Damage Control

Chapter 21

Wanting to get this over with so we could go back to the estate, I raised the club and roughly swung at the ball, which made me lose balance, causing me to fall flat on my ass. I could've sworn I heard Nathaniel chuckle, but when he bent down to help me up, his lips were pressed into a thin line.

Well, that was fucking embarrassing, I thought, feeling my cheeks begin to heat up. Why do I feel nervous all of a sudden?

"Let's try that again," he muttered, placing the golf club back in my hands.

As much as I wanted to pound his head in with this stick for keeping me out here this long, I just nodded and waited for him to finish placing the ball down and signal for me to go. I nervously clutched the golf club in my sweaty palms and swung again with just as much force, only this time the club slipped out of my hands and flew across the course while the ball still remained untouched on the tee.

Fuck this dumb game.

I angrily threw my visor on the ground and spun on my heels, heading in the direction of his sports car without uttering a word.

"Where do you think you're going?" Nathaniel asked as he grabbed my arm the second I stormed past him.

"Home."

"You haven't even touched the ball."

"Fuck that ball and fuck this game."

"Try again," he insisted, grabbing another golf club out of the bag. "And watch your mouth."

"No," I shook my head. "I'm pretty sure I've embarrassed myself enough for today."

"We're not leaving until you hit the ball; I have all day," Nathaniel informed me, flipping his wrist to check the time on his gold Rolex.

"I don't see why this is so fucking important to you," I grumbled, snatching the club out of his hand and making my way back to the ball. As soon as I got ready to swing for what seemed like the millionth time, I felt Nathaniel's arms wrap around my waist, planting his large hands on either side. I sucked in a deep breath and internally screamed at my beating heart to calm the fuck down.

"Steady hips," he murmured, leaning forward and pressing his warm cheek against mine. His intoxicating scent immediately surrounded me, and it took everything in me not to take a deep breath and inhale the spicy fragrance.

"Legs spread," he wedged his foot in between mine to correct my pose, but that only made me want to squeeze them shut to relieve the pressure that was beginning to build up in my core. "Arms straight," he continued, trailing his hands down my arms to wrap his hands around mine that was gripping the club tightly.

"Now relax," he whispered, fanning his breath against my neck. How the hell am I suppose to relax when he's basically fucking me in the middle of the golf course?

"I am relaxed," I snapped, needing him to get out of my bubble so I could breathe. Nathaniel cocked his eyebrow and gave me a look that said, "Watch your mouth."

"Fine," I sighed, dropping my shoulders. "Now what?"

"Now, you hit it." He finally backed away, giving me room to swing the club.

"I hit it? Just like that?"

Nathaniel nodded. "Just like that."

"If I don't hit it, will you—"

"Just hit it."

"But what if I don't—"

"Anastazi hit the fucking ball," he snapped impatiently.

That was the first time he's said my name out loud since I started working for him, and hearing the way it slid off his tongue so casually created a warm bubbly sensation in the pit of my stomach. Shaking off the foreign feeling, I steadied my hips once again, eyed the ball, and swung as hard as I could.