Taking the Plunge (18 page)

“So, is something going to happen between you?”

“I don’t know. Derek and I just broke up.”

“So? He was a fucking asshole the entire you were together besides,
for like, a week. If you like this guy, you should go for it.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Sydney leaned toward her hear. “That guy is a catch. Don’t lose him because you left the net in the water too long.”

Nancy smiled.
“A marine biology metaphor? Really?”

“Shut up,” Sydney said with a laugh.
“You understand my point.”

Henry and Ren came
inside and Thatcher greeted them. He spoke with Henry for a while and made him laugh. Nancy watched them for a moment with a smile on her face. When her friends moved to the living room, Thatcher came back to her.

“Do you need any help?” His eyes shined bright with merriment and excitement. He was always so polite and kind to everyone, getting along with anyone and everyone. He was sweet, loyal, and honest. Thatcher had everything right from the beginning, even the night when he lied about losing his keys just to talk to her. He had done so much for her, helping her pursue her dream and understanding her in a way no one else did. She
had feelings for him like she’d never known. Instead of being scared that he might break her heart in the future, she decided to forget about that, live in the moment, and seize the man she wanted, the person she wanted since the moment she met him.

She wrapp
ed her arms around his neck and kissed him.

He stilled under her embrace, letting her lips touch his.

Nancy pulled away, looking into his face. He was smiling, his mouth wide and his teeth showing. He rubbed his nose against hers.

“I’ve been waiting for
that for a long time,” he whispered.

“I know.”

“And I’m not upholding my promise anymore.”

“Consider it void.”

He leaned in and kissed her forehead before he pulled away. When Nancy looked past his shoulder, she saw Sydney smiling at her, giving her a thumbs up. Henry had an eyebrow raised, asking Sydney what was going on. When Nancy looked at the door, she saw Derek standing there, a bottle of wine in his hand. Her heart fell when she saw the despair in his eyes. She had no idea he walked into the apartment. Thatcher must have left it unlocked.

Her friends fell silent when they realized Derek was standing there.

Thatcher stepped away, breaking their connection.

Nancy walked to Derek
and stopped in front of him. “Derek—”

“So you get mad at me for cheating on you, but you’ve been fucking him the entire time? Wow. That’s fucked up.”

“What? No, I didn’t sleep with him.”

“Doesn’t look that way.”
He turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

She followed him then stopped when she reached his car. “Derek, listen to me. I never cheated on you with Thatcher.”

“Now I know why he took you on that trip to San Francisco.”

“Listen to me. Nothing happened.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“I’ve had feelings for Thatcher since I met him but nothing happened between us. I’ve been faithful to you. I wanted to work out our relationship even though he kept telling me to leave you. When he told me you cheated on me, I still didn’t touch him. That was the only kiss we had. He’s treated me right from the beginning and I want to be with him. I’m sorry if that hurts you, but that’s how I feel. If you hadn’t fucked up so many times that never would have happened. I could have fallen in love with you, Derek. Don’t blame this on me.”

He came back to her and stared her down. “You never cheated on me?”

“I swear on my life.”

He sighed. “I believe you.”

“I’m sorry for hurting you. I didn’t know you were standing there.”

He put his hands in his pockets then leaned against the car. “It’s okay. After what I did to you, I deserve it.”

She didn’t refute his statement.

“He’s a nice guy. I’ve always liked him.”

“I like him too.”

“And you guys have a lot in common. I guess it isn’t surprising.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“And all the girls swoon over him.”

She smiled. “They definitely do.”

He sighed. “I wasn’t expecting you to see anyone for a while, but I guess it doesn’t matter. Our relationship was doomed to fail from the beginning. I was an asshole and had a lot to learn.”

“A
t least you’ll get it right next time.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Are you okay with this?”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “When I said I loved
you I meant it. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy. After the way I treated you, you deserve to be with a guy that doesn’t have to fuck it up so many times to get it right. Yeah, I’m okay with it.”

“Really?”

He smiled weakly at her then hugged her. “If he’s the guy you want, you should be with him. You two make more sense than we ever did.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Thank you for forgiving me and still being my friend.”

“You were a shitty boyfriend but you’re a great friend. I didn’t want to lose you,” she said.

“I didn’t want to lose you either.”

She pulled away. “So, still friends?”

He smiled. “Always.”

She took his hand and they walked back to her apartment. When they walked inside, she dropped his hand. Thatcher watched them from his spot on the couch. Nancy came over to him then sat on his lip, making him smile in surprise. Derek came to him then extended his hand.

“Take care of her,” Derek said.

Thatcher shook his hand. “I will.”

“You’re the better man.” Derek turned and walked away, taking a different seat on the couch.

Thatcher looked at her. “I’m proud of you.”

“For what?”

“For seizing what you want.”

“I’ve always wanted you. I don’t know why it took me so long.”

He rubbed his nose against hers. “Now you’re stuck with me. I’m never letting you go.”

“I don’t want you to let me go. I wouldn’t survive if you did.”

“We won’t have a problem there.” He looked into her eyes, seeing the happiness he felt reflected back at him. The joy that radiated from her was infectious and affected him most of all. He smiled at her, making her feel warm inside. She was heartbroken by Derek’s actions but she realized it was the best thing that ever happened to her. Thatcher was the man she needed in her life, not just the one she wanted.

20

Thatcher didn’t seem like someone who played board games, but he won every single one. Sydney, who was perfect at everything, even seemed threatened by him. Nancy leaned into his shoulder and touched his arm while they played, happy they were finally
together officially and all her friends were supportive. It was very sudden since she and Derek just broke up, but after the way Derek treated her, they didn’t hold her actions against her. She may have had feelings for Thatcher but she never acted on them. That was the important part.

“So, was your dad happy to get rid of you?” Henry asked Nancy.

Nancy tucked her hair behind her ear and avoided his gaze. “He was fine with it.”

“I’ve never been to your place,” Henry said. “Where’d you used to live?”

“Uh, over by the university.”

“Cool,” Henry said.

Thatcher glanced at her and watched her expression. He didn’t comment on the topic but she knew what he was thinking. Why didn’t she tell her friends the truth about her life? He didn’t understand it but he didn’t pressure her. Everything was simple with Thatcher, uncomplicated. Since they could communicate silently, there was never any misinterpretation. It was like they could read each other’s minds. She never had a connection with someone like that, not even Sydney or Henry.

After everyone left, Thatcher helped her clean the dishes and put the games away. He stared at her while she stacked the box
es in a corner.

“Everything okay with Derek?”
he asked.

She nodded. “We’re friends.”

“I really like him.”

“I thought you hated him?
”

“I hate him as your boyfriend. As a friend, he’s a good guy.”

“Thank you for making the effort to get along with him.”

He shrugged. “If he’s your friend, he’s my friend too. I’m just surprised he wasn’t more upset when he saw you kiss me, which I enjoyed immensely, by the way.”

She blushed. “He accused me of cheating on you but I assured him nothing happened. But I did admit that I had feelings for you.”

“Did you tell him you love me?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s too soon.”

“What’s too soon?”

“I wanted my friends to accept you first. If I said I was already in love with you they would assume I was rushing into this, thinking with my heart and not my mind.”

“And what’s wrong with that?” he asked.

“It’s just—not smart.”

“Being in love is about being illogical. You don’t think, you just know.”

“Which is why people get hurt.”

“Any relationship you ever have with anyone, a lover, a parent, a friend, or even a pet ends in heartache in some way. There’s no point in thinking about the future sorrow. Live in the moment, Nancy.”

“After having a failed relationship, I’m surprised you would say that.”

“What failed relationship?” Thatcher asked.

“Your fiancé.”

“Our relationship didn’t fail,” he said as he leaned against the wall.

“You broke up, right? That means it wasn’t successful.”

“I guess you and I have different definitions of the word successful.”

She stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

“There’s no such thing as a successful relationship from the way you’re describin
g it. It dies by death or break-up. I believe a successful relationship is defined by the moment you shared in time, the moment when you loved someone with your whole heart and they loved you in return. Maybe that love died, things didn’t work out, but the time you had together is forever. Even though Grace left me, I knew she loved me.”

Nancy
              didn’t know what to say to that.

Thatcher stared at her for a moment before he came beside her on the couch. “So, if you love me, Nancy, which I know you do, you should be honest about it, enjoy this moment with me. Because you know I love you too.”

“We’ve only known each for a month.”

“I don’t see the relevance. I was with Grace for six months before we said the L word. She and I got engaged then went our separate ways.”

“How many relationships have you been in?”

“Four.”

“Serious relationships?”

He shrugged.
“For the most part. They lasted for about a year and were monogamous.”

“So you’ve slept with four women?”

“Yes.”

She waited for him to ask the same question but he didn’t.

“My point is, I’ve been in meaningful relationships and I’ve never felt this way about anybody. I don’t need to wait a year before I finally admit what I feel. I’m not wasting time. After my dad died, I realized I could die at any moment when I’m surfing, driving, walking, even painting. I’m going to enjoy every moment I have on this earth. And right now, I want to enjoy that time with you.”

She grabbed his hand and felt the lines of his palm. His skin was always warm and smooth. His fingertips had light callouses from the wooden brushes he would hold. She could see distant paint stains forever ingrained in his skin.

“Can I ask you something personal?” he asked.

“Of course, Thatcher.”

“Have you ever been in a serious relationship?”

She stared at his hands. “No.”

“And what was Derek?”

“A fiasco.”

He laughed lightly.

“Why?”

“It helps me understand why you are the way you are.”

She waited for him to ask about the number of guys she slept with him but he never did.

“So, the choice is yours. You can pretend that we’re taking this slow or you can just dive in and stop caring about what other people think.”

“You’re right.”

“I’m wise beyond my years.”

“You sound
like an old man,” she teased.

“Thank you.”

“I like old men. They are cute.”

“Ooh.
Even better.”

She laughed then stared into his face, seeing the blue eyes she loved so much. “Thatcher, I love you.” She felt her skin prickle when she said those words. It was the first
time she directly said it. In every other instance it was implied or assumed. She never told anyone she loved them before, not like that.

He pressed his face close to hers. “Nancy, I love you with my whole heart.”

His words elicited a deep emotion she couldn’t control. She felt the moisture build up behind her eyes. She blinked it back, not letting them surface.

He grabbed her face and directed her look on him. “Let them fall.”

She sniffed and a tear rolled down.

Thatcher leaned
in and kissed her tears away, running his fingers through her hair. “Maybe you never felt loved by your mother, your father, Derek, but you will definitely feel loved by me.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“I know the feeling.”

“I never thought I would find a love like this.”

“A love like what?”

“A connection that’s unbreakable, a friendship that’s more powerful than any other, a love that’s equally passionate, trusting, and physical.
When I see Sydney and Coen, I envy them. When I see the way Henry looks at Ren, I feel alone and sad. But now…I have that. I have even more than that. I—”

“Have a soul mate.”

She pulled away and pressed her forehead against his. “Yeah.”

“I know.”

He stared into her eyes for a long time, his fingers still gliding through her hair. Her tears stopped falling when she looked at him, seeing the same emotion she felt reflected in his eyes. Eye contact with anyone was difficult for her. She always averted her gaze, frightened of the intimacy, but with Thatcher she didn’t feel uncomfortable. She felt vulnerable and exposed, but it didn’t bother her. She had nothing to hide from him, and even if she wanted to, she couldn’t. He saw everything.

“Can I sleep with you tonight?” he whispered.

“I always want you to sleep with me.”

“My place or here?”

“Since I’m working tomorrow, can we stay over there?”

“Yeah.”

She left his side then gathered her things while he waited by the door. After she locked the apartment, they took their separate cars and returned to his house. She liked her apartment, but she loved his house. The dark hardwood floors contrasted against the while walls. The art he had on the walls and the shelves made her feel calm and comfortable. It had a smell to it, slightly masculine but not overbearing. It was a safe haven to her.

When they came inside, the
y both went into the bedroom. She placed her bag on the floor then pulled out a t-shirt.

He handed her his clothes. “I like it when you wear my things.”

She grabbed the shirt and smelled it. “I do too.”

He smiled. “You like the way I smell?”

“I love it.”

“I’ll give you a minute.” He turned and left the bedroom. She heard him doing the dishes in the kitchen while she lied in bed. His bedroom was large, as big as his living room. He had a walk-in closet, a few dressers, a full length mirror, and a king-sized bed.

When he returned, he was wearing his running shorts and t-shirt. When she realized they were both fully clothed, she was confused. Since they were officially together, she was hoping for some intimacy. She knew she wanted it from the beginning.

He lied beside her then draped his arm around her, looking into her eyes. “So, the contract is void, right?”

Nancy’s heart hammered in her chest. She couldn’t speak, only nod.

He cupped her face then rubbed his nose against hers. Knowing his lips were just an inch away made her muscle
s tense with anticipation. When she kissed him, it was quick and gentle, not sensual like she wanted. Nancy wanted to feel his tongue, taste his lips.

Thatcher brushed his lips past hers then moved on top of her. Nancy
immediately cupped his face, her fingers reaching into his hair. She waited for him to kiss her but he didn’t. Instead, he brought his lips to her neck and kissed her gently, his tongue sliding over the skin. She let out a loud moan as soon as they touched. A fire seared her skin and she gripped his shoulders.

His lips
moved down to her shoulder, pulling the neckline down so he could access her skin. Nancy’s fingers dug into his hair, feeling the soft stands. Thatcher moved further down then pulled up her shirt, revealing her stomach. He kissed the skin over her ribs then moved down the center, sticking his tongue in her belly button. She never felt more aroused with such juvenile foreplay, but Thatcher made her skin blaze in an inferno with every touch.

Thatcher grabbed the shorts then pulled them off, leaving her in her black thong. Nancy felt the adrenaline kick in as he stripped her. She wasn’t shy or embarrassed about being half naked in front of him.

Thatcher leaned down and kissed the skin of her inner thighs, making her sigh loudly. His lips inched further up to the apex of her thighs and she waited in anticipation to feel his tongue. He moved past it then kissed her hips, his hands sliding up and down her legs. She felt the moisture pool between her legs the longer he kissed her. Finally, he moved back up to her face then rubbed his nose against hers.

“And the grand finale,” he whispered. He cupped her face then pressed his lips against hers, making her body convulse with feelings and emotion
s. The movement of his lips was gentle, loving, and when his tongue moved inside her mouth, it swirled around hers slowly, making her moan into his mouth. It was the best kiss she ever had, so precise and different. His touch was sensual, loving, and sexual. Her fingers trailed down his shoulders and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. When she rubbed against him, she felt the erection press against her thigh. She moaned again when she realized how big she was, much bigger than Derek.

Their kisses became more passionate. Her hands ran all over his body, trying to pull him closer than he already was. There was no distance between them but it wasn’t enough.
Thatcher ran his hands up her shirt, squeezing her waist as he held himself over her, loving her with his mouth. Nancy had never been kissed like that. It felt so good that she couldn’t stop shaking.

Nancy grabbed the end of his shirt and pulled it from his body. Thatcher broke their kiss for a second while she got it off. He went back to kissing her, loving her with his lips. Feeling his naked chest made her feel more aroused. Every inch of his torso was chiseled and smooth. He didn’t have an ounce of fat, just muscle. His skin was like
a heater, warming her like she was right next to the vent.

Nancy felt her mind slip away as his tongue darted into her mouth. Her hands moved down his back, feeling the flank of muscles that protected his spine
, then ran her fingers down his front, still kissing him the entire way. She felt the sensation start in her stomach then move to the apex of her thighs. She couldn’t believe it was happening, but she was so hot, so charged for him, that it was coming to pass.