I spotted a piece of paper on the bed as I grabbed for his pillow to inhale his now-familiar scent—a blend of soap, sandalwood, and warmth. [Good morning, sweetie. I'm sorry to leave you in bed alone this morning, but know that I will be daydreaming about you throughout the day. Please keep in mind that at noon, your personal shopper will arrive. Try to have a good time and spend a lot of money today! My family dinner will be held at eight o'clock, so I'll be home by six-thirty. If you need something or if you miss me, call me. Yours,Nicholas.] At his note, I sighed. When we arrived back and my items were moved to his closet, he had been horrified by my wardrobe—or lack thereof. His closet was easily bigger than my whole house at Atkins. The sight of my meager belongings hanging beside his extensive collection made me feel sour. He assisted me in sorting through the boxes that had been shipped from Atkins while we were away, and the entire night, he berated me for owning only b
Up until I ran into the wall. He edged closer, placing his hands on the wall on either side of my head, and my heart hammered against my ribcage. I'd never say it out loud, but I enjoyed the pursuit. "There is nowhere to go, Willow. I have you now." He leaned closer but avoided touching me. "Go change," I said. My statement didn't sound particularly convincing. When his lips touched my neck, I fought back my groan. "You shouldn't be this attractive. When we go out for dinner, I'm going to struggle all night to figure out how to get you out of this outfit," he spoke softly in my ear. I yearned to reach out and check as to whether Cocky Junior was as eager to play as Nicholas claimed. But I was aware that we'd never leave if I did. "You better get dressed for the night if you wish to see what's under this dress." He backed away and grinned. "Only if you are certain." I smiled. I wanted to get the family gathering over with, even though it could have been more enjoyable to stay
Clara sighed, shook her head, and then leaned in my direction. "Please pardon my sons and spouse for their actions. The drawback of being surrounded by men is just that." She grinned pleasantly, and I started to relax right away. "I also married Jefferson when I was young, which is what Geoffrey was so rudely referring to," she informed. Geoffrey said "cradle snatcher" while making a false cough. As Jefferson's cheeks started to slightly flush, Clara shot her son a stern look. Nicholas whispered in my ear as he leaned in close. "Dad was 35, Mom was 18, and I was the tiny delight that hurried their wedding along." I made an effort to hide my surprise, but I struggled. Clara grinned, Jefferson scowled, and Geoffrey just carried on laughing. "I think that sounds lovely and romantic, though. I'm glad to see my baby smiling." Even though we were deceiving them about our real connection, I had to grin when I saw the affection with which Clara gazed at Nicholas. She again turned to face m
He took a moment to calm down. His nose brushed against mine as he leaned in. When he stopped and gazed down at me once more, I grinned up at him and exhaled contentedly at the gentleness of his movements.He smiled and added, "That was a hell of a wake-up call." I mumbled. "I strive to satisfy." He blew a raspberry on my neck to protest. I giggled and made an effort to shoo him away. "You're not getting away from me so easily." I was quite aware of that tone, and if I didn't stop this, he would soon be primed for round two. I shook my head, knowing I had to get him up for the meeting. I pushed against his chest. I jokingly shook my head. "You need to take a shower so you can get to your meeting. You're going to be so late." He groaned and sighed in resignation before getting out of bed. As he made his way to the restroom, I grinned and took in the sight of his bare ass. I closed my eyes and tucked myself back under the covers that still smelled of him. I kept picturing the sce
Virgil's phone rang as the lift reached our floor. After leaving, we stopped to wait for him to conclude his conversation. "I'm sorry, ladies. I have a task that needs completing. His office is straight ahead. He asked you to walk in without concern." He appeared regretful, so I dismissed his worry. "No issue. Virgil, it was good to see you again." "You as well, Miss Ta...er... Mrs. Rowe." At his error, I flushed. He gave a wink before getting back on the elevator. Courtney nudged my arm and giggled. "Mrs. Rowe, get moving. Let's meet your man now." We had just begun to walk together and were appreciating how Nicholas' office was decorated when we were abruptly stopped. "Excuse me. You can't just walk in here. This is not a shopping mall." A tall, platinum-blonde woman was staring at the two of us like we were insects. I turned around, surprised by the smug female voice. I couldn't figure out why she was acting so upset as she stalked over with her fists on her hips. I answer
"Sounds good. It will take a lot of time to see everything. I've lived here all my life, but I still haven't seen everything." I smiled back at him. "We are interested in seeing everything. The people, museums, and stunning structures." I held back because I knew what I was going to say next would enrage Nicholas. "We'll probably need to take some cabs and subways to experience Quentin in its truest form." Nicholas stopped me. "The hell you will." "I certainly will do as I please." I didn't give a damn if I sounded childish. I placed my napkin on the table and stood up to attract Courtney's attention. "If you're ready to leave, I'll use the restroom, and then we can go our way." I tried not to feel awful about pulling her away from Geoffrey. I hurried into the bathroom, leaving my bag on the counter, and pouting in front of the mirror. I couldn't figure out what had made Nicholas' mood so terrible. When we were upstairs, he appeared pleased to see me. I let out a sigh and splashed
All I knew was that Courtney would find it difficult to say no if Geoffrey possessed even a minuscule bit of Nicholas' persuasive abilities. I changed into some shorts and a tank top after putting away all of my things, then I hurried downstairs to meet Lory. Laura was in the kitchen when I reached downstairs. "Lory has just arrived at Quentin and is headed here, Laura. She will be arriving shortly, so I wanted to let you know. Sorry for the short notice." Despite how absurd that notion was, I couldn't help but feel like I was asking for permission. She smiled at me and nodded. "All of her favorites are already prepared. She will arrive a little earlier than you anticipated." I gasped because she knew. "Yes." I tried to hide my grin by biting my lip. "Nicholas flew her in early." I pondered whether she and Nicholas might have been involved in this covert scheme as she had a knowing smirk on her face. Laura asked me to share all of Lory's favorite things with her when I informed he
My stomach sank, and I kept my eyes on my lap firmly. "You think I am a whore, don't you?" She tugged on me until I looked back into her eyes. "No! Cut that out. You are not a prostitute, a whore, or any of the other disgusting things that I know are going through your mind right now." She paused, a flash of helplessness in her eyes. "Of all the people on this planet, I know you the best. Both your heart and mind are good. I am also aware of your strong desire to fit in. I simply hope that Mr. Rowe didn't exploit this and seduce you into something you couldn't escape." "He's a good man," I insisted. I wouldn't permit her to look at Nicholas in such bad light. He had only ever shown me kindness and generosity. She questioned, "Do you believe you could love him?" "Yes." It was spoken without any hesitancy. "I care for him already," I added. "I am aware that we are approaching everything entirely backward, yet he is wonderful. He treats me well, and I can tell he cares about me. I'v