Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Title: Bring on the Wonder Ch.  02


Summary: Could this decision destroy their whole family?


Keywords: inc,fic





   Later that evening, she sat on Nate's lap on the couch in the living
room, with a movie playing on TV, and recounted Lance's visit to her
office. At first, Nate was angry that Lance would presume so much, and a
little frightened of what Lance might do or say.

   "I know what you're thinking, Nate." Lizzie looped her arms around his
shoulders and kissed the tip of his nose.  "I was thinking the same thing
when he first came in."

   "What?"

   "That he was going to threaten to tell on us." She wrinkled her nose at
the phrasing but Nate knew what she meant.  "But I remembered that he'd
never met anyone in our family, probably wouldn't have a clue who our
father is or anything."

   "How can we be sure of that?  I mean, he knows my full name."

   "So?"

   "So, Whittenberg isn't exactly a common name like Smith."

   Lizzie shrugged again.  "True.  If he'd wanted to extort money or
something, I think he would have just come out and said it.  Or he'd have
come by to do that right after he discovered the truth."

   "You think so?"

   "Sure.  Why wait to cash in?"

   Nate snorted and shook his head.  "I think you're right.  Lance doesn't
need the money anyway."

   "No?"

   "No.  He made some sound investments with the money his grandfather left
him and he's pretty much set for life." Nate smiled at her.  "Hell, his
grandkids will be set for life, too."

   "Wow." Lizzie looked off into space over Nate's shoulder.  "Maybe I
should call him up and see if he'd like to give it a go again."

   Nate sputtered in mock outrage and tickled her sides until she shrieked
with laughter.  They struggled for a few seconds but Nate could feel Lizzie
give up.  She loved play-wrestling with him and having him pin her down or
pull her arms behind her back.  Nate didn't mind indulging her in something
that was so much fun for him as well.

   He grabbed her wrists and pulled her arms low behind her back.  She met
his gaze, her eyes dark and shining with desire.  He leaned close enough
that they could feel each other's breath but he didn't kiss her.  She moved
her chin up, trying to bring their lips together but Nate pulled his head
back out of reach.

   "Nate..." she whined and tried again.

   Nate tightened his hold on her wrists and held her back.  Instead of
giving her a kiss on the mouth, he dropped his head and brushed his lips on
her neck.  She let out a sigh and dropped her head back to give him room.
He smiled against her skin and pressed a hot, moist kiss to the fluttering
pulse just under her chin.  Then he pulled back.

   She looked down at him, blinking her eyes.  "Why'd you stop?"

   "Did I stop?"

   Narrowing her eyes, she strained forward, tugging at her arms.  "Nate.
Don't tease me."

   "Maybe you deserve to be teased."

   "Why?"

   "Because of all those naughty texts you sent me today." He brought their
faces close together, nose-to-nose.  "And the pictures."

   Her mouth tilted up at the corners.  "Naughty?  Me?"

   "Yes, you."

   She giggled, a bright sound that always lifted Nate's spirits.  He'd had
a long day at the office and when Lizzie had first told him that Lance came
to see her, his immediate reaction had been panic.  He'd been afraid that
she'd say she couldn't do this with him anymore and that she was going to
move back in with Lance.  A few minutes later, without her even having to
explain, Nate realized how foolish his panic had been.  Still, the
adrenaline that had dropped through his body in a rush now left him feeling
light-headed.

   "My naughty little sister," he murmured and kissed her.

   She moaned against his lips.

   Only in the quiet solitude of the house could they say things like that
and feel no shame or fear.  While wrapped up in each other's arms, hot and
aroused, they could say whatever they wanted, whatever they felt, and never
worry about what might follow.

   What followed was quiet and yet, they could each hear the pounding of
their hearts.  They could feel the tremor in their touches and knew that
love fell from their lips with every breath.  Words didn't need to be
spoken in such moments as these.

   Some time later, he lifted her into his arms and carried her upstairs to
bed.  She was almost limp in his grasp and had only enough strength to keep
her nose rubbing over the skin of his neck.  As he got them both into bed,
he kissed her face all over, tenderly returning her kiss and her whispered
words of love as she drifted off to sleep.

   He watched her face in the dim light of their room.  Her dark lashes
made little half-moons on her pale cheeks.  Her lips were pursed, like
always as she slept.  The dark swirls of her hair spread across his pillow
and hers.  Nate picked up one strand and rubbed it between his thumb and
forefinger.  He pressed it to his lips and whispered three more words to
her.  She smiled in her sleep and nestled closer to him.  Nate opened his
arms and held her close to his chest, smiling when she didn't stop moving
until her nose was against his throat.

   Yes, he loved making love to her and loved how they made each other
feel. But he loved her smile, her sweet heart and he loved her, the woman,
more than life itself and would give up anything to make her happy and to
keep her in his life.

   Otherwise, life just isn't worth living.

   ****

   EIGHT MONTHS AGO

   If Lizzie had turned up wearing nothing but fishnets and high heels,
announcing her intention to join a traveling drag queen revue, Nate would
not have been more surprised.  Her kiss turned him inside out and would
have knocked him on his ass if he could move.  Shock kept him frozen in
place as Lizzie moved her lips on his.

   She stopped after a few seconds of him not responding and stared, tears
filling her eyes.  "Nate, I--"

   Her words broke something inside of him.  Maybe the last of his
restraint.  Or sanity.  He grabbed her arms and brought their lips back
together.  The shock was gone, erased by a hot rush of adrenaline and
pounding desire.  That she was his sister faded to the back of his mind and
he wrapped her in his arms.  Her lips parted on a moan and he shoved his
tongue inside to slip and slide around hers.

   And just like that, they were entangled.  Their arms were tight around
each other and their mouths locked together.  Nate rubbed his hands up and
down her back, squeezing when he got to the top of her beautiful ass.  She
shifted closer, as if it was even possible.  He felt like she was already
crawling inside of his body.

   His blood was on fire and his skin tingled everywhere.  Where he touched
Lizzie, the tingling intensified and every time her tongue pressed to his,
he felt his groin tighten.  If they continued this way, he was going to
come in his pants like an adolescent boy.  Then Lizzie pressed her pelvis
to him and he groaned.

   He lifted his lips from hers and looked into her face.  She was flushed
and her breath puffed over his lips in short bursts of warmth.  He had to
kiss her again.  After that one, he needed another.  And another.  Then he
turned them around so he could push her back against his desk.  She threw a
hand out to brace herself and it wasn't until then that he realized how
forceful he'd suddenly become.

   With her whimpering moans filling his ears and her other hand tugging at
his hair, Nate was going out of his mind.  He jerked her hand out of his
hair and held it at her side.  With his other hand, he started to pull up
her skirt.  She watched his face, her eyes dark with the same desire
roaring through his blood.

   He managed to get his hand under the black fabric and bit back a moan at
the feel of her silky smooth skin.  She wrenched her hand from his grasp
and reached between her legs, where he was tracing lazy, wide circles on
the inside of her thigh.  She closed her fingers around his and pulled them
up.  All the way up to where she was warm and so wet for him.

   They kept their eyes focused on each other's face the entire time. 
While he stroked her once and again over the damp fabric of her panties. 
When he slipped two fingers beneath the silk and her skin, they both caught
their breath, but never looked away from each other's eyes.  Nate stared
into her beautiful face and fell in love with the way she looked at him.

   He leaned close and captured her lips in another passionate kiss as he
started to stroke her.  He lapped at her mouth, tasting and teasing her
while he rubbed his knuckles up and down her wet lips.  She gasped and
twitched beneath his touch and he reveled in it.  He fell in love with
making her twist and move under his touch.  From that moment on, he vowed
to always be the one to make her move and sound like this, to undo her.

   "Nate, please." She moaned and pulled her lips from his.  Her head fell
back as he pressed further beneath her panties.  He wriggled his fingers
between her lips, delving inside and he dropped his head to her shoulder as
he felt the first squeeze of her body around his.  Before she was lost to
her climax, Nate took his fingers out and struggled to get his pants off.
It was tricky since he didn't want to stop kissing Lizzie to do it.

   She rose to meet his kisses, her legs closing around his hips and
pulling him close to her.  He kissed her, nibbling at her lips and sucking
her bottom lip between his teeth, all while trying to push his pants down.
At last, he was free, his hard cock in hand.  She reached for him, her
little fingers closing around his stiff length and he pumped his hips into
her hand.

   "I need to be inside you, Lizzie."

   She nodded and brought her hands up to his shoulders.  He grasped her
hips to lift her to the desk where she was at the right height.  He reached
under her skirt, pushing the black material up and away.  Then he all but
ripped her panties down her legs and without another thought, plunged his
cock into her body.

   For a moment, they stopped.  They held still and struggled to catch
their breath.  This whole time, they'd barely looked away from each other's
eyes.  Nate couldn't stop staring at her.  He'd never be able to look at
her the same way again.  Or himself.  He stared into her blue eyes and fell
in love.

   He moved then, bringing their bodies together before sliding back.  He
did it again and smiled when her breath caught.  Her hand crept up his
shoulder to the back of his neck.  Nate bent his head and kissed her.  She
kissed him back, a little gasp escaping her when he moved again.  She bit
down on his lip and he stopped moving for a second.

   "Nate..."

   He squeezed his eyes shut, blocking out the pleading look in her blue
eyes.  And he started to fuck her then.  He dug his fingers into her hips
to hold her steady as he pounded into her.

   God, she felt good.  So perfect and snug.  He wanted to freeze this
moment, the way she looked, the sensation of his stiff length sliding into
her body.  He wanted to stop time right here and never change the way they
were looking at each other.  All because he knew in the back of his mind,
even through the rush of his impending orgasm, that when this stopped,
nothing would ever be the same again.

   But he came, the tidal wave of emotion and physical release overwhelming
him so that he saw stars for a second.  She tensed around him, her pussy
milking him after he'd exploded inside her, drawing out the sensations of
his climax.

   For a long while after they were spent, neither of them spoke.  Nate was
afraid to move and disturb the moment.  He was a fool.

   This wasn't a moment between lovers, new to each other, new to a
relationship together.  They were siblings and he still had his dick inside
of his baby sister.

   "Oh God."

   He lifted his head at the sound of Lizzie's voice.  She wasn't looking
at him.

   "Get off," she whispered.

   "Lizzie..."

   "Get off!" she shrieked.  "Get off, get...  get out of me!  Now!"

   Nate jerked away when he heard the panic in her voice.  She shoved him
hard in the middle of the chest until he straightened and backed away.  He
stifled a groan as he slipped free of her, surprised to feel himself still
semi-erect.  Lizzie scrambled off the desk and fumbled as she pushed her
skirt back down over her hips.  She still wouldn't look at him.  Nate felt
lost without her beautiful blue eyes on him now as he tucked himself back
in his pants and fastened them.

   Nate reached for her hand, wanting to feel her skin again.  She twisted
away from him with a cry, raising her eyes to his face at last.  They
glistened with unshed tears and Nate had the urge to hit something,
anything to make her stop looking so stricken.

   "Don't touch me!"

   "Lizzie, please--"

   "Don't!" She dodged his reach again and headed for the door.  She paused
there and looked over her shoulder at him.  "I have to go."

   "Go where?"

   She shook her head and walked out.  "I just have to go."

   Nate hurried after her but she raced down the stairs and out the front
door before he could catch her.  When he yanked open the front door, she
was already in her car, driving away.  Glancing around, Nate saw that she'd
grabbed her purse on the way out.  He stood in the doorway and stared at
the street.  After a few minutes, he backed into the house and shut the
door.

   ****

   After three days, Nate was out of his mind with worry.  It got worse
when he came home on the fourth day and saw that Lizzie had been at the
house.  She'd come back long enough to empty her room of all her clothes
and personal belongings.  When he'd seen that, he rushed down to her studio
to see if she'd taken anything from there.  She'd taken her current
sketchbook and a few packages of charcoal and pastels but left the rest. 
Nate stood in the center of the room, looking around at the blank and
filled canvases, the easels and rags, and wondered if he'd ever see her in
the middle of the chaos again.

   He couldn't focus on work or anything else while he worried about Lizzie
and if she was OK.  He could call her at work, or drop by, but he was
afraid that would create a scene and he knew Lizzie wouldn't want that.  He
couldn't call his parents to see if they'd heard from her, because they'd
want to know why she'd left and not told him where she went.  Not something
he wanted to discuss with his family.  He still wasn't sure what had
happened between them.  Oh, he knew what had happened in his office and
every time he thought about it, he got goosebumps and an erection.  What he
didn't know was why it had happened.  He'd been denying his growing
attraction to his sister for some time, not even acknowledging it to
himself in his most private thoughts.  His sudden, intense jealousy over
Lance had made him face the truth.  The truth was also that he hadn't
thought there was ever a chance she could feel the same thing for him.

   That interlude in his office had proved him wrong in that at least.

   Turning away from Lizzie's art room, he walked to the kitchen and made a
small dinner for himself.  It all tasted like sawdust and he ended up
throwing away half of it.

   Feeling lost and worried, Nate paced through the house, jogged around
the block, and checked his cell phone and answering machine at home for
messages.  Several times.

   Where is she?

   ****

   Lizzie was in Lance's bed, struggling not to picture her brother while
Lance moved within her.  She bit her lip every time she felt words coming
up, afraid that she'd beg Nate to do her harder or faster.  Instead, she
turned her face away from Lance's and tried to urge him on.  She thought if
she forced herself to respond, maybe she could eradicate the images and
sensations she'd obsessed over since running away from Nate.

   Lance murmured something in her ear but she was concentrating too hard
on trying not to think about Nate.  Lance started to move faster, his
movements becoming uneven.  She squeezed him tighter with her arms and legs
and made the noises of appreciation she'd learned he enjoyed.  A few
thrusts later, he was done.

   Lizzie let him finish inside of her and he rolled off her a second or
two later.  She stayed on her back, breathing hard and rubbing her stomach,
damp with sweat from both their bodies.  Lance stayed still for a minute
before getting up and peeling the condom off to dispose of it.  He smiled
over at Lizzie who managed a weak smile in response.

   "Are you thirsty?  I'm parched."

   She nodded.  "Yeah.  I could use a drink."

   He tossed her the sweatshirt of his that she'd taken to wearing around
his house.  He pulled on some shorts and led the way out of his bedroom. 
In his kitchen, he poured her a drink and one for himself.

   Lizzie didn't think she was giving anything away but Lance walked over
to her and bent to give her a quick kiss.

   "Are you all right?"

   "Yeah.  Sure.  Why wouldn't I be?"

   He sighed and kissed her forehead before taking her hand.  He took her
into the living room and sat down with her on the couch.  "Come on.  It's
time you told me what happened."

   Lizzie's heart skipped a beat and she pasted a confused smile on her
face.  "What do you mean?"

   "I mean, you showed up on my doorstep almost a month ago now.  You
begged for a place to stay and moved half your belongings into my guest
room." He paused and brushed some hair back from her face.  "You come to my
bed every night and we have a great time but it always feels like you're
not really there."

   Lizzie had to look away.  She couldn't stand the kindness and concern in
his eyes, not when she'd been so selfish.  She'd been using him for far too
long, without ever giving him anything in return.

   "I'm so sorry, Lance."

   His face fell, the friendly, concerned smile disappearing.  "Was it
something I did?"

   She reached for his hand, clasping it in hers.  "No.  You're great. 
I've always enjoyed spending time with you.  I just don't think we...  We
don't belong together."

   "It's only been a month.  How can you know for sure?"

   The look on his face was so hopeful it damn near broke her heart.  She
hated to be the one to hurt him but she couldn't keep lying to him.  Or
herself, for that matter.  She didn't need another month or even another
night to figure out why she couldn't get Nate off her mind.  "I just do. 
Sort of like you know when you're in love." Like I am, with Nate.

   Maybe one day she could figure out when it had happened, but for now,
she could be honest with this man.

   "Lance, you've been great, letting me stay here and all." She shook her
head and squeezed his hand.  "But you had to know I was never going to stay
for long.  It's already been too long."

   "I don't want you to think that I don't want you here."

   "No, it's not that.  You definitely haven't made me feel unwanted."
Color flooded her cheeks when she considered how wanted he'd made her feel.
Lizzie would have to be made of stone to not respond to his attentions.  No
matter how Nate dominated her thoughts and feelings, Lance was still a sexy
man and she was a weak, selfish woman.

   She looked down at the glass in her hands and fought back tears of
shame. Not for the first time, she felt like she'd betrayed Nate by staying
here with Lance and doing all they'd done.  She shouldn't have run away
after that night in Nate's office.  And she damn sure shouldn't have slept
with Lance the first time, or any of the times that followed.  She'd hoped
it might help her erase what had happened with Nate.  She was a fool.

   "I have somewhere else to go.  I don't need to stay here any longer."

   "Elizabeth." Lance lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles.  "You know
you can stay as long as you need to.  You don't have to sleep with me."

   Lizzie let out a weak laugh and leaned over to hug him.  "Oh, Lance. 
I'm so sorry."

   He hugged her in return, patting her back.  They didn't say anything for
a while, just held each other and stared into space.  They finished their
drinks and made their way back upstairs to go to bed.  To their separate
beds.

   Lance followed Lizzie to her guest room and stood in the doorway.  She
faced him and tried to smile.

   "I'll see you in the morning, OK?" he said.  "I've got an appointment
around ten and I'll probably be gone for a few hours but we can talk when I
get home."

   Lizzie couldn't meet his eyes.  "Sure."

   He studied her face and she wondered if he could tell that she was
planning to leave tomorrow.  They wouldn't be having dinner together or
talking when he got home.

   "Good night, Elizabeth."

   "Good night, Lance."

   The man turned and walked to his room, leaving Lizzie alone with her
thoughts.  She stripped the sweatshirt off and tossed it on the floor at
the foot of the bed.  Then she crawled into bed, shivering as the cool
sheets brushed against her bare skin.  She turned her mind to Nate and to
what she could say when she saw him again.  She hoped and prayed that he'd
speak to her again, maybe even let her move back in.  She could only hope
that he would still feel for her what he had that night a month ago.

   Her body began to warm at the memory.  The way Lance touched her was
enough to get her turned on.  But what had happened between her and Nate
had been so much more.  It had been hot and wild.  All-consuming.  Life
changing.

   Lizzie twisted beneath the covers, rubbing her thighs together as
moisture gathered at the apex of her legs.  The way Nate had looked at her
when he'd been inside of her body flashed in her mind's eye and she let out
a low moan.

   She fell asleep a short while later, hot beneath the sheets and sated by
her own hand and the memory of her brother making love to her.

   ****

   PRESENT DAY

   Lizzie woke up on Saturday morning and reached out with one hand.  The
bed beside her was empty.  Frowning, she rubbed her eyes and opened them to
confirm that Nate wasn't in bed with her.

   "Nate?"

   She sat up, rubbed her eyes a bit some more and squinted around herself.
Sunlight streamed in the window, lighting up the room and keeping her from
opening her eyes wide.  She yawned and climbed out of bed to go to the
bathroom.  After that, she grabbed a shirt from Nate's closet and wandered
downstairs to find him.

   "Nate?  Where are you?"

   There was no response as she reached the bottom floor and walked to the
kitchen.  No Nate.  She did a turn through the dining room, the living room
and down the hall to her studio.  Of course, he wasn't in there.  His
aversion to ordered chaos kept him from there unless she was in it to
protect him.

   The thought put a smile on her face, and she forgot about her search for
Nate as she stepped into her space.  She picked up a brush and walked over
to stand before a blank canvas.  It had been some time since she'd painted
anything.  Her last several works had been charcoal and other than that,
she'd only churned out a few half-hearted pastel drawings.

   An image danced behind her eyelids and she chewed on her bottom lip as
she considered the blank canvas before her.  And just like that, she was
gone.

   Colors spilled out of bottles and mashed together on a palette.  Her
brush dragged in pleasing sweeps across the once blank canvas until her
mental image began to take shape and life.  The only sounds in the room
were her breathing, the scratch and hiss of her brushes on the canvas, and
the occasional bird call outside in the back yard.

   She didn't stop working on the canvas before her until her stomach
grumbled in protest.  With a sigh, she stepped back and rubbed her
forefinger and thumb together.  They were each coated in a different color
of paint, and mixing them together produced the shade of violet she was
looking for.  She made another mark or two and stepped back.  Her stomach
rumbled again and she rubbed a hand over it.

   "Crap." She realized too late that she'd rubbed a paint spattered hand
all over Nate's shirt.  She looked down to see she'd already decorated the
shirt with splatters of paint and the odd swipe of a finger or palm.  With
a laugh, she turned to see Nate standing at the doorway.  "Oh, there you
are."

   "Here I am." He grinned and walked into the room.  "How long have you
been in here?"

   She shrugged.  "I don't know.  Since I woke up?"

   He laughed and put his arms around her.  "Well, I left you fast asleep
at about seven this morning and I suspect you slept until at least eight,
maybe nine."

   She frowned as she hugged him back.  "You make it sound like I always
laze in bed all morning."

   "Not all morning.  Just half."

   She poked him in the ribs and he squeezed her tighter.  "Shut up and
kiss me."

   He obliged, bending his head and claiming her lips in a kiss that left
her weak in the knees.  Her toes tingled as he traced her lips with his
talented tongue and flicked inside in a teasing move.  She parted her lips,
eager for more and he gave her what she wanted.  The kiss turned hotter in
seconds.

   His hands moved down her back to lift the hem of his shirt to reveal her
bare bottom.  He moved his lips to her ear and licked the outside before
blowing warm air over it, sending a shiver all the way through her body.  A
weak moan escaped her and Nate stroked his fingers over her ass.

   "Do you realize you've ruined another one of my shirts?" His whisper
stirred the hairs over her ear, tickling her and making her shiver again.

   "Another one?" She smiled and met his lips for another tasty kiss.  "I
don't recall ruining any others."

   "The light blue one.  And that nice lime green one that you liked so
much."

   "I didn't ruin them."

   He slapped one palm against her ass.  "Don't lie."

   She shuddered as his hand connected with her bare bottom.  He knew what
that did to her.  He didn't strike hard enough to hurt.  Just enough to
make her tingle and to make the heat that was building inside her spill
over.

   "I wasn't lying--"

   "Lizzie..." He rubbed a palm over the cheek he'd just smacked.

   Lizzie clung to him, all but hanging in his grasp as he lifted the hand,
threatening to bring it down again.  Maybe threaten was the wrong word. 
When it was something that she enjoyed so much, it was hard to call it a
threat.

   "Nate, please."

   "Please, what?"

   He lightly patted her bottom and started rubbing it.  Lizzie twitched
and arched against him.  She wanted more than a soft rub or stroke.  The
longer he held and touched her, the more she wanted him to throw her down
on the window bench and drive her crazy.

   "You going to stop making up stories?" He patted her ass again and she
almost crawled up to link her legs around his waist.  "You going to admit
you've ruined more than one of my shirts?"

   "Yes, Nate.  I did.  I got paint all over several of your shirts.  Not
just one."

   "Good girl." He slapped her ass and she cried out, soaking wet in an
instant.  He did it again and she lifted one leg then, hooking it behind
his knee.

   "Nate, I need you."

   "You need me where?"

   She looked at him, took in the sight of his tousled dark hair and wicked
dark eyes.  She pulled his hand away from her backside and moved it to her
front, to that wet spot between her legs.  He split her wide with his
fingers and shoved two inside her.

   "God, Lizzie.  Have you been this wet all morning?"

   She laughed.  "No, you've made me wet, just by being here."

   He chuckled and kissed her flushed cheek.  He trailed kisses across her
face and down to her lips.  He worked his fingers in and out of her, his
other arm sturdy across her back.  When he kissed her mouth, she licked his
lips and kissed him back, pouring all her love for him into it.

   She never did anything by half-measures.

   Nate lifted his lips and kissed the tip of her nose.  Lizzie blinked and
looked into his face.  The intense desire was still there, in his brown
eyes, but it was tempered by the look of total adoration that she'd also
become familiar with.

   "I love you so much, Lizzie."

   Lizzie's face softened into a smile.  "I love you, too."

   He nodded and leaned close to kiss her again.  "I know, sweetie.  I
know."

   It was then that Lizzie's stomach reminded her of her hunger again. 
This time, Nate heard it and gave her a pointed look before withdrawing his
fingers from her body.

   "You forgot to eat breakfast, didn't you?"

   She gave him an impish smile and shrugged.

   "Lunch, too, I bet."

   "Maybe."

   Nate laughed and turned her around.  He smacked her bottom one more time
to urge her out of the room.  "To the kitchen, woman.  I'll make you
something to eat."

   She threw a playful pout over her shoulder but preceded him out of the
room.  They walked to the kitchen and she stood aside as he went to the
fridge.  She checked the time on the stovetop clock and her eyes widened
when she realized it was after one in the afternoon.

   "Wow.  I was in there for a while."

   Nate smiled at her as he carried a container to the counter.  "I
figured. I got back to the house at about eleven and checked on you then
but you were deep in artist mode.  If you hadn't stopped when you had, I
would have carried you out of there no matter what."

   "Oh really?" Lizzie crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows.  "You
could have tried."

   He smirked.  "Baby, I could have done almost anything to you in there."

   Heat flooded her body as she thought about how she'd been seconds away
from begging him to do just that.

   "Now, you want a sandwich or some leftovers from last night?"

   She chose the leftovers and went over to the sink to wash her hands
while he spooned some of the food onto a plate.  She scrubbed the paint
from her fingers and lifted her face for a kiss when Nate moved past her to
heat the food in the microwave.

   "Thank God you were here to heat up those leftovers." She gave him a
crooked smile.  "I don't know what I would have done otherwise."

   He waved a fork at her.  "Don't mock me, woman, or I'll let you starve
next time."

   She laughed and snapped the towel in his direction.

   Lizzie loved this time with Nate, when they were able to joke and laugh
and be themselves around each other.  They'd had this before that first
night she'd thrown herself at him.

   When she'd graduated from college, her first thought had been about
finding somewhere to live.  After many years of growing apart as young
adults, she'd been unable to think of anywhere else to go except Nate's
house.  She'd always loved her brother, in that way between siblings.  They
got along now that they were older and she actually enjoyed spending time
in his company.  Years ago, when she'd been a teenager, her brother had
seemed like an awful stick in the mud.  As she'd grown, she'd come to
appreciate his sense of humor and she often found his advice to be informed
and objective.

   Nate had offered her a place to live until she could get on her feet and
she'd jumped at the chance.  Weeks after moving in with him, she'd found
work with the publishing house as a temporary assistant to a senior art
editor.  Once they'd seen her work and let her contribute on a few jobs,
they'd offered her a permanent position.  It had come with a significant
increase in wages but she'd remained living with Nate, even though she
could afford a place of her own after that.  She wanted to stay because she
enjoyed living with him.  Long before she'd realized her attraction for
him, she knew she liked being with him.  Perhaps that was one of the many
reasons why she fell in love with him.

   Looking back over the time she'd spent living with him, she could now
see all the moments that made her fall in love with him.  It wasn't one
moment, it was many.  All adding up gradually over time until she could no
longer deny her feelings for him.  One of the most poignant defining
moments had to be when she'd come home in tears from a disastrous third
date with a guy she'd thought was all right.

   Nate's first question had been, 'Who am I stabbing in the eye?' Knowing
her brother had about as much violence in him as a butterfly, Lizzie's
tears had turned to laughter, his exact intention.  Then, she'd recounted
the evening and what had transpired.

   At some point during the date, the conversation had turned to kids and
whether or not they each wanted them.  Lizzie, never one to lie, had been
forthright and explained about a childhood illness that had led to her
inability to conceive.  At first her date had been sympathetic and the
conversation had moved on.  It was only later, when he suggested they have
sex without a condom that she figured something was wrong.

   He'd argued that it didn't really matter, since she wouldn't get
pregnant.  She'd replied that condoms protected against disease as well. 
His response had been to laugh and take her into his arms for an unwanted
kiss.  She'd kneed him in the groin and said that she wasn't interested. 
The worst thing about the entire night had been his parting shot.  He'd
asked who would want to be with a woman who couldn't even do the one thing
women were born to do.

   After explaining everything to him, Nate had asked where this guy was so
he could commence with the eye stabbing.

   Later, her memory of that evening gave her a secret thrill, knowing that
Nate had only been half-kidding with his threat.  At the time, Lizzie had
been tired and only wanted to go to bed.  Nate had kissed her on the
forehead, given her a hug and promised to make pancakes for breakfast in
the morning.

   Maybe she'd fallen in love with Nate because he kept her well-fed.  She
was certain her hips had widened an inch and her clothes started fitting a
lot more snug since she'd moved in with her brother.

   "Here you go.  Eat up." Nate deposited the plate with her leftovers on
the table in front of her.

   Famished, Lizzie dug in and was almost done before Nate sat down with
his own meal.

   "Wow.  Maybe you shouldn't starve for your art."

   She laughed as she glanced down at her empty plate.  "I didn't mean to.
I just got caught up with my painting."

   "I know what you're like." Nate winked at her as he continued to eat.

   "And where were you off to so early this morning, anyway?"

   He kept his eyes down, on his plate, but Lizzie could see the corners of
his mouth curl up in a smile.

   "Nate..." Her tone was one of warning.

   He chuckled and glanced up at her.  "Can't I keep anything a secret from
you?"

   "What could you possibly want to keep a secret from me?" She carried her
plate to the sink and turned to face him, one hand playing with the top
button of her shirt.  "How could you keep a secret from me?"

   Nate's gaze was drawn by her tone.  As he stared at her, he worked the
food around in his mouth and swallowed with effort.

   Lizzie smiled and undid the button in her fingers.  She moved down to
the next one, while her other hand drifted down to toy with the hem of her
shirt.

   "I'm not going to tell you, Lizzie."

   She lifted her eyebrows and flicked open another button.  His eyes
drifted to the fingers lingering around the third button, the button
situated between her breasts.

   "I have ways of making you talk, Mr.  Whittenberg."

   A strangled laugh escaped him and he moved his fork around his plate in
an effort to pick up some food.  He missed.

   "I don't think you want to test me." Lizzie popped another button and
took a few steps closer to him.  "I can be very persuasive."

   "I am aware of that." His dark eyes glittered as she moved closer.

   Lizzie perched on the edge of the table, nudging the plate in front of
him with one hip.  The shirt gaped at her chest but she didn't look down to
see how much was being exposed.  From the way Nate's gaze lowered, she
figured it was just enough exposure.

   "Nate." She reached out with one hand and stroked her fingers down the
side of his face, enjoying the scrape of his stubble on her fingertips. 
"Handsome, clever Nate.  Tell me."

   He exhaled and lifted his head.  "No.  It's a surprise."

   Lizzie sat back.  "A surprise?  My birthday isn't until March."

   He smiled and managed to spear some of the food on his plate.  While he
resumed eating, Lizzie studied his face.  He glanced up with a smile after
a few moments.

   "You're not going to tell me anything?"

   He shook his head.  "Then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

   She huffed out a sigh and started to do the buttons up.  "Have it your
way, Nate."

   "Hey, wait a minute." He laid his hand over hers, stopping her from
covering up.  "I wanted dessert."

   She laughed and tried to bat his hand away.  He stood up, catching both
her hands in his and tried to pull them down to her sides.  Still laughing,
she struggled and twisted in his grasp.  Their playful fight upset his
plate and it fell to the floor with a clatter, though it didn't break. 
They stopped and looked down at the mess his remaining food had made.  Then
their eyes met again, their lips came together and the food was forgotten.

   Nate took hold of each side of her shirt -- his shirt -- and ripped it
open.  Lizzie gasped and started to laugh as buttons scattered on the floor
alongside the food.  Nate covered her laugh with another deep kiss, his
tongue thrusting in time to the motion of his hips between her legs.

   His mouth moved across her face to her ear where the combination of his
wet kisses and hot breath had her begging for more.  He laughed, the deep
sound rumbling through her body from his.

   "What was that, Lizzie?"

   "Please, Nate."

   "Please, what?" He drew his mouth away from her ear and licked her lips
as she gazed at him with foggy eyes.  "Please kiss you?  Or suck on your
neck?" He punctuated his questions with the matching action.  "Or touch
you?" At this, he stroked up the inside of one thigh until he cupped her
wet heat.

   "Yes!"

   "Yes, what?"

   "God, I need you.  I need you to make love to me."

   Nate pulled his hand away as his mouth descended on hers again.  She
wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him close.  She loved the
feel of his hot body against hers.  She craved it.  She needed him like she
needed the air she breathed.  Emotion rolled through her like a tidal wave
as he freed himself from his pants and claimed her.

   She cried out his name and pressed her face to his neck as he moved in
her.  His hand swept up to her hair where he clenched his fingers in the
long strands.  His other hand clutched her hip as he thrust himself into
her, over and over.

   The heat built between them and Lizzie lost herself to the sensations.
She felt every inch of Nate inside her and every beat of his heart against
her chest.  Making love to him was all-consuming and she knew to the very
fiber of her being that she could never give it up.  She could never give
Nate up.

   "I love you, Nate."

   "God, I love you." His words died on a groan and he jerked inside of
her, coming hard.

   Lizzie wrapped her legs around him and held on as he pumped himself into
her.  He lifted his head after a moment and kissed her, his lips warm and
soft.  She sighed in contentment with his hands on her and their bodies
joined.

   "Come on, sweetie." Nate stepped back.  He helped her to her feet and
led the way upstairs to their shared bathroom.  "Get yourself cleaned up
and ready."

   Lizzie giggled and hugged him when he turned to her.  "Ready for what?"

   "I told you." He kissed her once more.  "It's a surprise."

   He left her in the bathroom with a swat on the ass that made her laugh.

   "How do I know what to wear?" she called out as she started the shower
running.

   Nate grumbled something from the bedroom and she looked over in time to
see him stalk past the bathroom door towards the closet.  He grumbled some
more as he shuffled through her hangers.

   Lizzie laughed and walked out to the bedroom.  "What are you doing?"

   "Didn't I tell you to get in the shower?"

   She put her hands on her hips and scowled at him.  "One surprise doesn't
give you the right to boss me around."

   He faced her with a grin.  "It will after tonight."

   Lizzie tried to remain stern but he looked so pleased with himself that
she had to laugh.  She took her shirt off and walked back into the bathroom
to get in the shower, leaving Nate to pick out what she was to wear for the
mysterious surprise.

   A few hours later, she was dressed in a simple, plum-colored cocktail
dress, make up applied and hair styled and she had exhausted all her
quizzing angles.  Nate remained tight-lipped for the rest of the day.  No
matter which feminine or run-of-the-mill wiles she used, he wouldn't tell
her anything.  In all honesty, she liked it.  She enjoyed the playfulness
between them and loved seeing Nate so pleased with himself.

   She was washing her hands after finishing her make-up when the doorbell
rang.  She grabbed a towel and poked her head out the doorway.  "Baby?  Can
you get that?"

   Nate didn't respond and the doorbell rang again in another few seconds.
Frowning, Lizzie dropped the towel on the counter and made her way
downstairs.  She reached the front door as the doorbell went off again.

   She opened the door, an irritated greeting on her lips that died when
she saw who it was.  "Nate?"

   "Good evening, Miss Whittenberg."

   Lizzie blinked and looked him up and down.  He was wearing dark grey
slacks and a dark rose colored shirt with a grey coat.  He was holding a
small bouquet of fresh flowers, an assortment of her favorites; pink
peonies, green mums, and white roses.

   "Nate, what is this?"

   "A beautiful bouquet, for a beautiful woman." He held them towards her.

   Lizzie looked up, her eyes searching his face.  He smiled at her, his
excited expression softening into the expression that she adored.  She
looked down at the flowers in his hands again, blinking back sudden tears.

   "Thank you.  They're lovely." She took them from his outstretched hand
and brought them to her face.  She inhaled and closed her eyes at the
mixture of fragrances between the peonies and roses.  She opened her eyes
to see Nate watching her, his eyes dark.  "What have I done to earn such a
gift?"

   "You're going to allow me to escort you to dinner this evening."

   "Am I?" Lizzie breathed in the scent of her flowers again.  "I don't
recall being asked."

   Nate's lips curved up in one corner and his eyes sparkled with mirth. 
"Miss Whittenberg.  It would be my pleasure, and a great honor, if you
would consent to be my date for tonight."

   Lizzie raised her eyebrows at his formality.  This was, she realized,
all part of his surprise and she felt nervous excitement flutter in her
belly at the thought of a night out with Nate.  A thought occurred to her
and Nate must have seen her smile slip.

   He stepped closer to the doorway and touched her cheek, a liberty a
gentleman caller would never take.  "Lizzie, sweetie.  It's all right.  I
have a plan and no one we know will see us."

   Lizzie hated that they had to hide what they were to each other but she
smiled at him anyway, grateful for him setting her mind at ease.  It
occurred to her then that they'd never had a proper date together.  Living
together and the very nature of their relationship had so far prevented it.
It was easy to say that there was no reason for him to woo or seduce her
with dates and flowers every week, but she couldn't deny that it was
inspiring new and delightful feelings in her.

   "Mr.  Whittenberg, I'd be delighted to allow you to escort me out." She
turned her face and brushed her lips across his palm before he withdrew his
hand.

   "Excellent." Nate grinned and took a step back.  "Would you like to put
those in some water before we go?"

   "Yes." She turned and paused, looking over her shoulder.  "Would you
like to come in?"

   His grinned widened.  "Is that appropriate?"

   She pretended to consider, her mind racing when she thought of what
they'd last done in the kitchen.  "I suppose we may have to take that
chance."

   Nate chuckled and walked into the house behind her, pulling the door
closed behind him.  They didn't speak as she went into the kitchen, filled
a vase and dropped the flowers into the water.  Nate waited patiently in
the front hall while Lizzie went back upstairs to grab her purse and
jacket. The air was turning from summer to fall, at last, and there was a
bite in the air most evenings now.  When she arrived back at the foyer, she
gave Nate a rueful smile.

   "I'm sorry for taking so long."

   "Don't worry about it." Nate watched as she slipped her feet into some
shoes and reached for her jacket to help her with it.  "We have time."

   "Time for what?" Lizzie tugged her hair free of the jacket and smiled up
at her brother.

   He palmed her cheek and she felt the warmth of his touch right down to
the tips of her toes.  "Time for everything, sweet Lizzie."

   ****

   Nate was pleased with the reaction he'd had from Lizzie at the front
door.  He was even more pleased when she'd decided to go along with him and
his plan.

   "Will you tell me where we're going?"

   Nate glanced over to see Lizzie watching the landscape glide past
outside her window.  He reached for her hand, relieved when she squeezed
his fingers in response.

   "Don't you want to be surprised?"

   She laughed and turned to look at him.  "What is it with you and
surprises all of a sudden?"

   "I like being able to surprise you." He drew her hand to his lips and
kissed her knuckles.  "It makes me feel smarter than you for a change."

   "Come on.  I'm not smarter than you."

   He raised his eyebrows and she laughed.

   "All right.  I'll stop asking questions." She jiggled his hand in hers.
"I can only assume we'll be going somewhere that will put enough distance
between us and anywhere that we could run into people."

   "Clever girl."

   She winked.  "And we're headed south, towards Homewood.  I'm not
familiar with all the places to eat out here, but I trust you were able to
find something nice."

   "You think too much, Lizzie."

   Lizzie laughed again and kissed his hand in turn.  They rode in silence
for some time, holding hands and simply enjoying being in each other's
company.  After another twenty minutes or so, Nate turned into the parking
lot of a small restaurant called The Redwater.

   "I've never heard of this place." Lizzie looked out her window as he
pulled into a parking space.

   "Not a lot of people have." Nate smiled and shut the engine off.  He
pushed his door open and laid a hand on Lizzie's arm.  "Let me get the door
for you."

   He hurried around the car, inordinately pleased with his plan for the
evening.  So far, Lizzie hadn't stopped smiling and he loved being able to
act the part of the perfect gentleman for her.

   He opened her door and held a hand out.  "Here you go."

   She put her hand in his and let him help her out.  When she stood beside
him, Nate had to pause and he stared down into her beautiful eyes.  She
blinked and a smile broke out across her face.  "What?"

   "You're stunning." He tugged her hand and brought her into the circle of
his arms.

   Color stained her cheeks and her lashes lowered.  Nate touched her face
and she looked back up at him.

   "I don't think a gentleman would kiss a lady at the beginning of a
date."

   Her words made him laugh.  "Probably not." He stroked a finger over her
bottom lip.  "You make me not want to be a gentleman right now."

   He watched her pupils dilate and had to resist the urge to push her into
the back seat of the car where he could have his way with her.

   Plenty of time for that later.

   Swallowing his desire, he cleared his throat and gave her a crooked
smile.  "But I'm a strong enough man to control myself."

   Her right eyebrow cocked and he chuckled.

   "Well, for a few hours at least."

   She laughed with him and they turned to walk to the restaurant doors.

   The hostess greeted them inside the front doors.  "Good evening.  Do you
have a reservation?"

   "Yes, for Nathaniel."

   She checked her list and looked up with a smile.  "Wonderful.  Welcome
to The Redwater, sir, madam.  May I take your coats?" They handed them over
and she tucked them into the small cloak room to her left before turning to
the dining room.  "Right this way, if you please."

   She led the way through the busy but muted dining room.  Lizzie looked
around as they walked and Nate watched her out of the corner of his eye. 
The restaurant was fancy but small, with maybe a maximum of twenty tables.
He'd chosen this place because of it's seclusion and the sense of privacy
one could feel even in the middle of the dining room.  The lighting was
kept low, but not too dark.  The number of tables allowed for more space
between them, lending to more privacy.

   "Here you go." The hostess stopped at the table Nate had specifically
requested.  It was tucked into a corner, close to a bay window that
overlooked the nearby state park, with the lights from the town reflecting
off a small lake.

   "Oh wow.  What a lovely view." Lizzie gazed out the window before
turning her smile on Nate.

   "Let me." He let go of her hand to pull her chair out for her.  She sat
down and he brushed his hand over her shoulder before stepping away.  He
felt her shiver and smiled to himself.  He could admit to low self-control
when it came to his sister but it pleased him to no end that she was the
same way with him.

   As he sat down, the hostess set their menus on the table.  "Your server
will be Celeste.  She'll be along shortly to take your drink orders."

   "Thank you."

   "Enjoy your evening." She walked away, leaving Lizzie and Nate gazing at
each other across the table.

   "Is this what you were doing this morning while I was still sleeping?"
Lizzie asked.

   Nate shrugged.  "I'd researched some restaurants in the area over the
past few days and this one had the best reviews.  I came earlier to see
what it really looked like and I was lucky enough to get a reservation for
tonight."

   "Yes.  This table, on a Saturday night.  I'd say you were pretty lucky."

   He smiled and reached across the table for her hand.  "With you, Lizzie,
I always feel lucky."

   She softened and squeezed his fingers.  A few moments later, the server,
Celeste appeared by their table.  Nate ordered a bottle of wine for them to
share and she hurried away to fill the request.

   "Did you research the menu too?" Lizzie picked up her menu and scanned
the first page.

   "A little.  They have some of everything.  Steak, seafood, local
produce." Nate lifted his menu and they read in silence for a few minutes.

   "Ooh.  Can we get an appetizer?"

   Nate chuckled at her excited tone.  "Lizzie, sweetie, we can get
whatever you want."

   She beamed at him and pointed at an item on the starters list.  "This
Ahi tuna carpaccio looks tasty."

   Nate read the description and had to agree.  They decided on that for an
appetizer and then moved on to discussing entrees.  Celeste returned with
their wine, they placed the order for the starter and said they still
needed some time for the main course.

   Lizzie pressed her lips together.  "I can't decide between the
rotisserie chicken and the Mediterranean Flatbread."

   "I think I'm going to go with the herb and apple glazed pork chop."

   "Yeah?  Where's that?"

   Nate pointed it out and Lizzie pouted.  "Man, how am I ever going to
make up my mind?"

   He chuckled and patted her hand.  "Just say the first thing you think of
when the waitress returns."

   She laughed and shook her head.  "I might pick something else entirely!"

   "Then you pick something else.  This doesn't have the be the only time
we come here."

   She tilted her head to one side and smiled.  "Yeah?  You mean we can
come here on more dates?"

   "Why not?" Nate grinned.  "Here, other places.  Whatever we want."

   They stared at each other for a long moment, silent.  Nate watched her
face, waiting for some sign of the despair and sadness she'd been carrying
around for so long.  He hated that their relationship was a cause for such
mixed emotions in her.  He wanted nothing but to make her happy and as long
as things stayed the way they were, she wouldn't be.

   "Is that what this is?"

   Nate blinked, drawn out of his thoughts by the sound of her voice.  "Is
this what?"

   "This." She looked away, her view taking in the restaurant and other
patrons.  She lifted a hand and gestured between them.  "This date.  Are
you proving that we can be a normal couple?"

   Nate didn't know what to say.  That was part of it, yes, but she sounded
as if she didn't know if it was a good thing or not.

   Lizzie's face tensed and she looked down at the table.  Nate leaned
forward, wanting to say something to ease that tension, but the waitress
appeared at their side again and asked if they were ready to order.

   Nate ordered his pork dish and Lizzie decided on the flatbread.  Left
alone again, Nate gazed at her, his thoughts in a whirl.

   "You're not happy with this?"

   She smiled.  "It's not that, Nate.  This is wonderful." She turned to
look out the window and he followed her gaze, watching the last light of
the sun fade.  "You put so much thought into it and I love you for it." She
turned back to him.  "I love you, Nate, with all my heart."

   "I love you, too."

   "I know." She reached over and laid her hand in his.  "But a few trips
to neighboring towns for dinner now and then doesn't make us a normal
couple."

   "Why not?"

   "Because we're not.  We never will be."

   Nate was again struck mute.  What could he say to that?  She was right,
of course.  This night, his suggestion of getting away once in a while was
all just a way to pretend.  He'd thought it was a good idea but now he
wasn't so sure.

   "What do you suggest then, Lizzie?"

   She shrugged and shook her head.  "I don't know.  I don't have any
answers.  I never have.  That's what upsets me."

   "You want to forget about dating?  About ever going out in public
together?" Nate didn't know why he was getting so worked up.  Maybe it was
because his grand surprise had just flopped.  "Should we just call it quits
now and save us both the heartache?"

   The hurt that flickered across her face nearly gutted him.  He regretted
his words the instant they left his mouth and clamped his fingers around
hers when he felt her start to withdraw.

   "No, Lizzie.  I didn't mean that.  I'm sorry."

   "Then why say it?" She tugged again on her hand but he wouldn't let her
go.

   He would never let her go.

   "I'm as frustrated as you are.  I don't know what to say or do anymore
to make this better."

   "You can't make it better.  This is how it is."

   Nate pursed his lips.  He refused to believe that.  They needed to
figure out a way to be together and make this work.  If they didn't, this
sense of frustration and unease would eat away at both of them until their
relationship would grow bitter and resentful.  Eventually, that would
separate them and Nate already knew he couldn't live without her.  He would
just as soon end his own life.  Dramatic?  Maybe.  Also the truth.

   In the silence, Celeste reappeared to deliver their appetizer.  After
she was gone again, Nate sipped his wine and dropped his gaze to the food.
Lizzie withdrew her hand to unfold her napkin on her lap.

   "This looks good," she murmured, her eyes on the dish.

   Nate nodded.

   Lizzie looked up and gave him a weak smile.  "I'm sorry, Nate."

   "For what?"

   "For ruining the night.  Already."

   He shook his head.  "You didn't ruin it."

   She stared at him.  "Didn't I?"

   "No." He leaned forward, bringing their faces as close together as he
could across the table.  "But we are not done discussing this, Lizzie."

   She nodded.  "I hope not."

   Satisfied, Nate nodded and sat back.  "Let's eat."

   They dug into the starter and after a few bites, they began to relax
again.  When they started talking, they stuck to subjects like work, the
next family dinner, and Nate's next appointment with Lance.

   "Are you going to ask him about me?" Lizzie asked as Celeste brought
their entrees to the table.

   "I don't know.  Does he know that I know you spent that month with him?"

   Lizzie's cheeks turned pink at the mention of their month apart.  Nate
knew she still battled her guilt over that period of time.  "I don't know.
He never mentioned anything about it when I saw him.  He only talked about
finding out about us."

   Nate nodded and picked up his knife and fork.  "Well, I guess I'll find
out when I see him."

   "You're not going to pick a fight are you?"

   Nate laughed.  "Are you kidding?  Why would I pick a fight?  The most we
might do is argue in raised voices."

   Lizzie grinned.  "Good thing.  I wouldn't want him to kick your ass."

   "Me either," Nate agreed in all seriousness.  "Eat your dinner, smartie
pants."

   Lizzie laughed and did as he told her.  They were silent for a few
minutes as they savored their meals.  Nate was surprised at how hungry he
was, especially after that scrumptious appetizer but he devoured his meal
in no time.  He looked up to see Lizzie polishing off her dinner almost as
fast.

   "This is so good." She looked up between bites.  "We definitely have to
come back here again."

   Nate smiled and nodded in agreement.  He bring her here every night if
it put a smile like that on her face each time.  When they were both done,
Celeste cleared their table and asked if they wanted dessert.

   "Yes, please." Lizzie loved her desserts and Nate loved to watch her
enjoying them.  She might complain about the extra pounds on her hips but
he knew she'd never give up her sweet treats.

   "Here's the dessert selection." Celeste handed over the small placard.
"I'll be back in a moment to take your order."

   "What do they have?" Nate asked.

   "Oh wow.  Panacotta...  ooh, and a dark chocolate souffle!"

   "You're going to get that, aren't you?"

   Lizzie nodded and set the dessert menu down.  "Of course.  I love me
some dark chocolate."

   Nate narrowed his eyes as his imagination fired up.  "I might enjoy dark
chocolate some more if it was spread all over your naked body."

   Lizzie blinked, surprised by his confession.  A slow smile spread across
her face as she leaned her elbows on the table.  "Oh yeah?  That's the only
way you'd eat it?"

   Nate nodded.

   "Then maybe we should ask Celeste if we can have the dessert to go."

   Nate's blood heated at the thought.  He could already imagine Lizzie
spread out on a bed, covered in bittersweet chocolate.  No, even better,
spread out on a table, as if she was dessert itself.

   "I don't think I could wait to get home."

   Lizzie giggled and sat back as the waitress approached.  "We'll have the
chocolate souffle to share, please."

   "Good choice." Celeste smiled as she took the menu back.  "I'll be just
a few minutes."

   Nate and Lizzie stared at each other in silence across the table after
Celeste was gone again.  They didn't need to speak to express their desire
and love for each other.  Nate clenched his jaw when he felt Lizzie's bare
foot slide up his leg.

   "You little tease," he managed to say.

   "Who, me?" She fluttered her lashes at him like an innocent before
sliding her foot higher.  "I don't know what you mean."

   "You will when I throw you face down in bed."

   Lizzie's eyes widened a fraction and she grinned.  "Do you promise?"

   Holy shit.  Nate nodded.  He'd promise her anything if only she'd take
care of the hard ache in his pants.

   When the waitress returned, she left the dessert on the table and said
she'd be back with the bill.  When she returned, they'd made a fair dent in
the souffle.  Nate paid right away and after a few more bites, they were
ready to go.  Nate stood up, offering his hand to Lizzie.  They strode out
of the restaurant, weaving through the few tables and out the front door,
pausing only to pick up their coats.

   They drove home from there, without saying much.  They held hands and
every so often, Nate lifted her fingers to his lips.  When they got home,
they made their way inside to settle for the night.

   In their shared bedroom, in the muted light from his bedside lamp, Nate
watched her slip out of the dress he'd picked and felt his breath catch at
the sight of her.  She was all slender curves and wide hips.  Her hair
tumbled over her shoulders and down between her shoulder blades as she
pulled the clips free.  He watched her walk into the bathroom to wash her
face and followed to watch her from the doorway.

   She eyed him in the mirror and gave him a quizzical smile.  "What are
you doing?"

   He shook his head.  He wasn't sure.  He just loved to watch her, to see
the way she moved.  Every time she lifted something with her slender
artist's fingers or bent to toss some tissue in the garbage, she looked
amazing.  He told her so.

   She laughed and faced the mirror again as she reached for her hair
brush. "You're such a big softie, Nate."

   Nate stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.  He
put his chin on her shoulder and she dragged her hair over her other
shoulder to brush it out.  He watched her in the mirror this time,
appreciating the sight of her high, perfect breasts and the soft roundness
of her belly.

   When she was done with her toilette, Lizzie turned in his arms and rose
onto her toes to give him a kiss.  He held her against his chest and buried
his nose in her hair.

   "I want to make love to you, Lizzie."

   She drew back and smiled, placing her palm against his cheek.  "You
always do."

   He shook his head and tangled his fingers in her hair.  Holding her
head, he tipped her chin up and kissed her, claiming her lips in a slow,
sensual kiss that could leave her in no doubt of how he wanted to make love
to her.

   "Not like this," he replied, his words washing over her lips on a sigh.

   She blinked eyes now foggy with desire at him and nodded as much as she
could while he held her head.  He nodded as well and flicked the bathroom
light off.  Then he took her hands in his and led her out to the bed.

   They climbed on together and lay facing each other.  Nate reached out
and brushed her hair back from her face.  She turned her face with the
caress and kissed the pad of his thumb when he stroked her lips with it. 
Her eyes looked luminous in the dim light of the bedroom and when she
blinked again, her dark lashes opened over unshed tears.

   "Hey, what's wrong?" He reached for her, bringing her into the circle of
his arms.  He gave her a tight squeeze and rolled her onto her back.

   "I love you, Nate.  Thank you so much for tonight."

   He smiled and kissed her, taking his time to taste her and tease her out
of this sudden melancholy.  "You'll have many more opportunities to thank
me for many other nights like this one."

   She looked at him, her eyes flickering back and forth between his.  He
wondered what she was looking for there, and wondered if she would find it.
He left himself open and exposed to her gaze, wishing that she'd find
comfort in his eyes, in his face, in the strength of his arms around her.

   She must have found whatever answer she sought because she placed her
hand at the back of his neck and drew his face down to hers.  Their next
kiss obliterated any and all doubts or fears.  Their lips met, soft at
first, then with greater pressure.  Nate felt the slickness of her tongue
glide across his bottom lip and opened his mouth to let her in.  She teased
and tickled his lips with her tongue and he groaned at the way she stirred
him like no other woman ever had.  With just a kiss.

   He ran his hands down her naked sides, pressing at her waist and smiling
against her mouth at the way she twitched.  He knew she was ticklish and
moved his touch past that spot.  She sighed into his mouth and licked his
upper lip before nipping his bottom one.  He lifted his head to see her
grinning at him.

   "Tease," he whispered and nipped her bottom lip in return.  He kissed
his way across her face to her ear where he licked and traced the contours
of her ear.  All the while, he exhaled hot breath across her skin and used
his body weight to keep her still.  He knew when he kissed her here and on
her neck, she couldn't hold still.  He loved to drive her crazy so he did
it often.

   He put his palm against her hip to hold her down and switched to her
other ear.  Her fingers clenched and relaxed in his hair as he kissed and
licked her skin.  He fully intended to kiss and lick every inch of her
tonight, if only to find out how many times she'd scream his name.  It was
such a heady feeling to be able to undo her like this.  He felt like the
biggest man in the world when she clung to him and parted her legs at his
touch.

   As he continued to caress her naked body, he started to kiss his way
down her neck.  Lizzie lifted her chin and held her hand in his hair,
keeping his mouth on her.  Her breathing was short and ragged already and
Nate gave himself an imaginary pat on the back.  He lifted himself onto his
elbows on either side of her head and brushed her hair back from her face.

   "Lizzie," he whispered and kissed the tip of her nose.  "My Lizzie."

   She gave him a sultry smile and ran her fingertip over his lips.  "I am
yours, Nate."

   He nodded, his heart skipping a beat.  He bent his head to taste her
lips again.  And again, until the heat built between them again into an
inferno.

   Nate took her hands from behind his head and held them against the
pillow she laid on.  She strained against his hold, her lips seeking his.
He drew away, planting teasing, quick kisses on her lips, cheeks, and neck.
Then he moved down, dragging his tongue along the column of her throat. 
She turned her head with a gasp and arched under his grasp.

   Pausing at the juncture between her neck and shoulder, Nate sucked on
her skin, lapping at the spot with his tongue until he was sure there'd be
a mark.  Lizzie jerked in his hold, her legs scissoring beneath his body.

   "Nate!  You'll leave a bruise."

   He chuckled and lifted his mouth to survey his handiwork.  There was
only a faint mark on her pale skin and he lifted a hand to touch it.  "I
know."

   She tsked at him.  He met her gaze for a moment before lowering his
entire body to rest along hers.  She gasped at the feeling of his weight
settling over her and let her legs fall open on either side of him so her
body cradled his.  Planting her feet on the bed, she tilted her pelvis and
Nate clenched his jaw when he felt the evidence of her desire for him.

   He clutched her thigh and moved down her body.  He dragged his mouth
over her throat and the mark he'd made on her.  He kissed his way across
the swell of her breasts, stopping at one succulent nipple for a taste. 
She let out a ragged moan when he clamped his lips around it and sucked
hard.  Then he flicked his tongue over it a few times before moving onto
the next one.  He went back and forth between her breasts, caressing and
kissing and sucking on them until she was panting for release.

   With one hand, he pressed her legs open wider and kissed a path across
her stomach.  The closer he got to the wet heat between her legs, the
harder she panted.

   "Please, Nate.  Oh, please."

   "Easy, Lizzie.  I'll take care of you." He pressed an open-mouthed kiss
to the inside of her thigh.  "You know I'll always take care of you, baby."

   She nodded, her eyes squeezed shut.  Nate grinned and kissed her other
thigh, moving an inch higher.  He went back and forth between her legs, a
little higher each time until he pressed a long kiss right on her soaking
core.  She shuddered and drove a hand through his hair to hold him there.
He opened his mouth and licked her, one long lick from top to bottom and
back again.

   "Oh God."

   Nate felt her fingers flex in his hair and he glanced up to see her
tossing her head back and forth.  He licked her again, watching her
reaction.  The third taste distracted him utterly and he forgot about
watching her.  He delved into her body, sliding his tongue in as deep as he
could.  He lifted a hand to rub her clit in hard, tight circles.  She
leaked, warm and lovely, into his mouth and he lapped her up.

   God, he loved the taste of her.  Loved the way she rose against his
mouth and he would die over and over for the taste of her coming all over
his tongue.

   "Nate!  Oh God, Nate, yes!"

   Nate clamped his hands on her hips to hold her down as she bucked and
writhed with her orgasm.  He kept her hips pinned to the bed as he
continued to devour her essence.  He loved making her come like this.  Of
course, he loved making her come in any way possible.  He licked her all
over for a few more seconds before kissing his way back up her body to her
lips.

   "You're such a good girl to come for me so fast."

   She let out a breathless laugh and wrapped her arms around his
shoulders. "I try."

   "God, Lizzie.  You don't even have to try."

   They kissed, bodies rubbing together as they savored the feeling of
being naked together.

   Nate put his mouth to Lizzie's ear.  "Put me inside you, baby."

   She shivered and reached down for where his hard length was trapped
between them.  She stroked him once and he bit down on her ear lobe, not
hard, just as a warning.  With a laugh, Lizzie angled him towards her ready
body and he felt himself sinking into all her silken heat.

   "Oh, Jesus, Lizzie, you feel so good."

   She groaned in response and lifted her hips to meet his first slow
thrust into her.  Nate moved in her, stroking in and out a few times
without lifting his head from her neck.  He enjoyed the feeling of her
opening for him, the way she tugged him closer, as if there were any
possible way to be closer than this.

   Bracing himself on an arm, he lifted his torso to look down at her.  She
blinked up at him, her eyes dark with lust and love.  Nate kissed her and
she moaned into his mouth at his next deep thrust.  He teased her for a few
moves after that, with shallow, rapid thrusts that had her arching off the
bed.  Her breasts pressed into his body, her nipples hard against his
chest.

   He watched her face as he continued to move in her.  She closed her
eyes, then she opened them on his next hard, deep push.  Her breathing was
ragged and harsh and her fingers dug reflexively into his shoulders.  Nate
kept his movements erratic, exulting in his control over her right now. 
Ninety-nine percent of the time, she had him wrapped around her little
finger but this time, she was begging him.  For what, he didn't think even
she knew, but she was at his mercy.

   Nate moved his hand to clutch her chin.  "Open your eyes, Lizzie."

   She did, opening them to narrow slits.  For a long moment, Nate stared
into the sapphire orbs, reading every one of her emotions and love for him
there.

   "You belong to me, you hear me, Lizzie?"

   She bit her lip and nodded.

   "Your body belongs to me." He emphasized his words with subtle moves of
his hips.  He rotated a little one way and then back the other.  She
moaned, her eyes rolling and her eyelids drooping low again.

   "Don't you close your eyes.  Look at me."

   She opened them wide to stare at him, her breath nothing more than
shallow pants.

   "You are mine."

   "Yes, Nate.  I am yours."

   Nate nodded, satisfied with her response.  With that, he started to move
faster, with purpose.  No more teasing, no more playing around and making
himself feel like the man for driving her insane.  He claimed her then,
taking her with every hammering thrust of his hips.  She responded in kind,
lifting her legs to trap his body to hers and lifting her head to kiss his
chin and neck.  He let her, and let out a loud groan when she squeezed her
body around him.  After that, he was a goner, just like always.

   He pounded into her harder and faster until he felt that quickening in
his belly and lower.  Then he tensed, crying out her name.

   She gasped and moaned as he moved in her, his rhythm shot to hell.  He
felt her tightening around him, milking him as she started to come along
with him.  They rode the wave together, mashed up words of love falling
from their lips.  Somehow, they ended up kissing, tongues tangling in a
lazy, slow exploration following the peak of their passion.

   After a time, they rolled to their sides and Nate tucked her against his
chest.  She pressed her nose to the hollow of his throat and inhaled.

   "Sleep, my Lizzie."

   He felt her lips curve in a smile.

   "I love you, Nate."

   "I love you, too." He tipped his chin down to kiss the top of her head.
"Now sleep."

   She obeyed and he followed.

   ****

   When Nate's appointment with Lance arrived, he expected some tension or
awkwardness.  There was, perhaps a moment of it.  Then Lance had broken the
tension by telling Nate about his disaster of a date over the weekend.

   "I mean, she was just crazy.  Something wasn't right, you know what I
mean?"

   Nate laughed and shook his head.  "Just because she talked about
weddings?"

   "On our first date!"

   Silence descended following another round of laughter and Nate eyed
Lance.  He liked the man, he always had.  Lizzie had been honest about the
time she'd spent with Lance and Nate felt no jealousy or hostility towards
him.  More than anything he felt a burning curiosity.

   "Why haven't you outed us?"

   Lance seemed surprised by Nate's abrupt subject change.  "Who would I
'out' you to?"

   Nate shrugged.  "The media?"

   "Why would the media, or the world at large, care about you and
Elizabeth?"

   Nate raised his eyebrows.  "You know who my father is."

   "Do I?" Lance mimicked Nate's expression.  "Mr.  Whittenberg?  Of
Whittenberg International, the mother company of dozens of boutique and
resort hotels?  No.  Who's he?"

   Nate pointed a pen at Lance.  "I will not tolerate your insolence!"

   Lance laughed and slapped a hand on his knee.  On the first day they'd
met, they'd bonded over Austin Powers movies.  Since then, they couldn't
hold a single conversation without at least one quote or reference to one
of the movies.

   "I don't think anyone cares about you and your private life, even if
your father is Davis Whittenberg." Lance leaned forward.  "And I don't care
about 'outing' you.  I have no interest in hurting my friends."

   "Are we friends?"

   "Hope so." Lance grinned.  "I don't let just anyone play with my money."

   Nate laughed.  "Maybe we should focus on business for at least five
minutes.  Then you can come with me to meet Lizzie for lunch."

   "Yeah?  You guys actually go out together?"

   "Sort of.  I mean, we meet up for lunch sometimes, so its brief.  We
usually grab something to go and sit in the park, if it's a nice day."

   "Away from prying eyes?"

   Nate nodded.  "I suppose so.  No one who knows us works downtown so
chances are slim we'd be seen.  And anyway, no one would think anything of
it.  We're not...  open with our affections."

   Lance studied Nate in silence for a moment.  "What are you going to do?"

   Nate had a feeling he wasn't asking what their lunch plans were.  "If I
knew, I wouldn't be talking about not being seen."

   "Have you considered moving?"

   "Where?" Nate sighed but gave Lance a half-hearted smile.  This seemed
strange to be talking to Lance about his relationship with Lizzie but he
was glad for the big man's friendship.  "At the moment, marriage between
siblings is...  frowned upon."

   Lance chuckled.  "I think it's more than frowned upon, buddy.  I'm
pretty sure it's illegal in all fifty states."

   Nate nodded.  He knew that.  He knew more about each individual state's
marriage laws than he ever thought he'd need to know.

   Lance scratched his chin.  "So.  You guys have discussed marriage?"

   Nate shook his head.  "Not in so many words."

   They fell silent again.  Nate cleared his throat and shuffled some paper
on his desk.

   "Let's get to business, shall we?"

   Lance nodded, looking relieved to have the subject changed.  He moved
closer to Nate's desk as they went over his accounts.  Another hour passed
as they covered everything he'd come to discuss, with one or two more
Austin Powers quotes thrown in for good measure.

   "Are you really meeting Elizabeth for lunch today?" Lance asked as they
wrapped up their meeting.

   "Yeah." Nate glanced at the clock.  "We're running a little late but
Lizzie doesn't mind waiting if it's sunny out."

   Which it was.  Lance and Nate found they didn't need jackets as they
left the building and headed three blocks north to Golding Park, the
halfway point between Nate's office and Lizzie's.  As they approached, Nate
spotted Lizzie on a park bench, reading a large manuscript, it looked like.

   Lance was the first to speak when they got closer to her.  "What on
earth are you reading?"

   She looked up in surprise, a smile breaking across her face when she saw
Nate and Lance.  "Hi!" She jumped to her feet to give Nate a hug first and
he squeezed her around her waist before letting her turn to Lance.  She
hugged him as well before bending to pick up her purse and the manuscript.
"How are you, Lance?"

   "Great, thanks.  You?"

   "Wonderful." She beamed at Nate when she said it and Nate couldn't stop
the foolish grin from spreading across his face.

   "What is that monster you were reading?"

   Lizzie laughed and shifted her pace closer to Nate's.  "It's a
manuscript I was given to look over.  The author couldn't think of any
cover ideas so I volunteered to read this."

   "You don't have to read the whole thing, do you?" Lance looked aghast at
the prospect.

   "No, I don't have to, but it's actually pretty good so far."

   Lance shook his head.  "I've never been a big reader.  Sports
Illustrated is the most I read."

   Nate and Lizzie both laughed at that.  They knew he was far from the
knucklehead jock he made himself out to be.

   In another few minutes they were at the hotdog and pretzel stand that
Nate and Lizzie preferred for their lunch dates.  Well, Lizzie preferred it
and Nate just did whatever he could to make her happy.

   They got their orders and looked around for a spot to sit.  Lance led
the way towards an unclaimed picnic table in the shade of some trees.  They
spent the lunch hour talking and laughing as if nothing was troubling any
of them.  When it was time to go back to work, Nate and Lizzie balked near
the sidewalk where she'd head in one direction and Nate in the other.

   Lance took the hint and bent to kiss Lizzie on the cheek.  Nate tamped
down the slight urge to shove the man aside, as he knew it was a friendly
embrace.  Lance turned to shake Nate's hand and clap him on the back.  They
all agreed to get together in the coming weeks for a night out.

   "Maybe I can scrounge up a date so we can all go out together."

   Nate and Lizzie waved him off as he headed across the street.  Then they
faced each other in silence.

   Nate ached to pull her into his arms and kiss her good-bye, as any man
would with his woman.  Lizzie watched him, her eyes shining and a smile
playing on her lips as she watched him struggle.

   "Nate, you don't--"

   "Fuck it." He reached for her.

   She gasped as he brought his lips down on hers.  Nate wrapped his arms
around her body and drew her close enough that he could feel the thudding
of her heart against his chest.

   He kept her close against him for as long as he could stand it.  When he
was in control of his own body again, he eased out of the kiss and opened
his eyes.  The look on Lizzie's face was a mixture of surprise and desire.
She blinked and gazed up at him with her beautiful blue eyes before a smile
broke out across her face.

   "I do love when you surprise me, Nate."

   He chuckled and gave her another light kiss before letting her go.  "I
do love surprising you, Lizzie."

   She smiled and hugged him.  Then they separated.  Nate stood on the
sidewalk, watching as she walked away from him.  He stood there so long his
shadow shifted around his feet on the sidewalk by half an inch.  After
another long minute staring at where Lizzie had last been visible, he
turned to head back to his office for the rest of the afternoon.  He had
some more research to do.

   ****

   Lizzie drove home that evening in a daze.  It had been another average,
run-of-the-mill day.  That is, until her supervisor called her into his
office to tell her about an exciting new opportunity for her.  She had
listened to the proposal and thanked him for the week he'd given her to
think about it.  Now she was wondering how to broach the subject with Nate.

   Ever since her boss had told her about it, she'd gone back and forth
between excitement and dread.  This could be the best thing to happen, or
the catalyst that destroys her relationship with her whole family.  Except
for Nate.  She knew that they would endure.  They always would.  If she was
sure of anything in this world, it was Nate and their love for each other.

   She pulled into the driveway at home and gathered her things from the
car before walking to the house.  Nate was home already and she followed
the fabulous smell into the kitchen.

   "Good evening, my love." She dropped her purse and portfolio on a
kitchen chair and crossed to give Nate a hug.

   "Hello, sexy." He dropped his head to give her a kiss.  "I was wondering
when you were going to get home."

   She patted his arm as he released her.  "I'm always home at the same
time."

   He grinned and turned back to the pot sitting on the stove.  "Can you
set the table?  This is just about ready."

   Lizzie nodded and moved away to pull dishes out of the cupboards.  "How
was the rest of your day?"

   Nate shrugged.  "It was fine.  I only had one more meeting after lunch
so after that, I just packed up and came home."

   "Oh wow.  You must have been home before three then."

   "Yup.  Plenty of time to make your favorite."

   "Ooh!  You made jambalaya?"

   He laughed.  "I thought for sure you'd figure that out as soon as you
smelled it."

   Lizzie laughed with him and finished laying out the two place settings
at the table.  "Well, I was a bit distracted when I walked in, I guess."

   "Yeah?" Nate turned and wiggled his eyebrows at her.  "Was it my animal
magnetism?"

   She looked him over from head to toe and lifted an eyebrow.  He was
wearing a pair of ratty khaki shorts and a faded college t-shirt.  "Sure.
You could say that."

   He narrowed his eyes and brandished a serving spoon in her direction. 
"Don't make me spank you, Lizzie."

   Lizzie felt her temperature spike.  "Promise?"

   He chuckled.  "Sit your ass down before I do."

   She did as he ordered and waited patiently as he dished up their meals.
As he set her plate before her, he bent over and stole another kiss.  She
gave him a happy smile as he sat across from her.

   "So if it wasn't my raw masculine presence that had you distracted, what
was it?"

   "Oh, baby.  You know I normally find you very distracting."

   He made a face and she laughed.

   "I had an interesting day at work." Lizzie looked down and forked a
shrimp on her plate.  "Samuel pulled me into his office for a meeting this
afternoon."

   "Did he?" Nate spoke around a mouthful of food.  "What kind of meeting?"

   "The kind where he tells me he's really impressed with my work.  He told
me he's never had a cover artist progress so quickly and with such talent."

   "That's great, Lizzie.  It's nice that he recognizes your hard work."

   Lizzie nodded and they didn't speak as they ate a few more bites.

   "That wasn't the only thing he talked to me about though."

   Nate looked up, a piece of rice sticking to his chin.  Lizzie smiled and
tapped her own chin.  He wiped his face with a sheepish smile.  "What else
did he have to say?  Did he want to give you a big, fat bonus?"

   Lizzie shook her head.  "Not exactly."

   "What do you mean?"

   She drew in a deep breath before explaining.  "He offered me a new
position.  As a team leader."

   "Lizzie, that's wonderful!"

   She smiled at Nate's reaction.  She knew he'd be supportive of her being
recognized for a job well done.  "It would be team leader in their sister
office, in Atlanta."

   Nate blinked and stopped chewing the food in his mouth for a moment. 
Then he resumed and swallowed a second later.  "Atlanta, Georgia?"

   She laughed and nodded.  "Is there another Atlanta?"

   "I imagine there is, somewhere."

   They fell silent and Lizzie waited for him to speak.

   "Atlanta," he repeated and set his fork down.  "Is it a good position?"

   Lizzie nodded.  "I'd be in charge of one or two other artists there. 
It's a smaller operation than here and I'd only be answering to one other
person.  I'd get a pay increase and better benefits."

   "Really?"

   "Yeah.  I'd even have an expense account and Samuel wasn't sure but he
thought the team leader also got a car allowance."

   Nate nodded as he absorbed everything she'd told him.

   Lizzie bit her lip.  "Nate, please say something."

   He stared at her, his expression unmoving.  "I'm am saying something. 
I'm speaking."

   "Yes, but you're not telling me what you think."

   His lips twitched and he offered her a smile that didn't quite reach his
eyes.  "I think...  I think you deserve a chance like this."

   She hadn't been expecting him to say that.  She had a sudden sinking
feeling in the pit of her stomach.  "But you're not happy about it."

   At that, he shook his head, his expression changing at last.  "Of course
I'm happy about it, Lizzie.  You're an amazing artist and you're being
given a promotion because of it.  I'm so proud of you, you have no idea."

   Lizzie blinked and looked down at her half-eaten plate.  Nate reached
over and grasped her hand.  She looked up to see him giving her that tender
smile that she adored.

   "You just caught me by surprise is all, sweetie.  I'm happy for you."

   "For us, Nate," she whispered and turned her hand over to squeeze his
fingers.  "For us.  With this opportunity, we could move to Atlanta and you
wouldn't need to worry about finding work right away."

   He laughed.  "You're so amazing, you don't even know."

   "What do you mean?" She raised her eyebrows.  "Don't tell me you're
going to be one of those guys who doesn't want their woman being the bread
winner."

   "Have I ever been that type of guy?"

   Lizzie shook her head.  "Then what is it?"

   Nate sighed and pulled her hand to his lips to kiss her fingers.  "I've
been looking at different job openings in a few different cities for
myself."

   Her jaw dropped.  "You have?  Why?"

   His face drooped a fraction and she thought she knew what he was going
to say before he spoke.

   "I love it here and I know you do as well." He kissed her hand again. 
"But we'll never be free with each other here.  Or it's more like we won't
feel like we can be free.  We'll always be wondering if someone will catch
us or judge us."

   Lizzie nodded.  It was the truth.  It's what they'd been struggling with
ever since they'd admitted their feelings for one another.  How could they
build a life here when they'd be scared of ever going out in public
together?

   "Where were you searching?"

   Nate shrugged.  "New York, L.A., Dallas.  All places with larger
established publishing houses."

   "I bet New York had the most."

   "You're right.  They also had a lot of opportunities for accountants."

   Lizzie laughed and rolled her eyes.  "Of course."

   "But I also searched Atlanta, if you can believe it."

   "You did?"

   He nodded.

   They stared at each other for a long moment.  Nate kissed her hand once
more before letting it go.

   "Eat your dinner.  We can talk about this after we're done."

   Lizzie nodded and picked up her fork to resume eating.  She was back to
feeling excited at the prospect of a real future with Nate.  She wasn't so
naive to think Atlanta would be the magical city that would erase all their
troubles or grant them a legally recognized union, but it would be a chance
for them to be together, just the two of them.

   After finishing and cleaning up the kitchen, they moved to the living
room and sat on the couch together.

   "Were you really looking at jobs in Atlanta?" she asked.

   Nate smiled and nodded.  "Yes.  It's a big city with several publication
companies."

   "That's all you looked for?  Publishers?"

   Nate shrugged.  "Why wouldn't I?"

   "Well, what about your work?"

   Nate gave her a soft smile and picked up her hands in his.  "Sweetie, I
can be an accountant anywhere.  Your career matters more to you than mine
does to me."

   Tears stung Lizzie's eyes and she looked down.  "You'd really do that
for me?  Give up your job here?  Move four states and umpteen miles away?"

   He shook his head.  "I'll do it for us, Lizzie.  I think we both know we
have to do this."

   She nodded but couldn't speak for the lump in her throat.  Nate shimmied
closer on the couch and put his arms around her.  She rested her head on
his shoulder and let out a shaky sigh.

   Nate turned his head to kiss her hair.  "We'll make a new life together.
You and I both know it'll be easier to move where no one knows us, or knows
we're related."

   "What about our friends?  We'll have to tell everyone why we're both
moving."

   Nate didn't have a ready response.  "I'm more concerned about how our
parents will take the news."

   Lizzie nodded, more tears gathering in her eyes.  Their parents'
reactions could go either way.  They may be devastated and disown their
children.  Or they may recover from their shock enough to accept it.  In
time.

   "What should we do?"

   Nate kissed her forehead.  "First, we should get ready for bed, maybe
have a nice long bath together, after you've communed with your current
piece in your 'ordered chaos', of course."

   Lizzie smiled and put her arms around her brother.

   "Then we'll make love, fall asleep and dream of each other." Nate kissed
her again, this time on the cheek.  "Tomorrow, you'll tell your boss that
you'd like to visit the Atlanta office before making a permanent decision.
Then we'll plan a trip, visit some neighborhoods, maybe I can line up some
meetings."

   He made it all sound so easy.  Lizzie knew he was trying to be strong
and level-headed for her since she couldn't seem to see her way through her
emotional turmoil.  She also knew he would be just as destroyed if their
parents decided to never speak to them again.  All they could do right now
was what Nate suggested.  So they cuddled for a few more minutes before she
got up to change into her art clothes.

   In her studio, she painted and for a brief hour she forgot about their
troubles.  It was dim in the room, the only light coming from her small
lamp by the window seat, when she stepped back from the easel.  She yawned
and it was the time she realized how late it must be.  She cleaned up her
brushes and capped all her paints before heading upstairs.

   The rest of the house was quiet and dark and Lizzie guessed that Nate
would be waiting in bed for her.  She wasn't wrong.  He was in bed, propped
up with pillows and an open book in his lap.  He was also fast asleep.

   Lizzie smiled when she saw him, love and affection for him swelling in
her chest.  She stripped naked and washed her hands, then climbed onto the
bed next to him.  He didn't stir even as her movement on the bed jostled
him.  Biting her lip, she pulled the book away from his lax hands and set
it on the nightstand.  Then she pulled the covers away from his body just
enough to find that he was also naked.

   "Mmm.  Such a nice surprise," she murmured and ran a finger down his
chest and stomach.  She watched his muscles twitch in response but he still
didn't wake.

   Deciding to take advantage, she shifted on the bed and leaned over his
lower half.  She reached for him, taking hold of his flaccid length with
both hands.  Then she lowered her head to lick him from bottom to top and
back down again.  As she played with him, she delighted in the hardening of
the member beneath her hands and mouth.  He muttered something and she
looked up to see if she'd woken him but he was only mumbling in his sleep.

   She resumed her attentions, making pleased little noises in the back of
her throat as he grew to a full erection under her ministrations.  Then she
increased the speed of her hands on his shaft and the tightness of her lips
around him.  In her exuberance, his entire length became soaked with her
saliva and her palms slid up and down so easily.  When she shifted again to
adjust her position, she became aware of how aroused she was.  She knew how
excited she made herself when she attended to Nate in this way but she'd
been so focused on getting him hard that she hadn't spared a thought for
herself.  She shouldn't be surprised at the moisture now coating the
insides of her thighs but she felt need spike through her blood.

   Unable to wait or draw it out any longer, she lifted her head and moved
to straddle his lap.  She rubbed her damp core up and down the length of
his erection until she couldn't stand to wait another second.  She lifted
and took hold of him, guiding the tip of him to her opening.  As the head
of his cock split her lips, his eyes fluttered open and he looked into her
face.

   His hands came up to hold her waist and she smiled down at him.  "I
thought I was dreaming."

   She let out a laugh that faded into a moan when he flexed his thighs,
moving deeper within her.  "Not a dream, my love."

   "No, and I'm so lucky because of it."

   His words, so sweet and earnest, made her well up.  She blinked back her
tears and leaned over him, bracing her hands on his shoulders.  They
kissed, a gentle, slow exploration in perfect contrast to the increasing
pace of his thrusts into her body.  It was a delicious blend of tenderness
and physical need that had Lizzie's head spinning.

   Then Nate put his arms around her back and pulled her close as he rolled
over.  Suddenly finding herself on the bottom, Lizzie laughed and held on
as Nate really started to move in her.  He thrust hard and fast, taking his
pleasure from her body and giving her such a rush as he did it.  She loved
knowing she made him this crazy.  It was a heady feeling that she didn't
think she'd ever get tired of.

   "Nate," she whispered, cupping the back of his head and drawing his face
close to hers.  "Nate, I love you."

   "God, Lizzie, I love you so much." His words were spaced by the
movements of his body, jarring thrusts that made them both gasp.

   Lizzie clenched her inner muscles, making Nate tense above her.

   "Jesus Christ, Lizzie, don't stop.  Don't ever stop."

   "I won't.  I'll never stop loving you."

   He came with a groan, emptying himself inside of her.  Lizzie held him
close, sighing as he kept moving, drawing out the last of the sensations.
When he rolled to his back, she went with him, draping her naked, sweaty
body over his.

   "I'll never get tired of you waking me up like that."

   She giggled and nuzzled her nose in his chest hair, not saying anything.

   "But you didn't get your happy ending."

   She laughed again and lifted her head to look into his eyes.  "Nate, you
are my happy ending."

   He smiled and touched her cheek.  "I can do better than that."

   He pushed her onto her back and proceeded to prove it.



   to be continued....


   pics---->> http://bit.ly/1D1q3qp