I sighed. “I can’t wait to have this thing off.”
“Just a few more days! Then the two of you can go on weekend trips with ease.”
George came down from the second floor moments later and greeted Nathan and me, before the two of them headed out for their own weekend getaway. It would be Nathan and I alone all weekend…not at home.
I wasn’t sure what we were having for dinner, but Nathan said we were staying in. We both headed up the stairs to get ready. I began to wonder if we were having deli sandwiches, because there was no one else around to help him cook.
We were in the spare bedroom that would be ours for the weekend getting dressed when I heard a small laugh behind me.
“Why are you laughing?” I scowled up at him through the reflection in the mirror.
“Because it’s sad and ironic at the same time,” he said and stepped up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“What is?”
“I hate it, but you now will have scars that match my own. Together we make one whole person,” he paused before continuing, his voice low in my ear. “Together we are one whole heart, one whole soul.”
My head craned to look up at him over my shoulder; his eyes were soft, his hand moved to cup my face, his thumb making light circles on my cheek.
My gaze locked on his. “I love you.”
His head bent down, and his lips found mine. It was hard and soft, building in intensity until I was somehow turned around and pinned against the wall.
I groaned when he pulled away, the lust in his eyes making me light up. “I need to stop, Honeybear, or we won’t make it to dinner.”
“We can always stay here.” I pulled him back to me.
“Not tonight, baby. You’ve waited way too long for me to take you on a date.”
I pouted when he pulled away, but smiled when he whispered to me, “Later, my little insatiable minx.” He nibbled on my ear, and nipped at my neck. “I will make you come again and again.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
He left after that, running downstairs to work on something, leaving me to finish getting ready on my own. I sat down at the vanity and studied my reflection. I looked as nervous as I felt. My hands were even shaking as I pulled the eye shadow from my makeup bag.
My mind was whirling and not down a good path. It was the first date I’d gone on in years, and it was rather unconventional at that. What if he found out something he didn’t like? What if, on our date, I wasn’t what he thought I was? What if he found he didn’t want me?
Ridiculous, I chided myself. Not going to happen, Lila. He loves you. He’s a good person, and he makes you so happy. This is what you deserve, to be happy with Nathan.
I squared my shoulders in the mirror and stood up to locate the shoe I would be wearing.
“Lila!” Nathan called out a few minutes later, and I headed toward the stairs.
“Ready!”
He beamed at me and helped me down the stairs; my body buzzed with excitement.
Our first official date.
He sat me down and picked up what looked like my sweater. He began walking, and I followed him through the house, happy to soon be rid of my hindrance. Instead of heading toward the kitchen or dining room, Nathan headed to the back door.
“Where are we going?”
He smiled at me. “Outside.”
“Outside?” It was then I understood why he was carrying my sweater.
“Come on, Honeybear,” he said, holding the door open so I could get through.
What awaited me on the other side of the door was not what I was expecting. There was a gazebo lit up by strings of lights all around, and candles that sat on an elaborately decorated table.
It was a whole other world nestled in between the trees. Cloth was draped all around, weaving in and out of the intricate wood work. The table was beautifully set and covered in cloth the color of the wine that sat atop it and was sitting next to a bouquet of matching roses.
“Nathan…” I trailed off, so overwrought with emotion.
“Do you like it?” he asked, wrapping his arms around me.
“It’s beautiful.”
We headed down the lit walkway, tears welling in my eyes. Nathan helped me take a seat, setting my crutches against the wall. He kneeled in front of me, took my head in his hands, his eyes searching mine for discomfort. His body was tense, waiting for my reaction.
I was blown away by it all. “It’s so wonderful. I didn’t know you had such a romantic streak in you.”
After I was done speaking, he relaxed, chuckling as he leaned forward to kiss my lips. “Well, I figured I had a lot to make up for. We should’ve had our first date long ago.” He took a seat and poured the wine. “Plus, my mom helped out with the decorations. She wanted us to feel like we were somewhere else.”
There were rolls sitting in a basket we nibbled on. I still wasn’t sure what was going on, but received my answer when the back door opened and someone came out with a tray. She placed it on a small table against the gazebo wall and picked up two small plates, setting them down in front of Nathan and me before retreating.
“You hired a waitress?” I looked from the salad in front of me to the retreating form of our silent guest.
“And a cook.” Nathan took a bite of his salad. “I wanted to take you out, but it would be difficult for you with your cast still on.”
“So you opted for a mix?”
“Exactly.”
We worked on our salads, me picking out the tomato and giving it to Nathan, him picking out the olives and putting them on my plate. It was a strange symphony I had a feeling would develop more over time.
“Ah, missed one,” he said, picking up the olive with a fork. Instead of placing it on my plate, he held it out in front of my mouth. I let out a small laugh before opening my mouth and letting him put the fork inside. It was going to be an interesting evening.
Dinner arrived, and I cut off a piece of pork and held it on the fork in front of Nathan’s mouth. He quirked an eyebrow at me, smiling as he leaned forward to take the bite.
I opened my mouth and pointed my finger toward it while making a little feed me sound. He swallowed hard and his eyes darkened.
“The next time you do that, I will put something in your mouth and you will suck on it, choke on it, and then swallow what I give you.”
I drew in a sharp breath and began squirming in my seat. “Promise?”
“Just a few more days! Then the two of you can go on weekend trips with ease.”
George came down from the second floor moments later and greeted Nathan and me, before the two of them headed out for their own weekend getaway. It would be Nathan and I alone all weekend…not at home.
I wasn’t sure what we were having for dinner, but Nathan said we were staying in. We both headed up the stairs to get ready. I began to wonder if we were having deli sandwiches, because there was no one else around to help him cook.
We were in the spare bedroom that would be ours for the weekend getting dressed when I heard a small laugh behind me.
“Why are you laughing?” I scowled up at him through the reflection in the mirror.
“Because it’s sad and ironic at the same time,” he said and stepped up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“What is?”
“I hate it, but you now will have scars that match my own. Together we make one whole person,” he paused before continuing, his voice low in my ear. “Together we are one whole heart, one whole soul.”
My head craned to look up at him over my shoulder; his eyes were soft, his hand moved to cup my face, his thumb making light circles on my cheek.
My gaze locked on his. “I love you.”
His head bent down, and his lips found mine. It was hard and soft, building in intensity until I was somehow turned around and pinned against the wall.
I groaned when he pulled away, the lust in his eyes making me light up. “I need to stop, Honeybear, or we won’t make it to dinner.”
“We can always stay here.” I pulled him back to me.
“Not tonight, baby. You’ve waited way too long for me to take you on a date.”
I pouted when he pulled away, but smiled when he whispered to me, “Later, my little insatiable minx.” He nibbled on my ear, and nipped at my neck. “I will make you come again and again.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
He left after that, running downstairs to work on something, leaving me to finish getting ready on my own. I sat down at the vanity and studied my reflection. I looked as nervous as I felt. My hands were even shaking as I pulled the eye shadow from my makeup bag.
My mind was whirling and not down a good path. It was the first date I’d gone on in years, and it was rather unconventional at that. What if he found out something he didn’t like? What if, on our date, I wasn’t what he thought I was? What if he found he didn’t want me?
Ridiculous, I chided myself. Not going to happen, Lila. He loves you. He’s a good person, and he makes you so happy. This is what you deserve, to be happy with Nathan.
I squared my shoulders in the mirror and stood up to locate the shoe I would be wearing.
“Lila!” Nathan called out a few minutes later, and I headed toward the stairs.
“Ready!”
He beamed at me and helped me down the stairs; my body buzzed with excitement.
Our first official date.
He sat me down and picked up what looked like my sweater. He began walking, and I followed him through the house, happy to soon be rid of my hindrance. Instead of heading toward the kitchen or dining room, Nathan headed to the back door.
“Where are we going?”
He smiled at me. “Outside.”
“Outside?” It was then I understood why he was carrying my sweater.
“Come on, Honeybear,” he said, holding the door open so I could get through.
What awaited me on the other side of the door was not what I was expecting. There was a gazebo lit up by strings of lights all around, and candles that sat on an elaborately decorated table.
It was a whole other world nestled in between the trees. Cloth was draped all around, weaving in and out of the intricate wood work. The table was beautifully set and covered in cloth the color of the wine that sat atop it and was sitting next to a bouquet of matching roses.
“Nathan…” I trailed off, so overwrought with emotion.
“Do you like it?” he asked, wrapping his arms around me.
“It’s beautiful.”
We headed down the lit walkway, tears welling in my eyes. Nathan helped me take a seat, setting my crutches against the wall. He kneeled in front of me, took my head in his hands, his eyes searching mine for discomfort. His body was tense, waiting for my reaction.
I was blown away by it all. “It’s so wonderful. I didn’t know you had such a romantic streak in you.”
After I was done speaking, he relaxed, chuckling as he leaned forward to kiss my lips. “Well, I figured I had a lot to make up for. We should’ve had our first date long ago.” He took a seat and poured the wine. “Plus, my mom helped out with the decorations. She wanted us to feel like we were somewhere else.”
There were rolls sitting in a basket we nibbled on. I still wasn’t sure what was going on, but received my answer when the back door opened and someone came out with a tray. She placed it on a small table against the gazebo wall and picked up two small plates, setting them down in front of Nathan and me before retreating.
“You hired a waitress?” I looked from the salad in front of me to the retreating form of our silent guest.
“And a cook.” Nathan took a bite of his salad. “I wanted to take you out, but it would be difficult for you with your cast still on.”
“So you opted for a mix?”
“Exactly.”
We worked on our salads, me picking out the tomato and giving it to Nathan, him picking out the olives and putting them on my plate. It was a strange symphony I had a feeling would develop more over time.
“Ah, missed one,” he said, picking up the olive with a fork. Instead of placing it on my plate, he held it out in front of my mouth. I let out a small laugh before opening my mouth and letting him put the fork inside. It was going to be an interesting evening.
Dinner arrived, and I cut off a piece of pork and held it on the fork in front of Nathan’s mouth. He quirked an eyebrow at me, smiling as he leaned forward to take the bite.
I opened my mouth and pointed my finger toward it while making a little feed me sound. He swallowed hard and his eyes darkened.
“The next time you do that, I will put something in your mouth and you will suck on it, choke on it, and then swallow what I give you.”
I drew in a sharp breath and began squirming in my seat. “Promise?”
