Nathan hugged his father back with matched ferocity. “I love you too, Dad.”
To my surprise and shock, George wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear. “Thank you, Lila. Please take good care of him.”
I stood frozen in his arms for a moment, and then with slow, tentative movements, my arms wrapped around him. I still wasn’t good with hugs, and sudden ones, such as George’s, were the hardest.
“Have a good night. I hope to see you at dinner sometime soon. Your mother misses you,” he added before turning for the door. “Oh, and don’t forget to bring this lovely young lady with you. Your mother would love to meet her. It was such a pleasure meeting you, Lila.”
“You too,” I said as he stepped through the door.
We stood in the living room for a few minutes before I broke the silence.
“Dinner?”
A grumble from Nathan’s stomach caused us both to laugh, breaking through the tension in the room.
“Please.”
After dinner, Nathan grabbed my hand and pulled me to him, bringing my lips to his with a gentle touch.
The kiss intensified and a few gropes later, he was pushing me against the counter. He released my lips and trailed kisses and nips down to my ear. “Come on, Honeybear, let’s move to the couch. I need a new batch of bruises on my body so I can scare the neighbors…”
I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous nickname he had concocted for me and the silly things he was saying. The name started after the event at the bar with Andrew, when he’d interrupted us. Its use had increased to where it was now being spoken at least once daily. I was sure it was being done to annoy me.
However, I couldn’t stop the joy that filled me every time he said it; the warmth that spread through my heart.
Walking into the living room, he sat down on the couch before reaching for the remote.
“Why is it that you don’t want me to see Andrew, but your fan club can hang all over you?” I asked as I moved in front of him and straddled his legs before moving lower. His hands moved up to my waist, his thumbs making small circles on my skin. “That sounds like a double standard to me, Mr. Thorne.”
“It’s simple. I have no interest in any of them and I have never touched, nor will I ever touch, any of them. Andrew, on the other hand, has shared a bed with you, been in a relationship with you, had his cock inside you.” He growled the last part, his fingers flexing around my hips. “I know he wants you and you have every opportunity to go back to him. He wants to take what’s mine.”
“They want what’s mine,” I pointed out. “And how do you know Andrew wants me?”
Nathan sighed and gave me an exasperated look.
“Delilah, I know you’re na?ve in some regards, but trust me, he wants you back. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. And, yes, the girls may want what’s yours, but have I ever touched them? Have I ever given any indication I wanted to pursue any of them? I don’t want to pursue anyone.”
“You pursue me,” I said, regretting it as soon as the words passed my lips.
Bad idea, Lila. Monumental sized bad idea.
His mood change was swift, and he became sullen, his hands stopping their movement across my skin.
“Yes. Against my better judgment.”
“What does your judgment tell you to do?”
“It says that it’s better for you if we weren’t together, but that line of thinking makes me want to go mad and I find it even harder to let go of you.”
“So…you’re saying…that your heart pursues me?” I pressed, praying to God he would give me some slight indication of how he felt about me. Even a hint that he cared for me. I needed to hear it. I desperately craved the affections of his heart. “Your head rejects me, but your heart wants me?”