I am so sorry. I cannot believe that it's been like five months since I've updated. I am so sorry-especially to those of you who are following and enjoying this story. I could make up a list of excuses, but I'm not going to. They aren't any good. I am back now. This story is coming to an end shortly, and I will work hard to keep updating regularly. So, please, read and let me know what you think.
Haley looked herself over in her mirror. She was wearing a pale yellow sundress with a white cardigan sweater over it. She left her hair down with a slight curl, because she knew Nathan loved her hair like that. She couldn't stop smiling since the previous night. She couldn't help but feel excited for her date tonight. But she also couldn't deny the nerves she felt. It was almost comical to feel this way. She and Nathan were married. They've been together in some of the most intimate ways. And they've recently kissed and declcared their love for one another. But this is different. They've been apart for over six years. They're starting over. They're taking time to rediscover one another again. It was only natural to feel some nervousness. The sound of the doorbell ringing broke her out of her thoughts. She looked herself over one final time before making her way to the door. She opened it and couldn't help but smile. "Hi." She said softly.
"Hi. You look amazing." Nathan said.
"Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself." She stated.
"Here, I got you these." He said handing her a bouquet of purple flowers. Her smile deepened when she noticed which flowers they were.
"Thanks, Nathan. They're beautiful and my favorite which you already know." She said. "Come in. I'm going to go put these in some water." She said backing out of the entrance as Nathan walked in. She shut the door and began to walk towards the kitchen only to be pulled back gently. She looked to him confused. But before she could say anything, he leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I've wanted to do that from the moment you opened the door." He said causing her to blush. He let her go, and she headed into the kitchen. She came back a few minutes later. "Are you ready to go?" He asked her as she nodded. He led her to his SUV, opened the door, and waited for her to climb in. "Where are we going?" She asked once he climbed into the vehicle.
"You'll just have to wait and see." He said suspiciously.
A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination. "Nathan, what are we doing here?" Haley asked when she noticed they were at the Market Street Dock.
"We're having a picnic. I thought it would be nice to come to the place where it all began for us. We're starting over, right?" He said as she smiled at him. He opened the passenger door for her before grabbing some stuff from the backseat and led her over to their bench.
Four hours later, Nathan and Haley found themselves standing on her doorstep. After they ate, the two just cuddled together and talked about everything that's happened over the years. They were open and completely honest with each other. They were starting over. They knew each other's past, but now they had to learn about each other's present. It was nice to be talking without fighting for once. "So, did you have a nice time?" Nathan asked. The truth was that he was unsure of what to do now. He didn't want their night to end, but he also didn't want to be too presumptuous to ask if he can come inside.
"Yeah, I did. Thank you so much, Nathan. It was perfect." Haley responded. An uncomfortable silence fell over them for a couple minutes before she broke it. "Nathan, will you just kiss me already." She said as they both let out a small laugh. He didn't hesitate a second longer before capturing her lips with his. The kiss was sweet and gentle. They broke apart after their need for air became too great. "Do you want to come inside?" She mumbled as their foreheads resting against one another's.
"I don't know." He replied honestly. They were both struggling with that answer. Even though this wasn't new to them, it was completely new. They didn't want to rush things and were terrified they would. But given their history, what would be considered rushing things? "I think maybe I should go home." He said unconvincingly.
"Yeah, you're probably right." She agreed half-heartedly backing out of his embrace.
"Are you doing anything tomorrow night?" He asked.
"Nope." She answered as she felt butterflies stirring in her stomach.
"Would you like to come over to my place for dinner?" He asked hopeful.
"Of course." She quickly accepted the invitation. They smiled sweetly at one another. He leaned forward again kissing her sweetly on the lips one last time. "I'll see you tomorrow night." He said before walking away from her doorstep.
"Bye, Nathan." She called out to him softly. She watched as he climbed into his SUV and drove away. She walked into her house closing the door behind her. She immediately walked into her bathroom and filled the bathtub up with hot water. She was having an amazing night and wanted to end it in total relaxation. She undressed before climbing into the bathtub.
"Hey, Rachel. What's up." Haley greeted walking into her best friend's living room.
"Hey, Hales. It's so good to see you, sweetie. I've been meaning to call you. You sang beautifully at Tric the other night. I never got the chance to tell you that on Friday night." Rachel said.
"Thanks, Rach. I was so nervous. I wasn't nervous about singing in front of a crowd but it was..."
"It was because it was at Tric." Rachel finished for her in complete understanding. "Hey, I get it, and you have nothing to worry about. You did a fantastic job." She reassured. "So, what brings you by? Something tells me you're not here just for a friendly chat." She asked.
"You know me too well, don't you." Haley said as the two girls laughed. "Okay, I kind of need your help picking out an outfit for tonight." She said.
"Okay, what for?" Rachel asked.
"Well, I'm going over to Nathan's tonight for dinner." Haley revealed quietly.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Rachel asked not sure if she heard correctly. "Did you say you're going to Nathan's tonight? Just the two of you? Alone? Like a date?" She asked.
"Yeah, like a date. He came by my house on Friday night after I left Tric. He told me that he loved me and was willing to wait for me. I told him that I loved him, too." Haley answered.
"Seriously?" Rachel asked with a smile on her face.
"Yeah. I can't pretend anymore, Rachel." Haley said.
"I never thought you were pretending, Hales. I just thought you were confused about your feelings for both Nathan and Mark. Are you sure? I mean, this is what you want, right?" Rachel asked.
"Yes, Rachel, this is what I want. I want Nathan. I'm still in love with Nathan. I never stopped. I'm tired of running away from my true feelings. We went out last night. We agreed that we're starting over. We're going to start fresh and get to know each other all over again." Haley answered.
"Good for you, Hales. You deserve to be happy. You seem really excited." Rachel commented.
"I am. We had such an amazing night last night, and I can't wait for tonight." Haley responded.
"Well, then, let's go find you one amazing outfit." Rachel said pulling her friend with her up to her bedroom. The two girls raded Rachel's closet in search of the perfect outfit. "So, where are you guys going?" Rachel asked.
"We're just going to have dinner at his house. He's cooking." Haley answered. Rachel couldn't help but laugh and playfully roll her eyes at the dreamy, far away look in her eyes. "You are so far gone, sweetie." She laughed.
"I'm sorry. I just haven't felt like this in so long. I just feel so..."
"Giddy?" Rachel finished for her.
"Yeah. I love him, Rach. And I can't believe I've gone this long without him in my life." Haley responded.
"So, have you guys slept together yet?" Rachel asked after a couple of seconds.
"Nope." Haley answered.
"Really?" Rachel asked skeptically.
"Really. We could have last night, and for a couple minutes, I thought we actually were going to. But, we're taking things slow. I know that sounds strange considering we were once married, but we don't know each other like we used to. We are different people now. We're not the same people we used to be. We're not the same couple we used to be. We still love each other, but it's different now." Haley responded.
"You'll get down and dirty tonight." Rachel commented before turning her attention back to her closet.
"What?" Haley laughed causing Rachel to turn back around towards her.
"Hales, you and Nathan never had problems when it came to sex. In fact, you two could never keep your hands off of each other. And you've already kissed how many times since you've been home. And I'm assuming you guys have definitely shared some kisses since Friday night." Rachel explained. She watched as Haley nodded her head slightly. "That's what I thought. You'll be doing the nasty tonight." She reinstated turning towards her closet once again. Haley smiled at her best friend. "Oh, I found something." Rachel said pulling out a simple, but gorgeous deep purple sundress. "You're going to look very beautiful." She said.
"Thank you, Rachel." Haley said in appreciation. The two girls settled up on her bed. They realized they haven't spend a lot of time together lately and wanted to have a short bonding moment with one another. "So, with all of my drama, we haven't really talked about what's going on with you. How's it going with you trying to get pregnant?" Haley asked.
"Nothing is going on." Rachel said sadly.
"I'm sorry, Rach." Haley apologized sympathetically.
"It's okay." Rachel dismissed.
"No, it's not. Rachel, you're allowed to be upset and cry and scream. It's me. Tell me how you're feeling." Haley said.
"I just...I don't get it. There are so many women out there who can get pregnant so easily without trying. Here I am. I'm married, and we're well-established. We aren't millionaires, but we make a considerable amount of money. We both want a baby. I just don't understand. It's not fair." Rachel admitted.
"It's not. But just keep believing. Everything happens for a reason. But I know one thing, you and Owen were meant to be parents. You have so much love to give, and any child will be lucky to have you as parents. It might take some time, but I truly believe you will have a baby of your own." Haley said.
"Thanks, Hales." Rachel said.
"Uncle Nathan!" Lily said running over to Nathan as he walked into the cafe. He smiled brightly at her as he swooped her up in his arms.
"Hey, princess." He greeted embracing the little girl tightly. He took a seat on a stool by the counter and got her situated on his lap. Karen came over with a smile plastered on her face. "It's good to see you today, Nathan." She greeted.
"It's good to see you, too." He returned.
"So, what will it be?" Karen asked.
"Oh, how about just a double cheeseburger, some fries, and a coke." He answered.
"Alright. I'll be right back." She said before disappearing from his sight.
"Uncle Nathan, do you want to go to the park today?" Lily asked excitedly.
"Oh, sweetie, I can't." Nathan said.
"Why?" She pouted.
"Well, I have plans with Haley." He said knowing Lily would perk up.
"Like a date?" She said with a huge smile.
"Yeah, like a date." He laughed.
"Is she your girlfriend now?" She asked catching Nathan slightly off gaurd.
"Oh, I, umm...I gue..." He stammered out.
"Sweetie, go wash up. Your dad is going to come pick you up soon." Karen jumped in. Lily jumped off of Nathan's lap and ran towards the bathroom.
"Thank you, Karen." Nathan said in gratitude.
"You're welcome. I figured it was time to jump in and save you." She said as they both laughed. "So, you have a date with Haley tonight." She said.
"Yeah, I do." He confirmed with a smile.
"So, what does this mean? Are you guys back together or what?" She inquired.
"We're taking things slowly. We went out last night, and we're trying to rebuild everything. To be completely honest, I'm kind of nervous." He admitted.
"I can tell. I mean, I can tell how excited you are. But I can also see that you're nervous. Nathan, you have nothing to be nervous about. You and Haley are meant to be together. And you two share a love that is so rare to find these days. And these past few years were just a minor setback. A small bump in your relationship. But now, it's time to fix it. It's time to smooth out the bump so there will be no more rocky roads ahead." She said.
"That's a terrible analogy." He said as they laughed.
"I know. That's all I could think of." She said.
"Thank you, Karen." He said in gratitude as she nodded her head in understanding. "Actually, there is a reason why I came here today other than to see Lily and eat your amazing food." He continued.
"Uh oh, you're trying to butter me up by complimenting my culinary skills. What's up?" She asked.
"Well, Haley's going to just come over to my house tonight. I'm supposed to cook for her, but I have no idea what to cook. I want tonight to go perfect, and I'm scared I'm going to mess it all up. I don't cook, Karen. What the heck am I supposed to do?" He asked in a slight panic. "This isn't funny." He retorted after she began laughing.
"Okay, relax. I'll be happy to help you. What time is she coming to your house?" She asked.
"Around six." He answered.
"Okay, here's what you're going to do. You're going to eat your lunch, go home, get ready, and wait. I will be by between five and six with an amazing dinner for you and Haley." She said.
"Thank you, Karen." He said.
"You're welcome." She responded.
Haley pulled into Nathan's driveway. She looked at herself through the rearview mirror and took a deep breath. She climbed out of her car and made her way up the walkway. She felt a wave of nervousness pass through her body. She brought her hand up to the door and knocked lightly. She was staring down at her hands when she heard the door opening. She looked up and caught his gaze and just like that, her nervousness was gone. She smiled brightly at him. "Hi." She greeted quietly.
"Hi." He returned. He backed out of the doorway allowing her to step inside. She stepped inside, but before she could go too much further, his hand pulled her back to him. He leaned forward and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "Hi." He mumbled against her lips. "You look beautiful." He stated.
"Thank you." She said quietly. He ushered her inside. They arrived in his living room and Haley's eyes lit up at the setup. He had moved his coffee table out of the way and had some blankets and pillows sprawled out on the floor. The lights were dimmed and dozens of candles lit up the room. "Nathan." She whispered breathlessly.
"Do you like it?" He asked shyly. She turned around towards him and captured his lips in a sensual kiss. He was happy to return and deepened their kiss. Once the need for air became an issue too great to ignore, they parted. "I love you." She declared quietly.
"I love you, too." He said.
"This is really good, Nathan." Haley gushed. She and Nathan were now settled on the floor eating.
"Thanks, but I kind of have a confession to make." He said.
"Okay, what is it?" She asked.
"Karen made this. She brought it over right before you came over." He revealed.
"Seriously?" She questioned.
"I'm sorry. I was just so nervous, and I wanted tonight to go perfectly. I panicked slightly, and she stepped in and said she would take care of the food for me. I'm sorry." He said.
"It's perfect." She said smiling at him. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. "Thank you." She whispered. They settled back down against the blankets. Once they were finished, Nathan cleaned up their food and took it into the kitchen. He came back shortly later with their unfinished bottle of wine. He leaned against the pillows as she snuggled up against him.
Haley shivered as Nathan ran his fingers slowly up and down her arms. She knew it was an innocent gesture, but her whole body heated up. This whole night was incredibly intimate. And in that moment, she knew exactly what she wanted. She pushed herself up, took his wine glass as well as hers, and placed them on the table. She looked down to him and saw the confusion in his eyes. "Thank you for tonight." She said quietly before descending her lips onto his. She took the lead this time and deepened their kiss. She pushed her tongue forcefully into his mouth and collided instantly with his own.
Nathan's entire body was turned on. Having her take the lead excited him, and flashes of their past lovemaking flew into his mind. He felt her tongue thrusting against his as he gripped her hips needing something to grasp. He felt her throw her legs over his as she moved to strattle him. He groaned when she came into contact with his lower half. He was already hard before, but now it was painfully hard.
Haley pulled back slightly long enough to grab for the hem of his shirt and rip it from his body. Never once did she break out of her stare with him. She saw the want in his eyes-the desire and the need. But she also saw the hesitation in his eyes as well. She knew he wanted to make sure this was what she wanted. She leaned forward until she was hovering right outside of his ear. "Make love to me, Nathan." She whispered.
Nathan felt her hot breath against his ear and closed his eyes. Hearing those words snapped something deep inside of him. He stretched his right arm out and grazed up her thigh. He pushed passed the fabric of her dress and found the lace trim of her panties. He slipped his hand inside and instantly came in contact with her wet, hot center eliciting a moan from her mouth. He heard her call out his name causing him to rub that sweet spot in between her folds faster and harder. It was seconds later when he heard a hitch in her breath as her body began to shake. Once her climax hit, she let out one final moan before dropping her damp forehead against his bare shoulder.
Haley felt like the world had stopped. She hissed as he pulled his hand out from under her and felt him wrap both of his arms around her waist. She came into contact with his hard erection and felt her insides heat right back up. After such an intense orgasm, she was amazed at how much she still wanted him. As good as his fingers felt, she wanted him. She needed him. She placed a shakey kiss on his shoulder before capturing his mouth once again.
The two shed out of their clothing quickly. Nathan flipped them over so she was lying flat on her back. He kissed his way down her neck and down her chest before capturing one of her breasts in his mouth. He ran his tongue over her nipple as he felt her fingers run through his hair. Detaching his mouth, he moved further down placing kisses along her stomach. He slipped his fingers into the side of her panties anxious to remove the final barrier between them. He pulled the garment down her shapely legs and tossed them to the side.
Haley smiled shyly as he journeyed back up her body until he was hovering right in front of her face. He smiled at the blush covering her cheeks. "Nathan, please." She pleaded not wanting to waste anymore time. She felt him place himself at her entrance. With one final look, he pushed himself completely into her. They both couldn't contain the moans that fell from their lips. He paused for just a moment as they both adjusted to the feeling of being reunited together. Six years. It's been six years since they've been this way with one another.
Nathan felt her wrap her left leg around his waist and took that as his cue to get moving. He began thrusting into her slowly. As much as he wanted to quicken his movements, he wanted to make this last. He wanted to make love to her. He looked her in the eyes and knew she wanted the same.
Minutes passed as their bodies glided against one another. Sweat cascaded down their bodies. The only sounds that could be heard in the room were their loud moaning and heavy breathing. Nathan knew that she was close. And he was thankful for that considering he was close himself. "Look at me, Hales." He demanded gently. She turned her head and caught his gaze. "I love you." He declared.
"God, I love you, too." She breathed out. And in that instant, her body began to convulse as tremors shot through her whole body. She gripped his shoulders tightly digging her nails into his flesh. A couple thrusts later, Nathan felt his release hit as he came deep inside of her. He collapsed onto her as he rested his head into the crook of her neck. They stayed locked in their embrace calming down from their high.
Nathan rolled onto his back and pulled Haley with him. She draped her legs across his and cuddled into his side. Her hand rested against his chest. The two held onto each other tightly as they fell into a deep and peaceful slumber as total exhaustion overcame them.
Okay, so there you guys go. Again, I just want to apologize for making you guys wait so long for an update. I hope this chapter made up for it even just a tiny bit. Anyway, let me know what you think, and I should have another chapter up soon. Until then!