Biting Temptation

25: My Fault

Coldplay - Fly On (O)

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"Get the hell off my porch."

I flinched a little at the sound of his voice and rounded the car before he could get to Nate. "Mike-"

"I swear to God if you don't get away from my house I'll rip your fucking heart out."

I blanched and groaned. But Nathaniel squared his shoulders and slowly approached. "I'm not leaving until I talk to you both."

"You're not getting near her. Not now or ever again."

"Wait a second-" I tried to input but Nate interrupted.

"Yeah? Are you going to be there to stop me from talking to her forever?"

The fire in Michael's eyes grew larger. "I can sure as hell try."

"I'm here to talk to you not fight."

"I don't talk to snakes." My eyes widened when he reached out and grabbed hold of Nate's shoulder's. "Neither do I waste my time on them."

Nate pushed out of his hold. "You'll regret it."

"Me? Regret punching you in the face? No, I've been wanting to do it for years; always at the sidelines around Evie, coming around every year for her birthday and now this. I only put up with it because you hadn't done anything. To be honest I'm only shocked it's taken you this damn long."

And now my own anger was getting the better of me. "Enough." I stepped between Michael advancing toward him again and crossed my arms over my chest. "We're going inside. Now. Nate, just go; today is not the day for any of this- stop it! Stop trying to go around me." I gripped his arm and started pulling him away from Nate. I knew his eyes hadn't wavered from him even when I opened the door and nudged him in first.

I turned to Nate still standing by the door and shook my head at him. I could see the apology in his eyes, I could see the regret but it wasn't enough at least not right now. I'd talk to him eventually but first I needed to handle Michael. Nate was my friend, a good friend in fact. I loved him. I liked him. I wasn't in love with him. I admit a few years ago, I thought maybe I did have feelings for him. It was Nate for crying out loud. Sweet Nate, saved my life a multitude of times, my Nate.

But even the idea of kissing him or doing anything other than hugging him felt... wrong. Maybe it was because I'd never kissed him or had the opportunity to but the thought of it was so foreign. I would be betraying the first and only man I'll ever love.

I mimed the word later to Nathaniel before shutting the door and following the sound of Michael's angry foot falls to the living room.

"He's got balls I'll give him that." He murmured shrugging off his suit jacket. "He had no right."

"No, he didn't." I agreed stepping out of my shoes. "But what were you going to do? Kill him?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

His pupils throbbed as he approached me. "He tried to kiss you."

"Listen to the key word, Michael. Tried. Nothing happened I didn't kiss him, he didn't kiss me."

"Took you long enough to lean away."

My jaw slacked a little at his very low reply. I didn't know whether he wanted me to hear it but I sure did. Just as he went to leave I grabbed hold of his wrist. "Say that again, louder this time."