"f.u.c.k, you're so big," I respond and smile, my forehead resting on his. He grins wolfishly and begins raising and lowering me over him steadily, ignoring the water splashing over the side, and we are in a whirlpool of l.u.s.t. I can't get enough of him. I'm squeezing around his length, his piercing is brushing along that most sensitive spot, and I feel the familiar tightening of my muscles around him.

"I'm going to come," I whisper.

He grips my hips and pulls me against him, grinding into me, his feral gray eyes on mine, and growls, "Let go."

And I do.

Chapter Twenty Four.

I wake early, before Nate for a change. We are naked, tangled in soft white sheets. Nate is on his back, one hand thrown over his head, covered from the waist down, and I brace my head on my elbow, admiring the view of his amazing tattoos, long hair, and dark chin stubble. His arms, chest and stomach are deliciously toned, even in sleep.

f.u.c.k, he's a feast for the eyes.

I sit up and stretch, glancing outside. The storm has pa.s.sed, leaving the beach just a little messy with debris. I get up to answer nature's call, throw on some capris jeans and a sweatshirt, pull my hair up in a knot, grab my flip flops and head down to the water.

I should let Nate know that I'm going out, but he's so sleepy, I decide to leave him be and make him breakfast when I get back.

When I get to the gazebo, I'm amazed to find that the caterer did indeed come back and clean up. The s.p.a.ce has been returned to its original state. Amazing, I didn't even hear them.

I reach the bottom of the stairs and kick off my flip flops, wiggling my toes in the sand, and take a deep, deep breath. The air is salty and just a bit musty from the storm. Seagulls are flying around, scouring the sand for food, and the water is crashing on the sh.o.r.e in white clouds, then pushing out onto the sand in sheets of wet gla.s.s.

I can't wait to put my feet in it.

I walk down to the edge of the water and stand still, waiting for the water to rush forward and engulf my feet and ankles. Oh my, it's so cold! I giggle and do a little dance in the water, splashing about, getting used to the cold, looking down at my toes.

I need a pedicure. Maybe I'll call Nat and see if she wants to go with me after work this week.

Work. I'm not ready to go back.

"There you are."

I hear Nate call from behind me and I turn to smile at him. He's pulled on his jeans and a sweatshirt, but he's not smiling. He looks p.i.s.sed.

Great.

"What's wrong?" I ask and walk toward him.

"You were gone when I woke up again."

"Uh, you were asleep, Nate. I just came down to the beach for a bit. Where else would I go?"

"I hate waking up and finding you gone. Bad memories." He hugs me to him and kisses my hair. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'll wake you next time and tell you I'm up." I pull out of his arms, but link my fingers in his. "Take your shoes off. I'm not done wading in the water."

"It's cold." He frowns down at me. "I don't want you to get sick."

"Oh stop, I won't get sick. C'mon, it's fun."

Nate removes his shoes, rolls his pants to his knees and we walk through the water down the sh.o.r.eline.

"I'm not ready to leave," I murmur and take a deep breath of salty air.

"We don't have to head back until this evening if you like." He kisses my knuckles and smiles at me.

"I know. I guess I'm not ready to go back to work tomorrow either." I shrug. "Probably not something I should admit to my boss, I know, but there it is."

"What aren't you telling me?" he asks.

"Oh, nothing," I wave his statement aside. "There's no drama. I'm just not a great actress, and the whole ayou're my boyfriend at home but just my boss at work' thing is tiresome. By the end of the week I'm exhausted from being afraid that I'll say or do something inappropriate."

"You know, baby, if you ever decided you didn't want to, you don't have to work."

I laugh and kick the water, splashing. "Right. I do have to work, Nate."

He pulls us both to a stop and looks down at me with serious eyes. "No, you don't."

"Yes, I do." I shake my head and rub my forehead. "I like my job. I'm good at it. And yes, I've been smart and I have a nice sized nest egg, along with a bit of an inheritance, but I do have to work, babe."

"I can take care of you," he whispers. Oh, I love him.

"But you shouldn't have to, that's the thing." I start walking again through the water and Nate follows me. "Besides, what would I do if I didn't work? I'd go crazy. I'm not crafty. I hate TV. I need to do stuff."

"You are too crafty. What about making more signs like the one you gave Natalie for the nursery?"

"Oh no," I laugh up at him and shake my head. "That was a one-time thing. It was fun, but I'm not artistic."

"I thought it was great." He kicks water up, splashing my legs, and I giggle.

"Well, it's not a career."

"What if you had kids?" he asks and I immediately shut down inside. I do not want to have this conversation. I'm not ready.

"Don't go there."

"It's a valid question."

"Kids aren't even on my radar, Nate."

"What is on your radar, Julianne?" We aren't looking at each other, we're just walking, hand in hand, through the water, watching the waves and the birds.

"You. Work. Family." I shrug. "That's plenty for now."

"As long as I make the list, baby."

"You're at the top these days, ace." I smile sa.s.sily, and try to lighten the mood. "In fact, I like it when you're on top."

He laughs, a full-on belly laugh, and splashes my legs again. "Okay, funny girl."

Pedicures tonight after work?

I send the text to Natalie and resume reading a report on my desk. I have so much to do! Three reports to write, Nate sent me a list of items he needs researched, and we have a meeting in just a few minutes.

My phone pings with a response from Natalie. Sure! I'll bring Liv. She'll sleep.

Perfect! Can't wait to see you both. Will call when I'm on my way to pick you up.

I smile and gather my coffee and things I need for the meeting. I'm so excited to see Nat and the baby. It's just what I need.

We all file into the conference room and sit in our usual places. We don't have a.s.signed seats, but we are people of habit, and always sit in the same chairs. There are six of us; Nate and I, Mrs. Glover to take notes, and the other partner, Mr. Luis and his team, Carly and Ben. Mr. Luis is in his mid-forties, graying and pot-bellied. He's a shrewd business man, and is not at all friendly in the office. He's all business.

Ben is much the same way. He's about my age, not much taller than me, thin and wears gla.s.ses. He's handsome, and very intelligent. He's not rude, he's just all about business, which I can respect and even admire.

I have no idea if either man is married or what their private lives consist of, and that's just fine by me.

Carly sits across the table from me, dressed in a green shift dress, her red hair pulled back in a bun. She looks over to me offers me a fake, brittle smile.

I don't reciprocate.

I glance casually over at Nate and he's watching our exchange, running his forefinger over his lower lip in thought.

My fingers unconsciously touch the silver heart at my neck. My birthday diamonds are in my ears and I'm wearing my birthday tennis bracelet. I'm draped in my man, he's sitting three feet from me, and I can't touch him.

It's a little weird.

When everyone is settled, Mr. Luis begins the meeting, bringing us all up to date on account statuses, what needs to be worked on and what's not working at all, then he turns it over to Nate.

He pa.s.ses around some of the reports I put together this morning to each of us. "Miss Montgomery put these reports together this morning. I'd like to go through them now, since I have you all here."

As he methodically works his way through the reports, I find myself able to focus and concentrate on the work, and it makes my stomach settle. I was worried that we'd ruined this for me; that it would always be a struggle, and I'm relieved that I answer his questions appropriately and professionally, and no one would ever guess that we are anything but colleagues.

As we all begin to file out after the meeting, Nate says to me, "Miss Montgomery, I'd like to see you in my office in ten minutes, please."

Huh. "I'll see you then." I nod and head back to my office, close the door, and exhale. Another meeting accomplished without any screw ups.

Win.

"You can go on in, Miss Montgomery." Mrs. Glover smiles warmly at me as I walk past her desk toward Nate's office.

"Thanks." I knock once and walk into his office. "You wanted to see me?"

I close the door behind me and smile over at my hot executive boyfriend. He's in another one of his dark suits with a white shirt and gray tie, his hair is pulled back.

He's effing hot.

He steps out from behind his desk and crosses to me, and I'm suddenly crushed to his chest in a big hug. He smells fantastic; all fabric softener and coffee and Nate.

He reaches behind me and locks the door quietly and I pull back to look into his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just missed you this morning."

"I've been right down the hall." I chuckle and kiss his chin.

"I know, it's not the same. Mondays suck, for more reasons than one."

I know exactly what he means. We've just had the whole weekend together, all day, and now we're back where we have to pretend.

"Hey, before I forget, I made plans with Natalie for after work. We're getting pedicures. So I won't be at your place when you get home."

"Okay. Are you coming over when you're done?" he asks.

"I think I'll just go home, Nate. I have a mountain of laundry to do, and I've barely been there over the past few weeks. One night apart won't kill us, you know."

He frowns and runs his fingertips down my face. "I'll go to your place tonight."

"You don't have..."

"I don't want to sleep without you, Julianne."

Oh. Okay.

"Okay, I'll meet you at my place then. I need to make you a key."

"No need," he smirks down at me. "I'll talk you into moving into the condo with me soon enough."

"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you ace?"

"Yeah, pretty sure," he whispers and kisses me softly.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure too.

"Oh, this feels so good."

Natalie and I are at our favorite nail spa near Alki Beach. We've been coming here for years. I have Olivia on my chest, snoozing away, my feet in hot water, and my best friend to my right.

Life is d.a.m.n good.