"Not tonight. Is that okay?" I asked, rising up on my elbow so I could look at him.
"Are you okay now?" he inquired.
I took a moment to take stock of his question. Was I all right? Oddly, I felt much better. I knew using sex as a Band-Aid wouldn't lessen the truth, but at the moment, I allowed myself to shove my problems in a drawer. A drawer that could wait at least another day to be evaluated.
"Yeah, I'm okay," I finally answered, lying back on top of him. He continued to stroke my back as my eyelids became heavy. "I wish we could sleep this way," I murmured as he shifted me off him.
"Let me clean up, and your wish is my command," he said, rising from the bed.
By the time he returned, I was more asleep than awake as he pulled me into his arms and rested my head on his chest.
"I can feel your heart," I mumbled as my eyes closed.
His reply came from far away. I must have imagined it because as sleep pulled me under completely, it sounded like he said, "It is your heart now."
Nathan was gone from the bed when I woke the next morning. I could hear him talking in a hushed tone as I stretched before climbing out of bed. Grabbing my robe off the back of my bedroom door, I headed out to see what he was up to. I found him standing in front of the fireplace with his back to me. The hand that wasn't holding the phone gripped the mantel with an intensity that surprised me. I caught the tail end of his conversation as I paused in the doorway.
"Tomorrow is soon enough. I need to prepare things," he said in a hard tone I'd never heard him use before. "No, tomorrow," he repeated before ending the call.
"Everything okay?" I asked, sliding my arms around his waist and resting my face against his back.
"It's fine," he answered, setting his phone on the mantle and placing his hands on top of mine. "My boss is just being persistent."
"I thought you took a few weeks off."
"I did, but it looks like that won't be panning out."
"Are you leaving?" my voice cracked.
"Not right away," he said, turning around to wrap his arms around me. "What would you like to do today?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Would you be up for a double date? Tressa has been texting me all week, begging us to join her and the guy she likes for an indie concert by her campus. It means you'll be stuck hanging out with a CW crowd," I teased.
"She wants us to tagalong on her date?" he asked, skeptically.
"Not 'tagalong.' Double date. I think she's dealing with nerves. She's been with Jackson so long that she's nervous seeing someone else. Do you mind?"
"For you, anything," he answered, dropping a quick peck on my lips. "I need to head to my hotel for a few hours, but I'll pick you up later. That way maybe we can see a movie while we're in the city."
"Sounds good. I'll text her and get the deets," I said, plucking up my own cellphone from the coffee table. "Will you be able to get the Range Rover out?" I added.
"I should, it's a sport utility vehicle with four-wheel drive. I'll be back in a few hours," he said, placing his lips tenderly on mine.
"Hurry," I said, already missing him even though he wasn't gone yet.
"I'll be back before you know it," he said with the same reluctance I was feeling.
He closed the door quietly behind him and I felt bereft standing in my living room by myself. After being practically inseparable for the last five days, it felt strange to be alone. Irrational thoughts, sure, but I shook them off and headed to my bathroom so I could get ready.
Chapter 22: Phase Two
Nathan
I was still thinking about the phone call earlier with my client when I arrived at my hotel after leaving Ashton. Everything about the conversation had set my teeth on edge and made me want to put my fist through something, preferably the face of the fuck that hired me. I paced in my room trying to calm myself and work through my plan that seemed to be spiraling out of control. I still stood by my decision to call the client and disclose Ashton’s whereabouts, but I wanted us to be prepared. The time for secrets was long gone. By the end of the night, Ashton would know the real reason I was here. My only hope was that I could show her that my feelings for her had changed and that I would never let anyone hurt her ever again. I knew my plan was shaky. Ashton could hate me for my betrayal and take off without ever looking back, but it was the only feasible option.
I stayed awake most of the night debating how I wanted to handle the situation before finally coming to this conclusion. I toyed with the idea of never reporting back to my client and leaving him with nothing. That wouldn't solve anything for Ashton though. If he wanted her back bad enough, he’d just hire someone else to find her. Ashton would spend her life running away, never trusting anyone unless I put a stop to it. If this worked, her life of running could be put to a rest once and for all. Tomorrow morning we would face her demon and send him back to the hole he belonged in. My reputation in my field would be trashed, but I didn’t give a damn. It had been a long time since I enjoyed my job anyway. Hell, I wasn’t sure if I had ever enjoyed it.
Phase two of my plan could equally backfire in my face, but it was a risk I was willing to take. My surprise for Ashton today, though underhanded, would hopefully serve as something that would tie her down. Something that would form an attachment with her that she worked so hard to keep at bay.