Chapter Fifteen
Nate
The television screen in front of Nate was flashing with holiday images while actors voiced dialogue written many years ago, but he was hardly paying attention to any of it.
With Lottie next to him, his arm wrapped around her shoulder as she lounged on the couch, he couldn’t think of anything but getting her underneath him.
Her cotton pajamas were oddly sexy for something so modest, barely showing any skin below her collarbone, and her face was free of any makeup while her hair was down in its natural state of just slightly wavy.
It was the most unpolished Nate had seen her since high school, and he loved it.
Lottie’s everyday looks, the style of clothes she wore to accentuate her pinup worthy curves, the make-up that was reminiscent of an old Hollywood starlet, and the hair that probably took longer to do than his entire morning routine were ones Nate loved as well, but there was something so disarming about seeing her as she was now.
It was another part of her he hadn’t had access to in a very long time, but he loved it as instantly as he loved everything else about her.
Without her normal armor, Lottie looked slightly vulnerable, and the protective instincts he had when it came to her rose to the surface.
For so long, those instincts should have been pointed against himself since he was the one to do her the most harm, but instead of berating himself once again for acting like such an ass, Nate vowed to be better.
As Lottie continued to watch the movie, all of his focus remained on her.
Every time something on the screen pleased her and her eyes brightened, Nate memorized the look, hoping to recreate it as often as possible.
Whenever her eyes teared up and her expression saddened, he promised himself never to be the cause of that look on her face.
And as Lottie watched and occasionally stroked the small brooch he’d given her with the tip of her finger, a soft smile on her face, Nate burned the scene into his memory.
He’d been nervous about the gift because he wanted to give her the world, but all he had to offer was an antique piece of jewelry.
Lottie’s reaction made it seem as if he’d accomplished his goal, loving it so much that she’d held onto it from the moment he gave it to her.
Lottie sniffled and turned to him, a look of serene happiness on her face as the screen faded to black. “Did you enjoy the movie?”
Nate shook his head. He hadn’t caught much of it, but he’d gotten enough of the plot to understand that, in his opinion, the ending seemed less than happy.
“Why didn’t she decide to stay with the angel?
I mean, her husband kind of ignored her and Cary Grant seemed like a pretty stand up guy.
” He shrugged. “Seems like she made the wrong choice.”
Lottie chuckled and put her gift on the table before turning to face him.
“Cary Grant is amazing in any movie he’s in, but the whole point of this one is that he was able to give people guidance and even though her husband was imperfect, he was who she loved and she chose him, warts and all.
” Lottie smiled slyly and leaned closer to him.
“Surely you can understand someone wanting the person who maybe had done wrong in the past but has since changed their ways.”
Nate opened his mouth and closed it like a fish. Apparently while he was watching Lottie, he’d missed the point of the whole movie. “So you think she made the right decision?”
Lottie shrugged and settled back onto the couch. “I think it was the decision most in line with her character.”
What she was saying made sense, and it also spoke to Lottie’s own ability to forgive Nate for all his past dickish behavior as well.
It was in her character to never give up on someone, and he was grateful that she had been able to apply that to him.
Lottie had the grace and patience someone like him needed.
If she had been anyone else, he would have remained in the doghouse for good, but then again, if Lottie was anyone else, Nate wouldn’t love her as much as he did.
It was freeing, being able to openly admit his love for her not only to himself, but anyone else who asked.
Nate was ready to shout it from the top of Town Hall.
There had always been a great deal of scrutiny regarding the two of them and being seen around town and his parent’s party had probably only added fuel to that fire, but he didn’t care.
He would happily lay claim to Lottie if she let him.
Suddenly needing to thank her for being the wonderful woman she was, Nate reached over and cupped her cheek. “Thank you,” he told her. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her lips as gently as a butterfly landed on a leaf.
Lottie blinked up at him, her eyes questioning. “What for?” She nodded to her brooch on the coffee table next to empty bowls of popcorn. “You’re the one who brought me a gift.”
Nate’s smile widened, his face unable to hold back from showing every bit of feeling he had for her. “Every second of your time that you grant me is a gift, and I was thanking you for being the type of person to give me another chance, so many chances in fact that I’ve lost count.”
Chuckling, Lottie leaned up and kissed his cheek. “You’re welcome,” she replied, her voice bright. She kissed his other cheek, and ran her thumbs across his beard as she looked at him. Nate held his hand over hers, leaning into the touch he craved at all times and had denied himself for so long.
Nothing was said between the two of them, but the longer they sat there, touching each other innocently, the more Nate desired her. “Charlotte,” he breathed out. His voice was husky, and when Lottie looked up at him, her brown eyes slowly grew darker with each second that passed. “I need you.”
Lottie closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. “I always need you,” she whispered.
It was the permission Nate needed to finally take what he’d been wanting for so long.
Without preamble, he slanted his mouth over hers, delighting in the whimper that came forth from Lottie’s lungs as her hands gripped at his shoulders and the back of his neck.
His tongue invaded her mouth, tasting buttery popcorn, chocolate, and her natural flavor that he enjoyed more than anything else he’d ever had.
Groaning against her mouth, Nate moved her on top of him, his hands sliding from her hips down to the meat of her ass where he dug his hands in and kneaded like he was making sourdough bread.
Lottie moaned and ground against the cock that strained against the confines of his pants.
Nate longed to free himself and thrust into her, but he was far too busy enjoying the way her hands explored his body at the moment.
They seemed to be everywhere all at once, on his head, his arms, his back, until finally he felt her skin on the bare flesh underneath his shirt.
Fingers brushed against the muscles of his abdomen before skating upwards and tickling the hair on his chest. The feel of her hands on him was unreal, and he needed more.
Breaking the kiss, Nate smiled at the slight pout on Lottie’s face before whipping his shirt over his head.
Her eyes widened. The results of his regimented exercise routine were on full display, and her eyes drank them in before they met his again.
“Wow. You’ve definitely gotten bigger since high school. ”
Nate sucked air through his teeth when she leaned down and started to nibble at his collarbone as her fingers flicked over his nipples. Still palming her ass, Nate ground her against him so that she could feel just how hard she made him. “A lot of me has gotten bigger.”
Lottie hummed against his skin as she licked her way up to his ear. “I remember,” she purred. “I had you in my mouth a week ago, though it wasn’t for nearly long enough.” She sucked on his earlobe, and the tingles it sent throughout his body had Nate’s mind going slightly fuzzy.
His head hit the back of the couch with a thud. “Can’t help it. You get me too hot too fast.”
Nate’s hands skimmed up her back, finding nothing there but naked flesh.
Peering down, he saw that somewhere between him taking his shirt off and her talking about wanting to suck him off again, she’d ditched her shirt as well.
His hands moved to the front of her and he held the heavy weight of her breasts in his hands, enjoying the small shuddering gasps Lottie made when he ran his thumbs over the rosy peaks.
Lottie shivered as she continued to suck at the skin on his neck. “I was wondering when you were going to notice those.”
Nate squeezed one of her breasts in his hand and pinched the nipple, causing her to moan deeply.
“Trust me, Lovely. I notice everything about you.” He continued to massage her breasts, Lottie grinding her hips down on him at an increasingly faster pace until he thought he might blow his load.
Not wanting things to end or for him to go off anywhere but inside her, Nate lay her down on the couch and pushed his hand into her bottoms. Driving his fingers upward, he sunk them into her wetness as he suckled at her breasts, teasing each nipple into a hard bud with his tongue.
Lottie held onto the back of his head as he brought her closer to her peak.
“I believe you.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, the sound thready compared to the harshness of her panting.
Soon enough, Nate felt her channel tighten around his fingers before she cried out into the empty room, the sound like the most beautiful holiday chorus.
Withdrawing his fingers, Nate licked them clean before scooping Lottie up in his arms. “I’m taking you to the bedroom.” Lottie didn’t protest, merely nodding her head as she continued to look blissed out.
Nate had never been in Lottie’s house but one other time, yet somehow he knew exactly where to go.
As he stepped into the light blue room that was decorated with furniture that had to be antique but looked brand new, Nate smirked at the standing mirror near her bed and nodded to it as he lay her down on the mattress. “That seems very purposely placed.”
Lottie blushed slightly as she wiggled out of her pajama bottoms and tossed them aside, leaving her completely bare to him. “It’s where it makes sense for the space, but the idea of getting to watch us is kind of hot too.”
“So hot.” Nate popped the button on his jeans and dragged his zipper down.
He’d ditched his shoes a long time ago, and after dragging his pants, trunks, and socks onto the floor, he was just as naked as she was.
Nate joined her on the bed, holding himself above her while maintaining as little distance as possible.
“Should we see if the reality lives up?”
Lottie leaned up and kissed him. “Yes, but I want to ride you.” Nate immediately rolled to the side and lay on his back, his erection pointing straight up like a flag she could capture any time she wanted.
She chuckled as she straddled him, her full body on display.
Nate loved every inch of it. Every dip and curve were molded perfectly for his hands, and every stretch mark, dimple, and freckle that he saw on her skin was just another indicator of her immense beauty.
“I thought you were the bossy one in bed, and here you are capitulating to my every whim.”
Nate helped her settle herself above him. “Oh, I will be bossy, but right now I just want to feel you around me.” Nate was pretty demanding in the bedroom, but he always gave as good as he got, and with Lottie, he would always make sure she came first before he took anything for himself.
“Me too,” she admitted. “So much. “ Smiling wickedly, Lottie impaled herself on him in one swift movement, the tightness of her center wrapping around him instantly.
Nate shouted, the pleasure too much too fast and he nearly bit his lower lip in half as he tried to keep himself from coming. “Fuck, Charlotte.” He held onto her sides as she slowly rolled her hips toward him.
Lottie smiled and placed her hands on his chest, her fingers raking up and down his pecs. “That’s exactly what you’re supposed to be doing, Silly.”
Smiling, she leaned down and took his mouth in a punishing kiss, her backside slapping against him as she bounced on his aching cock.
Just like always, time seemed to come to a stop and the world around them blurred until it melted away into nothingness.
Nate lost himself in the feeling coursing through his veins.
Pleasure saturated his blood and flooded his mind as he met her thrust for thrust. When Lottie leaned back, Nate turned his head toward the mirror, wondering at the sight of the two of them.
They looked less like two people and more like one undulating mass, limbs and parts ceased to exist until all he could see was their love for one another manifesting itself physically.
Nate turned back to Lottie, and gripped the back of her neck. “I love you, Charlotte.” It wasn’t just a statement, but a vow, a promise to love her for as long as he lived. “I love you so much that I can hardly stand it.”
Lottie’s movements stuttered slightly before her hips started gyrating again.
“I love you, too.” She leaned down to kiss him, and it felt just like the first kiss.
Every kiss from her felt as good as that first time he’d let himself have what he wanted, and now that Nate had her again, he was never letting her go. “I’ve always loved you, Nathan.”
Nate felt like his heart was going to burst right along with his cock. Reaching between them, Nate rubbed at her clit and stared up into her eyes. “Thank you for loving me.”
Lottie’s expression was one he would remember until the day he died.
It was full of happiness and love, but more than that, it was full of trust and Nate felt like the most privileged man in the world to not only have earned that, but to have earned it back after so many years of showing her just how much he didn’t deserve it.
Finally, Lottie shattered in his arms, her moans and cries filling the room as Nate grunted and spilled into her, his warmth flooding her channel just as the warmth of her forgiveness and trust flooded his heart.
As they lay on top of one another, skin dampened with sweat and blissful smiles on their faces, Nate couldn’t help but be grateful once more for the woman in his arms. Lottie was everything to him, and he hoped with all of his might that the promise he’d made to himself to never hurt her again was one he would be able to keep.