Page 26

Nolan

I watched the screen as I waited for the connection, disregarding the slight unease I experienced each time Icalled her. A lovesick teenager had nothing on me. I should have found my behavior pathetic, but I didn't care anymore.

She answered after three rings. Her throaty voice tightening my groin the moment she said hello.

"Pack your bags."

Her chuckle made my body sing. The cool air conditioning in the car did little to my overheated body.

"Why? I heard the clatter of something that sounded like a spoon or a paintbrush in the background. “Is there somewhere I am going?”

“Italy. With me. I’ve called Kelly, and he’s on his way to take you to the airport.”

“Do I have a say?” she did not sound mad, despite her words.

“Not unless you want to live alone with my mother while I'm gone.”

Her voice perked up. “What should I pack for? I haven’t a clue how long my stay will last.

"We’ll be gone for the rest of the weekend, so pack for three or four days."

I ended the call. A few seconds later, I got a message.

A:

I got nothing against your mother, but thank fuck.

I chuckled to myself. I understood her perfectly. My mother could make a saint lose their shit, but it seemed Aelin was handling her remarkably well. Jacqueline, on the other hand, had a list of grievances every day of the four days she spent with us. Most of them silly, some of them downright comical. Like when she complained to me the minute I arrived from work yesterday that Aelin refused to accompany her on a shopping trip. I was regretting taking her in as the days passed, and spending some time away from my mother would be mind-freeing.

This would be the first time Aelin and I were doing something together that didn’t involve sex. I don’t know what gave me the idea of taking her to Italy with me, but once it stuck in my head, it felt right. As the CEO of a multi-billion dollar fashion company, I always get an invitation to all the big fashion events, especially Milan Fashion Week. I rarely attend Milan and instead letting my creative director bother with all of that. I’ve always found them boring, but this time around, I wanted Aelin to enjoy herself. She has been indoors painting on most days, something that I don't think a social butterfly like her enjoys that much.

I arrived at the airport first, but I didn’t wait for her for too long. I was leaning by the passenger door when her car arrived. My mouth dried when she got out of the car. The outfit she was wearing was simple. A short dress, gladiator sandals, and sunglasses to shield her eyes. She swiped her glasses up into her hair when she saw me and smiled. I stood still, afraid I would stumble if I made a move, and watched her as she glided over to me. When she was close enough, I encircled her waist and drew her to me. Her vanilla and roses scent filled my nostrils, driving me wild with unquenched desire .

Her smile was charming. Like she was happy to see me. “Hi,” she said before I dropped a kiss on her lips. She tasted so sweet. I wanted to drown myself in her. Her lips were pillowy soft and felt like sucking on candy. When her moan vibrated against my mouth, I encircled her into my arms. But then I felt resistance. She was pushing me away.

"People are watching." Her gaze darted around, a natural blush blooming in her cheeks.

Suddenly, I became aware of my surroundings. My hand had strayed away from her waist and was lingering around her butt, and Aelin was standing on her tiptoes, her body draped against mine. Jones was busy putting away Aelin's luggage, making an obvious attempt at not looking at us. Kelly was standing by the car door, gazing at us with an amused grin.

I grunted. "Let's get on the plane."

***

It was early morning in Milan when we arrived. We immediately headed to the hotel where we both got a couple of hours of sleep to build on the little sleep we had on the plane. By the time I woke up, I was alone in bed. My feet padded to the ensuite bathroom where I found Aelin dressed, makeup items strewn on the bathroom counter and a mascara in her hand. She was oblivious to my presence as she carefully drew a line under her eyelid. I leaned against the doorjamb and watched her through sleep heavy eyelids as she applied her makeup. Her movements seemed unsure, as though she was doubting her method, which, for someone like her, was odd. It was when she glanced away from the mirror, that I noticed the makeup tutorial video playing on the phone leaning against a faucet.

"Do all women require makeup tutorials?" I said.

She jumped, ruining the lipstick she was in the middle of applying. She turned the phone down and whipped her head to face me. "Nolan! I thought you were asleep!"

I thrust myself forward, entering the bathroom. "You should have woken me up," I said, picking up an eyeliner and absent-mindedly rolling it around my knuckles.

"You looked so peaceful. I didn't want to wake you. You've been working so hard lately."

"Have I? I'm surprised you noticed. I didn't realize it myself."

She picked the eyeliner from my hands and put it away, together with the rest of her items into the makeup kit, before cleaning up her smudged lipstick.

"You know, I would have taken you for someone who would do makeup tutorials, not watch them."

Her gaze went to her phone. "Oh. I was trying a new trick. Apparently it's supposed to enhance your cheekbones."

I gazed at her through the mirror. "Your cheekbones are naturally beautiful."

Her face glowed with a hue that was not artificially reproduced by any blush in her kit. "Thanks. I could hardly follow it, anyway." She put away the rest of her things, snatched her phone, closed it, and turned to attempt to leave, but I blocked the exit with my body. My gaze traveled down the wraparound dress she had on that had a string to the side. A string that was tempting me to pull in the hopes of revealing the sexy body beneath.

"One more thing. Love your dress, but you can't wear that."

She gazed down, worry etched on her forehead when she looked back up. "Why? What's wrong with it? Is it not appropriate."

"Your dress is fine, but as someone married to the CEO of Hawthorne Corp, you can't be caught dead in a KMVH dress, especially during Fashion Week."

"Oh." She gritted her teeth. "I don't think I packed anything from any of your houses. "

I put a hand to my chest. "You wound me, dear wife," and exaggeratedly staggered to the side mimicking fainting. Aelin giggled like a kid, warming my heart.

"Sorry!" she cried. "I didn't know!"

"Don't worry. I'll make a call to my people so they can bring a personal shopper."

"Thanks."

"No need. You're my wife, after all."An awkward silence passed between us after I said that word. Surprisingly, it did not come with a bitter taste, but rather felt natural. "Right." I side stepped her and went to the large glass cubicle in the center of the bathroom. "I'm going to shower, unless you want to join me?"

"Didn't you say you had meetings all day? I don't want you to be late."

I was about to say we can be quick, but she had already left the bathroom. As soon as I was done showering and dressing, I contacted Hawthorne Italia and a personal shopper came to the hotel suite as we were eating breakfast. By the time I was ready to leave, Aelin was discussing dresses and shoes with the shopper.

"I've left the invites on the dresser," I said to Aelin after taking her into my arms and placing a goodbye kiss on her cheek. "You can enjoy a front-row seat to some of the best shows without me and might even buy off the runway without your husband strangling your purse. "

She darted her gaze to the side avoiding my gaze. In a low, unsure voice she said, "I don't think I can attend any without you. This kind of thing is not my scene."

"Why not? I would have thought this weekend would be your dream come true." I had seen a fair number of images of her sitting front row at major fashion shows. Unless she was only there as a paid influencer.

"And it is," she said in a fake cheery voice, as though she was rediscovering a character she had forgotten. She was doing that again. Hiding her true self. "It's not like I don't want to attend," she sighed. "It doesn't feel right going to a strange country alone."

"You can go with her," I gestured to the personal shopper who straightened her back betraying the fact that she was paying attention to our conversation.

"I think Bianca has better things to do than babysit her boss's wife."

"Hey Bianca, do you want front row seats to two fashion shows?"

Bianca's eyes widened. And that was all the proof I needed. "See, she doesn't mind." I placed another kiss on her cheek. "See you later, wife."

The last image of her I had when I left the suite was of Aelin blushing prettily as she stood in the middle of the living area. She warmed my heart in a way I couldn't describe.

I left the hotel for the Hawthorne Italia offices, where I got stuck in several unplanned meetings, all by subordinates who were taking my presence as an opportunity to advance their careers by hoping they would please me. It wasn't working. But they didn't seem to understand, or notice that I wasn't paying attention to their efforts. It wasn't because of a lack of trying on my part. I was always impressed by the creativity of the Milan office and their ability to find new talent, but my mind was not on business mode. It was instead preoccupied with a certain woman I left in my hotel suite a few hours earlier.

The host of the current meeting I was in was now showing some productivity charts on the projector screen. Stuff I had seen before. Mind-numbingly boring stuff. I slid my phone, which had been on the table, slightly off to the side, in front of me and typed a text with the best serious business face I could put on.

Me:

What are you wearing?

She didn't answer immediately, and I thought she was going to ignore me until a text popped up.

A:

Aren't you supposed to be working ?

Me:

I tried. But all I could think of was you. I should have fucked you in that big bed before I left.

A:

Too bad you didn't.

My breath caught in my throat. Ever since the nightclub incident, Aelin and I have been playing a coy game of seduction. We had not slept with each other since, but we knew the tension was there and unspoken. Until now.

Me:

I'm going to need something to get me through this meeting.

Me:

Show me what you're wearing.

She took some time to respond, and I thought I had overshot my shot, but then a few minutes later, a message popped up.

A:

I'm at a fashion show.

Me:

Go to the restroom.

She took a little longer this time. With each passing minute, my anticipation peaked. Then she sent another message. An image. I took my phone off the table and opened the image. She was in a restroom alright, and she had taken an image of herself. But it was not racy. Quite the opposite. She was standing in front of a bathroom mirror wearing a black and white jumpsuit that I immediately recognized as made by one of our top designers, and sticking her tongue out while flashing a peace sign. I almost chuckled before catching myself.

Me:

Troll

A:

What? You asked what I was wearing. I showed you.

Me:

You'll pay for that.

A:

Put up or shut up.

Was that a challenge? I became aware of my surroundings again. The presenter was still flipping through the PowerPoint and if it's the same I saw a week ago; he had ways to go before he was done. I got up, drawing attention to everyone around me. "Uh," I waved my phone. "I got an emergency. You can finish the rest without me."The redundant meeting could wait, I had better things to do.

Aelin was at her third fashion show when I saw her again. She was sitting front row between a pop star and Bianca. She was pointing to a model walking by and saying something to her new found friend when her eyes met mine. A thrill ran down my spine. She was more beautiful in real life and looked like the glamorous socialite that she was. Even though she was in her habitat, something that should be cold water on my need for her, she seemed off kilter. As though there was something about her out of place.

I stalked towards her, like a hunter to a prey and as I approached her, everyone got up and began clapping. I turned my gaze to the runway to see the designer closing the show.

Her eyes flashed when stood in front of her. "Hi," she said over the applause. Her voice sounded breathy and full of need. Good. She could pretend to be unaffected all she wanted, but she was just as addicted to me as I was to her.

I grabbed her hand and practically dragged her out of the room. She mumbled something to Bianca, but I didn't hear it. Nothing could not pierce the veil of need I was wrapped up in. I entered the first door of the restroom I could find. The white and black marble bathroom with a couple of stalls was clean and unoccupied. I locked the main door and did what I had been fantasizing all day. I plastered against the counter, barely taking off our clothes and fucked her senselessly.

Aelin was just as eager as I was, which made the entire act that much more erotic. My orgasm followed hers and I slid out of her and came into the sink next to her. As I washed my hands and cleaned up the evidence of our encounter, I realized that this was the first time I had sex with her without protection. It's not that I thought she was unclean or anything, but I've never in all my adult life risked it like this with anyone. In fact, I don't remember having sex without a condom. And I did not like how good it felt. How I almost didn't pull out.I've never felt this before. This need for someone else to finish some uncompleted puzzle within me.I wanted to claw back some control, some hold on my sanity. "That was payback."

Aelin had gotten off the counter and was standing beside me. A mischievous smile played on her face as I watched herfix her clothes. She had planned this. She wanted me to come here and take her like I did. And I wasn't even mad.

"I don't have my makeup," she said as she tried to fix the smudged lipstick, which in my depraved mind, looked hot. I took a tissue from one of the stalls and helped remove some redness that had smeared at the corners. "You look beautiful. "

"Yeah, but I don't want the mark 'thoroughly fucked in a bathroom stall' on my forehead."

Satisfied that the smudges were off, I threw the tissue into the bin on the far end of the row of sinks. "Nothing wrong with a husband wanting to have sex with his wife."

She turned to me, a frown wrinkling her forehead. "You seem to be loving calling me your wife all of a sudden."

I was about to rebut her statement and then recalled that she was right. It meant nothing. "Well, aren't you my wife?"

"Yeah, but..." she looked as though she was in deep thought. And when I was sure she was about to tell me what she was thinking, she shrugged and said, "Let's go."