8. Chapter 8
ALEX
I went into the bar and sat in a quiet corner, staring at the drink I ordered. The cold from the glass radiated into my chest. Who was that guy with Natalie? Was he the other guy? Was I the other guy?
Questions kept squirming in my head, but no one seemed to notice that I was spiraling into an abyss as the low hum of voices, music, and clinking of glasses clouded.
Soon, Mike slid onto the stool beside me, his face as serious as during a surgical operation. It was easy for him to deduce that something was off.
You look like a mess, Alex, he said, raising his hand to get a drink. Whats wrong? Its past midnight!
Its Natalie, I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, my signature moves when I was frustrated.
Mike smiled. The artist?
Yeah. I took a sip from my martini. Things have gotten messy.
Dont they always get messy with you? He chuckled and leaned onto the table, a sign that he wanted to hear me talk.
I knew he could help. His genuine concern was my catalyst for explaining everything to him: the night of the gala, the nice dates, the painting, Carla, our argument afterward, and how I saw her in a mans arms, drunk.
You need to see the painting. Its amazing, bro. Excitement rather than sadness resonated in my words.
He clapped and laughed simultaneously. No, I do not want to see you naked. But this sounds pretty messy at the moment. Probably worse than Ive ever seen you.
What do you mean?
He didnt consider the frown on my face as he said, You are different from her. These past few days, Ive seen you smile at people. You were glowing.
Now, I was surprised. I never knew I acted that way.
This is not just one of your flings, Alex. You have fallen for her, and you care.
I opened my mouth to argue. It was not as deep as he painted it, but he cut me off. You would not be sitting here mulling over a martini if you werent.
What do I do now?
You fight for what you want. And you fight hard because it looks like you really want her from where Im sitting.
His voice settled in my ears. Fight for her. It sounded simple, but it was hard. It meant crumbling my walls for her, trusting that she would not betray my love like Sarah.
Before I could reply, my phone buzzed with a message. I dropped it on the table and stared blankly at it. It was from my mom, reminding me of the dinner.
Do you think she will be there?
I dont know. But I hope so.
The family dinner was better than I hoped, except for the blur of faces; a few of my cousins and aunts were present. As I sat at the long table decorated with food, my appetite went out the door, and my mind wandered, thinking of what would happen if she didnt show up.
The door opened for the umpteenth time, and there she was. She walked in gracefully, hips swaying with every step, dark hair falling over her shoulders, and her head held confidently.
I stood in surprise, willing my legs to rush over and sweep her into my embrace, but they didnt. My mom received her warmly with a hug. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she shook my fathers hand.
She was here. What did it mean? Would everything be alright? Relief washed over my earlier anxiety, but more set in when I wondered if she would fit in.
Natalie sat opposite me and waved at me with a killer smile. I smiled back and then mouthed, Hello.
The whole evening, my eyes were fixed on her. I barely touched my food. I watched how she held intelligent conversations, seamlessly flowing with everyone like she had always belonged there.
My mom was amazed. She was utterly taken by her and laughed at everything she said. My dad would occasionally nod and smile at me as if saying, Nice one, you got there.
She was perfect. Now, I wondered if I was for her. My gut told me Id better not lose her. So after dinner and small talk, bidding the extended family farewell, I found her on the balcony where my mom had left her.
My footsteps called her out of her thoughts, and she turned to face me, the soft evening breeze catching her hair. I forgot everything, that I was mad at her the night at the bar, and just smiled foolishly.
I didnt think you would make it.
There was a long pause, neither of us ready to say what was on our minds. Finally, I spoke, my voice coarse from the weight of my anxiety. Im sorry, love. For everything I said. I did not mean it.
She waited for me to finish. It seemed she had a lot to pour out, too.
My past has been chasing me. And when I saw the signs in you, I just acted out. Its pretty much why I had flings with women; I felt safer.
She stayed quiet, her soft and intense gaze encouraging me. When I met you, you broke those walls. So when I saw the painting, it was amazing, but it was one way I could push you away. Until the night at the bar.
I closed the distance between us. I hope its not too late. Because I dont want another in that picture you were painting.
Natalie looked like a piece of heaven an inch away from her face. Her brown eyes tempted me to get lost in them. Then, softly, she spoke. Her breath was filled with a tinge of the vanilla ice cream shed had for dessert.
Im not Sarah. And Im not going anywhere.
Something inside me went loose with her words. I kissed her softly, waiting for her to pull away, but she deepened the kiss. When I closed my eyes, I felt something like peace.
But it didnt last. She pulled away, her expression hesitant. Then she opened her purse. There is something you need to see. Its bad.
I frowned. "What is it, love?
She took out her phone, scrolled briefly, and handed it to me. My stomach dropped as I read Carlas text.
TELL YOURMAN TO GET ME MY MONEY. OR THE PAINTING AND YOUR BITCHY RELATIONSHIP GO PUBLIC.
I didnt mean for any of this to happen, she explained. Her voice was shaky and fearful.
Her eyes softened when she saw me smile. Ive got it all under control, love. Carla would not drive a wedge between us this time.
Are you sure? Concern was written all over her face as she searched mine for a reason to believe I was not angry. I mean, what if she
I silenced her with a finger on her lips. Let me handle this. Just relax and come here. I hugged her, and the need to show her how much I missed her overpowered me.
I began trailing kisses down her neck, her head tilting to grant me access. I nibbled on her jaw before claiming her lips in mine, kissing her with urgency. The cool breeze did nothing to fan the heat between us, but it didnt matter. Nothing mattered.
I lifted her onto the railings, and she secured herself in place, wrapping her legs around my waist. I noticed her fear and whispered, You are always safe with me, Natalie.
She believed me because her breath hitched. We kissed again, this time with a feverish need, and I ran my free hand down her breasts to her nipples, drawing soft circles around them.
Despite her silk dress, her nipples poked out, and a deep moan escaped her. I pressed my mouth over hers to silence her. We were out in the open, and it would have been unpleasant if we had gotten caught. But the idea of getting caught was also exciting.
Natalie reached down for my belt, pulling it, further escalating the tension. I grabbed her quickly and lowered her onto a bench; the throw pillows held her back comfortably against the wooden frame.
The fumble in my groin was desperate, and when my member was set loose, I knelt in worship, kissing her thighs and moving toward her belly button. I could hear her whisper something, but I hushed her.
She flipped onto her stomach and arched her back, inviting me to melt into her. I went in. The warmth hit me, forcing a guttural moan from my mouth before I started thrusting back and forth repeatedly.
It soon became a battle for supremacy when she matched my thrusts midway, causing our fluids to splash between us. I pulled back slowly, reluctant to go limp and cold.
Our breathing was heavy and tired as I sat beside her, looking at the mess we had made on our bodies. She turned to look at me; her eyes were soft and vulnerable.
Before I could think, I yelled, Lets get married.