Nate
~The Chainsmokers - Family~
"You sure you're ready for this? My family can be a handful"
Jillian stared at me In the way that says 'you're fuckin' kidding aren't you'. "Nate, you're the biggest handful of all. I think I can cope with your family."
I grinned. "Well get your ass inside then, woman." I smacked her butt and followed her into the madhouse that was my mother's home. Sunday night dinner would be interesting.
Mum lit up at the sight of us. "Jillian, you made it!" I watched in fascination as they embraced. I'd never know Jillian to be so open with someone new in her life. She was very guarded and distrustful of everyone she met. You had to gain her trust and it was hard work most of the time.
"Thank you for having me," Jillian said to mum, and handed her the cake she'd brought. "I had a good friend of mine make us a red velvet cake for dessert."
Mum's eyes shifted to me and she smiled before looking back at Jillian. "Thanks, sweetheart. The Hunters are big cake eaters."
My mother was sold on Jillian, of that I was sure. And Jillian was just as sold on my mother. It warmed my cold heart. But fuck, heaven help me, the two women in my life getting on? Who knew what shit they'd try and pull on me.
Caitlin sauntered into the kitchen. "Did someone say cake?" She smiled at Jillian. "Hi, I'm Caitlin, Nates little sister, the one he still tries to mother."
Jillian laughed. "Nate sure does have that protective streak in him, doesn't he?"
Caitlin rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, you have no idea, Jillian, Now where's this cake?"
"Generally comes after dinner, babe, not before," I said, knowing full well that Caitlin wouldn't hesitate to eat it before dinner.
"A girl makes her own rules in life. Right, Caitlin?" Jillian winked at my sister and I watched as another Hunter woman fell under her spell.
I decided to leave them to it and headed into the living room where Riley was catching up on the weekend sport. He eyed me as I took a seat. "Your woman with you?" He asked.
My mother informed everyone I was brining Jillian tonight, and somehow that had translated into her being my woman. "She's not my woman, man."
"What are you then? Cause you haven't brought a woman home since Jessica so this seems like something important."
I scrubbed my face as I fought the churning in my gut at this conversation. "I don't know where its going yet so lets not put a fuckin' label on it, okay."
"Take my advice little brother; work it out as quick as you can because women don't like to be kept waiting. Mum seems to like her so she can't be to bad."
I decided to be totally honest with him. "I'm not sure I'm ready for this. If I was, Jillian would be who I would choose, no doubts there."
"Nate, its been nine years; you're more than ready for this."
"So I keep being told," I muttered.
Riley chuckled, but wisely kept his mouth shut.
We were interrupted by Ellie who yelled from outside, "Nate, Riley, need your help!"
A moment later, we found her struggling with a huge pot plant just outside the front door. It was in a heavy terracotta pot and it looked like she was about to drop it.
I quickly grabbed it off her and scowled. "You should have come and gotten us rather than carry it by yourself."
"I thought I'd be able to manage," she grumbled.
"Shit, Ellie, you could have done your back in again."
"Yeah well, I didn't so its all good."
I got the plant inside as we continued to argue back and fourth. We'd spent our whole lives arguing; I was sure it was how we showed our love. When we got to the kitchen, Jillian was on her hands and knees reaching under the fridge for something. Her ass was up in the air facing us and I took a moment to admire it.
"What's going on here?" I eventually asked as she continued to search for whatever it was.
Her head spun around and our eyes met. I raised my brows at her and shifted my eyes to her ass and then back to her face before grinning at her. She shook her head at me but she was smiling. "Your mum took her rings off to do the dishes and one of them fell on the floor and we think it rolled under the fridge so I'm trying to find it."
I leant against the wall and folded my arms over my chest. "Take your time, darlin'."
Ellie groaned. "You have a one track mind, Nate."
I smirked. "Jillian doesn't mind, do you babe?"
She ignored me and continued her search while I settled in for the view. I particularly enjoyed it when she tried to extend her arm further because it meant her ass tilted even higher in the air. My dick jerked while I imagined that ass naked with my hands around it.
"Nate!"
I swung my gaze to my mother who was trying to get my attention. "What?"
"Stop ogling Jillian and get everyone a drink, please."
Jillian finally stood up, having retrieved the ring. She passed it to mum and then glared at me.
I held my hands up defensively. "What, babe? A man has to take advantage of certain situations."
She walked over to me, laid her hand on my chest and whispered, "You'll pay for that later."
"Don't make promises unless you intend to keep then, sweet thing."
"You should know by now, Nate, that I'm a woman of my word," she kept her voice low so that only I could hear her.
Christ, this conversation had to come to an end or else I was going to busy a nut in my mothers kitchen. "I look forward to it," I said, and left her to go and get drinks for everyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My family loved Jillian. They fawned all over her during dinner while I sat back and took It all in. It had been a different story with Jessica; they hadn't liked her from the beginning so this was new to me. It was good; good in a way I never thought would happen in my life. And to say it scared the shit outta me was putting it mildly.
"What do you do for a living, Jillian?" Riley asked.
She struggled to answer this question which was odd. Jillian loved what she did, she'd told me numerous times, so I didn't understand why she had that deer in the headlights look on her face. "I'm a stripper at Rock and Pole, and I also rent inked on main street." she finally said but there was hesitation in her voice.
Perception was one of Riley's gifts. He leant towards her and asked, "Does it pay your bills, gorgeous?"
She blinked, obviously not expecting what he'd said. "Yes."
He nodded. "Well hold your head high because there's a lot of fucking scumbags out there who bleed the government dry rather than get off their ass and work. You make an honest living and pay your own way; it doesn't matter how you do it."
Ellie raised her wine glass. "Cheers to that," she agreed and took a sip while giving Jillian a kind smile.
Jillian's shoulders sagged and she seemed relieved. "Thank you." I jerked my chin at Riley and he nodded in response. I'd thank him for that later.
"Do you do the tattooing? Or do you just run then place?" Riley continued.
I could see the glow as she told Riley about her courses and how well the studio is doing.
"That's fantastic, maybe you could tattoo me sometime. I've been meaning to get some new ink."
"I would love too," She smiled and turned to me.
I slid my arm around Jillian's shoulders and pulled her close so I could whisper in her ear, "We need to eat dessert really fuckin' quick."
She placed her hand on my leg, close to my dick, and purred, "But, Nate, I think your mum has a story about your childhood to tell me. We cant be rude now." She moved her hand up and down my leg slowly, teasing me.
"I fuckin' knew it," I muttered.
She turned to me in genuine surprise. "What?"
"I knew you two together were a bad idea."
Her head fell back slightly and she laughed, and my dick dug his own grave.