Asa releases my hands and breathes deeply through his nose. My arms wrap around him as he gives me every thrust left in him.
When he slows to a stop, the two of us are left panting and trying to regain our breath. Feeling sated and pleased, my eyes open and close several times before they close completely. I’m dimly aware of Asa slipping out of me. He settles on his side and slips an arm around my waist, holding me securely against him.
“I am your home, Nathalie.” He sighs. “And you are mine.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
1911
Asa
“I’ve looked this over, and I think this is an investment you should consider at length.”
Étienne reached out and took the papers from my hands. Leaning back in his chair, he nodded while I spoke of the newest business proposal.
EAL Corporation wasn’t close to where we wanted it to be. For Étienne, this encouraged him to go further. One goal had almost been achieved, why not set a new one? I was far too analytical. I looked at numbers like a chess game. Each number had its place. My mind wouldn’t stop until each one was where it needed to be.
I knew with one bad investment, failure was very much an option. If Étienne wanted to be comfortable with his company, it would take another year of hard work and countless hours spent hunched over his desk, making wise investments, before he could hire on more staff and lessen his workload.
But working hard was something the both of us did quite well.
Every contract earned felt like a nod of approval from the world. I felt as though I was doing my job well and proving to my father that I had made the correct choice in working for Étienne.
After a long beat of silence, Étienne nodded and lowered the paperwork onto his desk. “What I’m readin’ doesn’t appear to be reassurin’.”
“I know that, and that’s why you should thoroughly think this through. However, I believe it’s important to give Uptown Machine a fair chance. They are a relatively new company but show possibility of high workin’ capital within time.”
Étienne arched a brow. “That they only have five thousand invested into their company from some retail executive is concernin’.”
“And now you have to decide whether you want to be the second man to invest in the company.”
Instead of replying, Étienne’s gaze returned to the papers. He stared long and hard at the information in front of him before he nodded. “Very well. I’ll invest.” Étienne gave me a rare smile.
“So much for the consider at length part,” I murmured.
“You’ve yet to lead me down the wrong path,” Étienne replied.
Solemnly I nodded, taking his words to heart more than he knew. He was my closest friend. I would do anything to make sure he succeeded.
Étienne signed off on the paperwork and when I took them from him, I straightened the papers on the edge of the desk and immediately put them in my briefcase.
“Precisely how long will it be until you think we have an office of our own?” I asked.
“Not much longer than a month or two.”
My face remained impassive, but I felt the energy drain from me. Étienne and I either worked from my home or Belgrave. I preferred to stay away from Belgrave for one pressing reason.
There was a soft knock at the door, and before Étienne said to come in, I knew, I just knew it was her.
My pressing reason.
The tension around my shoulders and neck nearly pulsated as Étienne lifted his head and smiled. “Good afternoon, Nat.”
I smelled her first as she brushed past my chair. Her scent was a combination of lilacs, sunshine, and fresh air. Briefly I closed my eyes, and when they opened, I watched Nat walk toward her brother from the corner of my eye.
She was no longer a little girl. I was struck by that realization the moment of her debut ball and for the past three years, I’d been subjected to watching her settle into the beautiful woman she was meant to become. Her breasts strained against the white, high-neck blouse, and her small waist and hips were pronounced in the gray skirt she wore.
Any man with a pair of eyes noticed the change in Nathalie. The anger I felt when I would catch them staring went far beyond protective. I had white hot fury running through my body. I wanted to stand in front of her and roar at each of them to stop looking at her. I had no claim over Nat. She was Étienne and Livingston’s sister, and they were protecting her just fine. And they would continue to do so. No matter how many times I told myself that, it didn’t take long for jealousy to swell when any man attempted to approach her. I simply stopped acknowledging her presence.
I couldn’t become angry at what I didn’t see.
Most of the time, that theory worked, but there were moments I broke.
She took off her riding hat, revealing her recently cut hair. It was a short style with the ends of her hair brushing her jawline. Étienne was furious with her impromptu decision; he had never been one for change. At length, he spoke of what a rash decision she had made, and the longer he talked, the more heartbroken she became. Her hazel eyes widened with hurt and all I felt was a surge of anger at my best friend. The emotion shocked me because I’d never felt anything less than respect, understanding and gratitude toward Étienne.
He was my first friend. The first person to stand by me and not run or tease me mercilessly about my eccentricities. With his friendship, I found an extended family. And here I was, wanting to hurt him.
All for wounded hazel eyes.
Yes, it was best if I kept my distance from Nathalie as much as possible. But when I was around Nat, I felt as though I had wings. As absurd as it sounded, it made perfect sense to me. If you found yourself around a bird long enough, pretty soon, you would believe you could fly as easily as them.
Throughout the years, I thought about what made Nathalie different. I didn’t give women thorough care and affection like Livingston did, but I wasn’t a saint either. The women that captured my interest did not linger long in my life, and the blame went to me. I would become so fixated on work that I’d merely forgotten about them. They became a distant thought and by the time I remembered them, they had long since gone.
I didn’t forget Nathalie. It was hard to forget someone who made you feel most comfortable with yourself. Even as a child, not once, would she flinch or look away from my stare. She listened to my spontaneous ramblings, and at times, I swore she enjoyed hearing what I had to say.
No, I couldn’t forget my Lady Gouldian, any more than I could forget myself. And that was the problem.
“Hello, Asa.”
My body tensed up at the sound of Nathalie’s voice. I couldn’t very well ignore her. That would only bring more attention to me. I lifted my head and gave Nat a curt nod. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”
Hurt appeared in her eyes at my terse greeting. For how long the hurt lingered in her eyes was beyond me because my attention was already on the papers in front of me.
“I just returned from Rainey’s,” Nat brightly replied.
“Did you now?” Étienne snorted. “Was that good for nothin’ brother of hers there? He was supposed to have lunch with me.”
Nat laughed. My stomach clenched at the sound. “Miles’ friend is visitin’ him. He’s quite a charmin’ man. I spoke to him briefly before Rainey and I went ridin’.”