TAKE IT BACK
43
Jack : I’m expecting at least a little souvenir.
Jack : I did not need to go through my sister’s underwear drawer and will be scarred for life.
Nate : I’ve been through that particular drawer, you haven’t seen anything.
Jack : I’ve seen them in your hand, that was enough.
Jack : You can buy me anything, really, I just like opening gifts.
NATE
I smile as I step out of the small room the LAPD lends me to treat their agents, getting a smirk from Denis as he walks out next to me.
“What’s putting that smile on your pretty boy’s face?” he asks as I close the door behind him.
“None of your business, old man.”
He chuckles. “Did you snatch another detective’s wife?”
He’s lucky I know he’s only joking, but I give him a pointed look nonetheless.
“Oh, come on. You know I’m on your side in that particular story…”
Meredith never approached him , but his partner was one of the few she tried to seduce. Good thing he already knew she was Ortega’s wife, or he would have ended up in the same place that I was…
“It was just a joke,” he continues, rolling his shoulders to test the pain. “Although, he’s been on a warpath these last few weeks… Are you sure you haven’t slept with his wife again?”
“Certain,” I grunt as we start walking towards the open space.
I’m not sure what his problem is. For the last couple of years, we’ve been fine ignoring each other every time our paths crossed. Is he an asshole because he’s back with Meredith, or could it have to do with Prudence somehow? We don’t talk much about it, but from what I’ve gathered, they met randomly when she was in Seattle, and never saw each other again before she spotted him at Tipsy Turtle the night before she signed her contract here.
She did tell me that he asked her to request a transfer.
Like it’s her fault he can’t assume his own actions.
I do know that Meredith is making herself scarce around here, and except when we all go for the occasional drinks at our favorite bar and run into the LAPD crew, we don’t see her much.
And that’s good.
I don’t want her breathing too close to Prue or me.
What we have is so good that I’m terrified it might burst because of some stupid shit like this. And after wanting Prudence for so long, I won’t let people like Raphael or Meredith poison what we have.
My steps quicken and I frown when I hear the voice I came to crave talking angrily to someone.
“Shit, here we go again…” Denis says, stopping me with his arm. The only reason I don’t rip it off his body to run to her is the sight of Matthew, standing next to her with his arms crossed over his chest in a defensive stance.
“Give her a fucking break, Ortega.”
My frown deepens. They are friends, if Matt is talking to him like that he’s—
“I would, if she was doing her job properly.”
“She is .”
“I don’t think so. And look at her! She obviously changed back into regular clothes way before her shift has ended. That’s not very professional of her.”
Prue’s face is flushed the same way she is when she’s frustrated about something. The dress she’s wearing is the same type she usually likes to wear. It’s cream, with large flower patterns, and gives her an adorable boho vibe.
“If she was, she wouldn’t pretend she’s busy every time I need her for a sketch.”
“I got changed because I was done with my paperwork, and—and… I don’t need to explain myself to you! You always ask me for sketches barely minutes before I’m off!” she groans, bringing her hands to her hair. “Jane has been absolutely clear about limiting my overtime, I’m only following her orders! There are other sketch artists, for fuck sakes!”
“They’re not here yet, and I need a sketch now.”
She grunts, stomping her foot in frustration before turning around angrily and sliding her hands over her face.
I push through Denis’ arm and he tries to stop me.
“Oh no, you don’t want to get in the middle of this. It’s happening every week, there’s nothing to do.”
I turn around towards him with a cold look. “Every week?” I ask through my teeth. Why didn’t she tell me? . “And no one has reported him for harassment yet?” Why didn’t she ?
“Look, I know you two—”
“It has nothing to do with Ortega and me,” I snap. “Now let me go to my girl before I give him the punch in the jaw I owe him.”
His eyes widen before he drops his arm. “I’m sorry dude, I didn’t know she was—”
“Get the chief,” I mutter as I step away from him and towards the group gathered around the altercation.
Matthew sees me first and curses, gaining the attention of Prue, who’s face blush harder.
“Nate,” she starts, taking a step forward to place herself between me and the one I’m having murder fantasies about.
He finally notices me and the rage dancing on my face. He has the decency to take a step back, looking startled.
“Nate,” she says again, placing both her palms on my chest, effectively stopping me, but still not enough for me to drop my eyes off of him. “Nate please, let’s just go, come on. It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing,” I growl, lifting my hand to cup the back of her head—to appease me more than her—narrowing my eyes at the slowly retreating bastard. “It’s called harassment, and you should file a complaint.”
“Really, it’s okay, I’ve got this,” she insists, her voice turning softer. Her body nestling closer.
“I don’t like this,” I grit out, and Raph freezes next to a desk, his eyes focusing behind me.
“What on earth is happening here?” Chief Kosby’s voice rings behind me. “Why is no one working? Why do I have two abandoned suspects in interrogation room 1 and 5? And why are my two freelancers still here when I’ve been clear about overtime?”
“Technically, I’m not on overtime—” I mutter.
“Someone better explain, right this second, before I move you all to traffic and desk duty!”
My gaze drops for a second towards Prue whose eyes are shining with contained tears and I frown.
“Ortega needed a Sketch,” she says carefully. “He asked me, and I told him to ask someone else. It didn’t seem to be an option for him.”
“And why not?” She asks.
Matthew shrugs. “Ask him. He’s been asking her for sketches every day between 4 and 5.”
“And disturbing our work in the process,” someone else mumbles.
“Is that true, Prue?” She clears her throat, but nods. “Good god. Ortega, my office, now. You too Edwards. Prue? Go home sweetheart, we’ll see you next week. Nate?”
I turn around, a brow arched in confusion. “Chief?”
“You’re perfect, keep torturing these big babies.”
We exchange a grin before her face sets back into cold annoyance and she turns away towards her office, followed closely by Matthew and Raph who’s openly scowling at us.
My gaze follows him until they take a turn and my body relaxes against Prue’s, my hands automatically going to her waist, and my eyes focusing back on her.
I always lose a few heartbeats when I look at her for the first time after a long day. It’s like my heart can’t get used to her beauty and the fact that she’s mine. Finally.
“Hey,” she smiles.
I’m melting under her soft hand, smiling at her too. “Hey.”
She rises on her tiptoes, giving me a quick kiss on the lips. It’s barely more than a brushing but my skin burns and tingles anyway.
It’s the first time we’re open about our relationship here. The first time I’ve touched her in the middle of the precinct since I picked her up for our first date about a month ago. I think she’s worried about what Raph told her back then. Maybe in some part of her brain, she still believes that I’m not serious, and that people here will indeed laugh and pity her in her back.
I’d bend the knee for her right here and now if I was sure she’d say yes. She doesn’t even realize how far gone I am.
“Come on, sweetness. Let’s get out of here. I’ve got plans.” I grin at her confused look.
“Plans?” She asks, turning to grab her purse and little duffle bag with her change of clothes in it. “What plans?”
“You’ll see,” I grab her bag and slide it over my shoulder, then take her hand to lead her towards the underground garage where I’ve parked my car.
I open her door and she rolls her eyes but climbs in. I leave her duffle bag in the trunk and slide on the passenger seat.
“We’re escaping for the weekend,” I say as I put the keys in the ignition.
She frowns. Okay… Here comes the reluctance I knew was coming. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve booked us two nights in Avalon. It’s on Catalina Island, just an hour away by ferry.” She sighs, and I let myself fall against the back of my seat, turned slightly towards her. “I know you said you were not ready to go too far from Jack. But we’re still close, and—”
“What if something happens?”
“Jack and Ikram promised to call if there is anything wrong.”
Her eyes widen slightly. “They know you’re kidnapping me?” She gasps.
I can’t stop the rolling of my eyes. “They know. And you’re not a child, I’m not kid napping you.”
“Same thing!”
“Jack even helped me pack your suitcases.”
She rears back. “He did?” A blush creeps up her cheeks and I grin.
“Well, not everything . Yes, I found those lacy little red things hidden in a shopping bag in your closet… You’re definitely wearing that tonight.”
“Nate, I don’t think it’s—”
“Sweetness, please,” I plead, grabbing her hand in mine. “It’s just two days. Jack was ecstatic about having a whole weekend exclusively with Ikram, and even more to know that I wanted to take you on our first romantic getaway.”
I see her throat work, her eyes shining with uncertainty. How I wish it was easier… How I wish Jack wasn’t sick so she could have a normal life and not be plagued by constant worries. How I wish he wasn’t sick so he could have a normal life too.
“We’re not going far,” I continue. “It’s been a month since we’ve been back from Aspen. And you’ve spent nearly every night with me since then—”
“It’s not the same,” she groans, frustrated. “We were next door! If something happened I could be there in seconds!”
“Prue, if something happens, we’ll get there in an hour.”
“Are the ferries running during the night?” She asks sarcastically.
“I’ll steal a damn boat, I don’t care,” I exclaim. “Jack wants time alone with Ikram, and I want time alone with you. What do you want, Prudence? Because if the only reason you don’t want to go is because you’re afraid something might —”
“Of course I’m afraid, Nate!” She yells. “Jack is my brother. I want to give him everything he wants, but I can’t—I can’t let go!”
A sob racks her body, and I relent, not letting go of her hand. She doesn’t try to pry it away.
“I—I want to go with you. I really want to. But I’m terrified. And I’m so, so tired of being scared shitless all the time.”
I lean forward, bringing her hand to my lips. “Sweetness…”
“And I don’t want you to have a bad weekend because I’ll be such a nervous wreck.”
“Prue,” I whisper, as she lets out another sob. “It’s okay, I can cancel. We can let Ikram and Jack have their weekend and just stay at my place, it’s okay. You’re not ready, it’s fine.”
“No. No, I’m sorry. I’m just freaking out—Shit,” she sighs, “are you sure you can steal a boat if needed?”
She’s definitely not joking. I smile against her knuckles anyway. “I’ll steal the ferry boat if you need to, sweetness.”
She’s silent for long seconds. Maybe even minutes. But I feel the change happening inside her. The moment she’s done with her mental pros and cons list. I’m waiting for her to talk, for her to tell me what conclusion she’s come to.
“Okay,” she concedes. “But the second Jack or Ikram seem a bit off, we head back.”
“I promise.”
She relaxes slightly in her seat and I finally release a breath.
Now, onto a different issue… I start the car, foregoing the safety belt and drive just a few feet, parking in a corner. Prudence looks around, startled.
“What’s going on?” She asks. “Why did you move? I thought we—”
“Time to break the curse,” I say, leaning towards her and lifting her from her seat easily to bring her on my lap, her knees on each side of me. “We keep having our fights in this damned car, so either we break the curse now, or I’m selling it.”
“What do you—Nate!” She gasps as the back of my seat reclines and she falls forward on my chest.
I cup her face with one hand to bring her lips to mine, and the fight leaves her body as she melts into the kiss with a soft moan.
These moans… They’ll drive me insane someday.
“We’re in the precinct underground parking lot,” she argues against my lips, but her hips start moving slowly nonetheless.
“It’s a blind spot,” I groan into her mouth when her small hands clench on my chest, fisting my tee-shirt.
“What if someone walks by?”
She hisses as I slide my tongue along the line of her throat before biting on the soft spot where her neck meets her shoulder. She shivers when my hand slides up her thigh to grab her ass under her dress.
“Tinted windows,” I counter
“They could hear us…”
And considering how loud she is and makes me, there is a big chance of that.
“Fuck, sweetness, just ride me already…”
She arches her back, pressing her barely covered pussy against the bulge in my jeans.
How I love when she wears dresses…
“Do you have any condoms?” She asks, unbuttoning my jeans. “What if the IUD doesn’t work or something…”
“The doctor said it was good, didn’t she? I know, because I was there.”
She nods, just a few quick shakes of her head.
“And we got our test results back…” I continue, sliding my hand from her ass to her pussy, finding her soaked through the lace of her panties.
“Uh-uh,” she whimpers
She pulls on my boxers, and my already hard cock falls free against my stomach. She bites her lips, when I push the lace to the side and slide two fingers inside her warmth. Her head falls back and I pull on her dress with my free hand, revealing the laced pale pink piece of heaven that has been hiding underneath, holding her magnificent breasts.
My cock throbs.
She lifts her hips higher, pushing my fingers out.
There’s no time to argue as she straightens my cock up, and starts to push herself down.
It’s been five days since the last time I’ve been buried inside her. Since she had her IUD put, because she felt some pain, and I didn’t want to rush or hurt her.
And I could come the second she sits herself completely, her clit pressing against the base of my cock, her ass flushed against my thighs. Just us. No barrier between us.
“You feel so good, sweetness,” I rasp the moment she slowly lifts herself back up. “I can’t wait to feel you come. I can’t wait to feel you clench and flutter around me.”
A sound between a moan and a whine escapes her throat as her pace quickens. Her body always reacts when I talk to her.
“Ride me, baby,” I groan in her ear. “Ride me until you can’t move anymore because you’re coming too hard, and then I’ll fuck the orgasm out of you.”
I pull down on her bra, revealing her tight pink nipples. My lips close around it, sealing it and sucking it in my mouth as my thumb goes to rub her clit.
I’ve had plenty of time to roam her body, to learn how to make her come at least twice before she becomes overwhelmed and too sensitive.
Suddenly, her thighs lock down around mine, and her hands claw at my chest through my tee-shirt, her sweet moans filling the car. Her pussy clamps down on my cock and my hips spurge to action, pushing myself inside her in quick hard thrusts.
I feel my balls tighten and a zap of current at the bottom of my spine and I fall over the edge with her, my thrusts stuttering but not stopping, helping her ride the waves of her unbelievably strong orgasm.
She finally relaxes against me with a satisfied sigh, only shivering when I move or at the brush of my hands on her back and naked thighs.
“I love you,” she whispers in the crook of my neck, and I tense under her. “I didn’t mean to tell you now. When I accepted to go on the weekend with you—albeit, about fifteen minutes ago—I figured it would be a good time to tell you. There. But I don’t seem to be able to stop myself when I’m on a post-orgasm high…”
“Take it back sweetness.”
She freezes, her hands going slack on my chest.
“I can’t take it back,” she whispers sadly.
“Take it back so I can say it first.” I lift her head and plant a kiss on her parted lips.
“Okay…”
“I love you,” I say between kisses. “I’ve loved you for way too long for it to be healthy because you weren’t even here for most of that time.”
She giggles against my lips. “Can I cancel the take back?” I nod. “I love you too.”