Our relationship had been a shell, and he only pulled that crap when I told him it was over.
His comfort was no comfort, and it was only a few videos on his private social media.
Then it exploded.
"Are you okay?" Dr. Bradley asked, kneeling in front of me. He took my hands and pulled them down from my face. "Ember, talk to me.”
"I just… It's… The cameras and the media." I was hyperventilating, talking in circles.
"Alright, slow down here." He guided my hand to my face where I forced myself to breathe through my sleeve, and when I was finally not lightheaded anymore, he asked, "Are you okay now?"
"I just… I had this thing that happened, where gossip went wild. I moved away from San Diego after that.
It was in the press and stuff, school message boards…" My cheeks burned and tears brimmed in my eyes, and I thought he was finally getting it. Publicity wasn't my friend.
His hands came up and cradled my cheeks while his thumbs brushed the tears from my eyes.
"Okay, so I never meant to make light of the situation. Alright? I swear I had no clue, and we'll fix this. I promise." His words were an attempt at reassurance, but they missed the mark.
But when he pulled me into his chest and held me, I felt slightly better. "I swear it, Ember. I never meant for this to happen. It got out of control and I'll fix it."
I leaned into him, breathed in the scent of his cologne.
He was trying, which was more than I could ever have said about Brad.
It didn’t make it easier, but it meant I wasn't alone in this mess.
So when he pulled away, I felt the absence of his arms around me and whimpered. "That felt good," I admitted, and he smiled.
"I didn't come here for that."
"I know… Thank you for telling me about this. I'd have found out when I walked into work and had a total meltdown." I wiped at my face and he pinched my chin in one hand, smiling softly.
"I think that would be cute. Then I could kiss your whole face and…" He stopped himself as embarrassment rose to my cheeks again.
Just the fact that he was talking to me like that made this entire messed up situation feel a little too real to me.
No one talks like that unless they’re involved.
"Dr. Bradley," I said softly.
"Nate," he responded. "I told you to call me Nate."
"Well, then… Nate… What’s going on between us?" My eyes danced around his face and I still couldn't figure him out. He stared at me with a mixture of affection and attraction and shook his head.
But the force pulling us together was hypnotic and magnetic.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips over mine, pulling back to look at my face, as if asking for permission, and when I did nothing he kissed me again, harder this time.
I leaned into Nate's kiss, surrendering to the magnetic pull that had drawn us together from the start.
Our tongues danced, sliding against each other as his strong hands gripped my hips and yanked me flush against his body.
I felt the rigid line of his erection straining through his suit pants, pressing insistently against my thigh, and a fresh wave of need pulsed between my legs.
He broke away just enough to rasp against my lips. "Ember, I can't stop thinking about you. I need you right here, right now."
His voice was gravelly, thick with lust, and it sent jolts of electricity down my spine.
