Chapter Fourteen
Friendship. That was the promise. But had it been the right one? It was a question she had asked herself from time to time, but hadn’t been willing, or brave enough, to answer.
In this moment though, it was the question that threw Nobi back in time to a place she could openly admit that she loved. Bittersweetly, it was also admittedly a memory that played tricks with her mind. That time was about six years ago.
It had been two nights since she had experienced pure bliss with Chris.
Two nights of useless chatter, meaningless meals, and forgettable events.
Two nights of sitting at home, waiting for the next time she could see him.
It was now the third night, and she was finally out at another ball.
Wanting to look for him. But first…It had taken all her willpower to casually chat with a few guests (whom she honestly couldn’t name now), sip some tepid lemonade (or was it ratafia?), and dance with (how many?) gentlemen.
She couldn’t remember any of it never mind who she danced with, only that she had moved her feet to the correct steps (she thought), and now she could finally take a breath and do something for herself. She could search him out. Finally.
And thank God, it only took a second. Her eyes scanned the ballroom and in an instant they locked onto his.
His penetrating gaze was dark, smoldering, and it sent a shiver up her spine.
With that one look she knew what he was communicating.
Meet in the garden. At the roses. Everyone had a rose garden, didn’t they?
She wanted to run out there and rendezvous with him immediately. He canted his head and flicked his eyes to the door leading to the terrace. That was her sign (as though she needed one).
She told her sisters where she was going, entrusting them with her secret, and also confident that they would help her if need be. Then she slipped out of the ballroom and skipped over to the roses.
When she saw him, legs wide, firmly planted amongst the roses, she jumped up into him and threw her arms around him, knowing he would catch her.
Her breasts were plastered to his chest, and her stomach plied to his.
Pressing her nose into his neck, she inhaled his freshly showered scent.
His soap was delectable, and already she wanted to taste him.
But before any of that could happen, she had to talk to him.
Her heart had been racing for two days, and though she was sure they shared the same expectations, she wanted to be sure.
He hadn’t called on her, so she was fairly certain he wasn’t reading more into their physical intimacy than she intended, but still…
a girl could never be certain. Men had a tendency of changing their minds on the worst items. Now…
if he changed his mind about being an adventurer, they would be having a completely different conversation.
But men weren’t wont to change who they were (only their minds), and Chris was an adventurer.
Besides, she didn’t want to change him. She liked him exactly as he was.
“Two days is too long,” he murmured into her hair.
See…exactly that. That was what she lov–liked so much about him. She was feeling the same thing that he was. But did that mean more to him than she thought?
“Far too long,” she mumbled back. “Let’s sit. We need to talk.”
His body stiffened. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“It is good. It’s just…something women need to do.”
He chuckled, “Well, that is true enough.” He took a seat on a stone bench and waited for her to join him before asking, “What do you want to talk about?”
“I just want to talk about us very quickly.”
“Are you sure this talk is good?”
“Yes, of course.”
With a trace of skepticism, he sat back and waited.
“I just wanted to make sure we stay friends.”
The statement wasn’t intended to be the harbinger of silence, but that’s all that it produced. Well, that and a curious look from Chris.
Finally, he asked, “Friends?”
“Yes. I just…well, I’ve had boys as friends before, but well…it seems so foolish to say it now, but we never stay friends. So I invest all this time until one day they decide that friendship isn’t good enough and then they move on. I want us to be friends first. Always friends.”
“Friends?”
“Yes.”
“Even though we’ve been intimate.”
“Yes…”—she dropped her chin—“Do you think less of me for wanting to be your friend but also wanting to experience…the physical with you?”
His hand snaked around her waist and pulled her close. “No, I don’t think less of you. I might even think more of you. You know what you want.” He pressed a chaste kiss to her temple. “We’ll be friends first. Always.”
“You promise?”
“Yes, I promise to be your friend forever.” She was too close to read the look on his face, but his tone held a strained note.
“Sorry. I’m asking too much, aren’t I?”
“Not at all. Don’t be sorry, Nobi. Here.
This is how we’ll know our promise is forever.
I read about this way in Japan that a person can make a promise.
They swear by entwining their pinky fingers.
” He reached his fingers out, extending his pinky while waiting for her to do the same.
Then he wrapped his pinky around hers. “I promise I’ll be your friend forever.
And if either of us breaks this promise, that person shall have to swallow a thousand needles. ”
On a gasp, she almost ripped her pinky out of his grasp. “A thousand?”
“Would nine hundred and ninety nine be preferable?”
“Of course not…but…”
“Not so sure of our promise anymore?”
“Oh yes, I am. I was just shocked at the thought of swallowing a thousand needles. Or any number, really.”
“Hmm…Terrifying, isn’t it? Terrifying enough that we should both keep our promise, no?”
“Yes.” She pulled his pinky closer to her body. “And we should also keep our commitment to you teaching me more about pleasure.”
“You think the two can coexist?”
“Of course. Our friendship is strong. Though I have no idea how it grew so strong so quickly.”
“Sometimes it happens…”
Nobi couldn’t think of another time where she felt this way about someone so quickly, but she didn’t bother bringing that up. She was much more curious about other things at the moment.
“Can you show me something tonight, Chris?”
“Yes, but in all fairness, I need to tell you about this bet my friends made first.”
It was the only logical connection, but Nobi asked anyway, “Did they make a bet about us?”
He nodded sheepishly and dragged his hand through his hair.
“What? How? Why?”
A soft laugh tripped off of his lips. “I’ll tell you.
But just to be clear, they bet about everything.
I’m surprised we’re all not without a feather to fly with.
Perhaps it’s because we’re not losing so much money as it just keeps exchanging hands…
”—he scratched his jaw—“could be…anyway. They bet about everything. So don’t worry about it. ”
“I wasn’t…” or was she? She needed to know the bet first to decide if she was anxious or not.
“I can see by your furrowed brow that it’s best if I just tell you what they bet.” He cleared his throat. “They found out about our friendship, and well…they think it’s odd. They don’t think men and women can be friends. Can you believe it?”
He scoffed.
She joined him.
“So in a roundabout twist, they bet me I wouldn’t kiss you.” His eyes peered up at her through dark lashes while his hand grabbed the back of his neck. “Little do they know…”
“You didn’t tell them about that part?”
Shaking his head so a lock of hair landed on his forehead, he solemnly answered, “Friends don’t kiss and tell.”
His words, and maybe even more so, the tone, made her smile.
“So now what are you going to do?”
“I thought it was obvious.” He smirked. “Of course, I’m going to kiss you.”
“And what are you going to tell them about the bet?”
“I’m going to tell them that you’re a lady and you’re my friend.” That was the part he spoke cavalierly. The latter part took on a greater depth. He peered into her eyes. “And just to reaffirm to you, whether we kiss or not, you’ll always be my friend.”
Her heart fluttered. In friendship, of course.
She took a moment to collect the thoughts that the fluttering had scattered. “So you’ll lose the bet?”
“This bet means nothing to me. I don’t mind losing it. You mean more to me than any bet.”
More fluttering. This time with heat. She felt the gentle movements swish up her arms and down between her shoulder blades.
On a whisper, she said, “Thank you, Chris.”
“Thank you, for being mine–my friend. Now…can I kiss you?”
Unaware of what he had corrected in his speech, she nodded as she climbed onto his lap, feeling safe and treasured. Feeling the depth of the promise. His intentions were clear and trustworthy. Her expectations were respected and honored.
Now…she wanted to feel a little bit wicked. She was aching to feel everything with him. The elation. The release. The satisfaction.
She bent forward and spoke softly into his ear. “Show me something new. Something different, Chris.”
With a throaty reply, he answered her with a question of his own, “How different?”
“You decide. I trust you. Besides, I don’t even know what I’m asking for.”
“You can ask me for anything. If you know you like something, just ask me.”
In a hushed tone, she agreed to his suggestion, “I will.”
His hands cupped her jaw, and he took her lips in a hungry kiss. His lips were all over her mouth. Her cheek. Her jaw. Her ear. Down her throat. Licking her collarbone. Thinking she knew where he was going, she pushed her breasts up toward him to lick.
But instead of doing what she predicted, he nipped at her breast through the fabric, sending a jolt of pleasure from her throat down to her core.
With a growl, he said, “Turn around.”
“What?”
“Turn around, Nobi. You want something different.”
As she lifted herself off of him, she stood and slowly turned her back toward him. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it until his hands slid up her skirts.
“Hmm. I’m looking for those pantalettes you had last time, but…my darling, did you leave those at home?”
And, oh, she knew how she felt now. Wanton. Wicked. Yearning. For him. A shimmer of pleasure danced down her shins as she nodded. “I left them at home. For you.”
The deep rumble of his groan told her how much he appreciated that little consideration she had made for him.
His hands slid all the way up her legs, brushing the backs of her knees, and in between her thighs. Then he was on his knees and his head was…
She was going to swoon.
His face was…
God, she needed something to hold onto…
His tongue was…
A shattering moan roared out of her. Pleasure crashed down on her. Her legs shook as his tongue swept between her folds. Feathering her nub.
“Oh God, Chris,” she croaked his name.
“You’re so wet for me, my treasure.”
His name for her rolled through her mind like a boulder and settled down toward her heart. But she couldn’t pay it much attention since his tongue was flickering against her nub.
And God, those sensations were overwhelming her. He was owning her. Controlling her desire. Peaking her desire. Edging her toward the precipice. She could feel herself cresting and then she tumbled over the edge while a flood poured out of her.
She didn’t have time to collapse into a giant heap because Chris was up on his feet, then down on the bench pulling her backward onto his lap. Her skirts were up, and he was whispering in her ear. “Do you want more?”
“More?” she whimpered.
“Yes. I have so much more to give you. If you want to take it.” He said it while arching his hips up and into her so there was no denying what he was offering.
“Mmm…” she moaned, grinding her bottom against his bulge. “Give it to me, Chris. I want it so bad.”
She felt his fingers frantically unbuttoning his falls and then felt his moist tip slide up between her legs. Notched at her entrance, he asked. “You want this?”
“Yes!” she whisper-shouted. “Give it to me, now.”
“Are you a greedy girl?”
“Just for you.”
“That’s what I want to hear.”
And then he thrust up into her, their moans mingling and finding a rhythm of communication together.
His hands were lifting her up and slamming her down until she was biting down on her fist to stop herself from screaming.
This was what she wanted. To feel wanted. To feel so desperate. To be the object of his desire. To make him lose control. To be the one he wanted to lose control with. This was everything she needed.
White hot pleasure shot through her like a bullet, and it was chased by waves, pulsating waves, and then ripples of bliss. When he pulled out, she felt his liquid painting the backs of her legs. And when she sat down atop him, she felt him tremble against her.
This, she had to admit, was the perfect friendship.