[Emily's POV]
"Jake is too nice for you. He isn't your typical bad boy hookup type." I laugh and Jade joins in, shaking her head.
"I can be good too." She wiggles her eyebrows with a smirk.
"Babe, give it a rest. At least meet him first." Santana reasons with her, giving me a pointed look that means to introduce them so we can stop hearing about it.
"I'm working Monday. Come by after lunch." I groan, giving in and Jade smiles widely, pleased with winning the battle after weeks of deterring her.
Santana and I both laugh at our boy crazy friend. Poor Jake... he really is too nice for her. I love her, but she isn't ready for someone like him. Alex would be better for him.
However, maybe he would be good for Jade... to stabilize her a bit. Maybe he will be the one to make her settle down.
Probably not... but worth a try.
"I'll be there." Jade nods excitedly. I have no idea why she wants to meet this boy so badly but if it will make her shut up finally, fine.
As we all laugh, something red catches my eye in my peripheral vision. I turn and see Nathan talking to some woman in a red dress. She's thin but curvy. I can't see her face but it is clear she is beautiful. Nathan looks upset... no... more cold than upset. He definitely seems caught off guard. I wonder who she is.
Maybe his sister?
An ex?
A friend?
Maybe another friends with benefits.
My chest tightens at that thought, but I try to push it aside. I can't feel that way after everything I have said to him about his jealousy. I can't care...
His eyes flick to mine and widen slightly before flicking back to her face.
"Em... Emily... Helloooo..."
I pry my eyes away from them and turn toward my friends.
"Sorry."
They give me a funny look and Santana speaks first, smirking.
"I was saying that I really want you to meet the doctor."
"Who?" I ask. Why would I need a doctor?
"The doctor. Mark's friend." She clarifies like it should mean something to me but my brain is too focused on Nathan and the woman to remember what this means.
"Hmm," I mumble as I look away for a split second towards the door. I don't see either of them now... maybe they went outside.
"Emily!" Jade yells and I snap back to reality.
"What is wrong with you? Drink too much?" Santana says, her worry clear in her undertone.
I glare at them for the accusation. "No. Don't worry about me. It won't happen again, I told you." I reassure them - and myself - while trying to stop the thoughts spinning in my head of where he went.
"Let's start over..." Santana offers with an apologetic smile and I nod, trying to give her my attention. "I want you to meet Mark's friend the doctor who I mentioned to you at your house last week. He's a nice guy. Single. Hot."
I remember now. I thought I told her no, though. I don't really need to go on a date. I'm moving and I have Nathan. He is more than enough to juggle... wherever he is...
"I don't think so." I say and sip my drink.
"Em, you should go. Worst case, he sucks and you get a free dinner." Jade giggles and I grin.
"He doesn't suck." Santana says defensively with a frown and I roll my eyes.
She gives me a pleading look and something tells me she isn't taking no for an answer. I don't know what to do here.
"One date." She insists. I look to Jade for help but she nods for me to do it.
Movement in the corner of my eye gets my attention and I turn my head to the door instantly. Nathan walks back in toward the bar, adjusting his shirt and smoothing it down. He looks tense, but his face is blank.
He doesn't look over.
"Okay. One dinner." I reply and they both squeal excitedly, making me giggle.
If it makes them shut up about it, I'll go to one dinner. It's just a meal. It means nothing.
But how do I tell him that...
---
[Nathan's POV - 2 hours later]
Emily stays behind after her friends catch cabs home. I don't know what she told them to get them to leave her here alone but whatever it was, it worked. She sits at the bar on a stool watching me as I serve other customers.
The older man who asked her to dance left an hour ago in a cab after I had to force him to give me his keys, so I don't have to worry about him talking to her.
A few younger guys try to get close to her. They either back off at my glare or when she ignores them talking to her.
I really don't want to be here anymore. I want to take her home. I think she wants to go too. She doesn't say it - or say anything at all actually - but the way she watches me makes me think she is bored or deep in thought or sad... I don't know which, but something is up.
Maybe she is upset about seeing me with Gabby. I know she saw. Her face didn't give anything away at the time. She is hard to read when she stays quiet. I want to know what she thought.
Fucking Gabby... I told her to stay away from here after I admitted to Emily that I work here.
She didn't listen.
Typical.
"Craig, can you close up tonight? I'm gonna head out a little early." I ask the busboy. He helps out serving when needed, so he should be fine to lock up on his own.
His eyes flick to her and then back to me. "No problem. I got it." He nods and I clap my hand on his shoulder thankfully.
"Want to go?" I ask her quietly so only she can hear as I grab my jacket from behind the counter.
She nods with her same expression and gets up. I wish the carefree laughing Emily was back. I'm getting anxious to find out why she has this mood.
Despite how much I want to, I'm careful not to touch her until we get to my apartment. I've been so cautious tonight to play by her rules... I don't want to mess it up now.
"Is something wrong?" I ask as we walk down the block to my place, unable to keep the question in any longer. I have to know what is bothering her.
She smiles half-heartedly up at me. "No. Sorry, just in my head."
"Did you have fun with your friends?"
"Yes, very much so." She replies in her usual tone, seeming more like herself.
"You laughed so much," I say without meaning too, a thought escaping my lips.
She gives me a cute, confused look. "Sorry, was I loud?" She asks, making me the confused one. I wasn't saying it was a bad thing.
"No, it was good." I say and she blinks her big eyes at me, relieved. "I like to see you like that." I admit with a smirk and she looks up to me. Under the street lights I can see her cheeks get pink as she blushes slightly.
"I saw a different side of you too, tonight, bartender." She says in a flirty tone as she links her arm around my elbow and leans slightly into me. I try to hide my smile.
"Oh yeah?"
"Calmer. More chatty." She says and I think she may be drunk. Me - chatty?
"Baby, I was not chatty." I argue back and she shakes her head with a playful grin. Is she teasing me?
She unhooks her arm from mine as I reach to unlock the front door and open it for her to walk through.
"You talked to that man for an hour." She insists, looking back at me with a smile, her dimples on display.
Surely it wasn't an hour... maybe it was... I didn't notice.
"You talked to that woman in red too." She says in a different tone. Not upset but not playful. She is trying to sound unbothered, I can tell.
We get into the elevator and I press the 3 button for my floor.
"An old friend," I tell her, hoping she drops the topic.
"Okay." I think she accepts my answer. Or she is just very good at deceiving me.
Maybe both.
Probably both.
We get out on the third floor and I unlock the front door to my apartment. She kicks off her heels and walks down the hallway, out of sight, without a word, aside from a peek back and smirk before she passed the corner.
I slip off my shoes and follow her quickly, like a lost dog.
She grabs a glass from the cabinet in the kitchen and I lean back against the wall, watching her skirt ride up slightly as she reaches. She turns on the tap to fill the glass with a sly smirk. She knows what she is doing.
"My friends certainly liked you," she says with a grin and I raise my eyebrows.
"Why wouldn't they?" I reply and she scoffs. "I'm so charming," I add to annoy her.
"And cocky." She adds, her eyes twinkling at me as she takes a sip.
"Definitely cocky." I repeat in a deeper voice and her cheeks flush.
God, I love the effect I have on her. I love how she always catches my double meaning.
I especially love how she reacts under my touch.
I step forward, closing the gap between us as I take the glass from her hand, my fingers grazing hers slightly. I watch her as I take a sip as she inhales sharply and leans closer into me.
"I have something for you." I say before I lose my nerve. I set the glass of water down on the counter and reach into my back pocket for my wallet.
Her eyes widen. "What? What is it?" She sounds excited but nervous.
I pull out the key and hand it to her. Her mouth drops open in surprise and I can see her processing, debating what this means in her head. Fuck...
"Nathan..." she starts hesitantly but I cut her off.
"It's not what you think. I can see it on your face." I interject and she lets out a breath, relieved.
"What is it for, then?" She asks, turning the key over and over in her tiny fingers.
"So you don't have to wait for me to let you in the building or apartment. You can come and go as you wish." I explain my reasoning but I can still see some reservation in her eyes.
I put my hands on her forearms and she looks up to meet my eyes. "No strings attached, I promise. You can give it back before you move." I add and she smiles up to me. I don't want to think of her moving, but whatever helps sell this key to her I will use.
"Okay." She says quietly and places it on the counter.
"I'm gonna use the washroom. Be back in a sec." I tell her and she nods, looking down at the key.
I wish I could know what she's thinking.
When I come out of the washroom, I can't find her in the kitchen. Panic flashes through me when I see the key still on the counter. I pace back to the bathroom quickly to grab my phone I forgot there to text her and something moves in the corner of my eye.
I find her in my bedroom, leaning against the wall across from my bed. The lights are off but I can see her clearly with the outside light through the window. She flashes me a wicked smile and I can practically hear her thoughts. She says I have mood swings... she might be worse than me.
The street light shines onto her, making her blonde hair look golden and glow down her. It's long when it is straight, to her waist. I hope she never changes it, I can't imagine her looking different than she does in this very second.
Perfect.
She reaches her arms out for me slightly and I comply instantly, grabbing her small waist with my left hand as my right smooths a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. She stares up to me, her breathing quickened from before as her eyes dart between my eyes and lips.
"It was hard to pretend tonight, baby." I say deeply into her ear. Her warm breath tingles my neck and I press closer against her, making her back hit the wall.
"I know." She says quietly. "Me too."
I smile and kiss her neck as my hands move to the back of her waist and pull the zipper down on her skirt.
"Did I pass the test?" I ask against her neck as my mouth moves lower, trailing kisses down her collarbone.
"Wait," she breathes out in a shaky, hesitant tone and I step back instantly, giving her space.
Did I do something wrong?
She looks up to me and a playful smile - her best smile - forms on her mouth.
"Sit on the bed... baby." She commands and I smirk at the last word. It sounds funny coming from her mouth... but it sounds good. I can see her trying for me, using my nickname for her back at me. I like it.
I sit on the edge of the bed silently and watch her. The skirt I unzipped hangs loosely from her waist, begging to be taken off. I reach my arms up for her to come closer but she shakes her head, stepping back out of my reach.
She pulls off her green shirt, revealing a sexy dark green lace bra underneath that I haven't seen before. My mouth goes dry as I stare at her. She grins at my reaction... the little tease.
"Emily... come here." I groan and she shakes her head again. Is she trying to kill me?
She slowly pushes her skirt off her hips, keeping eye contact with me as her confidence grows. I gulp as I hear it hit the ground and I look down at the matching panties connected to her nylons with straps that frame her curves perfectly.
She's fucking beautiful... what the hell is she doing here with me?
"I bought this for if you passed the test." She says, clearly pleased with herself and my reaction.
"Green is your colour, baby." I say as she walks slowly towards me, teasing me with each step.
She takes an elastic off her wrist and moves to grab her hair as she keeps moving toward me.
"Leave it down." I say instantly and she smirks, letting it drop to the floor. Good girl.
When she gets into reach, I can't stop myself and reach out to grab her by her waist and throw her on the bed underneath me. I lean on my side and move both hands onto her hips to trap her there, my fingers playing with the lace. Her hair lays across the sheets under her in a crazy mess and her eyes sparkle as she looks up at me.
"You like it?" She asks with a smirk, already knowing the answer.
"Love it." I answer anyways.
I kiss her roughly, unable to control myself anymore. I waited all night to have her here with me, I can't wait another minute.
Her hands find my belt buckle and pull to undo it as I grin against her lips.
"What were you going to do if I failed your test?" I ask as I trail kisses down her stomach, making her squirm under me.
"I would have let you see it," she says and I look up to her. "Just not touch it," she adds with a smirk.
Fuck.
She's perfect.
Author's Note:
2600 words to make up for not posting quicker! Hope you liked this one!
I hope everyone is liking Nathan... I think his character has definitely had ups and downs so far but he is really trying with her lately and I think that's what counts. I'm personally starting to ship them more together now...
Dean, who? JK JK
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Thanks for reading!