Burning Ice - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

I noticed the way his gaze dropped to my lips, just for a second, like he was considering something. Maybe he was as aware of this tension as I was.
Without thinking, I leaned forward, my lips brushing lightly against his. It was soft, tentative at first, just testing the waters. But when his hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me closer, everything else faded away. The teasing, the banter, the past... it didn't matter anymore.
All that mattered was the feeling of him, warm and solid, his lips moving against mine in a way that felt too familiar, like we had been doing this for years, even though we both knew we hadn't.
When we pulled back, I could barely catch my breath. The air between us was thick now, charged with something neither of us had expected to find.
He looked at me, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Guess you weren't kidding about being a whirlwind."
I laughed, still a little breathless, my heart racing. "You have no idea, Griffith."
And with that, I was pretty sure the whirlwind had just begun.
His hands found the back of my head as the kiss deepened into something more primal. I locked my hands around his neck as I moved to straddled his lap.
One hand was tangled up in my curls while the other held tightly onto my waist. I felt myself slowly wanting to feel more of him, grinding against his sweats. Our breaths started getting heavier together as we matched momentum, our two bodies yearning for more.
Nate used one hand to remove my shirt in a flash, my chest heaved before him as he slipped a hand under my bra to squeeze, his lips trailing sloppy kisses down my neck.
"You're amazing" he said in between breaths.
"Take your pants off" I instructed him.
I lifted my body just enough so that he could removed his blue sweatpants. His erection pushing for an escape under his briefs.
I slowly slid off his body and onto the floor below him. Nate's eyes widen at the realization.
What can I say? I live to give as much as I receive.
I took a manicured hand and released his prisoner from captivity. It's flesh springing to life as if to celebrate its freedom.
"Fuck baby" he moaned as I took my hand and started pumping him up some more.
After a few seconds of preparing him I latched my mouth onto the tip and licked my way down his shaft. Salty and warm.
Nate's hand tugged on my hair, begging for more. I gave him as much as I could until I felt my eyes water.
I wanted to help him relax. The past week has been undeniably stressful and difficult for him. Just for a moment he could hopefully forget about things and focus on me. As selfish as that sounds, I can be a bit selfish.
"I'm going to cum" it didn't take long until those famous last words slipped from his lips.
I nodded my head and took myself off of him. I didn't move my face as I watched him use his hand to help himself over the edge. His moans came out in waves as he unloaded himself onto my face. Once he was done I made sure to use my finger to get every last bit of himself off of me.
Nate pulled back just enough to look at me, that typical smirk creeping onto his face, though there was something a little more thoughtful in his eyes now. He raised an eyebrow. "What was that for?"
I let out a soft laugh, pretending to think it over. "You really want to know?"
He shrugged, his hand still resting on the back of the couch, his thumb brushing lightly over the fabric. "You know, I'm a little curious."
I met his gaze, not bothering to hide the grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. "I'm just being selfish," I said with a wink. "Wanted to see if it felt as good as I thought it would."
His eyes widened slightly, but the smile never left his face. "Selfish, huh? You think that's all it is?"
"Yup" I replied, leaning back slightly, acting nonchalant even though my heart was still pounding. "I'm all about me right now."
"You're impossible." He let out a laugh, shaking his head.
"Yeah, but you like it" I said, voice teasing, as I shifted to settle more comfortably next to him.
He leaned in a little closer, that familiar playful glint returning to his eyes. "I think you're full of surprises."
"Ah, but that's what makes life interesting, right?" I said, my voice light and carefree, though the truth was, something about that—about us—felt like it could be a lot more than I had expected.
But for now, I was okay with the selfishness. Maybe it was all I needed in that moment.
I could feel the heat of his gaze on me, the way his eyes seemed to linger a little longer than necessary, his lips still curved into that half-smile. It made the air between us feel thicker, charged with a tension that was impossible to ignore.
"Selfish, huh?" Nate's voice was lower now, more of a challenge than a question. "You sure you're not just trying to get a rise out of me?"
I met his gaze head-on, letting a slow smile play on my lips. "Maybe," I said, letting my tone drop a little. "Maybe I just like having that kind of control."
He leaned in, just a fraction, his breath warm against my skin. "You think you've got control here?" he murmured, his voice dangerously close to a whisper.
I didn't pull away. Instead, I leaned in just a little more, closing the distance between us, my lips almost brushing his as I spoke. "I know I do."
His hand found the back of my neck again, fingers threading through my hair, pulling me in just enough to make my heart race. "You're playing a dangerous game, Carter," he whispered, his lips barely touching mine as he spoke.
"I'm not scared," I replied, the words barely escaping as the space between us continued to close, the air humming with the promise of something more.
And just when I thought I couldn't take the anticipation anymore, he kissed me again. It was slow and deliberate, his lips brushing mine with a quiet intensity that made everything else fade into the background. My fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer, letting the kiss deepen, becoming more insistent as my breath quickened.
When we pulled apart again, just enough to speak, I could feel the heat radiating between us, the electric pull I hadn't expected to be this strong. I looked up at him, my breath still uneven. "So, what's your excuse, Griffith?" I teased, my voice low and sultry. "I'm not the only one being selfish here, am I?"
He met my eyes, his hand sliding from my neck to my jaw, thumb brushing over my lower lip in a way that made me shiver. "Maybe I'm just as selfish," he murmured, his gaze never leaving mine.
We ended up ordering in from that sushi place I'd mentioned earlier. Nate insisted on picking up the tab, of course, but I didn't mind. There was something almost normal about sitting here, plates of sushi between us, as if we weren't just moments ago kissing like we were trying to make up for lost time.
I tried to focus on the food, shuffling the sushi around on my plate like I wasn't acutely aware of the fact that Nate was sitting right beside me, not a foot away, his presence as undeniable as ever. The tension from our moment was still in the air, like an unspoken thing between us, hanging there with every glance we exchanged.
I took a bite of my roll, trying to act casual, but I couldn't stop glancing at him. His hand rested casually on the arm of the couch, but his gaze? It never left me. Even when I wasn't looking, I could feel his eyes on me, watching me with that intensity that seemed to burn straight through me.
"I have to say," I said, trying to keep my voice light, "I don't think I've ever had a quiet sushi night quite like this one."
He chuckled softly, his gaze flicking down to his plate, then back up to me. "Quiet, huh? I think we've both had enough quiet for one night."
I raised an eyebrow, pretending to focus on my food as I picked up another piece of sushi. "You think so? Because I'm pretty sure it's just the sushi making things quiet."
He leaned back, his arm casually brushing against mine. "Yeah, sure. The sushi." His voice was low, teasing, but there was something more in the way he looked at me, a quiet promise hanging between us.
I couldn't stop the smile that tugged at the corner of my lips. "You're terrible at pretending, Griffith."
He grinned, leaning just a little closer. "I'm not pretending," he murmured, his tone dropping an octave. "I just know what's on your mind."
I looked at him, my heart skipping a beat, a flush creeping up my neck. "Oh, do you?" I shot back, my voice a little breathless despite myself.
He didn't say anything, just smiled at me, that same smoldering look in his eyes. It made me feel like everything else—the sushi, the couch, the entire room—had faded into the background. There was only him.
"You should stop doing that," I said, my voice quieter, more serious, even though I was trying to keep it light.
He leaned in closer, his voice barely a whisper. "Stop doing what?"
"Stop looking at me like that," I muttered, shifting slightly to avoid his gaze, but even then, I couldn't help but feel it, that electric pull between us.
He didn't move away, his presence just as close, his eyes never leaving mine. "Like what?" he asked again, his voice low and seductive, like he knew exactly what he was doing.
I bit my lip, trying to focus on the food in front of me, but the way he was looking at me made it hard to think straight. "Like you're about to kiss me again" I said, my voice a little shakier than I intended.
His smirk deepened, and for a moment, I thought he might actually lean in and kiss me right there, with no pretense, no hesitation. But instead, he just watched me, his eyes dark with something unreadable.
"Maybe I am," he said, his voice low and dangerous, the words hanging in the air like a challenge.
I swallowed hard, my heart racing, but I forced a laugh. "Well, you're going to have to wait, then. Sushi's getting cold."
But even as I said it, I knew he wasn't going to let the night end that easily. Neither of us was.
I reached for another piece of sushi, trying to ignore the fact that Nate's gaze hadn't left me since we sat down. His eyes were intense, but I wasn't about to let him distract me. I was hungry and needed something to focus on besides the heat in the air between us.
"So," I said casually, picking up my chopsticks. "What's next for you? You're awfully quiet tonight."
Nate smirked, his eyes flicking to the sushi on my plate before he glanced back at me. "You're the one making it hard to concentrate."
I raised an eyebrow, taking a bite of sushi without looking up. "Is that so?" I swallowed and glanced at him, keeping my tone playful. "I'm just eating. Not much to focus on."
He leaned in slightly, his elbow resting on his knee. "That's the problem," he said, his voice low but steady. "You make it hard to ignore you, even when you're not trying."
I didn't flinch, though his words sparked a quiet thrill in the back of my mind. He wasn't wrong, but I wasn't about to let him know how much I liked hearing it.
I set my chopsticks down and folded my arms, finally meeting his gaze head-on. "Maybe you just need to work on your focus then," I teased, keeping my expression neutral. "I can't help it if I'm distracting."
He smiled, that familiar smirk of his, but there was something deeper behind it this time. "You don't make it easy, that's for sure."
I couldn't help but laugh a little. "I never said I would," I said with a shrug. "If you want simple, you're in the wrong place."
Nate chuckled, leaning back into the couch and crossing his arms. His gaze lingered on me, and I could feel the weight of it, but I wasn't going to let it throw me off. He wasn't questioning us, he knew what this was.
"You don't mind it though, do you?" he asked, his tone teasing but not challenging. "The way I keep making it hard for you to think?"
I leaned in slightly, keeping it casual, but letting my gaze lock with his. "Not at all," I replied smoothly, my lips curling into a small smile. "I think you're the one who's making it harder on yourself."
His smirk deepened, but there was no hesitation in his eyes. "I'll take that as a challenge."
I raised an eyebrow. "I don't do easy, Nate."
"I've noticed," he said, that small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
We sat there for a moment, just looking at each other, the playful banter still lingering between us. The tension was there, thick in the air, but I wasn't rushing anything. Nate didn't seem like he was either. The silence stretched, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was a quiet kind of understanding, like we both knew what this was, even if neither of us said it out loud.
"Are you going to keep staring at me all night, or are we going to finish this sushi?" I asked, breaking the silence, but keeping my tone light.
Nate chuckled, but it wasn't the teasing laugh I'd expected. There was something warmer in it now. He leaned back a little more, but his knee brushed mine, just enough for me to feel the heat of his skin through the thin fabric of our clothes. The touch was light, almost careless, but still enough to send a spark through me.
"Guess we should get to it," he said, still close enough that I could feel the tension between us, but not pushing it. It was there, simmering, but neither of us was rushing it. Not yet.
I leaned back, casually grabbing another piece of sushi and keeping my eyes on him. We both knew it wasn't just the sushi keeping us in the same space.