Page 44 of Deadline for Love

“I don’t want to wake up.”

He closed the distance between us, his hard body pressed against mine, but careful not to let the weight crush me.

“Bella, in my dreams, you’re all mine.”

My eyes widened in shock at his seductive mumbling, and then my breath disappeared.

Nathan greedily placed his lips on mine and moved his mouth as if he were now using the moment to claim me. The situation surprised me, and I needed a moment to realize what was happening. The kiss robbed me of all my senses. It was full of desire, longing, and tenderness. I was enchanted by the taste, enchanted by this man, and I was willing to completely surrender to this kiss.

My hands clasped around his biceps, and I opened my mouth to let him in, but suddenly, the kiss weakened.

Nathan’s body fell entirely on top of me like he had no control, and then his head slid onto my shoulder.

A wave of confusion rushed through my body as I realized he was still asleep. Feeling embarrassed, I turned my head away so I could breathe in the cool air of the apartment. I tried to get my heart under control, but it was a little tricky with Nathan still on top of me and his breath tickling my neck.

My hand trembled as I pressed it against my mouth, still tingling from that breathtaking kiss.

“Oh, my God,” I breathed softly.

I had never been kissed like that before. It had been surprisingly beautiful, even briefly, but it was awkward now.

My gaze drifted back to Nathan, who was now sleeping soundly and didn’t look like he was having any nightmares. His brows were relaxed, and a faint smile graced his full, beautiful lips.

I looked at the moon again and sighed, “At least one of us can sleep…”

Chapter 16

Nathan slept soundly, snuggled up against me, while I suffered a sleepless night. I wasn’t mad about it, just exhausted. I didn’t know why I couldn’t sleep, maybe it was because I was nervous. I mean, after all, I had to face my boss, a fake marriage, and hunt down a killer—no big deal, right?

As the dawn reflected through the window, I knew it would be another long day. I desperately needed a coffee—and, later, a nap.

Nathan shifted, getting my attention. He briefly released me and slowly stretched, then grabbed me again to rest his head on my shoulder. I was no longer embarrassed, and the butterflies were calm, too.

I remained motionless for a moment, but when I realized Nathan had stopped moving, I looked over at him, his hair tousled and his eyes open. He stared at me, and I stared right back.

“Good morning.”

It took him a moment, but he instantly let go of me and jumped up, the warmth fleeing and the pressure on my body,too. I admired his well-built upper body and let my gaze wander to his face.

“Slept well?’’

He was speechless and quiet for a moment. His eyes traveled over my body, and in some places, it lingered until he looked into my eyes again.

“Did I use you as a pillow?”

I nodded, and he wanted to apologize, but I waved him off. “It’s okay; think of it as repayment for when I did basically the same thing.” I tried to play it cool and not let on, but my body was getting hot, and my face was flaming.

“Still, I’m sorry. But I'm not gonna lie, these have been two of the best night's sleep I've had in a while.” Then he settled into a cross-legged position and smiled at me with his dimples.

My heart skipped a fucking beat. A nervous tingle rushed through my body—so much for being calm… The butterflies started rebelling, and my heart played in their untamed rhythm.

“I wasn’t bothering you, was I?”

His question made me assume he didn’t remember the kiss, and I didn’t want to bring it up. Instead, I just shook my head.

“Did you at least get some sleep?”

“I need a coffee now,” I replied and rose, but Nathan held my wrist and stopped me.

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