The Mute Mistress

The Mute Mistress: Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A smile inched on his face. His gaze was drawn to her curves contouring the gray satin catching the light of the chandelier.

Nathan took her hand and raised it to spin her. Her shyness came out in a soft chuckle and the reflex to lower her head when she smiled.

"You two have a wonderful time at the opening," Belle said, rubbing the outside of Mary's arm.

He followed Mary's face from when she signed her thanks to Belle when she looked up to him with gray orbs of anticipation.

"Are you excited?" He asked. "Wait, you have a–"

He reached beside her face and picked an invisible fleck above her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered until she looked at him in question. He examined something she couldn't see between his fingers as he murmured in confirmation what he saw. She pulled a compact from her clutch to survey her face.

"Let me check," Nathan suggested. She did what he wanted, turning her head and stretching her neck. Goodness was she tempting, and the innocence on her face made him crave the desire to slow down time. As much as he could, he burned the vision of her soft skin in his mind.

Shyly she looked out of her window, and Nathan's attention focused on the darkened mark trailing down the middle of her back. He called her name, and when her attention snapped back to him, he hesitantly asked about the large scar.

When retrieving her phone from her clutch, he didn't shy away from taking a peek at her chest. The dress was made for her. It was a classic and tasteful style, but he appreciated how much it exposed her skin.

After opening a blank note she answered. Spinal fusion from a back injury. I have another mark on my side too.

"Does it hurt?" The question sounded silly after asking it aloud.

She wrinkled her nose from a smile and shook her head. Not anymore. I don't talk about it much since I don't wear anything revealing my back.

"But you're comfortable now, right?" Without giving her the chance to answer, he gently touched and examined the beginning of her scar. Her back muscles tensed and she widened her eyes.

From her lips, she quietly paced her breathing to calm her thundering heart. She could catch more of his cologne after he raised his arm to then send tingles down her back. The scar wasn't sensitive, but it made the skin around it that much more so. 

He removed his hand and fought the smile twitching at his lips. She rested her hunched shoulders and pushed her hot skin into the cool seat.

She couldn't look at him, still hearing her chest rattle in her ears. But she caught him staring from her peripheral. "So, with what happened at the guest house. Did that mean you're comfortable with me?"

She opened her mouth slightly, but she caught herself and nodded with a smile. What on earth was happening? Did she not remember what happened the last time she tried to speak to people outside of her family? Mary had to keep things in order. He may have heard her, but he was accustomed to her silence. As was she. She didn't want to change before him just yet. She looked away briefly to think and remember she couldn't trust in him so easily. Though with him it was tempting.

"We're almost there." Nathan announced grabbing her hand.

She felt her heart skip, watching him look out his window like he wasn't holding her tenderly. When the vehicle parked against the curb.

"Wait," he whispered before pulling out his phone. "Should we take a selfie?"

Mary looked into the camera. He teased her, getting her to laugh more and capturing more candid shots. Nathan put his phone away and asked if she was ready, squeezing her hand. She was more ready than he could tell and she pulled her knees together tight.