I stared at Nate's door for a long time after I had shut it. I felt furious, and disappointed, but also somewhat relieved. Ultimately, I was embarrassed at my boyfriend's behaviour tonight. He had insinuated so many things about Nate that just weren't true. I took in a breath and prepared myself to face my best friend, whose birthday was ruined.
"I shouldn't have invited them. Sorry I ruined your birthday, Natey," I said as I walked back from locking the door.
"It would only have been ruined if you had gone home with that dick." Nate flicked a hand distastefully towards the door.
"I just don't know what's got into him." I shook my head and sighed.
"He's jealous obviously." Nate's voice went smug and I finally looked at him.
"Of what?" I asked, waving my hands in the air, needing to release some frustrated feelings.
"Us, Kitty cat. Just like every girlfriend I've ever had, our relationship threatens them." He told me and I agreed with that. I just had a itching feeling that said Stanford was up to something else entirely.
"I just don't know. Do you find it funny that Tracey moved into our apartment block a week after me and now suddenly Stanford is acting like the biggest jerk? He used to be the best boyfriend material. He would open doors, be so sweet and loving to me but that's died." I explained sadly and Nate appeared pained.
"Are you really sleeping on the couch?" He changed the subject and sent me one of those cute dimpled grins.
"Have I ever slept on your couch?" I replied with a cheeky grin of my own.
"No, thank God," he muttered, practically under his breath.
"Good, then its sleep over time! Should we eat cake in bed?" I asked as I clapped my hands excitedly.
"Heck yeah," he agreed and I saw those brown eyes of his flare brightly. "It's lucky you have clothes left here but do you want your nightly shower first?" He knew me too well. I always found a shower at night to be so relaxing, and cleansing off the day's worries made me feel better.
"Yep, and a shirt." I wiggled my hands at him.
"Unbelievable! First you want to sleep in my bed and now you want the shirt off my back." He was teasing but I simply nodded.
We had been sleeping in each other's beds for years now. Of course, it began when we were teenagers but the tradition had continued. I'm sure my parents would have panicked if they knew back then but nothing had ever happened.
Then again, my parents had never known my best friend was Nathaniel Miles. That would have made them immensely happy knowing I had risen in social status. I had only ever told them that Nate was my best friend with no elaboration. They hadn't even bothered to meet him in all this time.
Sleeping next to Nate was a million times better than being next to snoring Stanford. Nate was and I think always will be a cuddler whereas Stanford likes to be poles apart. I happened to prefer snuggling up to someone who appreciated it and didn't complain how he needed his own space.
I grinned when Nate handed me, quite literally the shirt off his back. I didn't mind because I knew it would smell just like him. I would be surrounded by that woodsy odour that made me delirious with one little sniff.
He returned my grin once again complete with dimples, and I was immensely pleased. I knew his anger was gone and I wasn't in the mood to question him about the black fury he had had when Stanford was here. I just wanted to enjoy my time with my favourite person on this planet.
"No touching that cake until I finish my shower," I ordered him as I pointed to him and said cake, while trying to keep my eyes on his. That was hard when all that lean, toned, and very naked chest was right in front of me.
"I'll be good, I promise. You can trust me." His grin changed to wicked and meltingly good but I just laughed.
"I'll wait and see." I waved a finger at him.
I loved Nate's shower. It always felt like rain falling onto your skin. I could have spent hours in there but I remembered that I had left Nate alone with the cake.
That had me scurrying out of there and quickly drying off. Nate was right that I did leave clothes here. I was just thankful that I had clean underwear. I pulled his shirt over my head and took a giant sniff. Yep woodsy, familiar, mouth-watering and wonderful. I was officially in heaven.
I headed into Nate's bedroom, drying my hair as I went. I stopped when I noticed him and all my senses went into overdrive. Nate leaned back against his wooden headboard in nothing but track pants and I'm sure my mouth dried up completely. He had the most stunning toned chest and abs that always caught my attention.
To distract myself, so I once again didn't throw myself at him, I looked around his room. I realised something that had somehow never dawned on me before. I'm not sure how I could have been so blind to it but I know I wanted an answer.
"You've always bought one bedroom apartments, why is that?" I asked as I stood in the huge room that was as big as my old apartment.
His bedroom looked over the city park and Nate was at the highest point so he often, as now, he left the blinds open to the city view. I walked over to the window and smiled out at the glowing city. Its lights forever lit, and its ever-changing nature sometimes astounded me. Up here, though you felt separated from it, freer even.
"I'm only one person," he said vaguely but I knew that tone, and he wasn't giving me the whole answer. That always meant the answer was far more interesting than what he was telling me. I decided it was time to probe deeper.
"Would you ever buy a house one day or are you going to continue your one person ways?" I asked as he patted the bed next to him. He sighed and gave me one of his 'you're not gonna like the answer' looks, but I was determined to know more.
"There are only two reasons why I would ever need anything bigger," he replied after a long, thoughtful look my way.
"And?" I asked as I squeezed in next to his side.
"Well the first one is if I get married and have kids." He said sending me a meaningful look that I couldn't understand.
Nate getting married was something I tried not to think about, ever. It gave me the most dreadful feeling in my chest and made me want to cry. I wouldn't stop him from getting married; my best friend deserved all the happiness in the world. However, she would have to pass some stringent tests to get my approval.
My problem with it came from the fact that I'd never be able to do exactly what I'm doing right now. Nate getting married would mean that someone else would be more important than I was in his life. I wouldn't be able to snuggle up on his bed in his shirt and sleep next to him. He would have someone else to do that. Even thinking about that was heart wrenching and devastating for me.
"So what's the second reason?" I asked a little shakily, not sure if I wanted the answer anymore, but determined to know the truth.
"If you don't want to sleep in my bed with me anymore." He said as he looked away to cut the cake while I went completely still, trying to absorb his words.
"So, you're telling me that you'd buy a new house with a second bedroom, just for me?" The words croaked out through the shock I felt.
"Yes, but hopefully you're happy enough here." He went gruff and embarrassed which was freaking adorable.
"I'm always happy to be wherever you are Nate, you know that." I told him honestly, as I hugged him to me.
"Ready for cake?" He asked as he held a plate up that had a huge slice of delicious chocolate cake on it.
"What a stupid question that only requires a one word answer. Gimme!" I shouted out the last word and Nate laughed wholeheartedly at me.
I was munching into the cake when I remembered the photo frame I had given him. Stupid Stanford had distracted me with his horrid behaviour and I'd forgotten completely about it.
"You did like my gift right?" I asked hesitantly.
"Of course I love it. Don't listen to anything that moron you call a boyfriend said," he told me earnestly.
"About this." I pointed to my necklace that I now knew cost more money than I would probably earn this year, knowing Nate.
"I never once broke the rules. I may have paid a lot for the materials but I made everything from scratch. Except for your other necklace but that was a big and special birthday." He quickly argued which only made me frown.
"Nate, that's not the point," I insisted but he just grinned.
"Hey, you're the one who came up with the idea to begin with." He waggled a finger at me.
"Yes but that was mostly because I like making you things and you could always afford to buy me more expensive things." I trailed off at the end, which got a pointed look from him.
"Money isn't the issue here, Kitty. I love the presents you make me and how you're always trying to outsmart me with where they are from." He grinned warmly at me then.
"You shouldn't have used such expensive materials for your presents," I chided.
"I made everything from bare timber. The price of it doesn't matter as much as the fact that you're still continuing to wear it." He reached a finger over to touch my necklace before running it lightly across my collarbone, making me shiver. I met those golden brown eyes of his and sighed.
"I'm rarely without a necklace or bracelet you gave me, and you know that," I said as I took another mouthful of cake.
"Good to hear," he replied as he grabbed my empty plate to stack with his on his bedside table. He then stood up and took everything to the kitchen.
Once again, I compared him to Stanford and Nate continued to win. Stanford would never be casual enough to eat cake in bed. Even if he did, he would probably demand that I put everything away when he had finished eating. I'm sure he would dust the sheets for crumbs as well.
I watched as Nate walked back into the room and tried not to choke on my drool over how awesome he looked. When he sent me that lazy grin, I could feel my toes curl under his blanket. Forcing the attraction down again was hard, but I managed it, just barely.
"Ready to sleep?" He asked as he lay down on the bed next to me.
"Sure am," I grinned as I rolled into his open arms.
Nate's presence surrounded me and his warm embrace was better than anything else was in this world. I snuggled against him, let out a yawn, and was asleep before I knew it.
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