Chapter 13 Zofia
zofia
While it wasn’t the first work conference Nic and I had attended together, it was the first one where I’d had his ring on my finger. At first, I’d considered taking it off, but after Nic’s reaction when he’d found me wearing it this morning, I didn’t have the heart to.
The plane ride to Vegas was two hours, and since we’d taken the company jet, we had the benefit of being alone on the flight, with minimal crew there to assist us if we needed anything.
Mostly, we spent the flight on separate sides of the aisle, both engrossed in our own little worlds.
I was reading a book that the girls had recommended to me.
I’d been working my way through the series slowly, and was finally on the last book.
The main character took no shit, and I loved that about her.
Nicolas had his laptop out and a pair of headphones in, busy working on some sort of report, giving me the chance to study him unabashedly.
He was gorgeous; it was undeniable. Between those deep turquoise blue eyes and his soft blond waves and that brilliant smile. I adored his little smattering of freckles along his nose and cheeks, faint in the winter but darker every summer when he spent more time in the sun.
We were so different that sometimes it felt easier to point out those differences than to find similarities.
But I couldn’t deny how part of me called to him. We were dancing around each other, and I wasn’t sure how much longer either of us could resist the temptation. It was getting harder to deny that I wanted him, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to, either.
Especially after that practice kiss that left me panting, an ache between my legs I knew I’d never be able to fulfill on my own.
Nic went to check us into our room, leaving me in the lobby with our bags.
When he came back, it was with a grimace on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
“There was a mix-up with the reservations.” He ran his fingers through the long blond strands, holding up a singular envelope of room keys. “We were supposed to have two rooms, but they only have one.”
I frowned. “I definitely booked two—”
“I know. They overbooked, I guess? He upgraded it to a suite for the trouble, but we’re going to have to share.”
My eyes darted down to my ring. “Oh. Well, I guess then let’s go get comfortable, roomie.” I supposed it was practice for when I moved in with him, after all.
“Zo—” he protested as I grabbed the keycards out of his hand.
Nic grabbed the bags as I headed towards the elevator that would take us up to our room, ignoring the butterflies I had thinking about sharing a room with him. The last time we’d shared a bed, I’d discovered just how good he was with his tongue. And his fingers. And—
Fuck, I was not supposed to be thinking about how much I wanted him inside me again. Especially not when I could feel the heat of him against my back.
I opened the door, the full reality of our next few days staring back at me. It was a fantastic suite—with a separate living area with a couch, plus a kitchenette—but it was very obvious from my quick perusal that our bed choices were very limited.
Whirling around, I stared at him. “There’s only one bed.”
“I was trying to tell you that. They only had a king suite available.”
I almost laughed. The girls would get a kick out of this.
“What?” He furrowed his eyebrows.
“Nothing.” I waved him off. “It’s a popular romance trope. The girls would find it hilarious.” Though at least three of them were probably more than happy to share a bed with their significant others, since Gabbi and Hunter were now dating, too.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlotte and Daniel weren’t far behind.
Technically, we wouldn’t be either, considering we were getting married. Fake married, I tried to remind myself. Just a contractual marriage, not a real one.
And yet, nothing about this felt fake.
The room felt smaller, somehow, with Nic’s presence next to me, the smell of his cologne invading all of my senses. He smelled like driftwood and clean laundry, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
“So, I guess we’re sharing a bed,” I said, unable to tear my eyes off it to look at Nicolas. I was afraid that if I did, he’d see too many things I wasn’t ready to share yet.
He brushed a lock of hair behind my ear, his mouth dipping dangerously close to my ear. “We’ve shared a bed before, Zo.”
“That was different,” I protested, my words almost a whisper.
“How?”
“We weren’t… engaged before.” I looked down at the ring on my finger. It was a constant reminder that none of this was really real. That there was a contract we’d signed, saying we’d both play along.
“Shouldn’t that make it better, gorgeous?”
I shrugged. “It’s all fake, anyway.”
“Zofia.” His voice was stern.
I shook my head, still not looking at him. “It’s fine. I’m going to live with you soon anyway, right? Let’s just unpack and then head down to the mixer.”
Nic let out a huff, but didn’t argue with me.
Trying to ignore how his presence lit up my body, I unzipped my suitcase, hanging up my dresses before opening a drawer and sliding my folded bras, underwear, and pajamas inside. We didn’t speak as we organized our things, and I had to admit there was something almost comfortable about the silence.
“I’m gonna go freshen up,” I murmured to him, a change of clothes in my arms before heading into the bathroom. It was huge, complete with a large tub and a waterfall shower, and I was already looking forward to enjoying the bathtub later.
Nicolas was being a perfect gentleman. So much so that I wanted to scream. Would it really be so bad if we ended up in bed together again? We were getting married after all.
Why had I been the one to say no sex? Especially after that kiss. And oh, I’d be replaying that kiss every night once I slipped under the covers of my bed. Like that spark had somehow grown into a raging inferno, and I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Every time his hand brushed mine. Every time I caught him staring at me from across the room. Every time my heart sped up when he leaned over my desk, and I could smell his cologne.
Heat pooled in my veins, remembering what it was like to have him wrapped around me, to have him inside of me. It was all too much. And yet, I wanted more. Needed more.
Alone, in the dark, I could admit what I wanted. What my body craved.
All I knew is I needed to keep my distance, because if today was any indication, it was already feeling harder and harder to stay away.
Now that we were sharing a room, it was going to be even harder.
After checking into the conference and getting our name badges, we were swept into the welcome mixer.
The room was crowded with other CEOs and business executives alike who worked in the technology industry, all dressed impeccably in suits.
They were eager to network and make connections, and I knew just how important things like this could be for securing future contracts.
All the men in suits together made me wonder if I had a thing for guys in suits suddenly. Maybe it was competence porn, because I knew they were just as smart as they were handsome.
But it was hard to deny that there was only one man I wanted to take me home at the end of the night.
Only one man whose ring I was wearing.
“Nicolas,” I murmured, tugging on his hand before we could get pulled into conversation with anyone.
“You okay?” He asked, brushing a strand of hair back behind my ear.
I nodded. “Of course. I just wanted to check how you were doing with all this.”
His mouth opened and then closed, like he didn’t know what to do with that information.
Then he smiled. “Good. Even better, because you’re here and I don’t have to do this alone.” He dropped a kiss to the crown of my head. “Just don’t abandon me.”
“Never,” I promised.
Nic nodded. “Let’s go get a drink.” He interlaced his fingers through mine, tugging me towards the bar.
“Larsen.” A dark haired older man approached us as we sipped on our drinks a few minutes later. He had a younger woman on his arm, who was sporting a small baby bump.
“Sinclair,” my fake fiancé grinned at the man. “Good to see you.”
He nodded, rubbing his dark beard. “You remember my wife, Tanya?” She was beautiful—blonde and slender with a giant diamond ring on her finger.
Nic turned to her, murmuring, “Of course. So nice to see you again,” before turning back to me. I gave him a small smile. “Zofia, this is Robert Sinclair, founder of Sinclair Industries—and his wife, Tanya.”
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you,” I said, holding out my right hand for him to shake it. I knew the company well—they were based out of NYC, and one of our biggest competitors in the industry.
“And who might this be, Larsen?” He asked, a hint of amusement.
Had Nicolas come to these kind of events before with women on his arm?
I hated the thought immediately, even though I’d only been his assistant for the past year.
I was attributing my jealousy to the fact that I had his ring on my finger, not because I was worried he’d slept with his previous assistants.
Nic’s arm wrapped around my waist. “This is my executive assistant, Zofia Narayan.” His hand splayed possessively over my hip, and I found I didn’t hate it. “And my fiancée.” The tone of his voice left nothing to the imagination.
I curled my hand over his bicep, giving them both a tight smile.
“Fiancée?” Robert Sinclair’s face lit up with delight. “Oh, we absolutely have to catch up. I need to hear all about this.”
Nic nodded towards the edge of the restaurant, where an empty booth waited. He pressed his palm onto my lower back, guiding me towards the table.
“He’s friends with my father.” His voice was low, barely audible over the chatter in the room. “We have to—”
I nodded. “I know,” I reassured him.
We settled onto the bench, and Nic slid his arm around my waist, tugging me closer to his side.
“Comfortable?” He murmured in my ear, like he was making sure I was okay.
I nodded, trying to relax into him, though my body was like a live wire, and all it would take was one spark…. “Yes,” I murmured. My drink was empty, and I sat it on the table, crossing my hands in my lap.
Nic’s hand still rested on my hip, that arm curled around me, and he made no move to remove it.
“Want another drink?” His breath warmed my neck, goosebumps erupting down my arms.
Nodding, I looked at him, wondering if he looked extra handsome tonight, or if it was just my hormones crying at the sheer proximity to him. Nicolas might have been two years younger than me, but he was all man. And I liked it more than I should.
The waiter came by, and he ordered me another glass of the wine I’d been drinking without even having to ask.
I appreciated that—how attentive he was, always checking on me to make sure I was okay.
It reminded me of how my father had always doted on my mother, and I softened even more at the thought.
I was aware we were playing pretend, but I couldn’t deny the thrill it gave me to have him touching me so openly. To have his hands on me.
Sliding my hand onto his jaw, I pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks, honey.”
He chuckled. “You’re welcome, gorgeous.”
“I’m dying to hear how you two met,” Tanya said, the first words I’d heard from her all night besides our short introductions.
Nic was the one to start. “I walked in to her office and begged her to be mine.”
“His assistant,” I clarified.
My fake fiancé smirked. “Yeah. When my dad told me his plan to retire, I knew I needed to step up my game. I’d had some trouble with my previous string of assistants, and I’d always noticed her and her excellent work ethic.
” He grinned at me, and I felt my cheeks flush.
I knew it was all a lie, but maybe I liked the idea that he’d always noticed me, even throughout all the years where we’d hardly known each other.
Our new glasses of wine were placed on the table, as well as some appetizers that the guys had ordered.
Tanya sipped on a glass of ginger ale, since she was pregnant. Watching the two of them and how tenderly he treated her made me wonder about my future. I couldn’t help but wonder how Nicolas felt about having children. We’d never actually talked about it. Did he even want children?
I knew why he’d chosen to go through with a fake marriage, but I had no idea why he didn’t just try to have an actual relationship.
His hand squeezed my hip, and I refocused myself on our current task, both of us going back and forth as we gave our fictional story of how we fell in love over lunches and working long hours together in the office.
How we didn’t want to hide our relationship anymore, and we couldn’t wait to get married.
The thing was, it didn’t feel entirely fictional anymore.
After about an hour of visiting with them, I rested my head on his shoulder, enjoying being able to act so freely with him.
“Do you want to get out of here?” Nic asked, his lips brushing over the crown of my head.
I nodded, heat pooling in my lower abdomen as Nic’s hand rested in the small of my back. It warmed me through to my core, and I was desperate for more.
After tonight, I wasn’t sure if I could keep insisting on my no sex rule. Especially when all I wanted was his hands on me and his mouth on mine.
We made it back to the suite before he pounced, pressing me up against the door. Nicolas kissed my neck, and I had to hold in my moan.
I’d been dreaming of his touch ever since we’d left Napa. Couldn’t believe how much I craved it, but it was like the second he touched me, I was on fire.
“Liked when you called me honey,” he rasped, his hands on my hips. “Wanted to kiss you all night.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, my eyes intent on his. “Then what are you waiting for, honey?”
“Fuck, gorgeous.” He pressed his forehead against mine. “Share the bed with me tonight,” he pleaded.
“This isn’t real,” I reminded him, but there was no real heat to my words. Yet, even with my protest, I didn’t make a move to step away from him when his mouth trailed over my skin.
“What happens out there might not be real, but this certainly is.”
I looked down at the ring on my finger. Was it?