★RAINE★
Sunday
The week flew by much quicker than I'd expected. My nerves were absolutely racking, and I didn't know if it was the impending doom of a family dinner or the fact that Nathaniel was home this morning.
I'd forgotten to ask him what time the dinner would be, even though I already had a feeling it would be a night thing. Staring up at the ceiling, I heard my phone ping. I picked it up from the nightstand and read Hailey's message:
> Hailey: Do you think you can drive up town for church?
>
I sighed. I wasn't even sure I was going to make it to church today. I'd researched and found St. Peter's Church in Munich, but I didn't know if Nathaniel was Christian or if he even attended. I sighed again and typed out a response for her:
> Me: Not sure I can, boo.
>
The message was read instantly, and the three dots signaling typing danced until her response came in.
> Hailey: Alright, sweetie. I'm prepping for church right now, I'll text you later.
>
The message bubble faded from my screen, and the room returned to its quiet stillness. I dropped the phone on my chest and stared back at the ceiling, forcing myself to take slow breaths. My stomach had been twisting all morning, and it wasn't because I hadn't eaten yet.
Nathaniel was home.
And today… today was the dinner.
And I desperately needed to know what time the dinner was.
Taking a deep breath, I got out of bed, wearing only a loose, SpongeBob-designed Polo that stopped directly above my knee. It felt scandalous, though I usually dressed like this whenever I slept over at Elliot's. Thinking of him brought a pang to my chest and a greater surge of anxiety to my body. I wondered what his reaction would be upon finding out that I was the wife his uncle was about to introduce.
I exited my room and walked along the veranda leading to the staircase. I climbed it, and it didn't take long before I reached Nathaniel's door. Taking a deep breath, I knocked twice, awaiting permission before entering.
"Come in," he said. His voice still sounded groggy; he was perhaps still sleeping. I opened the door and stepped in, stopping right in my tracks at the view that met my eyes. Nathaniel was laid on his front, his entirely tattooed back down to his waistline on display for me. He was wearing banana boxers, his long legs stretched out on the bed. His hands were tucked under the pillow beneath his head.
He raised his head a little and stared over his shoulder, sleep still heavy in his eyes, then laid his head back down.
"You must not have had any sleep this week," I muttered, stepping further into the room. "It's a few minutes past eight." I stood before the ottoman at the foot of the bed, unsure if I should sit.
"Mm," Nathaniel hummed.
I tapped my bare foot on the ground. This was incredibly awkward. I stared down at the cream-colored ottoman, my hand itching to open it and see if anything was inside. Unable to hide my curiosity, I followed the impulse and opened the ottoman. It was empty.
"What are you doing?" Nathaniel's voice jolted me, the cover of the ottoman leaving my hand and slamming shut to reveal Nathaniel's gorgeous morning face staring at me.
"I... Uh..." I swallowed. "Nothing."
Nathaniel shook his head. He then turned over, laying on his back with both hands underneath his ruffled hair, his left knee raised in an upside-down V position. "You are adorable."
My cheeks heated. Was that a compliment?
"Come." I raised my eyebrows, not knowing where he wanted me to come. "Get on the bed, Drop."
My lips twitched involuntarily—so he was still using that name?
I crawled over the ottoman and onto the bed, reaching Nathaniel's side but just sitting on the back of my legs. I didn't know where he wanted me to sit. That thought was cut short when he dragged me by my right hand, a yelp leaving my mouth as he pulled me on top of him, my breasts hitting his bare chest.
"Lay properly on me, Raindrop. We've had sex before. Don't act all prudish."
I blinked and blushed hard at Nathaniel's words. What the hell was he even saying?
"I... B-but sex is not—ah!" I yelped harder when Nathaniel grabbed the back of my thigh and laid me properly on him, in the sense that I was straddling him. My hands were on his chest, my bare flesh rubbing his stomach, making me instantly wet. I knew Nathaniel must have felt it too, because the shell of his ears heated and his brows drew together. His fingers on my hips flexed.
"No panties?" he said, but the words came out as a growl instead. Or perhaps that's how I perceived it because I was becoming aroused simply by being bare and in his bare presence.
"I... I don't usually wear them to bed," I whispered. I wondered what he thought of me. "B-but I can... I will start wearing them if you have a p—"
"Why would I have a problem with you not wearing panties?" he asked, and I could tell it was genuine, not mock. Nathaniel's brows straightened, then a smirk lifted the corner of his lips. "You're wet," he whispered.
The first time I'd had sex with Nathaniel, I was purely drunk, and so I didn't feel the embarrassment or shame until I woke up. This was very different. I felt embarrassed. I moved to get off him, but his hands held my hips tighter.
"Where do you think you're going?" he growled.
"This is not the reason why I am here." I tried to sound unaffected, although my friction against his delicious abs told a different story.
"No?" Nathaniel chuckled. "Then, sweet girl, why are you here?"
"I... To..." My words were coming out unintelligible because his left hand snaked down from its initial position on my thigh at the side of his abdomen, trailing soft fire up my skin. "Nathaniel..." I whispered when his hand almost reached where I dearly wanted it.
"What, Drop?" Damn him! He knew he was teasing me. "You're gonna have to say please to get what you want."
I bit my lips hard enough for him to lift his other hand and gently pull it out. "It's not hard, darling. Just say please," he chuckled.
I took in a shaky breath then said, "Please, Nathaniel, touch me."