Chapter 47 Rare Gentleness
After not seeing each other for a while, her fear of him had lessened slightly.
"Hey there."
Nathaniel lounged in the car, his long legs casually bent, a few strands of hair falling over his forehead.
He settled into the plush leather seat in the back, crossing his long legs with ease, the fabric of his pants outlining his toned muscles.
As he nonchalantly brushed aside a few stray strands of hair, Victoria noticed a hint of weariness in his expression.
"It's been ages. You couldn't even shoot me a text?" Nathaniel turned to her, his voice soft.
"What?"
Victoria's mind went blank, struggling to keep up. He was always so busy; how could she dare to disturb him?
Nathaniel reached out, pulling Victoria into his arms with a sudden tug, his arm wrapping around her slender waist.
Drawing closer, their noses almost touching, he murmured, "You used to check in on me."
"I..." Before Victoria could respond, Nathaniel's lips met hers.
Victoria's breath caught, the scent of cigars enveloping them.
She let out a soft murmur.
Nathaniel's tongue slipped into her mouth, exploring with a commanding presence.
His kiss was intense, leaving Victoria feeling breathless, her hands instinctively pushing against his chest.
Nathaniel loosened his tie with one hand, his white shirt coming undone to reveal his chiseled chest.
"Mr. Cross..."
Victoria felt a bead of saliva forming at the corner of her mouth, tilting her head back to avoid his advances.
"I need some air."
Finally, Nathaniel released her lips, one hand gripping her waist firmly, while the other playfully traced her back.
Their bodies pressed together, the sound of his husky breaths mixing with the rustle of fabric.
Victoria thought he was going to make love to her right there in the car and instinctively reached for his belt.
"Let's grab some food first," Nathaniel intercepted, gently holding her hand.
Having been around Nathaniel for a while, she had grown accustomed to his ever-changing moods.
He could be icy and harsh one moment, then tender and caring the next, all depending on his mood.
Today, Nathaniel appeared unusually gentle.
Upon reaching the mall, Sam parked the car, and the two of them headed inside.
A private booth at the restaurant had been reserved in advance.
Throughout the meal, Nathaniel remained mostly quiet, only sporadically inquiring about her work.
"What kept you busy today?"
"I met with a couple of clients and handled some studio accounts," Victoria answered truthfully.
After dinner, Victoria anticipated they would get intimate, sensing Nathaniel's restrained desire.
However, Nathaniel led her to a luxury store in the mall instead.
"Take your pick," he gestured, chin lifted.
Was he trying to make amends for his harshness last time? Victoria speculated.
Victoria didn't hesitate. From Chanel to Hermès, even custom high-end jewelry, she selected everything she fancied.
In Nathaniel's world, money and possessions spoke the loudest and simplest language.
Nathaniel followed along, occasionally commenting, "Looks good," "If you like it, get it," then proceeded to pay, while Sam trailed behind carrying the purchases.
At one point, Nathaniel excused himself to the smoking room, leaving Sam to accompany Victoria.
After some contemplation, Victoria casually inquired about Nathaniel's relationship with Ronnie.
"Sam, what's the deal between Mr. Cross and Mr. Ford?" she asked.
"Mr. Ford?" Sam responded promptly, "What more can I say? Mr. Ford has always been Mr. Cross's right-hand man, like blood brothers since forever!"
Victoria was taken aback by this unexpected revelation.
She followed up, "So... do they often butt heads like they did at the last meeting?"
Sam pondered for a moment before slightly nodding, "Mr. Ford's got a short fuse, he's all about solving things with force, prefers the aggressive route. Mr. Cross has reprimanded him countless times, but it never sticks, same story every time."
"I see," Victoria let out an imperceptible sigh of relief.
Seemed like she was overthinking things.
Glancing at her, Sam inquired, "Miss Chase, why the sudden interest? Everything alright?"
"Nothing, just curious," Victoria quickly averted her gaze, focusing on the luxury handbags.
Soon, Nathaniel returned. After a couple of hours of shopping, they finally wrapped up.
The trunk was overflowing, and Victoria estimated they had easily spent over a million dollars.
"Let's head back," Nathaniel said casually, sliding into the back seat.
The car smoothly pulled away, blending into the night.
Inside the car, silence enveloped them, Nathaniel closed his eyes, pretending to doze off.
Victoria watched the neon lights whiz by, refraining from disturbing him. His silence was a relief, sparing her from unnecessary chatter.
As they neared the villa, the surroundings grew familiar.
"Are you happy?" Nathaniel suddenly broke the silence.
"Huh?" Victoria turned to him, "Pretty content."
Spending his money on shopping, how could she not be happy?
Nathaniel reached out, tousling Victoria's hair, then gently cupping her face, his eyes revealing a rare tenderness.
He seemed on the verge of saying something, hesitated, and finally murmured softly, "As long as you're happy."
The car came to a stop, the door swung open.
The night air wafted in, carrying the garden's fresh fragrance.
Without a word, Nathaniel bent down, lifting Victoria effortlessly, striding towards the house.
"Mr. Cross..."
Victoria's words were hushed by a kiss.
Nathaniel's tongue slipped past her lips, stealing her breath away.
This kiss differed from the one in the car, no longer tentative or playful, but brimming with a fiery desire, as if he wanted to consume her entirely.
She didn't resist, instead wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, responding fervently.
Her high heels slipped off, landing on the stone path with a sharp "clack."
One by one, her coat, her shirt... her clothes fell away in disarray, scattered along the path from the garage to the garden.
Victoria clung to Nathaniel like a koala, her legs wrapped snugly around his waist.
Instead of heading back inside, Nathaniel led her straight to the garden.
Beneath a large plane tree, he gently set her down, his tall frame looming over her.
With his arms on either side of Victoria's shoulders, his gaze fixed on her face.
In the moonlight, his eyes surprisingly held a touch of tenderness.
Victoria's heart quickened unknowingly.
Nathaniel's eyes traced over her bare body. Faint pink marks lingered on her shoulders and arms, remnants of the belt he had used.
The desire in his eyes shifted, growing more intricate.
Instead of rushing in as usual, he lowered his head, placing an incredibly gentle kiss on the most prominent scar.
Victoria shivered all over.
The kiss was light as a feather, tenderly grazing her skin with a hint of compassion, under the moon's glow.
He kissed her neck, shoulders, then her chest, moving down to her flat stomach.
Returning to her chest, he cupped her full breasts, taking her stiff nipples into his mouth.
He delicately traced them with his tongue, softly sucking and licking.
A strange shiver shot up Victoria's spine, tingling all the way to her brain.