Nathalie accepted, but her eyes were in a daze. Her skirt slipped back to its rightful place. But not her blouse. It remained opened, allowing me to see the marks appearing on her neck and upper breast.
Pride swelled in me. I did that. She’s all mine, I thought with satisfaction.
Immediately, I turned around and stopped my leering, beginning to fix my own clothing.
Once I was acceptable, I faced her. I almost wished I hadn’t. Was she torturing me by slowly buttoning her shirt? I fixed my gaze on the ground. “We can’t tell your brother about this. Ever.”
“Of course not!”
“We can’t do this again.”
“Then stop starin’ at me like that.”
My eyes immediately moved to hers. Thankfully, she was covered. “Like how?”
“Like you wanna kiss me.”
“I do,” I growled and walked back to her. At the last second, I pulled back. With my hands on my hips, I took a deep breath. “But I can’t because your brother is my best friend.” In frustration, I turned and dragged my hands through my hair. Behind me, Nathalie followed. She grabbed my elbow. I nearly ripped my arm away from her because the last thing I needed was for her to touch me. Especially when I wanted her to.
“Why does your friendship with Étienne pertain to us?” she asked.
How could I explain how grateful I was, not only to Étienne, but to the entire Lacroix family? I had Étienne’s friendship when I had no friendship, and Adrien and Charlotte’s guidance when, most times, I had nothing but condemnation from my own parents. My debt of gratitude was something I would never be able to pay back, even though I would never stop trying.
I knew Étienne and how protective he was of Nat. No matter how I felt about his little sister, he would remove me from his life. Which, in turn, would lead to Livingston and then, of course, to Nat. That would be akin to losing the closest thing to family I had.
“Asa?”
The sound of Nat’s soft voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned back around and found Nat far too close. Her lips were red and swollen.
My lips.
No one could have them.
“I still want you to kiss me,” she softly whispered.
Her hands settled on my shoulders but all I felt was her small hands kneading the muscles near the base of my neck. I fought the urge to groan. I didn’t like anyone touching me, but, with Nathalie I never wanted her to stop. Stoically, I stared at Nat. “You shouldn’t want me to,” I replied.
She continued her ministrations. “Oh, but I do.”
As Nat smiled up at me, a terrifying realization settled over me; I didn’t understand myself and why I was the way I was. But Nat smiled as though she did, and she loved every part of me. She didn’t appear to be running away from me, but toward me.
Someone as beautiful as her wanted me. I believed my chances of that ever happening again were remarkably low. I’d be a fool not to kiss her one more time.
The kiss came easier this time. Nat moved her head and slanted her mouth against mine. She had grown bolder, her tongue gliding against mine. My arms wrapped around her, and Nathalie linked her arms around my neck as though we’d done this for years. A shudder rocked through me at how natural it felt.
I never wanted to let her go.
“Nat? Asa? Are you there?” Étienne called out.
At once, the two of us pulled apart.
“Fuck,” I hissed, as I made sure I was still presentable. As for Nat, her clothes were far from disheveled. It was her hair, rosy cheeks and brilliant eyes that told a different story.
For the second time in one day, I found myself saying, “We can’t do this again,”
“Yes, we can,” Nat replied as she lifted her hands to fix her hair.
“No, we can’t,” I said, this time with pressing urgency.
I buttoned up my vest, but I realized I was missing my jacket. I turned in a circle before I spotted it near the tree. I bent down and snatched it from the ground.
“You are still bothered by my brothers?”
“Yes, and I think the quick approach of one of them as we speak is a stark reminder that what we’ve done is more than reckless.”
The sound of Étienne’s footsteps had Nat and I hurriedly doing any last-minute adjustments to our appearance. Our time together was coming to an end. We both knew that. But she leaned in at the last second and whispered, “Every mornin’ I go ridin’ at seven thirty. Yes?”
Nat looked up at me from beneath her lashes while she continued to adjust the pins in her hair. I could barely draw in my next breath, let alone think. I understood what she was saying, and what was being alluded. In spite of that. In spite of us potentially being caught today, I found myself nodding.
Her hands slowly lowered to her sides. Nat returned my nod with a smirk, looking more like a vixen than a virgin.
“Your names are still Nat and Asa, correct?”
Rather than jump apart like two guilty children with our hands caught stealing candy, we slowly turned around and faced Étienne.
My best friend was none the wiser and walked up to the two of us. Nat subtly took a step back from Étienne, as though she was anticipating her brother to suddenly figure out what we had done and attack.
“I kept sayin’ your names but neither one of you answered,” Étienne said.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I guess we didn’t hear you,” Nat replied innocently.
“What have you two been doin’ out here for so long? It’s been almost an hour.” Before either one of us could reply, Étienne continued speaking. “I think that’s the longest Asa has gone without workin’.”
Nat nervously laughed, while I solemnly watched the two of them. “I think it’s good for everyone to get a bit of fresh air now and then, don’t you?”
“Of course. But not when you are tryin’ to make somethin’ out of our business,” Étienne replied.
My best friend directed his attention to me. “Shall we go inside and get back to work?”
Readily, I nodded, anxious to do something that I was good at. Something that didn’t shut my mind down and make me forget who I was.
“Excellent. Let’s all walk together.” Étienne held his arm for Nat to take. Her arm linked through his, and reluctantly, I walked with them. Wisely, I walked on the opposite side of Étienne. More space from Nathalie allowed me to clear my head.
It didn’t matter how far away she was, though. I had had a taste of her. I had felt her. The desire I had before had grown tenfold. I made things go from bad to worse with my actions.
“Did you and Asa make amends?” Étienne asked.
Nat briefly looked at me. Her angelic smile slipped, and she grinned wickedly. “Most definitely.”
I swallowed, and turned away, telling myself I couldn’t clip Nathalie’s wings. I couldn’t selfishly keep her to myself. I had to let her fly.
I just didn’t know how to let her go.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Nathalie
The next morning, I wake up with my legs tangled with another. And a warm body pressed against mine.
My eyes blink rapidly, before they focus on the large hand firmly settled beneath my breasts. It doesn’t take long for last night’s events to come rushing back to me. My heart becomes stuck in my throat as I realize this is bad. This is very, very bad.