Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
JAMES
Waking, I feel groggy. I went to bed far too late, and I am internally kicking myself for not sending the girls home earlier when I knew my alarm was going to be going off at five-thirty this morning. Rolling, I sigh as I hit my hand around for my phone and my eyes widen when I see the time.
“Shit!” I curse, it's nine a.m. Flying from the bed, I am running around trying to collect my thoughts on how the fuck I slept through my alarm.
Arizona and Keaton are going to be so mad.
Stripping my pyjamas down and pinching clean underwear from my drawer, I slip it on. Bending, I grab the jeans I wore last night, and rush to my closet and grab a white tee, and as I turn I stub my toe on the frame of the closet.
“Fuck!” I hop, grabbing my foot when suddenly my bedroom door is flung open, and there standing wide-eyed is Nate. “Oh my God,” I try and cover myself with my tee and jeans but it's pointless, he has already seen me standing half naked.
“Are you okay?” he rushes over as I stumble and hop towards the bed, sitting on the edge.
“No,” I snap, “not only am I late, I have stubbed my toe,” I wail, it's throbbing and I am mad.
He walks towards me, his eyes pinned to my feet.
I am humiliated that I am sitting here in my underwear.
“Let me take a look,” he kneels in front of me, and I want to protest but his fingers are curled around my ankle, lifting my foot in the air and a soft gasp escapes my lips as he inspects my little toe. “Looks a little red, it may bruise...” he trails off then lowers his lips to my ankle, dusting a soft kiss against my skin.
“It'll be fine,” my tone is sharp, and I don't mean for it to be, but I am annoyed.
He slips back, placing my foot down gently as he looks up at me.
My brows are furrowed, a scowl etched across my face and my mood is thunderous.
“What has you thrashing around in here?” he looks around at my room before his eyes are back on me.
“I slept through my alarm, I'm late,” I sigh, the anger slowly seeping out of my pores.
“For what?” His brows knit and he looks so cute when he acts stupid, and then I clock that he is also here, which means he isn't at work.
“Why are you here?”
“Because you were shouting profanities and I assumed you had hurt yourself.”
“No Nate, not here as in here,” my fingers move between the two of us and I am still very aware I am half naked and he is still on his knees in front of me. “Why aren't you at work?”
“Vacation day,” he beams and then it settles in.
“Did you cancel my alarm?” And he looks away, pushing to his feet and walking for the door. “Nate!”
“Get dressed James, we're going shopping,” he smirks and then closes the door behind him.
“You fucker,” I shout and then I flop down on the bed, a small laugh bubbling out of me and a smile staining my lips.
Yes, he has annoyed me, but it's also kind of sweet that he has arranged this.
I lay for a moment longer and finally drag myself up and towards the shower where I spend a little longer than normal, if you catch my drift.
Dressed in a white cropped tee, cargo cream skirt, frilly ankle socks and white sneakers, I spend a little longer doing my make up, lining my lips in a soft red as I cover them in a matte red lipstick, drawing a soft winged eye-line and turn my cheeks a little more rosy.
My hair is pulled into a high ponytail and poker straight. Grabbing my over the body purse and phone, I slip out of my bedroom and walk downstairs where Nate is waiting by the front door.
“You look as beautiful as ever,” he smiles at me, hands locked in front of his body. He is wearing a black tee and khaki combat trousers.
“Did you copy my look?” I eye him, one brow raising.
“I think you copied mine actually,” he pushes his tongue into his cheek and chuckles as he swipes his keys off the hook.
“Doubt that honey,” I wink, flicking my red pony over my shoulder as I pass him and open the front door, waiting for him to join me.
The late spring sun feels good on my skin, my eyes closing for a moment, head tilting back as I let it beat down on my face.
“Enjoying the Sun, Ember?” the nickname he seems to have become fond of passes his lips and I hum in agreement.
Finally looking at him, a ghost of a smile hints on my lips before I side-eye him.
“I am still mad at you by the way,” I sulk down the stairs and wait on the sidewalk as he locks up then closes the black iron gate behind him.
“I didn't even know you were mad at me in the first place,” he looks at me as confusion dances in his pretty hazel eyes, and he stops.
My steps falter a little and I turn to look at him over my shoulder.
“You turned my alarm off, no?” I cross my arms across my chest and tap my foot on the sidewalk.
“Yes.” I nod.
“And you failed to tell me that you had arranged for me to have the day off?”
and I see the cocky smirk across his lips as he runs his hand around the back of his head.
“I mean...”
“No, it's a simple yes or no.”
“Yes,” and I watch as his shoulders sag forward.
“That's what I am mad at, mad that you didn't mention it when you could have. Mad that you just took it upon yourself to think that was acceptable behaviour.”
He toes the sidewalk.
“I just would have liked to have been told.”
“Okay,” he nods before lifting his head to look down at me. “But if I did tell you, would you have agreed?”
Silence echoes as I stare him down and he already knows the answer to that question.
“Exactly my point,” he smiles, his teeth on show as his grin widens. I roll my eyes and begin to walk, but Nate soon catches me up.
We walk in comfortable silence until we're stopping, and Nate's hand is up hailing a cab.
“Where are we going?”
“Fifth avenue baby,” he winks and walks towards the cab that pulls into a gap next to the sidewalk. I blink a couple of times and follow him as he opens the door for me. Thanking him, I slide in, and he is next to me, hands pressed against his thighs and I am jealous that his hands are on him and not me.
“Fifth avenue please,” Nate leans forward giving the driver our destination before he is sitting back next to me.
“I take forever looking for clothes, I am really fussy,” I crinkle my nose, my eyes ahead as I watch as we pull into light traffic.
“We've got all day,” he reassures me, and I find myself looking at him, my heart stuttering in my chest.
“But you have Kaleb's bachelor evening.”
“Don't you worry about that Little Ember, you're more important,” and my heart explodes in my chest.
We finally pull up wherever the driver can get us, and Nate is throwing notes at him before slipping out the cab and holding his hand out for me which I take, gladly. Leading me onto the sidewalk, we stand amongst the chaos that is fifth avenue.
“Where first?” Nate asks me and I look up and down the busy sidewalks and shrug.
“I have no idea where to start.”
Nate mimics me, looking up and down the busy sidewalks before he links his fingers through mine and starts walking. I say nothing, just follow behind him and let him lead the way.
“Do you know what kind of style you want?” he glances down at me, and I shake my head.
“What kind of wedding is it?” I ask as we squeeze through a big crowd.
“One where they say ‘ I do’ ?”
“Ha ha, funny,” I roll my eyes. “No, I mean is it like ours was or...?”
“Oh no, it's bigger than ours baby. It's out at the Hamptons. It won't be some secret wedding, it'll be a huge deal.”
I swallow the nerves down and Nate must sense it because his hand tightens around mine.
“Don't panic, you'll be with me all day, I promise not to let you out of my sight, not even for a moment,” he beams at me.
And in that moment, I feel safe as his words wrap me up and keep me warm.
“What color is your suit?” I ask as he drags me into a fancy shop.
“Black.”
“Seriously?” my lips turn down; I was expecting navy or tweed. Not sure why.
“Why not?”
“Black is a bit... well...”
“Sexy? Hot as hell? Dashing?” he wiggles his brows up and down as we walk into the ladies department.
He was right. All of the above and more.
My eyes widen at the dresses that hang in front of me, I feel like I am in heaven.
“Anything that catches your eye?” he asks, dropping my hand and I instantly miss the way his fingers laced through mine, but I love the way they're tingling from just his touch.
I walk, hands dragging delicately across the different ranges of material, some silk, some satin, some cotton and some lace. But they're all simply stunning.
“I want something that is going to pop against your suit, but also goes well with it at the same time.”
“Well, that's very thoughtful,” he chimes as he follows behind me, my fingers still brushing against the dresses.
“May I help you?” a young female sales assistant appears out of nowhere and I see the way she looks at Nate; see the way she looks at my husband.
“I am just browsing.”
“My wife needs a dress for a wedding that we're attending tomorrow,” Nate steps forward, slipping his hand into mine and my skin burns in the best way possible.
“Okay,” the woman's eyes slice to mine, a fake ass smile pulling on her lips before her eyes are back on him. “What the budget?” and that's when I see dollar signs glistening in her crystal blue eyes.
“No budget, whatever she wants.”
“Fabulous,” she claps her hands together and leads us behind a curtain and my eyes scale the small boutique that is hidden. “This is where you want to be looking,” she glances at me over her shoulder, looking me up and down before raiding the racks with all different dresses, hanging them over her arm.
“What color suit are you wearing?” she asks Nate directly and he looks at me, a smirk playing on his lips.
“Black,” I answer for him, but she doesn't look at me.
“And where is the wedding?”
Again, she looks to Nate for the answer.
“Hamptons,” I reply, and I get an approving nod and a thumb brush against the back of my hand.
“Right,” she begins to grab more dresses then disappears behind another curtain and this time it is the dressing room. “Okay, work your way through them...” she eyes me, then she turns her body to Nate as if I am not here. “Any problems please let me know,” and she sashays her little hips straight out of the room.
“Think someone has a little crush on you,” I pull my hand out of his quickly, letting it drop and ignoring the singe that radiates in my palm.
Glancing over the dresses, I ponder my choices.
“Is my wife a little jealous?” I hear the playful tone in his voice, and I spin to look at him.
“No,” I snap, and the fact that I answered as quickly and defensively as I did prove that I was in fact, jealous.
Turning my back on him, I focus on the dresses once more and a pretty lemon silk one catches my eye as well as a dark emerald green.
Lifting them both off the rack, I hold them out to get his reaction.
“Love them both,” he sighs, sitting down on the chair that is placed in the corner of the room.
“That doesn't help me,” I drop my gaze to the two dresses in my hand.
“Go try them on and I’ll tell you.”
My cheeks pinch crimson as I hide behind the curtain.
“No peeking,” I call out and I hear him laugh softly.
“Wouldn't dream of it,” and my heart stutters in my chest.
Lifting my tee over my head and then slipping my skirt down, I step out before kicking my sneakers off. Pulling the yellow dress off the hanger, I slip it over my hips and then push my arms through the spaghetti straps. Spinning to face the floor to ceiling mirror that is leant up against the wall.
A soft smile pulls at my lips as my fingers delicately trace across the satin material then twist and look down my back at the unzipped zipper. Inhaling heavily, I reach behind and pinch the zipper, dragging it up… until it gets stuck.
“Shit,” I curse under my breath, head tipping back.
I didn't want to go out and ask him for help, but kind of didn't have a choice.
“Nate,” my voice is soft as I step towards the heavy curtain and pop my head around to see the sales lady talking to him, twirling her finger in her hair and laughing, but Nate isn't listening.
His eyes are on me.
Like they always are.
He stands, shutting her conversation down in an instant as he takes three long strides towards me.
“You okay?” his voice is low and I give him a lopsided smile and half a laugh.
“I need the zipper done...” I trail off and he smiles softly.
He pulls the curtain back and his eyes sweep over my body.
I spin, pulling my pony over my shoulder, my head dipping down and my breath catches as his thumb and finger grasp the zipper, but not before dusting them over the warm skin on my back.
“It's stuck,” his voice is low, warm breath on the back of my neck causing my skin to pebble.
He pulls softly, then tries to tug it back down again and I lose my footing, falling back towards him and his hand shoots out, hand curling around my hip as he steadies me.
“I've got you,” his whisper dusts over me and I shudder in his arms.
Clearing my throat softly, I step forward, one hand pressed against my chest, the other still holding my pony up and I hear the zip glide up.
“All done,” his voice is tight, a slight rasp to his tone.
But he doesn't step back.
He stays close to me, hot breaths lashing against my skin and I finally lift my eyes to meet his burning gaze in the mirror.
The air shifts and the ground trembles beneath our feet.
“Thank you,” I whisper and let my gaze fall to the dress.
He steps back and I follow suit. I turn slowly, finally faced with him.
“Wow,” he mumbles, eyes slowly teasing over my body.
My cheeks pinch and turn pink as I avert my gaze back to the dress.
“You look breathtaking,” one of his hands fists into his pocket, the other rubbing back and forth against his full lips.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice constricted as a lump forms.
I twist away from him, and gaze at myself in the reflection.
The straps are thin, disappearing over my shoulders and into a cross over my back. The neck of the dress sits rounded and dips between my breasts. Clinging to every curve of my body, sitting floor length. Facing Nate again, I let my eyes trail over my shoulder and look at the back. The zip finishes midway up my back and meets the crossed straps.
It's pretty and delicate.
But I don't know if I love it.
“Are you not sure on the dress?” he asks, and my head snaps up to look at him, my brows knitted.
I nod.
“We've got all day.” he reminds me, stepping closer to where I am, we're toe to toe, his head dips, neck craned, and his beautiful hazel eyes locked on mine.
“Let me try the green one on,” I croak, turning away from him and hiding behind the curtain. It suddenly becomes too much, the air becoming too thick. I needed to put the space between us, needed to put the distance between us, keep him at arm’s length.
Once I am behind the curtain, I inhale heavily, my chest burning from pleading for air, but I couldn't breathe properly when I was close to him.
Unzipping myself, I let the dress fall to the floor before hooking the emerald green one from the hanger.
Pulling it over my body, it fits perfectly. It has the same kind of straps as the yellow one, the neckline straight but sits a little lower so more cleavage is on show.
This one is a little shorter, one side skims past my knee, the other side has a split that runs up to my thigh, the material slightly folded to give a ruche effect over the hip. Sighing when I look at the back, it needs to be crossed over and tied. The yellow one would probably be more convenient, but I feel amazing in this one.
My hands skim down the skirt of the dress, satin gliding underneath my fingers. The material seems thinner and perfect for the warmer weather.
Gripping the curtain, I pull it back ready to call his name, but I don't have to, because he is there.
His eyes widen, his mouth popping open before closing again.
“James,” he breathes, his large hand running through his hair.
I say nothing, just nibble the inside of my bottom lip as I spin around slowly. His fingers trail across my back as he loops up the satin straps, delicately tying them up.
“All done.”
I look up into the mirror and smile back at myself.
“Your beautiful blues pop against this color,” his voice floats over me, causing the hairs to stand on the back of my neck before my skin erupts in goosebumps.
“I love this one,” I whisper, my hands pressed against my stomach, my head tilting to the side as I admire myself.
I feel beautiful.
I feel sexy.
Nate is behind me, his hand on my hip and I ignore the way it is burning through the material of the dress and marking my skin.
“It loves you,” he breathes against my neck, his chin resting on my shoulder as he holds me close to him.
I needed to move.
But I didn't want to.
I allow my eyes to connect with his knowing that it will be the undoing of myself, but I don't care.
“You look phenomenal,” he turns his face so his lips press against my pulse point and I melt into him.
He breaks his lips away, eyeing me in the mirror and I see the way his lips pull into a smirk, his hand still firmly wrapped around my hip, the other is dangerously close to me. His fingers are hovering over my waist, as if he is trying to reason with himself, talk himself out of doing it, fighting constantly with what is right and wrong.
“Will this clash with your suit?” my voice trembles.
“Baby...” he trails off and breaks his gaze as he places another kiss against my neck. “Fuck the suit,” his voice vibrates against my pulse point.
My breath trembles.
“I'll buy you seven of these dresses, just so I can see you in it every day because honestly,” he rasps, taking a breath, “you, the dress...” his whispers tickle my sensitive skin, “it's doing things to me.”
My heart drums under my skin, the blood thumping in my ears as his eyes settle on mine in the reflection. I know what the contract says, but in this moment, I don't care what I signed.
Slowly turning my face towards his, our lips inches apart and I know he wants this too as I let my eyes finally fall to his mouth, his breath on mine, his eyes closing as he edges closer.
“So,” we hear her voice, and I freeze and he snaps out of whatever trance he was in, lunging back and out of the changing room as I spin quickly, eyes darting between Nate and the sales assistant. “Oh,” her brows raise as if she is shocked at what she just witnessed.
“We'll take the dress,” Nate's voice is low, gravelly, gritty and I ignore the way I feel a pulse between my legs.
“Perfect,” she claps her hands together, then turns her attention to me. “If you could just take it off...” her eyes slice up and down my body with a venomous glare, “then I can put it behind the cash register.”
“Okay,” I whimper, disappearing back behind the curtain as I undress, my skin ablaze with want and desire, a fire burning so wild that nothing can extinguish it, it only grows, growing fiercer as the seconds tick by.
Hanging it up, I dress quickly and rush out of the room, dress in hand and humiliation slaps itself across my face as I walk out of the changing room and onto the shop floor.
“Hey, slow down,” Nate calls out, his fingers wrapping around my elbow as he tugs me back.
I can't look at him so I keep my eyes on the ground.
“Why are you running off?”
“Just want to get out of the shop,” I whisper, throat burning.
“Okay,” his voice is soft as his hand skims down my body before linking his fingers in mine. He walks me towards the cashier and she turns her snooty nose up.
I feel my temper bubbling.
“Just an FYI...” she side eyes me, “we don't appreciate customers making out whilst on our premises, wearing our dresses...” and the fucking look she gives me. Nate’s hand tightens around mine.
“But if it was you with him—my husband —who you have been eye fucking the entire time... you wouldn't mind would you?” and I know I have snapped.
She places her hand against her chest as if shocked at the words that have left my mouth, “Excuse me?”
“She's right,” Nate steps forward, tucking me behind him but not letting my hand go for a second. “You spoke indirectly to her and honestly, I was happy to bite my tongue because she bit hers, but not now,” he shakes his head from side to side. “Also, you can kiss goodbye to your commission, we wanted shoes, jewellery and purses but you have lost out because of the way you just treated her.”
He looks down at me and I give him a smile.
“Fuck your dress, we will get it elsewhere.”
Her lips purse, brows sitting high in her head and she looks as if the words have slapped her across her cheek. He nods, and he pulls me towards the door, a low growl rumbling through him. Looking over my shoulder, I flip her off before throwing her a wink.
Once we're outside, I burst into laughter, covering my mouth with my hand and Nate looks down at me, slightly confused.
“What's funny?” his brows knit.
“Her face when you told her to fuck the dress,” and his face softens, dimples pushing into his cheeks as he laughs, pulling me towards him and letting his arm sit over my shoulders as he walks me down the sidewalk.
“It was a real sexy dress though,” he sighs, and I nod.
“It was...” I trail off, “but I'm sure we will find one similar.”
“Oh, we won't stop until we do,” his lips brush against the top of my head as we walk, lost in our moment, locking ourselves from the outside world for just a while and it is perfect.