Infraction
Page 33
He froze, his lips still attached to mine. He pulled back, the look on his face intense, grave as he realized the magnitude of my declaration. His eyes darkened and then he kissed me again.
His hands roamed under my shirt, setting my skin on fire, grabbing me, pulling my body closer. My fingers tangled into his hair, body arching into his, loving the feeling of him mashed against me.
My head was clouded, lost in my lust for him. I never wanted him to stop, never wanted to have his hands leave my skin, his lips abandon mine.
A fizzing sound filled my ears, and I turned to find the pot of pasta spilling over onto the burners.
“Shit!” He released me and rushed over to remove the pot from the heat.
The distraction brought us back, clearing our heads. He helped me down from the counter, and I moved to sit at the table as he finished preparing dinner.
We were getting so close to having what we wanted. I could see the proverbial light at the end of our twisted tunnel.
I sat out on the patio of Nathan’s condo, enjoying the sun and the scenery. He really did have a spectacular view of the city, much better than mine. Erin picked me up from work and wanted to show me the progress that was made on Nathan’s…remodeling.
I was shocked when I clamored in to find one half of the entry with smooth, white walls and the other showing the studs. I was told a little more about the destruction he caused, but I was not prepared to see the results. The pain he was in was almost palpable weeks later; it was evident in the few sparse pieces of drywall that remained.
Erin had been none too pleased when she showed me the mess he had created in the living room about a week prior. The destruction I witnessed was the evidence of Andrew’s offer to stay with me that night. The only night Nathan wasn’t with me since the accident.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Erin asked as she handed me a glass of lemonade and sat in the lounge chair next to me.
I sighed. “Just, thinking about Nathan and me.”
“I think things are going well.”
“You do, huh?” I asked with a small smile before I took a sip of the sweet, tart drink.
“Yes. Nate was brighter this past week. I don’t know what happened between you two, but the air seems…clearer around you both.”
“Clearer?”
“You know what I mean.” She waved her hand in the air. “There’s been so much pain and hurt, it made a constant tension, a static, since your accident. Now, though, I don’t know how to describe it. It feels…lighter.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. And, to an extent, things are lighter. We’re both trying, but it’s rough. I’ve never felt so much for someone, it’s disorienting.”
Erin shrugged her shoulders. “That’s love.”
Two words, one simple sentence, equaled a truth that rocked me. I was not only in love with Nathan, but Nathan loved me in return.
It was hard to believe six weeks had passed since my accident. So much had changed between us in that time. I still didn’t know what to call us or our relationship. It was all a bit confusing, but only if I thought about it. Doing it, being in it, loving him, was simple and easy. It was all the baggage we both came with that caused the greatest hurdle. We were both struggling, with Dr. Morgenson’s help, to get better, and we were making progressive strides through the muck.
We became pretty self-sufficient again with my limited but gained mobility. He was still staying in my condo, his all but abandoned, and sleeping in the same bed. We stopped putting up the invisible barrier in the bed and often fell asleep holding hands or touching in some way. We also woke up snuggled in each other’s arm. I was beginning to feel so much warmth and security there, it scared me, but I tried to push the fear away.
Sarah, Teresa, Erin, and Caroline still helped out on occasion, especially with doctor’s appointments and taking me home from work.
Caroline was reluctant to welcome Nathan back in the fold. She didn’t trust him with me but was giving him the benefit of the doubt for my sake. She was watching him like a hawk though.
There were occasional dinners that popped up in my condo from time to time. One time there were three dinners that showed up. Needless to say, we were eating well. It was a good thing since I’d lost almost ten pounds through everything, and all the food was helping me to put it back on.
I spent my first three weeks back to work as part-time. Owen was doing a great job. He was a fast learner and a great help to Nathan and me. Hopefully they’d keep him in the position, for a little while at least.
When Jack Holloway called both of us into his office on my last part time day, I thought it was to discuss how things were going and to find out what Owen would be doing. Now donned with crutches, I hobbled through the door Nathan held open and we both made our way to the plush leather chairs sitting in front of Jack’s desk.
“Well, it’s been three weeks since you returned, Delilah, how are you feeling these days?” he asked.
I stowed the crutches beside me. “Better, and even more so when I get this cast removed.”
“Good. Very good. I remember when Nathan was the same,” he said with a nod. “How are you two doing?”
My brow scrunched at his question. “Well, we still have mountains of cases on our desks.”
“I don’t think that’s what he’s asking,” Nathan said. I turned to find him staring at Jack, an inquisitive look on his face. Jack smiled back. “Jack?” There was a pause as they looked at one another. Nathan rubbed his face and groaned. “He knows.”
“Knows?” I asked before realization dawned. I turned to look at Jack who was…smiling. Not the image I had in my mind when I thought of our boss finding out about us.
I had visions of a red-faced Mr. Holloway screaming about company policies and how could I corrupt his son-in-law or something. Though I’m pretty sure Nathan was the one doing the corrupting.
“And here I’ve been freaking out on how to tell you, and you knew!” Nathan threw his arms into the air. Jack smiled bigger and Nathan cocked his head and stared at him. “Jack, why are you smiling? Wait, yo-you didn’t…plan this…did you?”
I turned toward Jack and stared in shock. Was Nathan correct?
Jack continued to smile, a smug expression on his face. “Before you came here, Nathan, neither one of you was living. You both went through the motions, both dead on the inside. I hoped that you would be able to help one another.”
His hands roamed under my shirt, setting my skin on fire, grabbing me, pulling my body closer. My fingers tangled into his hair, body arching into his, loving the feeling of him mashed against me.
My head was clouded, lost in my lust for him. I never wanted him to stop, never wanted to have his hands leave my skin, his lips abandon mine.
A fizzing sound filled my ears, and I turned to find the pot of pasta spilling over onto the burners.
“Shit!” He released me and rushed over to remove the pot from the heat.
The distraction brought us back, clearing our heads. He helped me down from the counter, and I moved to sit at the table as he finished preparing dinner.
We were getting so close to having what we wanted. I could see the proverbial light at the end of our twisted tunnel.
I sat out on the patio of Nathan’s condo, enjoying the sun and the scenery. He really did have a spectacular view of the city, much better than mine. Erin picked me up from work and wanted to show me the progress that was made on Nathan’s…remodeling.
I was shocked when I clamored in to find one half of the entry with smooth, white walls and the other showing the studs. I was told a little more about the destruction he caused, but I was not prepared to see the results. The pain he was in was almost palpable weeks later; it was evident in the few sparse pieces of drywall that remained.
Erin had been none too pleased when she showed me the mess he had created in the living room about a week prior. The destruction I witnessed was the evidence of Andrew’s offer to stay with me that night. The only night Nathan wasn’t with me since the accident.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Erin asked as she handed me a glass of lemonade and sat in the lounge chair next to me.
I sighed. “Just, thinking about Nathan and me.”
“I think things are going well.”
“You do, huh?” I asked with a small smile before I took a sip of the sweet, tart drink.
“Yes. Nate was brighter this past week. I don’t know what happened between you two, but the air seems…clearer around you both.”
“Clearer?”
“You know what I mean.” She waved her hand in the air. “There’s been so much pain and hurt, it made a constant tension, a static, since your accident. Now, though, I don’t know how to describe it. It feels…lighter.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. And, to an extent, things are lighter. We’re both trying, but it’s rough. I’ve never felt so much for someone, it’s disorienting.”
Erin shrugged her shoulders. “That’s love.”
Two words, one simple sentence, equaled a truth that rocked me. I was not only in love with Nathan, but Nathan loved me in return.
It was hard to believe six weeks had passed since my accident. So much had changed between us in that time. I still didn’t know what to call us or our relationship. It was all a bit confusing, but only if I thought about it. Doing it, being in it, loving him, was simple and easy. It was all the baggage we both came with that caused the greatest hurdle. We were both struggling, with Dr. Morgenson’s help, to get better, and we were making progressive strides through the muck.
We became pretty self-sufficient again with my limited but gained mobility. He was still staying in my condo, his all but abandoned, and sleeping in the same bed. We stopped putting up the invisible barrier in the bed and often fell asleep holding hands or touching in some way. We also woke up snuggled in each other’s arm. I was beginning to feel so much warmth and security there, it scared me, but I tried to push the fear away.
Sarah, Teresa, Erin, and Caroline still helped out on occasion, especially with doctor’s appointments and taking me home from work.
Caroline was reluctant to welcome Nathan back in the fold. She didn’t trust him with me but was giving him the benefit of the doubt for my sake. She was watching him like a hawk though.
There were occasional dinners that popped up in my condo from time to time. One time there were three dinners that showed up. Needless to say, we were eating well. It was a good thing since I’d lost almost ten pounds through everything, and all the food was helping me to put it back on.
I spent my first three weeks back to work as part-time. Owen was doing a great job. He was a fast learner and a great help to Nathan and me. Hopefully they’d keep him in the position, for a little while at least.
When Jack Holloway called both of us into his office on my last part time day, I thought it was to discuss how things were going and to find out what Owen would be doing. Now donned with crutches, I hobbled through the door Nathan held open and we both made our way to the plush leather chairs sitting in front of Jack’s desk.
“Well, it’s been three weeks since you returned, Delilah, how are you feeling these days?” he asked.
I stowed the crutches beside me. “Better, and even more so when I get this cast removed.”
“Good. Very good. I remember when Nathan was the same,” he said with a nod. “How are you two doing?”
My brow scrunched at his question. “Well, we still have mountains of cases on our desks.”
“I don’t think that’s what he’s asking,” Nathan said. I turned to find him staring at Jack, an inquisitive look on his face. Jack smiled back. “Jack?” There was a pause as they looked at one another. Nathan rubbed his face and groaned. “He knows.”
“Knows?” I asked before realization dawned. I turned to look at Jack who was…smiling. Not the image I had in my mind when I thought of our boss finding out about us.
I had visions of a red-faced Mr. Holloway screaming about company policies and how could I corrupt his son-in-law or something. Though I’m pretty sure Nathan was the one doing the corrupting.
“And here I’ve been freaking out on how to tell you, and you knew!” Nathan threw his arms into the air. Jack smiled bigger and Nathan cocked his head and stared at him. “Jack, why are you smiling? Wait, yo-you didn’t…plan this…did you?”
I turned toward Jack and stared in shock. Was Nathan correct?
Jack continued to smile, a smug expression on his face. “Before you came here, Nathan, neither one of you was living. You both went through the motions, both dead on the inside. I hoped that you would be able to help one another.”
