Page 4 of Want You

Octavia fumbled with his belt, all her brainpower focused on what he was doing to her neck and staying upright. “Fuck.” She gasped, raising her hands to his chest and pushing him away.

He looked momentarily shocked, raising his hands, about to apologize, but before he could say anything she grasped his shirt and pulled his mouth back down to hers.

It was too much and not enough all at once. Overwhelming and heady in a way Octavia had only ever read about. He drove his hips forward, teasing her with what was to come as he pushed her harder against the wall.

Octavia entwined her arms around his neck, hitching her leg up his until he grabbed her thigh again, his fingers digging into her possessively. One more tiny shift and she’d have him right where she wanted him most. Just a little to the le⁠—

His phone buzzed again, and she dropped her arms, pulling her leg from his grasp and breathing hard.

“You should probably answer that,” she said, looking down at their feet, hoping it wasn’t his girlfriend or wife calling. Wishing she’d paid more attention to his left hand or asked the question.

Nathan caught her chin between his finger and thumb and tipped her head up so she was looking at him. “I’m single.”

“I…” she began.

“You look worried,” he said, the concern on his face shockingly genuine. “I’m not a cheater.” His brown eyes bore into her and she thought he may kiss her again. But when the phone kept buzzing, he sighed and released her, digging into his pocket to pull it out. “Yeah?” he asked, his gaze still fixed on her, his eyes dark with want.

Whatever the person on the other end said extinguished the fire in his eyes immediately. He stepped back, looking panicked as the fingers that had just been inside of her gripped the back of his neck. Not a cheater, my ass, she thought, tensing against the wall. Probably someone calling to tell him his wife was in labour or something. What sucked most was that by cheating he made her complicit in the act without her permission.

“What? Where?” He spun around almost like he was looking for something, but he had everything he’d walked into the room with—aside from her. “No, I’m not far. I’ll be there soon. No, Mom, calm down, I’m on my way.” He hung up and jammed the phone into his pocket before racing into the washroom.

His mother…she’d done a fake emergency call before and there was nothing fake about Nathan at the moment. Besides, what type of straight man goes down on someone and takes off before someone returns the favour?

Octavia watched as he splashed his face with water and then opened the little bottle of mouthwash and rinsed her out of his mouth.

He stopped in front of her and held up the keycard. “Listen, I’ve—this was—I have to go but stay for the night, get room service, whatever you want. I’m sorry.” He looked like he wanted to kiss her again, his hand rose, reaching for her face only to drop it at the last minute. She stood there, glued to the floor as he turned, threw open the door, and disappeared through it.

Octavia leaned back against the wall and looked down. Her dress was a wrinkled mess from where he’d pushed it up. Her thong was still around her right foot. There was a slight burn on her upper thighs from his stubble, proof that she hadn’t dreamed what had just happened.

She’d gotten off, but it still felt a bit like she’d been stood up twice that night.

CHAPTER 2

NATHAN

“Nate?” Nathan opened his eyes slowly, the fluorescent overhead lights burning them instantly. His neck hurt either from falling asleep in the chair or from earlier, in the hotel room with Octavia against his mouth. Fuck, he thought. How was that only a few hours ago?

“What?” he said groggily as the room came into focus. His contacts felt dry and he forced a yawn, hoping to moisten them.

“He’s awake.” Nathan’s mom stood beside him, pointing toward the hospital bed where his brother, Scottie, lay hooked up to an IV and heart monitor.

Nathan sprang from his chair. “Scottie, fuck.” He grabbed his brother’s hand and squeezed before quickly letting go. “Shit, sorry, that probably hurt.”

Scottie shrugged, or tried to, seeing as his collarbone was broken. “Pain means I’m still alive right.”

“That’s the right attitude,” their mom said, patting Scottie’s leg. “Are you thirsty? The doctor said you were allowed to have water if you were.”

Scottie looked up at Nathan and back at his mom. “Yeah, that would be great, thanks.” After she left, he looked at his brother. “I need you to find my phone,” he said through clenched teeth.

Nathan looked toward the door then back down at his brother. “Why? Do you have something incriminating on it? Your home screen isn’t a screenshot from a sex tape or something is it?”

Scottie rolled his eyes. “No, I just need to text someone.”

“Don’t hate me when I tell you this, but your phone is gone.”

“What do you mean gone?” he asked, his voice an octave too high.

“Um.” Nathan rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “It was run over by a car after you were hit.”