CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
ELISE
I USED TO THINK a weekend with Nathan Edge would be a disaster, now I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
A part of me still couldn’t believe we were going on dates or that Nathan had become someone I caught feelings for. Before, if someone would’ve asked me if I would go for a man like Nathan my answer would’ve been no.
Nathan was too serious. Too mean. Too arrogant.
But that was before he showed me that there was a softer side to him.
The one that had a large bouquet of pink tulips anonymously delivered to my desk every single day this week.
The one who showed up at my house every morning to take me Bakery Bliss so I’d have my favorite coffee.
The one who pretended not to notice me adding my rom-com DVDS into his shelf of action and thriller movies.
Now, if someone were to ask me if I would date Nathan Edge my answer would be ab-so-fucking-lutely.
Especially on days like today.
It was the weekend and my time as Nathan Edge’s assistant had officially come to an end.
I felt equal parts sadness and happiness on Friday.
On one hand I was happy that I was bold enough to walk away from a good job to follow my dreams, but on the other hand I was sad that I wouldn’t be able to see all the people I’ve come to know and become friends with.
The only bright side to me leaving was that I wouldn’t have to hide my relationship with Nathan anymore.
We managed to keep it a secret the last few days, keeping our interactions business as usual aside from that one time in his office and studio. Other than those slip ups, we’d been able to keep things professional at work.
“Remind me to never doubt you again.” I looked up from my bowl of fresh strawberries and pinned Nathan with a look of disbelief.
“Oh, I will.” Nathan stretched one leg out, a faint smirk pulling at his mouth as he leaned back against the headboard casual as ever. He was acting as if this was just another night in his penthouse in LA instead of one of the best suites at L’Esquisse Hotel in France.
It was Saturday, the day after my last day at Edge Records.
We were enjoying strawberries and champagne in our suite after a surreal first day in Colmar, and it still didn’t feel real that I was here.
Normally, I’d never board an airplane to an undisclosed location just because a charming, attractive man asked me to.
But when Nathan appeared at my house Friday after work and told me he was taking me away for the weekend with that boyish smile of his, I didn’t ask any questions.
My parents and brother would be so disappointed in me if they ever found out how easily I said yes.
How quickly I packed a bag, ignored every practical thought in my head, and got on a plane with a man who, not that long ago, I would’ve sworn I couldn’t stand.
But that was the thing about Nathan Edge.
He didn’t just change your mind, he made you forget you ever had a different one to begin with.
Our suite was equally gorgeous and picturesque. Between the warm tones, antique furnishings, and the soft glow of the fireplace, I felt like I had stepped straight into a storybook—one I never wanted to leave.
I’d traveled to so many places with Nathan over the years as his assistant, but this was different. This wasn’t a rushed business trip or a blur of meetings and schedules.
This was ours.
At first glance, Colmar looked like something out of a fairytale with its colorful half-timbered houses, flower boxes spilling over with blooms, and cobblestone streets that seemed to wind endlessly.
But the longer we wandered, the more I realized Colmar wasn’t just charming, it was alive in a quiet, magical way.
We drifted in and out of little boutiques tucked between pastel buildings, the kind that sold delicate jewelry, handmade goods, and things I didn’t need but desperately wanted.
Nathan, of course, had no problem indulging me.
At one boutique, he bought me a delicate gold anklet that shimmered against my skin, and he barely glanced at the price before buying me a thin gold bracelet shaped like a continuous loop, fluid and effortless like a body in motion.
Somehow, we ended up along the canals of La Petite Venise, where he convinced me to take a boat ride.
Sitting across from him with the water reflecting the golden afternoon light, and his attention entirely on me, it was hard to believe I wasn’t in a fairytale of my own.
And maybe it wasn’t just the view I was enjoying.
Maybe it was the way his hand found mine without hesitation, or how his gaze lingered just a little too long, like he was memorizing me in a place that already felt unforgettable.
By the time we made it back to our suite, a soft quiet settling around us, I was completely gone, lost somewhere between the warmth of the room, the faint crackle of the fireplace, and the man whose arms I laid in tonight.
“I still can't believe we're here.” I admitted.
“Believe it.” Nathan said. “You walked away from a stable career,” he continued, his voice steadier now. “from something secure, from something most people would hold onto, even if it wasn’t what they really wanted.”
I shifted slightly in his arms, tilting my head up to look at him. The firelight danced across his features, softening the sharp edges I’d once found so intimidating. His hand slid slowly up my arm, warm and grounding. “Do you have any idea how brave that is?”
I swallowed, my voice coming out softer than I intended. “It didn’t feel brave.”
“That’s because it wasn’t easy,” he said simply.
“Brave never is.” His words settled deep, somewhere I hadn’t realized still felt fragile.
“I’m proud of you for that,” he added, his voice softer now, but no less certain.
“For being scared and doing it anyway. For not waiting until it felt safe to go after what you want.”
Emotion rose too fast, catching me off guard. I blinked, trying to steady it. “You really flew me across the world just to tell me that?” I asked, failing at my attempt to bite back my smile.
A corner of his mouth lifted. “That,” he said, “and because I wanted you somewhere I didn’t have to share your attention with anything or anyone else.”
“Bold of you to assume I’d give it to you that easily.”
“There’s nothing to give, Cupcake.” His voice dropped. “I already have it.”
The confidence in his tone should’ve annoyed me.
It didn’t. If anything, it made my pulse spike.
One hand came up, fingers brushing lightly along my jaw before settling at my chin, tilting my face just enough that I had no choice but to meet his gaze fully before his lips found mine in a kiss that wasn’t rushed, wasn’t desperate, but controlled.
Like everything else about him. His hand slid from my chin to the back of my neck, fingers threading into my hair as he deepened the kiss just enough to make my head spin, just enough to make me forget whatever I was about to say.
“Still think I don’t have it?” he murmured.
I didn’t answer, because at this point, we both knew he did.
“So,” I said, a little too casually, like I wasn’t still thinking about his mouth on mine. “Your birthday’s coming up.”
In just under two months, he’d be thirty.
He didn’t respond at first, just traced the rim of his glass with a finger like he was lost in thought.
I nudged his knee gently. “Come on, Nathan. What’s the plan? Big party? Black tie? Helicopter ride over the city?”
He let out a short, almost tight laugh and shook his head. “No party.”
I blinked at him. “No party? Baby, you’re turning thirty. That’s kind of a big deal.”
He just looked at me, eyes unreadable, and I felt that familiar little tug in my chest that told me he was holding something back.
“You’re really not excited about it, huh?” I asked softly.
He set his glass down and leaned back, jaw tight, gaze flicking away. “Birthdays have never really been my thing. I don’t need a big celebration to remind me I’m getting older.”
I studied him, trying to read between the lines, but he was impenetrable like a locked vault. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more under the surface.
“Okay. So we'll do something small. Just you and me.”
“Sounds perfect, cupcake.” he said, smirking, though his eyes didn’t quite match the amusement of his words.
I rolled my eyes, but my gut told me something was off.
I didn’t push, not yet, but I tucked the thought away like a bookmark.
Instead, I leaned in and pressed my lips to his, letting the warmth and the quiet laughter of the day melt everything else away.
After all, it had been an amazing day, and I wanted to savor every last moment of it with him.
“What was that for?”
“For an amazing day.”
“You’re welcome.” He brushed his lips against mine before pulling away only to press his lips against the base of my neck and squeeze me tighter. “Today was pretty incredible.”
“I know,” I paused. “I’m glad I thought of it.”
“Do you want to repeat that Cupcake?” Laughter spilled out of me as Nathan tickled me until I relented and gave him credit for the perfect day.
“You suck,” I pretended to frown as I tried to marshal my breathing to where I didn’t sound like I just ran a race against The Flash.
Nathan’s chest vibrated with laughter in response. “I’m sorry.”
I snuggled into his chest further when I remembered that I was leaving him soon for a few days.
“What are you thinking about?” Nathan asked after a minute of comfortable silence.
“How I actually looked forward to my trips back home because it meant a little breathing room from you,” I giggled at the frown that appeared on Nathan’s lips. “But,” I emphasized. “Now I wish time would just slow down so I wouldn’t have to get on that plane next week.”
“If you thought I was unbearable before, you have no idea what you’re in for now that you’re mine.”
“Just great.” My sarcastic response melted into a yelp when Nathan playfully poked me in my ribs.
“Keep it up and you won’t be able to sit for the rest of the weekend, let alone a plane ride to Florida.” Nathan warned.
A delicious shiver ran down my spine at his words.
How awful would I be if I called my mother to tell her that I couldn’t make it to her sixtieth birthday dinner because I was too sore from having mind-blowing rough sex all weekend?
“Is that a threat or a promise Mr. Edge?” I shifted out of hold and climbed onto his lap, smirking when his jaw clenched and his grip on my waist tightened just slightly, his thumb brushing over my skin like he didn’t even realize he was doing it.
“You're such a tease,” Nathan groaned.
“You love it though,” I grinned. “But seriously, this was a great idea. Not just for me, but for you too. I’ve never seen you so relaxed before. You should get some rest more often, it looks good on you.”
“Thank you,” There was a pause and before I could figure out why I felt his hands moving up my thigh beneath the blankets and his lips skimming across my neck.
A dangerous combination.
“But the resting part is entirely up to you.” He finished, switching from light, feathery kisses to sucking on my neck.
“Hmmm…” I tipped my head back, granting him all the permission he needed to explore every inch of my body for the rest of the night.
After all, rest was overrated.