| Isabella |

After my some what heated and slightly awkward conversation with Nathan when we got back from Florida, it was a week before I plucked up the courage to text him again. Our messaging was short, but he didn't seem uninterested, answering with the usual promptness he always did when we texted. I tried to convince him to get a Snapchat, but he said he was too busy. That made me think the next time I saw him, I'd download it to his phone secretly and then Snapchat him later, forcing him to start using it.

I think Racheal noticed my glum mood, particularly because she asked me several times during the week, and it wasn't until Monday the following week, when I finally answered her truthfully.

"Honestly, Nathan's bothering me again." I complained to her over a breakfast of Lucky Charms.

"That asshole." she shrieks immediately and I giggled.

"It's not his fault, I think I scare him . . ." I muse, taking another bite of cereal. She frowns at me, narrowing her eyes, obviously thinking long and hard.

"You could try and make him jealous." she says, waggling her eyebrows at me and I roll my eyes. I take a long sip of orange juice. "Or better yet, send him nudes."

"What!?" I splutter, nearly spitting my juice out all over the table.

"Yeah its perfect, it tests the waters in just the right way. I see your dilemma, I know what you're going through. If you send him a suggestive, yet tasteful, photo of your nearly naked body, he will without a doubt be interested. Think about it, he has invited you to come and stay with him and his family. He has kissed you, he has gone down on you." she winks at me and I blushed.

"Racheal." I hiss. I couldn't resist telling her about our little escapade the first night we spent together and clearly that had been a mistake. She continues, despite my horrified expression.

"As I was saying, he's gone down on you, you've gone down on him, but you have not slept together yet. This leaves him horny, wanting, wondering what it would be like. Therefore, sending him this picture gets these thoughts constantly stuck in his mind because he cannot stop seeing that way. Then he comes over here, most likely he is either amused by it or annoyed by it. Then you will know, if he tells you he doesn't really want that, which I know he won't, then you know, he's a lost cause and that you should move on. But if instead, this sparks a night of passion, you know, you've got yourself some form of a relationship."

"It doesn't work that way." I say, still flushed.

"It's how I locked Hunter down." she says matter-of-factly. "I wasn't sure if what we had was anything at all, I sent him some fun pictures and bam, I got a four year relationship and we're still going strong."

"But Nathan's professional and cold. I don't know how to read him, he says he doesn't want a relationship. I really don't know him, I mean I've know him a few months at least but still . . ." I sigh, trailing off.

"Trust me, this will make things fall into place. Text him right now to see what he's doing." she insists and I grab my phone from the table. I open up a message to him, eyeing her doubtfully from across the table and she giggles.

I type and then hit send, with in seconds I saw he'd read my message and was responding.

"He's responding." I tell her and she immediately gets up, coming from her place at our breakfast bar to sit next to me. She peers over my shoulder at the screen.

Yes?

I type and send it. Racheal just observes our conversation silently.

Well, I'm working and hi yourself.

I know, I know, but you know I like to work.

"Oh god, I can already tell this conversation is going nowhere." says Racheal finally, stopping me before I respond. I look at her and she offers me a coy smile. "Do you trust me?"

"Nope, definitely not." I say firmly and she laughs.

"Too bad. You need my help if you ever want to get laid in your life!" She grabs the phone from me in a quick movement and I shriek.

"Hey!" But she's already half way across the apartment giggling madly. "And that's not true I've gotten laid plenty of times!"

"Oh honey." She turns with a pitying looking on her face. "Sex in college is just the tip of the ice burg, you have no idea what your missing out on with a real man." she insists and I groan, I already knew this was going to end terribly.

I stand and walk over to where she has sat on the couch.

"Fine, but I can have my own relationship, I don't need you coaching me all the time." I say sheepishly to which she responds with a sarcastic snort.

"If I was in your place, so close to having this excellent piece of man-real-estate under my thumb, things would be moving much faster than whatever you're doing." she states plainly. "Alright, here."

She begins typing as a wave of Deja Vu hits me.

I frown, where was she going with this?

Not really.

He answers and she smiles smugly.

She giggles and I make a face at her, I noticed then it took him a moment to reply. There was a noticeable pause.

I think you know how I would deal with it don't you?

I shrieked. "Racheal!"

"What?!" she asks innocently and I snatch my phone back.

"You can't just say stuff like that to him." I say, feeling the tiniest bit embarrassed at the whole situation and the idea of sending him those pictures.

"Well I didn't, you did." she says smugly and I let out a giant puff of air, knowing she was right. I blinked at my phone a moment then, suddenly seeing his reply.

Hmm, I'd like to show you sometime but I'm busy at the moment Miss Smith.

See, look at that!" Racheal cries triumphantly. "Look at that!"

"Ugh!" I shout. "I don't get it. One second he's telling me I'm too innocent for him and that makes things complicated, the next he's telling me he doesn't do relationships all together and now he's saying this!?"

"Men are . . . weird." says Racheal shrugging and suddenly I felt empowered.

"You know what? I know just how I'm going to respond to that! If he's going to flirt with me and make me this crazy, I might as well return the favor!" I declare and Racheal cheers, clearly happy that I was going to do what she suggested, even though it was completely insane and I would most likely regret it.

_

"Are you sure?" I ask for the millionth time and she nods.

"Yes! I'm positive Iz. Come on, live a little, if you never see him again-" she starts and then I have a horrific thought.

"He'll have that photo of me forever!" I cry, tossing my phone on the bathroom counter and burying my head in my hands.

"Then you better hope you see him again." she says giggling and I growl.

"Racheal, seriously, this is so dumb. I shouldn't be doing this, I shouldn't have considered it. I don't know why I even let you put this on me and let you take that picture of me." I groan, first motioning to the sexy lingerie I'd bought forever ago, that she'd forced me into and the photo she'd helped me take, which now was sitting in a message box, waiting for me to send it with 'Maybe this will help you finish working and get over here' typed beneath it.

It was certainly revealing enough, and as tasteful as something like that could be, but I didn't want to do it anymore.

I hadn't seen him in over a week, he was working, he didn't have time for my shit. I needed to be an adult and really try to talk to him or just forget about him all together. But instead, I had spent my entire morning doing this rather than anything productive with my day off.

"Well I think you should do it." she says again. I look up and she eyes me, rolling her eyes. "If you won't then I will."

"Wait!" I shriek but it was far too late. She'd hit send, and it was gone, off to his phone. I felt my jaw drop open, Jesus Christ, what had I been thinking?

"Oops." she giggles and I glare, feeling furious. "You'll thank me later."

And before I get the chance to clobber her over the head with the soap bar that sat next to my sink on a floral dish, she had dashed out of my bathroom. I let out long, forlorn sigh, shutting my phone off, too scared to see his response, if there was any.

I begrudgingly took off the lingerie, dressing in leggings and a sweatshirt. I spent the rest of my day cleaning my bedroom, trying to distract myself and feeling like I'd committed a felony.

Racheal went out with Hunter around 5 insisting something good would come of that picture and I had refused to speak to her more than saying 'Bye' and 'Have a nice time tonight.'

I checked my phone as I sat on the couch, turning on Netflix and popping open a tub of Ben and Jerry's Cookie Doe Ice Cream. He had read it, but not responded. I sent it at noon, it was now 6:30. I scolded myself mentally.

How could I be so dumb?

I didn't know how, but I was and now I'd never see him again. Nathan Price, one of the richest, most pursued and successful men in the country, was walking around out there with that picture. The thought horrified me, I wouldn't be speaking to Racheal for a very long while, that was for sure.

I turned on an episode of The Office and pumped up the volume, trying to drown myself in both the hilarious show and the delicious ice cream I was now eating. Two episodes, a whole lot of ice cream and if I'm being honest, a half a glass of red wine later, I was still in that same spot, nearly about to drift off when a loud pounding sounded at the front door.

I knew Racheal wasn't home yet, she and Hunter were going to be out late tonight, I thought it might be our grumpy neighbor, Mr. Fredrickson, who always thought the TV volume was too loud and disturbed his meditation in the evenings. Racheal and I had had many a visit from him after 6pm in the time we'd been living here, some nights we hadn't even had the TV on, so we knew now he was most likely just old and senile.

I paused the TV, getting up.

"I'm coming!" I shout over the pounding. I had had enough of him, and tonight was certainly not a night when I would graciously apologize for nothing.

I yank the door open, not paying attention to who was actually standing there.

"I told you, the TV isn't that loud, so just go back to-" I stop short, feeling like someone had knocked the wind clean out of me. My before groggy mind was now wide awake, my thoughts raced with panic, shock, horror and a bit of anger.

"Nathan." I gasp.

"Out of the way." he growls, pushing past me. I got a good look at him, his tie hung loosely around his neck, a few buttons on his crisp shirt were unbuttoned, his suit jacket hung askew on his body and his hair looked like he'd been running his hands through it. Over all he looked agitated, upset and mostly, furious. He was showing the most emotion I'd seen from him in the time I'd known him. But somehow, he still looked incredibly, undeniably handsome, it wasn't fair. Especially because I was basically wearing pajamas, my hair was up in a mess of a bun and I had no makeup on.

I close the door behind him, taking a breath to brace myself before I turn around to face him. He starts pacing a little, then he stops, turns and glares down at me.

I felt very small.

"What. The. Hell Isabella!" he roars, emphasizing each word. I flinch.

"I'm sorry-" I try but he cuts me off, plowing onward.

"You cannot send me pictures like that! You cannot send anyone pictures like that! So many things could go wrong, you could send it to the wrong person, someone with the wrong intentions could get there hands on it! It was completely inappropriate and out of line. I thought you were smarter, how could you be so stupid?"

I then felt a flash of anger.

"Me? Stupid? Okay, first off, I feel like the way your responding isn't normal and second, I knew what I was doing, it's not the end of the world." I shout back and he only looks more infuriated at my words. This really was a mistake.

"What if you'd sent it to someone other than me by accident? What then? Did you think about that?" he asks forcefully, his voice still raised in anger.

"I wouldn't have let that happen, I am not dumb, regardless of what you think. And also, why the hell would you care? It's not like you actually give a shit about me!" I declare loudly and he looks taken-a-back for second. "What?" I hiss, catching on to his faltering demeanor. "It's true, we're not in any sort of relationship, you've made that much clear, for all you know, I could be sending that kind of stuff all over the place and you wouldn't have the right to know because its none of your god damned business!"

He fumed, you could practically see him breathing fire right now.

"I still don't like the idea of something like that ending up with someone else." he hisses and I smirk at him.

"Why?" I push and he narrows his bright eyes at me. "Come on, why does that make you upset? Why are you so angry right now? There has to be a reason, if you are really as cold and indifferent as you want me to believe you are, I suggest you give up on this and leave."

"Isabella-" he starts, his voice sounded oddly strained, for the first time since getting here, he glances away from my eye contact.

"Nathan, why does it upset you this much? Tell me." I continue, advancing on him and for a fraction of a second, he looked nervous.

"I- well, I just wouldn't want something like that to happen. Its only common sense." he tries and I shake my head, not buying it.

"Nice try, but I know why. It's because you actually do care, a tiny bit, and it scares you. So you continue to tell me you don't do relationships, that we're just friends. You insisted from day one, that you wanted nothing more than friendship, but that changed. Now you feel something and you won't admit it, but I figured it out." I say firmly, continuing to approach him.

"So what if what you're saying is true? I still don't want a relationship." he says, calmer now.

"Why don't you even give it a try?" I say, gentle this time. "I think it won't be as bad as you think it will be."

He stares at me for a long moment, the apartment finally silent after our shouting. I waited for him to say something, surprised at my own forcefulness before, surprised he was even here and surprised that maybe Racheal's plan had worked. He swallows, shaking his head before he grabbed me and kissed me. I gasped, colliding hard with his strong chest, but soon melted into him.

He swept me away, kissing the breath from my body and it was the first time I'd kissed him and felt something more than simple desire. It was still an empty kiss, but there was a hint, something there.

We break apart after several minutes of holding on to each other desperately, kissing, moaning and trying to get closer than ever to the other. I was short of breath when he let go of me, still keeping me close to his body but letting me get a hold of myself.

"I don't get you or what you do to me." he says, his voice raspy, deeper than I'd ever heard it. "Damn Isabella . . . "

"What'd you think when you saw it?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper and he grins down at me.

"I was in the middle of a presentation." he admits and I stifle a giggle. "I was showing some new information on a PowerPoint to the board and then my phone buzzed. I looked down and-" he pauses shaking his head. "I think what I said went something like 'Based on the quarterly reports and the information from the- holy fuck.'"

I laugh this time and he shakes his head again.

"I looked good then?" I persist and he gazes down at me, a ghost of a chuckle passing his lips.

"You looked hot- really fucking hot." He pauses thinking for a moment. "I mean even now, I can't stop thinking about it." he says honestly and I smile shyly up at him, still wrapped in his arms, his cologne filling the air around me.

"What are we Nathan? What is this?" I ask, getting more serious and his expression falters.

"I don't know, I want to try going out with you but I can't promise anything. I was happy with my life before, I didn't mind- well until you came along I had no interest in dating." he explains as best he could and for now, that was good enough for me. I reached up and kissed him, deciding to leave that conversation for a different time.

We kissed, things becoming more heated by the second and I suddenly knew what I wanted. His kisses become more desperate as his hands slide down over my butt and he lifted me effortlessly.

"Bedroom?" he asks breathlessly, his lips moving to my neck and I gasp, leaning my head back.

"Down the hall." I mumble and he turns, still holding me. He kisses me again, slowly making his way to the bedroom, kicking the door shut with his heal. He threw me on the bed, wasting no time in coming down over me, his strong body pinning my own to the bed.

His lips reach my neck again, in a spot just behind my ear that makes me sigh deeply. It felt so good that this was finally happening. His hands travel over my body, feeling every part of my body.

I gasp when his finger tips brush past my inner thigh. The skin there burns. And his lips come to meet mine again as he kisses me hotly.

I let my hands explore too, pushing his jacket off his shoulders, and he tosses it quickly to the floor. His tie goes next. And then finally his crisp shirt is gone too.

As my hands slide up his smooth torso, his hands find their way into my sweatshirt. He groans into our kiss as his hands travel up.

"Fuck." He mutters, and I rock my hips upward, which causes him to pull away to look down at me. I reach up, bringing my lips to his neck.

"God Isabella." He says, his voice deep. I push on his chest, rolling us so that I am on top now. Straddling him. I sit up, catching my breath for a second before I pull my sweatshirt over my head. Then I reach around, unclasping my bra and letting it fall to the side.

His eyes glaze over a bit, his gaze darkening. He sits up, his arms reaching around my waist and pulling me even closer to him. He is looking at me so intensely I can barely breathe. It's as if time has . . . slowed suddenly.

"I'm so glad this is happening." I whisper, and I gently take his face in my hands, one reaching farther into his hair a bit.

"Me too." He says. He smiles, running his fingers up my back. "You're so pretty." He mutters suddenly and I smile back. He'd never said anything like that to me.

"You're not so bad yourself." I say and he laughs. His laugh startles me, it was so . . . real. So not how I'd imagined it would be. I kissed him then, deeply.