Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 53764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
"Me?"
"It's your house. We're a couple, right? That's your department now."
She gave him a quizzical smile. "Woman's work and all that?"
"Are you trying to trick me? Are you trying to fundamentally change me now? You've gotten me to tone down the intimidation and now you think I'll become politically correct as well?"
"No. You've done enough. You just took me by surprise. I don't want or need a cleaning service if that's okay with you."
"That's fine. I don't like strange people in my house anyway, like I told you before. But you'll take care of it if the housework becomes too much to handle?"
"Yes."
"So--we're done with this?"
"Yes."
His finger smoothed over her bottom lip. "I love that word on your lips."
A sensual light passed between them. "Yes," she whispered.
"Yes to anything?"
She licked her lips. "That's one of your rules, isn't it?"
"And you don't want to break my rules, do you?"
She shook her head softly. "Never."
****
The next morning, Marco stood fastening his tie as he watched Natalie lying in bed from his position in front of the mirror. She stretched, her body supple and young, and the same unwavering compulsion to keep her near came over him once again.
She swung her feet to the floor and looked around for the nightgown he'd lifted from her before he'd allowed her in the bed the night before. Her eyes fell on it, and she retrieved it and quickly slipped it over her head. She began making her way to the bathroom, and he stopped her by calling her name. "Natalie."
She paused and looked at him, her hair a tangled mess from where his fingers had speared through her locks the night before and then again only an hour ago. The memory slid through him in a dark wave and hardened him again instantly.
She didn't speak, but waited for him to continue. "I have to leave for New York on Sunday." He gave her a moment to digest the information while he gauged her reaction, knowing his next statement would be posed as a suggestion when it was anything but. "I'd like you to come with me."
Her body stilled and her eyes widened. "I've never been to New York." Her voice didn't reflect any excitement, it only stated a fact in a detached tone.
"Then you should go," he said neutrally.
"I don't know, I don't have the right clothes."
"Clothes won't be a problem. You'll have three days to shop before we leave."
"I don't have enough m--"
He cut her off. "Don't say it. Don't. Just don't."
She sucked in a breath. "How long will we be gone?"
"A week."
"You have business there?"
"Yes, our home office is in New York and I make frequent trips."
Natalie knew his bank was stationed in New York; it was good he'd given her the information himself now. But that didn't mean she wanted to go with him. "Maybe I should just wait for you here?"
He walked over and stood in front of her. "You could, but why would you want to do that?"
Natalie felt the impact of his body before he'd even made it across the room to her. And now, standing only inches in front of her, his tall body looming over hers, was enough to make her head spin. She was getting in too deep. Way, way too deep. She needed to put distance between them. "It's out of my comfort zone, I guess."
"You know I'll keep you safe, right?" He lifted her chin and their eyes tangled. "You know I'd never let you come to any grief?"
"I--I know."
"Do you Natalie? You know I'll protect you, always? From everything?"
She stared up at him, and sucked in oxygen as deafening silence permeated the room around them.
She watched as he pulled out his wallet and whipped out that damn black American Express card again. The one that meant she was going to have to go shopping again. She just wasn't a normal woman. She couldn't be. In the past, she'd convinced herself she hated shopping, primarily because she hadn't had the money to shop--but now she knew it was true. She did hate shopping.
He pushed it into her hand and her fingers closed over it reluctantly. "You shop. Buy five times the amount you'll think you need, and then maybe you'll get enough. We leave Sunday afternoon."
His lips bussed her forehead and he left the room.
****
Marco leaned against the elevator wall as he rode it down. He let out a deep breath as his head lowered to his chest before lifting and banging back against the wall. That had been close. He didn't like to think about the fight that might have ensued if she hadn't complied with his wishes, because there was no damn way he was leaving her behind. He sucked in a sustaining breath and slowly let it out again. No, he damn sure didn't want to contemplate how bad the fight could have been if she hadn't acquiesced to him. And he wouldn't even let himself think about how bad it would be if he had to try to sleep without her beside him for seven nights.