Rachel stuffed pancakes into her mouth, feeling a mixture of delight when the pancake graced her tongue. It was heavenly sweet. She turned and flipped the undone pancake in the pan over, her mouth still making soft masticating noises. She looked at the crumpled note in her hand and sighed. The note was from Nathan and she had found it under her door with a little struggle. It had four simple words written on it. “I am at work.” She found it hard to read the note since his handwriting wasn’t so legible. She wondered why a wealthy man had such a really bad handwriting. She stared at the bare kitchen and groaned, boredom slowly creeped into her bones when she woke up and now it was worse because she felt completely lonely. Was this how marriage was? Boring, Unexciting, Uneventful? She stabbed the pancake with the fork in her hand repeatedly till she got tired of it. She was about to turn off the electric cooker when the front door flew open. She wondered if it was Anna and she removed the white apron hastily from her slim waist. She was shocked to see a grumbling Nathan walk into the house and throw his briefcase on the floor. He looked mad. Maybe she should run. “How was work?” Why couldn’t she just keep her mouth shut? “It was okay.” Nathan said with a growl. “You look angry, did anything happen?” He didn’t reply. “Okay.” “Okay, that’s what you’re going to say?” Nathan said with his eyebrow slightly raised. “You obviously don’t want to talk about it.” He let out a long sigh. “My dad doesn’t want me at work, he wants me to spend my time with my newly married wife.” He said bitterly. “Well he’s not wrong.” He didn’t answer. She decided to concentrate on her pancakes. She flipped the pancakes and served into her plate. She turned to put off the cooker and glanced at her precious pancakes. Wait a minute. There was supposed to be four pancakes, she could see only two. She looked at him. He was smiling. That devil. That freakishly handsome devil. “You could have told me you wanted some instead of stealing them.” “Stealing them adds a unique flavor to it. Your pancakes are delicious.” He licked his lower lips as he spoke. “Do you want more?” Why did she ask that? She was supposed to be angry at him. She knew why. She wanted to see him lick his lips. He chuckled like a child with a full grin on his face. “Yes, thank you.” She began to work on the pancakes. She felt his breath fanning over her. He was very close to her. She tried concentrate but she ended up trying to figure out his scent. It was musky, clean and it smelt sweet. She looked back at him. He was staring at her. His beautiful blue eyes were lit watching her intensely as if seeing something fascinating. When the pancakes were done, Rachel served his and quickly sat down at the kitchen table to eat hers. He stood opposite her chewing his pancake while looking directly at her. They stayed like that for sometime, it felt like many minutes had passed. “I’ve noticed something about you.” he said with his ever present smirk. “What?” She felt like her heart jumped out her chest. “You are always nervous around me.” He said with a cocky grin. “No, I’m not.” " It wasn’t a question, I was stating a fact.” Nathan began to move towards her, his eyes never leaving hers. He stood right in front of her and then stopped and watched her like he was gauging her reaction. “I know it’s very difficult not to be attracted to me, I’m one of the sexiest men alive.” Rachel swallowed. He was so arrogant and full of himself. She stood up from the chair wanting to place a little distance away from him. She forced a laugh, it was shaky and hoarse, “I’m totally not attracted to you.” Another step forward on Nathan’s side and then her back was pressed to the wall. “And you are overconfident.” She inhaled but all she smelled was him and it did funny things to her stomach. “And this whole arrogant thing, definitely not attractive.” Rachel said in a shaky voice. Nathan placed his hands on each side of head and leaned in, she he spoke his breath danced all over her lips. “Every time you lie, your cheeks turn red.” “uhn no nuh.” Rachel groaned. Why was her mouth refusing to cooperate with her? His hands slid down the wall stopping at her hips. “I bet you think about me, you must have even dreamt about me.” Nathan said with his gaze lowered to her lips. “In your dreams, Nathan you are—” Nathan adjusted his hands and leaned closer to her face. She couldn’t breathe. ********** Nathan’s lips crushed on hers unrestrained. She shuddered deliciously. There was a sound from the back of her throat, half moan, half growl. The warm feeling of her breath was destabilizing and inviting. The sound of her gasps were awakening something primal in him. Her lips were urgent, warm and untamed. He thrust his tongue deeper, stroking and caressing, playing a small battle with her. He traced the hollow of her neck with kisses down to her chest. His hands moved down to her breast cupping it, feeling the soft flesh against the thin shirt. She let out a growl in response. Her nipples were hardened like a rock. They were just the right size for his hands, he began to knead them softly and slowly and then started increased his pace. One of her hands pulled at his hair and the other was knotted in his shirt clutching him harder against her. He pulled abruptly away from her staring into her eyes and held her anxious gaze for a moment or maybe forever. He studied her. Flushed. Confused. Impatient. Dazed. Breathless. He hesitated to make sure he was in control. He was.
London, 9:03 a.m.Luke was waiting downstairs like nothing had happened.He was dressed in a black coat with blacker sunglasses and steel in his jaw, plus a perfectly blank expression as he stood by the Bentley’s open door. He looked like a man ready to guard royalty, not someone who’d had his hands up her dress and his mouth on her neck six hours ago.Anna Rossi descended the marble steps in a blazer-dress that screamed “fuck off” in a dialect only billionaires could afford. Her lush hair was scraped into a high ponytail.She didn’t speak. She merely slid into the backseat with the elegance of someone who’d had centuries to practice pretending she didn’t care.Luke shut the door behind her, it was too gentle. Like she might crack.By the time he got behind the wheel, she was already on her phone, scrolling viciously through either gossip headlines or group texts she didn’t actually care about. Probably both.“Morning,” he said, his voice low, damn near inaudible.She didn’t glance
The backseat of the Bentley shimmered in soft light, tinted windows cocooning Anna Rossi in a kind of rich-girl vibe as the car hummed past the glittering streets of London. Her phone buzzed again, another ping from the gossip feeds. She sighed, crossing her long legs. Rossi Heiress Caught “Flirting Dangerously” with a Prince yet Again? Anna Rossi or Anna Racy? A Breakdown of the Billionaire Sister’s London Romp Five Clutches, One Night: Is She Showing Off or Spiraling? Anna let out a laugh, dry and sweet like the aged wine they couldn’t even get right at Buckingham dinners. “Flirting dangerously,” she muttered, skimming the article with one manicured finger. “Darling, I invented that danger.” The car swerved gently, weaving toward the West End where Verre Noire awaited an ultra-exclusive nightclub hidden beneath a Michelin-starred restaurant. Anna reached for her diamond-studded clutch, then paused, eyeing the metallic sapphire one beside it. Her brow furrowed in agony. “Lu
Nathan Rossi adjusted the cuffs of his tailored black suit, his black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose as he scrolled through merger contracts on his tablet. The limo hummed smoothly toward the private jet, his security detail and personal assistant, Luke, sitting across from him tapping away on his knees. Then—his phone buzzed. Rachel’s FaceTime – Incoming Nathan swiped to answer before the first ring finished. The screen filled with the glorious chaos of his wife’s frazzled face, her dark hair piled into a messy bun, a suspicious stain on her shoulder and the kind of exhausted glare that could melt steel. Behind her, the wails of their three-month-old daughter, Isabella, filled the car like a tiny, furious opera singer. "Your daughter has decided that sleep is a capitalist construct, and I’m a victim of her revolution." Nathan’s lips twitched. "So what you’re saying is… she’s already a Rossi?" Rachel groaned, rubbing her temples. "She’s been crying for
Nathan Rossi had built an empire on his ability to stay calm under pressure. But as he watched his very pregnant wife waddle across their penthouse like an angry penguin, he realized no business deal had prepared him for this. Rachel stopped in front of the full-length mirror, scowling at her reflection. "Nathan, I swear to God, if one more person tells me I'm glowing, I'm going to stab them with this spoon." She brandished her ice cream spoon like a weapon. Nathan approached slowly, holding out a fresh tub of vanilla bean ice cream like a peace offering. "First of all, you are glowing. Second of all, here's more ammunition so you don't shoot the messenger." Rachel snatched it, grumbling as she shoved a heaping spoonful into her mouth. "Easy for you to say. You didn't wake up this morning and realize you can't see your own feet anymore." She gestured dramatically at her swollen belly. "I'm a human blimp. A very angry, very pregnant blimp." Nathan wrapped his arms arou
Nathan Rossi had built an empire on his ability to stay calm under pressure. But as he watched his very pregnant wife waddle across their penthouse like an angry penguin, he realized no business deal had prepared him for this. Rachel stopped in front of the full-length mirror, scowling at her reflection. "Nathan, I swear to God, if one more person tells me I'm glowing, I'm going to stab them with this spoon." She brandished her ice cream spoon like a weapon. Nathan approached slowly, holding out a fresh tub of vanilla bean ice cream like a peace offering. "First of all, you are glowing. Second of all, here's more ammunition so you don't shoot the messenger." Rachel snatched it, grumbling as she shoved a heaping spoonful into her mouth. "Easy for you to say. You didn't wake up this morning and realize you can't see your own feet anymore." She gestured dramatically at her swollen belly. "I'm a human blimp. A very angry, very pregnant blimp." Nathan wrapped his arms arou
Rachel woke up to sunlight filtering through the luxurious tent. For a moment, she simply lay there, Nathan's warm body curled around hers, his hand resting protectively over her still-flat stomach. The wonder of it all still took her breath away,she was pregnant. They were going to have a baby. A loud crash outside made them both jump up with Nathan springing up from sleep. "Oh my goodness!" Antonio's voice boomed. "This grill hates to see me coming!" Nathan groaned and rubbed his face. "My dad is trying to cook again," he mumbled into his pillow. Rachel turned to face him, smiling at his messy morning hair. "I married into this crazy family, didn’t I?" she reminded him. He kissed her nose. "Best decision ever." The tent flap suddenly flew open and they flew apart. Anna stood there wearing silk pajamas and huge sunglasses, holding two steaming cups. "Good morning, Mommy and Daddy," she sang. "I brought tea." She paused. "Well, the chef made tea. I carried it like the hero I a