“Stay.”
Her body shook with the one word. Hearing the vulnerability in his voice, she couldn’t bring herself to do anything else.
She sat beside him on the bed. Even while wasted and disheveled, he was beautiful.
After minutes of appreciating Nicolas who drifted into a nap, she dozed off. Then later, a hand was on her leg. She jumped in panic.
“It’s just me.”
Nicolas’s voice calmed her immediately. His hand ran up and down the length of her leg. Soft hums left him. It was fascinating. He looked so relaxed, all his defenses stripped away, a side of him she rarely saw.
“Em?” he whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Come here.”
She tilted her head at him. “You should get some rest.”
“I’m alright.” He smiled, but it didn’t quite touch his eyes.
She caved.As her form got impossibly closer, her heartbeats stuttered when he rested his chin atop of her head. “What are you doing?”
He hugged her tighter. “Let me hold you for a minute. Just one.”
Emily sighed in resignation. Her hand traced circles on his chest as he held her. His hand slowly traveled to her hair and slipped it out of the ponytail holder. Her hair cascadedaround her shoulders. Nicolas dug his face into it, making her giggle at his eagerness.
“I love the smell of your hair,” he slurred like it was his own personal drug.
“Mmm…really?”
“Mm-hmm,” he mumbled. “Would it be weird if I asked what shampoo you use?”
She chuckled. “Not weird at all. Oribe.”
His chest vibrated in delight, face still nuzzling her hair. “I don’t know what that is, but I’ll be buying you hundreds of bottles.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re gorgeous.”
He was looking down at her with the softest expression she’d ever seen from this man. From any man.
They still hadn’t talked about what their kisses and other moments of intimacy meant, but it was clear they had unknowingly changed the terms of their contract. They had meanta lot.At least they had to Emily.
“You cut your hair.”
She bit down onto her lip. “I thought you didn’t notice.”
“I notice everything about you.”
Her heart hammered against her chest. “Do you like it?”
For some reason, that had been a concern of hers when she went to the salon to get it cut to shoulder length.
Nicolas nodded without reservation. “Yes, it’s been my latest obsession. I can’t take my eyes off you.”
A shy smile tugged on her lips before he closed his eyes again. He ran his hand through her hair and she couldn’t help but sigh in contentment.
