Infraction (21 page)

His eyes softened, and he leaned forward in a motion to wrap his arms around me. I
jumped when he touched me, but melted into his embrace.

I apologized over and over as he held me, still in shock from my reaction. It was
Nathan, the man I loved. How could I ever confuse his touch with Adam’s?

He wouldn’t touch me in an intimate way after that, and after my reaction, I couldn’t
blame him.

Days later he was staring at me, his hands on either side of me braced on the counter,
hovering. His body was shaking with need. We were both frustrated. I frowned up at
him, my eyes pleading; he whimpered.

I sighed. “Please?” My fingers knotted in his shirt, trying to pull him to me.

His gaze moved to the floor, his head shaking. “I can’t, as much as I want you. I
love you too much to hurt you like that again.”

My hands slapped flat against his chest. “You didn’t hurt me! I didn’t panic because
of you.”

“It was my hand on your skin, Honeybear. You know how I am—I want to touch you in
ways that I’m afraid will remind you. I can’t stand to see you like that, to have
you push me away again.”

We were stuck in a standstill. Unable to move forward, and it was hurting us both.

Darren suggested a few exercises that would reintegrate Nathan’s touch, to become
reacquainted with his naturally aggressive need.

“Touch me,” I said.

He had a worried look on his face as his hands trailed up my arms, across my shoulders,
and up my neck to cup my face. A small gasp escaped when he passed over my neck as
he moved down. His movements faltered, and he stared into my eyes to make sure I was
okay. The touch was a light caress as he moved around. With the second pass, he put
more pressure behind it.

For two weeks Nathan did that three times a day, each day starting off with a firmer
grip.

It worked, because I was standing in the living room panting for him. His hands erased
the vile memories on my skin. They were covered with the loving, possessive, passionate,
spine-tingling ones of Nathan’s.

I jumped on him, sending us crashing to the couch behind him, unable to take any more.

“Oh, fuck, baby, are you sure?” he asked as my mouth ran down his neck, licking and
sucking. My fingers searched out the hem of his shirt and pulled it up.

I sat up and looked him straight in the eye. “Nate, if you don’t fuck me right now,
I’m going to have to take matters into my own hand.”

His eyes narrowed, and he bared his teeth at me. “Not going to fucking happen. I make
you come.
Me
.” His hips flexed up, while his hands pushed my hips down as he slid his cock against
my clit.

My head tilted back, and my nipples tightened.

“Then make me.” I smiled at him, waiting for him to take the bait and let go on me.

It was euphoric to be rid of the barrier that kept our sexual need locked down.

He grabbed my waist and flipped our positions before pulling both of our shirts off.
He wasted no time unbuckling my jeans and pulling them off along with my panties.

The need was too great, so he didn’t even bother taking his own off, just pushed them
to his knees and settled between my thighs.

My mind was clouded, lost in the lust and feel of Nathan. Only he could make my body
sing so much, make me beg for more. The intensity was picking up as the desire grew
to uncontrollable proportions, both of us making unintelligible sounds.

“Lila,” he growled against my neck, his mouth moving down to the meat of my shoulder,
and biting down as he pushed his cock between my slick folds.

The sensation of him filling me cut through the cloud of lust to send flames rushing
through my veins. There were no thoughts flittering through my mind, only one word:
more.

He gave me more with his hands gripping onto my waist and arms, pinning, moving, pulling.

“Fuck, I’ve missed this tight little snatch. My dirty girl is so wet for me.”

I whimpered, already on edge from his touch and weeks of teasing. With a few more
thrusts, I was clenching around him and screaming his name.

His hips jerked, expletives flying from his lips as he let go of weeks’ worth of build-up.

“Mine! I’ll never let you go,” he whispered in my ear through harsh breaths.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “Yours.”

C
HAPTER
21

O
ver a month had passed since I started living with Nathan, since Adam found me. There
were moments when things got tense, and I wasn’t sure what do about them. He seemed
unsure of what to do about his fears for my safety.

Nathan got to the point where he was paranoid enough he didn’t like me going to the
grocery store without him, still afraid of what might happen. So, we went together.

“I want some sweet potatoes for dinner,” he said as he walked next to me, and we grabbed
a cart.

I rolled my eyes and wondered when the sudden penchant for them was coming from. “You
don’t like sweet potatoes.”

“Not the way most people do, but I love them roasted. Chop them up, throw them in
some spices and olive oil, and pop them in the oven.”

“You sound like quite the cook, but I know better,” I teased as we headed to the produce
section.

He smirked. “Mom made them for lunch on my birthday one time.”

I didn’t need to ask which birthday, because the tone in his voice told me all I needed
to know. The last one he celebrated.

My eyes were looking around, on guard for any possible person we might know from the
office. Nathan seemed much more relaxed about our outing than I thought he should’ve
been, knowing the repercussions.

“Relax,” he whispered in my ear and stepped up behind me, placing his hands next to
mine on the cart handle. “It’s okay, baby, everything is going to be okay. Trust me.”

I nodded and leaned back against him.

Maybe it was due to the fact Jack announced the new fraternization policy that week,
or the fact that we weren’t trying to pretend as much. Either way, I was concerned
about getting caught, and what that would mean.

The new policy permitted a relationship between employees now, as long as they worked
in different sections of the firm.

Because of the changes set in place, things began to pick up with the Boob Squad.
Owen’s antagonistic verbal assaults no longer deterred them; as far as they were concerned,
there were no more barriers. That meant there was nothing keeping them from Nathan,
or him from them. They were all deluded enough to think that if there was no fraternization
policy, he would just jump into bed with them.

When Jack made the announcement, it was like watching hungry lions stalking their
prey. I felt bad for Nathan, and I wouldn’t have laughed if it hadn’t been so comical
to watch.

A few days later I was walking down the hall, heading to get some water. I passed
by the copy room and, in a reflexive move, glanced in. I was met with a shocking sight
that took a few moments to register. I backed up and stared hard, unable to take my
eyes off the train wreck happening inside.

Poor Nathan was pinned against the copier, trapped by Tiffany. She opened up the top
buttons of her shirt and began caressing herself, and she was being none too passive
about her actions. She was so short that if he whipped his monster out, she would
be titty-fucking him.

I knew it wouldn’t happen though. The look on Nathan’s face was priceless. If looks
could kill…but oh no, she kept advancing. I couldn’t help but laugh at his predicament.
He was always so polite to them, keeping their advances at bay, but this was getting
to be a bit extreme.

I was always the one pissed off when it came to them, him the one laughing at the
situation. Oh, how the mighty had fallen, and how the Boob Squad wished he would fall
on them.

“Tiffany, you need to back up, now!” Nathan’s eyes darted around for something or
someone to save him. His grip on the copier made the plastic squeak under the pressure.

“You want this – you want
me
.” Her tone was attempting to sound seductive, but came out as desperate. “You know
that slut Lila’s after you – but I know you’re not interested in her. She’s so disgusting.
She’s fucking Owen, and probably fantasizing about you while she does it. Stop pretending
you don’t want me. I know you do… I see the looks you give me.”

I rolled my eyes. She was obviously speaking from her own experience of what was going
on in her mind if and when she managed to get laid.

She licked her lips, and Nathan turned pale. She tried to open her shirt more and
he attempted to move away.

“And how did you come to this conclusion? Have I ever made an advancement on you?
I’ve never looked at you any differently than I do anyone else that works in this
building.”

His tone was no longer friendly, but gaining the edge I knew so well. It didn’t seem
to register to Tiffany though.

She leaned closer, her hands reaching for his and moving it toward her body. “I can
see it in your eyes right now, baby. Stop fighting it. You don’t have to anymore –
the office rules have changed.”

Nathan yanked his hand from her grip, glaring at her. “Please stop before you embarrass
yourself further or I decide to sue you for sexual harassment.”

She stared at him, confusion written on her face. “Sue for sexual harassment?”

“Yes, I’ve held my tongue all these months, but if your actions continue… You need
to stop throwing yourself at me, because I’m never going to touch you. Rebutton your
blouse. Now.” His tone was cold, jaw tense.

I contemplated interrupting and laying my claim on him or rescuing him, but I was
too curious how the train wreck would end. Gawkers’ block kept me bolted in place,
a front row seat to the show.

She continued to press into him, not swayed by his words, and it was looking grim.
Nathan wouldn’t hurt a woman. My heart constricted when I considered how opposite
he was from Adam, who would batter and torture for his own enjoyment.

“I mean it, Tiffany. Leave now. Do I have to spell it out for you? I. Am. Not. Interested.
In. You!” He accentuated the words in the last sentence, practically spitting at her
as he spoke, with how angry he’d become.

She gasped in shock. “I knew it! I knew you were a pussy! I told the girls you were…”

“What?
Gay
? Is that what you were going to say?” His eyes were blazing. “God, you are so full
of yourself. Let me make this clear. It’s not me, it’s
you
.
You’re
the problem. I do not want you.”

With that, he pushed her aside enough to get past while her blouse gaped open after
him. I managed to escape before he caught me watching from a distance.

I didn’t say anything when we were both back in our office. An hour later, I headed
back to the copy room to make the copies I’d originally intended to make when I happened
to come across him being cornered by Tiffany.

I grinned as I waited for my copies and was almost skipping my way back to our office.
In some ways it had been good to witness without his knowledge how devoted and loyal
he was to me. He’d never stray and cheat on me or do anything again to hurt me. These
thoughts made my heart swell. I was almost to our door when I stopped and heard him
growl, low and menacing.

“Get the fuck off me. Didn’t your little friend tell you? I don’t want you or your
toxic pussy any-fucking-where near me. Do
not
fucking touch me again, understand?” Nathan said, finally at his breaking point with
one of them. I assumed it wasn’t Tiffany since he already gave her the brush-off.

There was a rustling followed by “asshole” before Jennifer stormed out, almost running
into me in her anger. She threw me a nasty look before disappearing around the corner.

“What was that about?” I asked as I entered. Owen snickered behind me at his desk
but then broke out into full laughter.

Nathan’s jaw was clenched tight, his eyes hard as he stared out the door toward Owen.

“She had the fucking audacity to grab my hand and place it under her fucking skirt!
Saying she knew I wanted her, and I was just too afraid to make a move, but with the
new policy, blah blah blah! Jesus—it was sick!”

My eyes were wide as I sat down, tossing the file down on my desk. They were really
willing to do anything.

I couldn’t help the smirk that formed on my face. “Wow, they’re getting bolder. Something
in the water?”

“No fucking clue, but I feel disgusting. I need to go run my hand under scalding hot
water to try and burn a layer off. I could stand them when they were just around,
but now they’re crossing a fucking line, and that shit ends now. No more Mister-fucking-nice
guy.”

I couldn’t help the victorious smile that formed on my face.

Mine.

My smile didn’t fade even with him glaring at me. It was his own fault, after all,
but I had a feeling, and was looking forward to, the punishment I would receive later.
Maybe he wouldn’t even wait until five.

He pulled on his tie and raised his brow at me to indicate what was coming my way.

Oh, yes, it was going to be a good evening.

It became Nathan’s obsession to find out every tiny detail about Adam he could—his
personal mission to make sure he went to jail for a long time. He didn’t want Adam
to ever leave prison.

Nathan became very needy, always having to know where I was at all times. He risked
our exposure daily, not caring that it could cost him seeing me every day if we got
caught.

It wasn’t even five on a Tuesday afternoon and he had me on the edge of my desk with
my skirt hiked up, thighs spread and pounding into me. I tried to be as quiet as I
could with him whispering dirty things in my ear, making me want to moan out loud
and scream his name when he hit that spot deep inside me over and over again. He shoved
my panties in my mouth right as my orgasm hit me, muffling my screams.

We weren’t ready to part in the workplace. Not yet.

His need was great, and I didn’t need Darren in my head telling me to ask him what
was wrong, because I knew. Nathan was still scared at the thought of what would have
happened if he had been five minutes later or if he’d stopped for gas that day.

Feeling my skin to his was reassurance I was all right. Seeing me, hearing me, wasn’t
enough. He needed to feel the heat of my desire, his name slipping from my lips, his
eyes locked on mine and his teeth marking my skin. His lips swallowed my cries of
pleasure only he could produce from me.

Over the next few days after the desk incident, he started to relax a little. However,
office romps of some sort occurred much more often than before.

We spent that weekend knee deep in paperwork and state criminal laws. He was trying
to see if the court case that separated me from my father’s custody could be used
as evidence. The judge who oversaw my case also oversaw my domestic violence case
against Adam. He was convicted of a class D felony and spent six months in jail. Nathan
wanted to use it, as did Lawrence, the prosecutor assigned to the case. It showed
it was not the first time Adam had attacked me, injuring me. We also had copies of
the expired restraining orders.

I also learned my father was shunned in the community when the truth came out.

We tried to discover anything and everything we could find to use against Adam. Stories
began to surface: old girlfriends he beat, workplace violence, anger management classes.
He said it was my fault for the way his life turned out, but after all that I saw
and heard in the past few weeks, I concluded he would have turned out that way regardless
of those cases. The truth was there would have been someone else, some other person,
probably a woman, he would’ve abused. Adam was just that fucked up.