I pick up the box, drop the vibrator in it and storm downstairs. I march down the spiral staircase, across the living room, and throw open the door to his office.Nathan looks up from his laptop, brows drawing together. “Nicole? Are you ok?”“What the hell were you thinking?” I demand. “Giving me that...” I struggle for the words.He frowns, like he’s genuinely confused. “Is it the wrong brand? Or flavor?”“Flavor?” My voice has risen an octave. “The flavor is not the problem, Nathan.”He scowls. “There’s no need for theatrics. I don’t know how you’ve interpreted my fulfilling your request as an insult. It’s been a long day for me—”“I didn’t request this.” I drop the box on his desk. “It’s a gross violation of personal boundaries.”“Oh, for goodness sake.” Nathan opens the black box, irritated. “It’s just...” His voice trails off as he sees what’s inside. Maybe now that he’s seeing it in real life, Nathan’s realizing what a bad idea this was.I stand with my hands on my hips, feeling
And then he crushes me to him, burying his head in my neck as he hugs me and breathes. Like he’s relieved. Like it’s not just pride or logic that’s making him possessive. Like he cares.I stand there, stroking his hair.When he does speak, his voice is gruff. “So there’s no one else?”“I’m all yours,” I try to joke. But he doesn’t laugh. Maybe because there’s too much truth in my words. Maybe because there’s too much relief in his touch.He starts to release me, reluctantly. “If you don’t want...we should...”I rise up on my tiptoes and kiss him. I know what he’s going to say, but he’s driven all logic from my brain with his touch, his mouth, his scent. I crave him, and I’m rapidly losing my will to walk away.He kisses me back, like an alcoholic who’s been offered one last drink. His hands are so tight on my hips, I wonder if I’ll bruise. If I’ll walk around all week with the marks of Nathan’s desire on my skin.I’m dizzy with want when Nathan finally shoves me away. He sinks back on
I gasp.And then his mouth is on me, and I lose the ability to think. He’s moaning as he eats me out, stopping only to murmur things like Mine and Good girl and Yes, sweetheart, just like that.When he slides his fingers inside me, I lose control and grab his hair, holding him where I need him as he ruthlessly destroys my world. Until the pleasure can’t build anymore, and I tumble over the edge, gasping as I come.I blink, dazed, as Nathan pulls back and rises to his feet, letting the cool air rush in between us.“That wasn’t for me?” I ask. He may have destroyed my last functioning brain cell, but I’m pretty sure there’s no way he enjoyed that more than I did. I don’t think anyone’s ever enjoyed anything more than I just enjoyed Nathan eating me out.He presses his thumb against my bottom lip, and I can smell myself on his hand.“Trust me,” he says. “I’m selfish in bed. You’ll enjoy yourself. But at the end of the day, you’re my treat. Understand?”I wrap my lips around his thumb and
“Here. Wear this instead.” He strips off his shirt and puts it on me. His knuckles brush my bare stomach as he buttons up his shirt. It’s a sweet, chivalrous gesture. The kind he’d make if this thing between us was real.It also means I get a good look at his chest, and hot damn.He’s lean and strong, with dark hair dusting his chest and leading down to the jeans slung low on his hips.I almost ask him to take his pants off so I can see the rest of him too. Fair is fair. Nathan’s seen all of me.Instead, I tug the hem of the shirt lower to cover more of me. “This is silly. You could just give me my clothes.”“Afraid I can’t.” Nathan’s face looks gravely serious. And then he cracks a smile. “I’ve got plans for us. And none of them involve you putting your clothes back on. Remember, I’m selfish.”My stomach flutters and my body pulses.I stretch, feigning nonchalance. “I don’t know. I’m pretty tired. Maybe I’ll just take my shiny new vibrator and go back to bed.”“You know, a less secure
“I must sound so whine-y.” She forces a laugh. “I can take all the snow days I want when I have my own company, right?”“Right.”But those future snow days won’t be with me.I never mix business with pleasure. It’s one of my most important rules, right up there withnever gamble.But before I know it I’m deleting the message I was going to send to Kay and typing out a new one.Let everyone know there’s no work today. Tell everyone we lost power to the building. The servers are down too, so no need to work from home. Tell everyone to take the whole day off, and we’ll see them on Tuesday.Kay’s response comes quickly. It’s just to me, not my dad.I just got to the office. We definitely have power.I type back,Then you should probably go home before we DO lose power.For a moment nothing happens. And then I get a winky faced emoji from Kay, along with the comment It seems like falling in love has been good for you.I’d call her out on that inappropriate comment, but since I just asked her
A second later, Kiera pops up. She gives me a thumbs up to show she’s ok. And then she goes back to crossing the field, this time more carefully.I glance at Nicole. “You’re good with kids.”She shrugs off the compliment. “I used to babysit my little cousins back in Texas. Girls Kiera’s age want to test out being a little more independent. And they’re normally tougher than their parents think.”“You mean tougher than their dads think,” I say.“Nicole slides her gloved fingers between mine. “I like that you want to protect her from everything, Nathan. And I think Kiera does too. It’s one of the things that helps her be so brave.”“You think?” My voice sounds gruff, even to my own ears.Amelia smiles up at me. She double checks Kiera isn’t watching, then sneaks a kiss. It’s sweet and chaste. Like freshly fallen snow.Then she pulls back, and we both start walking after Kiera, holding onto each other to avoid slipping on the packed snow.My chest feels weirdly warm over Nicole’s words.I
“Yes,” Nathan answers.“Are you ever going to for-real marry someone new?” Kiera asks. “Like how Mom married someone new?”I stop walking. I know I shouldn't eavesdrop. But I can’t make myself walk into Kiera’s room before I hear Nathan’s answer.At last Nathan answers in a low, soft tone. I can hear the smile in his voice. “I don’t need to ever get married again, Bug. I’ve got all the family I need right here.” And then Kiera’s giggling and shrieking, like Nathan’s tickling her.I stand in the hallway and make myself take deep breaths until I’m sure my face looks normal.Rationally, I know that’s the right answer for Nathan to give. Kiera and Nathan are a unit, a perfect little family in their own right.I’m glad Nathan has that.But a tiny part of me feels disappointed. I know it’s ridiculous to feel that way. Casual sex isn’t going to magically turn a fake relationship real.But the way he looked at me tonight...No, I tell myself sternly. I need to stop seeing things that aren’t t
Finally, I can talk to someone else about this hot, sweet, confusing thing that’s happening between me and Nathan. Also, she can give me an opinion on what to wear to the gala tomorrow night. Nathan’s mom’s stylist sent plenty of dresses over. They were sleek, sexy, sophisticated.But none of them felt like me.It probably shouldn’t matter if I feel like myself when I’m already pretending to be someone else’s fiancée. Living in someone else’s apartment. Working a corporate job where I don’t fit in, and plan to leave as soon as possible.But all the lies are having the opposite effect. I’m finding myself clinging to anything that still feels like the real me. Maybe if I can hold on to who I am, I won’t get swept up in Nicole.Ria holds up a silver column dress. “What about this? You have the legs for it.”“Eh. The stylist already sent me something like that. I want something more...” I wave at the slouchy sweater dress I’m currently wearing. “Something more me.”Ria wrinkles her nose.