Taking the Plunge (30 page)

That made Nancy feel
a little better. “I hope good things were said.”

“A declaration of undying love is always a good thing.”

Nancy blushed, surprised that Thatcher said that.

Thatcher looked at Nancy. “Are you ready for bed?”

She nodded.

“I’ll join you in a moment.”

Nancy turned and walked into his bedroom, closing the door behind her. Now that Thatcher made it clear that he loved Nancy, not Grace, she felt better. But she also felt guilty for every doubting Thatcher to begin with. He hadn’t done anything to ever make her question his loyalty. Derek was right. Cheating and lying weren’t in Thatcher’s nature. She took off her clothes then lied in his bed, smelling his pillow and his sheets. He came to bed a half an hour later, undressing in the dark. Thatcher slid into bed beside her.

She immediat
ely reached for him, holding him to her. She was silently claiming him, treasuring him. He was the greatest man she’d ever known. Nothing was impossible with him. Everything was easy, simple.

His hand moved through her hair, taking the strands off her neck. Thatcher’s lips moved to her neck and he kissed her gently, sucking the skin. His hand moved up her stomach and gripped her breast.

Nancy ran her hands over his body while he kissed her everywhere. When his lips trailed to the area between her legs, she panted for him. His tongue swirled around her, touching her in the right spot with the right pressure. Her fingers dug into his scalp, loving his touch.

Thatcher pulled his mouth away then grabbed her hips, pulling her toward him.

“What are you doing?” she whispered.

“If that isn’t obvious, I must be doing something wrong.”

“What about Grace?”

“What about her?”

“You want to have sex when she’s in the next room?”

He rubbed his nose against hers. “It’s my house. I can do whatever I want. And right now, I wan
t to make love to the love of my life.”

Her eyes softened when she looked at him, replaying the beautiful words she just said to him.

“But you have to be quiet, if you can manage.” He grabbed her thighs and pushed them back, putting his thick head into her entrance.

She placed her hands on his stomach, pulling him toward her. He didn’t budge, drawing out the moment as long as possible. She wanted to scream because she wanted him inside so much. “Please,” she whispered.

He made the descent, stretching her apart as he went.

“Yeah,” she whispered.

He pressed his face close to hers then moved his hips, thrusting into her without moving his upper body. The bed didn’t shake and the headboard didn’t tap the wall. It was the quietest they had ever been. He slid in and out smoothly, the only sound coming from the friction of their body parts. Nancy bit her lip, trying not to make a sound.

“You’re doing great, Nancy,” he whispered. “I know you want to scream right now.”

She nodded her head vigorously while she dug her nails into his skin.

He thrust into her harder, the sweat dripping from his body. Her fingers felt the hot pool of liquid on her skin. It dripped onto her stomach as he pounded into her.
Watching him thrust into her from above, stretching her with every move, made her moan. Her orgasm was building, moving down her stomach to the area between her legs, which was searing in heat. Her whole body ignited in a blaze.

“Harder, Thatcher.”

He sealed his lips over hers while he gave her everything he had, breathing heavily into her mouth. She gripped his forearms, moaning into his mouth while she came harder than she ever had. Trying to stay quiet made it that much more arousing. The sound of his cock sliding into her pussy made her restriction snap. The bliss washed over her, making her head spin.

Thatcher released himself into her, still pounding her hard so she could enjoy ever
y last second of the intense orgasm. His lips were still pressed to hers but he didn’t kiss her, too busy breathing and moaning quietly. When he was finished, he pushed far into her, shooting as far as he could.

He moved away then pulled out, his cock shiny from the moisture of her pussy. He lied down beside her and closed his eyes, sighing deeply
. Nancy turned on her side and hugged him, her leg wrapping around his and her arm hugging his waist. Thatcher was already asleep. She could tell by his heavy breathing.

She stared at him for a long time, looking at the faint shadow of hair on his chin. His lips were relaxed and his hair was in disarray. Sweat still clung to his chest, making his skin shine in the dim lighting. The world became very quiet as she shared a moment with him, a moment he was unaware of. Her feeling of abandonment disappeared when she realized how much he loved her. When she reflected on their past, how they began, Nancy knew she was the only one for him. He completed her, fit her jagged edges and formed a whole picture. There was no doubt of his love for her. She released the fear and anxiety she felt, knowing he would never leave her—ever.

29

When she woke up the next
morning, Thatcher was gone, out surfing with the guys. Nancy knew her friends would keep her secret, that she had a panic attack about his fiancé’s unexpected appearance.

She went into the kitchen to get some coffee when she saw Grace sitting at the table.

Grace smiled at her, her perfect teeth and lips showing. “Good morning.”

“Good Morning,” Nancy said. She poured herself a cup of coffee then sat down. The table was laden with food. Strawberry crepes were in the center, along with a plate of vegetarian omelets and crispy bacon. The sight of all the perfectly prepared food annoyed her. Grace immediately helped herself to the kitchen, which Nancy thought was incredibly rude.

“Would you like some breakfast, darling?” she asked with her broken English.

Nancy didn’t like the nickname but she didn’t comment. “Sure. Everything looks great.”

Grace piled the food on her plate and handed it over.

Nancy ate her breakfast without looking at Grace, feeling incredibly awkward. “Are you enjoying Hawaii?”

She tucked a strand of lustrous brown hair behind her ear then smiled. “I love it here. Everyone says Europe is a living mosaic of modern culture and preserved history, but I love the culture and environment of the island. Last time Thatcher and I came back here, I almost didn’t leave.”

Nancy assumed that meant Grace met his family. “Did you know his father?”

Her eyes softened. “He was a good man. My heart broke when Thatcher told me the news.”

“It’s horrible,” Nancy said.

“So, Thatcher told me your romance is fairly recent.”

“Time is irrelevant,” Nancy said while she drank her coffee.

Grace looked away then poked a strawberry with her fork. “And what do you do for a living?”

“I’m an art
ist,” she said with confidence.

“That’s right. I think Thatcher mentioned that.”

“What do you do, Grace?”

“I’m
a professor of art history in France. I love it.”

Nancy’s eyes widened. Now Grace was a double threat; she was beautiful and smart. “That sounds interesting.”

“Yes, I’m very fortunate that I get to pursue my passion for a living.”

Nancy nodded, knowing exactly how she felt. “Your cooking is good.”

“Thank you. That’s also another passion of mine. I hate eating out.”

“Now I know where Thatcher gets it.”

She smiled. “Yes, he gets a lot of his habits from me. I even trained him to fold his socks. Does he still do it?”

“Um, I don’t know. I’ve never seen his laundry.”

Grace shrugged. “Because it’s a new relationship.”

Nancy didn’t like how Grace kept downplaying their relationship, like the longevity had anything to do with their serious commitment. “I have a lifetime to learn.”

Grace stared at her, her smile falling. She grabbed her coffee and sipped it, looking away. It became awkward again.

“I’m sorry about your husband,” Nancy said.

Grace sighed. “I filed for divorce then flew out here.”

“
Why is Thatcher your first choice?”

She smiled. “He and I have always been close. He’s still my best friend.”

“Then why did you leave him?” Nancy blurted.

Grace shifted her weight in her seat, averting her gaze.

Nancy knew she shouldn’t have snapped. “I apologize.”

“It’s fine. You’re clearly threatened by me. That isn’t surprising.”

Nancy returned her fork to the table, staring at her face. “I’m not threatened by you.”

Grace gave her a bright smile and a light laugh escaped her lips. “It’s quite alright. I’m not offended.”

“And I’m not threatened,” Nancy repeated. “I have no reason to be.”

“We’ve known each other for seven years. Our relationship may have lasted for only two of those years, but Thatcher has loved me the entire time. You’ve known him for what?
A few months? You’re just small a candle that will burn through your storage of oil. I’m a forest fire that can’t be put out.”

Nancy wanted to grab her mug and toss it at Grace’s head. “So, you’re trying to get him back? That’s the real reason why you’re here?”

She looked at Nancy, giving her a hard stare. “It’s nothing personal, really. The last time I spoke to him, he said he wasn’t seeing anyone. I was just as surprised by you as you were of me.”

“Well, you’re wasting your time. Thatcher would never take you back, not after what you did.”

Grace smiled. “I made a mistake. I’m human. Thatcher understands that better than anyone else.”

“I didn’t say he wouldn’t forgive you,” Nancy snapped. “I said he wouldn’t take you back. Those are completely different.”

“We’ll see,” she said as she drank from her coffee. “You could save yourself the heartache and just bow out. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

Nancy clenched her fists under the table, controlling the fury that consumed her. She wanted to throw Grace through the window and watch her land on the concrete. She couldn’t believe Thatcher ever loved someone this psychotic. When she remembered what Derek said, that she should trust Thatcher, she calmed down slightly. “All I have to do is tell him what you just said. You would be gone in a second.”

She laughed. “He wouldn’t believe you. There’s no way the love of his life would lie to him.”

“Which is why he’ll believe me,” Nancy snapped.

Grace shook her head. “Go ahead. Tell him.”

“No.”

“That’s what I thought,” she said with a smile.

“I would rather you see put yourself out there and get rejected. That would give me more satisfaction.”

“Don’t do this to yourself, Nancy. You seem like a nice girl.”

“I’m not nice girl,” she said while she glared at Grace. “But I trust Thatcher. Nothing will ever happen between you. I’m not worried about it in the least. The only reason why I’m not slamming a plate against your head is because Thatcher cares about you. I can’t hurt someone h
e cares about. He wouldn’t do that to me.”

Grace smiled. “This is going to be so much fun.”

Nancy said nothing, giving her a look of hate.

Footsteps were heard on the stairway. Grace and
Nancy shared a look of violent death wishes while Thatcher came into the living room, wearing a shirt covered with water spots from his dripping hair.

“Breakfast looks good,” he said as he approached the table.

“Thank you,” Grace said with a triumphant smile.

“Great. I have
n’t had your cooking in forever.” He came to Nancy and leaned over her, kissing her gently on the lips. “Good morning,” he said as he rubbed his nose against hers. “You looked so cute when you were sleeping, I almost didn’t leave this morning.”

Nancy felt her heart melt. “It would be nice to wake up with you once in a while.”

“That’s what the weekends are for. You want me to stay in shape, right?”

“I do love your body.”

“I know you do,” he whispered. He pulled out the chair and sat beside her.

Nancy smiled at him
then gave Grace the same look, wanting to amplify her victory.

Thatcher piled the food onto his plate and ate a second serving, more than what he usually ate.

“Why are you so hungry?” Nancy asked.

He shook his head. “Training two guys how to surf is exhausting.”

Nancy chuckled. “I’m guessing that Henry was the worst one?”

“No,” he said quickly. “It was a tie. Coen was horrible too.”

“Well, I’m glad you had fun,” Nancy said.

“It’ll be more fun when I don’t have to baby them,” Thatcher said as he drank from h
is coffee. He looked at Grace. “How did you sleep last night?”

“Good,” she said. “I’m just not used to the heat.”

He nodded. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I was hoping we could take a hike through Kailua Waterfalls then have dinner tonight,” Grace said.

Nancy glared at her.

“Sure,” Thatcher said.
“I could take the day off.”

“Thank you,” she said.

Thatcher turned to Nancy. “You’re welcome to join us. You can take the day off too.”

Nancy smiled at him while she placed her hand on his thigh. “No, you two have fun.”

Grace looked at her, surprise in her eyes.

“Are you sure?” Thatcher asked.

“Yeah,” Nancy said. “You should spend some quality time with Grace.”

Thatcher stared at her for a moment before he finished his breakfast.

Nancy gathered the plates then did the dishes before she walked away. “I’m off to work. You two have a good day.”

Thatcher rose from the table and came to her. “You’ll sleep with me tonight?”

Nancy wanted to more than anything, but she wanted to prove her point. “No, I have a few things to work on at home.”

Thatcher
titled his head to the side. “We always sleep together.”

“It’s only for a few days.”

He looked into her eyes, trying to gauge her thoughts. “Did I do something?”

“No, you didn’t do anything at all. I’ll see you later.”

Thatcher grabbed her and brought her lips to his, breathing into her mouth while he kissed her. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too.”

He dropped his hand. “Have a good day.”

“You too.”

Nancy went downstairs and got to work. Her stomach felt full of acid when she thought about Thatcher and Grace hiking through romantic waterfalls and having dinner together. But she knew she could trust Thatcher so she tried not to think about it.

When her shift was over, she left without saying goodbye to Thatcher even though she doubted he was home anyway. She showered after she returned to her apartment then called up her friends. They decided to get together for tacos.

Nancy walked inside and saw Derek sitting at a table.

“Wow. You didn’t order already?” she teased.

He smiled. “I’ve learned my manners.” He watched her expression for a moment. “How’s it going with Thatcher?”

She sighed. “I’ll tell you when everyone gets here.”

“Yikes. That doesn’t sound good.”

“Because it’s not.”

“He seemed normal this morning.”

“That’s because he was surfing. He feels at peace when he’s on the water.”

Derek nodded. “That guy has some fierce moves. He could go pro if he really wanted to.”

“It’s just
a hobby,” she said quickly. “So, how are you?”

He shrugged. “I’m okay.”

“I thought we were friends?”

“We are,” Derek said. “I just feel lost right
now. Everything changed after we broke up. I feel like a chapter of my life ended and a new one began. I just don’t fit in anywhere. I feel like I’m missing something, missing someone.”

She smiled. “You’re ready to settle down.”

“Is that what it is?”

“Yeah.
You loved being in a relationship, and now that you’ve learned from your mistakes, you want to have that connection with someone. Seeing Coen married, Henry almost married, and me finding my soul mate obviously has affected you. You want someone to love.”

He shrugged.
“Maybe. But there is no one.”

“Give it time.”

“Sometimes it bothers me how quickly you fell for Thatcher.”

“Sometimes it bothers me how quickly you slept with someone else.”

He bowed his head. “I didn’t mean it like that. And fucking isn’t the same thing as falling in love. You’re like, head over heels in love with this guy. How does that just happen? I’ve never felt that way.”

She touched him lightly on the arm. “When you know, you know, Derek.”

“I have a feeling I’ll never know what you’re talking about.”

“I have a feeling you will.” She smiled at him then caressed his arm. He didn’t smile, but
his eyes shined a little brighter. He nodded then looked away.

“I’m starving,” Coen said as he led Sydney to the table.

“You’re always hungry,” she said.

“Because I work out all the time.”

“I work out all the time but I’m still not a pig,” she said.

He rubbed his nose against hers, making her visibly melt. “You like it when I’m a pig.”

Nancy assumed this statement had a double meaning.

Henry and Ren walked inside and sat in the booth.

“Hey,” Henry said. “It’s so ironic that you picked this place because Ren and I were going to come here tonight.”

“I like tacos,” Nancy said.

“Let’s order,” Coen said. “I’ll get your veggie tacos, baby.” He left with the guys and ordered the food. Nancy wasn’t hungry so she didn’t order anything. Actually, she felt nauseous.