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Could I run a multibillion-dollar business? No clue. But I know I can run it better than Reina, though that isn’t saying much.

In college, I never found my passion. I liked a lot of things, but nothing more than any other. I was good enough at everything that I had my pick, which is why I’m still undecided and two dozen credits short of majoring in anything specific. I could just pick one of the seven areas I’m close to, but narrowing it down seems like admitting to myself that I’m settling on something.

If your heart isn’t in it, what’s the point?

Back then, I had a sea of choices and no direction. Now I have fewer choices, but for the first time, I can actually see a path. I’m just not sure if I’ll take it.

“Good night, Cole.”

“Night, Sunshine. Five minutes. Promise.”

I fall asleep with his promise on my mind and a smile in my heart.

Chapter 24 - Atom

“That’s a big yawn.”

“Shut up. It’s your fault,” Natalie grumbles, but I take it in stride.

“My fault?” I rest my hand on my chest and feign outrage.

She glares and marches over to me after putting on her new clothes that were gifted to us yet again this morning.

No dress this time. Not much better, but at least Nat got a power suit. Sure, it has a skirt, but it’s covering far more than what she wore last night. Less “on the marriage market” and more “ready to run the company.”

As for me… well, at least they got the color right—black button-down shirt and pants. And despite my desire to say fuck it and rub their noses in it a bit more, I need more room than my jeans provide.

I might have had sex with my girl all night, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still hard for her.

And the trousers they sent up have just enough room for my hard cock without being too noticeable. Unless you look right at it or run up against it.

“Look, mister.” Nat jabs her finger at me, hitting my chest several times. “You were the one who kept me up all night.”

“What can I say?” I grab her around the waist and enjoy the push-shove she gives me to get away, even if it’s halfhearted. “My wife makes me insatiable.”

I let her go when she frowns at my words, but it’s a pout that makes me want to bite her lip and then slide my tongue between them when she cries out.

But I refrain.

Just barely.

“Okay, so we skipped breakfast. Your fault.” She pauses her walking and her speech long enough to give me a pointed look, and I don’t deny it. I had my breakfast. Not my fault that she didn’t get anything to eat while I ate her out. “Where does thinking come into play in this grand scheme that you came up with last night?”

I take a few steps toward her and grab her hand to stop her from fretting over her outfit anymore. She looks beautiful, and spending more time looking in the mirror and pulling on her tailored jacket won’t change that.

“We eat. Food first, thoughts later. Doesn’t matter what kind it is, breakfast is a must.” I pause and take a moment to think that over. “Scratch that. It matters. I’m not having half the shit we had last night again.”

She smirks as I pull her out of the room, and we head toward the kitchen. Who knows if lunch is being served or not. I know how to make my own food. And anything I cook will be ten times better than what they’ll have, I’m sure.

Right before we make the turn that would take us out of the hallways where our room is, and I’m sure a lot of other guest rooms are, I pull her to me.

Gripping her neck, I hold her close as I pour every ounce of passion and feelings into my kiss. Everything I wanted to tell her all night long when I had her in my arms. Every bit of what my soul was screaming with each orgasm I gave her. All of it that I refused to say.

Because I knew what last night was.

It wasn’t her accepting me as her old man or even as her boyfriend. I was a distraction from what was happening in her life. I was the thing she could have control over without jumping through hoops.

I have no problem being the one she used last night. I feel honored that she chose me. After everything that’s been going on with her and me, I was more surprised than anyone that she started something last night.