Bring on the Wonder Ch. 02

Lizzie couldn't meet his eyes. "Sure."

He studied her face and she wondered if he could tell that she was planning to leave tomorrow. They wouldn't be having dinner together or talking when he got home.

"Good night, Elizabeth."

"Good night, Lance."

The man turned and walked to his room, leaving Lizzie alone with her thoughts. She stripped the sweatshirt off and tossed it on the floor at the foot of the bed. Then she crawled into bed, shivering as the cool sheets brushed against her bare skin. She turned her mind to Nate and to what she could say when she saw him again. She hoped and prayed that he'd speak to her again, maybe even let her move back in. She could only hope that he would still feel for her what he had that night a month ago.

Her body began to warm at the memory. The way Lance touched her was enough to get her turned on. But what had happened between her and Nate had been so much more. It had been hot and wild. All-consuming. Life changing.

Lizzie twisted beneath the covers, rubbing her thighs together as moisture gathered at the apex of her legs. The way Nate had looked at her when he'd been inside of her body flashed in her mind's eye and she let out a low moan.

She fell asleep a short while later, hot beneath the sheets and sated by her own hand and the memory of her brother making love to her.

****

PRESENT DAY

Lizzie woke up on Saturday morning and reached out with one hand. The bed beside her was empty. Frowning, she rubbed her eyes and opened them to confirm that Nate wasn't in bed with her.

"Nate?"

She sat up, rubbed her eyes a bit some more and squinted around herself. Sunlight streamed in the window, lighting up the room and keeping her from opening her eyes wide. She yawned and climbed out of bed to go to the bathroom. After that, she grabbed a shirt from Nate's closet and wandered downstairs to find him.

"Nate? Where are you?"

There was no response as she reached the bottom floor and walked to the kitchen. No Nate. She did a turn through the dining room, the living room and down the hall to her studio. Of course, he wasn't in there. His aversion to ordered chaos kept him from there unless she was in it to protect him.

The thought put a smile on her face, and she forgot about her search for Nate as she stepped into her space. She picked up a brush and walked over to stand before a blank canvas. It had been some time since she'd painted anything. Her last several works had been charcoal and other than that, she'd only churned out a few half-hearted pastel drawings.

An image danced behind her eyelids and she chewed on her bottom lip as she considered the blank canvas before her. And just like that, she was gone.

Colors spilled out of bottles and mashed together on a palette. Her brush dragged in pleasing sweeps across the once blank canvas until her mental image began to take shape and life. The only sounds in the room were her breathing, the scratch and hiss of her brushes on the canvas, and the occasional bird call outside in the back yard.

She didn't stop working on the canvas before her until her stomach grumbled in protest. With a sigh, she stepped back and rubbed her forefinger and thumb together. They were each coated in a different color of paint, and mixing them together produced the shade of violet she was looking for. She made another mark or two and stepped back. Her stomach rumbled again and she rubbed a hand over it.

"Crap." She realized too late that she'd rubbed a paint spattered hand all over Nate's shirt. She looked down to see she'd already decorated the shirt with splatters of paint and the odd swipe of a finger or palm. With a laugh, she turned to see Nate standing at the doorway. "Oh, there you are."

"Here I am." He grinned and walked into the room. "How long have you been in here?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Since I woke up?"

He laughed and put his arms around her. "Well, I left you fast asleep at about seven this morning and I suspect you slept until at least eight, maybe nine."

She frowned as she hugged him back. "You make it sound like I always laze in bed all morning."

"Not all morning. Just half."

She poked him in the ribs and he squeezed her tighter. "Shut up and kiss me."

He obliged, bending his head and claiming her lips in a kiss that left her weak in the knees. Her toes tingled as he traced her lips with his talented tongue and flicked inside in a teasing move. She parted her lips, eager for more and he gave her what she wanted. The kiss turned hotter in seconds.

His hands moved down her back to lift the hem of his shirt to reveal her bare bottom. He moved his lips to her ear and licked the outside before blowing warm air over it, sending a shiver all the way through her body. A weak moan escaped her and Nate stroked his fingers over her ass.

"Do you realize you've ruined another one of my shirts?" His whisper stirred the hairs over her ear, tickling her and making her shiver again.

"Another one?" She smiled and met his lips for another tasty kiss. "I don't recall ruining any others."

"The light blue one. And that nice lime green one that you liked so much."

"I didn't ruin them."

He slapped one palm against her ass. "Don't lie."

She shuddered as his hand connected with her bare bottom. He knew what that did to her. He didn't strike hard enough to hurt. Just enough to make her tingle and to make the heat that was building inside her spill over.

"I wasn't lying--"

"Lizzie..." He rubbed a palm over the cheek he'd just smacked.

Lizzie clung to him, all but hanging in his grasp as he lifted the hand, threatening to bring it down again. Maybe threaten was the wrong word. When it was something that she enjoyed so much, it was hard to call it a threat.

"Nate, please."

"Please, what?"

He lightly patted her bottom and started rubbing it. Lizzie twitched and arched against him. She wanted more than a soft rub or stroke. The longer he held and touched her, the more she wanted him to throw her down on the window bench and drive her crazy.

"You going to stop making up stories?" He patted her ass again and she almost crawled up to link her legs around his waist. "You going to admit you've ruined more than one of my shirts?"

"Yes, Nate. I did. I got paint all over several of your shirts. Not just one."

"Good girl." He slapped her ass and she cried out, soaking wet in an instant. He did it again and she lifted one leg then, hooking it behind his knee.

"Nate, I need you."

"You need me where?"

She looked at him, took in the sight of his tousled dark hair and wicked dark eyes. She pulled his hand away from her backside and moved it to her front, to that wet spot between her legs. He split her wide with his fingers and shoved two inside her.

"God, Lizzie. Have you been this wet all morning?"

She laughed. "No, you've made me wet, just by being here."

He chuckled and kissed her flushed cheek. He trailed kisses across her face and down to her lips. He worked his fingers in and out of her, his other arm sturdy across her back. When he kissed her mouth, she licked his lips and kissed him back, pouring all her love for him into it.

She never did anything by half-measures.

Nate lifted his lips and kissed the tip of her nose. Lizzie blinked and looked into his face. The intense desire was still there, in his brown eyes, but it was tempered by the look of total adoration that she'd also become familiar with.

"I love you so much, Lizzie."

Lizzie's face softened into a smile. "I love you, too."

He nodded and leaned close to kiss her again. "I know, sweetie. I know."

It was then that Lizzie's stomach reminded her of her hunger again. This time, Nate heard it and gave her a pointed look before withdrawing his fingers from her body.

"You forgot to eat breakfast, didn't you?"

She gave him an impish smile and shrugged.

"Lunch, too, I bet."

"Maybe."

Nate laughed and turned her around. He smacked her bottom one more time to urge her out of the room. "To the kitchen, woman. I'll make you something to eat."

She threw a playful pout over her shoulder but preceded him out of the room. They walked to the kitchen and she stood aside as he went to the fridge. She checked the time on the stovetop clock and her eyes widened when she realized it was after one in the afternoon.

"Wow. I was in there for a while."

Nate smiled at her as he carried a container to the counter. "I figured. I got back to the house at about eleven and checked on you then but you were deep in artist mode. If you hadn't stopped when you had, I would have carried you out of there no matter what."

"Oh really?" Lizzie crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows. "You could have tried."

He smirked. "Baby, I could have done almost anything to you in there."

Heat flooded her body as she thought about how she'd been seconds away from begging him to do just that.

"Now, you want a sandwich or some leftovers from last night?"

She chose the leftovers and went over to the sink to wash her hands while he spooned some of the food onto a plate. She scrubbed the paint from her fingers and lifted her face for a kiss when Nate moved past her to heat the food in the microwave.

"Thank God you were here to heat up those leftovers." She gave him a crooked smile. "I don't know what I would have done otherwise."

He waved a fork at her. "Don't mock me, woman, or I'll let you starve next time."

She laughed and snapped the towel in his direction.

Lizzie loved this time with Nate, when they were able to joke and laugh and be themselves around each other. They'd had this before that first night she'd thrown herself at him.

When she'd graduated from college, her first thought had been about finding somewhere to live. After many years of growing apart as young adults, she'd been unable to think of anywhere else to go except Nate's house. She'd always loved her brother, in that way between siblings. They got along now that they were older and she actually enjoyed spending time in his company. Years ago, when she'd been a teenager, her brother had seemed like an awful stick in the mud. As she'd grown, she'd come to appreciate his sense of humor and she often found his advice to be informed and objective.

Nate had offered her a place to live until she could get on her feet and she'd jumped at the chance. Weeks after moving in with him, she'd found work with the publishing house as a temporary assistant to a senior art editor. Once they'd seen her work and let her contribute on a few jobs, they'd offered her a permanent position. It had come with a significant increase in wages but she'd remained living with Nate, even though she could afford a place of her own after that. She wanted to stay because she enjoyed living with him. Long before she'd realized her attraction for him, she knew she liked being with him. Perhaps that was one of the many reasons why she fell in love with him.

Looking back over the time she'd spent living with him, she could now see all the moments that made her fall in love with him. It wasn't one moment, it was many. All adding up gradually over time until she could no longer deny her feelings for him. One of the most poignant defining moments had to be when she'd come home in tears from a disastrous third date with a guy she'd thought was all right.

Nate's first question had been, 'Who am I stabbing in the eye?' Knowing her brother had about as much violence in him as a butterfly, Lizzie's tears had turned to laughter, his exact intention. Then, she'd recounted the evening and what had transpired.

At some point during the date, the conversation had turned to kids and whether or not they each wanted them. Lizzie, never one to lie, had been forthright and explained about a childhood illness that had led to her inability to conceive. At first her date had been sympathetic and the conversation had moved on. It was only later, when he suggested they have sex without a condom that she figured something was wrong.

He'd argued that it didn't really matter, since she wouldn't get pregnant. She'd replied that condoms protected against disease as well. His response had been to laugh and take her into his arms for an unwanted kiss. She'd kneed him in the groin and said that she wasn't interested. The worst thing about the entire night had been his parting shot. He'd asked who would want to be with a woman who couldn't even do the one thing women were born to do.

After explaining everything to him, Nate had asked where this guy was so he could commence with the eye stabbing.

Later, her memory of that evening gave her a secret thrill, knowing that Nate had only been half-kidding with his threat. At the time, Lizzie had been tired and only wanted to go to bed. Nate had kissed her on the forehead, given her a hug and promised to make pancakes for breakfast in the morning.

Maybe she'd fallen in love with Nate because he kept her well-fed. She was certain her hips had widened an inch and her clothes started fitting a lot more snug since she'd moved in with her brother.

"Here you go. Eat up." Nate deposited the plate with her leftovers on the table in front of her.

Famished, Lizzie dug in and was almost done before Nate sat down with his own meal.

"Wow. Maybe you shouldn't starve for your art."

She laughed as she glanced down at her empty plate. "I didn't mean to. I just got caught up with my painting."

"I know what you're like." Nate winked at her as he continued to eat.

"And where were you off to so early this morning, anyway?"

He kept his eyes down, on his plate, but Lizzie could see the corners of his mouth curl up in a smile.

"Nate..." Her tone was one of warning.

He chuckled and glanced up at her. "Can't I keep anything a secret from you?"

"What could you possibly want to keep a secret from me?" She carried her plate to the sink and turned to face him, one hand playing with the top button of her shirt. "How could you keep a secret from me?"

Nate's gaze was drawn by her tone. As he stared at her, he worked the food around in his mouth and swallowed with effort.

Lizzie smiled and undid the button in her fingers. She moved down to the next one, while her other hand drifted down to toy with the hem of her shirt.

"I'm not going to tell you, Lizzie."

She lifted her eyebrows and flicked open another button. His eyes drifted to the fingers lingering around the third button, the button situated between her breasts.

"I have ways of making you talk, Mr. Whittenberg."

A strangled laugh escaped him and he moved his fork around his plate in an effort to pick up some food. He missed.

"I don't think you want to test me." Lizzie popped another button and took a few steps closer to him. "I can be very persuasive."

"I am aware of that." His dark eyes glittered as she moved closer.

Lizzie perched on the edge of the table, nudging the plate in front of him with one hip. The shirt gaped at her chest but she didn't look down to see how much was being exposed. From the way Nate's gaze lowered, she figured it was just enough exposure.

"Nate." She reached out with one hand and stroked her fingers down the side of his face, enjoying the scrape of his stubble on her fingertips. "Handsome, clever Nate. Tell me."

He exhaled and lifted his head. "No. It's a surprise."

Lizzie sat back. "A surprise? My birthday isn't until March."

He smiled and managed to spear some of the food on his plate. While he resumed eating, Lizzie studied his face. He glanced up with a smile after a few moments.

"You're not going to tell me anything?"

He shook his head. "Then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

She huffed out a sigh and started to do the buttons up. "Have it your way, Nate."

"Hey, wait a minute." He laid his hand over hers, stopping her from covering up. "I wanted dessert."

She laughed and tried to bat his hand away. He stood up, catching both her hands in his and tried to pull them down to her sides. Still laughing, she struggled and twisted in his grasp. Their playful fight upset his plate and it fell to the floor with a clatter, though it didn't break. They stopped and looked down at the mess his remaining food had made. Then their eyes met again, their lips came together and the food was forgotten.

Nate took hold of each side of her shirt -- his shirt -- and ripped it open. Lizzie gasped and started to laugh as buttons scattered on the floor alongside the food. Nate covered her laugh with another deep kiss, his tongue thrusting in time to the motion of his hips between her legs.

His mouth moved across her face to her ear where the combination of his wet kisses and hot breath had her begging for more. He laughed, the deep sound rumbling through her body from his.

"What was that, Lizzie?"

"Please, Nate."

"Please, what?" He drew his mouth away from her ear and licked her lips as she gazed at him with foggy eyes. "Please kiss you? Or suck on your neck?" He punctuated his questions with the matching action. "Or touch you?" At this, he stroked up the inside of one thigh until he cupped her wet heat.

"Yes!"

"Yes, what?"

"God, I need you. I need you to make love to me."

Nate pulled his hand away as his mouth descended on hers again. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him close. She loved the feel of his hot body against hers. She craved it. She needed him like she needed the air she breathed. Emotion rolled through her like a tidal wave as he freed himself from his pants and claimed her.

She cried out his name and pressed her face to his neck as he moved in her. His hand swept up to her hair where he clenched his fingers in the long strands. His other hand clutched her hip as he thrust himself into her, over and over.

The heat built between them and Lizzie lost herself to the sensations. She felt every inch of Nate inside her and every beat of his heart against her chest. Making love to him was all-consuming and she knew to the very fiber of her being that she could never give it up. She could never give Nate up.

"I love you, Nate."

"God, I love you." His words died on a groan and he jerked inside of her, coming hard.

Lizzie wrapped her legs around him and held on as he pumped himself into her. He lifted his head after a moment and kissed her, his lips warm and soft. She sighed in contentment with his hands on her and their bodies joined.

"Come on, sweetie." Nate stepped back. He helped her to her feet and led the way upstairs to their shared bathroom. "Get yourself cleaned up and ready."

Lizzie giggled and hugged him when he turned to her. "Ready for what?"

"I told you." He kissed her once more. "It's a surprise."

He left her in the bathroom with a swat on the ass that made her laugh.

"How do I know what to wear?" she called out as she started the shower running.

Nate grumbled something from the bedroom and she looked over in time to see him stalk past the bathroom door towards the closet. He grumbled some more as he shuffled through her hangers.

Lizzie laughed and walked out to the bedroom. "What are you doing?"

"Didn't I tell you to get in the shower?"

She put her hands on her hips and scowled at him. "One surprise doesn't give you the right to boss me around."

He faced her with a grin. "It will after tonight."

Lizzie tried to remain stern but he looked so pleased with himself that she had to laugh. She took her shirt off and walked back into the bathroom to get in the shower, leaving Nate to pick out what she was to wear for the mysterious surprise.

A few hours later, she was dressed in a simple, plum-colored cocktail dress, make up applied and hair styled and she had exhausted all her quizzing angles. Nate remained tight-lipped for the rest of the day. No matter which feminine or run-of-the-mill wiles she used, he wouldn't tell her anything. In all honesty, she liked it. She enjoyed the playfulness between them and loved seeing Nate so pleased with himself.