His head moved forward, and he placed a gentle, sweet kiss to my lips. It took my breath away, and it forced me to tighten my hold on him so I didn’t lose my balance. And then, just like that, the kiss ended.

  It was perfect.

  I opened my eyes and looked at his, searching for something to tell me what would happen next.

  “Come on,” he encouraged. “Let me get you some dessert.”

  Trevor reached down to take my hand, and we walked back to the kitchen. He pulled out a stool at the island and patted the cushion for me to take a seat. I smiled at him before doing as he instructed.

  “So what did you get for dessert?” I asked curiously.

  “Chocolate mousse. I’ve never had it but I've heard it tastes good.” Trevor went to the fridge and pulled out a white box. He put it on the island and then got two small plates out of the cupboard.

  “Am I supposed to cut it like cake?” he asked, looking up at me after opening the lid.

  “It kind of depends on how they made it.” I got down and moved around the counter so I could peek into the box. “I would cut it like cake.”

  “Are you sure it won’t run everywhere?”

  “No.” I laughed as I gave him a little shrug. It was hard to say what the inside was like but it looked like a pie. “We have to just hope for the best.”

  Trevor

  Once we were both dished up, I led Natalie out of the kitchen, across the living room and to the French doors that took us out to the large balcony.

  “Oh wow,” I heard her say from behind me. “The view is so much better out here.”

  “I’m glad you think so,” I said as I walked to the covered area of the deck. I put my plate down and then turned on the outdoor heaters. “Let me know if you get too cold. I can turn these up, get you some blankets or we could go back inside.”

  “I think this will be perfect,” Natalie said as she took a seat. She looked out at the skyline and smiled. The lights were shining in her eyes and it took my breath away. The woman was beyond beautiful.

  “I’m really happy that you could make it tonight,” I told her honestly after several minutes of us quietly eating and enjoying the view.

  “Me too,” she replied. She took a bite, finished it and then gave me another smile. “This dessert is fantastic. Then again, the whole meal was fabulous.”

  I couldn’t help but smile back at her. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ll have to take you to the restaurant sometime and we could get the full experience.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “Well, you know, the atmosphere of the restaurant. There’s also something about the taste of food when it comes straight out of the oven. Not that this wasn’t delicious, but it tastes just a bit better.” I was trying to explain but felt like I was fumbling over my words. This wasn’t like me and I was starting worry Natalie would think something was wrong.

  She smiled at me and gave a little nod. “I know what you mean. Sometimes a place just needs good atmosphere. The food could be sub-par but it tastes so good cause of the company and ambiance.”

  “Exactly,” I said with a smile. “I love how you understand what I mean when I ramble. I don’t even know why I'm doing it."

  Natalie chuckled and put her hand on top of mine. “It’s okay to ramble. We all do it from time to time.”

  I leaned over on impulse and pressed my lips against hers for a sweet kiss. Her hand squeezed mine a little, not as a warning but more as a reaction. When I realized what I had done, I pulled my face back a fraction of an inch and looked into her eyes. The soft feel of her lips left mine tingling and wiped every word from my mind.

  I didn’t know what to say.

  Natalie

  The feel of Trevor’s lips against mine woke something in me I hadn’t felt in a very long time. It was so sweet and tender, as if he was kissing the most fragile thing in the world. I wanted him to do it again.

  I looked at his lips and then his eyes, feeling a burning in me that got hotter with every passing second.

  Without thinking about it, I leaned towards him and pressed my lips to his. It was my turn to show him tenderness and a sweetness that hopefully touched his heart in ways it'd never been touched before.

  His hand that I was holding moved and his fingers wrapped around my wrist. We rose from our seats together, our lips unbreakable.

  We left our dishes on the table as Trevor led me back into the house. He deepened the kiss, and I welcomed the feel of his tongue against mine. I groaned softly as we kept walking. I wasn’t paying attention to anything, my arms around his neck and trusting him to guide me wherever he wanted to go.

  My back hit a wall, and I groaned against his lips with the way his body pressed into me. Trevor kissed down my cheek, along my jaw and to my neck. I tightened my arms around him and moaned softly. Every time he kissed a sensitive spot, my fingers pressed into him and I tried to get him closer. My desire was building and I could tell Trevor was feeling the same way.

  “Trevor… please,” I said before I moaned again. He kissed another spot, and I felt my knees go weak.

  I slid a hand over his shoulder and down his chest. I kept going until I felt the bulge in his pants. He moaned against my throat when I added a little pressure.

  “You naughty girl,” he mumbled against my skin. He licked over a small part before his lips returned to mine.

  Our kiss was heated, and I wanted him to take me. The idea of being pinned up against the wall while making love with Trevor pushed my arousal. Then I got an idea.

  “I still smell like a fish,” I whispered after our kiss ended. “Let’s take a shower.”

  Trevor smiled at me, his eyes full of need. He picked me up and carried me down the hall. His lips returned to mine, and I kissed him passionately as he reached his room. He didn't stop until he got to his master suite.

  We didn’t stop kissing as the water heated and only broke apart when we had to remove our clothing. I barely had the chance to admire him before his lips were back against mine. The feel of his naked body against mine turned me on even more.

  Trevor picked up once more and took me into the shower. The water poured down over us, splashing here and there. We didn’t care. I barely noticed how steamed up the walls were or even how hot the water was. My focus was on Trevor and his hands on my body. He pressed me against the tiled wall and deepened the kiss.

  I could feel him rubbing against me and I wanted him. No, I needed him. I had never been so turned on before in my life.

  “Please,” I begged with a whimper. “I need you.”

  Trevor smiled at me, brushed some of my wet hair out of my face and then kissed me again. His kiss deepened, and he gently pushed into me. My lips fell from his and I moaned at the sensation. He was so big, so perfect and the sensations washing over me were unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

  Fireworks. We truly were making love. The two halves of a whole finally coming together.

  I tightened my arms around his shoulders as he moved his hips. We pressed our foreheads together and our breaths became synchronized. My heart was so full and it beat so rapidly in my chest I was sure that Trevor could feel it.

  “Oh god, Trevor.” I moaned and moved my lips to catch his. It was a short yet passionate kiss. It was all it took for him to speed up his thrusts, driving deep into me. My moans filled the room.

  The steam was thicker now as we continued to make love. I opened my eyes and ran my fingers through his hair. I barely had the chance to smile at him before my eyes fluttered closed. A moan left my lips as pleasure washed over me.

  Trevor found a nice rhythm. His hips moving automatically as he continued to thrust into me and I called out in pleasure every time. He made me feel so much pleasure that I couldn't think. All I could do was react. When I did, he responded with more thrusts.

  Over and over, our bodies worked together. He moaned into my neck and I ran my nails down his back. He bucked his hips, and I whimpered out. We were a team, working hard to bring the other so much pleasure.

  I wanted the moment to last so when my orgasm hit hard; I felt a sliver of sadness. It was over. Trevor had loved me perfectly, in ways I never knew possible. I called out his name as the waves of pleasure continued to wash over me and clung to him.

  I was on cloud nine and I knew one thing for certain.

  I loved this man.

  Chapter 6

  Natalie

  I never wanted to be one of those girls. The type that would jump from one bed to another, especially with celebrities. But I couldn't stay. I couldn't pretend this was more than what it was.

  He wined me. He dined me. Then he... well it was a lot of fun and I would do it again but I have no delusions right now. I knew the type of man he was.

  The sun was shining directly in my face but I slipped out from under his arm. I picked up my clothes from the floor and tip-toed out of the master bedroom.

  I rushed across the house to one of the spare bathrooms. I washed up, got dressed and tried to make myself look presentable. I didn't want to roll out of his house and have someone see me looking like a hot mess. If it happened, I hoped nobody had a camera.

  As I put on my clothes, there was a faint smell of fish. I wrinkled my nose and cursed the sea lions. Next time I meet up with a handsome celebrity, I will shower for longer than five minutes and make sure every drop of stink was off of me. I don't care how late I ended up being.

  Then again, who was I kidding? This was my first celebrity encounter and probably the last.

  After I turned the water off, I stood silent for a moment to make sure I didn't hear any noise coming from the rest of the house. When I was sure the coast was clear, I quietly made my way back to the main area. I finally made it to the front door and put my hand on the doorknob.

  I looked over my shoulder and felt a heaviness on my heart. If only he wasn't such a ladies' man. I pulled open the door and my heart jumped out of my chest. Trevor's security system started blaring a high-pitched screech. I froze for a second.

  I did the only thing I could think of and I ran. I sprinted down the sidewalk and made it to my car. With a little fumbling of my keys, I got the door open and jumped behind the wheel. I thought I saw movement from the corner of my eye as I backed out of my driveway but I didn't dare look.

  I had to get out of there.

  Trevor

  I could see the back-end of her vehicle heading down the road when I stepped out on the front porch. The ringing from the alarm system was still fresh in my ears but my heart hurt even more. I didn’t think she was the type to eat, sleep and run. I’ve had other girls do it and I’ve done it many times but I thought for sure Natalie was different.

  With a heavy sigh, I went back inside and slammed the door.

  I ran a hand over my face and walked to my bedroom. I kept going until I was standing next to my shower. Cranking the knob over, I wanted the water as hot as it would go. I needed to wash her touch off of my body.

  As the water heated, I took a glance at myself in the mirror. There was an underlying sadness I could see in my eyes and etched across my face. It was a look I'd never seen before.

  Natalie had done something to me and I don’t know if I would ever get that part of me back. It was a depressing thought, but it was true. She was everything I wanted in a partner. The girl would make me settle down and start living the life I’ve always wanted - not the one that magazines claimed I had.

  I had to talk to her. I had to find out what happened.

  I stepped into the shower and turned the water down. I no longer had the same thoughts racing through my mind and practically burning myself wouldn't change anything.

  It wasn’t long before I was out of the shower and getting dressed. My eyes kept looking at the clock, counting down the minutes until the aquarium opened. I know she’d be there. Natalie mentioned having to do a little overtime today and I could see her before I headed off to finish my sponsor obligations. I was looking forward to getting back on the field and away from all the photoshoots these companies wanted me to do.

  As I drove toward downtown, I kept thinking about Natalie. Her smile lit up the room and took my breath away. I don’t think she had any idea how beautiful she was. I wanted to believe she felt the same connection I did, but I didn't understand why she left the way she did. All I could do was hope she wasn’t too busy and would give me some answers. I know showing up at her work was shitty, but this wasn’t the kind of conversation you had over text messages.

  After finding a place to park, I sat in my car for a few minutes and rehearsed what I wanted to say in my head. I had to make sure I let her know how I felt and how much she meant to me. I’d do my best not to mention that morning, but I still had to find out why she left without saying goodbye.

  When I finally felt like I was ready, I got out of my car and made my way to the aquarium. The girl at the ticket window recognized me and I gave her a smile while I handed over enough cash to pay for the entrance fee.

  “She’s doing a presentation right now,” the girl said as she slipped my ticket through the window.

  “Thank you.” I took my change and the ticket before heading inside.

  I knew exactly where I had to go. My feet carried me down the right path, moving almost automatically. There were whispers here and there. Fans waving and taking a step towards me. Most of them stopped when they saw the look on my face. I was determined and not looking to humor others with autographs or pictures. There was no way I would let the girl of my dreams slip through my fingers without putting up a fight.

  I turned one final corner and stopped in my tracks. Natalie was up on a perch, talking through a headset to the small group that stood just beneath her. The sea lions were hamming it up for the crowd and I was in pure amazement. The woman was breath-taking.

  She must have caught sight of me because her presentation stopped for a second. I looked to her face, and she looked away. Without missing a beat, Natalie continued to talk to her guests while ignoring me. I found a spot in the back, semi-hidden from view and listened.

  It was about five minutes later when she got down and practically stormed towards me.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked sternly. She was trying to scold me with a soft tone and I understood her desire not to make a scene.

  “You left this morning and I…” I said and she grabbed my arm. Natalie pulled me down a little corridor employees used. She let go of me and put her hands on her hips.

  “I left because that’s what you do with guys like you,” she stated.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I know about you, Trevor. I know how you treat women and how disposable they are. I was stupid and for a moment, I thought I was different,” Natalie explained.

  I stood there, unable to speak. I had no idea what she was talking about or why she was this angry with me.

  “What happened?” I finally asked.

  “Nothing,” Natalie said. “I just can’t be with someone who will replace me in a week. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go back to work.”

  She walked away before I could say a word. It was the second time that day I had to let her go. This time, I didn’t know if my heart would survive.

  Chapter 7

  A Week Later

  Natalie

  “So you told him to get lost?” Susan asked, and I nodded my head. She looked at me like I had just killed her cat.

  We were sitting on her couch, sipping on some fancy espresso she made from her latest gadget and talking about the one person I didn’t want to think about.

  “Why would you do such a thing?”

  I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. I thought about him, how much fun we had, how easy he was to talk to and I was having a hard time remembering the reason I left his place.

  “He uses women. He dates them, sleeps with them and then leaves them.” I was desperately trying to tell myself and Susan.

  She was giving me one of her looks. I knew it well. She wasn’t believing anything I said. There had to be some truth to my reasoning. It was all over the media.

  “The magazines say…”

  “Do you believe those gossip columnists will print the truth? Do you think readers want to know that he’s a sweetheart and treats women like Queens? No. People like to read about others being complete trash. I guess it makes them feel better. And since when do you believe everything you read?” The look was still on her face and I knew she was right.

  My shoulders sank as I sighed. “I have to protect myself, you know?”

  “Nobody wants a broken heart, but that doesn’t mean the guy doesn’t deserve a chance. The way he was looking at you… women would pay good money for a man to look at them like that.” Susan pushed my knee and gave me a smile.

  “He was a huge sweetheart to me,” I finally confessed. I looked at my hands folded in my lap. I moved them and pressed each palm to my thigh as I tried to decide what to do. Logically, I knew I had to talk to Trevor but my heart was telling me it was too risky.

  “Turn on the TV!”

  I looked up and watched Susan’s husband, Robert, rush into the room. There was grease on his hands and a bit on his forehead from being under his car out in the garage. Susan looked startled but grabbed the remote. She hit the power button and then looked to her husband.

  “Put the game on,” he instructed as he walked further into the living room.

  “Not uh. You are not sitting down on that recliner covered in grease,” Susan told him. He grumbled a bit and went to sit on a wooden chair in the corner.

  Susan found the football game. It was a shot of the field and several members of the staff and players were in one area of the grass. I looked around, trying to see what was happening and then saw the paramedics with a stretcher. The screen went blurry. I couldn’t focus on what I was seeing but I could hear the announcers loud and clear.

  “We don’t know what kind of injury Boseman sustained, but it appears to be life threatening. Our prayers and wishes are with him and his family right now.”

 

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