Shatter

I was always cautious with our relationship — fearful that I would scare the shit out of her with my lifestyle, my past, basically everything that made me the guy that I was. I should have realized she would take it like a champ. Not every girl can deal with the baggage I brought to our relationship — or continue to bring, for that matter.

Nat laughed and splashed Demetri before diving under the water again. I took a long slow sip of water and sat on the hot sand. She threw her head back and laughed, exposing her neck and making my heart lurch in my chest. I loved that neck. I swear, every time that girl looked vulnerable I couldn’t help but think of a few months ago.

“Alec… I love you.” Nat’s lips were urgent against mine. It was taking all of the self-control I possessed to be a gentleman, to literally keep my clothes on when all I really wanted was to lose myself in her over and over again until I passed out from exertion.

“You’re young, Nat.” I pushed her gently away from me. “It’s okay to wait. You know I love you regardless, right?”

She glared.

I fought to keep from laughing my ass off. “Nat! How is me being a gentleman earning me a nasty look? I’m the good guy!”

“I want you to be the bad guy. Be the bad guy, Alec.”

I backed away slowly from my bed and went to the window. The cool night breeze did wonders for my blurred vision and inability to think about anything other than the fact that I knew Nat wasn’t wearing a bra underneath her white tank top.

Damn it.

I should be sainted for my self-restraint.

“Alec?” Her breathless voice may as well have been my drug. I closed my eyes, memorizing the way my name sounded on her lips. Trust, love, lust — it was all evident in the way she just said my name.

I was losing it.

“Alec?” she repeated. This time her arms wrapped around me from behind.

I froze in panic.

Skin.

Her top was off.

Self control, self control. I hadn’t planned for it to happen this way.

“Nat.” The gravelly tone of my hoarse voice totally gave me away. I took a deep breath, which was a terrible idea since it smelled exactly like her hot skin.

“Shit.” I took another breath. “Flowers.”

“What?”

“Flowers.” I said it without sounding like the word flower was painful or erotic. “You deserve flowers. Rose petals to be exact.” Calming down, I turned to face her but refused to look down, instead I looked deep into her large brown eyes. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, I kissed her nose softly. “Chocolate, champagne, a beautiful dress, the perfect night… Nat, I want you to have it all for your first time. I don’t want it to be in my room at the beach house. It’s too… normal for you.”

“I’m normal.” She smiled shyly. “Besides, I’m not taking the rock star to bed.”

“You aren’t?” My mouth went dry as she reached up and kissed me firmly on the mouth only to pull away and moan. Did she have any idea what her little sounds did to me? Or to parts of my anatomy?

“Nope.” Damn, but she had wicked hands as she slowly unzipped my jeans. I wasn’t going to last long if she was going to seduce me. I was already there and she had barely grazed my skin with hers. “I’m taking Alec Daniels… normal guy… love of my life, the man I want to be with forever. I’m taking him to bed.”

Nat chewed on her lower lip, her eyes hooded briefly as she looked down and with one jerk, had my jeans on the floor. Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet mine and winked.

“You’re seducing me.”

“I am.”

“You’re making me nervous.”

“I’m the one that’s never done this before.”

“Not helping.” I cursed. “Nat, I just—”

And shit, there went her jean shorts. I tried to look away. I really did, but my eyes seemed to have problems following directions. Hypnotized, I watched her step out of her shorts and face me in nothing but the sexiest black panties I’d ever seen.

“Remember.” Nat wrapped her arms around my neck, points of her body touched mine, rubbed against my bare chest, driving me insane. “You said black was your favorite.”

“I—” The words died on my lips as she dipped her thumbs into her underwear and then paused.

Nat reached for my hands and brought them to her hips, laughing she hooked my thumbs into her underwear and moved my hands down, sliding the last bit of material with them.

“You can’t go back now,” she stated, bold and very naked in front of me.

“Hell if I want to.” I jerked her toward my body and promised myself I’d go slow, I’d be tender — who knew I was dating someone who had less self control than me?

Nat clenched my hair between her fingers. “I want this, Alec. I want you.”

“I want you too.” I sighed against her mouth. “I want you so damn bad, Nat. I just… this is irreversible. You know that right? Once you’re mine, you’re mine forever. Not just for this moment or for this night. But for the rest of our lives.”

“That’s what I want.”

“It’s what I’ve always wanted.” What I’d never dared to hope. Someone as beautiful on the inside as out — willing to share the good and bad with me. Someone willing to take a chance on someone like me.

“Alec…” Nat grinned.