He collapsed on top of her, his face buried in her neck as she held him close, her fingers tangling in his hair.That simple touch was the perfect ending to a perfect moment with the perfect woman.
Chapter 31
“No!”Natalie laughed, pressing her palms against his chest as he stepped into the shower, warm steam curling around them.
Rylan’s low chuckle reverberated against her hands.He caught her wrist, draping it over his shoulder before dipping to kiss the curve of her neck.“I know you’re sore,” he murmured against her skin, his lips brushing in a way that felt like both an apology and a tease.“No more until you’ve recovered.”
Natalie let out a breathy sigh of relief.“Good.Because I’m not sure I’d survive another round.”
He grinned against her neck.“Three days wasn’tthatmuch.”
She pulled back to look at him, one brow arching.“Three days of what I’m pretty sure qualifies as an Olympic event?Yeah, it was that much.”
They’d paused occasionally to grab food, but it had always ended the same—back in his bedroom, tangled in sheets and each other.Between the marathon sex sessions, they’d talked, laughed until their sides ached, shared wine, stolen bites of dessert from each other’s plates.And with every stolen moment, she’d fallen harder for him.
“I need to work,” she said, though her voice lacked conviction.
“No, you don’t,” he countered easily, kissing her again before she could pull away.“Stay here with me and let me take care of you.”
Natalie snorted.“Not gonna happen.”
“Why not?”He asked it casually, but his eyes glinted with challenge.
Turning, she grabbed the shampoo and began lathering her hair.“Because Ilovemy job.I love creating spaces for people that work better, look better, fit each client’s lifestyle better.”
“Okay, so work,” he said, his tone dipping into a playful purr, “but work from here.Move in with me.”
She laughed, the sound echoing off the tile.“Also not gonna happen.”
Rylan stepped closer, hands settling on her hips.The heat of him seeped through her skin, and her pulse kicked up a notch.“Why not?”His voice was lighter now, but his gaze was steady, searching.
Natalie’s teasing faltered.She hesitated under the weight of his question, the truth pressing heavy in her throat.“Because I…” She stalled again, dropping her gaze to his collarbone.Finally, she exhaled.“Because that would make me vulnerable.”
His brow furrowed, clearly misunderstanding.“I’ll transfer ownership of the house to you,” he offered, dead serious—as if that solved everything.
Her startled laugh rang out.“No.”
“Why not?”he pressed, ducking under the spray to rinse his hair.
She could feel his hands in her hair a moment later, working the shampoo out with a gentle precision that made her chest ache.
“Because you’re not gifting me a house,” she said, her tone incredulous.
“If it would make you feel safer living here, then why not?”His voice was calm, almost matter-of-fact, like he was suggesting takeout instead of rewriting the boundaries of their relationship.
Natalie’s heart squeezed at the mix of sweetness and absurdity.If only he understood—this wasn’t about safety or money.This was about loving him so much that she feared the fall when it ended.
Instead of trying to explain what she didn’t have the courage to say, she rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him, letting her lips linger.“I’m starving,” she murmured before reaching for the conditioner.“Will you make me something to eat?”
“Yes,” he replied softly, his hands trailing down her sides before reaching for the soap.“You know I love to feed you.”His dark eyes glimmered with quiet intent.“But we’re not done with this conversation.”
Natalie didn’t argue.She focused on rinsing her hair, trying not to notice the subtle tension in his shoulders.For now, she let it go.
Later, wrapped in a fluffy robe, she rummaged through the bag of clothes someone had retrieved from her house.“Last clean shirt,” she muttered.
“I’ll take you shopping,” Rylan announced, emerging from his dressing room as he tugged a tee-shirt over his head.
“I have plenty of clothes at home, Rylan,” she said firmly, snapping her bra into place.She pressed her palm against his chest, meeting his gaze without flinching.“I don’t need new clothes.I just need to go home and get more of mine.”
