As usual when I wanted to escape, I sought solace in the pleasure of the flesh with Natalie. But then she started touching me in ways that I desperately wanted to go with, and at the same time was terrified of. It was too dangerous to let myself be soothed by her emotionally.
When she left that night, I damn near asked her to stay, but fortunately I'd had the strength to let her go. For a moment I considered ending our friends with benefits relationship because I didn't like how little power I had when I was around her. But it didn't take long before the need to see her overcame the fear of going too far. And over the next couple of weeks as we continued to meet in hotel suites, I knew that I lost the power to control my emotions, probably the day that I met her. But I hadn’t realized until tonight, when I saw Gavin asking her out. I damn near tore his arms out of their sockets, and for good measure, I planned to fire him. Fortunately, I was able to control the urge long enough that I could get Natalie alone.
She was incensed by my behavior but also, I knew that there was a part of her that liked it. She liked that I had little control over myself when I was around her. And now I was kissing her again. Kissing her to make her forget Gavin. To make her forget any other man she'd ever been with before.
I didn't understand what I was feeling, and it was still unsettling. We were friends with benefits, and yet, the need for her felt beyond sexual pleasure. I had a sinking suspicion that after what I just pulled in front of Gavin, everyone here at Natalie’s showing, would know that she was more to me than just someone on my staff, or just someone that I happen to be fucking even. I wondered if Natalie realized it?
I pulled away slightly from the kiss and looked down into her beautiful face. She had that dreamy dazed, half-drunk look that I loved.
We weren’t going to end up like my brother Ryan and his wife Kellie, that I knew for sure. Certainly, my heart might be sliding into something a little bit deeper than just fuck buddies, but I wasn't ever going to give in fully to a woman ever again.
But that didn't mean that I didn't want this night to be special. I wanted Natalie to feel all the recognition that she deserved from her work. And, even more than that, I want her to know that I admired and respected her. And so, for now I was willing to let a little bit of emotion come through so that she could feel the warmth everyone felt towards her and her work, including me.
"If you fuck me here, I might miss some of my showing," she finally said with
that sexy smirk on her face.
Now that the haze of my kiss had dissipated, I brought my hands to her face, letting my fingers trail along her jaw. "I'm not going to keep you. I want you to enjoy this night fully. But I also want Gavin to keep his hands off you. If he values his arms he will stay away," I said trying to give her my cocky grin.
She looked at me with a smile and her eyebrow arched. "I suspect he does like his arms."
"Then hopefully he will have gotten the message." I put my arm around her and escorted her back out to the gallery bringing her to Giles, the gallery manager, to introduce tonight's rising star in the art world.
He got everyone's attention and then introduced me so that I could introduce her. She looked at me a little quizzically about why I would be the one to introduce her as opposed to the gallery manager or perhaps the owner. But of course, I suppose I had never mentioned her that along with owning Cesare’s, I also owed this gallery.
"I want to thank you all for coming to see Natalie Nichols debut opening for her work. I think you can see why I was excited to have her here at the gallery. She has an amazing talent. Her art is uplifting, and vibrates with life." I looked over at her, and her smile was wider than I'd ever seen it in my life. My heart lurched in my chest, and it wanted to make a vow to always have her smiling just like that.
After introducing her and serving more champagne, I gave her enough space to mingle with the crowd, but not so much so that she was ever far out of my view. The only exception was when Ryan pulled me aside to ask me what was going on between me and Natalie. I wasn't ashamed of what I was doing with Natalie, and I doubted she was either. But I didn't need my brother knowing my business or her business for that matter. We weren’t going to end up like he and Kellie did, so it seemed easier to just keep our little relationship to myself.
"There's nothing going on except for trying to support her career. You told me to sweeten the deal and hire her and I did." See, it was all his fault.
"Yeah, but you seem excited about it, and that's not like you Hunter," he said.
I shrugged. "After dad's accident, I was reminded to enjoy the little things in life and to give where I could. Besides, you were right. She's doing a great job,"
"Wait, what did you just say?" he asked, leaning forward, expectantly.
"I'm not going to say you were right again. You get one and you just got it. That's it."
Ryan finally left me to return to his wife, who was gushing over Natalie. When the two of them broke off, I went over to Natalie. Gavin had given her a wide berth, letting me know he was a smart man. But there were other men who were watching her, and since I didn't want to ruin her first gallery opening by beating them to a pulp, I wanted to keep close. To me it made perfect sense that the owner of the gallery would spend the evening with his new protégé. There was no hint of impropriety on my part.
Finally, the crowd started the wane and I escorted Natalie out to the limo and into the back seat. I briefly considered getting us both naked and taking advantage of the large private area, but reminded myself this was about her, not me.
"Where are we going?" she asked as we drove in the opposite direction of her apartment building.
"I figured you might be hungry, so I'm taking you to get something to eat." She looked out the window, and then turned back to me.
"Cesare’s is the other way."
"Well, this time, we might have…let me remember what you said…food with a burst of flavors and a variety of textures."
Her eyes narrowed, but then clarity came when she looked out as we arrived in the South Park area of San Diego. We got out of the car and I guided her to the popular food truck serving unquestionably the best taco in San Diego.
"Hola Senor Strong, amigo. How are you?" Carlos said from inside the truck as we arrived at the order window.
"Very well. Carlos and you?"
"Bueno, amigo. What can I get you?"