CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
NATHAN
BEING WITH ELISE had me doing things I've never done before. Like leaving the office early. Not because there wasn’t a mountain of work waiting for me, but because the thought of stealing a little more time with her was worth whatever piled up behind me.
I used to look forward to late nights at the office. The silence after everyone left. Now, I was walking out in the middle of the day, ignoring the looks that followed me to the elevators, because for the first time, quiet wasn’t where I wanted to be.
I leaned against the Maserati, arms crossed careful not to crush the bouquet of tulips in my hand as I stood outside the dance studio waiting for Elise.
She emerged from the front door a few minutes later, laughing at something that Kelsey said, her bag slung on her shoulder and hair pulled back in a ponytail.
Even in sweatpants and a crop top, she still managed to be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.
And she's mine.
The thought has me standing straighter and the movement catches Elise's attention. One minute she's laughing with her best friend then the next, she's smiling from ear to ear as she breaks out into a run, erasing the distance between us.
"What are you doing here?" She asked as I set her back down on her feet.
I tilted my head in response. "Try again."
She rolled her eyes, but her body betrayed her as she moved in closer, rising onto her toes. When her lips met mine, I caught her at the nape of her neck, pulling her in, a low sound leaving me at the familiar taste of mangoes and something sweeter.
"I thought you'd still be at the office." Elise says, when I finally pulled back to let her breathe.
"I had somewhere more important I had to be."
"Which is?"
"With you."
Elise softened at my words, her lips curving into that slow, knowing smile before her eyes dropped to the bouquet of tulips.
“You brought me flowers?” she asked, voice soft, a little breathless.
I shrugged, though my thumb brushed along her jaw, tilting her face up slightly. “Since I can't leave them on your desk, I thought I'd give them to you in person."
"Thank you. They're beautiful." She kissed me quickly before accepting the bouquet.
Kelsey clears her throat loudly behind Elise.
Her eyes flicked between us, lingering on the flowers, then the way my arm is still firmly around Elise’s waist. “Sorry to interrupt.” She stepped closer and nudged Elise’s arm.
“I guess we’re gonna have to take a raincheck on pizza and wine since someone decided to be the perfect boyfriend. ” She looked pointedly at me.
Elise giggled softly, embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was coming.”
“It’s fine,” Kelsey shrugged, already backing away. “Alessia and I will survive one night without carbs and gossip.”
Elise gave her an apologetic smile. “Next week?”
“Definitely.” Kelsey winked before pointing a finger at the two of us. “And I know what y’all are about to get into,” she said, giving us a look. “My girl’s already sore, so don’t overdo it. If she’s limping tomorrow, I’m blaming you.”
Elise’s face heats instantly. “Kelsey!”
I smirked, tightening my hold on Elise just a fraction. “No promises.”
Kelsey laughed, turning toward her car. “Have fun, lovebirds. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” She stops, glances back over her shoulder, and amends, “Actually—do. Just be responsible.”
And with that, she’s gone, leaving Elise shaking her head, still smiling, flowers clutched to her chest as she looked up at me.
“Are you ready to go?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Let’s get out of here.” I reached for her free hand, lacing our fingers together. “Where to?”
She pretends to think about it, tapping her chin. “Somewhere with food. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere that doesn’t involve spreadsheets or choreography mirrors.”
“I know the perfect place,” I said, opening the passenger door for her. I waited until she was settled in before closing her door.
The drive back to my place is routine. Comfortable in a way I am still getting used to.
Elise talks the whole time, hands moving as much as they can from the passenger seat, telling me about rehearsals for Kelsey’s upcoming award show performance, about missed counts, sore calves, the moment where everyone nailed the routine at once and the room erupted like they had just won something.
I listened, filling in details where I can, asking questions because I want to know, because her world matters to me.
When she finally paused for breath, she nudged my arm. “Okay. Your turn. How was your day?”
I told her about meetings that ran long, about an artist who refuses to stick to a deadline, and about the board call that should have been an email.
By the time we pull into my building’s garage, it feels less like I am coming home and more like we are.
Inside, she kicked off her shoes by the door without thinking.
They land next to a pair of sandals she left here last week.
And the week before that. There is a rhythm to it now.
Her clothes in my drawers. Her skincare lining my sink.
Her body next to mine every night. Neither of us has said the word move in, but the truth lives in the quiet details.
“I’m going to take a shower,” she announced, already walking toward the bathroom. “Can you order dinner?”
“Of course,” I replied, pulling my phone out of my pocket.
She made it halfway down the hall before she slowed. Not much. Just enough that I noticed. Her shoulders dip as she exhaled, her steps a little more careful than they were earlier.
I finished ordering the food and set my phone down, already turning toward the hallway with every intention of joining her in the shower. I barely took a step before my phone rang.
Work.
Normally, I would let it ring. Tonight, I want nothing more than steam and her hands and the quiet that comes with both. But the name on the screen makes me stop. It was Monarch, the indie record label I’d recently acquired.
This couldn't wait.
The call stretched longer than I expected.
Updates turn into questions. Questions turn into decisions that couldn't wait until morning.
By the time I hung up, my jaw was tight and I could no longer hear the sound of running water.
Instead I heard faint sounds coming from one of the rooms downstairs.
I stepped into the living room and that's when I saw her.
Elise stood near the couch dressed in one of my shirts, the hem brushing the tops of her thighs with a pair of shorts peeking out. Smooth legs. Bare feet. She looked comfortable. Like she belonged here in a way that felt permanent.
For a second, I just stared.
“I thought for sure you were going to join me.” She says, a small smile on her lips.
“I was,” I answered truthfully. “Work called.”
She walked closer, and the sweet scent of mangoes clung to her skin, pulling me in before she even said another word. “Everything okay?”
I nodded my head, brushing my thumb along her arm. “Nothing you need to worry about.”
She studied my face for a beat, then let it go. “What did you order for dinner?”
“Chinese,”
Her eyes lit up. “Did you—”
“Get extra flats than drums?” I cut her off, already knowing what she was going to ask. “Of course.”
She laughed, soft and pleased, then leaned up and kissed me. It’s quick but full. Familiar in the best way.
“I love you.”
The words land like they always do. Solid, certain and I rest my forehead against hers.
“Say it again.”
She smiled wider and kissed me once more. “I love you.”
I guided her toward the couch, her body fitting easily against mine, the night settling in around us like it was always meant to.
Once we settled on the couch, I shifted, guiding her gently until she was stretched out beside me. Without a word, I lifted her legs and pulled her feet into my lap. She let out a soft sound of surprise, but relaxed immediately.
“What are you doing?”
I glanced down at her feet, fingers already warm as I wrapped my hands around one heel. “You were sore.”
She exhaled, long and slow, her head tipping back against the cushion. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.”
I started with steady pressure, thumbs working into the arch of her foot, slow and deliberate. She sighed again, this time louder, her toes curling instinctively. I adjusted, listening to her body more than her words, easing the tension out little by little.
Elise watched me for a moment, then her eyes fluttered closed. “You’re spoiling me.”
I looked up at her, a small smile tugging at my mouth. “You danced for hours. This feels fair.”
Her foot relaxed fully in my hands, and I moved to the other one, repeating the motion, careful and unhurried. She hummed softly, her body going slack against the cushions as I worked.
I kept going, working my thumbs deeper, slower now, drawing it out. Her skin was warm, relaxed beneath my hands, and every quiet sound she made felt like a reward. I dragged my fingers up to her ankle, kneading gently, then back down again, paying attention to every shift in her breathing.
Elise peeked at me through half-lidded eyes. “You’re being suspiciously attentive.”
I glanced up. “That a complaint?”
“No,” she responded quickly, lips curving. “Just an observation.”
I stilled my hands just long enough to look at her properly. “I don’t need an excuse to take care of you.”
“Mmhmm.” She shifted, drawing her knees closer to her chest, making it harder for me to keep my composure. “Then why do I feel like I’m being buttered up?”
I resumed the massage, firmer this time. “Maybe I just like the way you sound when you relax.”
She watched my hands for a moment, then her gaze drifted back to my face. “So,” she says casually, “How are things going with Darryl?”
That got my attention in a different way. I shifted slightly, still holding her foot, thumbs slowing but not stopping. “Good. Really good.”
Her brows lifted. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I said, the excitement slipping in before I could temper it.
“He’s raw, but he listens. That's rare. Most artists want success without discipline. Darryl wants to learn the business, the sound, the longevity.” I moved my hands up to her ankle again, talking as I worked.
“We’re building his image carefully. No rushing singles just to chase a chart position.
I want him to have a career, not a moment. ”
Elise smiled. “You sound really happy.”
“I am,” I admitted. “I see the future for him. Albums, tours, growth. The kind of artist people respect ten years from now. It reminds me why I started all of this in the first place.”
Her smile deepened, and she relaxed further into the couch, her foot warm and trusting in my hands as I kept massaging, the conversation settling into an easy quiet that feels just as good as the words.
The food arrived not long after. I tipped the delivery boy before bringing everything back into the kitchen, where Elise was already waiting.
We work together easily, unpacking containers, splitting portions without much discussion.
She claimed the lo mein. I took the extra rice. We divided the wings evenly.
“Living room,” she decided, already carrying plates in that direction.
By the time I returned with glasses for our drinks, the television displayed an early 2000s romance movie on its screen. Familiar actors and actresses. Dialogue I recognized against my will.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 days.
I stopped short and sighed.
Elise looks over her shoulder, immediately pouting. “Baby.”
“We’ve watched this already.”
“It’s been a while.” She argued.
“It was last weekend.” I deadpanned.
She set the remote down and turned fully toward me, knees tucked beneath her.
“Please. I promise I won’t drool over how hot Matthew McConaughey is.
” The last time the two of us watched this movie, Elise was not shy about vocalizing how attractive the lead actor was.
I had to point out to her that the movie was filmed over twenty years ago and the actor was happily married, but she carried on, mumbling something about if only she was born twenty years earlier.
Needless to say, I was counting down the minutes until the movie was over.
“That’s not the point.” Elise reached out, hooking a finger into my belt loop to stop me from moving. “This movie is a classic.”
“Try again.”
“You love me.”
I meet her eyes, and hold it for a beat before sighing. “Fine.”
Her smile was instant and triumphant. Elise scooted back to make room for me, and I sat, pulling her against my side as we balanced plates and containers between us. She ate with one leg draped over mine, completely at ease. Comfortable in a way that felt earned.
I watched Elise more than the screen. The way she mouths the words along with the cast. The way she laughed at scenes that she’s seen more times than she can count. The way she belonged here now, in my space, in my life.
Before Elise, my nights were quiet. Empty.
Work until exhaustion. Silence until sleep.
Now there was warmth. Noise. A woman in my clothes, eating my food beside me, watching cheesy movies and smiling like she had always been here.
For the first time in a long time, I did not feel like I was just passing time.
For the first time in a long time, I felt settled. Grounded. Happy.
And as the movie played on and she laughed softly beside me, I knew with absolute certainty that I would do whatever it took to hold on to this life.