Behind the Neighbor's Door - Part 4 (Patreon)

Here is the 4th part. I made a few changes since the version released for the God Penguin tier. Happy reading.

*

*

Nate had been quite surprised again when Grace had come over to show off her amazing curves, but then again perhaps he shouldn’t be so surprised anymore. She had flaunted that bikini so many times, but Grace in sweatpants, who’d think that was Nate’s kryptonite? It had been a very long time since he had felt this kind of hunger for a woman, and Grace had him hook, line, and sinker. And the fact that she seemed to be into it as well was even more surprising. He couldn't believe that a woman so beautiful, so hot, wanted to show off for him.

The way she bent over to look at his plants, giving him a perfect view of her ass, and the way her sweats clung to it, he couldn't help himself. She even stalled when she saw that Nate had been very diligent in keeping his plants healthy. But it was odd. Why would she show off like this? Despite calling him out the last time he had been caught staring, she came over and showed off like that. Was she simply the biggest cock tease? Grace never came off as a cheating slut, or a superficial tease. In fact, her perfect demeanor was part of her allure. Did Nolan know his girl was such a tease? Nate had been pushing him a bit, but it was still some piece of the puzzle that Nate was either ignoring or unable to gauge.

Before, Grace had shown off, but you could always play it off as something else. This time, she had deliberately turned slightly to show how even sweatpants struggled to hide that heavy, juicy ass. She had on purpose let him stare. And she had even stared back. Nate knew she had eyed the big tool in his pants, he had seen her blush from the thought of it. Grace Harris, the most stunning young lady in their complex, was thinking of getting a taste of Nate's big cock.

Now, Nate wasn't stupid. He knew that this was a long shot, that Grace was a woman way out of his league, but he could tell that she was curious about him and his big meat. There was no way he could let this opportunity slip by, not after seeing the way she looked at him. Nate was determined to get Grace in bed, and if Nolan had an issue with that, well then that was too bad.

But Nate wouldn't complain about her willingness to present herself for him. Her eagerness to show him what she had only made him more determined to claim her. He had been too forward earlier, scaring her off, but he wouldn't let that happen again. That was why he hadn't just pinned her down and fucked her right there.

Now that he knew how much she liked being a tease, he was going to make sure that she was going to give him everything he wanted. He wanted how far he could push things, and how soon he’d have any success. But he was here for the long run, that was for sure.

Nate wondered how he'd play this, though. Getting her alone wasn't enough. Maybe a longer period of time with her? Or maybe if she had a long stressful day with Nolan far away, Nate could play the innocent, helpful neighbor who'd be there to relieve her of some of that tension. Or maybe if there was tension in their relationship she might look elsewhere? Nate had been spiking Nolan's beers in hopes that would piss Grace off, but so far it hadn't been yielding any results. Though there are many roads to Rome, you might end up in a traffic jam if you choose the wrong route.

Nate eyed the car keys on the kitchen counter. When he had gotten Nolan good and drunk that one evening, spiking his drinks with vodka after Nolan had let his disposition slip, he had kept the keys for a few days. Fortunately, Nolan never raised any suspicion, probably thinking he knew that Nate had them and that he'd pick them up later, but Nate had gotten his own copy of the keys in the meantime. Some guy who owed him a favor helped him out, no questions asked. There were numerous possibilities there as Nolan was a notoriously bad driver. Heh, Nate could even bump his own car, blame it on Nolan, and most likely get away with it. However, that might cause strain on their friendship, and Nate wasn't ready to sacrifice that just yet.

One thing was for certain. Next time Grace wanted to tease, Nate would have to do something. She couldn't simply get away with being such a tease. She'd understand. She'd probably let him too.

*

What scared Grace most about her encounter over at his apartment was the fact that Nate had actually triggered such a response. The thrill of him walking closer and wanting to touch her. The exhilaration from the way he looked at her, how deep the need was burning in his eyes. How thick that erection in his pants was. All of it was too much, and yet it turned her on like nothing else. It made Grace feel things that she'd never felt before. Not even with Nolan.

Nate had gotten this predatory look on his face, a hunger to claim her that she hadn't seen before. It was like he had sensed her weakness, that she was curious about certain aspects of him and thus held a certain attraction to him as well. But still, she shouldn't allow any of his advances. Even if Nolan was totally cool with it, it was still cheating and so debased, and Grace feared how it would go if they were to go down this route. Nate looked at her as if he already owned her. Hence why she wanted to let Nate know what was going on, so that it would potentially be more easy to control.

After her brief tryst alone, Grace had quickly recovered and gone about her evening normally, waiting for Nolan to come home. She immediately fucked his brains out, having him rub his beautiful hard cock all over her face to make her feel as dirty as she believed she was, blowing him back to hardness after that and riding him hard.

"What has gotten into you?" Nolan had asked.

"Stressful day. I needed the relief," Grace panted, crashing on top of him, not sure if it was a good idea to tell him yet.

The next day, Saturday, Grace had her lunch date with her friend Dora before their shopping plans later. Grace had half a mind to indulge her best friend with Nolan and her's latest adventures but thought it perhaps too emasculating for Nolan. Dora already didn't like him anyway, and there was no way such a revelation would tarnish his reputation even further.

"You know, he's not that bad," Grace said after telling Dora about how she had been helping their neighbor out with his gardening. She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to defend him, though. "Nate. I'm not sure if you remember, but you met at that barbecue a while back."

Dora scoffed, focusing on her food. "Yeah, sure. I remember him," she said, taking a bite of her sandwich. "So, what's going on with you and Nolan? Is he treating you right? He hasn't talked anymore of moving you far away from me, has he?"

Grace couldn't help but smile at Dora's protective nature. She had always been like that, ever since they were kids. "No, he's fine. He's been great, actually. He's been so supportive of me and my work. He even helped me with some of the budgeting stuff," she said, sighing happily. "I think he might be the one."

Dora raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. I can't imagine being with anyone else," Grace said. "And he's not pushing me to do anything I'm not ready for yet. I think we're really good together."

"Well, that's nice," Dora said, giving her a small smile. "I can't imagine him being duller than Greg."

"Aren't you expecting?" Grace asked, nodding toward Dora's belly. "That should at least bring back the old spark, eh?"

"If it was ever there," Dora sighed, poking at her olive with a fork. "I mean, he's a good guy and all, but... I don't know. I just feel like he's not very passionate about anything."

"Not even the baby?" Grace asked, surprised.

Dora shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just being hormonal or something, but he's just so bland," she said. "But whatever. Enough about my sorry excuse of being a bored housewife. You've been helping your neighbor out?" she asked, eyeing her friend with a small smile, her dark eyes scanning Grace as she steered the conversation back to Nate.

"Yeah," Grace said, taking a sip of her drink.

"So you've been spending a lot of time with him?" Dora asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah, but it's not like that," Grace said. She knew where Dora was going with this, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Right," Dora said, clearly not buying it. "You sure he's not into you? Because from what you've told me about him, it sounds like he is."

"He's just a flirt," Grace said. "It's harmless. And besides, Nolan is okay with it."

"So, Nolan is okay with you spending time with another man?" Dora teased. "Oh my, sounds like you're getting your cake. Or your neighbor is..."

"Dora! He's older than my dad!" Grace said, abashed. She wasn’t sure of how old Nate was, but he at least looked to be at least a few years north of her own dad.

"So you've been thinking about it then, already making excuses," Dora chuckled.

"It's not like that," Grace protested. "And please, I'd never do something like that. I'm just saying he's way out of my age range. Nolan is plenty anyway."

Dora grinned, relentlessly sensing victory. "You know, age can be a plus. You know, he probably has plenty of experience. If Nolan doesn't treat you right, you could just go to Nate and get it there. You said yourself Nolan wouldn't mind," Dora pointed out, and Grace wondered what had gotten into her friend. "And Nolan? He's such a wannabe-alpha male. It's pathetic," Dora said.

Grace rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Well, that's just your opinion," she said. "And besides, I don't need you judging my husband."

"Husband?" Dora asked.

Grace blushed. "Well, not yet, but... I think it's gonna happen soon," she said. "I don't think he has that disgusting wannabe-douchebag-alpha-aura, though."

"Maybe not. But this whole thing of moving to the big city, wanting to be the top salesman in the Midwest thing?"

"He's ambitious," Grace said. "I don't need to make excuses for him to you, Dora. I love him, and if he is a bit ambitious like that, well, he's willing to put it aside for me, isn't he?"

The two of them sat there in silence for a while, finishing their food. After a few minutes, Grace couldn't help but laugh a bit at the ridiculousness of it all. "Look at us," she said. "We're talking about our husbands like two old gossips."

"Oh my god, we are," Dora said, laughing as well.

"So, do you want to go shopping now?" Grace asked, grinning at her best friend. "Or do you want to keep grilling me about my love life?"

"Oh, I could keep doing this for hours," Dora said, grinning back. "I mean, you say Nolan is… okay with it? Like how ‘okay’ are we talking about here?"

Grace blushed at that. She didn't mean for Dora to investigate that part. "Uhm... well, it's kinda complicated," she said. "But yeah, he's cool with it. He likes it when I, erh, tease and flirt a bit. It makes him excited, I guess. It has been quite crazy, actually."

"You sure he's not the only one who likes it?" Dora teased, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, stop it," Grace said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I'm just saying, have your fun, girl. Remember, I'm team Grace, no one else," Dora said. "So he's into you flirting? What is that about? Shouldn't he be worried? I mean, with and ass like yours..."

"No, he doesn't have to be worried," Grace said, shoving at her friend playfully. "And stop ogling my ass!"

"It's hard not to when you're flaunting it in my face like that," Dora said, still grinning.

"You're so bad," Grace said, giggling.

"What? It's true! You've got an amazing ass," Dora said, giggling as well. "So, you don't think it's a ploy for him to get with other women or something? He's a man, after all."

"Not really. I don't think so, at least. So far, he has been in on it for real. Like, for real, for real. And it has been fun," Grace admitted. "I guess I do enjoy it a bit. And it’s not even anything physical, it’s just talk and being a bit of a tease."

"Naughty girl," Dora chided, with Grace smiling mischievously back at her friend. "So is that why you're hanging out with neighbor-Nate?"

Grace shook her head. "Awfully interested in poor old Nate, are we?" Grace shot back, and this time it was Dora who was taken unaware and blushed.

"What, no, not at all!" Dora said, but not really convincingly. Grace raised an eyebrow, and Dora relented. "Okay, fine, maybe I'm a little curious."

"Really?" Grace asked, deadpan. "Why do I get a feeling there's more to this? Come on, I told you about Nolan's kink, you tell me why you're so interested in Nate!"

"Ugh, fine," Dora said. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone! I’m dead serious!"

"I promise," Grace said, laughing. "Come on, spill the beans!"

Dora looked around, making sure no one was listening in on them, before leaning in close and whispering to Grace. "Well, the last time we met, at that barbecue, Nate and I ended up... well, doing stuff."

Grace gasped. "What?!"

"Shut up! I'm not telling shit if you're gonna cause a scene," Dora hissed, looking around.

"How can I not react? But sorry. Now I'm really curious," Grace said. "What happened? Was it during the barbecue?"

"Yeah, you know how I went upstairs way before you guys? Eh, well, Nate sort of... followed me," Dora said.

"Oh my god!" Grace said, her eyes wide. "Did he–"

"No, nothing like that," Dora said, shaking her head. "We just, well, you know."

"Oh my god," Grace repeated, shaking her head. "Wow... so you slept with him?"

"Yes," Dora said. "And it was amazing. He was so good at it. Like, he really knew what he was doing. And the way he made me feel... god, I'd never had sex like that before."

"Holy shit," Grace said, staring at Dora in disbelief. "What happened? I mean, did he, like, seduce you right there in hallway?"

"That's what you're worried about? Not that I cheated on Greg?" Dora said, obviously regretting the incident.

"Well, yeah, that's so fucked. I remember you being bored to tears with him, but I didn't expect you to cheat on him like that!" Grace said, though she was still very interested in hearing about her friend's tryst with the neighbor. "So, what happened?"

"Well, Nate followed me upstairs, and we started talking," Dora said. "And he was really charming, and we were getting along so well. And then one thing led to another, and we ended up in his bedroom. It was so good, I can't even tell you. Like, he really knew what he was doing."

"Wow... I can't believe you did that," Grace said, shaking her head.

"Me neither," Dora said. "But it was so hot."

"So, is it over?" Grace asked. "Are you going to see him again?"

"No, that was it," Dora said. "It just kind of happened. I was drunk, and he was so quite... persistent ... I just couldn't help myself."

"So you just hooked up?" Grace asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Dora said.

"Is he... big?" Grace asked, blushing at her own question. It was such a slutty thing to ask, but she had to know. She had seen the bulge, and while she wasn’t sure if that was information she’d share with Nolan right away, she couldn’t help that she was dead curious herself.

"My, my, Grace, aren't you the naughty one!" Dora teased. "Yes, he is. Very."

Dora grinned and held up her hands about ten inches apart. Grace's eyes widened as she realized just how big Nate actually was.

"Jesus, you're not kidding," she said, shaking her head.

"No, I'm not," Dora said. "He was so thick too, I could barely wrap my hands around it. And he was so rough with me, just fucking my brains out. It was amazing."

"Damn... I can't believe you did that," Grace said, still in disbelief.

"I know, it was crazy," Dora said. "But now you know what you're up against."

Grace shook her head, not sure how to feel about this sudden development. "Well, I don't think Nolan would want me to fuck him anyway. So, it doesn't matter," she said.

"You don't know that," Dora said. "But if he is okay with you flirting with him, maybe he'd be okay with something else too?"

"I doubt it," Grace said. "But still, thanks for sharing. That was... enlightening."

Dora chuckled. "Anytime. So Nate is the one you've been flirting with, then?" Dora asked. Grace nodded. "So what do you think about him?"

"He's... intense," Grace started. "He's just... I don't know. There's something about him. And I'm not sure what it is."

Dora chuckled. "He's gonna make you a bad girl if you're not careful, Grace," she said. "Flirting with your neighbor and everything. You're gonna get yourself into trouble."

"Shut up," Grace said, though she couldn't help but smile as well. "It's just a game. It's all harmless fun."

"Yeah, sure," Dora said, rolling her eyes. "Well, I'm here for you. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, Dora," Grace said.

"Or if you need someone to help you manage that neighbor of yours," Dora smiled mischievously.

"Slut," Grace said.

"Skank," Dora said back, and the two laughed.

The rest of their lunch date went by without any further discussion about Grace's love life. It was nice to have a friend that she could talk to about these things, though. Even if Dora didn't really understand it, she was still there for her and willing to listen. That was enough.

But the revelations Dora had dropped made Grace think about what she was doing. Sure, it was just flirting, but was it really harmless? Nate had already bedded one girl who was taken. And that was another thing. Dora, her bestfriend, had fucked their neighbor, cheating on her husband in the process. How fucked up wasn't that?

She wondered if she should talk to Nolan about this. He would probably just tell her it was nothing to worry about, that it was all in good fun, but she couldn't help but be a little bit worried. But then again, Nate hadn't sought anything from Dora since then. Maybe that made him a safer choice as a flirting object?

Grace hated not being in control, and these things really sent her for a loop. She hated how she was feeling now, not knowing what to think or do, but also couldn't help but feel a little bit excited by it all. She was more and more convinced that if this was to be done in any safe way, they had to talk to Nate about what was going on.

*

Nolan sat at his desk in his office, peering over some documents. Josh, or rather his sister Luna, had hired a new head of sales. Nolan had sort of hoped the position would land on him, but alas. Mirella, a woman in her mid-30s, brunette with bright blue eyes, fairly attractive to be honest, was chosen. She had way more experience, anyway. But that meant more diligent reports, and within a format that she preferred. That meant he had to redo much of the last few reports.

It sort of made Nolan feel a bit inadequate that this new supervisor wanted everything done her way, despite Nolan having put up pretty good numbers for months since before she arrived. But this was Luna's choice, and it wasn't like he could say anything against her. She was a bit of a tyrant when it came to the sales team. That wasn't to say that he didn't want to thrive. Nolan loved working under pressure, but these reports were just tedious and annoying.

He was also a bit nervous because he had sort of insisted that he might need Nate for this Oakwood Pharma business. Nolan had never tried bringing in new people, but now Nate was in for an interview with Luna Calhoun and Nolan's own supervisor as a temporary advisory role under Nolan. He had no idea how Nate, who seemed to have some ego about him, would survive working under someone younger. And even younger than Nolan, as Josh, Luna, and the whole management were pretty youthful in general. It led to some mistakes, but Nolan, in all felt like he was in good hands.

"There we go," Nolan sighed. He looked at the clock. Mondays were always the slowest days, it felt like, and today was no different. There was a small part of him that wanted to rush back home to Grace.

She had been such a rabbit this weekend. Nolan knew something had happened, perhaps even with Nate. Ke could see it on her, but she hadn't said anything yet. He wondered if he should ask her or if she would tell him when she was ready. She would probably tell him about it eventually. He also liked the small masochistic thrill of not knowing.

But he didn't want to push her. He knew that she had gone through a lot with his fantasy already, that it was a lot for her to deal with. Yet, he wanted to know what Nate had done to trigger her minx mode so strongly. Nolan thought back to Friday, when Grace had come home and practically thrown herself at him. Her ass bouncing on his cock, her perfect little titties in his face…

"Nolan, do you have a minute?" Nolan heard someone call out from behind him and turned to see Mirella standing there. She looked stern, but she often did. Mirella was a hard ass, but Nolan didn't mind it. He liked her no-nonsense attitude.

"Sure, what's up?" he asked.

"I just wanted to let you know that your friend did great in the interview," she said. "He's got some issues, but I think you'll be able to work with him."

"Issues?" Nolan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He has a record for fraud, as you know. This means we cannot trust him to be head of any contracts at all, but we can have him on as a temporary advisor if you really want him around that badly. And he does know his stuff. Just not to the point of trusting him with anything major, is all I'm saying," she explained. "I'm not sure why you're so keen to have him around, though, especially considering he is such a mess."

"Well, he's my neighbor. He's a good guy, and I want to see him back on his feet," Nolan said. Nolan did it also for his own benefit. Nate knew the pharmaceutical industry better than he did, and this had the potential to be a multi-million dollar contract, so Nolan wanted to do what he could to ensure that things went well. He didn't like that Nate had a record for fraud, but that was something he would just have to deal with. "Besides, I think I can handle him."

"I hope so, because I won't clean up after you if you make any mistakes," Mirella said, giving him a stern look. "Mrs. Lewis trusted us with this, and Josh trusted you. So while I won't oppose Nate joining in, I'm not entirely sold on it either. But we'll let it go for now. He gets the first three months guaranteed, then we'll reevaluate if his efforts are needed."

"That's generous," Nolan admitted.

"It is. That's how our boss likes to operate," Mirella said, indicating it was not how she wanted things done.

"Well, I appreciate it," Nolan said. "I'll try to keep him in line."

Mirella gave him a small smile. It was a very pretty smile but came across as kind of menacing to Nolan. "You better," she said. With that, she spun on her heels and marched out, Nolan following her lithe frame, her muscled ass hiding under that tight pencil skirt.

Nolan shook his head, chuckling to himself. He had no idea how he had gotten so lucky, but he knew that he needed to make the most of it. He couldn't afford to mess this up. He couldn't afford to fail. This was his chance to prove himself, to show that he had what it takes to succeed. And he wasn't about to let anyone get in his way.

As soon as the clock struck 5 PM, Nolan gathered his belongings and left the office. He was excited to get home to Grace, to see how her day had been. She had been so on fire this weekend, and he couldn't wait to see if she was still in that mood or not. He could always hope.

"Nolan?" Grace called as Nolan made his way into the apartment. She peered around the corner from their living area, a bright smile on her face.

"Who else?" Nolan chuckled rhetorically, hanging his coat on a hanger. "How's your day been?"

Grace smiled gracefully, making her way over to him. "It's been okay. A bit of rain, so I didn't get much done at the industrial lot, so I did a lot of home visits," Grace said, draping her slender hands around his neck.

"Did you visit our neighbor?" Nolan asked, causing his girl to blush.

"I've stayed away from him for a bit," she muttered, looking away.

"Won't his plants die?" Nolan teased.

"He's better at keeping them than he'll admit. It's too girly for him," Grace said with a grin. "Can I talk to you about that, by the way?"

Nolan scanned her expression for clues if she was about to drop some sort of trauma bomb on him or something, but found none. "What's on your mind?"

"How are you really doing with this ‘cuckold’ thing? Is that even the right term? It feels so demeaning calling you that… But I've been thinking about it a lot lately and... well, I'm just wondering if it's all just fun and games for you, or if there's more to it," Grace said, looking at him with her beautiful steel-blue eyes. "Do you like where we're at with it?"

"Why do you ask?" Nolan said, trying to dodge the question.

Grace sighed. "Nolan, we're in this together, and I want to know how you're feeling about it all. If you're having second thoughts or whatever," she said.

"I don't know," Nolan admitted. "I guess I feel weird about it. I mean, I know that it's part of the fantasy and everything, but it still makes me feel like less of a man."

"You shouldn't feel like that. I know I scolded you initially, but I think it's sort of brave that you admitted something like that to me," Grace said. "And that is why I'm going to tell you about Friday, and why your girl has been in your pants non-stop. And today is not excluded in that, by the way."

"Yeah?" Nolan challenged, as Grace pulled back and started fiddling with his belt. "Do tell. Have you been naughty?"

"Well, I was relaxing on the balcony, like I always do, and then, wouldn't you know, Nate showed up. Unfortunately for him, though, I wore what you see before you now, sweatpants and a t-shirt," Grace said.

"Those sweatpants might as well been a thong with how you wear them," Nolan grunted, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend to dig his fingers into that big, heavy ass. Each cheek felt like they weighed a ton, which was odd when you consider how slender her frame and her waist were. But each cheek was in desperate need of lifting and groping nonetheless.

"I think Nate agrees," Grace whispered in his ear. "He scolded me for not wearing something nicer for him, but it didn't seem to make much difference because he immediately lured me into his apartment. Nate wanted me to come over and check on his plants. So I did that. I went over there to check on his plants. They were perfectly fine as he has been diligent with maintaining them, but I could tell he loved seeing me bent over in front of him like that so I stalled a bit to show him the goods. It's not often the creepy fuck has someone like me on display all for himself like that, so I guess I gave him a treat."

Nolan nodded, listening intently to her every word. Grace's tone was low and sultry, and he could tell that she was turned on by the memory of it all. She was rubbing her hand over his crotch as she spoke, and Nolan couldn't help but get hard at the thought of Nate ogling her.

"Then what happened?" Nolan asked, his voice thick with desire.

"Then he came closer," she said, continuing her story. "I could feel his presence behind me. Right behind me, well within my comfort zone. Still on my knees, I turned around and looked up at him and he was practically standing over me."

Nolan felt a shiver run down his spine as she talked. The thought of Nate getting so close to Grace was intoxicating, with her on her knees no less, and he could feel himself getting harder and harder in her hand. She knew exactly what she was doing to him. He didn't want Nate to do anything with her, but the idea of him wanting to was enough to send a thrill through him. Nolan wondered what would have happened if Nate had pushed her then.

But there was more to the story. As Grace started pulling down Nolan's pants and underwear, she continued. "He was so close and... he looked so intense. Like he wanted to own me," she said. "It was scary and exciting all at once."

"And then?" Nolan prompted. He knew that Grace was enjoying telling him this story, and he wanted her to keep going.

"And then I told him it was uncomfortable. He said I shouldn't be a tease, that I showed off because I wanted to. And God, Nolan, he was so right. It was like he could see right through me," she said.

"Did he touch you?" Nolan asked, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't want Nate to touch her, but he needed to know. He needed to know what had happened.

"Then I sort of... turned. Like, to show actually show off, without any pretense at all. I turned my ass towards him as if to say 'go ahead, big boy, get your fill'." Grace said, turning around for Nolan now, sticking out that ass, letting his eyes roam her curves.

"Did he touch you?" Nolan asked again.

"No, but I wish he did," Grace whispered.

Nolan's heart skipped a beat. "What?" he asked, surprised at her answer.

"I know, I know. It's bad, but I just can't help it. The way he looked at me... it was like he wanted to own me. Like he wanted to make me his," she said, biting her lip. "Just letting him have a feel of this big booty is the least I could do for the poor old pervert. He's just a bit pent up, is all. But I was a good girl. I got the hell out of there and went home and..."

Grace stalled.

"... And masturbated," she whispered. She was rarely shy, but Nolan knew it was something she never really did much of. Sure, she was a bit of a voyeur, but that wasn't quite the same.

"You did?" Nolan asked, surprised. He knew that she had masturbated a couple of times, but it being triggered by Nate was something new.

Nolan was conflicted. He wanted to be angry at Nate, but he was also turned on at the thought of what might've happened if she hadn't run out. "Did you... Did you like that?" Nolan asked quietly, looking at Grace.

"Well, I–"

Before she could say another word, Nolan pulled her close and kissed her passionately. His lips were hot and rough as they clashed with hers, his body pressed up against hers.

Grace pulled away, panting. "What was that for?" she asked, her face flushed.

"Do I need a reason?" Nolan grinned, pulling her closer again.

"Nolan. You don't understand. It scared me," Grace said, placing a hand on his chest. "What if he... what if something happened?"

"So what if it did?" Nolan asked. He was trying to gauge if this whole thing would be worth it or if it would have unintended consequences. He couldn't see it hurting. This was just about exploring, fooling around. Nate could never have actual sex with Grace. This was just talk. Nate could have all the ideas he wanted, but that wouldn't matter.

Grace smacked his chest.

"I'm serious. He wanted to grab my ass," Grace said. "And god knows what else..."

"Of course he wanted to do that," Nolan moaned, grabbing it himself. "Who wouldn't? This thing is amazing."

Grace chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but it's not okay," she said. "He can't just go around grabbing my ass whenever he wants. That's not right."

Nolan shrugged. "Well, no one's stopping him. I mean, you're showing off, aren't you? Why shouldn't he have a feel?" Nolan could hardly believe he was actually saying this, pushing Grace to accept Nate groping her.

Grace looked at him, aghast. "Nolan!" she said. "I can't believe you! How can you be okay with this?"

Nolan sighed. "Look, I don't like it either," he said. "But... well, it's kind of hot, isn't it?"

"That's not what this is about! He can't just... It's not okay, Nolan. I don't want him to touch me like that," Grace said. She sounded almost panicked. "Come on, back me up on this!"

"Well, then don't let him touch you," Nolan said, smacking her ass playfully. Grace was visibly getting more annoyed with Nolan now. "Hey, I'm just kidding! Come on, you know I'm on your side."

"Don't do that," Grace said. "You can't just keep doing that, teasing me about letting Nate touch me like that. You can't push me into this, Nolan. I'm not some piece of meat you can pass around to whoever you want."

"No, I know. But I don't see the harm in letting him look," Nolan said. "I mean, what's wrong with that? He's not hurting anyone. And besides, it's kind of fun, isn't it?"

"Nolan, you're not listening to me. Nate is... he's different than us. He's more... assertive," she said.

"What do you mean?" Nolan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's not afraid to take what he wants," Grace said.

"And he wants you?" Nolan asked.

Grace nodded, biting her lip. "I think so," she said. She then looked up at Nolan, her blue eyes filled with determination mixed with a hint of being pissed off. Grace was sexy when she was angry.

"And is that so bad? He can want it all he wants, but this is all mine," Nolan said. "In what way is he so different?"

Grace glared at Nolan. She wasn't buying into the fantasy as much as Nolan was. "Look, I don't want to get into this right now," she said. "Can we just drop it? I told you about my day because I wanted to be honest with you, not to hear you talk about how awesome it would be if I let him touch my ass."

Nolan sighed. "Alright, fine," he said. He didn't want to push her too hard on this. He knew that she was still struggling with the whole thing, and he didn't want to make it worse. Honestly, it was probably well beyond what Nolan found acceptable, should Nate actually grope his girl like that. However, it was kind of hot to hear about.

"Come on, don't pout," Grace said, leaning in close. "Why don't you take your girlfriend to bed and show her why she shouldn't even be thinking about other men?"

Nolan smiled and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder as she giggled, and carried her to the bedroom. He wanted to show her how much she meant to him and how much he loved her. He wanted to show her that she was his and only his.

Grace squealed and laughed as Nolan dropped her on the bed, climbing on top of her and kissing her deeply.

Nolan stripped himself down to his boxers and then climbed on top of her. Grace was already in her panties, and as he climbed his way up her body, he also pinned her arms above her head.

"Do you really want Nate to touch me so... intimately? Do you think you'd be able to handle another man feeling up your girl and for your girl to let him?" Grace asked, teasing him for pissing her off, but also to get a rise out of him. "And it being Nate, who's so crass, so unpleasant, and old enough to be my dad... are you sure you could handle that? I'm not sure I could..."

Nolan looked down at her, his eyes full of lust and desire, and she stared up at him defiantly, refusing to submit to him.

"You're mine," Nolan growled, his voice low and husky.

Grace rolled her eyes. "If you say so," she said, smirking. "But if Nate touches me, gropes me, fondles my tits, ass, or pussy, it won't matter, will it?"

Nolan's cock was throbbing in his boxers, and he ground it against her pussy through her panties. "Fuck, baby," he moaned. "You're driving me crazy."

Grace grinned up at him. "That's the point," she said, leaning up and kissing him passionately.

In response, Nolan pressed his lips to hers, kissing her hungrily, his tongue sliding into her mouth. She kissed him back, her tongue meeting his, and she could feel his cock pressing against her through his boxers.

But Grace wasn't done yet. Instead of squirming underneath her man, she pushed him onto his back, grabbed his wrists, and quite forcibly shoved them above his head. Nolan was taken by surprise but rolled with the punches. She was feisty today.

She broke the kiss and looked down at him, her eyes filled with fire. "You're so fucking hot," Nolan moaned in awe, Grace smiling faintly at his admiration.

"Oh yeah?" Grace challenged, leaning down and whispering in his ear. "Yeah, well, you're not so bad yourself," she teased.

She then let go of his wrists slowly, making sure he kept them up there. Satisfied that he would remain in position, Grace pushed her up his torso until she straddled him right where Nolan liked it best, her crotch pressed against his face. He couldn't help but smell her arousal, her pussy lips already glistening with her wetness.

Nolan licked his lips in anticipation as he watched her slowly grind her hips, rubbing her pussy against his face. He loved how wet she got when she was turned on, and he wanted nothing more than to taste her.

"You want a taste, baby?" Grace whispered, looking down at him. Nolan nodded eagerly, his tongue darting out to lick at her pussy through her panties. Grace moaned softly, pushing down harder against his face, and proceeded to more or less fuck his mouth. Small, gentle, but determined thrusts. Between them, Grace managed to slip her panties aside and Nolan immediately began licking and sucking at her wet pussy.

Grace continued grinding on him, moaning and gasping as he ate her out. He loved the feeling of her clit against his tongue, and he could feel her getting closer and closer to orgasm. He knew her body well, and he knew how to get her off quickly and easily.

"That's it, baby. Make me cum," Grace moaned, grinding her pussy against his face. He was completely at her mercy, and he loved every second of it. He could feel her getting closer and closer, her breathing getting heavier, and her moans getting louder. Finally, with one last gasp, she came, her juices flowing out of her and into his eager mouth. She tasted so perfect, so sweet and wet, and he lapped it all up, not wasting a drop.

"God damn," Nolan breathed, watching his woman pant above him, catching her breath as her orgasm faded. "You taste so fucking good."

Grace smiled down at him and licked her lips. "You're a good boy," she teased, running her hand along his cheek and to his mouth, her thumb tracing his bottom lip.

"So, Nate touching you–" Nolan began.

"I was just talking shit. I dunno, I just wanted to see how you reacted to that," Grace said. "It's fun teasing him, but you're still my favorite person to toy with."

"Yeah? And why is that?" Nolan asked.

"Because I know that it turns you on. I can see it in your eyes," Grace whispered, running her hand from his mouth to his hair. "And because I know that you'll fuck me like no one else can."

"You bet I will," Nolan promised.

"Not tonight, you won't," Grace said, taking hold of Nolan's hair. "Not after the shit you just pulled. Teasing me like that doesn’t come without some punishment."

"Yeah–" Nolan was cut off by Grace guiding him back into her crotch, planting his face between her legs again.

He started eating her out like there was no tomorrow, his tongue and mouth going crazy between her legs. He could hear her moan, feeling her pull at his hair as he devoured her. He licked and sucked and nibbled at her, trying to get her to orgasm as quickly as possible.

Grace would have her way with his tongue for the next ten minutes, making his tongue sore, and her entirely spent from the stimulation.

She released her grip on his hair, and his neck fell back. Looking up at her, he found her tired, satisfied eyes looking back down on him. "Good," she praised.

Nolan was fortunate, however. She took pity on him and climbed down the bet to take him in her mouth.

"If I'm too bossy, you need only say something, baby," Grace said between servicing his cock with her tongue. "If you play your cards right, you'll be my future husband, and I want you to love everything I have to offer, and I want to love everything about you."

"No," Nolan said. "It's all good. If anything, you being a bit aggressive, well, it's exciting. As long as it's us, and we work together, I'm a happy guy."

"Happy man," Grace corrected with a prideful grin. Grace then pursed her lips against his cock head and firmly pressed him inside her mouth, one hand at his balls, squeezing and groping them, while the other stroked his shaft.

Nolan saw the stars come up before his eyes, he was being too turned on from all of this. He gritted his teeth and groaned and grunted as she pumped him inside her mouth, his tip already at the entrance of her throat.

As she took him deep, Nolan suddenly thought of Grace doing the same thing for Nate. The thought was thrilling. The idea of her being so naughty, so dirty, was so arousing to him. Knowing that someone else would enjoy the skill Grace had developed over the years with him, knowing that she was using those skills to cuckold him made him weak. And as Grace deep-throated him, he couldn't help but thrust into her mouth, unable to stop himself from cumming.

Grace moaned as she swallowed, drinking him down.

"That was incredible, baby," he panted.

"You're welcome," Grace chuckled, wiping some cum from the edge of her mouth.

"You really are the best," Nolan said, running a hand down her neck and shoulder. "You're fucking perfect. You know that, don't you?"

Grace leaned into his touch, sighing contently. "I know, babe," she said, smiling at him. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen with Nate. You're the only one I love. But I can't lie, I got a bit of cold feet from Friday."

"Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No, but I think we should definitely at least consider telling him what's going on," Grace said, suggesting letting their neighbor know of Nolan's dirty fantasy for a second time.

"It might not even change anything, but it could make things awkward," Nolan said, shrugging.

"At least give it a second thought?" Grace pleaded, looking at him with her perfect blue eyes. Those eyes could make him do almost anything. Nolan who was a force to be reckoned with was beckoned to bow before this womanly representation of perfection. "Just consider it? For me? Please? If not… the way we’re going, I might get cold feet for real."

"Fine," Nolan said. "I will consider it."

Nolan slumped down on the bed, exhausted. He wondered if telling Nate would really be that bad. His instincts screamed yes, that this was something he should never admit to no man ever, and that he shouldn't let his guard down. It would be a point of weakness, especially with a guy like Nate.

However, it wasn't like he didn't want to trust Nate. Their friendship had been great, and Nolan considered him trustworthy. Nate was a friend. If they didn't tell him, he might simply think that he actually had a shot, that this wasn't just a happy byproduct of Nolan's dirty cuckold fantasy.

But telling him would make things awkward. Would it be worth it? Nolan wasn't sure.

He looked at Grace, who was lying next to him, and he felt his heart swell. He loved her so much, and the thought of losing her was terrifying. She was everything to him, and if anyone or anything came between them, he didn't know what he would do. Letting Nate know might push them in a direction they weren't ready to take yet.

"Are you okay?" Grace asked softly.

"I'm fine," Nolan replied, pulling her closer. "I'm just thinking."

"You need to stop doing that," Grace teased. "Do you need something to distract you?"

"Maybe?" Nolan said. Grace smiled confidently and slightly, ever so slightly, parted her legs.

"Go on then. Have some dessert," Grace purred.

With her words, she didn't have to say anything more. Nolan dove face first between her soft, velvety thighs, feasting upon her delicious pussy. She tasted sweet, with a hint of salt, and he couldn't get enough. His tongue darted along her labia and inside, his nose nuzzling that tender clit. Soon enough, Grace was shuddering, moaning his name and pulling his hair, keeping him in place. He loved it when she grabbed him like that.

When she was finished, Grace let out a satisfied groan and sighed, smiling down at Nolan.

"That's better," she said. "Good boy."

"Only for you," he said. "You're amazing."

"I try my best," she said, running a hand down his face, then tugging at him a little. "Get up here and rub that big cock all over my face."

Nolan knew she could be demanding, but he was eager to keep up with her demands. And that was how he lost track of time again, as her own eager tongue started lapping at him when he straddled her beautiful face.

*

To think that Grace was catching on to Nolan's fetish so easily... Nolan was on board with that. Or rather, she was getting around to it and was perhaps a bit scary for her. It was a bit daunting to hear what sort of emotions Nate was able to invoke, let alone to find out that once again he had nearly grabbed that juicy ass that Nolan loved so much. That could very well push Nate to try more, and who knows what the man might've done.

However, the way Grace responded to the entire situation was also curious. She was obviously turned on by Nate and his boldness, which was something she had never shown for him before. She'd always accommodate Nolan when he made advances, but their best sex was whenever she took the initiative and sort of took what she needed from Nolan. He could never imagine Nate letting himself be pushed around like that. Was that something Grace wished from him as well? For Nolan to be more… forceful, assertive, or whatever you’d call it?

Well, as the week progressed, everything seemed to be more or less back to normal; no real progress had been made in that whole kinky endeavor since Monday. Unfortunately, there had been a streak of gray weather, which meant no red bikinis awaited him on the balcony when he got home from work. Nolan had tried to ask Grace if Nate had done anything at any point, but she hadn't seen him much. It was a bit of fun to consider that Grace was perhaps a bit scared of their neighbor.

However, this small pause ended up dragging on until Friday. Nothing too special happened: Nolan and Grace ate dinner together, watched a movie, and had some sexy time. On Saturday, Nolan was planning a day-long stay at the office to meet a deadline. It was a sunny day finally, but he had to pull the extra hours to make a difference. However, as he had his jacket already on and had picked up his work laptop to go, his girl caught him, dressed in nothing but a big t-shirt.

"Hey, where you going, sir?"

Nolan turned. "Work stuff, honey. Gotta make sure it gets done. They're really counting on me on this one."

She pouted, then grabbed his wrist.

"I'm sure it can wait..." she whispered, sticking that booty out and drawing his hand right onto it.

"Sure you want to spend this nice day inside all day?" Nolan moved his hand lower, grabbing her cheeks eagerly and jiggling the hefty pair in his palm, "These deserve some sunlight, don't you think?"

"Oh, you want me out there working on my tan, showing my goodies to the world, huh?"

She had a spark of a dirty idea in her eye, which he had now grown accustomed to and had come to expect.

"So, no second thoughts?" Nolan asked. "You're over your nerves and whatnot? I think it's fine to be nervous, but I think some of might be due to the incredible excitement. That's at least how I feel."

"Maybe," Grace said. "I'm certainly happy you're not pushing for this constantly though. I think that would drive me crazy. But... yeah, I'm still okay with this. I still think we should let Nate know, but... well, I'm sure we'll figure it out. For now, I just want you to have fun with it. If you’re truly cool with it."

"So you're gonna sunbathe out there today? Be a naughty girl and tease our poor neighbor?" Nolan asked with a small devious smile. "What if our dirty old neighbor wants to touch you again? Will you still be able to resist?"

"You'll just have to find out when you get home. Have I snuck over to Nate's? Have I gone out for a girls' night out with Dora only to get groped on the dance floor? All you can do is wonder," Grace purred, giving him a wink.

"You're evil," Nolan chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. That's what you get for working on a Saturday," she said, shoving him towards the door. "Now go get that work done so you can come home and fuck me for being so naughty."

With that, Nolan was out the door and on his way to work. The thought of Grace being out on the balcony, or even going out with Dora, was enough to keep him distracted all day. He couldn't help but imagine what she might be doing. Was she really being a naughty girl? Or was she just teasing him?

He knew it was just talk, but the teasing still got to him. He still wasn't sure if he truly wanted her to do anything for real, beyond dirty talking and flirting, but it was hard not to think about what might happen if she did. It was a dangerous game, but one that Nolan was willing to play.

He knew that Grace wouldn't actually cheat on him, but the thought of her doing so was exciting. He loved knowing that she was so naughty, that she would flirt and tease and do whatever else she could to get what she wanted. The fact that she was so into it too, was even more exciting. He had never expected her to be so into the whole cuckold thing, especially after her initial reaction to finding it out, but she clearly was. And he couldn't help but think about what that meant for their relationship. Grace had been so apprehensive in the beginning, but now she was openly rubbing it in Nolan's face. She knew how much he loved it, and she was using that to her advantage.

Nolan found himself once again wondering if he should tell Nate. He didn't want to give him any ideas, but Grace was right; they needed to tell him before things went too far. But how would he take it? Would he be disgusted? Think Nolan is less of a man? Or would he be intrigued? Surely Nate would eye the possibilities he thought were there with such a kink involved. Nolan didn't know, and he wasn't sure which option was worse. He didn't want to lose his friendship with Nate, but he also didn't want to come of as some sort of pathetic loser who can't please his woman.

He knew it in his heart that Grace would never leave him, but he still couldn't help but worry about what might happen. He wanted to trust her, but he knew that there was always a chance something might go wrong. And if Nate found out the truth, he might try to take advantage of the situation. Nolan didn't want to think about what might happen then. One thing was for it to involve Grace and Nolan, but bringing in a third party came with a decent amount of risk.

But it wasn't just Grace and Nolan. They had involved Nate anyway, he just had no idea about it.

The thought of telling him was terrifying, but Nolan knew that he might have to do it down the line.

The hours dragged by, and Nolan found himself glancing at the clock every few minutes. He was eager to get home and see what Grace had been up to, and the anticipation was killing him. Every time he looked at the clock, the minute hand seemed to tick even slower than the last time. It felt like time was standing still. He couldn't help but fantasize about what Grace might've been doing while he was gone. He wondered if she would tell him about it, or if she would keep her dirty secret to herself. He could only hope that she would be open with him. Though, not knowing was exciting as well.

The morning finally seemed to creep towards late afternoon. As he wasn’t finished yet, Nolan decided to stay later than he intended to, mostly because he felt that the client was expecting a rushed product, but Nolan, the perfectionist, made sure that everything was perfect. Thus he pushed on. 

There wasn't anyone else in the office, but Nolan always had this vague hope that one of the higher ups would stop by and see him there. That would send the perfect signal who was willing to put to down the hours necessary.

Finally, the day's task was done, and he headed out the door, a relieved sigh escaping his mouth. He would have tomorrow off, and he couldn't wait to spend some quality time with Grace.

Amidst the work, he had almost forgotten everything about their little adventure on the balcony, or wherever else Grace would take it.

It was still midday, so it was bright out when he got out of the office and into his car. As he started driving home, he had a small hope that she was back on the balcony, teasing Nate once again. But when he got home and entered his apartment, it was quiet. No sound of movement from the living room and no noise coming from the kitchen.

Nolan put his coat on a hanger and kicked his shoes off, looking past the living room toward the balcony, his heart thumping as that was the only place Grace could be if she was home. He walked slowly and quietly through the living room, keeping to the left side so not to startle Nate should he be there. The glass doors were open, and he could see her lying on her stomach on a towel, her red bikini top undone, with a small bottle of sunscreen beside her. Her head was turned away from him, and he couldn't help but stare at her perfect ass and legs. She was gorgeous as always.

Nolan was glad to see her, but from this angle, he couldn't really see if Nate was there as well. Probably. That guy didn't miss a chance to ogle Grace.

But as he stood there, Grace suddenly stirred, turning her head toward where Nate would've been. She said something, but despite the door being open, Nolan wasn't able to catch what was said.

He took a step back so as not to get caught. He desperately wanted to see the two interact, but he couldn't risk Nate spotting him. It would be the first time they spoke together since the incident where Nate had scared her off, and Nolan was lucky enough to be there to witness it.

Grace sounded cheerful enough, ever the sociable fellow, chatted while laying on her stomach. She no doubt had no rush in getting up, seeing how her bikini was untied, thus kept the conversation from the balcony floor. Not that Nolan thought Nate would complain, that meant a great view of the most flawless set of ass cheeks out there, full on display and probably glistening from a perfect combination of sun lotion and sweat.

But showing of her breasts completely nude would be a step too far, no doubt.

Nolan still couldn't quite hear her, so he moved a bit closer. He wasn't sure if she knew, but he made sure that Nate for sure didn't know of his presence. As he got bit closer, he could hear the relatively mild tone of their conversation.

"No biggy. Just a bit startling is all," Grace said, no doubt responding to something Nate had said.

"I know, you just looked like you had seen a ghost!" Nate chuckled from outside Nolan's view. "But I was in your space, and I know I can be a bit clumsy with how I act around a beautiful woman, so I just wanted to say sorry for that."

"No need to say sorry if you keep those compliments coming," Grace said. Nolan couldn’t believe his ears. She really didn’t sound like she had any nerves now. Perhaps them talking through their grievances with their exploration had warmed Grace a bit to the idea. Or perhaps she was always this flirty with Nate when she didn’t know Nolan was listening. Nolan both hoped and hoped not that the latter wasn’t true. 

For now, they were talking about when she had been spooked by him, apparently. And by Grace's response, she seemed pretty alright about it. Perhaps talking to Nolan and them two working through it as a couple had helped.

"Oh, so you want me to compliment you?" Nate teased. "I'm not sure if that's appropriate. Don't want people thinking I'm some sort of creep."

"You are a creep, though," Grace laughed. "So it's fine to say such things."

"I mean, you do have the body of an angel, so I guess I can't help myself," Nate said.

"An angel, huh?" Grace chuckled. "I've never gotten that one before."

"What, people don't compliment your body enough? That's a shame. A woman like you should be showered in compliments," Nate said. "I bet Nolan doesn't even know what he has."

Nolan felt a lump form in his throat. He knew that Nate was just teasing, but it still made him uncomfortable to hear him say those things. He knew that she wouldn't actually cheat on him, but hearing her flirt with another man was still hard. And now Nate wanted to belittle Nolan directly to Grace.

He tried to remain quiet, hoping that she hadn't heard him enter the apartment. He knew that she was just teasing, and he didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Well, Nolan knows plenty, I'm sure," Grace said, more sternly, making no room for argument. Nolan felt a pang of pride from that. "Besides, I'm pretty sure you're the creepiest out of the two."

"Ah, so I'm not as smooth as I thought," Nate said. "I'll have to work on that."

"Don't worry, I think you're plenty smooth. You just need to tone it down a bit," Grace said. "And maybe don't scare me half to death next time."

"That wasn't my intention. But you looked so good, I couldn't help myself," Nate said, sounding almost apologetic.

"Hey, hey, no worries," Grace said, waving her hand. "I'm just messing with you. It's all in good fun, right?"

Nolan breathed heavily now, his heart racing. He was conflicted. On the one hand, he wanted to know what else Nate would say to her, but on the other hand, he was terrified of what might happen. Nate was obviously flirting with her, and Grace was flirting back. Would this be the beginning of something more?

But it was what he wanted. This right here. The flirting, the teasing, the danger of it going somewhere he couldn't control, beyond his own reach. Nolan wanted to feel powerless, he wanted to see Grace with someone else, even if it was only for a moment. But it still scared him.

"Of course it is," Nate said, his voice low and husky. "I just want to make sure you know that."

Grace giggled. "I do know that. And I like it," she said, winking at him. "I'm just not used to it, that's all. Most guys are too afraid to hit on me. They're all scared of Nolan."

"Well, I'm not most guys," Nate said, his voice filled with confidence.

"No, you certainly are not," Grace said. Nolan could hear the smirk in her voice. But Nolan had to wonder what she meant by that. Was she implying that he was a creep? Nolan didn't know, but he couldn't help but think there was something else in that statement.

"So, how long have you two been together?" Nate asked, pulling Nolan out from his thoughts.

"Oh, almost four years," Grace replied. "We met in college."

Nate whistled. "Four years, huh? That's a long time. And you still look as amazing as ever. You must keep him on his toes," Nate said.

Grace laughed. "Yeah, well, I do my best," she said. "But I think Nolan is pretty happy with me."

"I would be happy with you too," Nate said. "You're an incredible woman, Grace."

"Thanks, Nate," Grace said. "I'm glad we got to talk again. I've missed our chats."

"Me too," Nate said. "So how about it? Wanna give me a closer look of that gorgeous body of yours? Maybe I can throw a compliment in for good measure?"

Grace giggled. "I don't know..." she said. "I think I'm good here."

"Aww, come on," Nate said. "You know you want to."

"Do I?" Grace teased.

"Of course you do," Nate said. "You love the attention. You love knowing that someone thinks you're hot."

"Maybe I do," she said, playing with her hair. Grace then rolled over onto her back, making a point of holding her bikini top in place as she sat up. She knew that Nate was watching and was careful to sit faced away from his gaze. 

Unfortunately for Nate, but luckily for Nolan, she turned toward the window so she could tie it up without exposing herself. From where Nolan stood, though, she was plenty exposed.

"God damn," Nate breathed, no doubt soaking in the red bikini clinging to her hips and ass. "You are something else."

"You like what you see?" Grace asked, smiling over her shoulder up at him.

"I'd love to take a closer look," Nate said.

Grace bit her lip. Part of her knew that she should say no, but she couldn't help herself. The way Nate was looking at her was intoxicating. She had never felt so sexy, so wanted. It was thrilling, and she wanted more. Without saying anything else, Grace stood up, her nipples slightly erect and standing sexily from those perky breasts, clearly visible through the fabric.

Her eyes then darted toward Nolan for a split second.

Nolan almost yelped in surprise. How long had she known he was there? Did she just notice him? Or was she waiting for him? He quickly backed away from the door, making sure he stayed out of sight. He couldn't let Nate know he was there.

Grace smiled when she spotted Nolan watching her, making eye contact with him for a split second. Her expression was impossible to read. Was she pleased that he was watching her flirt with Nate, or was she angry that he had been eavesdropping on her? But Nolan knew deep inside his soul that this was exactly what he had wanted. His fantasy was coming to life right in front of his eyes, and he could hardly believe it.

She then took her eyes off him and moved without hesitation towards where Nate was, out of Nolan's field of view. Nolan gasped and was desperate to move after, but if he did, he'd expose himself for Nate's attention. And so he chose not to, despite every inch in his body yearning him to peek at what's happening behind the wall.

For a few heartbreaking moments, there was a complete lack of sound, and he felt his heart hammering in his chest. He moved as close to the half-open door as possible without being seen, peering his ears for anything and everything.

A few birds sang, and the wind was blowing in the nearby trees, but apart from that, nothing. Until a bit of shuffling could be heard, before Grace said, "Oh, Nate!" and a soft moan. Then silence again.

*

Grace had seen Nolan almost as soon as he had come home, but apparently, Nolan didn't think she had noticed him. She saw him sneak up to the door as she was talking to Nate. That was one of the side effects of putting so much effort into making sure your best bodily assets stay in prime condition: men sometimes become completely unaware that a woman also has eyes.

Grace took the opportunity to flirt with Nate a bit, just to get a rile out of her man. She made sure to put extra stank on it too and to engage as much as she dared. It was such a rush to indulge in a bit of back and forth, especially when she knew Nolan was listening in. It made her feel extra naughty, and that was her kryptonite.

What she didn't expect, though perhaps foolishly, was her own reaction to Nate more openly flirting with her, and her pushing back and playing into it made her grow ever more excited. Seeing Nolan, and him basically spying on her had increased her boldness in ways she couldn't have foreseen. So when Nate asked for a closer look, Grace was ready to give him one.

With barely a thought, she was on her feet. With a quick glance towards Nolan, almost trying to silently ask him if this was what he wanted, Grace made her way to where the matted wall cut down to just a half-wall, where Nate stood waiting for her. She felt so naughty as she walked over to their lecherous neighbor, his intense eyes boring into her, feeling her own heart rate shoot up with each step.

Nate was thrilled to have her come, and she couldn't stop herself. She knew she should say no, but part of her wanted it. Nate's flirting and the desire to act naughty had mixed to make the perfect cocktail for her to do something rash, reckless. And yet she didn't turn away or make any protest. She didn't turn back.

His breath smelled of whisky, his grin one of a confident predator. Without asking for permission, Nate reached a hand across from his side of the half-wall, and almost as if in slow motion, Grace looked at him with a mix of nervousness and excitement when his calloused fingers reached up to one breast, gently feeling it.

As soon as his hand made contact with her bikini-clad breast, Grace let out a small gasp, and she felt her heart skip a beat. It was exhilarating. She had never felt so alive, so free. She had never felt so turned on before. It was incredible. Grace could hardly tell if it was because of her increasing interest in Nate or because she knew it would drive Nolan crazy to hear about this. Was he watching now? Nate would surely have seen him if Nolan dared a peek. 

God, she felt so naughty, and the fact that it had happened faster than she could react, that Nate likely had planned to get a feel… But it also gave her extra courage to not push Nate’s hands away like she should have. Her instincts fought for her to swat his hand away, but the allure of her and Nolan’s adventure told her that this lap of judgment was allowed. So she stood there, taking his pawing, letting him stick his hand from his balcony and over to theirs so he could feel what was Nolan’s.

As his other hand came up to fondle the other, the fingers began to trace the contours of her nipples on top of the bikini, teasing her slowly in a way Grace hadn't expected from a man like Nate. His palms were rough and yet soft, his fingers slightly calloused from whatever it was that he did, his whole attitude almost predatory.

It felt strange, having his hands groping her, feeling her soft flesh through the thin layer of fabric. She couldn't help but notice how much bigger and stronger his hands were. As much as she hadn’t expected to get groped today, she equally didn’t anticipate how good it’d feel. Nate knew exactly how to touch her, and it was making her breathing feel so much heavier, and the balcony suddenly felt much warmer than it had a few minutes ago.

"Oh, Nate!" Grace whispered, closing her eyes to let out a small moan. Nate continued his assault on her breasts, not missing a beat. His fingers explored them, massaging them with just enough force to make his hunger apparent but gentle enough to not chafe or hurt her.

For a fleeting moment, Grace thought this was surely a mistake, but it was too late now. Nate already had his big hands on her body, and he was so enthralled by it. The look on his face. It had happened a bit faster than she’d anticipated, as she hadn’t expected to get groped at all, but now that she was here, looking at Nate’s hungry gaze, it was hard to back out. And then there was Nolan listening to her being felt up, hearing her moan their neighbor’s name…

Grace turned slightly, more so her back was toward Nate, wanting to feel his hands around her he groped her. Instead, Nate let one hand quickly travel down to her perfect butt, his fingers pressing lightly down against her skin as he dug and spread her cheeks. The other stayed firmly massaging her boob.

She could hear Nate breathing, his breath becoming somewhat erratic as he enjoyed the softness, the suppleness of her flesh. His fingers massaged her harder, and Grace couldn't help but groan slightly as she felt Nate press his fingers deeper. Soon he’d have his fingers in the cleft of her ass, and perhaps even further than that. Her heart was racing now, her breathing was getting heavier. Her pussy was starting to tingle. This was getting hotter than expected.

"You like this, don't you?" Nate growled in a low voice.

That seemed to snap Grace back to reality for a bit. What was she doing, standing here on her balcony letting him fondle her like this? She couldn't let this go any further. This was a mistake.

It felt like it had lasted an eternity, but it had probably only lasted for five-to-ten seconds. What had she done indeed? In those seconds, the two of them mutually agreed that it was fine for Nate to touch her body freely, to just stick his hand out and squeeze whatever of hers came to his liking. But it wasn't fine. No matter what she or her man felt. She shouldn't let the fact that this is what her boyfriend wants be an excuse.

Grace quickly pulled away, turned, and took a few steps backward until she hit the wall.

Nate looked confused, and Grace couldn't help but notice how much darker his gaze was than before. He was looking at her differently now. Almost like a wild animal stalking its prey. 

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Instead, Grace bolted inside, sliding the door shut behind with more force than she intended.

She leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Her heart was beating so fast, and her head was spinning. Part of her was thrilled about what had happened, but another part of her was horrified. She couldn't believe she had let that happen. She wasn't a cheater, but there she was, having let Nate grope her.

So far there had been teasing, flirting, ogling, snide comments, but now it had gotten physical. A real violation of boundaries. They had entered dangerous territory, and they needed to be more careful going forward. She hadn't meant for this to happen, but now they were involved too far for her to deny that she had a big kink for the very man that was an inch from fingering her right then and there.

From the time when Nate had spanked her and she called him out in it, to now letting him grope her tits and butt. A subtle sexual abuse. How could they have ended up here? This was a bit too exciting…

A million different thoughts ran through her mind.

And just then did she spot Nolan, wide-eyed, staring at her, wild with jealousy and lust. She wondered how much he had seen or heard. Had he heard her moan their neighbor's name?

Grace gave Nolan a shaky smile and shrugged sheepishly. Her expression seemed to speak 'Shit happens'. And indeed it did. Nolan looked to be out of it. Not quite understanding the situation or where this was heading. He definitely seemed worried though, but his pupils were blown out of proportion, staring at her hungrily, mouth open a bit.

A myriad of emotions ran through Nolan's face. The confusion, the wonder, the lust, the excitement. He was lost, unsure what had just transpired just outside on the balcony of his own apartment. He kept quiet. He wanted more of it, and Grace realized she did, too.

Despite the sudden flurry of emotions, neither of them said anything, each of them simply staring at each other, each waiting for the other to make the next move.

Grace could tell that Nolan knew something had happened, but as both Grace and Nate had been outside of his field of view, he had no idea what. He had heard a small moan and Grace calling their neighbor's name, but other than that, he didn't know what had happened. The desperate look on his face was priceless, making Grace smile and feel even more naughty seeing her man so out of it.

Grace smiled sweetly at Nolan. "Nice day out, isn't it?" she asked, deciding to play with Nolan a bit and keep quiet about her and Nate, at least for now.

As expected, Nolan's eyes grew wide. "Erh. Yeah," he said.

"Nate seems to think so too," Grace continued. "He's really enjoying the sun."

"Is that so?" Nolan asked, his voice wavering slightly. He was trying to sound confident, but Grace could tell he was nervous. He was struggling to keep his composure.

"Yeah, he's been telling me how much he loves the view," Grace said.

Nolan was silent, not sure how to respond. He had no idea that things had taken a dramatic turn, and that, oddly was a thrill for Grace. To not let him in on what she had been doing. Secrecy. And it seemed to her that perhaps Nolan liked it as well. But he didn’t want to admit it, seemingly. No, that would be too scary to admit, even now.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, babe," Grace teased. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Nolan said, his voice cracking slightly.

"Anyway, I'm going to go play tennis with Dora. See you later, alligator," Grace smiled, knowing her walking out without relenting would keep Nolan on his toes until she was back. It sort of reminded her how some women would tie or be tied up to the bed until their significant other came home, all pent up and frustrated.

She walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Nolan was still looking at her like he had seen a ghost.

"Don't worry, baby," she whispered in his ear. "I'll see you later."

Grace then headed towards their bedroom and quickly changed into tennis attire. As she changed, she couldn't help but think about how crazy things had gotten. She couldn't believe she had let Nate grope her like that. It was insane. And yet part of her loved it. It was scary, but it was too exciting. She loved the thrill of it all.

When she returned to the living room, Nolan was still standing where she had left him, his eyes wide and his jaw slack.

"I'll see you later," Grace said as she walked past him.

Nolan didn't say anything, but he nodded. His eyes were glued to her ass as she walked away, and she couldn't help but smile.

As she made her way out of the building and to her car, Grace felt giddy. She knew she should feel guilty about what she had done, but she couldn't help but feel excited. She had never felt so naughty in her life, and she couldn't wait to see how things would develop. She knew that she shouldn't have let things go as far as they had with Nate, but it was too late now. There was no turning back. And she wasn't sure she wanted to anyway.

*

After a tiring session of tennis, Grace and Dora went for some smoothies at a local café. Dora in her blue tennis attire, Grace in her white. It was good to get out of the house and just chill. As they sat there talking about this and that, the topic drifted over to her and Nolan's latest adventures, which wasn't really surprising. Dora loved juicy gossip, especially when it came to Grace and her man. Part of it was jealousy, Grace knew, as Dora and her husband were the dullest couple ever.

Grace refused to give anything up, as she was still processing things. But Dora wouldn't relent. So after a few more rounds of 'Just tell me what's going on!', Grace finally caved in.

"Okay, okay, fine," Grace said, rolling her eyes. "I'll tell you."

Dora leaned forward in her seat, a wicked smile on her face. "So, what happened? Did you do something naughty?"

"Maybe..." Grace said, taking a sip of her smoothie. "I may have let Nate touch my boobs."

"What?!" Dora exclaimed, almost dropping her drink. "You didn't!"

"I did," Grace said, a smirk on her lips.

"Oh my god, Grace, that's so naughty!" Dora said. "How did that happen?"

"Well, we were talking, and he was being his usual creepy self, and then he asked for a closer look, so I went over to where he was standing and let him feel them up," Grace explained.

"Holy shit, that's insane," Dora said. "Was it hot?"

"Yeah, it was," Grace admitted, feeling her cheeks flush.

"God, Grace, you're such a slut," Dora teased.

"Hey, I'm not a slut. Don’t call me that," Grace protested, laughing. She hated being called a slut, and Dora knew it, but the situation truly warranted it. "I'm just having fun."

"Uh-huh, sure," Dora said, rolling her eyes. "You're totally not a slut."

"Shut up," Grace said, punching her playfully on the arm.

"So, what happened next? Did you let him do more?" Dora asked.

"No, that's as far as it went. Well, he touched my ass too, but everything was over my bikini," Grace said. Dora's eyes went wide. "I don't think either of us expected things to go that far. And I was suddenly so turned on, so I ran back inside before anything else happened."

Dora shook her head, laughing. "God, I can't believe you, Grace. You're something else."

"I know, I know," Grace said. She couldn't believe it either, but she loved the excitement of it all. She had never felt so naughty in her life, and it was exhilarating.

"Does Nolan know? Is he 'okay' with this too?" Dora asked, biting her bottom lip.

"No," Grace muttered.

"You naughty girl," Dora replied.

"God, I haven't told him yet. He just thinks it's flirting and me showing off a bit. I've got no idea how he feels about it getting physical," Grace said.

"Barely physical. It's just a bit of groping," Dora said. She then hesitated a bit, suddenly seeming unsure of the whole situation. "You know, it's fun and all to hear this, and as much as I think Nolan is kinda lame, you two got a nice thing going. I'm not saying you shouldn't do whatever this is, but be careful what you wish for."

Grace looked at her friend for a moment, taking it in. Then she barked out a laugh. "Didn't you fuck him?" Grace asked. Dora turned red, as expected. "If you can fuck him, I can let him grope me. I know what I'm doing."

"You better know what you're doing, Grace," Dora said, her voice serious for a change. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't get hurt, I promise," Grace said, smiling at her friend. "Nolan and I are just playing around a bit. But I appreciate the concern, I really do."

"Cool," Dora said, eager to drop the topic and get back to something lighter. "So, are you going to tell Nolan what happened? Or are you going to keep it a secret?"

"I don't know," Grace said. She knew that she should tell Nolan, but she was afraid of how he would react. Would he be angry? Would he be jealous? Would he be turned on? She didn't know, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to find out. "I'm scared that he won't approve. If so, I’ll be in the dog house. I just have no idea with all of this. I hope I didn’t fuck everything up."

"Well, you better figure it out," Dora said. "You can't keep secrets from your boyfriend. That's not fair to him."

"I know, I know," Grace sighed. "I'll tell him eventually. Just not right now. I need some time to process everything first."

After chatting a bit more about other topics, Grace and Dora finished their smoothies and headed back to their cars. Grace gave Dora a hug before heading home.

As Grace headed up their apartment building, as she hadn't picked it up on Friday she stopped by the mailboxes. She opened up theirs and found a few letters, as well as a magazine. She took them out and then closed the box. As she did so, she felt a hand gently squeeze her ass on top of her white tennis skirt. She jumped in surprise, turning to see who it was.

"Hey there, gorgeous," Nate said, his eyes roaming her body.

"Nate, don't scare me like that!" Grace exclaimed, her heart racing. She hadn't expected to run into him. "And you shouldn't go touching me like that. I'm spoken for, remember?"

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Nate said, a smirk on his face. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Grace said, trying to catch her breath. "A little surprised to see you, but fine."

"Yeah, I just saw you come in and couldn't help myself," Nate said. "You look amazing."

"Thanks," Grace said, her cheeks flushing. She couldn't believe he had the audacity to touch her after what happened earlier. But part of her liked it. The boldness of it all was exciting. Him touching her on the balcony and openly flirting with her had brought a new side to this whole engagement that she hadn't expected, namely that Nate wasn't afraid to go after what he wanted. He was aggressive and sort of creepy, and it was thrilling. They had opened the door for him to now touch and openly flirt... no. They hadn't opened the door. Grace had. So Nate took full advantage of that.

"You're welcome," Nate said. "And I'm sorry again about earlier. I got a bit carried away."

"It's fine," Grace said, her heart still racing. "I should've stopped you, but I didn't."

"Yeah, and I enjoyed every moment of it," Nate said, scanning her body.

"Yeah, I bet you did," Grace teased. "But seriously, you can't do that. It was fun, but I need to know my boundaries, and you yours, otherwise, things can get out of control."

"I can respect that," Nate said, though Grace could tell he'd love to try and go beyond it if Grace let him. He had a wolfish smirk on his face.

"You better," Grace said, laughing. She couldn't help but enjoy the playful exchange they were having, even as she told herself that she needed to end it and go see Nolan. But she couldn't bring herself to leave. "Or I might have to stop visiting you in the future."

"Oh, I'll be a saint then," Nate said. He then pulled his hand back for a moment, before suddenly giving Grace's ass cheek a hard spank. Grace squeaked in surprise. On instinct, Grace reeled back and cracked Nate across the face with her open hand. They both looked at each other, utterly shocked.

"Sorry!" Grace yelped. "I-I just don't respond well to, fuck, to getting spanked!"

"It's fine," Nate said, the stunned look quickly vanishing. He smirked once again and shrugged. "Believe it or not, this is not my first slap."

"Sorry!" Grace said again, almost pleading for it now. "Did it sting?"

"Not worse than my mom!" Nate chuckled, laughing it off. Grace was thankful he wasn't pissed from her assaulting him. "It's all good, really. Look, just to make sure, are we still good? No bad blood on either end?"

"We're good," Grace said, still breathing heavily. "And I mean, you had touched me like, sexually, before, and that's not okay either, but spanking me... that's too far."

"Some people respond in different ways," Nate said, rubbing his neck. "You got a hell of a right, I’ll tell ya! Well, I'll go and see if I have some frozen veggies. Take care. And don't worry about it. I deserved it."

"Yeah... you kinda did," Grace said, earning a laugh from Nate and even herself.

After that awkward interaction was over with, the two went their separate ways. Nate disappearing outside, Grace up to the apartment. Grace couldn't believe that had just happened. Nate had groped her, then he had spanked her, and she had slapped him in return. And all of that in a short period of time. Her heart was beating wildly, and her face was flushed.

When Nate had groped all those months ago, even then she hadn’t slapped him. Why had her instinct been so physical now that they were… more friendly? What would you even call this? Friends don’t go around spanking and flirting with each other. Lovers do, perhaps you do so with your best friend, but Nate was neither of those things as far as Grace was concerned. And concerned she was.

She needed a moment to collect herself before heading up to her apartment. Grace sat in her truck for a few minutes, her mind racing. How had things escalated so quickly? What had started as innocent flirting had turned into full-on sexual contact. Nate had been bolder than she had ever imagined, and her reaction had been just as surprising. She should've put a stop to it, but she had let things go too far.

Grace knew what she had to do. Nolan didn't like it, but it was either that or pull full stops on this little, dangerous adventure of theirs.

*

Nolan wasn't sure why he thought it was a good idea to go for a beer with Nate, but he just needed to get out of the house. At first he had thought to just go out for a beer alone, but eventually, after an hour or so alone at the bar, Nolan texted his neighbor if he’d be able to join him. 

With the latest developments with Grace and him, whatever it was, it felt almost oppressive to be cooped up. It had been hours since Grace had left. Was it a mistake? Perhaps, but he needed something to clear his thoughts. But sitting alone, well, that wasn’t really Nolan.

Why Nate? Well, Nate was a great companion to help clear his mind from his current state of mind despite being the culprit. He was also close by and available. Nolan had to chuckle as that was also the reason he worked so well with his fantasy- that and the fact that he was sort of sleazy. There was also a level of masochism to hang out with the guy who was actively trying to hit on his girl, Nolan acknowledged to himself. Plus, Nate was charitable about buying the rounds, so there was that.

But as it turned out, he didn't talk much about Grace at all. Instead, Nate was hellbound on keeping a normal, friendly conversation. Maybe in Nate's mind, Nolan didn't know, and thus, they were still comrades. They were still friends, yes, but Nate's obliviousness brought an odd level of amusement to Nolan, and he didn't want to mess with that. Plus, he was here to get distracted, and Nate did that job thoroughly.

Instead, the two chatted about work, the local football team, the latest gossip at the office. They talked about the weather, football. They talked about everything except Grace. But throughout it all, there was an elephant in the room that both men avoided mentioning, both thinking about her and, in Nate's case, about what happened on the balcony just this afternoon.

Nate had no way of knowing that Nolan knew, though. If anything, he probably thought he had gotten away with it. That he had gotten away with whatever he and Grace had done. Nolan found himself occasionally looking at Nate's hands, wondering if... he doubted it, but given the scenario, there was a vague chance that Nate had perhaps used his fingers on Grace. Like, fingering. Why else would she have moaned his name? But then again, Grace was never the biggest fan of that; she much preferred it when Nolan used his mouth.

But as the intoxication levels rose, Nolan had to stay clear of those thoughts so as not to slip up.

And the intoxication levels rose indeed. Nolan wasn't the biggest drinker, but he usually handled beer well. Now, however, it seemed like five rounds in that he was having a greater buzz than expected. He hadn't had dinner yet, so maybe that was why. And maybe it was because of how his mind was constantly circling back to Grace and what she was doing right now. He had no idea what she was doing, and that made him anxious.

"I might call it," Nolan groaned sluggishly.

"Yeah? No problem at all. You good to drive?" Nate asked, still seeming relatively sober. He had had less than Nolan, but he also didn't have the luxury of an empty stomach.

Nolan hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure if he was okay to drive. His head felt a bit fuzzy, and his vision was slightly blurry. But he didn't want to risk it.

"Never mind, I'll get us home," Nate said, taking the keys out of Nolan's hands. Nolan hadn't even noticed taking them out, but he had been looking at them with glassy eyes as he tried to gauge his own level of drunkenness. "Come on, buddy, let's go."

Nate helped him up, and the two of them headed out of the bar. The fresh air seemed to help clear Nolan's mind a bit, but he was still pretty tipsy. He knew he shouldn't have drunk that much, but he couldn't help himself. He had been so anxious about what was going on with Grace that he had needed a way to distract himself, and alcohol seemed like the best option. He'd have to live with Grace's scolding, though. She hated it when he got this drunk. Last time, she hadn't been too happy, and tonight would be no different.

A fleeting thought made Nolan tempted to tell Nate he had his shot tonight. Angry girlfriend who needs her relief. That's a good recipe for a guy who's trying to get into your woman's pants. But he decided against it. He didn't want to encourage him any further.

The short drive home was uneventful, with Nolan resting his head against the window, trying not to fall asleep. When they pulled up to the apartment building, he felt a bit better, but he was still pretty drunk. He needed to get some food in his stomach and sleep it off.

"Thanks for the ride, man," Nolan said as they got out of the car.

They walked a few paces, and then Nate had to hurry back to Nolan's car for his phone. Nolan looked up at the apartment building. It was quite nice looking. He never really took in architecture, but being drunk, he suddenly deemed himself some sort of art critic.

"Ah, shit," Nate groaned, rummaging through the car. "Must've left my phone in here."

"You should really be more careful with your things," Nolan said, wagging his finger at Nate. "What if someone stole it?"

"I know, I know," Nate said. "I'm an idiot. Here it is. Let's go seek mercy."

As expected, Grace was livid. She didn't expel her anger while Nate was there, but her ice cold stare was enough to make Nolan almost sober.

"Hey, babe," Nolan said, his voice slurring a bit. "How are you?"

Grace frowned. "I'm fine, but you're drunk."

Nolan shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess so. Sorry. I didn't mean to get this drunk."

"You never do," Grace said. "I had no idea you were going out, even less that you'd be drinking like this."

Nolan opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He knew that he had made a mistake. He knew that he shouldn't have gotten this drunk, but he had needed a way to distract himself from what was going on with Grace, and alcohol seemed like the best option. But now, with Grace staring at him with disappointment in her eyes, he felt like a fool.

"I'm sorry," Nolan said again. "I just needed to get out of the house for a bit."

Grace sighed. "I get that, but you can't just disappear like that without letting me know where you're going. I was worried about you. I came home to an empty apartment... and with what happened earlier... I was so worried."

Nolan felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't meant to worry Grace, but he had been so caught up in his own emotions that he hadn't even thought about how she might feel. It made sense why it wasn’t a great look for her to come home to an empty apartment after whatever happened on the balcony.

"I'm sorry," he said again, unable to come up with anything else.

Grace shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "You're lucky I love you."

Nolan smiled back. "I know. I'm a lucky guy."

The two of them stood there for a moment, smiling at each other.

"Will you be able to drive me to ballet tomorrow?" Grace asked, looking him up and down.

"If not, I can," Nate said, suddenly standing in the door. Had he been there the whole time, or did he just have impeccable timing?

"I'll drive you, don't worry," Nolan said. He could handle it. Probably.

"It's okay if you can't," Grace said, moving closer to Nolan. "Nate is more than happy to step in."

Even drunk, Nolan caught the teasing. Grace smiled, and behind her, Nate did too. Nolan wasn’t sure he was meant to hear that, but it felt just like on the balcony when she teased them both by doing yoga and whatnot, she was now rubbing his fantasy in his face. He wondered if it was a punishment for being drunk or just for fun. Either way, Nolan was eager to throw Nate out and mount his feisty girlfriend.

"Nah, it's fine," Nolan said. "I can do it."

"Great," Grace said. She then turned to Nate. "Well, thanks for getting him home safely. I appreciate it."

"No problem," Nate said. "I'm always happy to help out."

"I'm sure you are," Grace said, smiling. She then turned back to Nolan. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

Nolan stumbled into the bedroom, Grace's hand on the small of his back guiding him. He felt like a child, but he didn't care. He was drunk, and he knew he needed help. Grace helped him get undressed and tucked him into bed.

"I'm sorry, babe," Nolan slurred, his eyes struggling to stay open.

"It's okay," Grace said, smiling down at him. "Just get some rest."

With that, Grace turned off the lights and left the room. Nolan was more or less asleep before she had even closed the door.

The last thing he heard was Grace, from the living room, in a hushed voice, talking to Nate. It sounded like she was telling him to be quiet as Nolan was trying to sleep. Some shuffling, a gasp, and then Grace saying something with a hiss. There was a small pause, and then Nolan heard Nate say something in an agreeing tone. A few seconds later, the front door opened and shut. Suddenly, Grace was in the bedroom door, framed in the light from the living room, looking at Nolan, who had fought to stay awake when he heard something happen in the living room. But as the situation washed away and his mind gave in, he fell short.

*

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