Page 20 of Forces of Nature

Nathan gave her an all too knowing smirk but allowed the diversion. Initially. “You really thought that would happen, Nat? That we’d actually spend any time together on this trip? Come on, even I didn’t have any illusions that after being thrown into a kink club together, we’d do anything but maybe eat together. Not even before we arrived!” He rolled his eyes as if he was stating the obvious. “I might be the quiet one, but I draw the line at spending time with my sister at a venue like this.”

Natalie heard the truth of his words and leaned in to give him a hug. “You’re right, of course. I was short-sighted of me to think differently. I guess I just had something else in mind for this break and that was still in my head despite the change of venue.”

She bit her lip, a little chagrined that she hadn’t checked on him until now; the day before they were due to leave. “I hope you haven’t been bored.”

Nathan cocked an eyebrow… yeah, he already had the Dom thing going on.

“I am actually old enough to look after myself, you know. I don’t really want you holding my hand.” he replied sardonically. “Besides, I’ve been having a great time. It turns out the resort manager, Joshua, is a rope expert. He’s been teaching me shibari.

Natalie looked at him in surprise. “Really?”

Nathan nodded. “Really! I couldn’t have paid for better tuition. Joshua’s Native American heritage and his background in ranching has given him a real edge. I’ve rarely seen anyone with so much talent.”

“Wow, that’s awesome,” Natalie gushed. “I’m so pleased this has been productive for you.”

He flashed her a wicked look. “And Jessie, the receptionist, has made a very good rope bunny.”

Before Natalie could make any comment about that particular nugget of information, Nathan’s eyes narrowed, and he became serious. “And what about you, sis. Has Jared North had a lot to teach you too? I’ve never known you to spend so much time with a man.”

Natalie sighed at the mention of his name, a reflex that wasn’t lost on her brother. He pursed his lips. “You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you.”

It was more of a statement than a question, like Nathan considered it a foregone conclusion, but Natalie still considered her reply carefully.

“I think it’s a little premature for that, don’t you? I’ve only known him a few days.” She dropped her head and stared at her hands, suddenly self-conscious. It wasn’t an emotion she was familiar with. But the words hadn’t come out anywhere like how she’d planned them too. Her voice was too soft and wistful, and she wondered if she was just saying them because it was expected.

Nathan crocked his finger under her chin and forced her to look at him. As close as they were, it wasn’t a gesture she was used to from her brother. He searched her face seriously. “It is quick,” he agreed. “But I know you better than anyone else in the world, and I can see the effect he has on you. Whatever it is, or isn’t, I know it’s not casual. Not for you anyway. And from what I hear, not for Jared, either.”

Her heart leapt at that revelation and Natalie knew Nathan read it on her face. His next words confirmed it. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

Natalie’s shoulders slumped, because wasn’t that the million-dollar question?

“I don’t know,” she confessed, dropping her gaze back to her lap. “We haven’t gone there at all.”

Nathan snorted, lightening the tension that had seeped in around them. “Well, maybe if you left the bedroom for long enough you could have that conversation.”

Now it was Natalie’s turn to roll her eyes. “It’s not all sex and kink, you know, we do talk!” she retorted, digging him in the ribs with her elbow.

Nathan slapped his hands over his ears. “Lalalalalaaaa….”

His antics drew a laugh from her. “Don’t be a dork,” she said, slapping him lightly in the ribs.

He grabbed at his abdomen and mimed like he was in pain, making Natalie laugh even harder.

“Seriously, though,” he said when they’d both sobered. “You do need to talk to him.”

Natalie nodded. “I will. I just haven’t found the right time yet, but I’ll do it before we go home tomorrow.”

“Umm, Nat, I know you’ve been holed up in your suite apparently not having sex, but have you actually looked out of the windows at all?”

Her eyebrows beetled together, and she looked at Nathan in confusion. “What?” She shook her head, and her brow furrowed some more, as she looked at the picture window in the great room, where they were sitting in front of the cheerful fire. It was snowing pretty heavily, but it was the end of December, so that wasn’t especially unexpected.

Nathan sighed. “Boy, you really have been tucked away in your own little bubble, haven’t you? It’s been snowing a blizzard for the last twenty-four hours, and it’s not set to let up any time soon. The road out of here is blocked and Tobias suggested those of us in the cabins might want to move into the hotel.”

She looked at the whiteout outside the window, which obscured the valley, the trees, everything.

“There’s not much chance we’re going home tomorrow,” Nathan told her. “But I guess that gives you a few more days to work out what you want.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

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