The bed beneath me feels too soft, too luxurious to belong to my parents’ house. For a disoriented moment, I think I’m back at Halford, but the faint smell of lavender and the hum of an air conditioner remind me that I’m not in my dorm.
Then it hits me.Nathaniel.
I sit up, blinking as the events of the morning come rushing back. Nathaniel at my doorstep, his arms warm and safe as I melted into him. The relief I’d felt seeing him there was indescribable, like a storm clearing after days of suffocating clouds.
It had been such a miserable day before he arrived—my parents’ endless demands, their dismissive treatment, and the sting of finding out that my room had been given to one of my brothers without so much as a warning.
I needed comfort. I neededhim. And somehow, he knew.
I rub the sleep from my eyes, looking around the hotel suite. The curtains are drawn, muting the sunlight outside, and the room is quiet save for the soft clicking of a keyboard. My gaze shifts toward the desk, and there he is.
Nathaniel sits by the window, his shoulders broad and relaxed as he works on his laptop, the glow of the screen reflecting off his sharp features. His dark brown hair catches the muted light, strands of it falling slightly across his forehead in that effortlessly handsome way that still takes my breath away.
There’s something about Nathaniel that commands attention—not just his textbook good looks, though those are undeniable, but his presence. Even seated, he exudes a quiet power, the kind that draws people in and leaves them hanging on his every word. And when his gaze locks onto mine, it’s always brimming with a passion so intense it makes me feel like I’m the center of his universe.
It’s no mystery why I’m in love with him. My heart never stood a chance.
What I still struggle to understand, though, is why he would wantme.
Nathaniel could haveanyone.
Women at Halford practically throw themselves at him. Yet, here he is, doting on me as if I’m something extraordinary.
Thinking back to our earlier conversation, I feel a familiar ache of doubt settle in my chest. It isn’t his devotion I question—he has proven that to me time and time again. It’sme.
Am I worthy of someone like him?
Before the thoughts can spiral further, Nathaniel’s chair shifts, and he turns toward me. His gaze softens immediately when his eyes meet mine.
“You’re awake,” he says, his voice warm and low as he crosses the room to me.
He’s at my side, kneeling by the bed, before I have the chance to respond. His hand brushes my hair out of my face, his touch feather light. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” I say softly, leaning into his touch.
His lips curve into a small smile, his blue eyes searching mine. “Good. You look more like yourself.”
I let myself relax further, the warmth of his hand soothing me. “What time is it?”
“Almost two,” he replies, his tone indulgent, like the idea of me sleeping so late amuses him.
I blink. “Two?! Nathaniel, why didn’t you wake me?”
He tilts his head, amused. “Why would I do that? You looked so angelic.”
I give him a look, but he only chuckles softly, leaning forward to press a kiss to my forehead. “You deserved a break, Olivia. Let me spoil you for once.”
I let out a quiet laugh, shaking my head. “I think you’ve already spoiled me plenty.”
He doesn’t reply, but the intensity in his eyes makes my heart skip a beat. There’s something so earnest in the way he gazes at me, like he’s memorizing every detail.
“What do you want to do for the rest of the day?” he asks, his voice gentle. “I’m at your disposal.”
I hesitate, the knot in my stomach tightening as I think of my mother. “Do you think…we could go to the diner?”
Nathaniel’s brow furrows immediately. “Why?” he asks, his tone cautious, trying not to sound too displeased.
“I feel like I should,” I admit. “We have to figure out lunch anyway, right? Maybe…we could eat there?”
