I downed my fifth glass of whiskey and grimaced as the liquid burned my throat. A blonde I recognised came over and smirked at me whilst placing a manicured hand on my arm.
"Remember me?" she cooed.
My stomach turned and I had to resist the urge to pull my arm away.
"Not really," I growled, liking how her smirk fell.
"Bianca," she said, looking insulted.
I poured myself another drink of whiskey and she inched closer. Her arms crossed on the bar leaning forward slightly. The action caused her chest to plump up and it drew my attention. If I'd met her in the past it may have elicited a strong desire within me, however now there was nothing.
"Whatever," I muttered into the glass as I downed it again.
"You seem like you want some company, shall we go somewhere more private?" she asked, stroking my shoulder now.
I stared at her and contemplated agreeing. After all, it's what I'd been doing every night since Nate stamped on my heart. She moved closer as if sensing my train of thought.
"No, he isn't going anywhere with you!"
My body froze, not daring to look behind me. Just in case I was imagining things. It was possible considering how much I'd drunk.
Bianca stiffened too before glaring behind me. Slowly, I turned and my dick hardened at the sight. Nate looked dishevelled, breathless and sexy as hell. My body was a traitor.
"I don't think that's up to you." she seethed sliding up to me.
Her hands wrapped around my arm as she pushed her breasts against it. I bet she felt that was enough to convince me I should stay with her.
Without a word to her, I stepped out of her grasp and moved past Nate. Matt or Mia had properly forced him to come and drag me to theirs.
"Gabe!" he called after me as I headed to my office.
I swayed a little on my way to the stairs and opted to head for my car. However, as I made it outside and pulled out my car keys Nate instantly grabbed them.
"Give them back," I slurred a little.
"No, you're obviously in no fit state to drive. At least let me drive you home," he asked.
Reluctantly, I nodded and climbed into the passenger side. I expected Nate to drive me home but instead, he headed in the opposite direction. Nate pulled up outside his building, turned off the engine and got out. I had no idea what to do, so I just sat there dumbfounded. When my door opened I just stared up at him.
"Come on," he said, holding his hand out to me.
The last time I was here I hadn't even made it past the doorway, he'd been adamant about that. Now he was holding it wide open waiting for me to come in.
----
The next morning, I awoke with a groan. My head pounded as I sat on the sofa and took in my surroundings. My eyebrows knitted together, I wasn't at home or Matts.
There was a large open room with a kitchen, living and dining space. A small desk sat in front of a huge bay window with a laptop and several papers on top of it. I could see a hallway and imagined a bedroom and bathroom at the end of it.
Just then Nate walked up with a cup of coffee. The previous night was still a bit hazy, but I could remember enough. Bianca flirted, Nate showed up and then he drove me home.
"Nate?" I asked as he pulled up a chair in front of me.
"Gabe, I need you to let me talk and not interrupt. Please," he pleaded.
"If you're just going to say the same shit you did before. Then I would rather not hear it again," I told him, moving to stand and getting ready to leave.
He grabbed my arm to stop me and a rush of heat raced through me. It was crazy how just his touch could drive me insane with desire, despite him breaking my heart over and over again.
"I'm sorry Gabe," he said with a sigh and I found myself sitting. "I really messed up that night. Well, if I'm being honest, I messed up a long time ago. In college, the image I had of you wasn't great. From the beginning, you came across as a playboy that only cared about getting laid. Then that night on the beach you surprised me, I started thinking that maybe there was more to you than I first thought."
Nate looked nervous. However, my lungs were frozen as I waited for him to speak.
"I decided to try and make an effort when we all got together. You know, not be as cold to you. However, I still pictured you as the playboy I knew. I figured that you were still up to your playboy lifestyle but because we were no longer around each other all the time, I wouldn't see as many of your conquests. Then Matt and Mia said that they noticed you hadn't dated since we'd graduated. Matt told me about your first boyfriend and what happened. He explained the reason why you were the way you were. If everyone only saw you one way, then there was no point trying to change their minds."
Nate knelt in front of me and gently took my hands. His hands were sweaty and shaking a little as they gripped mine.
"It wasn't until he said that, that I realised that was how I was treating and seeing you. In college, I made assumptions about you and never bothered to see if they were wrong. I know I've made a mistake and I hope that you can forgive me. Can you give me a chance to make it right?"
His brown eyes pleaded with me and my heart melted. How could I ever say no to this man, I knew I was doomed. Instead of answering, I nodded with a smile which turned into a smirk.
"How exactly are you going to make it up to me?" I asked, loving the blush that rose up against his cheeks.
His eyes widened and he gulped before taking a deep breath.
"Well, erm .." he pulled his hands away and fiddled with his top.
I wanted to tease him and make some suggestive comments but I decided it would probably be a bad idea.
"Did you mean what you said at your club? To that woman and then later to me?" he asked, biting his bottom lip.
At first, I couldn't think about what he was talking about. My thoughts had predominantly been focused on the horrible things he had said as well as the taste of his lips. Then the light bulb went off and I smirked wider than before.
"You mean about wanting you? Finding you sexy as hell?" I asked and his blush increased.
Nate nodded, his eyes avoiding mine. Taking a chance I placed my thumb and forefinger on his chin and forced his head up. Without a word, I leaned forward and claimed his lips with mine. He gasped into my mouth but kissed me back.
I stood us up and used both my hands to grip his neck, angling his head slightly. He moaned and gently grabbed my waist. His tentative touch went straight to my cock causing it to throb and twitch.
Nate moved his head back causing us to break our kiss.
"Nate, I'm really trying hard to control myself right now," I confessed.
He arched an eyebrow, not quite understanding what I meant.
"I mean right now all I want to do is take you to bed and make hot, passionate love to you all day. My body is craving to touch and have you writhing underneath me, but I don't want to rush into anything and ruin my chance," I told him honestly.
"Your chance at what?" he asked, the blush making me sure he liked the image I'd created.
"My chance at dating you, being with you, loving you and growing old with you."
Nate's eyes widened before heat filled them. His hands slowly moved up my stomach and chest before wrapping around my shoulders. He stood up on his tiptoes and smiled before giving me a small kiss.
"Nate?" I asked, trying not to hope or push him.
He stepped back and for a moment, I thought he was backing out, that I'd gone too far. Then he took hold of my hand and pulled me with him. At first, I thought he was going to show me the door but he then turned down the hallway I had seen earlier.
Soon, he turned the handle to his room and looked back at me to give me a small smile. I almost tripped over rushing to get to him.
Nate's bedroom held a double bed in the middle of the back wall and a huge bookcase filled with books along the other.
Nervously, Nate stood in front of his bed picking at his oversized shirt. It was the first time I'd noticed what he was wearing. The same oversized shirt he usually wore and baggy sweatpants.
It always bugged me why he wore clothes that were always too big for him. I figured it had something to do with the scars I'd seen all those years ago but scars wouldn't show up through clothing.
"Gabe?" Nate asked as I still hadn't moved from the doorway.
I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his waist pulling him against me. His hands gripped my arms gently as his eyes searched mine.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked one more time, giving him the chance to back out if he wanted to, "It's ok if you want to go back to the main room and talk."
Nate shook his head before biting his lips. He looked like he was debating something inside his head.
"It's not that I don't Gabe, it's just …" he started to blush once again filling his cheeks. "It's just that I haven't … you know … ever …"
He gestured between us and the bed and I suddenly understood what he was saying. Nate was a virgin. Though for the life of me, I couldn't understand why. Nate was a great catch. Intelligent, sexy, sweet and kind. Everything you could want. Were the guys he dated deaf, dumb and blind?
Nate sat on the bed burying his head in his hands. It was my turn to kneel in front of him. Slowly, I forced his hands away from his face, making him look at me.
"It drives me wild knowing that I'll be the only man to know your body or touch," I told him honestly.
"I have dated, or rather gone on a few dates with a few guys but it never turned into anything. They wanted to be more physical but I was reluctant," he explained.
Something clicked in my head and I instantly knew why. I was sure anyone would question why he had so many scars, how could they not?
"Because of your scars? Because when you undress they would see them and ask questions or be put off by them, right?" I confirmed for him.
Nate nodded, sighing. I cupped his cheek and smiled. He leaned forward and kissed me softly at first but then pulled me even closer.
When he pulled back he had a look of determination in his eyes. Suddenly, he stood up and I wanted to growl. His crotch was now level with my face and only a hair's breadth away. I had no intention of moving and he didn't ask me to.
Whilst staring up at him he slowly lifted his hands pulling his t-shirt up along the way. His chest had several small scars across his abdomen and a few small circle scars that looked a lot like cigarette burns. As much as I ached to ask him about them I knew now was not the time.
Nate bit his bottom lip as I stood and pulled him into me. He sighed lightly and smiled thankfully at me. I guess he was grateful that I wasn't asking anything. Gently, I kissed him again. His sigh against my lips sent a shot of heat to my groin.
My hands moved down his back, I ignored the long scars and cupped his ass. The round globes fit nicely in my hands and I couldn't help kneading them. His hips started to rut against mine and I groaned.
"Gabe!" he moaned as I kissed down his neck.
"Take off the rest of your clothes and lay down on the bed!" I growled against his neck.
Immediately, Nate stepped back and did as he was told. With a wide blush, he tugged at the string on his sweats before pushing them, along with his underwear, down to his ankles. He kicked them off and eagerly laid down in the middle.
His cock stood straight up reaching towards the ceiling. I smirked as I slowly roamed my eyes up and down his body as I undressed as well.
"Gabe, please!" he begged as one of his hands started to move towards his erection.
"Don't touch yourself!" I moaned.
His hand instantly stopped and went back to his side. I loved how receptive he was. Nate's eyes took me in hungrily as I removed the last bit of clothing. Then I made my way to the bed.
Slowly, I kissed my way up his body, starting at his feet. I bypassed his cock and he groaned at me in annoyance.