Page 35 of Strictly Business

I turn to face him, and my breath catches as he shrugs off his suit jacket, revealing a crisp white shirt that hugs his body in a way that makes my heart skip a beat.

Why is he so ridiculously attractive? And why can’t I look away?

I glance down at Pumpkin, who’s still curled up in my arms. Her wide eyes are locked on Nicholas, and without thinking, I cover her eyes with my hand.

“You’re too young for that,” I whisper when she paws at my hands, meowing in protest.

“Wherewelive,” Nicholas corrects, his eyes flicking to mine.

“At least for the next three months,” I remind him.

He nods in agreement. “And when this is done between us,” he continues, “I’ll make sure to find you somewhere decent to live. Somewhere that doesn’t look like a crime scene.”

I sigh. “Nicholas, that is—”

“Very necessary,” he interrupts, voice tight.

Our eyes lock for a second, and I swallow down my words, knowing there’s no use in arguing with him.

He gestures toward the hallway. “Why don’t I show you to your room?” he asks. “You must be tired.”

I nod, still caught in this weird dream-state, half-expecting someone to pinch me and snap me out of it.

Nicholas leads me down the hall and opens a door to a room so massive, I nearly choke on my own spit. It’s ten times bigger than my entire apartment.

“This is the guest bedroom?” I ask, blinking in disbelief.

He nods. “The other is down the hall, which I turned into an office.” Pulling something out of his pocket, he holds it out to me. “This is your key card. It’s how you’ll get in and out of here.”

I reach out and take it, feeling the smooth material of the card between my fingers.God, even the key card feels expensive.

“I already talked to the concierge and let them know you’ll be staying here,” he tells me. “And don’t be surprised if you see a cleaner in the morning. She usually comes when I’m at work, but you might still catch her.”

I nod, my mind still trying to catch up with everything that’s happening.

He presses his lips into a thin line. “If you need anything, my bedroom is right down the hall.”

I nod again, unable to do anything but nod like an idiot.

“Goodnight, Amara.” His voice is thick and gruff, causing a chill to creep up my spine.

“Goodnight, Nicholas.”

He nods, dipping his chin before he turns around and walks toward his bedroom, the door closing a few seconds later.

I stand there for a long moment, staring at the king-sized bed. The crisp white sheets and the plush pillows calling my name.

“Welcome to your new home, Pumpkin,” I whisper.

Pumpkin jumps from my arms, strutting toward the bed and purrs as she stretches out, curling into the middle of the mattress, making herself comfortable without a second thought.

At least someone’s adjusting to the luxury faster than I am.

Chapter thirteen

Amara

Iwake up to Pumpkin licking my face.

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