. (throwalifeline) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2020-01-14 16:04:00 |
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Entry tags: | #january 2018, jocelyn, jocelyn x nate, nate |
Who: Nate and Jocelyn
Where: Jocelyn’s House
When: Sunday morning, January 7
Status: Complete
Warnings: Turns NSFW
By the time Nate got home Sunday morning, he was too wound up to really sleep. The power in that room was nothing like he’d ever felt before, giving him a high that lasted long after he’d gone home and crawled into bed. Morning came way too soon and if he hadn’t previously made plans, he wouldn’t stayed in bed till the afternoon, till just before Dragonfly was set to open for the day. But he did have plans and didn’t want to reschedule if he didn’t have to. Maybe he’d even tell Jocelyn what had happened-- the short version, so he didn’t scare her off, though she didn’t seem like one that scared easily.
Nate was already nursing a cup of coffee when he knocked on her door, needing one to get moving after a brief nap. Making it through the day on just a few hours sleep was never fun, but he’d make it work. If things were really slow, he might even crash in his office for a bit. Sage could run the bar, but since that weird day last week Nate wasn’t all that sure about leaving him in charge unsupervised.
Jocelyn had been awake for a while now, cooking. She had tossed out a couple failed dishes, but by the time Nate knocked on the door, things were looking, and smelling, pretty good. After a rather busy New Year's, Jocelyn was looking forward to spending a bit of time with Nate and then enjoying the rest of her day off. It was nice not really having anything else to do. Everyone needed a day to be lazy, in her opinion.
The food was more or less finished and Jocelyn hurried to the front door to unlock it and pull it open, greeting him with a smile. "Hey, come on in." Jocelyn stepped back out of his way. "How are things?"
“Things are good. Better than they’ve been in a while,” Nate said and hugged her impulsively. He wasn’t usually a touchy-feely person with people he wasn’t close to, but he found he wanted to do it and hoped she was okay with it. He followed her inside, the smell of breakfast making his stomach rumble in anticipation. “I feel like I was supposed to bring something, but I could not for the life of me think of what it was. If it’s something major, I promise in advance to make it up to you.”
Jocelyn was a little surprised by the hug, but in a nice way. She was pretty sure the only hugs she had been receiving lately were from Jacob and Sage and her dad. Those were all nice, of course, but it felt decidedly different coming from someone she was attracted to. When they pulled apart she led him into the kitchen. "No, it's totally fine. I think I made plenty. I just made coffee too, if you need a fresh cup." Jocelyn motioned to the table if he wanted to sit while she went back to the small counter to put their plates together. All she could do was hope the eggs benedict tasted as good as it looked. "Late night?" Jocelyn asked with a grin as she glanced at him over her shoulder. "You look a little tired."
“I could do with a fresh cup,” Nate nodded as he took a seat at the table. Breakfast smelled amazing, but he could definitely do with a fresh cup of coffee. He had the feeling it was going to fuel him through the day. “Yeah,” he laughed softly. “There’s been a lot of drama in my family lately and shit that’s been building for centuries finally hit the fan this weekend. We finally got it all resolved, but now I feel a little out of touch with reality. Or normality. Whichever. I’m not sure either really exists around here.” He was torn between telling her everything and keeping his mouth shut. On one hand, it was airing out all his dirty laundry in a sense-- though it wasn’t really his-- but on the other it would’ve been really nice to talk to someone for once. He spent his days listening to other people and their problems, but it was rare that he could confide in anyone himself.
Jocelyn brought both plates to the table first and then pulled down two clean coffee cups to pour for both of them. She was definitely intrigued by his answer, because generally if she'd had a late night it was because of work, or she had been out with a man or friends. Centuries-old family issues was definitely something out of the ordinary. Jocelyn sat and set the coffee cups on the table, her eyes on his face. "I can tell you with quite a bit of confidence that no, normality does not exist in this town. That's not always a bad thing, but more often than not, well..." She picked up her fork to dig into breakfast. "Do you want to talk about it? I can pinky swear not to tell a soul, if that's what you want." She lifted one pinky and arched a brow expectantly.
There were better ways to ensure someone kept a secret than a pinky swear, but Nate didn’t think threatening Jocelyn with a hex was the way to go, so he grinned and hooked his pinky with hers. “Just keep it between us. The other people involved would be pissy if they knew I told anyone,” he said, giving her finger a little squeeze before releasing it. “I’m gonna try and keep this short and sweet, but there’s a lot to cover, so if I’m not making sense, tell me so,” he said, then took a few bites before getting started. It was as good as it smelled and it was probably good that he had something to talk about or he’d have scarfed it all down at once. “So, last time we talked, you asked if there were any bad witches in town. And while there’s a few that I find kind of sketchy, but I don’t think they’re evil. Last night I think we all got our first real taste of one that was.” Reagan might argue differently, that they’d been dealing with Baron for years, but Nate would argue that it wasn’t first hand. Before it had just been her curse. It wasn’t until they’d broken it and released her, allowing her to steal Reagan’s magic in the process, that things had gotten out of hand.
“Something like three hundred years ago, a witch named Abigail Baron cursed my family and the D’Onofrios. I don’t have the faintest clue why, but it’s been passed down to each generation like a self destructive love spell. Reagan and Caius finally managed to break the curse a month or two ago, but in doing so Baron’s spirit somehow got released from whatever was keeping her contained,” Nate said. He was summarizing quite a bit, leaving out lots of important details, but they’d be there all day if he tried to recall all of it. “She latched herself onto one of descendants, I think he’s a high school senior, and started attacking us. Last week she knocked my mother out and stole some of her blood. We were lucky she didn’t kill her. Then, Friday afternoon, she tried to kill Caius and blundered it.”
That was a lot to take in and digest, and Jocelyn watched Nate as he spoke, only occasionally taking a bite from her breakfast. It was so bizarre to hear about the things that went on in town, right under all of their noses. Jocelyn spent most of her days serving alcohol in a bar while curses and evil witch spirits were infesting other people. What a strange fucking town. Even so, her brow arched when Nate said someone had tried to kill Caius. She thought the guy was a dick, but she certainly didn't wish anyone dead. "So what happened? Is he all right?"
“He’s fine. Luckily, he figured out what was going on in the process, otherwise… it wouldn’t have been good for the McCarthy kid,” Nate said, shaking his head. If Caius hadn’t figured out that the kid was hosting Reagan’s magic along with Baron, Nate suspected Caius might’ve killed him. It was hard to say at this point, but Nate was glad it hadn’t gone that way for all involved. “This happened sometime Friday afternoon. Sometime after that the kid went missing and my sister started contacting each of the six families to come together and form a coven, which hasn’t been done in forever. There was a ritual that we had to perform to exorcise the spirit, then another to give my sister her magic back. Oh yeah, forgot that part. The bitch stole her magic, which I didn’t even know was possible.” Nate went on to explain the ritual, how it went down and the feeling it left behind. He rarely felt like a witch in his daily life. He didn’t perform spells on the fly and generally preferred to perform magic solo. But being a part of the coven last night had been exhilarating and he’d jump on board to do it again anytime.
That was... quite a bit to deal with. Jocelyn's lips were parted slightly as she studied him, trying to figure out how on earth he could be telling her like it was nothing. Well, not like it was nothing, but like something he had to deal with often. Maybe he did. Maybe all the witches in this town were dealing with magical fuckery on a daily basis. Jocelyn just thought her house was haunted, maybe by the ghost of her high school boyfriend. "That's crazy," she said finally, huffing out a soft laugh before she shook her head. "I mean, it's fascinating, but also crazy." Jocelyn blinked, realizing what time it was, and that this had just happened to him. "I can't believe you showed up," she said after a moment. "You must be exhausted. Honestly, I wouldn't have been upset if you had wanted to reschedule this, Nate. Are you all right?"
“I’m okay,” Nate laughed lightly. “Exhausted, but… I dunno, the whole thing kind of wound me up and I couldn’t really sleep. It’s kinda just starting to hit me, but I didn’t want to be that guy that asks for a rain check a the last minute. Even for a ritual exorcism.” Gods, no wonder he couldn’t keep girls around. His life was so weird once people got past the normal, every day facade. But Jocelyn didn’t seem scared or overwhelmed, so maybe her threshold for the bizarre was higher. He smiled back at her. “I also really wanted to see you. That this is amazing is a plus.” Some people thought they could cook, but couldn’t. Apparently Jocelyn really could, but even if she’d been shitty in the kitchen he was right where he wanted to be.
"For the record, I would have totally accepted ritual exorcism as an excuse to bail," Jocelyn said with a laugh. "But I'm glad you came over, even if you eat and need to leave to take a nap." She was guessing he had to work later, so it really was sweet that he still showed up even after having a rather eventful night. At least the food tasted good. It would have sucked to have him over, exhausted and hungry, only to eat something crappy. Jocelyn set her fork down and reached out to pick up her water glass to take a sip. "I had forgotten how difficult dating could be in this town. It feels like there's always something out there to complicate things."
“Definitely makes it harder to plan things,” Nate grinned. “I normally try to hold off on all the witchy-magic stuff until later, but it’s really nice to be able to talk to you about it.” It had been a while since he went into any kind of relationship that open about who and what he was. Normally it was something to work up to, where Nate tried to feel a person out to make sure they could handle it first, but Jocelyn had jumped ahead and it felt like a good thing for once. “Anything new going on with you? Nothing too bizarre, I hope.”
Jocelyn could understand how difficult it might be to have to introduce the whole witch thing into a relationship, especially if that person didn't know magic was real. But how could anyone live in Point Pleasant for more than a few months and not know what happened around here? Then again, Jocelyn hadn't really bought into the whole cursed town thing until something horrible had happened to her and her friends, so... maybe ignorance was bliss and people chose to stay that way. "Nothing too bizarre here. Certainly nothing on the level of an exorcism," she said with a small smile. "I've just been working and trying to get this place feeling like a somewhat decent place to live. Hanging out with Jacob and Sage when I can... and when Sage isn't working, at least." She shot Nate a playful look. "It all sounds boring, but honestly, I'm okay with boring right now."
“Boring can be good around here. I know what’s like to get a house in order. Sometimes I feel like I’m still working on mine and I’ve had it for a while now.” Nate knew part of his problem was that he placed Dragonfly before his house, but one provided his income and the other didn’t. If he had project work to do on both, the bar would come first. At mention of Sage, he drummed his fingers on the table, hesitant for a moment before moving forward. “I know it’s none of my business, and I try not to get into the personal lives of the people that work for me, but is Sage doing okay?” The guy had been incredibly apologetic for his outburst the week before and Nate had brushed it aside, willing to put it behind them, but he just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Jocelyn made good tips, but she didn't have a lot of money to put into the house for the kind of things she would prefer. She had to pay rent and everything first. But her parents were helping her out as much as they could, probably because they wanted Jocelyn to stay in town, especially now that the holidays were over. Still, it was kind of nice adding her own touches here and there. Maybe someday she would find the motivation to replace the carpet and things like that. Jocelyn chewed a bit of her food thoughtfully when he mentioned Sage, and she took a quick sip of water to wash it down before answering. "I think so? I haven't spoken to him in a couple of days beyond a couple of texts here and there. Why do you ask?"
“He kinda… He blew up the other day,” Nate said, deciding just to lay it all out. “He was snapping at customers over nothing and eventually got into a fight with one of ‘em. I had to send him home and he didn’t exactly leave quietly. I found out later that the police picked him up. He doesn’t know I know that part.” It was hard to keep a secret in Point Pleasant though, especially if you were raving down Main Street like a lunatic. If Nate had run a normal bar, he would’ve fired Sage on the spot, but instead he was worried. “He shouldn’t have been able to get that riled up in Dragonfly. The magic in there’s not super strong or anything, but that’s what it’s supposed to prevent. I dunno what happened. He came in the next day and apologized, but… I’m kind of worried about him.”
Concerned, Jocelyn frowned, momentarily forgetting her food. "That doesn't sound like Sage at all. He's usually pretty laid back." The police picked him up? For a moment she wondered why he hadn't told her, but then, if Jocelyn had been arrested, she probably wouldn't have picked up the phone to tell everyone she knew either. Did Jacob know? Jocelyn set her fork down, resisting the urge to find her phone to text Sage and ask if he was all right. "Maybe I'll talk to him," Jocelyn said. "See if there's something going on. Maybe he was just having a rough day. But, considering where we live, it could be something more. Maybe he'll talk to me... if not, maybe Jacob."
“If we lived anywhere else, I wouldn’t have mentioned it,” Nate said. “I’m his boss, I don’t want to go poking around in his personal life and we’re all allowed to have bad days, but if something’s weirdly wrong, let me know. If I can’t help, I might know someone who can.” He didn’t expect Sage to open up to him, but he could tell that he was close to Jocelyn and Jacob. They’d probably pick up on what was going on sooner than he would. “He’s been in since then and seemed fine. A little run down when he gets there, but it doesn’t take long before he perks up.”
"I understand that." Jocelyn nodded, already thinking she would text Jacob later and see if he knew what was up. If he didn't, she would talk to Sage directly. "He's been through a lot. I mean, I'm sure everyone has. And I know he's glad we're back, Jacob and me, but I'm sure having us move home at the same time has probably been difficult with, you know... memories and everything." Jocelyn reached for her coffee. "Hopefully it's nothing serious, but if it is, I'll let you know." That is, as long as it was something that could be helped. She didn't want to make any assumptions.
“Did you guys keep in touch much after you left?” Nate thought they’d all probably come home for the holidays and maybe seen each other then, but this was probably different, actually putting in some roots to stay for a while. He wasn’t sure about Jacob, but he didn’t imagine that Jocelyn was going to pack up at the drop of a hat if she’d gotten herself a house. He supposed that could trigger something, all of them being together again, but this wasn’t all of them. If he remembered right, there had been five of them.
"Sort of," Jocelyn said with a subtle grimace. "For a while, anyway. And then mostly through social media, you know? We all kind of spread out except for Sage, and after a couple of years, life sort of got in the way. I didn't keep in touch with everyone as much as I should have. But when something traumatic happens, sometimes the easiest thing to do is to run away and ignore it. Easy, but not overly healthy." She gave Nate a small, humorless smile. "There are still people in this town that think we're all murderers. I know it's not the kind of conversation we should be having over brunch, especially with the kind of night you had, but... I mean, if we want to keep seeing each other, you should probably know that, if you don't already."
“There are people in this town that think I’m a witch,” Nate reminded her. “Difference is, they’re right about me, but it’s none of their business. I’ve heard the rumors, but… the truth is really all that matters to me.” He knew this wasn’t normal brunch conversation, but neither was a ritual exorcism. Nate would rather have genuine conversation than try to conform to society’s expectations. “You don’t strike me as a murderer. I could be wrong, but somehow I doubt it. Statistically, if five people commit a murder together, they won’t be able to sync their stories up. Evidence will come out. But it didn’t. So unless you tell me otherwise, I’d like to keep seeing you.”
His words helped her relax, and Jocelyn knew Nate was being sincere. She thought about her first night back in town, going to Moxie's with Jacob and being stared at. Not everyone in town believed the conclusion of the police investigation... even some of the cops had been convinced Jocelyn and her friends had done something to Grayson. And something had happened, but no one would have believed them had they told the truth. Jocelyn realized that if dating Nate eventually turned into something serious, she would have to tell him the truth, but right now, it felt delicate and she didn't want to pile more of her baggage onto his shoulders. Was it wrong to want to just enjoy this for a while? "I would like to keep seeing you too," Jocelyn admitted, allowing herself to smile now that she didn't feel so tense. "Even if the occasional ritual exorcism gets in the way of any future plans." She was teasing him, of course, because she doubted what had happened to Nate the night before was a frequent thing.
“There’s none scheduled in the near future, so we should be good,” Nate grinned back at her. He couldn’t imagine them needing to perform the ritual they’d performed last night ever again and if they did then they were clearly doing something wrong. People shouldn’t be getting possessed by spirits on a regular basis. Nate hoped that she would eventually talk to him about it all, if they ended up becoming serious, but that was the future and he wasn’t going to worry about it now. He didn’t need to know and if she opted not to, then he could live with it. He didn’t want his past to define him and felt she deserved the same. “I keep wanting to ask you out for drinks, then remember that we work at both bars in town. So maybe dinner sometime soon?”
Jocelyn drew one leg up, comfortably resting her heel on the edge of her chair as she kept hold of the warm coffee cup between her hands. She really needed to do something about the windows. It got way too drafty, and that wouldn't do in the middle of a Maine winter. Thankfully her body felt warm, probably because she was attracted to the man sitting across from her, and clearly pleased that he seemed to feel the same way. "Dinner is good," Jocelyn said, appreciating that he didn't want to take her to a bar on a mutual evening off. They could always have a drink at whatever restaurant they ended up at. "Your schedule is probably more tight than mine is, so just let me know what works best for you and I'll make sure I'm available. I'm not going to say anything else for fear that I'll jinx something, like this town will be listening and them dump five feet of snow on whatever day we pick to go out."
“We’ll figure something out. But you’re right, setting a date and time now is like asking for something to get in the way,” Nate smiled as he finished his coffee. He knew they’d make it happen if they really wanted to see each other. Fridays and Saturdays were harder for him, but he assumed that was true for her too. Earlier in the week would always be better, since the bar was less busy. “I just hope it’s something like five feet of snow. That’s a little easier to deal with. You have plans for the rest of the day?” He hated that he needed to go to work, but he couldn’t just close down shop because he had a long night. At least they closed earlier today and he could go home and rest a bit.
"True. I could handle getting snowed in for a day or two." That would be better than dealing with terrifying fog and whatever it was living in it. "As long as I remembered to stock up on firewood and groceries," she added with a grin. "But no, no plans. I've the whole day off which is nice. I may go visit my parents, but other than that, it's kind of nice not having to be anywhere. Are you going to have some time before work to go home and sleep?" He did look tired, and she couldn't imagine it would be easy managing the bar later with everything that had happened in the last day or so.
Nate checked his watch, something he really tried not to do during a date, but he couldn’t really answer her question without knowing what time it was. “I think I’ve got some time to go home and nap for a bit before going in. Things are usually slow after the holidays, especially on a Sunday and when it’s this cold out. It’s not great for business, but I could use the break, so I don’t mind.” Reluctantly, he set his napkin aside and gave her a little smile. “I should probably get going, otherwise I might just crash on your couch,” he teased.
"For what it's worth, you're free to crash anywhere you want," Jocelyn replied, feeling a little flirty. It was a nice feeling. Something normal, and much more in line with the kind of person she was... or at least used to be before all the bad stuff. It had been a long time since Jocelyn had been on a date, but she wasn't about to try and seduce a guy hours after he participated in a ritual exorcism. Only in Point Pleasant could that particular thought not be ridiculous and crazy. "But I'm not going to force that on you. It's a pretty lumpy couch and I know you must be exhausted." Jocelyn set her coffee cup on the table. "I'm really glad you came over though. Do you want any fresh coffee to take with you?"
Nate grinned, the desire to take her up on that offer warring up against real exhaustion. If he ended up on her couch, he might try and drag her there with him and, as much as he wanted that, he knew he’d pay for it later. But it would be worth it. Nate was about to give in when she continued talking and the moment had passed. There was a touch of disappointment that he hadn’t moved quicker, given in to see what might happen, but he knew there would be other opportunities. “I’m gonna pass this time. If I have any more, I’ll be too caffeinated to sleep,” Nate said, then rose to his feet. “Thank you so much for having me. And for fixing breakfast. It was great.”
Jocelyn rarely thought timing was everything, because she liked to be spontaneous and go with whatever felt good in the moment, but circumstances being what they were, Jocelyn didn't want to push her luck with Nate. Although admittedly it would have been a pretty great day if he hadn't had to work... and he hadn't had such an exhausting night. But they would have dinner soon, and then who knew what would happen. Hopefully something they both would enjoy. Jocelyn moved to stand with him, leaving her coffee on the table so she could walk with him to the door. "You're welcome. I'm honestly glad I had a reason to make some actual food instead of just eating cereal. But next time we'll let someone else do the cooking for us," she said with a grin.
It was one of those instances where Nate hated being an adult. A younger version of himself would have shirked all responsibility and called in sick later, screw work, his boss would just have to deal. But somewhere along the way, he’d become the boss and now there were people depending on him to show up, even if he dozed in the back at some point. Some days it was great not having to report to anyone, but right now it sucked. “That sounds like a plan,” Nate smiled and walked with her to the door, then stopped just short of leaving. He took a step towards her, so that she was close enough to touch. “Maybe I’ll try my hand at making you breakfast sometime,” he said, eyes unconsciously flicking to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Not sure if I can compete with today, but I promise it’ll be more than black coffee.”
Jocelyn could absolutely relate to frustrations in adulthood. She didn't have near as many responsibilities as Nate did, but she knew the days of doing whatever she wanted, whenever and wherever she wanted, were probably over. That didn't mean she didn't still feel those impulses simmering beneath the surface, and she knew she would end up going crazy if she didn't occasionally give into them. If she was going to have a home of her own, and a steady enough job, that was fine. But Jocelyn wanted to take pleasure out of life wherever she could, especially in this town. And maybe that was where Nate came into play. Her pulse quickened when Nate moved in close to her, and she kept her gaze on his, a knowing smile playing at her lips. "I'd like that. Hopefully after a night of something much more enjoyable than ritual exorcisms."
“I can think of a few things,” Nate grinned, then slipped his hand in to rest on her waist as his lips captured her own. He’d been wanting to do so since the first time he met her, but he hadn’t been sure things would head in this direction. Now it felt like electricity running through his body and he completely regretted not taking her up on the offer to rest on the couch. After a moment, he deepened the kiss, willing to bet that wouldn’t be too much just because this was the first. It had been a while since Nate had dated anyone, work often getting in the way as well as the secrets that came with being who he was, but he felt good about Jocelyn. They seemed to be on the same page from the start and that was often the hardest part.
It definitely wasn't too much for a first kiss. In fact, it was just perfect, and Jocelyn lifted her hands to rest on his forearms, liking the way he tasted. Of course she knew he would be a good kisser. It would be criminal if a guy who looked like Nate couldn't kiss. Her body was immediately warm and tingly, and that was an even better sign. Jocelyn had had too many first kisses that left her feeling nothing. But now? She definitely felt something, and she was tempted to ask him to stay for a few hours, at least. Even if she couldn't, she wanted to kiss him for just a minute more at least, and Jocelyn brought one hand up to curl her fingers around the nape of his neck to hold him there for a moment.
A minute more was fine by Nate and he could already feel his resolve to be a responsible adult chipping away. As his tongue slid against hers, he decided he could get by on large amounts of coffee, that he'd rather kiss her for hours than stand behind his bar fully conscious. It was the Sunday following New Year's Eve; who in their right mind needed a drink right now? It was so much easier to rationalize staying when she was pressed up against him, her hand on his neck an invitation to pull her even closer. With his heart pounding in his chest and his body beginning to ache for more, Nate allowed things to build, despite knowing it was probably time to go. If he had to crash in his office after opening the bar, so be it.
Knowing he had to work was probably part of what made kissing him so wonderfully torturous. Her body was responding swiftly, waking up in a way that reminded her of how long it had been since she had been touched by a guy who wasn't solely a friend. She got affection regularly from Jacob and Sage, but nothing like this. And physical contact with another human being was so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. So if they continued to kiss and work each other up into a frenzy before having to stop... well, that would just make the anticipation to see each other again greater. That's what Jocelyn told herself anyway. Because she was gripping the front of his jacket with her fist now, feeling a bit breathless. He tasted really good, and felt really good and maybe she had been missing this kind of human contact much more than she realized.
The taste of her was intoxicating and Nate was well on his way to getting drunk on her. His hands slid back around to grip her ass as he nipped at her lips, thoughts of keeping this short and sweet falling by the wayside. His brain instead provided a myriad of other possibilities--Jocelyn up against the wall, on the kitchen counter, on the sofa-- all of which told him it'd been far too long since he'd gotten laid if he couldn't reign it in a little. But the way she was clinging to him told him he wasn't alone in grappling with desire and the thought of having her against her front door in broad daylight warred with common sense. "I could stay a while," he muttered, willing to put that out there when it was really all he wanted at the moment.
With the way he was kissing her, and where his hands were roaming, Jocelyn realized it was going to be really hard to say goodbye, even if it was only for a few days. Then again, with the way he was kissing her, she was starting to wonder if she could get him to stay. Then he spoke and Jocelyn smiled against his mouth, her hands already moving to push his jacket off of his shoulders. "Yes, please," she murmured. Screw work, and adulting and responsibilities. Jocelyn wanted this and at the moment, she was feeling needy and selfish enough to not care about anything else. The best part was that Nate seemed to be on the same page.
Though Nate hadn’t had a wink of sleep in almost twenty-four hours, Jocelyn’s lips on his were like a jolt of adrenaline, forcing any thoughts of sleep to the back of his mind. Now all he could think about was having more of her, more skin to kiss and touch, more of her body pressed up against his. There was probably a line he shouldn’t cross, considering this was possibly their first date and definitely their first kiss, but Nate had no idea where the appropriate place was to stop and decided he’d rather just push his luck and let her tell him. His hands slid under the hem of her shirt, seeking the slender skin of her waist, and he kissed her again before moving his kisses from her lips to her neck. As much as he liked to kiss, he also liked to explore and that’s what his lips and tongue were best used for.
If he had asked where the line was, Jocelyn wasn't sure she would have been able to tell him. She hadn't done the dating thing in so long, and while she understood there was a process to it for most people, she couldn't seem to care much about following along. Especially with his mouth on her neck, causing her to shiver pleasurably. Jocelyn felt more alive than she had in weeks, and that was definitely saying something. And since he got to touch her, she felt it was only fair to get to do the same. Her hands slid down beneath his shirt, enjoying the feel of his bare skin against her fingers. Even fully dressed Jocelyn knew he had a nice body, but it was a different experience being able to feel it underneath her palms. Without much thought, she began to tug it up, hoping he would let her take it off so she could see everything she was touching.
Nate had never been body shy. If a girl wanted him to take his clothes off, he’d easily comply, no hesitation. Jocelyn’s hands pulling at his clothes had been hot, but feeling them slide along his skin sent shivers through him, quickening his breath and stirring up arousal. As his shirt fell to the floor, he went for hers as well, feeling it was only fair, but doubting she would protest. He knew things were moving fast, but so long as they were on the same page he didn’t see a problem with it. It felt good to be with someone again, let alone someone as attractive as Jocelyn, and they could always take it slow another time. Dropping her shirt to the floor, one of Nate’s hands moved up to cup her breast, thumbing the nipple through her bra. That needed to come off, but it was fun to play a little first.
Jocelyn was not going to protest getting undressed at all, and she helped him get her shirt off of her body before her hands slid around his waist again. His skin was warm and she could only imagine how nice it would feel having his full weight pressed against her. If they were moving too fast, Jocelyn couldn't bring herself to care. A part of her was afraid that if they slowed down, he would stop touching her and god, she didn't want that to happen. Her nipples hardened under his touch, triggering a deeper ache inside of her. Jocelyn felt heavy with sharp arousal now and she caught his lips with her own again, her hands moving to tug at his belt and the button of his jeans. It felt a bit liberating to just let herself go and enjoy whatever Nate was willing to give her. She was starting to feel a little desperate for him, and she hoped that he wasn't the kind of guy to ditch out as soon as he got laid, because already she wanted this to happen again, when they were both more patient and had time to go slow and really explore each other. Maybe if she hadn't felt so pent up she would have slowed it down now, but as it was, Jocelyn couldn't argue with the need that seemed to pulse through her, and unless she was completely projecting, it felt like Nate felt the same.
There was nothing in this world that would stop Nate from touching her at this point, if anything it was that he wanted more of her. He just didn’t have enough hands to be everywhere at once, forcing him to choose one thing at a time. He pinched her nipples as they hardened, then slid one hand inside her bra to feel the fullness of her breast as the other hand reached back to work on the clasp. He smiled against her mouth as he felt it come loose, then slid the straps down her arms, loving the feel of her bare chest pressed against him. Sometime, when he wasn’t feeling so desperate to be inside her, he’d give each tit the attention it deserved. Now though, he needed to get started on her pants, his own now loose enough to push down over his hips. Nate belatedly realized he still had his boots on, but stopping to unlace them wasn’t likely to happen. As soon as her pants were unfastened, his hands were moving on her skin again, over her hips, then sliding into her pants to grab her bare ass and pull her up against him. “You feel so fuckin’ good,” he muttered happily, his arousal full and aching for more.
It felt so good to be touched again and to touch someone who clearly wanted her. And honestly, she missed being undressed by a man too. It was something Jocelyn had always found erotic, especially when there was this need driving them both. There was absolutely something to be said for being able to stretch out on a bed to explore one another at their own pace, but Jocelyn couldn't deny that this kind of heart-pounding, impatient arousal was just as sexy to her. It made her feel desirable and that was something that had been missing from her life for months. Nate's hands were everywhere and it was exquisite. His chest was solid and warm against her own and Jocely moaned into his mouth, her hands working frantically now at pushing his jeans and boxer briefs down his hips to free his cock. Unable to wait until his jeans were past his thighs, Jocelyn wrapped her fingers around him, moaning into his mouth at how hard and hot he was in her palm. Honestly, she couldn't wait for this to happen again, when they had enough time and patience for Jocelyn to get down on her knees and drive him crazy with her mouth. "You feel pretty damn good yourself," she murmured with a smile against his lips.
Nate groaned against her lips as her fingers wrapped around his cock, desire beginning to cloud his ability to think. He wanted her here, now, crying out as he pounded into her, and all that mattered was how to get there. His hips rocked in her hand as he pushed her pants down further, needing them off to really get what he wanted, then hitched one of her legs up around his. As close as she was, he could feel the heat of her pussy and his fingers dipped down to press between the folds and tease at her clit. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so desperate to have someone, pushed to the point where his body was driving without any input from his mind, but it felt good to just give in for once, to throw caution to the wind and give in to carnal desire. There would be a time for slow exploration, for crawling between her legs and making her cum with his tongue, but part of the excitement of the moment was how fast things were going, how all that mattered was them and how high they could take each other in that moment.
Sometimes Jocelyn really envied men. All they had to do was push down their pants and they were good to go, but women had to wear skirts or at least get one leg out of their pants to make it work, depending on the position. Jocelyn didn't want to go anywhere else either, so she was willing to put up with the extra work of getting her pants down to her feet so she could kick them to the side and out of the way. She was completely bare now and shivering, though not from the perpetual draft in the house. She was too turned on to feel anything but sublime heat pulsing through her. Her hands slid over his stomach and up to his chest and then his shoulders, where she clung with her hands when he lifted her leg up. And then his fingers were sending tiny shocks of pleasure through her and Jocelyn couldn't keep quiet as a low moan escaped her lips. She didn't know Nate as well as she wanted to yet, but she had gotten the impression that he was a guy who would want to take things slow before this happened. That hadn't bothered Jocelyn in the least, but goddamn, it was a nice surprise to find he was somewhat unpredictable. Honestly, it just made her want him more, and Jocelyn pressed her short nails into his shoulders, trying to draw him even closer to her. "Please," she breathed, rocking her hips against his hand. "I don't think I can wait anymore."
Nate knew that there was normally pacing to these things, that if he wanted to do it ‘right’ then he’d wait until at least the third date to fuck, but when it came down to he didn’t give a rat’s ass what other people thought was the right way to do things, especially when it came to relationships. He’d seen enough people do things by the book and fail horribly, so he’d rather do what felt right to him, depending on the person. He’d thought he’d wait with Jocelyn, at least long enough to get a feel for what she wanted, but it was pretty damn clear they both wanted to be fucking in the front entry and that was fine by him. Holding her thigh with one hand, he backed her up against the wall and grabbed his cock with the other, and wasted no time in slipping it between her legs. Nate gasped as he pushed inside her, pausing for only a second before he began to thrust, maintaining the almost frantic pace they’d already set. She was so deliciously wet that he doubted this would last long for either of them, but he intended to make take full advantage of it while he could. His mouth moved back to her neck, kissing and nipping, a tiny bit of teeth to match the cut of her nails in his skin. This was the image of her he wanted to take away today, writhing with desire and desperate for more.
The only pacing Jocelyn cared about was the pace of Nate's hips and how hard he was thrusting into her. His taste and scent surrounded her, and Jocelyn couldn't think about anything else. All that mattered was how he felt pressed against her, inside of her and beneath her fingertips. His teeth at her neck sent fresh waves of heat directly to her core and she moaned loudly, working her hips against his the best that she could in her limited position. Jocelyn had always been an active participant in sex. She loved moving against a man, touching him everywhere she could possibly reach. But it was damn sexy to be pressed up against the wall, and Jocelyn could only hope this wasn't a one time thing, and that this would happen again in other rooms, on different surfaces. Jocelyn gripped the back of his shoulders, her neck tilted to give his mouth all the access to her skin that it wanted. It had been so long since she had been with someone that she was sure she was going to explode from how fucking good it felt.
Against the wall might not’ve been the easiest place to have sex, but Nate was too wrapped up in Jocelyn to even consider moving somewhere more comfortable. There would be time for that later, he hoped, time to try out every room of her house, her couch and kitchen table, her shower and, of course, her bed. There were so many possibilities, but they had to start somewhere and there was nowhere better but here in his estimation. Her body fit perfectly against his, her hips rocking with every thrust he made, matching his rhythm as he moved harder and faster. He loved the way her hands raked over his skin and hoped to sometime do the same to her, when his hands weren’t tied up in keeping them vertical. What his hands couldn’t do, his mouth made up for, trailing kisses and little bites down her neck and to her shoulder, just rough enough to give that edge that felt so delicious while fucking. Her scent enveloped up, her slick, wet heat pulling him deeper towards that place where he became a creature of feeling. He craved more of her, to hear her cry out and come around him, and he thrust harder, knowing it was what he wanted as well.
His lips and teeth sent sharp tremors through her body and she had always appreciated a man who wasn't scared to touch and kiss her the way he wanted to. There was something to be said for the addition of a little bit of pain during sex and Jocelyn's cries grew as she clung to Nate, her hands gripping his hair now as she felt that intense heat deep in her core begin to overwhelm her. She wasn't surprised that she was spiraling so quickly. It had been a while since she had been with a man, and even longer since she'd had good sex. And Nate was better than good. He was hitting just the right spot with every thrust and Jocelyn was helpless to stop the unraveling inside of her. When she came, it was with a strangled cry as her head fell back against the wall, her body shaking against his.
Nate could feel Jocelyn’s body begin to tremble and knew he wasn’t far behind her. The feeling was too frantic and it had been far too long since he’d last had sex for him to last as long as he’d like. Then again, he didn’t like to be the guy that went on forever after his partner came. That was only good for marathon sex sessions were they could go again and again and Nate knew for a fact his body couldn’t handle that today. His balls tightened up against his body as she cried out and Nate continued to thrust hard and fast, breathing ragged as he felt her clench around him. It was too much to handle and he came with a low groan, hands tightening their hold on her as he pumped a few more times inside her before beginning to slow. Nate buried his face in her neck, kissing more gently now, before slowly making his way back up to her lips.
Jocelyn's nails pressed into his shoulders and she held onto him, soft moans escaping her now as his body thrust harder, faster, until he was tensing against her body. She felt so insanely sated and nearly boneless, her body eager to find a soft place to stretch out, preferably curled around Nate, though she knew he had to leave. But she didn't regret any part of this. The release had been needed, probably for both of them, and she smiled softly, turning her face to meet his lips with her own. Her hands lifted to slide into his hair and she took her time kissing him, even as her blood cooled and her heartbeat began to find its regular rhythm again.
Nate’s hold on Jocelyn loosened as he slipped out of her, one arm curling loosely around her waist while the other hand made it’s way up into the hair at the nape of her neck. His heart was still racing, but he wanted to be lazy now, to bask in the afterglow of incredible sex for the rest of the day. It was a shame that that wasn’t on the table and he hated that he couldn’t just call in sick for the day. “I wish I could stay,” he muttered softly. “I will next time. Promise.” He didn’t want her to think he was one of those guys who ran out as soon as the sex was done. The next time this happened, and he hoped it was soon, he’d stick around.
Jocelyn had been with guys who seemed eager to leave as soon as the fucking was done, and for the most part, she hadn't minded it. But she was attracted to Nate, and not just in the physical sense, and it was something of a relief that he felt the same way. "It's okay," she assured him, brushing her nose against his in an affectionate way before reluctantly sliding her arms from his body so he could get his clothes back in place. "I would say I'm sorry for keeping you here longer than you probably meant to be, but... I'm not that sorry," she added with a knowing grin.
“I’m not either,” Nate grinned, enjoying the bit of playful affection. He was sure that they’d have a lot more fun together if given the time to do so. He’d find a way to make the time soon enough. As Nate pulled back to pull his pants up, he let his eyes rake up her body in appreciation. It really was a shame he didn’t have more time today. Hopefully she’d think a man who could be responsible was also sexy. “This is gonna sound cheesy, but you’re worth falling asleep behind the bar,” he teased.
Jocelyn laughed and then reached down to start picking up her own clothes that had been dropped and kicked aside. "That does sound cheesy, but I like it." She was disappointed that he had to go, but she also knew that they would see each other again soon. Despite their work schedules, if they wanted to do this again, they would find the time to make it happen. They had tentative plans for dinner soon too, so hopefully that would happen. "Hopefully things won't be terribly chaotic, and you can relax for a while."
They had difficult work schedules, but Nate figured they also had similar work schedules. He could handle late nights and waking up together, especially if it meant more of this over breakfast. And on their nights off, they could always have real dates, just not in bars. They spent enough time there already. “Sundays are usually easy,” Nate said as he picked up his shirt and pulled it over his head. “I just can’t not show up. It’s bad for business.”
Jocelyn thought of Gavin, and how he was at the bar often, though most nights she barely saw him unless they were short-staffed or someone like Miles needed a break. She knew he was working though. He just didn't like working with other people. Nate was by far more sociable, and she could understand his need to be at his place of business, even on slow days. She pulled on her clothes, though she had the thought that it might be relaxing to take a nice hot bath after he left. This was her day off, after all. After they were fully dressed, Jocelyn pushed up on her toes a bit to press another kiss to his lips. "I'll talk to you later," she murmured.
Dragonfly was doing well, but it was still a relatively new business comparatively and the last thing Nate needed was for customers to show up and find the doors locked. He didn’t really have an assistant manager or anyone else who could pick up the slack if he played hooky. He’d only recently hired on an extra bartender. Luckily, all he really had to do was show up today. The rest would sort itself out. With his clothes back in order, Nate found he couldn’t stall any longer. “See you soon,” he muttered, then kissed her one last time before heading out the door.