"You broke my heart, Josie. All I wanted to do was be there for you and you pushed me away like I didn't mean anything.""You mean the world to me, Nate. I was being stupid and emotional.""And what happens the next time you have a bad day? Would you do it again?""Never," I promise.He shakes his head no again. "I just don't know, Josie. You brought me into your house and I got attached to Emma and you. I don't want to go back and forth. If I'm here, I want to be here forever."I reach for his chest but he steps back. "I want you here forever, Nate."He takes another step back, putting even more distance between us. "I need some time to think about it. You did a number on me and I spent the last few days thinking about how not to let that happen again.""It won't happen again.""You told me you wanted to be an independent woman and I don't want to take that chance away from you," he says, halfway back to the door.I don't know what to say to make him stay. Or if ther
With the call disconnected, I release a huge breath of air, letting it run between my lips noisily. "I guess here goes nothing, Emma." She doesn't even look up to acknowledge the craziness of our current situation.I haven't even gotten off the couch when there's a knock at the door and it slips open. "Josie, it's me."Winnie takes a step into my apartment waving her hands. I don't know when we moved from a friendly knock to a best friend door open, but surprisingly that's the least of my worries today."Did Nate call you?" I ask suspiciously.Winnie smiles, her lips pressed together, but I can tell she has a secret. "He may have suggested you would need some help with Emma, and you know how much I love Emma.""I don't want to bother you." She's playing so well I could take her with me to Pelican Bay.Winnie doesn't listen and walks right past me to sit on the floor with Emma. "I love her. And besides, Huxley may come over later and I want him to have as much baby time as p
I shake my head, confused. "You what?""I bought this house. For me...Well, for you," he says, watching my facial expressions when he drops the news.I'm slow to pick it up. "You bought a house?""For you.""A house?" This house?"Well for us, but then you dumped me so...""Wait, you bought this house?"Nate nods, but slowly, his enthusiasm lost."I knew from the minute I saw you I wanted you in my life, Josie. And then the accident happened," I don't miss how he glosses over hitting me with his truck, but I let him. "And I got to meet Emma and be a part of your life and it made me realize that's what I want. I want a family. My own family. But you wanted this house, and I heard you were having problems getting the loan. I couldn't let you lose this place after everything else. I bought it that day.""That day?" How did he get a mortgage so fast?He grins, ignoring my question about when and launches into other aspects. "It's a great house. Close enough to the schoo
Nate steps back, dislodging my hand from his pants. "I can't wait, babe. I'm sorry. I need to be in you." He slips himself free and then wraps one of my legs around his hips, stepping away to place my back against the wall. He glides easily inside and my pussy clenches around him. I've missed him too."Don't wait," I say when he doesn't start moving.Nate chuckles, running his chin stubble across my neck and placing kisses on my collarbone. "I like it when you're greedy."He doesn't waste time, setting a steady rhythm right from the beginning as he works to fill me deeper and deeper each time our bodies come together. His fingers slip between our bodies and rub circles on my clit.I arch my back, pushing my shoulders against the wall and doing my best to get as close to him as possible. The tightness builds in my body quickly and I dig my fingers into his shoulders holding on."Faster," I demand.He listens, pumping into me harder. His fingers sink into my ass cheeks as he
The receptionist rolls her eyes and points to the hallway behind her. "They're waiting for you."Nate's eyes flicker between her and me, and then he grabs ahold of my hand, wrapping our fingers together as he shuffles me down the hallway with him.It's not until we're passed it when I realized the front desk was empty. Not a phone or computer in sight. Just a lone woman with her nail file."Nate," Ridge says, stepping out in the hallway from the room. He closes the door behind him when he sees me. "Lukis is in here with the intel, but he brought someone with him and she's in the conference room. I'm sure she could use a friend to chat with, if you know what I mean?"Ridge tilts his head in my direction indicating I should be said friend."Are you okay with that?" Nate asks."Sure."Nate deposits me in a large open room full of windows and the biggest table I have never seen in real life. It would fit twenty people although I only count sixteen chairs."Hey, they sent yo
Barry didn't seem keen about having to pick Emma up and drop her off again this month. He was even less excited about it when I explained we needed the extra help because we were moving. I don't need him and Nate to get into an argument in front of Emma. Hopefully he got his yelling done over the phone.Nate scowls but takes a deep breath and hands Emma to my waiting arms after I loop her bag over my shoulder."I'll be right back," I say and kiss him on his cheek.Emma giggles and babbles on about her dad as we walk to the front door together, her bouncing on my hip. "You're going to be good for your daddy. Right?" I ask and she smiles. "But not too good."I whisper the last encouragement so her father doesn't hear.She's all smiles as I open the door and even yells out "Daddy" when she sees him. But both of our faces fall when we get an eyeful of Barry's expression. His eyes are already narrowed and his lips pursed together in annoyance. I guess he assumes I took too long. H
Katy shakes her head. "You are marrying Ridge Jefferson. The Ridge Jefferson. Everyone expects an invitation. The whole town wants to witness the event.""You think so?" Tabitha asks hesitantly.Katy nods. "Do you know he once dated and dumped a girl because he said she was obsessed with her nails?""What does that mean?" I ask.Katy and Tabitha both shake their heads. They have no idea. "Believe me when I say it's not even the most ridiculous reason Ridge broke up with someone in the past. Our friend Tabitha here is the only one who's ever been able to keep him. And now she's marrying him. The whole town wants pictures.""We'll put an announcement in the paper."Katy smiles a little wickedly. "Girl, this shit will make the front page of the paper."Tabitha's face falls into a mixture of shock and horror. "Can they do that?""If you live in Pelican Bay, they can."The living room having been placed into boxes, Nate walks out from the hallway and stops where we've gath
"Who me?" I ask, putting a hand on my chest like it's not possible they could mean me. But my wide eyes give me away. They dart around anywhere and everywhere except looking at the men in the car as I back up.The one behind the wheel, an overweight white man with slicked-back hair and dark sunglasses I only thought California troopers wore, laughs. "Yeah, that's her. Grab her, boys."Two car doors open and I turn, my eyes wide like a bunny stuck in a trap. I run in the first direction I can. Straight ahead. It's Sunday, and the office is closed, but if I can reach an apartment in the building, there's a chance someone will help me. I veer left, turning hard and heading toward the apartment building, but something finds my back like a heavy bag of potatoes and knocks me to the ground.I open my mouth wide, preparing to scream, but he clamps a hand over my lips and pushes so hard I can't even bite down. The man on top of me smells like he dumped a bottle of cologne on himself to c