Je t'adore

Chapter 10: S.O.S

Nathan opened the door to his pent house and was greeted by the sweet aroma of butternut squash ravioli. He threw his jacket into the coat closet and loosened his tie as he made his way to the kitchen counter.

"I see you let yourself in," he joked as he sat down on a kitchen stool.

Anabel placed a plate of butternut squash ravioli in a sage cream sauce in front of him, "And wasn't it a wise choice?"

"Very much so." Nathan picked up his fork and began to shovel food into his mouth. "I'm sorry you have to witness this," he joked.

"I've seen worse," Anabel laughed as she poured herself a glass of wine before taking a seat next to him.

Nathan paused, "Aren't you eating?"

Glancing at the plate of ravioli that was tempting her Anabel replied, "No, not really."

Nathan furrowed his brows, "When are you going to stop? Eat. You know, there's a reason why you have a billion restaurants open internationally. You cook the best food in the world! All you're doing is depriving yourself of one of God's many gifts. I know you're hungry. When you're around me you don't have to starve yourself. Do you understand?" Nathan slipped off of his stool and fixed Anabel a plate then placed it in front of her.

"I thought you were an atheist?"

Nathan uncapped a bottle of beer as he sat back down, "Potato-potato. Now, eat."

"Nathan," Anabel protested as she unconsciously glanced down at herself.

Nathan noticed the quick glance Anabel gave herself and frowned. He knew exactly what she was thinking and he completely disagreed with her. He saw nothing wrong with her. She was beautiful and almost every guy he knew was jealous of his relationship with her. She could wear a rice sack and still outshine everyone in the room. Her skin was flawless, her hair was long, pitch black and framed her face perfectly, her lips were small but full, she had long legs that were practically up to her neck, and icy blue eyes that were endless. Nathan placed the beer he was holding on the counter and brought his hand to her cheek.

"Anabel, you're beautiful in more ways than one."

Her cheek started to burn where he held her, "I . . .Nathan, please."

"No, don't you 'Nathan, please' me. Eat, now, or I won't eat either." Nathan pushed his plate away from him and folded his arms across his chest. They sat there in silence until the grumbling of Nathan's stomach broke the tension. Anabel burst out into laughter, "You're seriously that hungry?"

"Well, yeah, I kind of didn't eat all day," Nathan confessed embarrassingly.

"What am I going to do with you?" Anabel asked as she picked up her fork and began to eat.

Nathan flashed her a smile, "The better question is; what am I going to do without you." She nodded in reply with her cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk's.

"Mmmhhhhhh, this . . . is . . . . wow, I'm an amazing chef," Anabel said as she pointed to the ravioli.

Nathan laughed as he began to dig in too.

After three beers, two plates of ravioli and a glass of wine Nathan collapsed on his couch in content.

"What time is it," Nathan spoke as his words oddly came out slurred.

"11:30, you drunkard," Anabel teased.

"I'm not even the slightest tipsy," he protested.

"I've forgotten how much of a light weight you are."

Anabel began to cover Nathan with a blanket.

"Well, that's because you've been gone for so long." He pulled the blanket off of himself, "It's hot in here."

"It's going to get colder, you idiot. And I had to return back to London for my restaurant." Anabel took a seat opposite him on the recliner.

"For four months?"

"I needed. . . " Anabel paused.

"Time?" Nathan finished her sentence.

"Yes, time," she replied.

"You know, you never told me why you needed time."

"I needed to clear my head Nathan. Can talk about something else?"

"Okay," Nathan replied as he began to untie his tie.

"So, why'd you skip lunch?" Anabel asked changing the topic.

Nathan was suddenly reminded of a wavy haired brunette with charcoal eyes. He scoffed, "I'm fighting a one sided war, Ana."

Confused, Anabel asked, "Is it about the company? Nate, I told you not to overwork yourself."

"No," he sighed, "I crossed a line that I can't uncross. I let her in and she ran. Then, I acted like a spoiled child because she didn't reciprocate the same level of trust."

"Nate, what are you talking about?"

"I told Scarlet about my past. She was kind and listened." Anabel cut him off, "You told her about your past?"

"Crazy, right? I've only known her for a few weeks yet I've opened up about stuff that I've only told to you. She gave me advice Ana and," he laughed, "she comforted me . . . . but then she ran. I screwed up and she ran. And this morning she came in and acted like it all never happened. I was fuming. I made myself vulnerable to her and then she treated me like I was nothing more than her employer." He threw his hands in the air dramatically.

"Nate," Anabel held back her words as she decided whether she really wanted to know the answer, "Do you want to be more than that?"

Nathan covered his face and exhaled, "I don't know. . . .I think I'm too drunk for this conversation."

Anabel smiled, got up and covered Nathan again, "You're sappy when you're drunk. Sleep. I'll tell the main desk to give you a wakeup call."

Nathan grabbed Anabel's wrist as she turned to leave, "Don't go."

"It's late, Nate."

"No, just a while longer," he yawned.

Anabel looked down at Nathan in his disheveled state. His once neatly combed hair was now a tousled mess. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his shirt was unbuttoned at the collar. She drank him in. He looked rugged in this state, he looked like he did the first night she met him. He even had a light shadow. Ana bent down and took a seat next to Nathan on the floor. She ran her hands through the shaggy rug.

"Ana?"

"Yes?"

Nathan turned towards her and smelt her hair. "You smell like coconuts," he said smiling slightly, "I like it."

Anabel could feel her cheeks burning from his comment, "Why's that?" she asked still looking down at her fingers as they ran through the rug.

Nathan was caught in such a drowsy state that all he could manage out was a mumble. Between the slurred manner he spoke in and the sedative effects of sleep, his words were indiscernible, except one. "Scarlet."

Anabel sat, looking at the face of the broken boy she saw grow into a strong man.

"Scarlet," she repeated softly.

A smile fell on her lips, one which didn't reach her eyes.

"Good night, Nate," she whispered as she brushed his messy hair from his face.

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****What do we think about Ana? Do we still dislike her? :)****

-PennDragon <3