“Sure,” I nodded.
“I would like that,” she said softly.
We looked at each other for a moment, and nothing about it was awkward. I met her gaze with unapologetic admiration, and she was looking at me with an affection I realized I wasn’t afraid of.
“I’ll help you clean up,” Natalie said as we both rose from the table.
We cleared the table in silence. Once the dishes were piled into the sink, Natalie moved to wash them. “No way,” I said, grabbing her hands and spinning her away from the sink. “You’re not doing the dishes.”
“You did all the cooking,” she pointed out. “It’s only fair.”
“No way,” I insisted. “I’ll wash up later.”
She nodded and looked down, and it was only then that I realized I was still holding onto her hands. She turned up to me and leaned in to kiss me. Her lips were soft, gentle, and tentative. She kissed me like she was afraid I would back away. When I didn’t, she leaned in a little further as her body melted into mine. I held her for a moment, enjoying the innocent chasteness of the kiss.
When we pulled apart, her blue eyes were filled with an intense fire I had never seen before. She looked different at that moment. She looked powerful, strong, and sexy. She looked like a woman who knew what she wanted. She looked fearless.
“I’m ready.”
“What?” I asked, suddenly nervous without knowing why.
“I’m ready,” Natalie repeated again. “I want to be with you. I want my first time to be with you.”
I had never been nervous with a woman before, and yet somehow, my palms were sweating, my heart was racing, and I could feel its steady thrum in my ears.
“I don’t want you to feel pressured—”
“I don’t,” she assured me. “I feel ready. I know I want this – and I want it now. It’s the perfect night, and you’re the perfect guy.”
I looked at her for a long moment, trying to make sure that she was sure. Natalie's eyes softened for a moment. “If you’re not interested, Chance, all you have to do is say so, and I’ll understand.”
I took her hand and pressed my lips to it. Then I turned and led her to my bedroom.
Chapter Seventeen
Natalie
I had the same feeling I had experienced on my first trip abroad. Except it was more all-consuming. My body felt like it was on fire, and he hadn’t even touched me yet.
His bedroom was small, modest, and bare. There was a queen-sized bed in the center of the room, flanked by two bedside tables. There were no picture frames, no unnecessary embellishments or decorative touches. There was nothing personal lying around, and I understood this to be a quality that had materialized from his nomadic lifestyle.
It struck me in that quiet moment just as we entered his room that he would leave this place, too. He would pack up his few belongings, get on a plane, and disappear from my life as easily as he had come into it. I wondered what it would feel like when he left, but I couldn’t bring myself to worry about that moment. Because no matter how hard I imagined it would feel to say goodbye to him, it still wasn’t worth turning away from this moment.
I turned around to face Chance. There were at least three feet between us, and I wondered if the space was meant to calm me down or excite me. I felt as though it was doing both in tandem with one another.
“Natalie.” Chance’s voice was deep but low.
“Yes?”
“Are you sure?”
I smiled. “Yes,” I nodded. “Are you?”
He almost smiled, but not quite. Instead of answering me, he took a few steps forward until we were only inches apart. A strand of hair had fallen loose from my ponytail; he raised his hand and twirled one of his fingers around it. Then he traced the same finger down my neck before he leaned in to kiss me. It was a soft, demure kiss. It was safe, innocent, and comforting, and I let myself get lost in it.
When he drew back, I realized that he’d pulled down the zip of my dress. I felt a little tingle of nerves, but I also felt more certain of my decision. I really did want this, and I wanted it with Chase. He was about to pull my dress down, and a shiver escaped me. He noticed it immediately and stopped.
“Are you okay?” he asked gently.