Chapter 9: Chapter Nine

Nate wasn't here when I woke up the next morning. My feet guided me to the next room, the kitchen, the shower and even the garage.

But he wasn't here. When I finally arrived in the kitchen, I noticed that the coffee was still hot, waiting for me in my favorite mug. A plate of English breakfast sat on the table. Knowing that Nate had stayed here till the morning made me smile.

My chest was full, my smile beaming. I pulled the mug from under the machine and took a sip. The coffee was hot, but exactly what I needed this morning. I looked around my kitchen, most of the appliances were here already except the washer and dryer which I still needed to outsource and buy.

After sitting quietly with my coffee and breakfast I headed upstairs to dress in some presentable clothes that would be suitable to meet the delivery men by my gates. I spent the next two hours in my new home, my dad came over with the delivery guys and helped bring in the boxes.

George and Tammy Facetimed me earlier but I quickly ended it when they started bragging. About their honeymoon which consists of the beach, seafood and a lot of bedroom activities. Tammy couldn't wait to come back and see my new house though.

After a whole hour of contemplating, I finally messaged Nate. Saying thank you for last night and this morning. He read the message but didn't reply for another two hours. I had made the assumption that he was extremely busy, wherever he was and decided not to bother him further.

After some investigating with Angela, we found out that Nate was currently in Paris. Fashion week was on, and he was an ambassador for a major brand. He even had his own line with them which surprised me the most.

"Why don't you go?" I look over at Angela like she has grown another head. Cameron had dropped her off 30 minutes ago and left quickly without another word. He barely made eye contact with me, which probably had a lot to do with him leaving me last night. So suddenly.

"Are you kidding me, I can't just go?" I said as I continued to hang up my clothes in my brand-new walk-in wardrobe. I was thankful, with all these clothes I was getting sent it was a dream, a luxury to have such a big open space to store my clothes.

"Yes, you can," she argued. "I'm sure he would be more than pleased to see you there and plus isn't it time you started to make the effort," she reasons with me.

Thinking about it that way I guess she's right I should probably start making some of the effort. My initial plan on avoiding Nate really isn't going to plan and Nate is kicking over every barrier to get to me.

"You really think so,” I ask her as I place my last dress on the hanger. Coincidently the dress was the one I wore that night when I met Nate in the club after that disaster meeting in his office.

"Girl you know I'm right c'mon let's get you packed and sent off to the city of lookover," she sang out as she jumped on my bed to reach the small suitcase on the top of my wardrobe. I watch as she excitedly started to pack things inside.

Even though my mind was saying stay home, don't go to Nate I felt myself already thinking about what I would say when I got there. I followed Angela and started to pack my essential items into a small bag.

"I am not wearing that Angela,” I exclaimed watching her pull out a sexy black ensemble. It had not been touched yet; it was a daring purchase from me.

The little black skirt and light pink silk top lastly paired with a fitted black blazer. Angela bent down and pulled out my suede black thigh-high boots.

She looks at me before huffing," I don't know why you're being a prude Tammy told me about your little show on Nate's birthday,” she says hiding her face from me so I can't see her smirk.

I blushed "She told you?" I ask, she nods her head smiling.

"I always knew you were a little freak,” she quickly says earning a smack from me. The little shit.

After arguing with her for a long time I changed into the outfit and curled my hair in big bouncy waves. I ran a comb through my curls and added a pair of diamond earrings.

I contemplated it but I placed the necklace around my neck. The moon dipped down into my cleavage. I had originally planned to return it, but I decided against it and ended up just storing it away in a small black box.

After we packed a little hand carry, I exited the house around an hour after Angela left. I could have booked a flight, but it was quicker to travel by train and it didn't cost all that much, plus the Eurostar allows me to bring my car.

I don't know if my high heeled boots were such a great idea, but I wore them anyway. I don't usually travel in style but the fact that I was going to Paris during fashion week, I knew I had to put a little more effort in. I also was going to see Nate, who no doubt had beautiful stylish women surrounding him. Touching him, adjusting his clothes and running their hands through his hair.

The euro star was a dream I had no problems whatsoever with an adorable family who kept me entertained.

Being a blogger and author, I knew a few people who I had conversed with online. They were surprised when I told them I was in Paris, but I begged them to keep quiet about it.

I feel like a little bit of a stalker right now. Randomly showing up to Paris where Nate coincidentally is. I knew that people would have negative things to say about me.

When I entered the building with my lanyard around my neck, courtesy of Hannah pulling a few strings for me back at the Nevada. I searched for the brand which Nate was with. Instead, I found a familiar face.

"Where is he," I ask dan, I found him lurking around the venue. Smoking a cigarette at that, even though he swore to never pick up another one.

He stomped on the cigarette as he turned to me "Fuck knows, he's been out of it all day I kind of have a feeling you have something to do with it" he arches his eyebrow. He pauses just staring at me not saying anything. Waiting for me to say something.

"Get the prick out there I don't care what you have to do find him" A loud voice booms through the hallway. I instantly recognize it as Nate's angry voice. He glared down at a girl who looked horrified. I glanced at Dan and noticed that he looked very clean and well presented in a suit. Dan hated suits.

Dan quickly realized that the prick was probably him, so he quickly runs off to the direction of Nate. I guess dan is one of the models who will be modelling for Nate's line.

As more people begin to clear out of the room where Nate's voice was just heard I decide to see if I can wish him luck, maybe a little bit of luck is all he needs. I doubt he's very used to this type of thing.

One of the girls that just left the room seems to recognize me because she plasters a massive grin on her face. As she moves towards me, with determination.

"Come to fix your mess, this mood is all your fault,” she jokes. I don't think she meant it in a nasty way. Just out of humor probably, as I see her rub the back of her neck.

"Yep," I say surprising her a little bit. She seems stunned at my reply but doesn't say another word as she leaves in the other direction.

I take her leave as my chance to go see Nate. As I approached the room, I began to get even more nervous as I thought about what I was about to do. When I walk inside the room, I find Nate standing by the window looking out to the city. He doesn't notice my presence yet. A guy was standing by a rack of suits when I stand there. He quickly grabs his phone and leaves when I glance at him. Relieved to have the chance to get out of here.

I walk up behind Nate and place my hand on his shoulder giving a tight squeeze. Nate's shoulder becomes less tense, but he does jerk away probably shocked that someone was touching him like that.

Glad to know he won't let other women touch him without his approval. Everyone but me. If he knew it was me before I had touched him, I am sure he would not have flinched.

"Loretta, what are you doing here," he asks checking my body, probably looking for any sign of me being hurt. Because in his mind, there would be no other logical reason as to me being here.

"I was bored" I blurted out, a small smile on my lips as I hear how ridiculous that sounded. That didn't even make sense.

"You were bored?" He asks with a grin. Nate's posture seems to have calmed down and relaxed a bit and that puts my heart at ease knowing that he doesn't mind me being here.

"Loretta if you wanted to see me you could have just said," he says, Nate even adds a little laugh at the end making light of the conversation. I was confident until I saw that look on his face. The way his eyes narrow and his lips turn up. Nate reaches out and grabs my blazer and pulls me forward.

I gasp, my hands flying out to grab onto his shoulders.

"So, it's okay that I'm here," I ask him a little shocked at his actions.

He laughs a little before composing himself. He looks at me lifting my chin to look at his eyes directly. "You don't how happy this makes me baby," he says cradling my face in his big hands. By the look in his face, I can't fault him he honestly looks contempt and happy to see me.

For once Angela's plan actually turned out to be better than I expected.

Nate seemed contempt withstanding here with me. He didn't try anything more than just keeping me close like this.

"You can't keep saying in a minute, Nate you need to get out there," I said as my eyes flicked over to the door where his assistant just disappeared after the second time, telling Nate to get out there.

"You'll be here?" he asks me, fiddling with the soft curls that lay against my shoulders.

"I don't think I can go out there if there's a chance, you're not waiting for me right here" Nate surprises me by lifting me up by my waist and gently putting me down on the windowsill where there are a few cushions.

I shift from side to side getting comfortable.

"Nate I'm not going anywhere; you could even lock the door" I add quickly. Nate was about to walk out the door, but he quickly turns his head.

"Believe me, Loretta, I'm tempted" the way his eyes stare back at me made me stop breathing for a minute. That look is not something little girls should see.

I was able to breathe when Nate disappeared out of the room. I watched from the screen inside the room. I recognized dan and a few other familiar models walk out the same way with different suits from Nate's collection.

Technically it isn't Nate's own brand, but he's done a partnership with Boss which is really cool, He actually is going to do a campaign with Boss tomorrow before this collection becomes available to the public. That's what he told me.

I was just quietly watching the screen when someone in a sharp black suit walks into the room, he has this era of confidence and power as he makes his presence known to me.

He looks like he's looking for someone, his eyes widen as he finds me sitting on the windowsill staring back at him, confused.

"Loretta Reeves?" He calls out to me.

"Yes," I say hesitantly, I walk up to him and grab a hold of his outstretched hand and shake it. After a brief hello he begins to tell me more about Nate's upcoming campaign. He seemed to want someone to tell all this to someone.

I just stood back and listened. Until the most absurd thing left his lips.

"You want me to model with Nate," I ask.

"You've got to be shitting me, why don't you get a model who's used to this kind of thing," I ask him. I was generally good at writing about models but never being one. We are at fashion week; you can walk outside and find someone.

" I know that you will do the brand justice Loretta and your connection with Nate is something my models could never achieve. Nate is a dream to work with, but I just know both of you will work miracles for Boss if you work together for this shoot" I gape at this man. He was deadly serious.

"Okay I"

"I'm so happy you've accepted Loretta" he beams at me as he grabs my hands and kisses them.

"I'll be on my way; I don't think I want to be here when Nate gets back if you know what I mean. My name is Brandon by the way, but I will give Nate all the boring details" he rushes out.

Brandon disappears out the door as quickly as he can and before you know it all I can see is Nate as he stands by the door, leaning on it as he stares at me.

"You said yes?" He asks as he kicks off the wall and advances over to me. He stands in front of me. Dangerously close to my own body. He smells too good.

"Yes," I close my eyes tightly regretting the little moan that escapes my mouth at the mere touch of Nate as he moves his hand beneath my blazer and gently grips my waist.

"Good Baby, can't wait to have you by my side,” he whispers gliding his soft plump lips across my neck.

I make the mistake of leaning forward further into his chest because he instantly takes hold on my neck and starts to mark his way across the skin thereby pressing his lips kissing it. I'm more than positive that he's left a few marks here and there.

"Nate" I moan out loving the sensations it brings me. The way he makes my body feel.

He has the audacity to not say a word and he continues to kiss leaving my shirt with no option but to fall as he pushes the blazer off my shoulders all in one go.

After a few forbidden kisses, Nate quickly licks over the spot he's been concentrating on before releasing his tight hold on me.

I stumble back, completely dazed. He steps back creating some space between us both allowing me the distance that I wanted no needed.

"I need to stop before I do something reckless, something that I will regret because I won't be able to stop" as these words tumble out of his mouth. My breathing stops and my chest feels heavy. Thinking about what he could do, what he wanted to do to my body.

Something changes within the air. I surprise both of us by placing my lips over his and kissing them. He quickly responds giving me as much pressure as I am with him, if not more.

"I want to take you on a date,” he suddenly says breaking the kiss. After I finally catch my breath, I look up into his eyes and ask. "A date." I press on just double-checking. And reassuring myself as well.

Nate grins "Yes, I passed a lovely restaurant earlier and I thought of you instantly," he says as he reached down and takes my hand gently.

"You don't own this one, do you?" I asked as I let him walk me outside. He grabbed his blazer and called for a car. He angled his body as he opened the door for me. 

He grabbed my face delicately. "Not this one," he whispered as he slowly leaned in for another tantalizing kiss that had me wanting so much more.