Chapter 20 Nicolas
nicolas
My wife stepped out of our room, a green dress wrapped around her curves, her dark brown hair in an elegant and yet sexy updo. Stunning. It would be hard to keep my eyes—and my hands—off her all night.
I couldn’t help myself, letting my eyes trail down her body appreciatively. “Gorgeous, you… you look beautiful.” I swallowed roughly.
“You think it’s okay?” She asked, frowning, turning to look at herself in the mirror.
I wrapped my arms around her waist, kissing her neck. “I think you’re perfect. You’re a goddess, and I don’t even deserve to breathe the same air as you.” Zofia was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, and I was damn lucky she even allowed me to be in her presence.
She rolled her eyes. “Laying it on a little thick there, huh, Nicolas?” Zofia lowered her voice to barely a whisper. “I already married you.”
I wrapped my arm around her waist, tugging her to my side so my lips could brush over her ear. “Not a line, Zofia. It’s the truth.”
I had a strange caveman-like urge to mark her as mine, to make sure everyone knew exactly whose she was. Never mind that it was just a contract that bound us together.
We were more than friends, but was it too much to hope that we could have an actual relationship? To be a real couple? Maybe. What if I’d done things differently?
But I knew she never would have given me a chance any other way.
Either way, my ring was on her finger.
“I just want your dad to like me.”
“He already likes you,” I reminded her. Just like I do.
Fuck. I couldn’t develop feelings for her.
For starters, because I knew exactly what this arrangement was. A contract marriage, only until we had what we wanted. But when I told her about my inheritance—about what I had to do to get it—would she still want to be my wife?
I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t.
It was more than I expected from her, especially with the contract we’d made. There were no stipulations for what happened if we stayed married, though I didn’t foresee that happening. Not when I knew why Zofia wanted this marriage—and why she thought I did, too.
Zo let out a little huff. “You know what I mean. As your wife.”
“How could he not?” I spun her around in my arms, letting my hands settle on her hips. “You’re incredible.”
She let her eyes flutter shut, and I pressed a soft kiss to the crown of her head.
I’d been letting her take the lead on physical intimacy ever since that moment in my office, and it was killing me—but so had being reminded that we were fake after being buried inside of her.
It was safe to say I was a little on edge.
“You were so great with my parents,” she said, her voice a whisper. “I just want to be that for you, too.”
I pressed my forehead against hers. “You already are, baby.”
Her eyes held mine, and it was fucking magical.
“Okay.” Her voice was soft, but she gave me a firm nod, her eyes bright. “Let’s do this,” she told me. Strong. I appreciated that strength—God knows how much it got me through every day.
We stood in the large, spotless kitchen of my dad’s house—white, pristine, stainless steel everywhere.
It felt like such a stark contrast to Zofia’s family home.
The Narayan house was warm, welcoming, and full of love.
My father’s place looked every bit the home of a billionaire—one who had never once cooked in his own kitchen.
I knew it for a fact, because growing up, we’d always had a private chef.
It had been humbling, starting college without knowing how to do anything for myself, but I’d quickly realized I needed to adapt if I was going to survive.
Is that what I was doing now? Trying to adapt?
I looked over at my wife, standing across me. She was making small talk with my dad’s wife, who was heavily pregnant with their first child. She was only a few years older than me, and though I’d found it crazy when they’d first started dating, I could tell my dad did genuinely love her.
He let his hand rest on her belly, and not for the first time, I mourned the loss of my childhood—of the life I could have had, if we hadn’t lost my mom when I was so young.
What would she say, if she was here? Would she be as enchanted with my wife as I was? I liked to think so.
Stepping in beside her, I slid my hand onto Zofia’s lower back.
“Thank you again for having us, Kendra,” she said, smiling at my step-mother. I had nothing against Kendra—she made my father happy, and she was a lovely person. But seeing her around made me miss the mother I’d never known, bringing up all the unresolved feelings that came with that.
“I’m so happy you two could finally make it.” She rubbed her belly. “Especially since this little one is due soon.”
My father chuckled. “Never thought I’d be becoming a father again at this age, but we’re very excited.”
“Do you know what you’re having?” Zofia asked, leaning on me.
Kendra’s face transformed into a blissful smile. “A girl.” She looked between the two of us. “What about you two? Are you thinking about having kids anytime soon?”
Zo froze underneath me.
“I—uh—not yet,” I said, rubbing her back in a soothing circle. “We’re happy with it just being us for a while.”
“Yep,” Zofia agreed. “Not to mention work is about to get crazy busy.” She gave an awkward laugh, gulping down water from her glass.
“There’s no time like the present,” my father said. “If you’re always waiting for the right time, one day you’ll blink and realize your entire life passed you by.”
“We’re still young, Dad,” I reminded him. “We’ve got plenty of time before life… passes us by.”
“I’m just saying. Some grandkids would be nice.”
“You’re about to have a baby,” I reminded him. “Wouldn’t it be weird if their niece or nephew was that close in age?”
It was surreal to think I was about to be an older brother. To a sister. I’d lived twenty-eight years as an only child, but that would change soon.
“I need a drink,” I muttered in my wife’s ear.
She looked up at me, chuckling. “We should have made a bet how long you’d last.”
I scowled at her. “Not fair. You know me too well.”
Zofia just smirked. “One could say spending a year in such close proximity would do that.”
Squeezing her hip, I turned back to my father and Kendra.
Luckily, no one brought up us having a baby again the rest of the night.
Though I couldn’t get the idea of Zofia, round with our child and glowing, out of my mind.
I waited for my dad to bring up my trust fund, the inheritance I’d needed to jump through hoops to get. Part of me wondered if he suspected that the relationship wasn’t real—especially since it had been less than two months since he’d sat in my office, telling me I needed to settle down.
Of course, back then, I hadn’t even been able to consider what it would like to be married.
Now, I couldn’t imagine my life without Zofia.
Without her cuddled against my body at night, and her copious amounts of blankets strewn across my house. Even her adorable white cat, who always seemed to be asleep on one of my shirts. She was in so deep, and I couldn’t imagine getting her out.
It hadn’t even been a month since we were married, and I already hated the thought of parting ways after two years.
But how did I convince her to stay?
How did I convince her that we were worth it?
Especially when I didn’t even know if I was worth staying for.
A few days later, back in the office, I watched as Zofia tidied up a stack of files while mumbling to herself. Things had been different between us ever since my dad’s house.
Before that, I could almost believe that we were real newlyweds. I loved waking up next to her, spending our mornings together while sharing coffee and breakfast. Even better was having her home each night. Ever since we’d shared the omelettes together in the kitchen, it felt like things were real.
I couldn’t get enough.
Maybe I had developed a slight obsession with my wife, but who could blame me?
I spent all day with her in the office, and I still wanted more of her.
Craved it, really. How was it possible to spend almost every hour of the day together, and want her by my side every night?
I could blame it on our sexual chemistry, but I’d felt like this for a long time.
Even Cooper and Duchess seemed content with their new living situation.
At first, my dog loved to sniff her cat, only to get swatted on the nose when he got too close.
They were warming up to each other, though, because more than once I’d found the two of them both cuddled up in the same room, mere inches apart from each other. Progress.
If only I could say the same for us. It felt like we had two steps forward and one step back, like she was pulling away from me. How did I fix this? Fix… us. It felt like I was standing on unsteady ground. Any sudden movement, and I’d be swallowed into a sinkhole.
Deciding I’d stared at my wife long enough, I cleared my throat. “Hey.”
She looked up, her face smoothing into a smile when she realized it was me. “Hi.” She was wearing a pretty blue blouse with a tight black skirt today, and I tried not to think about how badly I wanted to drag her into my office for a repeat.
“You still up for going out with everyone this week?” I knew she’d been extra tired and hadn't been feeling great. “If you don’t feel well, we can always cancel.” Zofia had blamed it on stress, and I wondered how I could lighten her load.
She was overworking herself, and it was my fault.
If I could take things off her plate, would that help?
“No.” She shook her head. “I want to go see our friends. Besides, this is the first time everyone’s getting together since we got married. It’ll be good to celebrate.”
We were all getting together at Angelina and Benjamin’s house on Friday, and I was looking forward to it. Especially after dinner with both of our parents this past week.
“If you’re sure.”
“Of course.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Now I need to get down to marketing and work on this with them, unless you need anything else from me?”
I shook my head, knowing she was hard at work finishing all the details for the annual charity gala. It was Zo’s favorite event of the year, and I was pretty sure planning it was her favorite part of her job.
“You’re good. Go.” I tucked a curl behind her ear. “See you later at home.”
What would I do without you? I wanted to ask her, but I didn’t say it.
Because it felt too real, and we were just playing pretend.
Part of me knew I couldn’t keep her as my assistant forever—not when she was so talented and shined so bright.
I was holding her back, and I knew it. I just needed to find her a new role, something that would bring her as much joy and excitement as planning this gala did.
And I knew just who to ask for help.