26|A Promise
I deepened our kiss even more as he steadied me on top of him.
He smiled against my lips again and I couldn't help, but smile too.
"What?" He laughed.
"It's you," I laughed back. "You keep smiling."
"Am I not allowed to smile?" He asked as I collapsed beside him.
"It's not that," I said turning on my side to face him. "I'm just not used to seeing this side of you."
"What are you talking about?" He asked confused.
"You haven't acted like this since we were dating in law school, Nate," I said, my hand reaching to his chest and tracing my name.
He cupped my cheek with his right hand. "I shouldn't have stopped."
My smile slowly faded as I stared into his eyes.
"You're going to make me do things that I shouldn't do," I said, my voice started to get hoarse.
He gripped my ass unapologetically.
The force dragged me forward, my body sliding against his with a friction that made my breath hitch and my spine stiffen.
He knew how much I loved that.
Our chest collided hard.
My thigh brushed the edge of the mattress.
His belt scraped my skin.
I was suddenly becoming too aware of how close we were.
Last week, we couldn't even share the same bed.
That's how it is with us.
Either we're clawing at each other or collapsing into each other.
There was no in between.
"Naomi Carter, if you keep staring at like me like I'm going to have a problem controlling myself," he warned.
Shit, I love him.
"Good luck with that," I said, hopping off of him and getting out of the bed.
I kept my back turned to him, but I knew his grey eyes were glued to me.
I slowly loosened my robe before making it drop to the floor.
I could hear him curse loudly, which probably wasn't for my hearing.
Nevertheless, I ignored it before making my way into the shower.
The water poured on me hot and relentless.
I tilted my head back, letting it run over my face, down my neck, down every inch that Nate touched...so everywhere.
Suddenly, I felt a large hand wrap around my neck before my behind was being slammed against his front.
I could only gasp before he crashed his lips into mine.
I slowly turned around to face him, tip toeing so that I could reach a fraction of his height to allow him to kiss comfortably.
He gripped my waist before lifting up.
I quickly wrapped my legs around him before feeling something I shouldn't have been feeling.
I knew exactly what it was by the way my nipples instantly hardened.
...
I kept quiet, trying not to throw up again.
He was beside me on the bed; one hand caressing my thigh, the other typing up an email.
"You okay, baby?" He asked as he finally clicked 'send'. "You've been really quiet."
I kept my mouth shut and silently nodded.
I knew I was pregnant.
Found out last week.
But I didn't want to say anything.
He had this big trial and was already stressed.
He closed his laptop before turning to me. "Nae."
I simply rested my hand stomach and his eyes instantly lit up.
"You're-"
I silently nodded with a smile before he could finish his sentence.
...
I never saw that light in his eyes again.
I suddenly forced myself off of him.
He furrowed his eyebrows.
"I want to stop," I said before turning around.
"Is everything okay?" He asked me and I wished I could just pick the easy way out and fall out with him.
But I didn't.
I shook my head before looking down.
And Nate being the man he is, pulled me into a hug, no questions asked.
...
"Yeah, I'll have that email sent to you before midnight," I told Russell on the other end of the call. "Yeah, bye."
I squeezed Nate's hand when I realized he had zoned out again. "Hey, stay with me."
He forced himself to smile as we strolled through Central Park.
"Are you sure you don't want us to go back home?" I asked him.
"Nah," he said, but I frowned.
Today was tough for him.
Today made twenty-four years since his mom died.
And that with Eden's one year anniversary, I feared that it might be too overwhelming for him.
"I'm fine," he tried to convince me. "You should get back to work."
I narrowed my eyes at him, not buying it for a second. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Pretend like you're okay," I answered. "I tried that, it worked out horrible for me."
"I said I'm fine," he said. "My mom's murderer is still walking free, but I'm fine."
I stayed quiet watching, his face harden as he stared at the trees as if they had the answers he was desperately looking for.
I sighed. "Nate, maybe he's innocent like he claimed."
He paused before looking down at me. "I saw what I saw, Naomi."
I swallowed hard before nodding. "I understand, Nate, but you have to let go-"
He sighed as he rubbed his forehead out of frustration. "Can we not talk about it anymore?"
"Of course," I said softly before changing the topic.
"Rick and Shayla got married yesterday," I gossiped.
He looked at me shocked. "We really messed up at Jill and Adam's wedding, didn't we?"
I failed to contain my laugh as I nodded.
He shook his head with a crooked grin. "We were a disaster."
"We still are," I said, looking up at him.
"Oh, yeah?" He asked as he locked eyes with me.
"At least we're each other's disaster," he said before gripping my waist.
My heart rate skyrocketed. "Nate, what are you doing?"
Soon enough, I felt myself being lifted up into the air and thrown over his shoulder.
"Nathaniel Carter, put me down!" I demanded.
"Oouu, using my full name?" He teased. "Scary."
I fought and fought until my feet were finally on the ground.
And when they were, I froze.
There, laid out perfectly across the grass, was a navy blue blanket, a woven basket, and a glass already filled with wine.
"Nate..." was all I could mutter as my heart started to beat faster.
"I figured, um," he stopped to clear his throat and look away. "That it's been a while since we had a date."
I struggled to hold in my smile.
I wrapped my arms around him before tip toeing to give him a kiss on the cheek.
He looked down at me. "You can do better than that."
I laughed. "Yes, I can."
Without another word, I cupped his face and pressed my lips against his.
I made it slow, certain, and full of things I haven't been able to say out loud.
When I finally pulled back, his eyes were still closed, like he was holding on to the moment.
"I missed you, Carter," I whispered.
He opened his eyes, his voice low. "Then don't disappear on me like that next time.
I nodded with a promise that I would never run from him again.