Chapter Four
“Sorry...um...what?” Nathan asked, surprised at her words and he wondered if he’d actually heard her right.
Moving back so she could look him straight in the eye, Haley repeated it. “I said I want to go to your apartment, but if you don’t want to...”
“I never said I didn’t want to but...I didn’t think you’d want to go there so soon. I mean, I know I want us to hang out there at some point but... Damn! Am I babbling again?”
She giggled and nodded her head. “Uh huh. I just thought we could maybe grab a pizza or something and take it back to your place and we could start getting to know each other. We don’t have to rush things but by the same token we don’t have to be standing still either.”
“I like the way you think, Ms James.” Nathan said wrapping his arms around her waist before adding, “Why don’t you go and get your stuff and we’ll get out of here.”
“Give me five minutes while I quickly use the restroom,” she said giggling at his sudden eagerness. She logged out of her computer, switched it off and then gathered up her bag to take into the bathroom.
While he waited for her, Nathan went back into his own office and locked his filing cabinets before turning the lights off.
Meanwhile in the restroom, Haley looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. She reached up and released her hair from the claw clip which held it up and ran her fingers through it, fluffing it around her shoulders. Taking her raspberry flavoured lip gloss from her bag, she quickly added some to her lips and then rubbed them together.
As she looked in the mirror, her eyes became unfocused as she thought about what she had just done. She couldn’t believe how forward she had been in telling him that she wanted to hang out at his apartment; it was so unlike her and that was probably why in that moment it felt like she had a thousand butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She just needed to remind herself that they were only having dinner and that it would be a nice way of getting to know each other better after having worked together for the past six months. They just had to take things slowly and not rush anything.
Making sure she had everything, she turned off the light and went outside to meet Nathan who was now sitting on a corner of her desk.
“Hey, I’m ready to go if you are.”
Upon hearing her voice, Nathan looked up and his breath caught in his throat as he saw her standing in front of him. His eyes looked her up and down and back again before they finally met her gaze once more.
She couldn’t help smiling at the look on his face; remembering it as being the same one he had given her that night she had gotten ready at the office when he had seen her with her hair loose for the first time, and in that moment he had made her feel truly beautiful. That same feeling was rushing through her right in that instant.
“Nathan, are you okay? You’re spacing out on me again,” she said waving her hand in front of his face trying to bring him back to the present.
“Sorry, it’s just...you look so beautiful. I really like it when you leave your hair down like that.”
Her face flushed slightly at his compliment. “Thank you. So...um...shall we go, then?”
Getting up from the desk, he bent his head and kissed her softly on her lips. A few moments later, he pulled back saying, “Mmm. raspberry, huh? Now I know it tastes just as good as it always smells on you.” Taking her hand in his, he led her out of the main entrance of their office, turning the lights out on their way and setting the alarm. Once outside he released her hand while he quickly locked the door.
“So, what’s your favourite kind of pizza?” Nathan asked.
“Oh, I like it hot,” she replied without thinking and her face flushed as she realised what it must have sounded like. “I, uh, I didn--”
He laughed at the expression on her face and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he squeezed her to him. “Don’t worry, I know what you meant. Well, I think so anyway.”
“Very funny,” she replied but she couldn’t stop the smile from tugging at the corners of her lips. “C’mon, let’s get some food and go home.”
Nathan couldn’t help the warm feeling that spread through him at the way she had referred to his place as ‘home’. His arm tightened around her shoulders as he led her to the parking lot behind their office to where he had parked his car.
* * * * *
A while later, they were sitting opposite each other on the floor of his living room eating their spicy pizza and drinking beer.
Swallowing the last bite of his slice of pizza, he asked, “So tell me, why did you decide to leave Tree Hill?”
“Um...I guess I just wanted to get out of a small town. Sometimes it’s nice living in a small community and knowing all the locals but at other times it can drive you crazy. You know, everyone knowing your business and interfering by giving you their advice or opinion. Peyton and Jake moved out here about eighteen months ago and Peyton was always telling me I should do the same.” Haley took a sip of her beer before continuing.
“Anyway, she saw that ad you placed in the paper and she sent it to me and I don’t know...I decided to go for it. Once I’d arranged the interview with you I called Peyton and she invited me here to spend the weekend with them before I had to meet you.”
“So I’ve got Peyton to thank for introducing us, huh?”
“Uh huh. Speaking of Peyton, do you mind if I give her a quick call and let her know where I am? I usually call and let her and Jake know if I’ll be late home.”
“No, of course not.” Reaching over to the side table, he grabbed his cordless phone and handed it to Haley. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” Taking it from him, she punched in the familiar numbers and waited a few moments before a breathless Peyton answered the phone. “Hey Peyt, it’s me. You sound out of breath, honey. Don’t tell me, Jake’s been chasing you around the apartment again,” she said raising her eyebrows at Nathan and making him chuckle. “Ugh, that’s too much information. Anyway, I just called to let you know that I’m hanging out at a friend’s place and I’m not sure what time I’ll be home, okay.”
She listened to what her best friend was saying and rolled her eyes which made Nathan laugh. “Okay then, I’ll let you get back to whatever you two were up to and remember, I don’t want to see any naked bodies in the living room when I walk into the apartment later. Sure...okay, sweetie. Bye.” Haley hung up and then passed the phone back to Nathan.
“So, what were they up to when you called?” He asked out of curiosity.
“You don’t want to know and let’s just say I’m glad I didn’t go home earlier.”
“I’m glad too,” he whispered almost shyly.
Looking him in the eyes for a long moment, she moved the pizza box onto the coffee table and then shuffled towards him on her knees until she was straddling his thighs. “I’m glad, too.”
Nathan pulled her closer until their bodies were flush against each other and then he kissed her hard. Haley parted her lips and this time it was his tongue in her mouth tangling with hers.
Drawing back from him slightly, she playfully licked and nibbled on his lips before sliding her tongue into his mouth and exploring, liking the mixture of his own tangy taste and the remains of the spiciness from the pizza they had shared.
“God...Haley...you taste so good...” Nathan panted between kisses as he placed his hands on her waist and untucked her silk blouse from her skirt. He ran his hands up and down the bare skin of her back until he reached her bra but didn’t make a move to unfasten it. He just kept moving his hands around the areas that were unhindered by clothing.
Moving her palms up to frame his face, she kissed him one last time before pulling back. “Do you want to stop here or...” Her words trailed off as she desperately hoped that he would say no. She was thoroughly enjoying the feel of his slightly calloused hands caressing her bare skin and she wanted him to keep going.
“Do you want me to stop?” Nathan threw back.
“I asked you first, Nathan,” she said moving forward and kissing him excruciatingly slowly, withdrawing before he had a chance to deepen the kiss.
“I don’t know what’s happening here, Haley, but I really don’t want to stop. I will though if you want me to.”
“That’s good to know but I don’t want to stop either. Let’s just take it slowly and see what happens. All I know is that I love the way you touch me and I, uh…”
“What?” he whispered huskily against her neck before kissing just behind her ear.
Haley shivered at the sensation and could hardly get her thoughts together, let alone form a coherent sentence.
“What?” he repeated, giving her a sexy smile which caused her own lips to curve upwards.
“I want to do the same to you,” she told him quietly, her eyes flickering to his before lowering to stare at his chest.
Nathan couldn’t help the tiny moan that escaped his throat at hearing those words fall from her lips. He seriously couldn’t believe what was happening to him tonight. Despite having dreamed about being with her from the moment they had met, never in a million years had he considered it ever coming true. He valued her too much to want to risk upsetting their working relationship.
“That’s fine by me,” he replied, playfully smirking at her. “How about we move somewhere a bit more comfortable?”
“Why Sir, whatever do you mean?” Haley coyly asked while trying to suppress her giggles.
“Well...um...how about we move this into my bedroom?” he hesitantly suggested a moment later.
Her nerves jangled and her heart was racing wilding but once again that night, she decided to go for it and take a chance. Quickly getting up from the floor before she lost her nerve, she tugged on his hand and said, “Come on, lead the way.”
Practically jumping up off the floor, he pulled her behind him as he headed to his room; her laughter making the grin on his face grow even wider.
“So, Nathan, how comfy is your bed?”
Stopping in his tracks, he bent down and scooped her into his arms which made her squeal in surprise. “No need to wonder ‘cos you’ll soon be finding out soon enough.”