Chapter 20

~ LENA ~

My whole body shivered having Nathan so close in such an intimate position.

I didn’t know how he did it. But every time he looked into my eyes with that darkened look that told me exactly what he wanted, it made my breath catch and my heart beat a little faster.

His silence worsened it, as for a moment all he did was stare at me. His eyes moved over my face slowly, in a way that made my breath stall in my chest for more than a few seconds. I began to panic.

Why was he staring at me like that? What was he seeing?

Was there something about my face that looked wrong? Had he finally noticed something—some small difference that gave me away? Something that made him realize I wasn’t the woman he thought I was?

My heart was pounding hard in my chest. Still, I maintained my calm, finally relaxing a bit when his hands slid slowly up to my waist and pulled me closer to the edge of the kitchen island.

Our bodies were just a breath apart now. His eyes flicked down to my lips for a tiny second, then his mouth followed instantly.

The moment his lips touched mine, a small jolt ran through me. I’d known he was going to kiss me, just not like this. Not this deep and hungry, like a man who had been starving, as though we hadn’t already spent a good part of the night making love.

I froze for a second under the intensity of it. Then instinct took over. I kissed him back, like Kimberly would have, matching his hunger.

My hands lifted almost on their own, sliding into his hair. It was so soft and felt so good in my palms. The dark strands slipped easily through my fingers as I held him, feeling the heat of his mouth against mine while the kiss deepened.

Nathan made a quiet sound in his throat, something low and rough. It sent a ripple of pleasure through me.

His hand on my waist tightened slightly. They were steady but firm, holding me exactly where he wanted me. His lips moved slowly over mine again, then again, each kiss deeper than the last, unhurried yet somehow urgent at the same time.

It felt different from the night before. Last night, he had been careful with me, patient, watching every reaction on my face to be sure I was comfortable with every touch.

This was different. There was no hesitation in him now. There was nothing careful about the way he kissed me. It felt almost reckless, like he’d been holding himself back ever since I walked into the kitchen and had finally decided he wouldn’t anymore.

My fingers curled deeper into his hair. I leaned into the kiss, responding without thinking. My heart was still racing, but the nervous tension that had filled me moments ago had begun to dissolve under the warmth of his mouth.

Nathan’s other hand moved slightly along my waist, his thumb brushing absentmindedly against my side as his lips left mine for a moment. Before I could catch my breath, his mouth drifted to the corner of my lips… then moved further along my jaw.

A soft breath slipped from my mouth as his lips brushed my skin.

“Nate…” His name escaped from my lips quietly before I could stop it.

His mouth curved faintly against my jaw at the sound. Then he kissed the spot just beneath my ear, warm and slow, before moving lower along the curve of my neck.

My head tilted back without my permission. Suddenly, everything around us—the kitchen, the house—it all faded into the background. All I could feel was him. The warmth of his hands made my body tremble. The slow, deliberate way his mouth moved over my skin made it impossible to think about anything else.

I was completely lost in it until something sharp cut through the haze.

A smell.

At first, it barely registered. Then it grew stronger and my eyes flew open when I remembered.

“Nate…”

He didn’t stop immediately. His lips were still against my neck.

“Baby,” I said quickly, a laugh already threatening to break through. “Your pancake.”

He froze for half a second. Then the smell reached him too.

“Damn.”

He pulled back instantly, turning towards the stove just as a thin curl of smoke rose from the pan. He quickly grabbed it and moved it off the burner before turning off the heat.

I slid down from the island, pressing my lips together, trying to contain the laughter bubbling inside me as we both stared at the burnt pancake in the pan. It was completely ruined, dark and burnt around the edges.

The silence lasted only two seconds before we both started laughing at the absurdity of the moment.

Not long after that, we had breakfast together.

Sitting next to Nathan at the table, talking while we ate and listening to him tease me and make me laugh, it all felt so strangely normal. Too normal. Like we were a real couple sharing a quiet morning. Like we had been married for years, and not just twenty-four hours.

When we finished eating, I slipped out through the back door with my coffee cup still in my hands. I wanted to stretch my legs outside the house for a bit, and there was no better time to do that than now.

The air was cool and fresh. I loved the feel of it against my skin as it gently lifted the strands of my hair. The morning sun touched the wide stretch of green lawn and rows of flowers planted carefully along the stone paths. Tall trees surrounded the mansion, their branches swaying softly in the breeze.

It was peaceful. Just being out here made me smile.

This was Nathan Blackwood’s world, I reminded myself, and everything in it was beautiful.

I wasn’t a part of it. None of this truly belonged to me. I was only here because of my sister.

I paused, my mind suddenly drifting to Sofia and my mother. I hadn’t called them yet today.

My normal phone was still hidden among my belongings upstairs, switched off and carefully tucked away where no one could find it.

I would have to be careful. Nathan could never find out about it. About them.

I lifted my cup and took a slow sip of coffee, staring out across the garden and allowing myself to pretend, just for a moment, that this life was real.

I was still standing at that spot when two strong arms slipped around me from behind.

I jumped slightly, then laughed as I turned my head and saw Nathan. His breath was warm against my neck as he kissed me, his scent filling my senses like a drug, robbing me of any coherent thought.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, turning me around to face him.

“Why?” I teased, putting my arms around his neck. “Missing me already?”

“I always miss you, you know that.” His lips curved slightly, his hands settling at my waist. “But that’s not the only reason. I have something for you.”

My curiosity immediately stirred. “What is it?

“Come inside and I’ll show you.” That was all he said before he took my hand and led me back into the house.

A few minutes later, we were back upstairs in the bedroom. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Nathan as he walked to a drawer and pulled it open. When he turned back toward me, there was something in his hands that made my heart skip.

“This,” he said simply, “is your wedding present.” He placed it in my hand and sat next to me on the bed. “Open it.”

I stared at the velvet box for some time before my fingers slowly moved. I lifted the lid, then froze.

My mind stopped working for a second. Inside the box lay a diamond necklace so breathtaking that it almost didn’t look real. The stones sparkled softly in the light. Even before I looked closer, the name on the inside of the velvet case caught my eye, making it pop wide open.

Harry Winston.

It was written there boldly in delicate gold letters.

Jewelry like this didn’t just cost money. It cost a fortune.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I just stared at Nathan in shock, fingers trembling.