Page 84 of For the Love of Art

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

Itied the knot on my dress, peering over my shoulder, happy that Nathan was still sound asleep. I reached down for his pants to retrieve my panties but then stopped. I supposed letting him keep a souvenir wasn’t a bad thing. I grabbed my shoes, but the heels clicked together when I did, making a loud noise. I winced as I looked back at the bed. Nathan stirred, but he didn't wake. I let out a steadying breath as I reached for the doorknob and turned it. The hinges protested my departure loudly.

“Where are you going?” Nathan’s groggy voice asked.

I faced him. “Home.”

He sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Why would you do that?”

I shrugged. “I said I wanted you the way you are. Isn’t this how your nights end?”

“God, I hope not with you.”

I bit my lip as I looked at him. Nathan removed the sheet and stood up. Fuck, he looked good naked— so good I was speechless as he approached me. He put his hands on my arms as he looked into my eyes.

“I told you you’re not like the other women.” His hands slid down my arms and grabbed my waist, pulling me against his body. “I want you in my bed.”

“For tonight?”

“We’ll start there.”

He pulled at the knot on my dress. It fell open, and he smiled before leaning down and taking my nipple in his mouth. My head rolled back, and I moaned. I dropped my shoes on the floor as he pushed my dress off my shoulders. Nathan melded our mouths together as he led me back to the bed. He fell back on it, forcing me to straddle him.

He broke our kiss and tucked some of my hair behind my ear. “Never sneak out of here in the middle of the night again. Deal?”

I nodded. “Deal.”

He pressed his lips against mine again, gently rolling us so I was on my back before showing me just how much he wanted me in his bed.

I tried to open my eyes, but it was hard with the sun pouring into the room. I felt disoriented since my apartment didn’t boast this much natural light. Once my eyes adjusted, I smiled. The beige room that could’ve been a museum exhibition for its staged appearance made me feel giddy. The bed was empty, but Nathan had cleaned up our mess of clothes, neatly hanging my dress on the hook next to his bathrobe.

I slid out of bed and walked around the room. Through a door was a massive walk-in closet. Considering Nathan lived alone, he’d done a pretty good job filling it with designer suits. I ran my fingers along his shirts, stopping at a crisp navy blue one. I pulled it off the hanger and draped it over my shoulders. I did the buttons up as I walked back into the bedroom. I decided that since I stayed the night, he didn’t need my souvenir panties, but when I looked at the hook my dress was on, I couldn’t find them. I scanned the room, trying to figure out where Nathan would’ve put his discarded pants which was the last place I saw them. I finally gave up and left the room. The smell of bacon wafted into the loft style hallway, and my stomach gurgled.

“Good morning,” I said shyly as I entered the kitchen.

Nathan wore sweatpants and only sweatpants. They hung off his waist in an indescribably sexy way.

I sat on one of the stools at his island.

“Morning, baby.” Nathan walked to me and leaned across the counter to kiss me. “Coffee? Black, right?”

“Please,” I said with a nod.

Nathan winked at me before walking over to a fancy looking coffee press. He poured the coffee into a black mug with an intricate geometric gold design.

“Is this real gold?” I asked, taking the mug he handed me.

“Maybe.”

My jaw dropped, and Nathan laughed.

“I didn’t think you’d believe me,” Nathan said, still chuckling between words.

“Mean.” I glared at him while I took a sip of my coffee.

Christ, that tasted amazing. I was now questioning what sewage the coffee shop I went to was serving.