15. IZZY
My eyes popped open as images from our intimate moment last night flooded my mind. I took in the familiar surroundings of my room, and then quickly checked myself. I wasn’t wearing anything at all under the sheets.
Oh, fuck.
I closed my eyes in disbelief, not sure what to feel. I hadn’t even been drunk. I had no excuse.
“Maybe he realized it had been another big mistake,” I muttered to myself as I stared at the disheveled sheets beside me. He’d probably left immediately after I had fallen asleep.
I vaguely remembered us snuggling afterwards. I remembered how it had felt to be in his arms—as if I really belonged there. I’d never felt so safe, secure, and comfortable.
And yes, cared for.
I’m not sure, though, if that’s what it really was. Did he even care for me or am I just another affair in his long list?
“Oh, Izzy! Stop hoping, please! You’re so hopeless!” I yelled, raising my voice more than I’d intended. I quickly put on an oversized flannel shirt and walked out of the bedroom, feeling my stomach grumbling.
When I passed by a mirror in the hallway, I paused and took a good look at myself. “Oh, damn! You’re even glowing! What for, huh? Don’t be stupid. He’s not worth all this nonsense, and he’s probably not even interested!”
“Interested in what?” a deep, booming voice suddenly asked from behind me.
My heart began to race as I twisted around in shock. There in front of me was Nick in all his manly, God-like glory. And he, too, seemed to be glowing.
For a while, I was mesmerized at his stunning appearance, with his bulky torso gleaming in broad daylight and a few strands of his hair uncharacteristically messy. He was wearing only a pair of boxer shorts.
I’m wearing nothing underneath, I suddenly remembered. The thought made me throb between my legs.
I stared at him, speechless. I was shocked that he’d been there all this time, that he never left my apartment, and that he’d most likely heard my very loud musings about him. Shit, shit, shit.
“Interested in what, Izzy?” he repeated, moving closer toward me and making my heart pound even harder so that I could sense the drumming in my ears. He wasn’t even smiling. He actually looked serious about the question, so I couldn’t tell if he was teasing or playing with me.
“Nothing.”
“I don’t think it’s nothing.”
Oh, fuck. Why do you have to make it so hard?
I knew my whole face was flushed. I’d been caught, and I was totally embarrassed.
“It’s nothing,” I repeated, turning my head away so he wouldn’t see my redness. “Why are you still here?”
I began to walk past him, intending to go to the kitchen, when he grabbed my arm and swung me around. The impact made me press against his naked upper body, triggering my libido to go on full throttle at once. My heart seemed to skip a beat, and I felt quite intoxicated by his alluring natural scent.
“Why not, Izzy? Do you want me to go now?” His hoarse whisper seemed to reach deep down below. A shiver ran down my spine, and I found myself speechless.
Suddenly, lustful images from last night flooded my head. My body reacted, eager to be touched by him again. My eyes flickered to his lips, and I couldn’t help the desire that shot through my whole core.
He leaned forward very slowly. But then, to my disappointment, he suddenly straightened up and walked away. I was dumbfounded.
Are you fucking playing with me? I wanted to scream after him. He was acting like the boss that he was. But he wasn’t supposed to be my boss. He was my business partner.
I bit my lower lip to keep from saying anything inappropriate. I felt so confused and insulted at the same time.
“Hungry?” he suddenly asked to my amazement.
I gave him an odd look as he gestured toward my dining table, which was now filled with eggs, bacon, and pancakes. There was also a basket of fruits and some pastries.
Suddenly, the enticing aroma and appearance of the food made my stomach growl. But at the same time, I was also flabbergasted. “You cooked?” I found myself blurting out, wondering where he got those ingredients because I knew that I didn’t have them.
He nodded; his facial expression serious. My eyes widened. And then, slowly, his lips turned up into a grin. “Nah, I had these delivered. I don’t know how to cook, sorry.”
“Oh.” But I was still quite surprised. And honestly, touched by the sweet gesture. Or maybe he’s just really hungry.
“Well, I hope you enjoy it,” Nick said, his usual serious demeanor softened by the hint of a smile. “This is my usual breakfast from L’Amour du Pain, my favorite cafe just around the corner.”
I couldn’t help but grin. “Nick, this is amazing. You didn’t have to do this.” I looked around at the feast. “This is really a lot.”
He shrugged, a rare playful glint in his eyes. “Consider it a gesture of appreciation for tolerating me in your apartment.”
I laughed, and that seemed to make us both relax, building an easy camaraderie once again as we stuffed ourselves with the delicious food.
“So, Nick,” I said, sipping my coffee, “tell me something about yourself that I don’t know.”
He paused, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, before deciding to share a part of his past that caught me off guard.
“Back when I was a messenger in a big company,” he began, “I was framed for theft because I’d been caught sneaking around in the office. It was a difficult time, and I was almost fired.”
I couldn”t hide my surprise. “Framed? Almost fired? That’s intense, Nick.”
He nodded. “Yeah, it was. I had to do my own investigation to prove my innocence. I even begged the owner, who took pity on me. Eventually, one of the bosses stood up for me. He knew that I’d been sneaking around to learn more about the ins and outs of the company. When a client suddenly walked in, I took the risk and showed them what I could do. So, instead of punishing me, they saw my potential. My journey from a framed messenger to where I am now wasn’t easy, but it taught me resilience and the importance of fighting for what’s right.”
I sat there, absorbing the revelation. Nick’s past held layers of challenges and triumphs that I hadn’t fully grasped. It made me appreciate the man sitting across from me even more—a person who didn’t let adversity define him but used it as a stepping stone toward success.
“Wow.” Was all I could comment. I was beginning to see him in a fresh light, with a new and positive perspective. He certainly wasn’t some stuck-up rich kid as I had thought him to be at first. Little by little, I was getting to know him better. And I felt as if there was so much more to him that I yearned to learn and embrace.
“What about you, Isabelle Turner?” he asked, leaning forward after finishing his meal. I couldn’t help but stare at the way he licked his upper lip. My heart thumped again, and I felt that familiar jolt of heat in my lower abdomen.
“Well, what about me? You know my story.”
“Not all of it.”
He actually seemed very interested, so I found myself opening up to him too. I told him about the struggles of juggling college with plenty of odd jobs, of having to step up and grow up fast in order to help my mother survive financially after my dad had died.
“That’s amazing,” he uttered in disbelief and admiration. “You’re something else.”
I blushed. “It’s probably not as hard as what you had to go through.”
“No, don’t say that. We both went through very tough times in different ways.”
“I guess so.”
“And we both came out of it strong and successful.” A smile was playing on his lips, making his face light up. I could sense myself getting even more attracted to him, not just physically but on a whole new level.
He stood up and came toward me as we gazed at each other intensely. He brought me up to my feet and kissed me passionately. I felt like I was melting in the warmth of his embrace and the ardent fire of his kisses.
I felt his hand snaking up my inner thigh, making me wet. It wasn’t long before he was stroking my wetness, eagerly fulfilling my carnal desires and making me break into cold sweat even as my entire body was heating up.
Right there in my dining room, he devoured my breasts and undressed me completely. He continued to caress my sweet spot with his fingers. Moaning, I grasped his locks tightly with my fingers. I could feel myself rising in sexual desire and gratification…
Higher and higher, I went. And he just kept on going faster just as his lips explored every inch of my skin.
Somewhere in the background I could hear people getting ready for work, the traffic building up outside the apartment building. But they all faded away as soon as he lifted me onto the kitchen counter and we had mind-blowing sex.
I could not decide if this was the best sex I’d ever had or the night before with him. Well, what about the one on the office desk? It was explosive too!
“Come on, Izzy. It’s time to take a shower.”
He pulled me into the shower with him, and we pleasured each other again and ended up doing it in a gentler yet passionate way.
Finally, right before lunch time, Nick remembered that we had to check out the warehouse.
“You know, maybe we don’t have to go today…” he trailed off with a mischievous glint in his eye just as we’d left the apartment.
I looked at him in surprise. “Is this Nick Hale speaking? Are you sure I don’t have the wrong twin?” I asked teasingly.
Instead of grinning, he looked a bit hurt and insulted. His eyes narrowed, and I immediately regretted making that joke.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean…” I started to say.
Then he took me in his arms right outside my apartment building. In broad daylight!
“I’m joking,” he said, but he wasn’t smiling. “It’s fine.”
“Honestly, I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“I could be fun,” he whispered in my ear.
“Of course, I know that…”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward his car. “Come on!”
When we stopped at Golden Gate Park, I gave him an amused look. “Are we playing hooky?”
He grinned at me. “You bet!”
We both laughed as we went hand in hand. Soon, Nick and I were pedaling through the winding paths of Golden Gate Park. The wind tousled my hair, and I couldn”t help but laugh at the sheer joy of the moment. Here we were, two adults, navigating bicycles like a couple of carefree kids. I stole a glance at Nick, and his grin mirrored mine, infectious and genuine.
The famous park was alive with activity—families picnicking, musicians playing, and the distant hum of the city acting as a soothing backdrop to our laughter. We weaved through the trails, the air crisp with the scent of eucalyptus. The towering trees formed a natural canopy overhead.
I felt so free and happy.
As we parked our bikes, Nick caught my eye. “Ready for the next adventure?” he asked, gesturing toward the entrance of the Japanese Tea Garden.
“Oh, I haven’t been in there for ages!” I exclaimed with excitement.
“Let’s go,” he said eagerly, taking my hand and leading me inside.
The transition from the lively chaos of the park to the tranquil serenity of the garden was like stepping into another world. Koi fish glided beneath the arched bridges, and the soft rustle of bamboo leaves in the breeze created a calming melody. It was all perfect and unreal.
Nick reached for my hand, and without a word, we began to wander through the meandering paths. Stone lanterns dotted the landscape, casting gentle shadows on the meticulously manicured greenery. We paused at a red wooden bridge, and Nick turned to me with a smile.
“Isn’t this place magical?” he said, his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand. I nodded, not trusting my voice as I took in the beauty around us. “This seems like it could be your happy place,” he added.
I smiled. “Yes, you’re getting to know me a lot better. But what about you? Isn’t your happy place your office or desk?”
He laughed. “I thought so for a long time…” His eyes took on a faraway look before focusing on mine. His voice softened. “But that was before I met you.”
My heart raced at his words. I didn’t know what to say. But he simply smiled and gently pulled me toward him, giving me a kiss on the forehead.
A jolt of electricity shot through me. What’s going on here?
We found a secluded spot with a view of the tranquil pond. Sitting side by side, we let the moment wash over us. Nick pointed out the details of the landscape—the delicate blossoms, the ripples on the water, the distant pagoda. But it wasn’t about the scenery; it was about being present together.
I was also totally surprised by how he wasn’t concerned about the time or any business matters. He’d messaged his assistants and turned off his phone to just enjoy the day with me.
Time seemed to slow as we sat there, hand in hand, sharing a quiet connection amid the beauty of the Japanese Tea Garden. The world outside ceased to exist, leaving only the two of us lost in the simplicity of the moment.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, illuminating the surroundings with a soft and romantic radiance, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for this unexpected day of childlike joy and quiet intimacy. And in that serene corner of the world, with Nick by my side, I found that the simplest moments could be the most extraordinary.