Fight With Me (3 page)

“Okay,” I murmur. “Did I wound your fragile ego that badly?” I ask sarcastically.

“No, you hurt my feelings, and that doesn’t happen often.  I’d rather not relive it.”

Oh.

Before I can respond he walks to his desk and gathers his keys, wallet and the left overs, locks up his desk and grabs a briefcase.  “Let’s go.”

***

Yoga pants, tank, Nikes.  Extra underwear, bras, jeans, t-shirts. 
Jesus, Jules, you’ll only be gone for 48 hours, and that’s if you’re not completely sick of each other by tomorrow.
  I survey my small suitcase, and then grab my new strapless grey dress with pink stilettos, handbag and accessories.  Maybe we’ll go out.

I throw in some toiletries, jewelry, and makeup.  Then I shove my iPad into the Louis Vuitton handbag that my obsessively generous brother-in-law got for me and load everything into my little red car.

Good Lord, it looks like I’m moving in. 
Aren’t I?  For the weekend, anyway.

Before I can chicken out I lock up the house and drive back into the city to Nate’s apartment building in downtown Seattle.  He texted me the address, but I remember the way.  How could I forget?

I park underground in the extra space he owns, grab my small grey suitcase and purse and head for the elevator.

Dear God, I’m going to throw up.

I watch the numbers above the door climb as the elevator ascends to the thirtieth floor, and as each floor passes anticipation and nervousness grip my chest. I’m not convinced that this is a good idea.  Yet here I am.

I take a deep breath and ring Nate’s doorbell.  He answers quickly, opening the door wide and standing back to let me in.  He’s changed into soft faded blue jeans and a long-sleeved white t-shirt, his hair loose and pushed back from his face, just screaming for my fingers to be buried in it, and I’m glad that I had the foresight to change into blue jeans and a simple black t-shirt myself.

“I was afraid you’d change your mind,” he murmurs, and smiles gently at me, his gray eyes warm.

“No need to worry, here I am.”  He takes the handle to my suitcase and sets it aside, closing the door, and then pulls me into him, his arms wrapped around my shoulders.  I brace my hands on his lean, jean-clad hips and we just stand here, looking at each other.

“Thank you,” he murmurs.

“For what?”

“Agreeing to spend the weekend with me.”  He leans down and kisses my forehead gently and I frown.  This is a new side to Nate.  I like it.  How many more sides to him will I meet this weekend?

“Well, I’ve always found you to be pretty persuasive.”  I smile up at him and I see the humor in his eyes.

“I’m happy to hear that.”  He steps back and links my fingers with his.  “Let’s get you settled.”

Still holding my hand, he wheels my suitcase behind us and leads me through his condo.  It’s really spectacular.  The floors are all a honey-colored hardwood.  The front door opens up into a great room with tall ceilings and large windows with a great view of Seattle and the Sound.  The furniture is plush and inviting, in brown and red tones.  The kitchen is to die for, and I can’t wait to get in there and cook.

Cooking is a passion of mine.

This kitchen gives me a girl hard-on.  Seriously.

Six-burner natural gas stove, with a grill, double oven and warming drawer, two sinks, lots of  light colored granite counter space, and a huge refrigerator.

“Can I cook for you this weekend?” I ask as we pass by the kitchen.

“You cook?” he asks, looking back at me with surprise.

“I love to cook.” I smile.  “Do you?”

“I do too.  Perhaps we can cook together?”

“Okay.”

He turns away from me again, leading me from the room, toward the bedrooms.  God, he’s something to look at.  Especially in jeans, which I’ve never seen him in before.  His shoulders are so broad, and his t-shirt hugs the muscles across his back.  His jeans fall off his hips in that sexy way that toned men have that make women sit up and drool.

And I don’t know what it is about a sexy man barefoot in jeans, but holy shit.

Are we seriously going to jump right into bed?
  No, hey, would you like a drink? Or would you like to watch a movie?

Just, welcome to my home, get in my bed?

Nate leads me down the hall and points out a guest bathroom and an office.  Then he walks right past his bedroom and stops at the door at the end of the hall.  He opens the door and walks in, and I follow, completely confused.

“This is my spare bedroom.  You’re welcome to use it while you’re here.”  He places my suitcase on the ottoman at the end of the beautiful queen-sized bed.  The headboard is black swirly wrought iron and the bedding is blue and green, matching the nautical themed artwork on the walls.

“I’m not sleeping in your room?” I ask and cock my head to the side, studying him.

“You’re welcome to sleep in my room if that’s what you want, but I don’t want to assume anything.  I told you that I wanted to spend the weekend with you to get to know you better, and that’s the truth.  If you sleep with me, I won’t be able to keep my hands off you, and if there is no sex this weekend, I’m okay with that.”

I raise an eyebrow.  “You’re okay with no sex?”

“It’ll kill me because all I’ve thought about for the better part of a year now is getting your beautiful body naked, in the light this time so I can see you, but there’s time for that.”  He walks back to me, those beautiful gray eyes on mine, and runs his fingertip down my cheek.  “You are so lovely, Julianne.  I love your gorgeous blonde hair and your blue eyes.  And I so enjoy your smart mouth.”

Holy. Crap.

But then my snarky side rears her ugly head for a moment.  We haven’t slept together since last summer, and I know, just by looking at him, that he wouldn’t lack for willing bodies to bang, should he so choose.

He leads me out of the bedroom and back into the great room.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Water would be great.”  I need to keep a clear head while I’m processing all of this.  No sex?  With Nate?  Why stay here then?

“I have a question.” Nate crosses the living space to the kitchen and pulls water and a beer out of the fridge and saunters back over to me.

“Shoot.”  He passes me the water and we both sit on a plush, light brown couch.  I kick my flats off and pull my feet up under me and settle in.

“If you don’t want to have sex with me, why am I staying overnight?  We could just meet up during the day.”

His beautiful gray eyes turn arctic, and I know I’ve said the wrong thing.

“I didn’t say I don’t want to have sex with you.  I said it’s up to you.  And I want you, here, for a full forty-eight hours.  I don’t want you to run away from me this time.”

He takes a pull off his beer and glares at me.

Okay.

“Any more questions?” he asks with a raised eyebrow.

“One.  How many other women have you fucked since I was here last?”

Chapter Three

Holy fucking shit!  Why did that just come out of my mouth?

Because I want to know.

Nate’s eyes go wide, and then pissed off again.  “Julianne, if you had been paying attention to me over the past year, you’d have noticed that I’m not interested in any woman, for fucking or otherwise, except you.”

Oh.  Really?

He pulls his sleeves up to his mid-forearms and runs his hands through his hair in frustration, and my eyes zero in on his right arm.

“What is this?”  I scoot closer to him and can’t help but run my fingers down his arm.

“A tattoo.”  A smile tickles his lips and I smile back at him.

“Does it go all the way up your arm?”

“Yes.  It’s a sleeve.”

Oh my God, it’s sexy.  It looks tribal, and it swirls around his forearm, from just above his wrist, disappearing under his shirt.

“So, my conservative-looking, suit-wearing boss has a tattoo and has his penis pierced?” I ask with a smile.

Nate laughs and takes another pull on his beer.  “Yes.  You didn’t seem to mind the piercing, if memory serves correctly.”

And just like that my panties are soaked and I am on fire. 
No, I didn’t mind at all.

“No, I don’t mind it.”  I smirk.  “I just didn’t expect it.  How long have you had this?”  I run my finger down his arm again, and Nate grabs my hand and kisses it, then links his fingers with mine and rests them in his lap.

“Since my early twenties.”

“Were you a bad boy?” I ask, teasing him.

“Oh, I think I still am on occasion.”  He’s grinning, a full out grin, and it just takes my breath away.

“You don’t smile enough,” I murmur.

“I don’t?” 

“No, you have a great smile.”

“Thank you.  Want to know a secret?”

“Definitely.”

Nate’s still grinning, and he has an edgy, bad boy sparkle in his sexy gray eyes.  He props his gorgeous feet on the ottoman in front of him, crossing them at the ankle.

“Most of my front teeth are fake.”

“What?  Why?”

“Because they got knocked out.”

“Oh my God!  Were you in an accident?”  What the hell happened to him?

Nate laughs, and I’m completely confused.

“No, I used to fight.”

“Fight with whom?”

“With other guys who signed up for it.”

“I’m lost.”  I’m frowning at him.  What the hell is he talking about?

“I used to be a UFC fighter, Julianne.”  He’s still smiling, delighted with himself.

“You do MMA?” I ask.  I shouldn’t be surprised, that’s exactly the kind of body he has.

“You know Mixed Martial Arts?” He asks, his eyebrows raised almost to his hairline.

“Nate, I have four older brothers and a father.  Not only did they all teach me how to protect myself, they made me sit and watch that crap or play it on the xBox all the damn time.  It’s much to their dismay that I wear makeup and love pink.”

“So, you’re a badass, Miss Montgomery?”

“I am, Mr. McKenna.”

“Wanna prove it?”  He’s smiling again, delighted with me, and I’m smiling back at him.  Who knew sitting and talking with Nate could be so easy?

And who knew we’d have so much in common?

“Right now?”

“No, tomorrow.  Come to the gym with me.”

“I don’t know,” I shake my head.  “I might really hurt that pretty face of yours.”

“You think my face is pretty?” He kisses my knuckles, one by one, then leans over and kisses my cheek.

“You know your face is pretty.”

“I know
your
face is pretty.”

“It’s just a face,” I respond and shrug.  I have always received a lot of attention because of my face, and my body.  It’s just genetics.

Nate narrows his eyes at me, his mouth forming a hard line.  “Julianne, your beautiful face is only out matched by what’s inside you.”

What the fuck?
  No one,
no man anyway
, has ever said anything about what’s inside me.  Unless he was referring to his dick.

I gasp and feel my eyes go wide.  This is why I’m drawn to him.  He completely throws me off kilter.

“Well, aren’t you the charmer?” I ask, trying desperately to lighten the mood.

Nate smiles again.  “So, are you coming with me or not?”

“If you think you can take me, sure, I’ll come with you.”

“Did you bring workout clothes?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“So…” I look around his beautiful apartment.  “Did you decorate this yourself?”

Nate laughs and I feel the pull in my belly.  I love his laugh.  “No.”

“It suits you.”

“You think?” he raises an eyebrow and looks around at his beautiful home.

“Yeah, it’s masculine, but inviting, and comfortable.  And the kitchen is sexy as hell.”

“Sexy, suits me, does it?” He asks and kisses my knuckles again, sending shivers down my back.

I shrug and raise an eyebrow.  “You have your moments.”

“Well, speaking of my sexy kitchen,” Nate rises gracefully from the couch and pulls me with him.  “How would you like some dessert?”

“Dessert?” I echo, lamely.  Watching him walk is making me crazy.  He’s so graceful; he clearly takes care of that body.  I can’t wait to see what he can do at the gym tomorrow.

“I have chocolate cheesecake.”  He smiles back at me and I gasp.

“That’s my favorite.”

“I know.”

“How do you know?”

“Because at every business dinner you always order it for dessert.”  He motions for me to sit on a stool at the breakfast bar and pulls the cheesecake out of the fridge.

He pays attention to what I order at dinner?

“So I was a bit of a foregone conclusion tonight then?”  I cock my head to the side and smile sassily at him and can’t help but enjoy watching him squirm.

“No, nothing you do is expected, Julianne, but I was hopeful, and prepared, just in case.”  He cuts the cake and pulls two white dessert plates out of a beautiful dark mahogany cabinet.  He joins me and we dig in.

“Oh, Sweet Jesus, that’s good.”  I lick my fork and close my eyes.  Diving back in for a second bite, I notice that Nate isn’t moving. “What’s wrong?”

“You are so sexy.”  His eyes are burning with lust, and my body starts to hum under his hot gaze.

“I love chocolate,” I murmur and take another bite. “It’s my vice.  I don’t drink much, I’m not big on junk food, but chocolate is not safe from me.  If you don’t hide that cake, I’ll have it polished off by morning.”

“I don’t mind as long as I get to watch you eat it.”

I laugh at him as I take another bite and he digs into his own piece.  He nods appreciatively and licks his lips.

Oh my, those lips. 
He’s so good with those lips.

“Am I seriously sitting in your kitchen eating chocolate cheesecake?” I ask.  I can’t believe I’m here.  “If someone had told me this morning that this is where I’d be tonight, I’d have told them to seek medical attention.”

“Is it that much of a hardship?” he asks, and I can hear the hurt in his voice.