A Different Class - 10

Chapter 10

An alarm woke them both at half past five.

“I set it last night,” Nate explained as Rebecca gazed up at him sleepily, “we both have busy days!” 

Rebecca groaned and buried her head into his chest, “I don’t want to move!”

He chuckled, “do you want a shower?”

Her body shook as an answer, though her face was now buried in the pillows, “No point, I’m putting back on dirty clothes….I’ll have one at home.”

“Okay, I’ll get some coffee, then find your clothes and drop you home.”

“I’ll get a cab,” she finally lifted her head, “I don’t want you driving across town at this time of day.”

He shook his head, “It is not a debate, I am taking you, after all the corners I cut last night I am at least seeing you home safely.” He rolled away from her and got out of bed. Standing up he stretched, and she admired his firm and very appealing bum as he crossed the room. 

“I hope you are not ogling me Ms. Taylor!” he threw over his shoulder as he entered the en suite bathroom. 

Her chuckle was a lusty sound and she added, “I most certainly am!!!”

She managed to fall back asleep, her aching body needed more rest, and she was extremely relaxed when she felt something land on her stomach. Opening her eyes quickly she saw Nat stood next to the bed in a dark robe, his hair wet from the shower.  “Your clothes madam!”

She smiled as it was now his turn to ogle. Her arms and hair were spread across the pillows, her long eyelashes fanning her cheek. The crisp white sheet was doing a poor job of covering her, one long leg was tossed on top of the sheet, and it barely hid her breasts a truly erotic sight. Opening an eye she saw him watching her, and stretched deliberately letting the sheet fall a further inch exposing all of her breasts.

“Now who’s gawping at who Mr. Groves?” she whispered from behind her closed eyes.

He physically shook himself, “you are a minx Ms Taylor!”

She rolled fully on to her back, now naked to the waist, “and I’ll burn in hell! The question is will you join me?”

Within seconds he was on top of her and it was forty minutes before he was driving her home in his comfortable SAAB, ruing his inability to resist this woman, but savouring every moment of the night.

"I had a great night!" Rebecca murmured against his ear as he slowed the car near her house.  A hug seemed so inconsequential after all that had happened, but it was all that she had.

He blushed profusely, "I can only apologise for..."

She placed a finger over her lips silencing him, "I loved it, all of it...but especially Mr Nathaniel Groves finally letting go! I knew you were human inside!"

"I can be human AND a gentleman!" he was indignant, but her resulting kiss told him that she loved reckless acts, and in particular reckless acts with him.

“I really want to see you later...every night, but I'm working really late tonight."

Bec smiled, "we are allowed to have separate lives! I'm going to Bristol tomorrow, with work, can we meet Thursday?"

"I'm talking at a conference in Edinburgh on Thursday. Is Friday too late?"

"It'll have to be! I'll miss you!"

More than he realised, she thought as she watched him drive off. Now is was on to Operation Salvage Friendships, she had to call the guys.

A couple of days passed and Nate, who still in a daze, struggling to manage his desire and lust for Becca, met Patrick for a few drinks after work. When he entered the bar attached to the gym they both used, Nate spotted Patrick sat at the bar a bottle of red wine open next to him, and his laptop flashing vivid images, a music video? He wondered.

It was strange to see his friend unchanged after the metamorphosis that Nate had gone through when he'd taken Rebecca back to his house.  Dumping his kit bag on the floor, Nate slid onto the stool next to his friend, just in time to see a man smash up a drum kit with a large guitar whilst singing what sounded like the words, "hell for you is hell to me!" on the screen of the laptop.

Leaning back against the arm of the stool he observed his friend who was smiling at the screen. When the song, and of course the video ended Patrick finally looked up, "Deadly Assassin's first video. Filmed last week! I'm so proud!" Nate noted that the only enthusiasm his friend truly showed was for anything linked to the band he managed, or rather nursed like a baby!

Nate patted him on the back, "I don't think I'll ever understand you Jordan, not as long as I live! That was a din, nothing more and nothing less!"

Patrick smiled, a smile that had sent many a prim and proper wild with lust, "you are so desperately in need of a chill pill Groves! I really thought that little fox would drag you out of your strait jacket!"

Nate hid his reaction to the merest suggestion of Rebecca, he had to control his lust, and he was convinced that was all this was. "Patrick, we have ALWAYS been polar opposites, that is why we get on. Don't try and change that now!"

Patrick busied himself filling a second glass of wine to share with his friend, before raising an eyebrow in his direction, "what's wrong Groves? You seem...different. Is it the fox isn't it?"

Nate took the glass and a large slug of the earthy red wine. Savouring it for a moment he finally swallowed the warm liquid with a groan, "I'm fine, honestly."

Patrick was the only person he spoke to about anything, usually that involved tales of his father's demanding behaviour, he wasn't sure it stretched to a girly chat about the woman who'd occupied his thoughts all day!

Spotting his raised eyebrow, Nate smiled, "I just want a few drinks with my mate. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Patrick laughed and started to regale stories of the aforementioned video shoot from the previous week. Tiptoeing around what he knew was the reason for the meet. Patrick had instantly loved Rebecca. He'd seen only snippets of the time Ed was with her, but she'd been sparky and fiery then, and he'd never have dreamt of her and Nate...but when he'd seen her in the garden of the restaurant tearing a strip of Cat a particularly aggressive form of everything he hated - an overindulged and spoilt rich girl, he'd been fascinated. And he'd also known that she was just what his friend needed. Nate had taken on so much, financially managing the estate for his father, work, keeping tracks on the twins...it was a long time since Nate had put himself first, and he had a real strong feeling that she was exactly the person to make him rationalise and prioritise. 

When he glanced over Nate was staring off into the distance, a wry look on his face.

"She must be good if she's got you in a tizzy!" He laughed patting Nate on the back and then turning to order another bottle of wine.

Nate paused for a moment, then murmured, "I've never felt like this before. And it's all a bit scary!"

Patrick spun around to face him, "Wow! Nate my man, you've got it bad!"

Nate laughed, "I think you're right!"

Rebecca hated spending nights away, living out of suitcases. It probably went back to those years of being passed around foster homes. Since then she'd appreciated her home more than most. She loved holidays, but not this temporary sense of not being somewhere long enough to unpack. SO she was glad to come back. Work was hectic, and she had been looking forward to the weekend since Monday morning, well that was a lie, she'd been looking forward to seeing Nate since then.

She didn't receive any calls from her friends in the two days following her email, they were obviously mulling over her words. She knew she had to speak to them in person, and now following the positive strides in her relationship with Nathaniel, she felt more confident to do that. She realised how cowardly her email had been.

It was late on Friday, but she didn't want this animosity to cut into the weekend, she called Tara but her phone cut straight to answerphone without ringing. So she sent her a quick text, 'Sorry for being so snappy last week. It's all so confusing, hate not speaking miss you too much, forgive me? Bx'. The boys were much easier, she decided to go and see Johnny and Lyle. They always drank in the Boars Head after work, so she headed there at five o’clock.

They were sat in their usual place in the beer garden, several empty glasses between them. She held her glass even tighter as she headed towards them. Johnny saw her first.

He stood up, “Bec!”

She smiled, “hi guys!” She slid onto the bench opposite them. “How are you?”

“Good!” Lyle offered, “though that man over there is making eyes at Johnny, so he’s glad you’ve turned up. He’s been sweating the last hour and a half!”

She laughed, in typical boy fashion they didn’t discuss emotions or feelings. It was just carry on where they left off. She knew that Tara would be a different story! "I thought you were courting Gemma Johnny, it's not good to risk our Sunday table you know!"

Lyle laughed out loud, "you're right! Just imagine, jilted Gemma and the table wars...it's like a book!"

And that was it, within moments they were back into the old routine, two idiots laughing at the world, and it was only when they were talking about the upcoming weekend that Nate’s name cropped up.

“We are sorry over last week. I just did think that he had an agenda.” Lyle looked embarrassed.

She took a deep breath, “and I love you all for being so caring and looking out for me, but as you know I don’t do relationships, it takes years to get to know me, so of all the people you’ll ever meet, I am the least likely to ever get involved with a man I haven’t checked out first. And as much as I love you all for caring, I resented you all for not trusting me, for not realising that I am not diving in heart first!”

They both nodded, before Johnny added, “we just think of you as a sister, and his dad hurt you so much….”

Her heart surged with love for her best friends, they were like her brothers, only brothers you actualy picked, and she'd loved them so much, “I know, but he is different. Different to his dad, and I know he’s world’s away from us in so many ways, but he’s funny, he’s caring….he spoils me but without walking all over me. I’m not saying that you’ll be best mates, but he does have my interests at heart.  And I feel happy……and I haven’t been truly content for most of my life!”

The two men coughed and spluttered awkwardly, so laughing, she asked where they were going to watch the England match the following day, and with enthusiasm they changed the subject.

As she was contemplating calling Tara again, her phone rang, and seeing Nate's name displayed, she felt her heart surge. 

“Hey you!” she answered.

“Am I glad to hear your voice? I’m having a bastard of a day!”

She smiled, she’d never heard him swear. “Does that mean you’re cancelling on me?”

“God no, I’m just in a taxi heading to Canary Wharf. I’m not sure what time I’ll be done, but I needed to speak to you!”

“There’s no rush in getting to me. I’ll be in; I’ve got a few things to do for work, and then a DVD to watch…..and a bottle of something ice cold too I think.”

“All sounds so inviting…..and didn’t you mention cooking?”

She laughed, “I saw these wonderful king prawns in the fishmongers at lunchtime, they take minutes to cook, so I can do them when you arrive. Thai style I thought!”

“Just when I think I can’t desire you anymore than I already do!” his voice was croaky, something that Bec already recognised as a sign of lust.

“Just be as quick as you can!” she begged, and he chuckled.

She was two thirds of the way into the movie version of Pride and Prejudice when there was a knock at the door. She was saved from the awful Keira Knightly, though she did rather fancy the elegant Mathew Macfadyen. Colin Firth he was not, but there was something rather hot about his voice that reminded her of Nate. Fanning herself and ruing her wild hormones, she made for the door.

She rushed to open it and smiled as a very tired, yet very attractive Nate stood leaning resting against the door frame. She threw herself into his arms, straining to plant her lips on his. 

“You’re earlier than I thought!” she breathed when she finally gave him his lips back.

He nodded, “desperation means you work very hard!”

She let him in, and chuckled at the numerous bags he had draped over his arm. “I managed to remember a change of clothes for tonight….” he justified his baggage, then held up a small bag, “and earlier I got this for you! I managed to find the time to nip in somewhere special for that certain someone special!”

She took the gift and reached up to kiss him again, this time in a more chaste fashion, such was her eagerness to see her gift.

Inside was a bottle of champagne, vintage no less, and the softest cream satin baby doll camisole, and knickers that she'd ever seen. She blushed, no one and bought her underwear before, or one so lavish 

“Oh they are beautiful! Thank you SO much!” they were easily the most expensive item in her wardrobe, let alone her lingerie drawer! Glancing up at him she beamed, he was a little self conscious over his purchase, and looked tired, “Do you want a shower? You look a bit….” she searched for the right word.

“Bedraggled? I’d love a shower. And I can change out of this suit!”

She gestured to the bathroom, “I’ll get dinner on!”

Nate felt almost human again when he walked into the kitchen in jeans and a v necked t-shirt, but glancing  ahead, he froze, for there at the cooker was Bec, dressed in nothing but the new underwear and an apron stirring a sizzling wok, the room filled with stunning aromatics that transported him back to his gap year when he travelled through Bangkok!

“I don’t know what’s the most erotic thing, the view, the smell or the anticipation of both!”

She glanced over her shoulder, “I assure you nothing will disappoint!”

He sat at the small table, watching her every move after accepting a glass of champagne from her.

Within minutes, she slipped out of the apron, and placed two plates on the table, and sat opposite him. He looked at the soft folds of satin that moulded around her breasts, then skimmed in pleats to her waist.

“Dig in!”

“How am I supposed to concentrate on conversation or food?”

She laughed, “You bought this!” She gestured to the underwear with her hands.

“And may I just say I chose exceptionally well! I just didn't anticipate trying to eat my meal whilst fighting the desire to rip it off.”

The meal was light, fresh and was washed down with both the champagne and the white wine. They moved to the sofa, his arm around her, her relaxed into him.

“I’ve loved this evening!” He kissed her head. "It's the most relaxed I've felt in far too long!"

She nodded before looking up at him, “me too.”

Nate's smile was warm, “I know it’s early days Bec, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this.” 

She leaned back across his lap as he spoke so she could look up into his face. “I know what you mean, I feel like I’ve known you for years!”

And she did.