Katie
“Iwant to show you something,” Michael says, pulling me toward a door.
He opens it, and I step inside. The closet stretches out in front of me.
Rows of his suits line one wall, spaced out perfectly, and color-coded.
Beneath them there are shelves of shoes.
There’s another section of casual clothes with t-shirts, button-downs, jeans, all folded or hung with the same precision.
A long island sits in the center, glass-topped, watches laid out in rows, cufflinks, ties, everything organized.
I move further in, and it wraps around. There are more shelves and more of him.
Then I see the shift. The colors change first. They are brighter and softer.
There are fabrics that don’t belong anywhere near the rest of it.
There are dresses, blouses, and jeans. Shoes are lined up underneath.
Bags are stacked neatly on the shelves. Jewelry is laid out in trays inside glass cases.
I stop walking and look at him. He’s already watching me.
“I had Beatrice pick some things out for you.”
Once again, I’m left standing there, completely dumbstruck, because what the hell are you even supposed to say to something like this? I wrap my arms around myself.
“Hey,” he says, coming up beside me. “You okay?”
“It’s a lot.”
“I want you to have everything, Katie.”
I shake my head slightly. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”
He watches me for a second and nods. “How about we get ready for bed instead?”
I let out a breath and nod. “Yeah. That sounds good.”
“Your bag’s over there,” he says, nodding toward it. “Luca brought it in from the SUV after he dropped you off earlier.”
“Okay.”
“But—“ he adds, tilting his head toward one of the drawers. “Look in that top one.”
I narrow my eyes at him but walk over anyway. I pull it open and pause. There’s an entire row of matching sets of silk pajamas, neatly folded. I don’t even want to think about how expensive they were. I reach out, running my hand over them. I glance back at him.
“You like?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
I pull out a teal set and head back into the bathroom to change. When I come back out, he’s there.
“Put your clothes in the hamper,” he says. “Beatrice will have someone take care of them.”
He leads me back to the bed, and he points to the side farthest from the door.
“You take that side.”
“Alright.”
I pull the covers back and slip in.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Michael asks as we settle in.
“Tell you what?” I fuss with the pillows, tugging one higher, and then the other.
“Katie.” His hand closes around my wrist, not tight, but enough to stop me. “Look at me.”
I glance over. “What?”
His eyes don’t move. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?”
My stomach drops.
“I don’t know,” I say, too fast, already pulling my hand back.
“Don’t do that.”
I sit back against the headboard and cross my arms, staring straight ahead. “What do you want me to say?”
“The truth would be a start.”
“I didn’t want to.” The words come out flat and stubborn.
Silence stretches, and I feel him watching me.
“Why?”
Because it makes me feel small. Because it makes me feel inexperienced. Because it makes me feel like I’m about to be judged.
“Because people don’t typically react normally to a twenty-four-year-old virgin,” I say instead.
“I’m not people.”
I glance at him. “You’re still a man.”
His eyes sharpen. “That’s not fair.”
I sigh. “Michael, you’re a man. A MAN.”
His hand slides along my thigh. “Yeah?”
“All I’ve ever dated are guys my age. Twenty-something douchebags who don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.” I hold his gaze. “You’re not that.”
“I’m still not understanding why you didn’t tell me,” he says, pulling me closer until I’m in his lap.
“Because I wanted you,” I admit, my voice quieter now. “And I was nervous you wouldn’t want me anymore.”
He looks at me like that makes no sense at all. His hand comes up, brushing my curls back behind my ear, his fingers lingering against my cheek.
“Doll,” he murmurs, “you think I would’ve cared if you were a virgin or if you’d been with a hundred guys? I wanted you.”
“I know that now.”
“Did I not take care of you?”
I give him a small nod. “You did.”
His hand slides to my jaw, holding me there.
“I want you to be honest with me.” His eyes search mine. “Okay?”
I nod. “Okay.”
He pulls me in and kisses me.
“You make me like you more every second I’m with you,” I say when he finally lets me breathe.
He grins, completely satisfied with himself. “I knew I’d get you.”
I laugh. “You’re such a creeper.”
“What can I say?” he shrugs. “It worked.”
I smack his chest and slide off his lap, crawling back to my side of the bed. His laugh follows me, loud and unbothered.
“I must’ve been real desperate.”
“You are such a liar,” he says, grabbing his phone and setting an alarm.
I stick my tongue out at him. “Whatever. What do you have going on tomorrow?”
“Lots of meetings,” he says, settling under the covers. “But I want you to sleep in. And then Bella—“
“Who’s Bella?”
“One of my assistants.”
I look at him, unimpressed.
“You jealous?” he asks, one eyebrow lifting.
“I’m wondering why you didn’t tell me you have a female assistant.”
He laughs again. “Doll, we’ve been seeing each other for what, a week tomorrow?”
“Fine,” I mutter, waving a hand. “Go on.”
“What I was trying to say before I was so rudely interrupted,” he says, smiling at me, “is Bella’s going to take you to lunch and to do some shopping.”
I scrunch my nose. “I don’t need you finding me friends.”
His lips press together. “That’s not what this is. And for the record, you’ve mentioned exactly one friend.”
“Shut up, stalker.”
That sends him into another laugh, bigger this time.
“I like to keep my circle small,” I shrug.
“Sure you do,” he says, in that patronizing tone that makes me want to throw something at him.
“Have I ever told you how much I hate you?”
“Repeatedly.” He doesn’t even look fazed. “Now if you’re done, Bella’s your age. She’s Beatrice’s niece. You’ll like her. She doesn’t have a filter either.”
I pause, considering that. “I’m listening.”
He winks.
“I have a charity gala on Saturday night.”
That gets my attention.
“You’re coming with me.”
“Really?”
“Katie, you’re mine now,” he says. “You go where I go.”
Heat rushes through me.
“So, Bella is going to take you dress shopping,” he continues. “These events are excessive. She’ll make sure you have everything you need. Dress, shoes, anything.”
I stare at him.
“What?”
“Your life is so different.”
He shifts closer, crowding into my space until there’s nowhere to go.
“Are you okay with that?”
I nod. “It’s just new.”
“You’ll fit in fine,” he says.
Then he’s kissing me again, pressing me back into the bed. He shifts over me, and I feel him instantly, hard against my thigh. It’s all I can focus on. He pulls his head back and looks at me.
“You okay, Doll?”
“Mmm-hmm,” I murmur.
“We don’t have to—“
I cut him off, pulling his mouth back down before he can finish. He smiles against my mouth, and I slide my hand between us, wrapping my fingers around him. His groan is instant. I slip my hand beneath his boxers, stroking slowly. He drops his mouth to my neck, his lips scraping along my skin.
“Keep that up,” he murmurs against me before his teeth catch lightly at my ear.
“Yes, sir,” I mutter before I can stop myself.
His head snaps up, and my eyes go wide as his gaze locks on mine. He tilts his head, and a vicious grin slowly takes over.
“Oh the things I’m going to do to you,” he says before grabbing my hands and pinning them over my head, dropping his mouth back to my neck.
Oh, fuck. What did I just do?
I wake up to Michael’s hand moving over my back. He’s already dressed, sitting on my side of the bed in a dress shirt and tie. He looks like he’s been up for a while.
“Morning, beautiful,” he says.
I smile, still half asleep. “Morning.”
“I have to head into work, but I didn’t want to leave without seeing you.”
I push myself up against the headboard.
“You don’t have to get up.”
“I’m okay,” I say, yawning.
He shifts closer, his hand sliding along my leg, fingers brushing back and forth.
“I’ll be in my downtown office all day,” he says. “I should be back around six.”
“We’ll eat together?” I ask.
He smiles. “Yes. I told Beatrice not to let anyone bother you until you’re ready to get up. Bella’s coming with Sal at noon.”
He brushes my hair back away from my face and kisses me softly. He stands, but I grab his wrist. He leans back down, his hand on my jaw this time as he kisses me again.
“I’ll see you tonight, Doll.”
I nod, and he’s already walking to the door. I touch my lips where he kissed me, wishing it was dinnertime.
I try to go back to sleep, but it’s pointless.
I spend the next hour flipping over, pulling the covers up, kicking them off again, staring at the ceiling.
Finally, I give up and get out of bed. I wander into the bathroom and start opening drawers.
The right side of the counter is obviously Michael’s.
Everything is lined up perfectly. There are colognes, razors, and aftershaves.
It all looks expensive. There’s even a set of products for his mustache. That makes me giggle.
I move to the left side and open those drawers and stop. There are lotions, deodorants, creams, and even makeup, all organized and untouched. All for me. He didn’t only buy me clothes. He bought everything I could possibly need.
There’s even fancy shampoo and conditioner for curly hair. I let out a quiet breath, staring at it all. Is it too soon to tell this man that I’m in love with him?
I shake my head and grab the body wash and a loofah, along with the shampoo and conditioner, before heading to the shower. I set everything inside and undress. When I step in, I turn on one of the shower heads. The pressure is perfect, and I almost laugh.
After I finish, I wrap a towel around myself and walk into the closet. I run my fingers along a few dresses before moving on. I am not in the mood for that.
I shift to the tops and pants and take a second to actually choose.
My hand settles on a yellow linen button-down, something that feels easy the second I look at it.
I already see it tied at my waist, sleeves rolled.
I pull it out and grab a pair of white jeans.
I look down at the clothes in my hands. I could get used to this.