Chapter One 2. Celeste

Celeste North liked to get up early. She was sure it was part of growing up with a large extended family around her; the only time to get any peace was either late at night or early in the morning. 

For her, there was something primal about watching the sun rise. It was certainly her main reason for choosing this apartment five years ago she mused, sipping on her coffee. They had needed a place closer to the office as the business started to expand faster then anticipated and this one had balcony facing east with huge glass wall connecting to the kitchen with a breakfast bar.  When she found herself waking before Hunter it was her favourite spot to watch the sun rise over the harbour.

Her thoughts drifted to her mate and husband, as they often did. He was nothing like she had expected growing up but she had had no doubt that he would come waltzing into her life and turn it upside down. He had already owned the architect firm, Savannah Dreams when they had met.  It hadn’t taken long for it to balloon into the the mammoth industry it now was when Celeste had joined forces with him.

It hadn’t been all sunshine and roses she mused, between hers and Hunter’s family plus the business had meant 10 years of sweat and tears. But she felt like they had turned a corner, the Clan was content and most of them worked within North Industries, keeping them all where they wanted to be. When Nona had stepped down she had named Celeste as her successor. It had been a hard road to gain everyone’s approval, especially where Hunter was concerned, but Celeste was here, 32 and owner of one of the best companies in the business. And married to a man who rightfully worshiped her.

She grinned into her coffee. He would never say it like that, but she knew he worshiped her.

As if summoned by her thoughts her keen hearing picked up a thud from the bedroom, followed by a series of curses.  She tried not to snicker. Whilst the man slept like the dead, he roamed around the bed most of the night. The only way Celeste had found to keep him from pushing her or himself out of the bed was to basically smoother his body with her own.

His sisters had taken a certain level of glee letting her know just how often he had fallen out of his bed before they had met.  It still happened occasionally when she was out of bed before him.

When he stopped in the doorway to the kitchen Celeste was delighted to see he hadn’t bothered to dress.  Her eyes raked over his lithe dark honey form before meeting his drowsy golden eyes with a smirk from behind her coffee cup.

“Celeste,” he growled, his voice still smudged with sleep and she was unable to help the purr that came with the sound of her name on his lips. “I don’t suppose you remembered we had to be up early this morning.”

She rose an eyebrow, still smirking, and gestured to the fact she was already dressed for work.  She was not the one who had trouble waking in the morning, a fact he already knew but often tried to blame on her.

He scowled at her for a moment then sighed and ran a frustrated hand through his long golden hair. Turning on his heel he headed back to their bedroom. She could hear him sulking and grumbling about alarm clocks and his own inability to remember to set them. His tight ass drew her gaze as it disappeared and she flicked her eyes to the clock by the counter.  Standing Celeste stretched then let her sand coloured jacket slip from her shoulders and hung it on the back of the chair. She sauntered towards the bedroom.  What point was there being the owner’s of their own company if you couldn’t be late occasionally?

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