Chapter 27

Straight to the bedroom.

Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.

This is happening.

Nate’s hand was still on the front door when Eloise pounced on him. Her backpack slid to the floor, but all she could focus on was getting her hands on his body, her lips against his. They’d been dancing around this ever since she’d come to stay here. Maybe even since he’d come home a shell of himself a few years ago. That was when they’d first become real friends. Before that, he’d been her brother’s best friend. The guy who made her stomach all swoopy just by existing. And she wouldn’t go so far as to say that she hadn’t known Nate back then, but she’d only seen what he wanted people to see.

She hadn’t known about the hurt he carried inside himself.

How it made him hide from the world.

How there was so much more to the man everyone thought they knew everything about.

Half walking, half dragging him down the hallway, Eloise wasn’t going to be deterred. If Echo looked up from her bed, she didn’t notice.

Because this was finally, finally, finally happening. Nate’s long fingers pressed into her hips, finding the bare skin underneath her grey jumper, above the black leggings she’d worn to the dance class.

She didn’t care if she wasn’t the best he ever had. If she moved the wrong way or was awkward. Both of those things were going to happen.

But they’d figure it out together. There wasn’t anything they couldn’t figure out together.

Eloise trusted Nate with everything. Her heart. Her body.

She pulled away from his lips long enough to yank her jumper and shirt over her head, dropping it in the hallway. Thank God she’d put on one of her nicer sports bras, not the old faded one that was her favourite.

“It’s like that, is it?” Nate’s low chuckle rumbled over her body, pulling her nipples tight, making her heart pound.

“Take off your clothes,” she demanded, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his mouth back to hers. A door handle hit her back. Whatever was on the other side would have to do. She didn’t care if it was a bed, a bathroom vanity or a washing machine. Whatever the universe offered her was going to be perfect … but a bed would be nice.

Nate’s lips curved. “I like you bossy,” he whispered.

She liked it too. And that bulge in his pants? Eloise moaned, remembering the feel of him against her tongue, the sounds he’d made. Shimmying out of her leggings, Eloise thrilled at how his eyes darkened, desire layering itself into every part of him. Nate’s hands pulled her close before lifting her so her legs wrapped around his waist. He ground his hips into hers, and Eloise breathed out unsteadily, tipping her head back until it hit the door. Nate shifted so his body pinned her in place, his hands finding their way to the back of her head, cradling her.

“You’re sure?” he ground out in between long, slow kisses that made her squirm against him, the hard ridge in his pants.

She’d never been more confident of herself. Of him. Of them. If Nate wanted her to take the lead this time, she wouldn’t hesitate.

“You like me bossy, huh?” Eloise twisted her fingers in the back of his hair, tugging him closer, arching her back so her breasts brushed against his chest.

Nate’s eyes were almost black. “I do.”

“Then take me in there and make me yours.”

* * *

There wereno words to describe the scene in front of Nate. Eloise was spread out on his bed. Hair a mess. Lips swollen. Breasts straining against the tiny sports bra she was wearing.

Nate pushed his boxers and tracksuit pants down to the floor in one move. His cock jutted out in front of him, long and proud. Gripping his shaft roughly, he worked his hand up and down his length. A drop seeped out the top when Eloise’s legs fell open. Her panties were noticeably damp, and Nate swallowed a growl, his hand moving faster.

Climbing onto the bed, he revelled in the way she raised her hips and hooked her fingers through the sides of the scrap of cotton covering her pussy.

“Let me,” he growled, his hands stilling hers. Because as soon as she removed that barrier, he was going to be on her, in her, everywhere. Giving her everything he had.

For as long as he could.

Nate sucked in a ragged breath and pressed his face against her panties. She was so warm and wet, the juncture of her thighs slick with need mixing with the scent of her arousal.

“Condoms are in the bedside drawer,” he murmured. The mattress dipped as Eloise arched towards him. The movement shifted her mound closer to Nate’s face.

How was a man supposed to resist that?

He tore her panties and licked at her dripping pussy. Eloise gasped, her legs falling even further open. Within seconds—at least that’s what it felt like—she was crying out his name in between great, ragged breaths.

“Condom,” he practically barked. Nate pressed his face into her thigh and closed his eyes, focused on breathing in and out before he lost his damn mind.

“I don’t want anything between us.”

Nate glanced up at her. Eloise’s hands were shaking, her tits rising and falling, her stomach shuddering with each breath. She looked a little wrecked, which was good because Nate had been wrecked for her for-fucking-ever.

“Yeah?”

Eloise squeezed her eyes closed. “I need you, Nate. So bad. I’m good with my pill, I promise, and I haven’t been with anyone since my last STI test.”

And that was it. Nate plunged two fingers into her, wanting to make sure she was ready because even though he was going insane with the need to fill her, he’d always promised himself that he’d never hurt her.

“I’m clear too.”

When he removed his hand, Eloise whimpered, her eyes locking on to his cock. He guided himself lower, hovering above Eloise. She lifted her hips, grabbed his ass and pulled him inside.

Nate’s brain short circuited. He genuinely couldn’t do anything other than give himself over to the sensations coursing through his body. She was tight. Exquisitely so. Snug and warm all around his dick.

He held himself still, his arms shaking with the effort. He’d wait. Make sure Eloise had adjusted before he moved. Hell, he needed a minute as well. Now that he finally had Eloise exactly where he’d been wanting her forever, the big feelings he’d been avoiding acknowledging were rising up, drowning out everything else.

Because this wasn’t fucking.

Or sex.

It was coming home and never wanting to leave. Being with the person he wanted to see all day, every day. Forever. Finding the missing piece he’d been searching for. This was love. And it had been for so much longer than he’d realised. The realisation hit Nate square in the chest, but he remained frozen above her. Hair fell across his forehead, and he ignored it, closing his eyes.

He loved Eloise. So damn much. He always had and always would.

Soft fingertips danced across his face, brushing the wayward strands out of the way.

“Why aren’t you moving?” Eloise whispered.

Because the fa?ade he’d hidden behind was cracking all around him. Falling to the ground in great big chunks that landed with a resounding thump and set off an echo that sounded too much like the words ‘I told you so’. Nate blinked. Tried to stop himself from welling up.

“Hey. Come back to me. To this moment.” Eloise’s hand slipped to his cheek, and she cupped his chin, pulling him away from all his thoughts.

“Sometimes I think there’s too much between us,” she said.

This was not what Nate wanted to hear right now.

“Because of everything we are to each other. And have been. For so long now, really. I think about you so much. And what we have. It’s almost too big to put into words, and maybe this is too much, too quick …”

Panic and love waged war inside Nate as Eloise hinted at the words he was aching to voice. He opened his mouth, but she cut him off.

“… actually, it definitely is. You’re literally inside me for the first time ever, and I’m babbling about all this existential stuff. We had a deal, and I need to stop. This is me stopping. Now. I’ve stopped.” Eloise pressed her lips together, blinking furiously.

“Hey.” Nate mimicked her earlier tone and waited for her gaze to meet his. “I feel the same way.”

Eloise puffed out a “yeah?” before a coy smile pulled at her lips.

“I’ve wanted this for so long that I got a bit lost just now.” Shoulders aching from the effort of holding himself still, Nate shifted, and the motion pushed his hips forward.

Eloise’s mouth dropped open, and her hips rose to meet his. “What if we both stop overthinking this and get lost together?”

He’d known she was perfect for a long time. It had been there in all the moments he watched her at work, with her family and friends. The way she was always striving to make things better for everyone. She always had a purpose. The kind of quiet determination people found hard to question because it just made sense.

Just like being here with Eloise made sense. In a perfect world, they could make sense together forever.

But perfection wasn’t real. Nate had learnt that the hard way, long ago.

Eloise hooked her legs around his waist, drawing him in even closer. With one hand on his heart and the other one curled in his hair, Eloise urged him forward.

And Nate didn’t hesitate to follow, hips rocking, his dick plunging in and out of her tight heat.

Tomorrow. He’d catch his breath and remember their deal. Remind himself why not all dreams came true. But tonight? He’d let himself be happy. Let himself have more.

Eloise pushed up to meet him, and he was deeper, making her whimper with pleasure, her breasts all flushed and rosy. Begging to be sucked. Bitten. Nate opened his mouth, and Eloise slid her tongue past his lips and, setting a bruising rhythm that stole his breath, scrambled his brain.

Nothing else existed. Not the past or the future. Just the present.

His hand snaked down to where they were joined, and Eloise pulled away, gasping when he flattened his thumb against her clit. “Oh,” she cried out on a breath that skated across his face.

“Yeah?”

She bit her lip and nodded, her eyes wide. Nate’s hips snapped forward, and for a second, he worried he was being too rough, asking too much of her, but Eloise pulled him closer with her legs and gripped his ass.

“More,” she demanded. “I want it all.” Her words burnt themselves into Nate’s heart.

“You … deserve … everything …” he ground out in between thrusts. Fire crawled over his skin. White, hot need drove him forward, matched only by the cries falling from Eloise’s lips.

“Nate,” she gasped, eyes flying open, back arching. “Right there, oh shit.”

Nate dropped to his elbows, pressing their chests together, his thumb still stroking her clit.

“I’m going to come.”

“That’s it, Tiger.” His rhythm faltered when Eloise started spasming around him, her body quivering and trembling as she fell apart.

“Come with me,” she babbled.

With her name on his lips and so much fucking joy in his heart, Nate followed her into bliss.

* * *

Vvvvvvttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt.

Nate woke with a start. Eloise was curled against his side, an arm slung across his chest, her breath rolling across his pecs as she slept. Her hair was everywhere. Nate blinked. The room was full of shadows, only the teeniest hint of early morning light coming through the curtains they’d forgotten to close. Eloise stirred, shifting slightly and the quilt slipped low revealing her tits. Nate slid his gaze to his bedside clock. It was twelve minutes past five. They’d been asleep for less than four hours.

He’d let her sleep a little longer before he asked her to get lost with him again.

“Nate,” Eloise mumbled, her voice dangerously seductive and heavy with satiation. “Why are you awake?”

He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Thought I heard something.”

“Hmmm?” She shivered, her nipples hardening as she rubbed herself against his rib cage. His cock hardened immediately. It was official: he was never going to get enough of her.

“Doesn’t matter.” Nate rolled onto his side, gently pulling Eloise until she was straddling him. Her arms rose and she stretched, eyes still closed. Nate kissed his way across her collarbone, reaching up to suck both of her nipples, press his fingers into the side of her hips as she moaned his name.

“Good morning,” she said.

“The best morning. I want you to ride my face,” he replied, peppering kisses down her stomach before dragging his tongue across her sweetness. Her accompanying gasp would live in his mind rent-free forever. So would the way she pulled his hair. The sign she was as desperate for him as he was for her.

Vvvvvvttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt.

There it was again. “What is that?”

“Do you care?” Eloise hitched an eyebrow at him and damn, she was a sight. Little creases in her cheeks and sparkling eyes.

Vvvvvvttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt. Vvvvvvttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt.

It was louder this time. More insistent.

He kissed the inside of her thigh, a silent promise that he would be right back. As soon as he’d switched off his phone. “One second.”

Frigid morning air bit at his skin as he stood, shuffling around the room, searching through the clothes they’d dropped in a hurry yesterday. When he found his phone, the screen was blank.

Vvvvvvttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt. Vvvvvvtttttt.

He followed the noise to Eloise’s jumper. Her phone was underneath it, the screen full of notifications and missed calls.

Shit.

Nate’s gaze zeroed in on the text.

Mary: Call me. It’s an emergency.