Taming Eric (28 page)

“Why don’t you like it?” She
asked.

“Like it?” She even had to ask? “That’s the problem right there. I think I’m going to like it too damned much. There’s only so much a man can ha
ndle.”

Natasha laughed. “It’s just a piece of ling
erie.”

“That’s not just a piece of lingerie baby. That’s a weapon of destruction. You’re gonna destroy me if you wea
r it.”

“Stop being so melodramatic Eric.” She laughed at him
again.

He collapsed back on the bed grumbling to himself. “Damned health insurance had better be up to date. Wonder if it’s possible to have a heart attack from seeing a sexy woman dressed in lingerie that should come with a health war
ning?”

Eric went back to watching Natasha as she went through the contents of her bags. When she pulled out some more of her clothing, a small box fell free from the garments and hit the floor with a dull thud. It immediately got his attention as he wondered what it was. “What’s
that?”

He was surprised when she blushed, a dark red flooding her face. He went from surprised to curious when she grabbed it and hastily tried to stuff it back into her bag. “What is it baby?” Now he really wanted to know. What the hell had her acting the way she was and why was she so determined that he not fin
d out?

“It’s nothing.” She told him but he wasn’t listening to her anymore. His curiosity was well and truly piqued and he needed to
know.

He threw back the blankets, climbed out of bed and padded over to her naked. He squatted down and reached for the bag she’d dropped the box into but she swatted at him, trying to stop him. She obviously didn’t know what she was up against when his mind was set on something and finding out what she was hiding was all he could focus on. He grabbed the bag from her despite her protests and held it out of her
reach.

“Dammit Eric, give it back.” She tried again to get it back from him but he stood up pulling the box free from the bag. He could see it looked like a jewellery box and carefully he opened it revealing a heavy link silver bra
celet.

“This doesn’t look like something you would wear baby.” His eyes were still on the shining silver. It was obviously a man’s bracelet but who had she bought i
t for?

She was quiet for a few moments before she finally said quietly. “It’s not fo
r me.”

“Who’s it for? This looks like a man’s bracelet. What man would you buy a bracelet for?” Suddenly his stomach tightened, a mixture of anger and fear flooding him. Fuck no. She wouldn’t have bought this for him would she? “This had better not be for that bronzed idiot on the beach.” Jealousy wormed its way through him as he thought of that Brodie receiving this bracelet. Natasha had said she wasn’t interested in him like that, but who could be sure, maybe she did like him more than she was letti
ng on?

Natasha’s angry tone dragged his focus back to her. “Don’t be such a damned fool Eric. Why would I buy him something and he’s not a bronzed idiot, his name is Brodie. You’re the idiot.” She sn
apped.

Instantly he found himself bristling with anger. A simple yes or no would have sufficed she didn’t have to call him a fool or an idiot. He didn’t handle insults well given he’d grown up with just about every insult, every hurtful remark thrown hi
s way.

“Don’t call me an idiot.” He yelled, his anger rising. He knew, down deep inside, his anger was fuelled by more than Natasha calling him an idiot, it was fuelled by memories from his past that he didn’t want resurrected and sure as hell no
t now.

Natasha wasn’t finished with him yet obviously when she yelled back at him, telling him not to act like one. They glared at each other, tension radiating off both of them until suddenly her shoulders dropped her head bowing. “I bought it for you.” Her voice was so quiet he had to strain to hear. “The day you had to meet up with Carmichael and I went to the beach. I stopped at the shops too and had a look around. I saw it and I thought it would be nice for you, but maybe you don’t wear jewellery or something like that. I would have given it to you that day but…” Her eyes rose to his. “You know what happened when I got
back.”

Yeah he knew what had happened when she got back. He’d acted like a rampaging bull, trampling her down practically and took out his insecurities on her by losing his head and having unprotected sex. He stared down at the bracelet as it gleamed in the red velvet jeweller’s box. Her words still resonated through his head. She’d bought it for him. Why? No one ever bought him anything. Hell not even his own Mother had bought him anything beyond what he had to have like clothes and even then they’d been second hand. Sure he got small gifts from work associates, but nothing like this, nothing personal. Natasha had gone out of her way to buy him this, she’d made the conscious decision to buy it and as he continued to stare at it, half expecting to wake up and find he was dreaming the entire thing, he felt emotions flooding him that he would never have expected. His throat tightened and he was shocked to feel tears burning at the back of his
eyes.

Natasha’s voice cut through the silence and she sounded almost nervous. “I was going to give it to you when we went home. To thank you for this time away, but, if you don’t want it, or like it, it’s ok, I can take it
back.”

From her hesitant words he suddenly realised he’d been silent for too long. Finally with a voice that was husky from the emotions threatening to overwhelm him he managed to whisper. “No one’s ever given me a gift before.” He looked up at her briefly before his eyes shifted back to th
e box.

“You can’t be serious Eric. Your Mother would have bought you things, people from
work.”

“Sure my Mother bought me what she could afford, but only things I needed like clothes and food. Not toys or anything like that and I get things from employees sometimes and gifts from companies, but not like this. No personal g
ifts.”

Almost reverently he reached out to run his fingers over the gleaming chunky silver and was surprised to see his hand was shaking. Fuck but he was struggling to deal with how this one simple gift was affecting him. He was on emotional overload right now and not sure how to deal with it. He had to keep what he was feeling from Natasha though but it was getting so hard. The tears were burning at the back of his eyes and he blinked rapidly trying to keep them at bay, but he couldn’t and the bracelet blurred as tears filled his eyes. “Fuck man, get a hold of yourself. She’s going to think you’re a real pussy crying like this.” He told hi
mself.

“Do you like it?” Natasha’s voice was tentative and he nodded. He wasn’t game to speak because she would hear his voice cracking as he knew it would. He was just moments off the tears rolling despite desperately trying to hold them back. He could feel her eyes on him but he kept his head lowered, not wanting her to see his expression. “Eric.” She said softly and he felt her hand cup his
cheek.

That was it for him. Her gentle touch brought him completely undone and before he could stop it a tear escaped and tracked its way slowly down his face. She’d seen it too because her thumb swept across his cheek, brushing it away. With his emotions running high, tear after tear began to fall and he squeezed his eyes shut tight in an effort to stop the flood gates that had opened for him. He was out of control, unable to stop the tears and he felt so embarrassed despite the gentle touch of Natasha’s hands on his
face.

“Eric, oh god Eric, what’s w
rong?”

He sniffed, swiping at his tears, cursing his weakness when it came to this woman and how one gesture from her had turned him into a weeping mess. “Fuck it.” He cursed. “Dammit woman, you’re making me soft. One fucking gift and I’m crying like a bloody baby.” He raised his eyes briefly to hers before embarrassment made him lower them again. God what would she be thinking of him righ
t now?

She surprised him when she reached up and kissed him. Her lips a feather light touch on his. “It doesn’t make you soft just because you cry Eric. I don’t get this need for men to try and act all big and tough. It doesn’t make you less of a man. My guess is this gift has triggered something from your past, more than likely your childhood. Do you think that’s what it is?” She kissed him again. “Your secret’s safe with me.” She smiled up at him, her expression so soft and sweet and there was a gentleness in her eyes that pulled at his heart. It scared him a little that she would refer to his childhood. She only knew what he’d told her and he’d lied or chosen to leave out the worst of it at least. Still, it did embarrass him that she was seeing him with his defences down, he worried that she might think he was weak although nothing in her behaviour indicated that. Maybe he was just being paranoid but the one thing he was sure of, he loved her more than he thought it was ever possible for him to love someone. The words hovered on his lips, but he couldn’t speak them. He just didn’t have the balls for that and his heart couldn’t take it if her look turned to pity. She was sweet and kind, beautiful and caring, but he didn’t even entertain the idea that she could come to lov
e him.

“I still don’t know if you like it though Eric. You might have shed a tear because you hate it and don’t know how to break it to me.” She gave him a mischievous
smile.

“I don’t hate it baby. I can’t believe you bought it for me. I’m just sorry that I acted like such a bastard that day. No wonder you never gave it to me. Would you have given it to me at
all?”

“I’m not sure Eric. I probably would but not until we were going home.” At her words another wave of guilt washed over him at his treatment of her the day she’d gone to the beach. He’d been out of control. He’d gone at her like an animal because he’d given in to his own insecurities, thinking she had gone and lef
t him.

Carefully he removed the bracelet from the box. “Put it on me baby, please.” He held it out t
o her.

“You want to wear it now?” She raised her eye
brows.

“Yes baby, I do. Have you got a problem with that?” She shook her head, taking the bracelet from him to carefully do up around the wrist he held out t
o her.

Once she’d fastened it, Eric turned his hand, watching as the light hit the silver making it gleam. He was still in shock that she’d bought him a gift. None of his ex girlfriends had ever bought him anything. They only ever had their hands out for what he could buy for them. This was an alien feeling for him and he couldn’t take his eyes off the bracelet for a few minutes. He still kept expecting to wake and find it was all a
dream.

He could feel his emotions rising again and before he could give in to them and let the tears that were burning at the back of his eyes fall he reached out and pulled Natasha into his arms, his lips closing over hers as he kissed her with all the emotion that surged throug
h him.

As the kiss deepened and he felt her responding, her tongue sliding into his mouth he felt his cock stirring to life between them. Damn but he’d forgotten during the height of his emotional loss of control that he was naked. Well she was going to feel how much he wanted her with little barriers between their bodies besides her dress. He cupped her ass pulling her even closer. He needed her, suddenly he knew he had to have her and have her now. He needed that intimate connection with her so desperately, to be as close to her as he possibly could if not necessarily by mind, but certainly by body and with growing urgency he pushed his hard cock agains
t her.

“Eric.” She moaned. “I need to get some washing done.” She tried to push him
away.

He wouldn’t let her go. He needed her too much. His body was aching for her. “Natasha baby, I need you. Fuck it sweetheart, I want you. Fuck the washing, I’ll damned well help you with it but I need to be inside you.” He thrust against her and he could tell her resolve was weakening when he saw her nipples harden, pushing against the fabric of her
dress.

He knew he had her when her hands moved down his chest, over his stomach before she curled her fingers around his straining cock. He pushed her hand aside and reached down to grab the hem of her dress, pulling it over her head before easing a couple of fingers past her panties and slipping them into her pussy. God, but she was wet. With growing urgency he dragged the scrap of lace down her legs until she could step out of them and his lips crushed hers, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth while his hands cupped her breasts, grazing over the nipples until they had har
dened.

With his control slipping he dropped a hand between her legs, his thumb rubbing over her clit, back and forth, over and over again. Not breaking contact with her lips he began to walk her backwards towards the bed, tearing his lips from hers and reaching into the bedside table to get a condom from the drawer. Quickly he ripped it from its wrapper and sheathed himself before turning Natasha until she faced the bed. He pushed her gently between the shoulders until she bent over, her hands resting on the bed and her feet still on the floor. He nudged her feet until she spread her legs and he stepped up closer to her, grabbed her hips to hold her steady and lunged forward until he’d buried his cock deep insid
e her.

She moaned and he cried out as the feel of her wet, warm tissues closed around him, drawing him in deeper. He paused in her for a moment, pushed deep within her body, the head of his cock nudging against her cervix and amazingly felt tears burning in his eyes again. Something about being in Natasha was like coming home. It wasn’t just about the sex, it was that feeling that she was made for him, that their bodies were a perfect fit, that his body recognised hers as the one it was destined to be
with.