“You’re close to all of them though?”

He nods.

“Even Maddox?” I know he hasn’t seen him for a long time, and after what he told me, I haven’t pressed for more details on why his youngest brother left.

Sorrow washes over his face, but it fades as quickly as it appeared. “Yes. Especially him.”

“I hope to get to meet him some day.”

He nods, but that quiet grief returns to his eyes. “I’m sure you will.”

With the dinner dishes washed and dried, I lean against the kitchen counter and watch Nathan put them away. His strong forearms and the powerful muscles in his shoulders flex as he moves deftly around the kitchen. I lazily drink him in, no longer attempting to hide it. If he’s going to walk around this penthouse shirtless with the body of a demigod, he brings it all on himself. And it’s not like I don’t see the way he looks at me. The way his eyes darken when I’m wearing anything remotely fitted, and the way his gaze lingers on my ass and boobs when he thinks I’m not looking.

When he’s done, he walks over to me with that sexy-as-hell half grin on his face. “You enjoying yourself there, Spitfire?”

I sigh. “I mean, I was.”

He gives a single shake of his head and takes another step forward until our bodies are tantalizingly close and his eyes are locked on mine. “Looking at me the way that you do is going to get you into a whole mess of trouble someday, Mel.” His voice is low and husky, and it melts me to my core.

I tilt my head to the side, my gaze remaining fixed on his face even as his rakes up and down my body. “Maybe I could use a little trouble.”

He sinks his teeth into his bottom lip and tips his head back on a groan. When he looks at me again, his eyes are blazing with so much fire that my breath stutters in my throat. He bends his head, his lips dangerously close to my ear. “I bet you could use so much more than a little trouble, Spitfire.”

He slides one hand to my hip, his fingers digging into my flesh in a bruising grip. A shiver of anticipation runs the length of my spine. I place a hand on his chest, my fingertips flexing over his solid pecs. His lips brush mine, and I whimper, acutely aware of the ache between my thighs at the mere memory of this man’s kiss.

He takes a half step closer, and our bodies are flush. Heat coils in every cell of my body. His breath is warm and heavy on my lips as he continues taunting me with the promise of his kiss. I tangle my fingers in his hair. He grunts and rocks his hips, pressing every solid inch of himself against my abdomen.

I gasp.

“You feel what you do to me?” he groans.

I jolt when vibrations shudder through my hip. With a grumbled curse, he looks down, breaking the spell between us as he fishes his phone from his pocket.

He holds it to his ear, his hand still on my hip and his impressive erection still pressed against me. “What?” he barks.

I can hear the muffled voice on the other line but can’t make out what they’re saying.

“Right now?” Nathan sighs. “Then have the jet ready.”

He ends the call and lets out of a string of curses. “I really have to go.”

“Right now?”

He licks his bottom lip. “Believe me when I tell you that I know this is the worst timing in the history of the world, but I’ve been expecting that call for weeks. I’m—”

“Don’t say you’re sorry. This is your job.” I step back, taking some much-needed air and space from his dizzyingly impressive erection.

His grip tightens on my hip, and he yanks me back so our chests collide. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

His expression is pained. “Don’t pull away from me.”

So many emotions shuttle around my body, and I don’t know how to process them all at once. What I do know is that I need to get the hell away from him before I lose myself. I suspect that once we cross this line, I will fall for him completely. And I’m going to fall hard. “You’re the one who’s leaving, Nathan.”

His jaw ticks, and I hold my breath. Oh, fuck it! Just kiss me and tell me you’ll be back soon. He does neither. He takes a step back. “I’ll be gone for a few days. Will you be okay here alone?”

I draw in a shaky breath. “I’ll be fine.”

Clearing his throat, he takes another step away from me, putting enough distance between us that I can no longer smell his cologne or feel the heat from his body. “Well, this is your home now. If you want to invite some friends over, you don’t need my permission.” He scrubs a hand through his hair. “I probably won’t be reachable, so if you need anything, Teddy will take care of it.”

A knot of sadness wells in my throat, and tears sting my eyes. Why do I feel so rejected by a man I just pushed away? Because he didn’t pull me back. He’ll never need me enough to pull me back. “When will you be home?” I ask, in spite of myself.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. A few days. I have to go pack.”

Then he walks out of the kitchen, leaving me aching and needy, and most of all, feeling invisible and alone.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

NATHAN

My fingers twitch against my palm as I ride the elevator to my penthouse after a long three days away. Relief at being back washes over me and takes me by surprise. I never usually care about getting home. I’ve always been equally comfortable in hotels as I am in my own apartment, but the need to get back to New York as quickly as possible was never far from my mind this entire trip. Maybe it’s because of the way we left things. Another moment and I would have had her naked and pinned to the kitchen counter.

I should have fucked her on our wedding night. Then the precedent would have been set, and we wouldn’t have settled into this bizarre limbo where I’m not sure if I’m allowed to fuck her or not. She’s my wife, right? Sex was always on the table because we’re going to have kids. But each day that passes without us having sex feels like another step further into friends territory, and I find myself completely unsure of how to make a move on her. Like I’ve lost every bit of game I ever had.

Maybe I should simply ask if I can fuck her. Or kiss her and hope it leads to more.

I lick my lips, my dick twitching at the thought of my hands on her. This morning, I sent a text and told her I’d be home tomorrow, but my business wrapped up earlier than expected. I was unable to stay away for a second longer than necessary, so I had the jet prepared early.

While I have zero desire to examine why I couldn’t stay away, I recognize that there can be only one explanation—she’s five foot four and has the most incredible green eyes I’ve ever seen.

Her infectious laugh drifts down the hallway, and I curse under my breath, hoping she doesn’t have a friend over. I want her all to myself, even if it’s only to argue with her.

“Right there, baby girl?” The deep, masculine voice makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

She releases a long, satisfied moan. “Yeah. Right there.”

What in holy fuck? I stalk toward the den, my heart pounding in my chest and adrenaline pumping through my veins. I’m going to tear his fucking head off, whoever the fuck he is.

He grunts, like whatever he’s doing takes effort, and she moans again. “You’re so good at that.”

Motherfucker! My hands curl into fists at my sides, and when I walk into the room, all I can see is the side of the asshole’s head as he holds her ankle in the air. I snarl, snatching his attention. “You want to get your hands off my fucking wife?”

“Nathan!” Melanie shrieks, bolting upright. She blinks at me, her mouth open. “I thought you weren’t getting back until tomorrow.”

Yeah, no shit. A growl rumbles out of my chest as I cross the room. The asshole drops her foot but doesn’t look the slightest bit uncomfortable that I’ve just caught him doing fuck knows what to my wife.