Caught by Her Read online

  The kind of smile that told me he was happy to see me.

  The kind of smile that made my broken heart soar.

  The kind of smile that made promises and dampened my underwear despite the fact I should still be furious with him.

  I was still angry with him.

  But I couldn’t fool myself into thinking I would be able to resist him. I hadn’t moved since he’d locked eyes with me, despite being in the middle of the dance floor.

  Jess suddenly appeared next to him again, and he broke contact to look at her as she moved to stand in front of him. His face twisted in annoyance as she placed herself directly in front of him, trying to wrap her arms around his neck. His hand caught her arm and I saw him pull her to the side, dragging her out of his line of sight. He gave her a stern look, saying something to her before he turned back to face me again, effectively dismissing her.

  I heard squealing and laughing as Kelly and Lindsay came down and joined us. Lindsay threw her arms around me again, breaking my trance with Nate as she hugged me fiercely, whispering with delight how pleased she was to see me, and that she hoped Nate and I would be able to work things out.

  Thankfully, Jess and Rachel stayed up at the bar, no doubt trying to entice Nate and Marcus. I wasn’t concerned. I knew Nate’s eyes would be on me and made sure to add an extra sway to my hips.

  I knew he was watching, I intended to make sure he liked what he saw.

  We danced to another song before Kelly and Lindsay invited us to join them as they went back to their drinks. We declined, and I watched them walking back up towards the balcony where Nate and Marcus now stood watching. Nate turned to speak to Marcus.

  I stood still as I watched him step backwards, his eyes on me the whole time. His smile dropped and his expression hardened as I felt an arm snake around my waist. I knew from his expression that it wasn’t Maddie.

  “Hi, I just wondered if you and your friend would like a drink? Or maybe a dance if you’re not ready to leave the floor yet?” The man gave me a cheeky grin.

  There was nothing rude or inappropriate in his advance. He wasn’t grabby or drunk, not like the usual leech that would try and grope you or slobber over you. He was just being friendly but I noticed Maddie’s grimace as she turned to look up at where Nate stood.

  I stepped back out of his embrace, conscious that Nate was shooting daggers at the both of us, his face hard and menacing as he stood back at the balcony. “No, thank you.”

  He put his hands up to show he couldn’t hear me over the music and I shook my head to indicate that I didn’t want either. He followed my quick glance up towards the balcony, smiled as he realised his error and then smiling wider now, if anything, moved forward again, pulling me back into him so that he could speak into my ear again.

  This guy clearly had a death wish.

  My pulse was sky-rocketing, not because of his proximity, but because I knew what this exchange would be doing to Nate.

  “I’m sorry. I should have realised a beautiful lady like you wouldn’t be here on her own. Have a great night both of you. If you’re ever here without your security, I’ll call in that dance.”

  We both laughed, mine certainly more nervous than his, before he walked away, disappearing into the crowd on the dance floor.

  Maddie looked at me and shook her head, “Oh, my God, Lena. You needed to get his attention, not make him commit murder! I thought Nate was going to lose his shit with you getting cosy on the dance floor! He was burning a hole in the guy’s head, staring at you both!”

  “Don’t be ridiculous! I wasn’t doing anything! I just thanked him and said good night. The guy was polite and I’m not going to be rude just because Nate was staring at me and might not like something. Jess is up there fawning over him! He doesn’t know what the hell he wants. He’s not spoken to me in days; he can’t act like a bloody caveman again now!”

  I glanced up to the balcony where Nate had been standing and my heart plummeted when I saw that neither he nor Jess was there. My eyes quickly swept the upper floor but I couldn’t see him anywhere. Marcus was walking down the staircase but Nate wasn’t with him.

  I couldn’t believe that he would just walk away. Maddie reached out to catch my arm but I pulled back, shaking my head.

  I’d cried enough over him.

  The room was closing in on me. Suddenly the music was too loud, the lights too bright. There wasn’t enough air.I felt claustrophobic. I needed to get out.

  I’d taken only a few steps when strong arms clamped down on my hips, forcing me to stop. I felt him right up close behind me, his body pressed up tightly to the back of me, his hands digging into my sides, holding me still and tight to his body.

  I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Nate; it was as if my body immediately became aware of his presence. I was attuned to his scent, his touch, his very being. My skin felt as if it was on fire, his touch igniting me even through my clothes. His hands were strong, holding me with determination.

  He leaned down to my ear, his breath tickling my neck as he growled at me, his voice reverberating with anger, “No. Fucker. Puts. His. Fucking. Hands. On. You.”

  The deep timbre of his voice sent tingles racing all through me. He sounded furious, but he was still holding me close.

  I was elated.

  I shouldn’t have been, but I was.

  We needed to sort things out, but right now, with his hands on me, I felt as if I’d returned home.

  Even with his anger, with the aggression of his hold and his stance, I instantly felt safe.

  I was exactly where I should be.

  My whole body was screaming out for his touch; my mouth had gone dry, all the moisture in my body seemed to be pooling at the heat between my legs.

  I should have been disgusted at his arrogance to come and claim me after ignoring me for a week, but I was euphoric.

  My self-respect and pride lay scattered around my feet.

  The scent of him, the feel of his hard body against mine, his hands holding onto me - It all of it made me want to spin around and grab him.

  Desire and need had taken over my senses.

  I wanted to forget about everything that had been said and done, to just be with him. I tried to think back to the hurt, to hold onto something to stop me throwing myself at him.

  I wasn’t going to be a complete walkover. I couldn’t afford to be. He’d done wrong - I needed to remember that. He’d hurt me, and, as much as I wanted everything to go back to how it was, I couldn’t just forget what he’d done. He needed to earn my trust again.

  If he didn’t respect me, then we’d never be able to make it work.

  The music was playing and people were dancing all around us, but neither of us had moved as he held onto me at the edge of the dance floor. I closed my eyes as he began to move against me to the beat, holding me and swaying with me. His hands were moving my hips. I pushed back against him, feeling his hardness through his jeans as I rubbed my arse over him.

  I felt his chest rumble with an almost savage sound as he spun me around harshly to face him, cupping my arse with his hands. His eyes held mine as he stared at me for a split second before releasing me.

  I had no time to complain about the loss of him - he’d caught my hand and was dragging me towards the exit.

  I quickly looked about for Maddie, worrying that I couldn’t leave her and feeling guilty about how much I wanted to go. I spotted her quickly. She was standing beside Kelly, Lindsay and Marcus at the downstairs bar, smiling broadly, both thumbs up, clearly giving her permission for me to abandon her. I knew I could trust them to look after her and ensure she got home safely, so I followed Nate without hesitation – not, judging by the grip that he had on my hand, that I think he had any intention of letting me stay.

  Lena

  Small goosebumps instantly rose up on my exposed skin as we walked outside towards the road. I shivered slightly but the cool air was a welcome relief - I felt like I was burning up.


  He let go of my hand as we reached the pavement and walked out in the road where he began to pace, searching for a taxi.

  I swallowed hard as I watched him, chewing the inside of my cheek and wondering if this had been a good idea. Nervous butterflies began to take flight in my stomach just as his arm shot up in the air to flag down a passing taxi and he whistled loudly, attracting the attention of the driver.

  He held the door open, motioning for me to climb in. His eyes darted to the front seat as if he was considering joining the driver, before he sat next to me, but whatever I’d been expecting after the heat between us on the dance floor was brutally crushed.

  He could have been miles away.

  He wasn’t touching me and the gap between us seemed huge. I longed to reach out and touch him but instead I folded my hands in my lap to stop me fidgeting with them.

  How could things have deteriorated so much that I was nervous to touch him?

  I felt sad; a cold numbness spread through me as I studied his profile. If he was going to continue to blow hot and cold, I couldn’t take it. There was no way I’d misread his reaction to me on the dance floor: it had been obvious how much he’d wanted me.

  His fingers drummed against his knee as he stared out of the window. The taxi driver, sensing the atmosphere asked if we’d mind some music, which he played quietly in the background. I noticed him looking in the rear view mirror every few minutes and when he caught my eye and gave me a sympathetic smile.

  I crossed my legs and angled my body to face my own window, steeling myself for whatever conversation was going to come after this.

  The taxi pulled up onto Nate’s drive and he threw a £20 note at the driver, telling him to keep the change, his words clipped and strained. He opened the door for me but didn’t make eye contact, then turned and walked away without waiting.

  I followed him slowly to his house, my head in turmoil. I considered spinning on my heels and getting back into the taxi, but this needed to be resolved. I just hoped like hell that I was going to like the outcome.

  The minute I walked through the door, he grabbed hold of me, pulling me roughly to him like a drowning man. In a flash, his lips were on mine, one hand was around my waist and the other on my neck and in my hair. I didn’t have time to think, only to react, hesitating for barely a second before kissing him back just as fiercely. His mouth devoured mine, his tongue insistent and forceful, taking without question or apology.

  It was demanding, needing.

  My self-restraint was non-existent, there was no option to consider or reason, no chance to be rational or strong. I’d thought about nothing else but him for the last week.

  My blood was on fire, his touch igniting nerve endings throughout my entire body.

  He kicked the door shut with his foot before pushing me hard up against it.

  This wasn’t about love, intimacy or reconnecting.

  This was raw, hard and desperate.

  He didn’t break contact as he hitched my dress up, unbuckling his jeans and shaking himself free as he grabbed my underwear, tugging until they tore and fell away.

  I whimpered, before realising the sound had come from me, biting down on my lip to stop myself.

  My whole body was throbbing with need, desperate to give into the craving that had been building since I’d last seen him.

  Nate lifted my arms above my head, trailing his fingers from my wrists, down my arms before brushing the side of my breasts and continuing his journey down my body. It was almost leisurely and I felt like crying out in frustration. I was almost panting, my breathing ragged as he slid his hands down my body before cupping my arse.

  Every part of me tingled with anticipation.

  He made eye contact with me - the first time he’d looked at me properly since he’d dragged me from the dance floor. His eyes were blazing, alight with lust and crazed desire that must have been reflected in my own.

  He moved his hands, splaying them around my thighs, lifting me so that I was positioned with my back against the door, being held up in his strong arms. He maintained eye contact as his hand slipped between my legs, checking to see if I was ready for him seconds before he thrust into me.

  The force of him had me crying out, but he didn’t stop, setting a punishing rhythm that robbed me of my breath. My legs were wrapped tightly around him, my heels pressed into his arse.

  The sounds of our fucking filled the hallway – heavy breathing and bodies hitting against each other, my muffled moans as I pressed my lips together - there was no other way to describe it, it was wild, feral, animalistic, almost violent in need.

  He changed the position of his hands, angling me so that I was arched slightly, one hand holding me upright, the other running behind my back, supporting my shoulders to stop me from crashing against the door as he pounded into me.

  “Fuuuck….” I cursed out loud, the change in angle doing exactly what Nate knew it would. I felt heat flood my body, a tingling sensation swept over me, as I felt myself building, climbing ever closer to the precipice. I could tell he was close, his face showing the strain as he held on. My orgasm crashed over me, the intensity forcing me to close my eyes as black spots appeared in my vision, arching my head and back as warmth spread through my body, his name a long, drawn-out moan on my lips. Within seconds he came, spurting long and hard into me, his arms squeezing me tightly as his head fell forward onto my chest. We stayed like that for a few minutes, both of us panting and catching our breath, before he raised his head.

  He gave me his trademark smirk before turning and carrying me, still wrapped around him, up the stairs, my arms tight around his neck as I lay my head against his shoulder. He stopped beside the bed and moved his hands to release me but I clung to him, not wanting to let go.

  I felt safe in his embrace.

  I didn’t want to deal with everything that had gone on in the last week or so. Not yet.

  I wanted to stay exactly where I was - safe, content and happy. I didn’t want reality to creep back in. I knew that we needed to talk, but, at the moment, when I was in his arms, nothing else mattered. I could shut out the chaos that was all around us. I was protected in the bubble that Nate provided; encased in his arms I felt untouchable.

  He relented and held onto me for a few more minutes then, kissing the top of my head he tried again to move me and I moaned.

  Laughing, he pulled my arms from him. It was the greatest sound I’d ever heard. I smiled back at him, laughing myself as I looked at us, both half-dressed and looking thoroughly fucked.

  The knot of anxiety that had settled in my stomach during the taxi ride home had completely dissipated – giving a girl that kind of orgasm was a hell of a way to settle her nerves – But I knew that whatever was said, whatever else happened tonight, we were going to be alright.

  We had to be.

  He opened his shirt slowly, maintaining eye contact as he removed and flung it. His jeans and underwear had been discarded downstairs already. He reached out and took me by the shoulders, turning me around before he slowly unzipped my dress. Reaching down, he caught the hem and pulled it over my head. He unclipped my bra and let it fall to the ground before spinning me back around.

  Taking me by the hand, he pulled me into bed with him. Lying on his back, he tucked me in next to him, his arms encircling me and holding me tight.

  We lay there for a few minutes, neither of us speaking. I knew we needed to deal with everything that had gone on, but I just wanted to soak up this feeling for a little longer. I was still incredibly hurt and angry, but I knew that I didn’t want to be without Nate. I felt empty without him. He’d come into my life and made me see just how much better it could be.

  I knew that I could carry on without him if I had to, but I didn’t want to.

  I didn’t want to feel lost anymore.

  “We need to talk,” Nate said, words I knew were coming but had been dreading hearing.

  I nodded gently against his chest.

  “L
et me speak, sweetheart, Ok? I need to talk to you…”

  I nodded again, unable to speak for the moment. Being with him again felt so perfect and I didn’t want this ruined. I screwed my eyes closed, bracing myself for whatever he was going to say. I needed to be able to forgive him. We needed to be able to get past this. He took a breath. I felt my head rise and fall on his chest just before he spoke.

  “I love you, Lena.”

  I jerked in his arms. Of all the words I was expecting him to come out with, it wasn’t those!

  I struggled to get up to look at him, startled by his revelation. He let me go. My whole body seemed to be shaking as I leaned on one arm to look at him.

  His lips turned up at the corners as he watched me. I still couldn’t speak; I just stared at him dumbly.

  “You’ve had me caught up in you since the moment I met you.”

  I felt overcome with emotion, those three words ricocheting around in my head. I had a thousand conflicting emotions battling inside me. I tried to speak but no words would come out. He turned me around and forced me to lie down, wrapping his arms around me like a protective shield.

  “Lie here with me! Let me talk to you,” he murmured, kissing the top of my head.

  I snuggled back into him and he took a deep breath before speaking.

  “I’m sorry, Lena. I was selfish, cowardly and stupid.” I cringed at his harsh words. I knew that whatever he had done, Nate wouldn’t have set out to hurt me.

  I wanted to offer comfort, to try and reassure him, to tell him that I forgave him, but I needed to hear what he had to say. Besides, he wouldn’t allow me to move from his grip.

  “I didn’t take those pictures of you.” His voice was hard and I could hear the anger still underlying his tone. I lay still in his arms, barely breathing, waiting to hear what he was going to say next.

  “I needed to speak to you about them, but the text messages had made me crazy, I asked you and you denied it, which felt like you were lying to me. It just stirred up doubts and I overreacted. I should never have yelled or showed them to you like that.” He exhaled heavily. “I’m sorry.”