Deborah Mello - To Tempt A Stallion

Nathaniel moved to her side, dropping down onto the sofa beside her. He took the folder from her hands and began to flip through its contents. As he studied the documents inside, a wave of emotion suddenly consumed him. It was rife with exhilaration and a hint of anxiety. A single, solitary tear rolled past his lashes.

“Is everything okay?” Rebecca asked, her tone consoling. “Are they that bad?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Actually, they’re that good. I’m very impressed.”

“Is that’s why you’re all teary?”

“I’m not teary, Bec!”

“Could have fooled me,” she said, her warm smile encouraging his. She knew him and knew something was on his mind. Something needing to be said.

Nathaniel spun his body lengthwise and rested his head in her lap. He settled himself comfortably against her as he flipped through the folder a second time. “I really like this second set. It’s perfect.”

Rebecca nodded. “That’s my favorite, too. It’s bold yet the edges are just soft enough. It’s inviting. And it looks amazing on the menu!”

Nathaniel shifted his eyes upward to stare at her. He let the folder fall down against his abdomen. He heaved a deep breath and then a second as he seemed to be gathering his thoughts and searching for the right words. Rebecca let him ponder the moment and waited patiently for him to say what was bothering him.

“This is really happening, Bec,” he said finally, an air of awe in his tone. “It’s been five years since I first thought about doing this and now it’s really about to happen.”

“It is, and it’s going to be a major success. You’ve already had five years to work out the kinks.”

Nathaniel chuckled. “I can only hope it’ll be that easy.”

“Look, you have plotted every possible scenario of what could go wrong. You have laid the groundwork for contingency plans B, C and D, if A doesn’t work out. You’ve got this.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I know,” Bec said as she brushed her index finger across his brow.

Nathaniel suddenly lifted himself upright, spinning his feet back to the floor. “Do we need to bring in your luggage?”

“I dropped my stuff off at the hotel earlier.”

“The hotel?”

Rebecca nodded. “I’ve got a room at the La Playa while I’m here.”

“So, how did you change clothes?” he asked, confusion washing over his expression.

“You know I always keep something with me, just in case. I always carry a change of clothes in the gym bag that I keep with me.”

“Just in case what?”

“In case I meet someone and need to make a quick change,” she said sarcastically.

Nathaniel shook his head. “You didn’t need to get a hotel. You know you can stay here. I have two guest bedrooms.”

“I can’t stay here.”

“Yes, you can. You know you’re always welcome.”

“I do know that. But I can’t stay here.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t.”

“You’re being ridiculous, Bec.”

“Maybe I am, Nate, but I’m still staying at the hotel.”

The two sat staring at each other. Rebecca wished she could explain and have it make sense. She knew if she tried, it would only make the moment more awkward between them. She also knew that deep down Nathaniel probably didn’t want an explanation, both grateful they wouldn’t have to go through the rituals friends do when they intrude on each other’s private spaces. She changed the subject.

“So tell me about this woman.”

“Who? Elise?”

“Don’t play dumb. You know exactly who I’m talking about.”

He rolled his eyes. “There’s nothing to tell. Not really.”

“Did she help you find this place too?”

Nathaniel shook his head. “No. One of my fraternity brothers owns the agency she works for. He helped find me the house. She just happened to be the listing agent for the restaurant.”

“Do you like her?”

Nathaniel shifted his gaze back to hers to stare. Rebecca was eyeing him intently, eager for him to respond. He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t really know her.”

“Are you trying to know her?”

“Not at the moment. I’m focused on my business and that’s all.”

There was a moment of silence as she pondered his response. He broke the silence.

“Are you still dating that Michael guy?”

“His name is Maxwell.”

“Yeah. Whatever. You two still an item?”

“We were never an item. We went out a few times then it got weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Just when I was thinking about taking things to the next level he started acting strangely.”

“What do you mean?”

She snatched her eyes from his, her stare skipping around the room. “It was embarrassing, actually.”

Nathaniel shifted himself around to stare at her. “Okay, spill it. What did he do and why is this the first time I’m hearing about it?”

“I don’t tell you everything, Nate.”

“That’s your first mistake,” he said matter-of-factly. “Had you asked for help I might have been able to save your relationship.”

Rebecca laughed. “Who said I wanted to save it?”

He eyed her with a raised brow. “So what did what’s-his-name do?”

“When we talked about having sex, he asked me if I would be willing to wear a strap-on dildo and peg him.”

“I don’t even know what that means but it doesn’t even sound kosher.”

“You know what pegging is, Doctor Stallion.”

“Like hell I do! Educate me, please.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “He wanted me to wear a rubber dick to penetrate him anally. That’s pegging.”

Nathaniel blinked his eyes, his lashes batting rapidly. He suddenly burst out laughing. “Well! I can see your problem with that.”

A smirk crossed Rebecca’s face “Thank you.”

“But your first mistake was talking about having sex. If you need to make it a discussion, he’s not the guy for you. And it’s the first time, too? You’re too spontaneous for that. If he was the right guy it would have come to you naturally.”

“So, you don’t discuss sex with your partners before you have sex?”

“Of course, I do. It’s important to know what my woman likes so that I can please her.”

“But you don’t talk about it before you do it? You don’t discuss possible consequences, expectations, nothing?”

“I talk about where she wants me to put my tongue.”

“You are such a pervert!”

Nathaniel laughed as Rebecca changed the subject.

“It was really great catching up with Carl. I missed him.”

“You two live less than an hour from each other. It doesn’t make sense that your paths never cross.”

Rebecca shrugged. “Things have always been a little weird with us since he made that pass at me.”

“Was that before wife number two or after? I can’t remember.”

“After. He was engaged to wife number three when it happened.”

“In his defense he was plastered. I don’t think he’s drunk that much since.”

“That’s no defense.”

Nathaniel shrugged, his broad shoulders reaching for the ceiling. “You just need to do a better job keeping up with your friends. And that includes me.”

“I talk to you every day.”

“Yeah, but when I’m in LA, I rarely see you.”

“Do you ever stop complaining?” Rebecca’s eyes were wide, a hint of annoyance painting her expression.

Nathaniel laughed. “I wasn’t complaining. I was just pointing out a fact.”

* * *

Before either realized it, they had talked most of the night away. It was well past midnight when Rebecca twice moved to leave. Then the conversation would change again, and again, another hour passed them by. Nathaniel didn’t know who fell asleep first, only that when he woke, the sun was just beginning to rise outside his windows and Rebecca was snoring softly beside him.