24
Julia
It’s my turn to show up unannounced. It was partly Angel’s idea. When I told her about how things have been developing with Nathaniel—omitting the steamy events in my office—she suggested I go for a visit. So here I stand on his doorstep, waiting for him to open the door, wondering how he’ll greet me. After the disaster whereI almost killed himhe had to go back to work and deal with the vandalism. We didn’t talk the rest of the day, but I woke up this Saturday restless and unable to wait any longer.
I’m still furious and disgusted that William Moore is his abusive father. I knew my instincts were pinging for a reason. I have to force the thoughts away because the angry energy grows almost immediately.
It’s possible that I have complete control of my powers. Or so it seems. However, there is still one big test we haven’t attempted.
The door opens. Nathaniel’s eyes widen. He pulls me into the house immediately. As soon as the door is shut, he presses me against it.
He gently cups the back of my head with one hand and my ass with the other, pressing his whole body against me. He stoops to gently rest his forehead against mine. “I’ve missed you,” he says.
I smile up at him. “It’s not even been twelve hours,” I say, doing quick math.
“Too long.”
He pulls back, his eyes burning into mine. It’s like he knows why I’m here. No more closed offices and interruptions. No more longing glances cut short by curious onlookers.
“Lincoln here?” I ask innocently.
“At practice for hours.”
Just him and me. I lick my lips. “One final test,” I say.
Now we will see if I can control my powers when I’m completely lost to him.
Today he’s dressed in low hanging sweats and a tightStar Warstee. Despite what he seems to think, this man is one hundred percent a thirst trap. His biceps and shoulders stretch the soft material of his shirt. I run my hands up his arms and delight as his eyes close with a shudder. No glowing lights, no pain. Just heat. The heat of long bottled-up wanting.
He opens his eyes to hold my stare. “No. No more tests. No more experiments. Just you and me. Whatever that brings.”
“But I—”
“I want all of you, Julia. No more ifs and whens. Whatever happens, we’ll take it one step at a time. There’s no rush for me. I just want you. We have nothing but time.”
My heart skips. I grab his shirt and bring his body back to mine. “Time?” I ask.
I’ve always dreamed of having time. Staying in one place without the clicking tock of my inevitable departure. A life with someone who knows me for me. It’s more than I ever let myself imagine. We could make it work. He wants me. I want him. It’s doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that. I can have a taste of normal with him. We can make a simple life and take it one day at a time. Now that I have more control; now that I understandIam in control.
“I have to leave,” I say. “I have another contract in just a couple weeks.”
“We’ll figure it out. We’re a team.”
It’s enough to cause my heart to go wild. Everything I’ve ever wanted—a normal life, a family. Could it be possible?
“I’m afraid,” I admit. I’m terrified of letting myself hope for more. So many years of my life have been spent living in such a way that staying still wasn’t an option.
“We can go slow,” he says.
He misinterprets my fear. My virginity has never felt like a burden or a gift. Just a fact that came with my disorder. But knowing he cares about my comfort is just another example of his awareness and compassion.
To emphasize his point, he slowly leans forward. I watch him until my eyes close when he reaches me. Languidly, he presses his lips to mine, warm and soft. His tongue teases the seam of my mouth until I open to him in a soft sigh. He drags a finger up my arm. The heat starts to gather and I do what we practiced. I let it go. A soft, harmless warmth. He can’t see it, but I know it’s working. Because the glow doesn’t come. He shudders.
I lower my hand and run it along his stomach, pushing up his shirt to feel the muscles flex under my exploration. I slide my fingertips into the elastic of his briefs. His abdomen clenches and the tip of his erection reaches out to touch back. He’s hot and instantly hard for me.
I grab his shirt and spin us so I’m pressing him against the door. “I think we’ve gone slow enough.”
He chuckles as he lifts me by grabbing my bottom and heaving me up. My legs wrap around him and my ankles link. I love how tall he is. I love how his large hands easily encompass my healthy backside.
