Chapter Summary

Will is jumping head deep into his relationship with Natalie hoping if things get physical it might end his pain over April but a coincidental encounter at a restaurant won't let him run so easily. Meanwhile Connor and Natalie notice the tension and begin to hatch a plan to repair the friendship.

Will wanted everything to be perfect for his first time with Natalie. The check list included a clean and empty house, a great meal with no garlic, and even some of his favorite music. He programmed his phone to play music through his stereo; softly in the background when they'd arrive.

His last sexual experience had been with April and it had really screwed with his head. He wanted something more traditional; although he tried his best not to think about her especially in that regard. He and April's first time had been anything but traditional and that experience consumed him and the room it happened in as well. Part of him had wanted to be with Natalie somewhere else, but this was his home and he was trying to move on. He'd asked Ryan if he could crash at his girlfriend's house for the night and he made reservations at a really nice restaurant one he'd never been to. He was busy cleaning when he heard a ping on his phone. It was Natalie.

"Which one?"

He looked at the phone wondering what she meant until it pinged again and two photos appeared. One of a black dress and the other a color of cream. He smiled at the two choices draped against her bed.

"The black one…although I really like them against the bed like that...,"Will texted back smiling.

He felt almost giddy at the idea of unzipping the dress; slowly, finally seeing her skin, her body. It was something he'd literally only dreamt about. He thought back to those dreams and how even there April had infiltrated them. He shook the feeling away; he'd been trying to count to ten and recite the words,

"We're only going to be friends."

Over and over until he believed it. It was the mantra that he used to recite when he was talking himself out of his feelings for April and her for him. It wasn't true then, but somehow; like an idiot, he believed it would work now.

...

When April opened her front door a bundle of pink and white roses and a color of hydrangeas that she didn't recognize were sitting there. Attached was a card to a box with Dolan Rhodes Exclusives written on the top. She opened the envelope,

"April, this could be a paper bag and you would still look incredible, but it's not. Can't wait to see you in it tonight."

Xoxo,

Connor

April twinkled at his words and put it back in the envelope. She set the flowers and the card on her breakfast bar before picking up the box and taking it into her bedroom. She smoothed her hands over the top before pulling the dress out. The dress was long almost like a gown but the material was fitted and not flowing. She decided not to try it on until after she had showered.

Will and Natalie had to meet at the restaurant so she could drop off Owen at Jeff's mother's house beforehand. He gave the maitre'd his name and he was seated at their table next to the window. He gazed out of it; the city was buzzing and beautiful. Each light lit up the downtown, and the energy felt good; infectious. It was a great night for a date and an even better night for his first time with Natalie. Will hadn't been able to wipe the grin off of his face all day. He was practically humming a tune when he walked into the restaurant. Just as he ordered a bottle of wine in waltzed his reality and what a sight she was to behold.

A fitted mini black halter dress with a cutout on the chest; all of it against her creamy olive skin. Her usually pulled back hair was styled in sexy waves framing her face; all gliding on a pair of black pumps, that made the small muscles in her legs tone and flex as she walked over to Will.

"Damn."

He stood up buttoning his sport coat beaming ear to ear.

"You look like I don't want to eat dinner anymore," Will said kissing her on the cheek.

"Easy tiger, you'll want some energy for later," Natalie said flirting back.

Will couldn't help but laugh and blush a bit at how forward she'd become. Dinner would be hard to get through, indeed. Truly, she was the most magnificent sight he'd seen in a while; that was until a few minutes later when the flash of fuchsia came around the corner.

April was incredibly nervous about her date but mostly about Connor's expectations. They had always been really physical, sex was immediate with them, and they had it often when they dated prior; sometimes several times a day. But her doctor had warned her about a sexual relationship before she had actually tackled any of her demons and in all truthfulness she was not ready yet. She still thought about Will more than she cared to admit and it seemed unfair to Connor to give herself to him even when every part of her still felt promised to Will.

Connor arranged a car service to pick her up because he had an emergency surgery to finish before their date. The whole thing made April feel like she was in a movie. When she got to the restaurant he was waiting in the front; his hands in the pockets of his very expensive suit. He looked so tailored, and April remembered the many dates they had where she couldn't believe that a man could look that handsome, at least not in real life.

"It fits," April said smiling as the driver helped her out of the car.

Connor couldn't help but consume her with his eyes and the want in them could not escape his face either.

"Well, I actually still have the blue one. It's how I knew your size," Connor admitted; slightly embarrassed to be holding onto the item that was little more than rags after he was through with it.

"Really?" April said surprised as they walked into the restaurant.

"Oh yeah, you weren't the only one that found comfort from clothes," Connor said turning a bit pink.

April squeezed his hand as the maitre'd led them to their table.

It was the bright fuschia against all that glowing umber skin. It peaked whenever she took a step; in and out, from the high slit of the otherwise simply cut strapless dress April wore. It's what caught Will's eye first. Her hair wild and free grazing her bare neck,that beautiful neck, Will was staring at again.

"What?" Natalie asked turning her back to see what he was looking at.

April caught Will's stare and Natalie turning simultaneously. Her mood that was climbing to great heights fell to the ground in pieces at the sight of them. Natalie looked great and Will looked so sexy.

"Shit."

"Shit." Will thought as Natalie turned back to him smiling and saying,

"We should say hi," her tone supportive as she tried to heal the rift between them; clueless to its depth.

"Oh there's Will and Natalie let's say hi real quickly," Connor said innocently.

His arm tugged at April's as she could feel every part of her body dragging like child to the dentist's office to get a tooth pulled.

"Sure," she said, "Okay inner Taylor Swift here we go."

"Hey guys," Natalie said elongating her sounds as she looked over to Will to follow suit.

Her smile was bright and unaware of the tension she and Connor were creating.

"Rhodes….April," Will dashed his eyes away.

He couldn't look at her, not without letting his desire be known to everyone at the table. What he would do with that skin, that neck, her lips stained a pink to match the dress.

"Hey Nat…Will," April said doing her best to match Natalie's tone. She too wouldn't and couldn't look at Will.

"That dress is amazing!" Natalie said enthusiastically, "Right Will?"

He was looking at the small space between Connor and April; it was safe there, until Natalie prompted him to actually look at her. He took a small breath and raised his gaze finally swallowing the vision in front of him.

"Yeah," he said looking down and then up stopping at her eyes, "You look beautiful."

He kept his cool until the end when the quickest blink of his eyes emptied his sadness, desire, and longing at his wishes to be with her. April mirrored it blinking away to keep from crying.

Connor noticed the strange tension and avoidance so he wrapped up the conversation.

"Well, we'll let you two get back to your dinner, just wanted to say hello, enjoy your night," Connor said with a hopeful smile at the pair.

Natalie waved as April and Connor strolled to their table and sat down.

"Will are you ever going to forgive her?" Natalie said almost immediately.

He sighed feeling found out of his true feelings.

"I know when she gets really upset she can be cold, but she apologized right?" Natalie asked inquisitively.

"Yeah, it's just kind of complicated," Will answered unsure of his response.

He didn't want to get into anything that might reveal his true feelings he wanted that live warm body of his emotions buried and suffocated. This was the night of he and Natalie and nothing was getting in the way of that. Natalie looked a little defeated. They received their bottle of wine and ordered dinner.

April thought she might lose it back there but she persevered and put on a faux smile.

"What wine is good here?" she asked hoping to change the feeling.

Connor looked up from his menu hoping to push away the achingly familiar feeling he'd felt months prior at April's apartment when Will was there.

"I would love to drink a red with you but I'm actually still on-call, surgery," Connor admitted with a shrug, "But you should try the Bordeaux it's great with the steak au poivre."

"You snob," April let out a genuine laugh.

He looked up from his menu laughing at her and shrugged his shoulders again. April enjoyed her wine; a couple of glasses, that soon passed to her bladder. She excused herself to the restroom. When she got out she heard the water running. Natalie was washing her hands.

"Hey, by the way you look incredibly sexy tonight," April said.

Natalie smiled a devilish grin, "Well that was the idea! Tonight's going to be the night! "she said giddily.

"Oh….Wow!" April said through a faked astonishment and more pain than she thought could be felt in a single moment.

"Alright," she smoothed her hands down her dress, "I'm going to get back out there, but we need to get together and dish, cause I want to know when this thing with Connor started back up!" Natalie said beaming and tapping April's arm.

"Definitely," April said through her held breath.

The wine and steak in April's stomach threatened to the top of her throat. She placed her hand over her stomach using the other hand to hold herself up on the vanity. Finally she covered her mouth trying not to let the wails escape.

"1, 2, 3….4, 5, 6,7,8," April counted through each whimper trying to hold herself together.

It wouldn't be possible; she needed to get out of there. When she came back to the table Connor was texting on his phone. He had just gotten an alert to come back in and operate on a crash case. April sat down next to him.

"Hey, I'm sorry I have to go back in-," Connor started before he noticed his golden goddess had lost her glitter, "You don't look so good."

"I don't feel so good," April admitted.

"I have to go back in but the driver is waiting for us, I'll have him take you home and I'll grab a cab to the hospital," Connor said wrapping his arm around her in a comforting hug; April nodded.

They walked out to the car and he kissed her forehead before saying, "I'll check on you tomorrow?" She nodded again.

He shut the door and the car took off. April got home and unzipped her dress; the Cinderella movie was over, and she was back in her pumpkin. Numbness crept into her. She had swallowed down as much pain as she could at the sight of Will and Natalie and the reality of the two of them making love was too overwhelming to process. He'd really moved on just that easily; maybe April was right to have ended it before it started. She curled up in bed embracing the numbness allowing it to be a bridge, a bridge hopefully to Connor.

...

Will was fumbling with his keys, one eye half closed, the other open, as he was trying to unlock his door with Natalie kissing him excitedly and quickly. The door pushed open and they through it. He took his coat off hastily still kissing her in rapid succession. They landed on his couch. He found her neck; sucking on the crook, before nibbling at her ear. She was peeling his pants down and pulling his shirt from its tucked position.

"I want this so badly, I've always wanted this."

Will was reciting it in his head but his body would not obey. His appendage stayed malleable between his legs. He would have to buy a little more time. He kissed down her neck, down her body, pushing her dress up, and pulling her underwear down and off. He buried his head between her legs laying soft and slow kisses to her mound slowly working his tongue to the heat radiating to his lips. Natalie moaned at the slowdown, Will hoped it would be what he needed, he still couldn't get there.

"Oh my god," she moaned but then, "AHHH!" Natalie yelped.

The pleasure turned to a cry and Will stopped what he was doing to look up.

"What's wrong?"

"I think there's someone standing at your door," Natalie said collecting her clothes to their rightful place on her body.

Will stood up zipping up his pants before walking over the door. He opened it and there stood Ryan and Keerie; Ryan's girlfriend. She had a bag and they both appeared to be in their pajamas.

"Ryan? What are you doing? " Will asked; his eyes speaking to Ryan we had an agreement about tonight.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you," he answered leaning to see Natalie, "Hey Natalie," he waved.

"Hey Ryan," Natalie said smiling but still a bit embarrassed.

"Keerie's building caught on fire tonight," Ryan said shaking his head in disbelief, "We have to stay here tonight and... she might have to stay a few days until they can clear the structure for safety and occupancy."

"Hey Will," Keerie squeaked from behind Ryan; her eyes apologetic but stressed.

Will waved and opened the door more to let them both in. Will and Natalie retired to his bedroom. They kissed a few times, Natalie hoped it would lead to more.

"Maybe we could be really quiet," she whispered rubbing his leg.

Will laughed and shook his head no.

"The walls are way too thin, trust me," Will said putting his arm around her.

She scrunched up her face at the admission looking up at him. Will looked down at her.

"Keerie….squeaks," Will said before they both bust out laughing, "Seriously it's like a tortured mouse."

They laughed harder before finally passing out; the wine they'd ingested earlier rocking them to their slumber.

...

Work came quickly on Monday. Connor ran into Natalie walking a scared little girl up to the OR prep to have surgery on her right eye.

"Dr. Rhodes," said Nat in her usual cheery disposition.

"Dr. Manning," Connor nodded before stopping and reaching for her arm.

"Can I ask you something?" Connor started, a tad apprehensive.

"Sure," Natalie answered receptively.

"I don't know if you noticed or if I'm just seeing things but is there something going on between Will and April?" Connor asked with concern.

Natalie's eyes eased and she nodded, "Yeah they had a falling out, Will was trying to get April to seek counseling and she didn't feel like she needed it, but you know Will, if he thinks he's right he is relentless and it kind of blew up in his face," Natalie stated, "Shocker right?"

Connor shook his head laughing before chewing a bit on his lip.

"So that's it?" Connor pressed on.

"Well, what else would there be?" Natalie pushed back.

The peevish splinter arose in her but she reasoned it away by saying,

"You know I think it would be fun to hang out together, maybe at a neutral ground like Molly's or wherever so they can patch things up. April's my friend too and it would be nice for us to all hang out without all the resentment and tension."

"I agree," Connor nodded, "I'll check our schedules you check yours and we will set up a time to get together."

Natalie smiled and nodded before Connor called back to her.

"Hey Natalie, we're good right?" Connor asked.

He was alluding to their conversation in the hall a year ago when she poked him in the chest and chastised him over his treatment of April.

"As long as you're good to April, we're good" Natalie winked at him before walking away.

Connor nodded and smiled. He'd be nothing but good to her he wouldn't waste this chance to do things right this time but he couldn't shake what he saw between them at the restaurant and her apartment the day she had hurried him out. Maybe Natalie was right they were just friends in a heated disagreement. Just friends and only friends….right?