Author's Note: Thank you for all the amazing reviews!! Sorry for the long wait on this story, I was just feeling OYE more and it's easier to go with the flow so to speak.
I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I can't wait to hear what you all think because making sure you guys are satisfied is what matters most. :)
Thanks to Hana for being an incredible beta and Jess, I'm catching up. ;)
Chapter Nine "The Carpal Tunnel Of Love"
Resting her back against the large marble tub, Haley leisurely blew bubbles out of her hand into the air around her. Bubble baths had always been one of her most favorite guilty pleasures. Whether it was after a long work out or just a long day, lowering her body into a heated pool of scented bubbles always hit the spot.
It was now 4:40 on the dot and she was right on schedule. Twenty more minutes to soak and she had to high tail it out to moisturize and do a trillion other things every girl does, until she was completely ready for her date with her very own husband.
'Her husband.' It amazed her how giddy she suddenly got when she or any one else referred to Nathan as that. Two months ago her fear and shock wouldn't even let her get close to that emotion and now she was relishing in it. She liked to think, even if their heads were holding back, that her and Nathan's hearts had always known they were right for each other. Fate, all of sudden, was sounding like the most amazing concept ever.
Of course, she'd have to thank to the Gods of alcohol too, for helping them get roped into this now blissful union. Without it, neither would have had the courage to say, "I do," and may have missed their chance, and who's to say, once you pass it up, that it ever comes around again.
She probably would have ended up with some random actor or director that did nothing but read poetry to her and gush about her in every magazine across the world. Someone that would have used their marriage for as much publicity as possible and to reinforce their career at every turn.
Nathan was his own person and while that drove her insane most days, it also gave her an astonishing amount of respect for him. He fought for every piece of success he had and didn't apologize for it. He also took her outside her safety zone and that was a thrill no other man had ever given her.
"Fantasizing about me?"
Opening her eyes, she took in her smirking husband before her and a broad smile spread across her face. "Excuse me sir, but I don't think it's proper to check out your date in the bathtub before the actual date."
Kneeling down beside the tub, he leaned over and kissed her lips tenderly, backing away ever so slightly afterwards to gaze into her eyes. "Hi."
"Mmm, hi…now get out," she playfully demanded, pushing him just enough to propel him backwards, forcing him into a sitting position.
"Hey now, I'm here officially as your husband, not your date."
Rearranging her bubbles a bit, to keep him from viewing two of his favorite assets, she eyed him suspiciously. "Oh really? And what official marital business has warranted you interrupting my bath?"
"We're out of Gatorade," he nonchalantly informed her, reaching across the edge of the tub to brush a few bubbles off her glistening shoulder.
"Are you serious?" She laughed. "Go to the store and by some."
"I know, I'm going to." He stood, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he did.
Confusion was clearly written all over her face. "So, that was the official married business?"
"What? Isn't that what married couples do, tell each other where they're going?"
"Yeah, but I don't think you have to inform me of every detail."
"Maybe not, but this way I got to stare at you in the tub for a few minutes. See you tonight baby."
And with a final wink he was out the door, leaving an even giddier wife behind.
…
"Do I look ok?" Haley asked Brooke and Jake for at least the tenth time.
Jake glanced up from his perch on Haley's bed. "Jesus, Haley you look drop dead gorgeous. I'm a guy, I should know. Can we move on now?"
"Yeah Haley, even I'd do you." Brooke piped up; her eyes not leaving the magazine she was currently engrossed as she lay sprawled out beside Jake.
Not dignifying Brooke's attempt of a compliment with a response, Haley continued to pace in front of her full-length mirror. That morning, right after her bikini wax and emergency tanning session, she had scoured the boutiques hoping to find the perfect dress for that night. Nothing in her closet seemed worthy enough in her eyes and besides, a special occasion was always an excuse for a new outfit and to her, a first date with her husband was the ultimate special occasion, no matter how weird it sounded.
At the last shop, she'd discovered a silk kelly green Michael Kors strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline that was perfect. She'd fallen in love with not only the color but also the flirty full skirt with a flared hem that would twirl right along with her if she felt the urge.
The black patent leather belt around the waist also helped show off her tiny waist and coordinated perfectly with the new four-inch black patent leather peep toe pumps that she'd purchased maybe a week before, that were still sitting untouched in her closet.
After slipping on the dress and shoes, every thing else had fallen into place.
She'd chosen to wear her hair soft, in a low side ponytail, with diamond solitaires adorning her ears that shimmered right along with her engagement and wedding rings, that had just been cleaned and slipped back on, moments before.
She opted against a necklace, feeling that her bare sun-kissed skin would be enough to lure Nathan's eyes to her neckline and the acceptable amount of cleavage she was displaying in her dress.
"Just so you know Haley," Brooke began. "People says you and Nathan are still together and happier than ever, Us says your pregnant, Star says you're about to file for divorce and The Enquirer says you're pregnant with twins and converting to Scientology."
Checking her nude lip-gloss, again, Haley took a second to process all of what Brooke had just told her before speaking. "Don't you love how they all have these "sources" too?"
Jake stretched out beside Brooke in order to get a glimpse of the headlines she was reading. "These sources are nothing more than the gophers that get you your coffee on the set and hand Nathan a towel at practice and because they were in your 'presence'," he air quoted with his fingers, "for a mere two seconds they act like they know every detail about your life. I can't believe these magazines actually pay them for these lies."
"Yeah, well, I wish you'd quit taking it so well Haley and let Jake and I issue a 'foot up their ass' press release and sic your lawyers on them."
"Brooke, that would only give them more ammunition."
Jake nodded. "She's right Brooke, they'd be after her even more than they are now. Which reminds me Haley, you have a five am call on Catalina Island. The car will pick you up at three thirty."
Aghast, her mouth fell open in shock. "Jake!"
"Sorry Hales, it's looking like rain tomorrow and they needed to move up filming to avoid it."
The doorbell ringing silenced Haley's annoyance. "Who could that be?"
When it rang again she looked to Jake and Brooke, but they were too enthralled with laughing at articles about her private life to answer the door for her, nor did Nathan seem to be getting off his ass to get it, so obviously it was up to her.
Racing out of the room and down the stairs, she was out of breath by the time she swung the door open and was met with the adoring smile of her date holding a bouquet of every purple flower imaginable, knowing it was her favorite color.
"Damn." Nathan muttered looking her up and down.
"That wasn't exactly the word I was looking for," Haley teased, taking the flowers from him. "Thank you." She inhaled their aroma.
Taking her left hand, he kissed it sweetly. "You look beautiful Hales."
Blushing, she took the time to rake her eyes over him and her mouth suddenly became very dry…. damn. Ok, maybe it was the perfect word because he looked damn hot in that jet black suit and a cobalt blue shirt beneath with the top two buttons undone, exposing just a hint of his tanned chest. God, what she wouldn't give to rip his shirt apart, sending buttons flying, and running her tongue all over his toned abs right about now.
"Are you ready?" He offered his elbow to her.
"Oh, my purse and I have to get these flower…."
Brooke bounded up to them, with Haley's black clutch in hand. "Trade ya?" She held out the bag to Haley.
"You're the best Brooke." Haley handed her the flowers and gratefully took her purse.
"I know. Now, Nathan you better have her home by eleven sharp." Brooke wagged her finger at him, as Haley looped her arm through his.
Nathan smiled down at Haley. "No promises."
…
"Do you think they'll ever stop?" Haley sighed, watching the millionth photographer whiz by them. Probably trying to get some shot of them arguing over the radio station, she supposed, so they could spin it and turn it into some mammoth fight about to end their marriage.
Not taking his eyes off the road, he reached out and held her hand, intertwining their fingers. "We'll lose them when we get on the highway."
Squeezing his hand, she relaxed back in her seat, closing her eyes, enjoying the stillness she'd come to appreciate when she was with him.
A little while later, the car rolled to a stop and her eyes fluttered open, more from the loss of Nathan's hand around hers than the lack of motion.
Leaning up some, she strained to make out their destination. All she could clearly see in the darkness was a small shack like building with multi-colored Christmas lights strewn all around it on the edge of the beach.
She was so busy trying to contemplate where they were that she didn't even hear Nathan get out of the car, let alone open her own door until his strong hands reached to encircle her waist
Her bottom lip jutted out, "Please tell me where we are?" She whined as she placed her hands on his shoulders and he lifted her out of his SUV.
Setting her on the ground, he kept one hand around her waist as he shut her door.
"So impatient." He shook his head with a crooked smile and began to guide them down the gravel road towards the festive lights.
Once they were a few hundred feet away, Haley could clearly make out it was some sort of restaurant and then she smelled it…the orgasmic combination of fresh handmade tortillas, onions, gooey melted cheeses, and chili meat.
Jumping away from his embrace and facing him, Haley clapped her hands excitedly as she moved backwards. "Oh my God, Tex-Mex!" She gleefully exclaimed before turning away from him and bolting towards the restaurant, which shocked the hell out of him, seeing as she was wearing stiletto heels.
Arriving no more than a minute after her, Nathan couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Haley already planted in a booth talking animatedly with the waitress.
"Thanks for waiting." Nathan slid in across from her.
Giggling, she reached across patted his hands. "Sorry, I was just soooooo excited. How did you find this place? I feel like I'm back in Texas…this so amazing Nathan really."
"I'm glad you like it. One of my teammates was born and raised and Texas and said this is the only place that feels like home,"
Taking a look around, Haley could definitely see he was right. From usual standards it didn't look like much. The red booths were cracked and faded, the menus worn out, the curtains frayed and the food sure as hell wasn't gourmet, but that was the best thing about it. Everything was made from scratch, messy, fattening, served in Texas sized portions and best of all, melted in your mouth. It was heaven on earth and no one could ever understand it until they tasted.
A moment later, the waitress came back and brought them two large Margaritas on the rocks with salt per Haley's order with a chaser of Patron to go alone.
"Thank you so much Maria." Haley politely spoke.
Maria smiled kindly, waving a busboy over with a tray of chips and spicy red and green sauce for them. "Now, are you two ready to order."
"Yes we'll start of with an order of Chile con queso with jalopenos and an order of the fajitas a Los Cucos for two with extra onions and cucos sauce. Oh and one aguacate relleno pollo too." Haley effortlessly ordered, the words rolling off her tongue as she handed Maria back the menus.
Nathan shook his head. "When did you learn Spanish?"
Haley waved her hand, dismissing the notion. "Please, I just speak Tex-Mex, but for you I will translate. I ordered us classic cheese dip, fajitas smothered in this to die for secret sauce loaded with onions, mushrooms, diced peppers, and tomatoes and a chicken stuffed fried avocado drizzled in queso."
Nathan licked his lips. "Sounds good to me. You ready to get your drink on Mrs. Scott."
"My, my, sir are you trying to get me liquored up?"
Giving her his best attempt at an innocent look, Nathan watched her pick up her shot. "I didn't order the drinks, so, I could accuse you of the same."
"Very true. Now drink and if you're lucky I'll try to take of advantage of you."
Raising his shot glass, he smirked. "Game on."
An hour later…"I'm sooooooooooo drunk." Haley giggled as she stumbled down the beach in front of the restaurant, her heels in hand.
Nathan tried to focus, but she was moving too fast. "Stand still." He ordered, his words slurring just a bit from his equally drunken state.
"I wanna dance" She twirled, throwing her shoes God knows where as her dress flew up around her, following her lead.
Enjoying the view, he finally caught up with her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against him. "I wanna fuck." He leered down at her, setting her body on fire.
Coyly, she pushed him away. "What kind of girl do you think I am?" She teased and began twirling round and round until her head began to feel dizzy and she plopped down on the sand, bursting into a fit of laughter.
Laughing with her, he collapsed down beside her, flat on his back. "It's not my fault you're too damn sexy."
Crawling over to him, she straddled his waist and sat upright, grinning when his hands immediately came up to grip her hips. "Well, lucky for you I'm just a teensy bit slutty when it comes to you." She poked the center of his chest, then trailed her finger all the way down to his belt buckle.
"C'mere" He huskily demanded with the most devastating smile she'd ever seen, sending her melting into his arms, his tongue seizing control of her mouth in record speed.
Moaning, she felt him grow even harder against her and she soon found herself grinding into him as they devoured each other's lips.
Getting a wicked idea, she tore her lips away from his and jumped off him, laughing at the full on 'What the fuck' face he was sporting.Undoing her side zipper, and belt around her waist, she seductively let the dress fall from her body.
Nathan groaned at the sight of her in nothing but a black lace thong, which before he could blink had been flung, in his face.
"I think someone has way too many clothes on." She vocally observed, as she slowly walked backwards towards the water, undoing her ponytail from its confines, letting her hair fall loose down her back.
Getting the idea, Nathan leapt to his feet, shedding clothes as approached her.
When he was down to his boxers and maybe four feet away, Haley turned around and ran into the water, yelping when the cool water made contact with her bare skin.
Taking his boxers off, he dove in after her, surprising her when he grabbed her legs from underneath the water.
"Nathan…stop!" she admonished with laughter in her voice.
Popping up in front of her, he wrapped his arms around her, her legs instinctively doing the same to him, as he carried them a little further out, until the water easily covered his waist.
Running her fingers through his wet hair, she smiled lovingly and gazed into his eyes. "I love you."
The moonlight framed her face in such a profound way Nathan wasn't sure he was still breathing. Reaching up he pushed a few strands of her ocean soaked hair away from her angelic face. "I love you too…God, you have no idea how beautiful you are."
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears at his words. "I wish we could stay like this forever."
Kissing her tenderly first, he locked eyes with her again. "We will, in every way that counts…I promise."
Just as their lips were about to meet, their perfect moment was shattered when the tell tale sound of a camera clicking repeatedly echoed around them.
Jerking his head around, Nathan spotted some guy in all black moving closer to them from the beach. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"
Burying her head in Nathan's neck, Haley tried to shield her body from view, Nathan protectively tightened his grip on her.
Apparently, the look on Nathan's face was enough scare the hell out of the guy and he ran back up the beach until he was nothing but a spec in the distance.
"Is he gone?" Haley murmured into his neck.
"Yeah, but I'm sure he'll be back with twenty of his friends. Come on let's get out of here."
Not letting her out of his arms just yet, Nathan carried her out of the water and back to where their clothes lay strewn about before setting her back down.
"This totally sucks. He not only ruined my buzz, but our first skinny dipping experience too." She pouted pulling her dress back on.
After getting his clothes back on, he searched around the area.
Picking up the bottle of Patron he'd dropped earlier, he grinned, holding it up triumphantly. "No one ruins my baby's buzz."
Clapping her hands in excitement, she grabbed it from his hand. "My husband rocks!"
"I know." He agreed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they began to stroll back up the beach.
…
"God, seriously, stop that," Lucas whined, as he once again spotted his brother and Haley making out hardcore in his backseat from his rearview mirror.
"Quit cock blocking!" Nathan yelled back, then moaned as Haley began to suck on his neck and stroke him through his pants.
Glancing at the rearview mirror again, Lucas wondered if he could drive without it because he was about two seconds away from ripping it off and launching it out the window. "You know I don't mind Haley moaning, but dude hearing you is not something I need."
Leaning forward over the console, Haley planted a wet one on Lucas's cheek. "You're the best Luke."
Nathan sat back up a little. "How about you bring those lips back over to the Scott that counts."
Giggling, she turned around and fell back into a blissful make out session with full on gropage, much to Lucas's dismay.
A half-hour later they had came to a stop. "All right you two, break it up, we're here."
"Where is here?" Haley peered over Nathan's shoulder out the side window.
Nathan covered her eyes with one hand and opened his door with the other. "Damn woman, can't you ever just enjoy a surprise?" he joked.
"Do I need to wait for you?" Lucas asked, before Nathan maneuvered out of car.
"No thanks man. We can catch a cab from here."
Helping Haley out of the car, Nathan positioned her at the entrance of the establishment and removed his hand from her eyes. "Now you can look."
"A tattoo parlor?" she questioned confused, her hands on her hips, as Lucas drove away.
"What's the matter Scarlet? Are you scared?" He gave her a challenging smirk.
"Never. Just didn't think you had it in you, Pretty boy." She winked then sashayed through the doors, leaving a highly amused Nathan behind.
A woman, roughly thirty, with tattoos all over her body greeted Haley at the counter. "What can we do…wait aren't you?"
"My wife…yes she is" Nathan finished for her, clueing her in that neither wanted to recognized for anything else.
With an understanding smile, she tried again. "What can we do for you two?"
"Do you have private rooms?" Nathan inquired.
"Yeah, but we can do you both at the same time out in front. You'd have to be separated otherwise."
"No, that's what we want." Nathan assured her, then looked down at a distracted Haley who was clearly enthralled with all the artwork that surrounded her. "How about we surprise each other?"
Bringing her attention back to him she wrapped her arms around his neck and echoed his earlier words. "Game on."
…
Grinning from ear to ear, Haley came out from behind her curtain, but there was no Nathan in sight. Now frowning, she sat down dejectedly yet was careful not to lean back and put any pressure on her newly acquired body art.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Nathan exited from the opposite side of the store carrying his jacket and dress shirt in his hand and a hint of a bandage peeking over his left shoulder.
"Let me see!" Haley rushed eagerly over to him.
Stepping away from her he held out his hand to stop her. "Woah, no touching the merchandise till we get home."
"Fine." She huffed out crossing her arms across her chest. "So, did it hurt?""Hales, I'm a trained professional athlete, I played half a quarter with my shoulder separated, a little needle isn't going to scare me," he boasted, not expecting the guy who worked on him to start chuckling behind him.
Intrigued, Haley set her sights on the artist, who was donning an open leather vest exposing a massive profile shot of the Devil on his chest "Did he cry? Please tell me he cried."
The man laughed again. "Not so much crying, as jerking his arm away from me every five seconds and cursing me to hell.
"I was the perfect patient," Haley happily proclaimed, her girl nodding in agreement.
"Yep, your wife didn't flinch once. I wish all my clients were like her."
Haley held her hand over her heart. "Aw, Sally you are the sweetest."
Rolling his eyes in jest, Nathan took a thousand out of his wallet and laid it on the counter. "Thanks for everything, keep the change," he generously said while putting his shirt back on as carefully as possible
"Thanks and Haley, you think about those nipple rings!" Sally shouted after them, Haley turning around to blow them all kisses goodbye before she and Nathan slipped out the door.
A taxi pulled up just as they stepped to the curb. "YAY! This cab so rocks!" Haley proclaimed as Nathan opened the door for her to climb in.
"I thought I rocked." He grumbled coming in behind her.
Moving closer to him, she began nibble on his ear lobe, her name spilling from his lips in record time. "Baby, you know you always rock the most," she placated him, swirling her tongue around his ear.
Growling, he yanked her up on his lap, her legs draped across his and her arms circling his neck.
Dipping his mouth down, he began to work on her own ear, then moved his lips to her neck, sucking with enough pressure to leave his mark. He literally got off knowing she was his, and seeing his ministrations leave lasting effects put him even further over the edge.
The cabby clearing his throat broke them apart and for the first time, Haley noticed that he was an older man. Quickly deciding that making out in front of someone that looked like her grandfather was not happening, she shyly slinked off Nathan's lap and into her own seat.
"He looks like my old coach Whitey," Nathan bent over and whispered; his hands now firmly planted in his own lap.
It was true, she'd seen multiple pictures of Nathan's coach from his Tree Hill days with Lucas all over his room, including one very sweet one of him and Nathan the day Nathan was drafted. It was obvious they were very close and Haley couldn't wait to meet him one day.
…
After paying the Whitey clone, the pair walked arm and arm, silently up the drive until they were safely back in the house.
Locking the door behind them, Nathan smirked towards her, causing her heart to skip a beat. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours?"
Titling her head to the side, her eyes caught the tall ornate grandmother clock behind him, while she pretended to ponder his proposal before. "Hmmmmm? Ok, deal. Now strip Scott."
"I love it when you order me around." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, taking his shirt off as he did.
Reaching for his left arm, she turned him around and softly traced the area around the bandage located on his left shoulder blade. "Tell me if I hurt you," she instructed, easing away the tape that held the gauze in place until she was able to lift it completely off.
"Oh Nathan…" She softly gasped, shocked by what he had done. The softball-sized area was swollen and covered in Vaseline, but she clearly made out her initials 'HJS' with the 'J' dramatically dropped lower than the other letters in a deep shade of navy. It was simple yet bold and powerful at the same time
Taking the bandage back from her, he placed it back over his wound, pressing down on the tape to get it to re-stick. "Ok beautiful, now it's your turn."
Demurely, she raised her arms, for him to unzip her this time, to which he zealously complied.
Undoing her belt, he slid her dress slowly down her body, his fingers skimming here bare flesh as he went. After helping her step out of it, he backed away to take in the sight of her. He loved she was never able to find her underwear, as the sight of her wearing nothing but her sky high heels was about to cause his lower region to explode. Of course, she could be wearing a muumuu and he'd be pulsating for her.
"And you haven't even seen the best part," she taunted, spinning around on her heels to let him view her own surprise for him.
Doing just has she had earlier, he delicately removed her bandage. "Fuck," he let out breathlessly, all his remaining blood draining from his brain, as his drank up the vision of his jersey number tattooed on the small of her back, in the same shade he had chosen.
Whipping back around, just as his hands were about to grab her hips, she stepped away from him and bent over to grab her dress.
"Wipe that shocked expression off your face," she lightly ordered as she stepped back into her dress and zipped it back up. "You didn't think you were getting some did you?"
"Kinda," he admitted bluntly, albeit with a hint of playfulness.
Touching a tiny brush out of her purse, she brushed any remaining tangles out of her now dry hair, then dropped the tiny brush back in her purse. "Sorry love, but see those headlights coming up the drive?" She nodded towards the panes of glass surrounding her front door as she took a holder off her wrist and pulled up her hair into a high ponytail.
"That is my car from the studio and I have to be in Catalina by five am." Passing by him, she blew a kiss in his direction. "I had a great time. See you at the game tonight."
It was impossible to ever stay upset with her when she smiled like that. "Don't be late."
Opening the door, she paused to look over her shoulder at him. "Wouldn't dream of it."
And she wouldn't, except that she never considered that some things are out of our control and that the old saying 'life's what happens when you're making plans' knocks the wind out of every one, once in a while.
Cath