Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews! The last chapter was definitely a hard one to write and execute in the way that I hoped was powerful, but overall I was happy with it.

This chapter also has some subtle foreshadowing and I'm actually interested in seeing what you guys have already picked up on in the previous chapters and what you picked up in this one. So feel free to include that in your reviews or send me a PM! I'm also interested in seeing what you guys pick out after the foreshadowed events happen. ;)

Look in Your Eye

"I can't believe you're leaving me for a week."

Peyton laughs, folding a tank-top and placing it neatly into the open suitcase on her bed. "You have Nathan and with eighty-five percent of Tree Hill out of town this week, you can probably go out without being stared at."

Haley grabs a pillow from the pile on Peyton's bed, placing it on her lap. Her fingers thread through the decorative beads hanging off the corners.

"That's if his dad even lets him have a day off from Scott boot camp."

Referring to Nathan's dad leaves a sour taste on Haley's tongue. Only two days have passed since she met him at the river court after a round with his Dan Scott. The way he was shaking and the marks on his skin still haunt her every time her mind wanders.

With each incident, the bruises and the hits seem to be getting worse. Every time he takes a little longer than normal to answer her text messages, she panics and starts worrying that maybe something has happened again. Something even worse than before.

"True," Peyton says with a short laugh, zipping her suitcase up. With a grunt, she lifts the bag off of her bed and plops it down by her door.

"Where are your parents taking you for this surprise vacation?" Haley asks, taking the focus of the conversation off of Nathan and his dad.

"Down to Myrtle, so not that far." Peyton joins Haley on her bed, stretching out. "I have some cousins who live down there and one of them just had a baby."

Haley smiles. "That'll be fun."

"Yeah. It'll be nice to get a break and clear my head."

Haley's lips drop into a frown. Peyton's voice has taken on a sullen quality and even though she knows she shouldn't harbor all of the guilt, it's in her nature to feel the familiar twinge.

"You and Lucas still haven't worked things out?"

"Nope," Peyton mutters, popping the "p." Sighing, Peyton turns to face Haley, propping her head on the palm of her hand. "I know I said that whole thing about letting people go if they don't give you anything to work with, but I want things to work out. I have to keep trying."

"No, I get it." Haley attempts a reassuring smile. "When you love someone…it's hard to give up on them, even when there are so many things telling you that you should."

Peyton doesn't respond with words, only a long and tiring sigh. Haley learned early on that Peyton isn't one to divulge her emotions to people. She holds things in and Haley can't recall a single time she's ever seen Peyton cry.

"I know that things have kind of been all about me the last couple of weeks and I'm sorry for that, but you know that I'm always here for you, right?"

Peyton meets her gaze, smiling. "Yeah, I know. But you know that I like to handle things on my own."

"I know, but I'm just letting you know that you don't have to."

Peyton tosses an arm around her neck, squeezing Haley. "I appreciate your friendship. Now come on, let's go get some ice cream before I'm stuck in a car for two hours."

~x~

The tips of her fingers tap against her keyboard, the clicking of the keys getting lost in the roaring of the river and the quiet whistle of the wind. She's nearing the end of this…therapeutic venture, but she's lost on how to conclude it. The words she's writing, the story she's inadvertently telling, needs a concrete ending. One that is tied together with a pretty bow and glitter that reflects a message.

But she can't think of anything that makes sense. Any idea that pops into her head seems weak and unfitting.

Sighing, she hits the backspace key for the hundredth time in the last hour. She links her fingers and rests her chin in the cradle. Her eyes scan the river court, trying to find any kind of inspiration that she can.

Spring sunlight beats down on her surroundings, making the grass appear an even brighter green. The leaves on the trees are swaying in the wind, the shadows reflecting just as neatly on the bed of grass. She shifts her eyes to the river, focusing on the calm and ebb and flow of the water. Across the way, she sees the crowds of people roaming around downtown, the cacophony of hundreds of conversations carrying over the small waves.

It's a beautiful spring day. Some of her favorite writers claim that inspiration can always be found in nature, but she finds nothing.

A pair of arms wrap around her waist and she jumps, her heartbeat taking off. Before she can physically react a pair of lips press against the shell of her ear.

"Hey, baby."

Nathan's husky voice travels down her spine and curls in the pit of her stomach. She relaxes against his body, but the beating of her heart doesn't slow down.

"You scared me," Haley chastises, quickly bowing the lid to her laptop.

"Sorry," he apologizes with a smirk—it lacks conviction. He straddles the bench next to her but keeps an arm wrapped around her waist. The cut on his lip has scabbed over and the bruise surrounding his eye is healing a lot quicker than she expected.

"I thought you said you couldn't come out today?" she questions, closing her laptop the rest of the way and pushes it away from her.

"I snuck out while my dad was taking a nap." Nathan scoots closer to her, resting his chin on the curve of her shoulder. "Still not gonna let me read any of your writing?"

"Not a chance." She shakes her head vigorously but keeps a teasing smile on her face.

"Not even if I do this?"

The arm that's wrapped around her waist turns her body and pulls her closer until her back is pressed against his chest and she's sitting on the bench sideways. Both of his arms circle her waist as he presses feathery kisses against the column of her neck. The closer he gets to the edge of her jaw—a place Nathan has come to learn is particularly sensitive for her—the more pressure he applies.

Her eyes flutter shut, soft moans float out of her mouth. Her body is buzzing, a pleasant feeling that resonates down to the tip of her toes. One of Nathan's hands disappears beneath the hem of her cream-colored v-neck and his fingers draw against her skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

His touch is light and innocent, but the fire it stokes inside of her is anything but.

"Someone is in a good mood today," she comments, her breath coming out puffy and distracted. How can one gentle touch from one person melt her into a puddle?

"I sent FSU my acceptance today."

All thoughts of Nathan's hands and the way he's kissing her fly out of her mind. With wide eyes, she wiggles out of his grip and swivels her body to face him. He's smiling at her, a shy and nervous smile.

"You did?!"

He nods.

"Oh, my God, Nathan, that's so great!" She flings her arms around his neck, earning a chuckle out of him. He hugs her back, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

"Does that mean you told your dad?" she asks when they pull away.

Nathan shakes his head sheepishly. "Not yet. But I figure that it might be harder for him to stop me from going if my acceptance is already in."

"I guess it couldn't hurt."

He's smiling, but she notices the layer of uneasiness behind his gaze. She recognizes that he still has a long way to go with his dad and going away to the college that he wants, but any progress he makes deserves to be celebrated.

"I'm really proud of you," she says softly, hoping to ease some of his apprehension. She palms his cheek, rubbing the pad of her thumb over the smooth skin of his cheek. "That's a really huge step."

He leans into her palm, eyes shining with appreciation and something else that has heat spreading through her body.

"Well, I need to get away from him somehow, some way."

He says it as a joke and the light jump in his voice sounds almost convincing, as is his half-turned smirk.

"But also because FSU is going to make you happy, right?" She points out with a cocked eyebrow.

Nathan chuckles. "And there's that."

She shakes her head with a playful roll of her eyes, knocking her shoulder into his.

"Wanna go to a party tonight?"

"Where?"

"Down at CC."

"What kind of senior in high school gets invited to a college party?"

"One that has connections," Nathan teases with a wink. "This guy that I played ball with at that camp in Florida I told you about goes there and invited me out."

She mulls over the idea. Parties aren't her thing, but she's also not totally against them. Her thoughts fall back to the last time she was at a party with Nathan—all the sneaking around they had to do that ended with a fight and Nathan punching a mirror.

It would be nice to go to a party with Nathan and not have to be so guarded.

"We don't have to go," Nathan says, sensing her hesitation. "I just thought it would be fun."

"We should go."

"Yeah?"

Haley nods. "Like you said, it'll be fun."

Nathan's phone goes off, interrupting their conversation. He digs into his pocket and pulls it out. Looking at the screen, she notices his mood change right away. The lightness of his eyes fades away and his jaw clenches.

"Who is it?"

He jumps at the sound of her voice like he forgot that she was there. With an alarming quickness, he shoves his phone back in his pocket and starts to get up from the bench.

"Um, my…my dad. I gotta get going."

Before heading back to his car, he kisses her quickly, not giving her a chance to say anything else. Her apprehension grows as she watches him walk away, the tension in his muscles clear. She can't stop her mind from going to the worst possible places.

~x~

Walking up the stairs to her room, Haley pauses when she hears quiet sobs coming from her parent's bedroom. Haley furrows her eyebrows and peers in through the cracked open door. She spots her mom sitting on the edge of her bed, tissues bunched in the palm of her hand. Her shoulders are shaking from the effort of trying to keep her sobs at a low volume.

"Mom?" Haley calls out, hesitantly pushing the door further open.

Lydia jumps, scrambling to wipe the tears from her eyes and discard of her tissues, but the damage is already done.

"Oh, hey, sweetie." She greets Haley with a watery smile. The hoarseness in her voice pains Haley. There are few things in the world that hurt more than seeing your mom cry, of that Haley is certain.

"What's wrong?"

The streaks of mascara running down her cheeks ruin any chance she has at pretending everything is okay, but in true Lydia James fashion, she tries anyway.

"Nothing."

Haley sighs, placing her laptop on the bed before sitting down next to Lydia.

"You were just crying in here."

"Oh, um, it was just allergies." Lydia waves her hand dismissively, avoiding eye contact.

"Mom," Haley scolds.

Lydia's bottom lip quivers, her gaze locked on the dark wood floor of the bedroom. Haley waits with bated breath for Lydia to explain the reason for her tears. The feeling in her gut tells her that it's something serious, something that she might be better off not hearing. But she has an incessant need to know.

For the first time since she walked into the bedroom, Lydia meets her eyes. The unshed tears speak volumes and contradict the words coming out of her mouth. That feeling in her gut intensifies.

"Honestly, honey, it's nothing that you need to worry about."

"Are you sure?"

Lydia nods. "I'm just a little emotional today, that's all."

Haley wants to press further. It's not often that her mom hides things from her and when she does, all it usually takes is a little coaxing before the flood gates opening. The pleading in Lydia's eyes stops Haley from following that normal routine.

"What are your plans for tonight?" Lydia asks, changing the subject.

She stares at her mom for several seconds, waiting to see if maybe she'll change her mind and crack. When it becomes apparent that she's not going to budge, Haley clears her throat and gets more comfortable on the bed, crossing her legs.

"Nathan invited me to a college party."

Lydia's eyes widen. "A college party? Where at?"

"The community college nearby."

"Are you gonna go?"

Haley nods. "Yeah, is that okay?"

Lydia laughs and it sounds genuine. "You should know by now that I trust you to make smart decisions."

"I know. But I thought I would, at least, try and adhere to the normal mother-daughter code of conduct."

Lydia shakes her head with a smile. The tears in her eyes have evaporated and the redness is starting to dissipate from her cheeks and the tip of her nose. "You should go. It's going to be boring around here anyway with your dad over his buddy's place."

Haley doesn't miss the bitter edge to Lydia's tone, but she swallows down the questions she knows will just go unanswered.

~x~

Haley stares at herself in the mirror, smoothing her hands down the fabric of her dress. Nathan is going to be at her house any minute now to pick her up for the party they're going to. Her nerves are wound into tight knots, butterflies flying rapidly in her stomach.

All of her worries about why her mom was crying have been replaced with her normal worries about social interaction with people she doesn't know.

The dress she's wearing is a simple black t-shirt dress. The hem reaches right above her knees and the material flows from her body—not too tight against her skin, but still highlights her curves. The dress is a lot more daring than what she normally wears, but the cropped jean jacket she pairs with it makes her feel more comfortable.

The sound of the doorbell ringing echoes through her empty house. Rushing over to her closet, she slips on a pair of black booties before heading down the stairs. Out of habit, she checks her appearance in the mirror once more before opening the door.

He looks nothing short of gorgeous in his dark jeans and red polo. She hasn't seen him in his leather jacket in a while and it looks even better than she remembered.

Nathan's eyes take a slow trip over her body, starting at the tip of her heels. By the time he meets her eyes, her cheeks are burning with embarrassment. A film of lust has glazed over his eyes, their blue color appearing almost black.

"Fuck." The hoarse, almost gravelly voice that comes out of his mouth spikes her temperature even further.

"What?" Haley tucks a piece of wavy hair behind her hair. She let her hair air dry, the wet strands drying into a messy set of waves. His eyes widen slightly at her innocent gesture.

"Are you trying to kill me?" He teases, stepping into her house. He circles his arms around her waist, his hands splaying against her lower back.

She shakes her head, not trusting herself to speak. When he looks at her like he is, her brain turns to mush and the only thing she can focus on is the desire pounding through her.

"This dress…and you know how much your red lipstick turns me on."

"Are you sure it's not too—"

"It's not too anything," he cuts her off, leaning in. "You look…fuck, you look amazing."

He slides a hand into her hair and pulls her into a slow kiss. His lips are gentle against hers at first but quickly become more passionate. She melts against him, gripping his jacket to pull him as close as possible. He moans into her a mouth, a feverish sound that has her seconds away from saying screw the party.

"We should get out of here," Nathan pants when they pull away, his hand still in her hair and his forehead resting against hers.

The thoughts running through her head have nothing to do with the party and everything to do with pulling him up the stairs to her bedroom. Can you die from sexual tension?

"Yeah, we should."

~x~

The party is in full swing by the time they arrive. A college party isn't much different from a high school party, Haley gathers quickly. The music that is pumping through the speakers is obnoxiously loud, rattling the walls and the floors. Abandoned plastic cups are spread out everywhere she looks and the smell of sweat and liquor floats through the air.

"You okay?" Nathan shouts over the music, squeezing her hand that is encased in his.

"Yeah, just overwhelmed," she shouts back and Nathan shoots her a knowing look.

"Want a drink?"

She nods and Nathan is quick to lead her to the kitchen. They weave through the dancing bodies, both of which are on the makeshift dance floor and on top of any sturdy furniture they can find.

The kitchen is empty with the exception of two giggling girls in the corner by the sink. Haley glances around the small space, wrinkling her nose in disgust. The grey countertops are littered with more bottles of liquor and cases of beer than she's ever seen in her life. More than one bottle is tipped over, the clear liquid spreading across the counter and dripping on to the floor. The dark purple lights hanging from walls only add to the musky feel.

"What are you feeling?" Nathan asks while grabbing two unused cups from a freshly opened bag

She looks over the variety of flavors of vodka and mixers, but she has no idea which ones go together or what would taste good. The most alcohol she's had in her life was a few sips of jungle juice and a few mimosas on Christmas morning.

"Surprise me."

Nathan grabs the jug of cranberry juice and pours a healthy amount into both cups. Then, he grabs a fifth of Everclear and tops off the drinks. Swirling the cups around a little, he hands her one and takes a drink of his own.

When she takes a sip, she's greeted with the sweet yet tart taste of the cranberry juice and only a slight twang of the vodka.

"Scott!"

They both turn at the shout to see a tall, muscular guy heading their way. His dark hair is shaggy, falling below his ears and the scruff on his chin is patchy.

"Hey, man!" Nathan says with a smile and follows through with the one hand, chest bump thing that guys always do. "How've you been?"

The strong smell of weed and alcohol surrounds her as this mystery guy comes to stand in their circle. He's standing a little too close to her and Nathan, giving her the perfect view of his bloodshot eyes.

"Living life." He tosses an arm around Nathan's shoulder, a plastic cup dangling from the tips of his fingers. Dark liquid splashes over the side of his cup, but Haley moves before any gets on her. "I haven't seen you since I kicked your ass last summer."

Nathan rolls his eyes. She senses a little uneasiness emanating from him, but she can't tell if she's just imagining it.

"I didn't think you'd actually show up tonight. This is only the twentieth party that I've invited you to in the last month."

"Partying really isn't my scene anymore."

"Yeah, okay, I don't believe that for a second." He turns his attention towards Haley, almost as if he just noticed her standing there. His smoky breath fans across her face as he talks and Haley holds her breath, moving closer to Nathan. "You should have seen some of the wild shit Nathan did at the parties we threw down in Florida. Man has no fears."

She's not sure if Nathan notices her discomfort or if he's experiencing some of his own, but he slides an arm around her waist. His fingers flex against her hip, pulling her tight against him.

"Hales, this is Owen. Owen, this is my girlfriend."

She wants to get lost in the spark that spreads through her at Nathan referring to her as his girlfriend, but the weirdness of their current situation roadblocks her. Haley gives a small wave, while Owen's eyes grow wide, flickering between her face and Nathan's.

"Girlfriend? What happened to that hot brunette you were banging?"

Nathan tenses against her, his weight shifting from foot to foot. Her throat grows dry at the awkwardness and the overall unease she feels around this Owen guy. She doesn't know what it is, but he just seems like sleaze and trouble. How and why does Nathan associate himself with this guy?

"Owen," Nathan warns, glaring.

"Oh shit, sorry." Owen presses the palm of his hand to his forehead. "I tend to speak without thinking."

He sets his bloodshot eyes on her, but this time, he's not looking at her face. He examines her body, spending way too much time on her chest and the exposed skin of her legs. A shiver runs down her spine, a cold sweat popping on her skin.

"It's nice to meet you. You are also smoking hot."

Instinctively, she slinks back behind Nathan, trying her best not to pay attention to the unabashed way Owen is still checking her out. Nathan notices it too and squeezes her hip. She focuses her attention on the way his jaw ticks, lips pressing into a hard yet threatening line.

Owen doesn't seem to notice. He moves on quickly, bouncing to the next subject before either of them can respond.

"You joining us here next year?"

"No, uh, I think I'm gonna head down to FSU."

"No shit?"

Nathan nods. "They offered me decent scholarships and you know how much I love it down there."

Owen gets distracted by a tall blonde that walks by, purposely running her fingers along his arm in passing. It's not hard to figure out that it's some kind of signal between both of them. The smirk that grows on his face makes her queasy.

"Yeah, sure man. I'll catch you later."

He's gone in a blink of an eye, chasing after the blonde. As soon as he disappears in the crowd, Haley feels like she can breathe again, but her head is spinning with so many different thoughts. Meeting Owen was like seeing a side of Nathan that she'd never seen but had definitely heard rumors about.

It makes her uneasy.

Nathan motions towards a back door that leads to a deck. She nods and allows him to lead her outside. The deck is far less crowded than the house, only a couple of stragglers talking in small groups. They walk over to an empty swing in the corner, sitting down.

"What's on your mind?" Nathan questions as soon as her butt hits the cushion. Worry is etched into his features like he's been reading her mind.

She takes a sip of her drink, allowing the sweet drink to coat her dry throat. "Nothing. Uh, it's just…"

"Owen's a lot, I know," Nathan cuts in.

"I just didn't expect you to hang out with someone like that."

She regrets the words as soon as they leave her mouth. Thankfully, Nathan doesn't seem to notice her unintended judgmental tone.

Nathan chuckles, but there's a distant look in his eyes. "I don't. Not anymore, at least. I haven't seen him in almost a year."

"What made you decide to finally take up his offer on coming to a party?"

Nathan sighs, leaning farther back into the swing. He rests his drink on the glass table next to him but keeps an arm propped behind her.

"I don't know. In theory, it sounded fun. But I just don't think I realized it until we got here how much things have changed."

His answer piques her interest.

"What do you mean?"

His thumb disappears beneath the sleeve of her dress, drawing small circles on to her skin. Goosebumps erupt in his pattern's wake and she finds herself leaning into him.

"I mean what I said to him about partying. It's not really my thing anymore, at least, it's not something that I want to do every weekend like I used to," Nathan explains. "I used to worship the ground that Owen walked on and maybe it was the alcohol or the intense desire I had to use partying as a way to cope with everything…but that all seems really dumb right now."

It's like she's watching Nathan have this grand epiphany right in front of her. He's staring off in the distance, confusion, and wonder reflecting in his eyes. He appears older, just like when he's with Lily, but it doesn't pain her in the same way. If nothing else, it's…almost refreshing.

"But that doesn't mean we can't have some fun tonight, right?"

He gives her a half-smile. "No, I guess not."

~x~

"I didn't know you could dance like that," Nathan muses as they walk back into the kitchen.

"Neither did I," Haley giggles, hopping on to the only clean spot on the counter she can find. She swipes a hand across her forehead, brushing away the sweat soak strands of her hair that are sticking to her skin.

She catches a glimpse of herself in the small mirror hanging above the sink. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyeliner is slightly smudged beneath her eyes. Her messy curls are even messier, the humidity in the packed house getting to them. But she feels…sexy. Free.

It was the combination of her buzz and the salacious way Nathan was eyeing her the entire night that had her letting go. As soon as they stepped on to the dance floor, she suppressed her intrusive thoughts and forgot about Owen and all of her other worries. With Nathan's hands on her hips, her waist, her body, she moved to the beat of the music.

His breathy words of praise and seduction fueled her further and stoked the simmering fire inside of her that's been building since she first laid eyes on him earlier that night.

Nathan hands her a freshly made drink as he takes a sip of his own. She takes a few sips before putting it down.

"Feel free to dance like that for me any time," Nathan murmurs with a husk that thrills her. He puts his cup down and steps closer to her until his thighs are touching her knees.

"If you play your cards right…," she tries to tease back but her voice flutters.

His hands ghost the tops of her thighs and she shivers, goosebumps prickling on her skin. He's got that look in his eyes, the one that makes her insides feel like liquid.

"What?" she questions, a blush reddening her cheeks. Nathan's mouth lifts into a smirk and she knows that even beneath the dark purple lights he can see her blushing. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" he purrs innocently, discreetly slipping one of his hands beneath the hem of her dress. His smirk deepens when she jumps at the feel of his calloused fingertips brushing her inner thigh.

"Like…like," she struggles to find the proper words. She has half the mind to grab his hand and remove it from beneath her dress—she's sitting on a counter in the kitchen of some random college kids' place, with a raging party going on around them for God sake.

But, she does nothing.

"Like I want you right here, right now?"

His voice is low and husky, dripping in sex. When his hand glides a little higher, her instincts kick in. She wraps her fingers around his wrist and halts his movement. His name leaves her lips in a shaky warning, but it holds no merit.

"Have I told you how sexy you look in this dress?" he breathes and leans in closer to her. She wants to hit him with some witty comeback about how many times he's complimented her tonight, but the words die on the tip of her tongue. His lips brush against the edge of her jaw to the corner of her mouth. She's fairly shaking in his arms by the time he reaches her lips.

"There are people around," Haley pants, her hands slowly trailing up his arms and across his broad chest.

"They aren't paying attention to us," he murmurs. "And if they are, let them watch."

Maybe it's the high from dancing with him or the growing burn of arousal, but she finds herself nodding her consent.

Nathan's answering smirk has every hair on her body standing up. Using his free hand, he grips her hip and pulls her body to the edge of the counter. Without thinking, her legs twine around his waist and he falters for a second. She smirks.

The hand that is beneath her dress slides up her thigh, trailing over the hem of her panties. The pads of his fingers apply the slightest bit of pressure and she squirms. His fingers retreat, brushing against her inner thigh and she wants to scream.

He continues this cycle, each time getting closer and closer to where she wants him to touch her, but never quite getting there. She attempts to press her legs together to ease the pressure that's building, but Nathan stops her.

God, she's gonna go insane.

"Please," she begs, not recognizing the needy whine of her voice.

She isn't sure if it's possible, but his eyes appear to darken further. The tip of his tongue peeks out to wet his lips.

"What do you want, Hales? Tell me."

Her breathing is labored, her lips parted as she struggles to form a coherent response. She knows what she wants, but it's like her mouth and her brain have disconnected. The only thing she can focus on is her need for him.

"Tell me, Hales."

"Touch me," she squeaks.

"Touch you?"

The teasing of his words drives her just as crazy as the teasing of his actions. She can see it on his face that he wants to draw this out further, to tease her until she can't stand it. It's achingly hot, but she's too needy to entertain it any further.

"Please," she repeats, panting.

She almost weeps with relief when he finally slips his hand beneath the hem of her panties. She can't believe that she's letting him do this right now, where anyone can see.

"Nathan," she whimpers, burying her head in the crook of his neck. She clings on to him, her one hand wrapping around his neck and the other clutching on to his shirt. His fingers are slow, moving over her in deliberate yet soft strokes.

"Feel good?" he breathes hotly in her ear.

Haley nods her head weakly. She's breathing in harsh pants and her mouth opens in a muted gasp when he slips a deft finger inside of her, curling upwards. Her nails dig into his skin and his grip on her tightens.

"Shit, baby, you're so wet," Nathan groans, his lips brushing her ear.

The effects he has on her is sinful, yet so incredibly mind-blowing. She should be concerned about someone spotting them, but she can't find even the slightest means to care.

He keeps the stroke of his fingers slow and steady, drawing out her pleasure. She's shaking against him, keeping her head buried in his neck. The music and chatter around them are loud, but she still tries her hardest to muffle her moans.

His lips press against her ear, whispering heated delicacies and sultry phrases that have her gasping and moaning. The pleasure builds and builds until she feels like she's drowning—her heart pounding and sweat coating her skin. She could just die.

Her body tightens and she goes rigid against him. She's white-knuckling his shirt as bites down hard on her bottom lip to stifle her moans.

It takes her several seconds to recover, the white noise slowly fading away. She looks up at Nathan threw her eyelashes, swallowing hard when she finds him smirking back at her. If he didn't have any reason to be smug, she probably would have made some joke about knocking that smirk off his face.