Shane’s eyes flashed with excitement at the new offer.
Well, I can’t be too unreasonable.
With a grunt, he hung up.
Natalie knew him well enough to know that he had agreed. With a chuckle, she turned her attention back to Joyce. “I’m sacrificing so much for you, Joyce. When we go back, you’re going to work extra hard for me.”
At those words, Natalie turned off the light and with an almighty yawn, shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep almost immediately.
It had been a long day for her, after the jet lag and the night of drinking. Her head began to feel heavy for wanting to get some sleep.
The following day, Joyce woke up feeling rejuvenated. She was dumbfounded at the sight of Natalie sleeping next to her.
“Nat, why are you in my bed?” Joyce gave Natalie a shove.
“What’s going on?” Natalie mumbled as she opened her bleary eyes.
“You tell me! Why are you in my bed?” Joyce persisted.
Natalie massaged her head as she struggled to sit upright. “You have the nerve to ask me that!” she replied in a huff. “You were so drunk last night that after I’d dropped you off in your room, you cried and clung on to me, insisting that I kept you company.”
“Was… was that what happened?” Joyce strained to recall the events of the night before through the haze of champagne and tears. Unfortunately, nothing came to her mind.
Natalie yawned and threw off the quilt. “Go back to sleep if you’re still feeling dizzy,” she suggested. “You had a lot to drink last night. I have to console our friend. He wasn’t happy that I didn’t return to him last night.”
Natalie slipped on her shoes and left Joyce alone in her room, who was sitting on the bed with a sluggish expression on her face.
Natalie opened the door cautiously and tiptoed toward the bed as she did not know if Shane was already up.
The quilt was thrown off but he was nowhere to be seen.
“Where did he go?” Natalie muttered to herself.
Just as she was about to search for him, a pair of arms shot out and wrapped tightly around her waist, rendering her immobile.
She was distinctly aware of the heartbeat against her back and the frantic breathing on the top of her head.
“You’re finally back.” came Shane’s low voice from above her head.
“Where did you go?” Natalie stuck her tongue out at him in response to his levity.
Shane did not answer but spun her around to face him. After gazing at her for some moments, he lifted her chin to kiss her.
Natalie’s eyes widened in horror. “I have not brushed my teeth!” she protested as she shoved him away from her.
Shane did not respond to that either but kissed her with renewed passion.
It was more forceful than the first time, as though it carried a hint of a punishment of some sort as he nibbled and gnawed at her lips.
It soon became clear to Natalie that that was indeed a punishment.
A punishment for her breaking her promise to him the night before.
Natalie did not attempt to push him away after that realization. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and responded to his enthusiasm.
If he did not mind her stale morning breath, she would gladly reciprocate.
Soon, Shane’s appetite evolved beyond kissing. With a powerful heave, he threw Natalie onto the bed.
Natalie was as eager as he was and began to undo her dress.
The morning was spent in a frenzy of passion.
It was already half-past eleven when the storm was over.
Natalie’s stomach growled like a starving lion, but she could not even open her eyes from the intensity of her earlier exertion.
Shane, on the other hand stood over the bed to gaze at her with a satisfied smirk.
Despite the numerous times they had been together, Natalie was still not used to him seeing her naked. She pulled the sheets over her as she blushed shyly.
“What are you looking at?” Natalie rolled her eyes.
Shane picked up the bathrobe from the floor and donned it. “Come on, I’ll take you in for a shower.”
“I’ll have a shower by myself,” she replied as she rubbed her temples.
Shane acted as though he did not hear her. Whipping off the sheets, he lifted her out of bed in his arms.
“You…” Natalie’s eyes widened in shock.
“Stop moving,” Shane chastised with a smack on her buttocks. “Don’t you want to have lunch soon?”
