"What's that?" Dianne asked as soon as they got off the car.
They were currently--well, Nadine wasn't sure but it seems this is where they will be staying. But what got Dianne worried was what sounded like an animal crying as if in pain.
Nathan rolled his eyes.
"You are such a drama queen, Sebbie!" He called out as he opened the door with his key.
"That's Sebbie?" Nadine asked, laughing a little.
"He's a little clingy." James just said.
As Nathan opened the door, a blur of black suddenly burst from it and suddenly James was on the floor with a howling and whining Sebbie on top of him.
Nathan started laughing outloud. Dianne just looked worried. Nadine kinda found it funny but was more busy trying to calm the dog and helping James up.
"Okay, okay. I miss you, too--" He groaned in pain.
"Sebbie, get off James. Come here, baby." Nadine was coaxing while Dianne was trying to pull him away. But the beast was still trying to squeeze himself into James.
James had also started laughing, and that was when Nathan thought to move and help the two girls, still laughing.
"Are you okay?" Nadine asked James.
"Yeah." James said dismissively. "Not really the first time." He chuckled as he tried to arrange himself. Sebbie was still trying to get to him but Nathan got a hold of his collar.
James went to Sebbie and tried to calm the dog down himself by engulfing him in a hug. The dog still whimpered but finally settled down.
"Finally." Nathan said. "Let's all go inside. It's been a long day."
They entered the house--a rest house it seems, that was in traditional style, but with modern touches here and there. It was quite spacious but not as big as the Lustre's villa. It looked quite bare but still managed to feel cozy somehow.
"There are 4 bedrooms." Nathan started saying. "Me and James both have one and then there are two guestrooms. So, Dianne, I'll show you to your room. James and Nadine, go on ahead to your room and good night. I'm beat."
Dianne reluctantly followed Nathan, leaving the two alone.
"That arrangement is okay with you, right?" James had to ask. Just to be sure.
"I would've gotten mad if that wasn't the arrangement." Nadine said.
James laughed. "Okay. This way, then."
--
James lead Nadine opposite to where Nathan and Dianne went to, with Sebbie closely following them. They walked through a hallway and into the only room on this side of the house, it seems.
"This room is facing the east." James said. "Nathan isn't a morning person and didn't want to be waken up by sunrise so he chose a room on the other side."
James opened the door and Sebbie went inside first.
"I'm not a morning person either, but I like seeing the sunrise from here. It's actually nice to be hit by the warmth in the morning since it's colder then." He explained.
Nadine was looking around the room, looking fascinated. The style was very James, somehow. Minimalist, black and white with a touch of grey. Just a bed, a table and a closet. There was another door which Nadine asumed leads to a bathroom, and a balcony with a view overlooking the city.
"So... this house is yours?" Nadine asked him as she took off her jacket.
"Yeah." James said, putting their things down the floor and sitting down the bed. "But I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. I'm sure you're tired." He said.
"Long story?" Nadine asked moving towards him.
James automatically places his hands on both her sides the moment he could reach her. "Yeah." He just said, looking up at her.
"Okay then." Nadine said. "But, James, I'm not really tired."
"Okay. What do you wanna do, then?" James asked.
"Hmmm." Nadine hummed, pretending to think and sitting on James's lap. She placed her arms around his neck and said,
"I don't know. What do you wanna do?" She asked playfully.
She let out a little squeak of surprise when James suddenly kissed her. She had thought she'd needed to tease him more before he did anything. But she was happy he was becoming bolder with her. She smiled in the kiss and James pulled her even closer. She couldn't help but moan as their kiss gets deeper and more urgent. But then suddenly, there was something squeezing in between them.
They pulled apart and Nadine started laughing, knowing at once what has happened. Sebbie had tried to join their embrace.
James pouted at Sebbie which wasn't missed by Nadine. She laughed harder and then stood up.
"I'm going to take a bath." She announced.
James just nodded, looking disappointed. Nadine smiled at him and gave him one more kiss before going inside the bathroom.
"I guess I'll go check on Dianne and Nathan." James said outloud, standing up and walking out the room, with Sebbie following behind him.
--
James knocked on Dianne's door. "Dianne?"
"Ah, yes?" Dianne said from the other side, sounding a bit flustered.
"Just checking on you. You okay? If you need something, don't hesitate to tell me or Nathan, okay?" James called back.
"Okay. Thank you." She said.
"Good night!" He called and then left.
He next went to Nathan's room which was close to the guest rooms.
He knocked on his door twice and then opened the door, peeking inside.
When he saw that Nathan was awake and sitting on his computer chair, James let himself in, with Sebbie following him inside.
"Thought you'd be asleep by now." He told his friend.
"I'm just about, too." Nathan said. "Thought you'd be tucked in with the Princess now. What are you doing here?"
"Just thought I'd check up on you and Dianne." James said with a shrug.
"She's taking a bath or something." Nathan concluded. James just shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
"Uhm, Nathan, can Sebbie stay with you? Just for tonight?" James said. And then he stood up. "Thanks, Nate. Owe you one." He said hastily and then went out without waiting for his friend's reply.
Nathan could only look at Sebbie. Sebbie tilted his head at Nathan, as if also confused.
"Don't get your hopes up, buddy. We'll probably be roomies for the whole trip." Nathan just told him.
--
When James came back to his room, Nadine was still inside the bathroom but her phone--which she left on the bed, was ringing.
James retrieved the phone and felt a little worried to see that it was Zenaida calling.
He walked towards the bathroom and knocked.
"Naddie?" He called.
"Yes?" She replied at once.
"Your phone is ringing. It's your mom." James said.
There was a pause, and then Nadine said,
"Sorry, can you bring it here? I'm in the tub." Nadine said.
James opened the door to the bathroom and entered. As Nadine said, she was in the tub with some bubles floating around her that doesn't really cover anything. This didn't seem to bother Nadine in the least, not even trying to cover herself up.
"Thank you." Nadine mouthed as she took the phone. Then she gestured for James to wait as she spoke with her mother.
"The show just finished." Nadine was saying on the phone.
"I wanna explore the place a bit tomorrow. Don't worry, I'm going home the day afer tomorrow. I'll be there for your party." Nadine said, sounding annoyed.
James was barely hearing their conversation though, he was busy staring at the beauty in front of him.
After a few more minutes, Nadine was saying goodbye to her mom and finally had hung up the phone.
James looked at her face, quietly asking her what the call was about.
Nadine just shrugged. "She's just checking up on me." She said.
James just nodded. He gestured for Nadine to give him the phone but Nadine just put it on the sink close to the tub. She then took James's propped hand.
"Join me?" She asked him.
James nodded.
--
TBC
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