh, you
’
re
supposed
to be working today!” she scoffed at something he
said.

“Well he
’
s at Anna
’
s all day anyway
so you can
’
t. If you wanted to see
him today then you should have told me last night and I could have arranged for
him to be here for you! Oh, don
’
t
try and blame this on me.
I
wasn
’
t the one that cancelled anything, remember?”

She was quiet for a bit, listening to him
speak before she sighed and shrugged.

“
Look, I don
’
t care, okay? Let
’
s just leave it for now. If you want him next weekend then that
’
s fine with me. Just call me in the week and
we
’
ll arrange it. Okay, well just
pick him up Saturday morning then instead of Friday night if you
’
re working. Yeah, it
’
s fine. No, he
’
d love to
see you too, just don
’
t cancel
again, please?” she begged, closing her eyes and biting on her lip.

 “I know you do, I just hate seeing his
face when it happens. I know you have to work. Hold up, I never said it was
your fault, I
’
m just telling you
what he sees.”

She looked at me apologetically, and I
forced a smile, putting my hand on her knee, rubbing circles in her soft skin
with my thumb. She spoke to him for another minute, then disconnected the call
and pushed her phone back onto the side, her eyes looking at the clock before
she shook her head angrily.

“I hate mornings,” she mumbled, settling
herself back down against me, resting her chin on my chest looking up at me
with her beautiful brown eyes. “Sorry about that, I think he was still drunk.
He was asking what time I was going to his mom
’
s for dinner today with DJ
.”

I stroked the back of her head. Her hair
was all messy and tangled – though it still managed to look incredible. “Maybe
he was too drunk to remember that you told him you were busy with your new boy
toy,” I joked.

She smiled and dipped her head, kissing my chest
lightly. “Boy toy, I actually like that almost as much as Rosie
’
s bitch.”

“Am I ever going to live that down?”

She shifted her body, swinging her leg over
mine and hovering above me, her eyes were teasing and playful. “
I don’
t think so; the image of that black
writing is burnt into the back of my eyelids.”

I rolled my eyes and pulled her mouth to
mine, ending the conversation.

We spent the day just hanging out,
talking and fooling around. We went for a walk in the park because I thought
that might be romantic. As it turns out I was right, we ended up making out
against a tree for ages, then sitting on a blanket and ‘people watching’.
Making up funny stories to fit what they were doing at the time, trying to
outdo one another and make the other person laugh. I got the impression that
Rosie thought I was a funny guy, at one point she pretty much spat her drink
out of her mouth when I made up the reason a man was wearing a trench coat when
it clearly wasn’t cold enough for one.

After eating lunch, we arrived at the
Taylors
’
apartment at just after
two. As we stepped into the elevator, I smirked at her as I pretended to run my
hand over the buttons. Just as we got near Ashton
’
s floor, my cell phone started ringing. I smiled apologetically and
pulled it out of my pocket, already knowing it was my mother by the ringtone.

“Sorry, it
’
s my mom,” I muttered.  

She smiled and patted my ass as the
elevator doors opened. “Are you a secret momma
’
s boy, Officer Peters?”

I nodded unashamedly. “Sure I am. She does
my laundry,” I joked.

Her eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? She does
your laundry?”

I shrugged, playing along. “What can I say,
I can
’
t be good at everything.”

“So, if I were to do your laundry…” she
trailed off, looking at me expectantly.

I wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling
her against my chest. “If you were to do it, then I
’
d get that Rosie
’
s bitch
slogan tattooed on my abs for real,
” I stated,
pretending to be serious.

She laughed and traced her hand down my
back and onto my ass as I walked her backwards towards Ashton
’
s apartment. The phone was still ringing
endlessly in my hand. “I
’
d rather
have it tattooed on your ass. It
’
d
look pretty good there,” she flirted, kissing the base of my throat.

I laughed and pushed her against the wall,
kissing her softly before pulling away and nodding at Ashton
’
s door.
“You go in, I
’
ll just be one minute,” I suggested, holding
up the phone.

She grinned and knocked, Ashton answered
the door almost immediately, I waved in greeting and answered the phone. “Hey,
Mom.”

“Nathaniel, I was starting to get worried,
you never let the phone ring for long. I was starting to think bad things had
happened!” she scolded.

I smiled and leant back against the wall.
“Sorry. I was making out with my girl,” I told her, grinning as she gasped and
made a little aww sound.

“Nate, I can
’
t wait to meet her! When are you going to bring her home and
introduce her to everyone?” she asked, her voice taking on that whiney quality
it always did when she wanted something really badly.

I laughed cautiously. “When the time
’
s right, I will. It
’
s still only been seven weeks.” I shrugged; I didn
’
t want to take her home yet – not that I was
frightened of putting our relationship on that path. It was more like I was
scared that she wasn
’
t ready to go
down that track; I didn
’
t want to
scare her away from me by coming on too strong.

“Seven weeks is plenty of time to know how
you feel about someone!” my mom rebutted. “How do you feel about her? Is she,
you know,
the one
?” she asked, her voice hopeful.

I sighed and closed my eyes. “Mom, I
’
m not having this conversation with you.”

She sighed dramatically. “I
’
m not giving up! I want to meet her and her
little boy. Ooh, why don
’
t you
bring her to the barbeque on Saturday for Hannah
’
s birthday? You could bring her and DJ to meet everyone, it
’
d be perfect! Oh, please, Nate? Please?” she
begged. She
’
d been like this ever
since I
’
d told her about Rosie and
DJ. At one point this week she
’
d
threatened to drive down to LA and knock on every door until she found her. 

“Mom, will you stop pushing me? I don
’
t want to scare her away!” I moaned, knowing
she wasn
’
t going to let this go.

“Don
’
t be so silly, Nathaniel. I
’
m sure she
’
d love to
know that you
’
re serious about her
and want her to meet your family,” Mom countered.

I sighed and rested my forehead against the
wall. Dread was building with every second.

She clicked her tongue. “If you don
’
t invite her here to meet us then I
’
m calling Ashton, I know he
’
ll give me her number and then I
’
ll ask her myself!” she threatened. I groaned.
She freaking would do that too, damn devil woman! “Nate, I want to meet the
girl who has my son in a knot!” I could practically hear the pout in her voice,
and I could easily imagine the face that accompanied that voice.

I sighed and nodded; it needed to be done
sooner or later, I just prayed that this wasn
’
t too soon for Rosie. “Okay, fine, I
’
ll ask her. But if she is free then it
’
ll only be Rosie, not DJ. He
’
s with his dad next weekend. He
’
s picking him up on Saturday morning,” I told her, rolling my eyes.
If
that asshole keeps to the plan this time and doesn
’
t cancel last minute!

She squealed in response, and I had to
laugh at her enthusiasm, she was going to love my girlfriend when she met her,
and Rosie would have my family under her spell just as quickly as she hooked
me.

“Oh, Nate, I can
’
t wait! I
’
m so
excited!  Can
’
t you ask his dad if
he can have him another weekend instead so he can meet his new nanny?” she
pleaded.

“I can
’
t do that, Mom. It
’
s
not really my place to start asking for plans to be changed around, know what I
mean?”

She sighed.
“Yeah, I
understand, poppet.”

“Right, if this meeting is happening then I
need to set some ground rules,” I stated. “One, do not call me ‘Poppet
’
ever again. Two, no showing her naked baby
pictures of me. Three, do not tell my girl that I used to be scared of clowns.
Four, just calm the heck down,” I ranted, checking them off on my fingers as I
said them, racking my brains to make sure I had everything.

She laughed. “Anything else?”

I frowned and closed my eyes. “
I don’
t think so, but if I think of anything
else then I
’
ll text you beforehand.
Just be on your best behaviour, promise?”

“I promise.”

The door to the apartment opened and I saw
a brown head of hair for a fraction of a second before something short bowled
into my legs, almost knocking me over. I laughed and looked down at DJ as he
hugged my legs tightly.

“Nate! Can we press the elevator buttons,
then go get ice cream?” he cried, grinning at me excitedly.

I smiled and patted his head. “Sure, Kid,
just let me finish speaking to my mom, okay?”