And then he’d broken her heart.
She choked down the agony suddenly sticking to her throat. “So how are your brothers doing?” she asked, cringing at the overly bright tone of her voice.
The subject was a harmless one, though, and soon she got caught up in his stories. He told her about Owen’s construction business, Jake’s life of danger in the special forces, Austin’s award-winning photographs. Charlotte reciprocated by telling him about some of her favorite concerts and the new songs she was working on.
By the time they drifted into the living room and sipped on the beers Nate had cracked open, she felt loose and relaxed. She’d forgotten how easy it was to be with Nate. How nice it was to confide in him. How much she wanted to rip his clothes off…
She almost gave in to the urge when something caught her eye. “Why do you have a guitar?” she asked, her gaze landing on the light brown acoustic guitar leaning against the bookshelf. “Did you finally learn how to play?”
Nate looked sheepish. “Uh, no. I just like having it around.”
Warmth suffused her body. Did he keep a guitar in his house because it reminded him of her?
Before she could stop herself, she set down her beer bottle, hopped off the couch and went to get the guitar. When she returned to the couch and strummed a few test chords, she was surprised to find the instrument in perfect tune.
“Can I hear one of your new songs?” Nate asked.
Pleasure swelled in her belly. With a little nod, she began to strum the opening chords of a song she’d come up with late at night a few weeks ago. There was no nervousness, no hesitation. She simply opened her mouth and began to sing. It came so naturally, singing to this man. As the still-rough lyrics slid out of her mouth, she was reminded of all those nights by the lake when Nate would lie on a blanket staring up at the stars while she perfected melodies in the deserted clearing they used to visit.
As the last note hung in the air then faded away into silence, Charlotte awkwardly put down the instrument and met Nate’s awed expression.
“It’s beautiful, Charlie.”
Their gazes locked, the room went quiet for a moment, and then, in the blink of an eye, Nate stumbled off the recliner, moved to the couch and scooped her up into his strong arms. “I think we need a bed,” he said roughly.
She grinned and twined her arms around his neck. “I think so too.”
With hurried strides, Nate carried her upstairs to the large master bedroom he’d showed her earlier and promptly deposited her on the navy blue bedspread.
“Take off your clothes,” he said in a seductively low voice, already making a move to unbutton his shirt.
Charlotte kicked off her shoes then took off her jeans and pulled her T-shirt over her head. She lay there in her underwear, watching Nate undress. When he exposed his chest, she sucked in a breath, wondering how he managed to maintain that drool-worthy six-pack working at a pub. Maybe he lifted weights or went running or— Her breath hissed out as his jeans and boxers dropped to the floor.
She hadn’t just been teasing him the other night—he really was enormous. His cock was long and thick, its width more than that of her wrist. Her mouth went dry at the mere sight of him then filled with moisture as she pictured herself wrapping her lips around that engorged red tip.
“Why are you still wearing your underwear?” he muttered, those gray eyes burning with arousal.
“Sorry,” she squeaked, hurriedly wiggling out of her bra and panties.
Nate didn’t make any move to approach the bed. He just stood at the foot of it, devouring her naked body with his gaze.
“Are you going to join me?” she asked.
“Make it worth my while,” he shot back, the corner of his mouth lifting in amusement.
She narrowed her eyes and cupped her breasts, pressing them together. “Aren’t these worth it?”
He rumbled out a laugh. “Maybe a little.” His gaze dropped to her thighs. “I’m more interested in what’s between those legs, though.”
A thrill shimmied up her spine. Licking her lips, she slowly spread her legs, revealing herself to him. The thrill deepened when she heard his sharp intake of breath.
“Like what you see?” she mocked.
“Mmm-hmmm.” His features taut with arousal, he lowered his hand to his erection and circled it with his fingers.
“Come on, Charlie, give me some good material for the next time I jerk off.”
The crude words made her sex throb. Determined to meet the challenge, she slid her hand down her body and pressed it to her core. Never breaking the eye contact, she stroked herself, rubbing her own clit with her index finger then moving it up and down her wet folds. Tension gathered in her body, her muscles tightening further when she teased her opening with two fingers.