"She seems professional enough in meetings."

I chuckle ruefully. "Honey, of course she does. It's when we're alone that her claws come out."

"Why haven't you ever said anything?"

"What am I going to say? aCarly doesn't play nice and I don't like her'? It's not that serious, I've dealt with morons like her my whole life." I shake my head at him.

His eyes narrow and he cups my cheek in his palm. "She's jealous of you."

"I don't see why." I kiss his palm and lean my cheek into him. "She doesn't know about us, obviously, and she has the same job I do."

"You're gorgeous and intelligent and she knows that you out-cla.s.s her. You'll move up in our company far more quickly than she will. And she knows it." He brushes his thumb along my lower lip and I pucker my lips and kiss it.

"Well, it'll be interesting to see how long she keeps this story up."

"Julianne, if she says anything like that again you have to tell me. If she were to spread this rumor around the office, it would mean an investigation into me, and while I know that they wouldn't find any fault on my part, it's unnecessary drama."

"I want to kick her carrot-top a.s.s."

"Now that I would like to see." Nate laughs and I smack him on the shoulder.

"You're a perv."

"I'm a guy, babe."

"So," I straddle his lap and tangle my fingers in his soft, thick hair. His hands glide up my legs to cup my a.s.s. "You want to see other women naked, huh?"

"I didn't say that. I said I wanted to see you kick her a.s.s. If you both happened to be naked, who am I to complain?"

I chuckle against his lips and nibble the side of his mouth. He grips my hips and pulls my pelvis more tightly against his, and I can feel his erection through his jeans.

"I want you," I murmur. Nate growls and suddenly I'm on my back on the couch and he's hovering over me.

"I never stop wanting you," he responds. He pulls me up long enough to pull his shirt over my head and trails wet kisses down my throat to my b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

G.o.d, his lips are magical.

He pulls and tugs on my nipples, with both his lips and his fingers, and I'm writhing beneath him. I comb my fingers through his hair and hold on as he moves farther south, nibbles at my belly b.u.t.ton, and nudges my legs farther apart with his shoulders. He rips my panties off and throws them on the floor.

Oh. My. G.o.d.

"You have the prettiest pink p.u.s.s.y, baby." He licks my core, from my a.n.u.s to my c.l.i.t and my back bows up off the couch.

"f.u.c.k!"

"Easy." He cups my a.s.s in his hands and tilts my pelvis up toward his handsome face. He places a sweet, chaste kiss on my c.l.i.t and another on my l.a.b.i.a, and then he begins kissing me more deeply, swirling his tongue inside me, gently sucking me.

It's the most delicious thing I've ever felt.

"Oh, G.o.d, Nate." I'm still gripping his hair in my fingers. He moves his mouth up to my c.l.i.t and just pushes the flat of his tongue against it as he inserts two fingers inside me and pushes down gently. "Holy f.u.c.king s.h.i.t."

I feel him chuckle against me and I'm completely lost to the sensation between my legs. A thin coat of sweat covers my skin and I convulse as the o.r.g.a.s.m tears through me, leaving me wrecked.

Nate flips me effortlessly onto my stomach and pulls back on my hips, raising my a.s.s in the air. He slaps me, gently, as he guides his thick, hard c.o.c.k inside me and I cry out with shock.

He f.u.c.king spanked me!

I hope he does it again.

He has a tight grip on my hips as he slams into me, hard, over and over again.

"G.o.d, I love how tight you are," he growls and continues the steady, punishing rhythm. He's so deep inside me, and the apa is pushing against that most sensitive spot and I know this o.r.g.a.s.m is going to consume me.

"Oh, baby," I feel my muscles tighten around him. He lifts my torso, his hands on my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and buries his face in my neck, kissing me.

"Ride me, baby."

I move up and down, my hips countering his movements, and it pushes me over. I grind down on him as I'm overwhelmed by my intense climax, and he cries out as he convulses and finds his own release.

"Did I hurt you?" He pulls out of me and turns me around in his arms, cradling me close, pushing my hair off my face.

"No, why?" We're both still panting.

"I hit you." His gray eyes are wide and regretful, and if I didn't love him before, I would have fallen, just then.

"You spanked me, honey. There's a difference."

"I'm sorry, I was caught up in the moment. I know I'm strong. I could hurt you."

"Hey," I take his face in my hands and kiss him, soothing him. "You didn't hurt me. It was f.u.c.king hot."

"It was?"

"Oh yeah. Spank me any time, hot stuff."

"Really?"

"Yes, please." I nibble his lips and smile at him, loving the way he's running his hands up and down my back.

He places a kiss on my forehead and takes a deep breath. "I love you, Julianne."

Chapter Nineteen.

"You bought Olivia Christian Louboutin shoes?" Natalie asks incredulously. It's Friday evening and Nate and I are at Luke and Natalie's place for dinner. The rest of our work week was way too busy to manage a trip to the hospital, so Luke called and invited us over for the evening.

Nate and Luke are in the kitchen, cooking up something that smells delicious, and Natalie and I are settled on the couch with the baby, watching our men.

"Of course." I shrug like it's no big deal, but I can't stop the huge grin that comes when I look at the tiny red-soled leopard print shoes. "They'll fit her in a few months."

"Yeah, for about a week. Jules, these are too expensive for her to wear for such a short time."

"But you can't stop looking at them, can you? Natalie, with you as her mom, and me as her aunt, this baby is going to love shoes."

"G.o.d help me," I hear Luke mutter in the kitchen and I laugh.

"Just give into it, man." Nate mutters back to him and I am so taken back by these two incredibly s.e.xy men moving effortlessly about the kitchen.

"Men cooking is s.e.xy," I whisper to Natalie and she grins.

"I know."

"Okay, my turn with the baby." Natalie pa.s.ses Olivia to me and I cuddle her close, kissing her dark-haired head. "h.e.l.lo, little love bug. Did you miss me?" I kiss her cheek and run my fingers through her soft, fine hair.

"You're already spoiling her too much," Natalie murmurs and watches me with happy green eyes. She looks fantastic for having had a baby this week. Her dark hair is up in a haphazard bun, and she's in jeans and a t-shirt. She's already out of her maternity clothes. Maybe there is something to be said for yoga.

"Never. Us girls have to stick together, don't we Livie? Oh my, you're so pretty." This baby is beautiful. Of course, Natalie is a knock out, and Luke is a freaking movie star, so the gene pool in this room is pretty fantastic. "Can I walk with her?"

"Of course."

I stand and wander to the windows, bouncing lightly and swaying back and forth, so in love with the sweet baby in my arms.

"You are wonderful," I whisper to her. "And you are smart and strong and important. I'm going to tell you that every single day, so you never forget it."

"Dinner's ready," Nate murmurs from behind me. I turn at his voice and I can see that he heard me, but he doesn't say anything, he smiles at me and looks down at the baby, his face softening just a bit.

"Here," I place the baby in his arms and kiss her head.

"Christ, she's little."

"Don't swear in front of the baby," I admonish him.

Nate laughs and we walk to the dining room off the kitchen. "Right. I'll be reminding you of that, dirty mouth."

Natalie takes the baby from Nate and places her in a bouncy seat at the end of the table.

"So, any weekend plans?" Natalie asks.

"No," I respond at the same time as Nate says, "Yes."

"We do?" I look over at him in surprise and he smiles smugly.

"We do."

"What are they?" I ask as Natalie pa.s.ses me the salmon. Mmm... poached salmon with a garlic and cilantro sour cream sauce, roasted baby reds and green salad.

Our men can cook.

"It's a surprise." Nate responds and feeds me a bite of salmon off his plate.

"I don't like surprises."

"Yes, you do."

Okay, I do.

Natalie laughs across from me and I glare at her. "What are you laughing at?"

"You."

"Why?"

"It's just fun to see you like this." She takes a sip of wine and winks at me and I can't help but grin. I know what she means. She's never seen me with a man either.

"So, Luke," Nate smoothly changes the subject. "When is that new Hugh Jackman movie coming out?"

"In two weeks," Luke responds and grins. "It's gonna be a good one. Lots of action."

"Movie night!" I bounce in my seat, excited. We always go out on opening night when one of Luke's movies opens. He's no longer an actor, but he still works in the industry as a producer, securing backing from studios and wooing actors and directors. And he's awesome at it.

"I don't know if we'll make this one," Luke says uncertainly and looks over at Olivia sleeping soundly in her bouncy seat.

"Oh, she'll be fine. We'll take her with us. She'll sleep through it." I wave him off and Natalie nods.

"She's a good sleeper, she'll be okay." Natalie agrees with me. "Or, your mom will be happy to come watch her for a few hours. We'll figure it out."

"Okay, movie night it is." Luke smiles like a kid.

I look up at Nate and rub my hand along his thigh under the table. "Sound good to you?"

"It's a date."

"Good. Now," I look over at Luke and give him my sweet smile, the one I use when I want something. "When are you going to do a girl movie?"

"Uh, that's not really my style, Jules."

"I want a girl movie." I pout. "Something with Zac Efron. Have you seen him lately?" I look up at Nate and he's scowling at me.

"Why am I asking you?" I look over at Natalie. "Have you seen him lately?"

"He was beautiful in The Lucky One," She sighs and I nod. We watched that one together last month at my place.

"We want Zac Efron." I turn back to Luke and smile.