“Where do you want to go?” I ask.
He picks up my hand and kisses the back of it. “Anywhere with you.”
12
Eliza
I knock on the door and stick my head around. “I’m out of here.”
Henry looks up and smiles. “Have a great vacation.”
I hunch my shoulders in excitement. “That’s the plan.”
“Where are you going again?”
“Majorca. We leave in the morning.”
“You going with your boyfriend?” He frowns.
“Ah, yes.” That sounds weird. Is Nathan my boyfriend now? I raise my eyebrows in surprise, the concept mind blowing. “Yes, with Nathan.”
“Okay.” His eyes hold mine. “Have a great time. I must say, I’m very jealous.”
I chuckle, and with one last wave, I rush out of the door. I power walk to the elevator as I make an internal list of what I need, I have so much to do before Nathan gets to my house tonight and I haven’t even started packing yet. I need to get to my laser appointment, and then I want to buy that other swimsuit in red. I also want to pick up some new date dresses and lingerie.
Nerves dance in my stomach. Lingerie… for Nathan. I exit the building and step into the street. The sun is just going down, and I walk up the street toward my beauty therapist.
I don’t know what’s going to happen between the two of us, but I do know that I’m going to give it my best shot.
I’m bringing out the big guns. I want him to see me in a new light and to be new and exciting for him. I want to do things he hasn’t seen me do and wear things he hasn’t seen me wear before.
All the things I save for the men I’m dating.
In our friendship Nathan is bossy, but in a relationship, I don’t want to be mousy and submissive. I want him to know how much I love being in control and intimate, too. I love sex as much as anyone—more than anyone, probably.
I exhale heavily as I power down the busy sidewalk…. The thought of having sex with him is terrifying, nerves dance in my stomach at just the thought of it. I imagine us fumbling around in bed, and how I’m probably going to have to take the reins the first few times until he gets the hang of it.
He doesn’t know about vaginas.
“Oh God.” I wince. I feel my skin heat with perspiration as I imagine that moment.
It will be momentous, that’s for sure. I just hope it’s for the right reasons.
Nathan said that he didn’t know how his body would work with a woman but it worked with hers, and it has me secretly freaking out.
What if his body doesn’t work with mine? What if we get to that crucial moment and he can’t get it up?
I will die—literally die. Like dead in the fucking ground.
Suddenly, I am banged hard in the shoulder by a passing man. “Ouch!” he cries. “Watch where you’re going.”
“Sorry,” I call as I turn toward him. “I was distracted.”
I begin to rush again. I wasn’t lying. I am distracted by all things Nathan Mercer.
I’m nervous and anxious and excited and nervous, triple nervous actually.
Somehow, I don’t think this vacation is going to be as relaxing as I once thought it was.