He huffs a laugh, that familiar cocky smirk curling his lips. Maybe it’s insane. Maybe we’re playing with fire.
But in this moment, wrapped in his arms, all I can think is?—
Let it burn.
After what feels like buying groceries and enough clothes to last a lifetime we haul the bags to the car, our arms overloaded with everything from lingerie to sweatpants.
He pops the trunk and tosses in the bags like it’s nothing. I’m not sure of Weister’s influence here but it took Nate a phone call and a car was delivered to the cabin. Our ride, as he called it. He grabs my hand again with that mischievous grin that always gets me into trouble.
“Come on,” he tugs me toward downtown. “We’re not done yet.”
“Nate,” I laugh breathlessly, “we’ve already raided half the stores in town. What more could we possibly need?”
He doesn't answer. Just winks and keeps dragging me along like a man on a mission.
As we move through the crowd, I catch the glances. The stares. Women turning their heads. Smiling. Whispering.
Of course they notice him. He’s tall, striking, with that careless confidence and dangerous smile. He’s beautiful and powerful and completely out of my league.
Jealousy prickles low in my stomach, unexpected and unwelcome. I slip my arm around his like I’m claiming territory, like maybe they’ll see I’m not just a temporary guest in his world. But when I shift away a few moments later, trying to play it cool, he doesn’t let me go. His arm snakes around my shoulders, pulling me tight against his side. Like he’s the one needing to stake a claim.
“Come with me,” he murmurs close to my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
We turn the corner and stop in front of a jewelry shop, its window glittering with displays of diamonds and sapphires. My heart stutters.
“Nate…”
But he’s already pulling me inside.
The shop is all crystal light and quiet elegance. A woman in a black suit greets us, but Nate’s eyes are already locked on a ring nestled beneath the glass.
“I want that one,” he points at a delicate band crowned by a luminous blue diamond, the color of summer skies right before dusk.
“It’s a rare piece,” the jeweler informs us, gently lifting it from the case. “Blue diamonds are highly sought after and incredibly rare and expensive.”
“Perfect,” Nate takes out his Amex Black Card, without even looking at her. “My fiancée is my blue diamond.”
He takes my hand before I can blink and slides the ring onto my finger like he’s done it a thousand times in his head. My heart forgets how to function.
Not because of the ring—though it’s breathtaking, expensive beyond reason—but because of the way he looks at me. Like I’m something fragile and precious. Like this whole crazy idea means something real to him.
His gaze softens, and he smiles with that little tilt of his mouth that always undoes me. It’s not cocky this time—it’s reverent.
My throat tightens, and without thinking, I reach up to touch his cheek. His eyes flutter closed for a second, then he turns his face and presses a kiss to my palm. A slow, tender brush of lips that makes my knees weak.
He pays, signing the bill without even flinching. As we step back onto the sidewalk, I tug at his jacket to stop him.
“Nate,” I whisper. “You shouldn’t have.”
He bends toward me, eyes searching mine. “I’d never put the family ring on your finger,” he says gently, “and not because you don’t deserve it—but because I hate that stupid tradition. You’re not part of their world. You’re mine. You’re so much more precious than any heirloom.”
Then he kisses me, soft and sure. And just like that, my chest locks up.
Chapter 9
Isabel
Stretching out the sheets clings to me like a second skin and I realize I’m alone and look more like a burrito than a person. After a shower, the warmth in the cabin welcomes me. He’s been awake for a while. I wear something simple and warmer—jeans, a knee tall, a snug sweater. Nothing fancy, but when I go downstairs, Nate’s eyes light up like I’m wearing couture.
