Nancy and Ned spend some time alone in a hot tub.
Apologies for the really late update. With me returning to work again and my end semester exams approaching soon, it has been awfully difficult for me to find time to write. I did write a chapter before this but ended up scrapping it because I couldn't get it to come out right. Ultimately, I ended up taking an unplanned break.Hopefully, things would be back on track soon but till then it's going to be a little tough for me to keep up with my Saturday-Saturday posting schedule but I'll do my best to post once a fortnight.Hope everyone's healthy and doing well!
Disclaimer: Mature content.
Nancy scrutinized herself in the mirror. Considering the events of the night before, she felt lucky to still be in one piece.
And you actually don't look too bad, Drew. She told herself. Some colour had returned to her cheeks and the nasty bruise she'd gotten on her shoulder when their car had overturned had faded to a dull unnoticeable green. The only bathing suit she'd brought was an old black two piece she'd had for at least two years. But she knew it was one of Ned's favourites and she admitted that it did compliment her figure.
After one final glance at herself she let herself out of the changing room.
Ned was already in the hot tub and she saw one corner of his mouth turn up when he saw her. She could feel his warm gaze on her as she turned around to lock the door and all of a sudden she felt hot and tingly all over.
In a couple of weeks, she was going to join him at Emerson. And she couldn't wait.
Ned extended a hand and helped her into the tub. As soon as the warm water hit her weary muscles, Nancy felt the stress from the last few days fade away and she sighed in relief. The murderer in the inn, George's anger at her, Ned's tumble down the slope, the avalanche last night all seemed far, far away.
"This is nice." Ned remarked putting an arm around her.
"Finally feels like a vacation." She agreed, nestling against his shoulder.
They enjoyed the quiet silence and Nancy felt her thoughts drift to the events of the past few months.
The three of them- Bess, George and her were going to start from the Spring semester onwards. The initial reason why she hadn't immediately gone to college after school had been different, and simpler- Bess hadn't gotten into Emerson during the Fall term and she and George hadn't wanted to leave her behind.
But the real reason why she hadn't joined Ned at Emerson had been different. For the last couple of years, Nancy had worked tougher and tougher cases and she'd been mostly successful. It would've been easy for her to get licensed and start working professionally should she chose so. It had had nothing to do regarding her feelings for Ned, but for the longest time she hadn't been sure what she wanted to do for her life.
When Bess had found out that they were offering their courses in spring, she'd insisted they apply and to their surprise all three of them had been accepted this time. Still confused, in the last few months, Nancy had thrown herself into more and more mysteries, sometimes barely hours between two, hoping that it would give her some indication.
The only indication that she had gotten was she that she didn't want to be a detective all her life. At least not professionally. She couldn't imagine doing what she did for money.
And she wanted to live. Lately, she'd had a feeling that a lot of her escapes had been pure luck. Which was bound to run out some day. She'd once joked that she wouldn't live to see her nineteenth birthday and she still remembered how quiet and serious Bess, George and Ned had got.
She had also started becoming more interested in pursuing law. Even her father had agreed that it would be a good career for her. Nancy still hadn't decided for sure but she would have plenty of time to do so during the next four years at college. Three of which would be with Ned at her side.
She knew her unending work had come at the cost of their relationship and when she'd finally had the courage to tell Ned, he had admitted that he had been feeling left out for a while. But at the same time, she'd considered herself incredibly lucky because he had understood her position and how much it mattered to her, assuring her that he would support her no matter what, provided she put in a little more effort.
"What's on your mind, Drew?" She heard him ask.
"Nothing. Just you, me. All the time we'll spend together in a few weeks." She snuggled closer to him and swung an arm around his waist.
"Funny. I was thinking the same."
"Yeah?"
"Come here." He whispered and his deep voice sent a shiver all the up and down her spine.
The past month, it had seemed that a lot of barriers she'd put up between them, and more that had come up on their own due to distance, had suddenly disappeared. Their embraces had become deeper, their kisses longer, his touch..until it was pure effort to just pull away and stop. But at Emerson, away from their parents' house, away from the fear of getting discovered, they didn't need to stop. And that thought filled Nancy with a sense of nervous anticipation.
She let him guide her until her knees were on either side of his hips, straddling him.
"You think we'll get bored? Not have anything to talk about?"
"There's lots of other things you can do other than talk." For second, she lost herself in his dark eyes.
"Like what?"
"Like this." With that, he put his palms on her face and pulled her in a for a kiss.
It started out slow and sweet but before long, he'd deepened it, his tongue sliding against hers, his hands tracing the curves of her body.
She winced when his fingers brushed against the sore spot on her shoulder and Ned immediately pulled back.
"Let me see." He brushed away her hair from that side of her neck and pulled the strings of her bikini a little to the side.
"Every time I think it's the last scar or bruise I'll see on you. And then there's more." He whispered sadly.
"Except this time you were the one to get hurt. How's your leg?"
"It's gotten better. I don't think I'll have to sit out the season." He suddenly smiled. "Not that I would mind a lot if I have to. Just means more time for you and me. This."
His hands moved down to grasp her hips as if in emphasis.
"I didn't know Emerson kept around private Jacuzzis for students to use." Nancy teased.
She ran her palms down his torso. Marvelled at his strong, hard muscles, felt his heart race beneath her fingers
"No Jacuzzis. But we do have showers." He laughed, nuzzling against her.
"Shared shower in a frat house. I'd rather not. And we've never showered together, Nickerson."
"No bad time to start."
She felt her voice hitch in her throat, when his mouth moved down from her neck, between her breasts. The feel of his fingers, wrinkled from the water, against her skin, was so intoxicating, she almost moaned.
And then his lips moved to one nipple, over the fabric of her bikini and she gasped at the sudden sensation.
"Too much?"
"Why don't you take it off?" She managed to croak out.
He raised his eyebrows at her and she managed to hold his stare, raising herself on her knees so he could see her.
His hands moved to her back, fiddling with the strings that held her top and so slowly, so awfully slowly he undid them, never once taking his eyes off her.
Then just as slowly, he peeled the wet fabric of her skin, letting his hands drift over the rise of her breasts and there she was, almost naked in front of him, only her bikini bottom preserving her modesty.
"You're so beautiful, Nan." Ned whispered, and his husky voice and dark eyes made Nancy shudder.
He opened his arms, letting her choose how far she wanted to go.
Blushing, she leaned down and wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head against his shoulder. The feel of his bare chest against hers was a different sensation in itself.
"Nan?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
She looked at his handsome face, into his brown eyes, fringed with long lashes and the love she saw in them made her insides melt.
"I love you too. Even if I don't say it enough."
Tangling her hands in his hair she kissed him, long and hard until they were both breathless. Then he dipped his head and trailed a line of feather soft kisses along her jaw and down her neck.
When his tongue touched her nipple again, she gasped and arched against him, the feeling new, all her senses heightened.
"You like when I do this?"
"Yes." She managed to say and she saw the tips of his ears turn red.
"I like seeing you like this." He said, his voice low and full of feeling.
He sucked against her neck, just below the level of her usual neckline, using his hands to touch her and oh God..She wanted him so much.
"Hey, not fair!" She said, when he was done, leaning down to kiss his neck, just putting enough pressure to give him a hickey too.
"There. Now, we're matching." She grinned, satisfied with her work.
"You're killing me." Ned laughed, tightening his hold around her waist and she noticed his voice was a little strained.
Nancy's eyes fell on the the little clock on the wall and she groaned. Their one hour was almost over.
"We always end up getting interrupted, don't we." He said, following her eyes.
But an idea had already started forming in Nancy's head. Ned looked at her quizzically when she suddenly got up and grabbed her top from beside the tub.
"Where are you going?"
"I remember someone saying something about a shower." She smiled coyly at him and his eyes went round when he understood what she had implied.
Then a slow, sexy smile came across his lips and he was out of the water and beside her in an instant, his fingers warm against the hollow of her back. She let her nails drift across his incredible, dripping wet body for a second and then he grabbed her hand and kissed it.
Smiling, she turned around and let her boyfriend follow her into the shower.