Nathaniel/f!Cousland, Hot Snarkiness
Of all the people in the world, the last person Elissa Cousland ever expected to see herself working with was Nathaniel Howe.
It shouldn't have been, considering she spent most of her childhood lazing around with the eldest of the Howe boys, but after the betrayal, it became difficult to remember that. To remember that the Howes use to be the dearest of friends and not the most hated of enemies.
Not that Nathaniel was making it easy for her.
"After you, Elissa." He held the door open for her.
She scowled. "You don't get to call me that. You haven't earned the right to call me by my first name."
He leaned in behind, so close she could smell his cologne and feel his breath on her neck. "What should I call you then, Elissa?"
She scowled at him. Commander, like everyone else. "I think my Lady should work."
He bit his lip. "Very well then, my Lady. After you."
Damn him. Damn him to the farthest levels of the Fade and back.
"What?" He whispered slowly. "Did I hit a nerve?"
Damn him. Damn him, damn him, damn him.
"You know, I heard you were going to be Queen." He whispered, his breath hot on her neck, his teeth tantalizingly close to her ear. "That you were going to marry that boy. What was his name again? Alex? Anderson?"
"Alistair." She whirled around to face him, tears unwillingly gathering in her eyes. "His name was Alistair, and he was a better man than you will ever be."
"That so? Well tell me, Pup," He spat the childhood name like an insult. "Did he love you? Did he spout off pretty words to you, tell you you were beautiful?"
He stepped even closer, forcing Elissa back into a wall. He put his arms about her, effectively trapping her against him.
"Did he make love to you? Worship your body, kiss your pretty little lips and tell you he loved you?"
"Yes." She breathed, tears streaming freely now. "Yes, of course he did. He loved me. I l-l-loved him."
Nathaniel closed the distance between the two of them, capturing her lips with his own, and Elissa began to forget.