Chapter 445

Nathan

I rolled over with a soft smile on my face, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. A quick glance at the clock told me that there was still a little time to relax before it was time to head to work, and the house was quiet, indicating that the twins were still sleeping.

Instinctively, I reached for the familiar warmth of Olivia next to me. But my hand found only the cool, empty sheets. A frown creased my forehead. It wasn’t like her to be up this early, not after the late nights we had been having recently.

“I guess she’s awake already.”

Pushing myself up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The house was quiet, the kind of silence that usually meant the twins were still asleep. I padded down the hallway, expecting to find Olivia in the nursery or maybe in the kitchen.

Instead, I found Clint sitting in the living room, surrounded by toys and the giggling twins. He looked up, a grin spreading across his face.

“Morning, Nathan! You’re up early.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, surprised. He usually only babysat when both Olivia and I were out. “Clint, what are you doing here? I mean, it’s great to see you, but…”

Clint chuckled, bouncing one of the twins on his knee. “Olivia asked me to come over early. She wanted you to get some extra sleep. Said you’ve been burning the candle at both ends.”

A surge of gratitude mixed with frustration washed over me. “That’s thoughtful of her, but you shouldn’t have to babysit when their dad is right here.”

“Nah, it’s no trouble,” Clint assured me, his eyes crinkling with affection as he looked at the twins. “I love spending time with these munchkins. Highlight of my day.”

I couldn't help but smile at the scene, but my mind was elsewhere. “Where’s Olivia?”

“I believe she said she was heading to the Council building already. Wanted to get a head start on the auction preparations for the day, I guess,” Clint replied, handing a toy to the other twin.

I nodded, a twinge of regret in my chest. I should have been there with her. Maybe I could have helped in some way. I was her husband and Aurora and Elliot’s dad, after all. I felt like a failure for sleeping while she was already up and about.

However, despite my reservations, the day passed in a blur of work and responsibilities—just as it always did. I lost myself in a whirlwind of attending meetings, signing contracts, making phone calls, and, most importantly, auction preparations.

Around lunchtime, I found Olivia in the Council building’s banquet hall, where the auction was going to be held. She was holding a clipboard to her chest and giving instructions on banner placement.

“A little to the left,” she said, pointing, completely oblivious to my entrance. “That’s better. Oh, and the right side is lower. Yep. You’ve got it.”

“Hey.” I walked up to Olivia with my hands in my pockets, and she glanced over her shoulder at me. Her warm hazel eyes, albeit tired as ever, crinkled at the corners as I approached.

“Hey, you,” she said. “What’s up?”

I shrugged and stopped next to her. “I wanted to come and help.”

She furrowed her brow. “Don’t you have meetings today?”

“Just finished my last one until two o’clock,” I said. “Figured I’d stop by and see what I can do.”

Olivia paused, jotting something down on her clipboard, before she chewed the inside of her cheek in that way she always did when she was thinking. Finally, she shook her head. “I think we’re all set here,” she said. “Just some finishing touches before the auction tomorrow.”

“Oh, are you sure?” I asked. “I can—”

“Really, I’m fine,” she said with a soft smile. “You should rest before your next meeting. I’ll see you at—”

Just then, another worker called out to Olivia, breaking her attention. She said something to them, then cast me an apologetic look.

“Sorry. See you later?” she asked, already walking away.

I nodded, even though it made my chest hurt a little. “Sure. See you later.”

…

The bathroom was steamy and warm, the water soothing as I sank into the tub. I closed my eyes, letting the heat seep into my tired muscles.

It was after dinner and the whirlwind that was putting the twins to bed. Olivia had nodded off in the living room next to the fire, and she looked so exhausted that I had decided not to wake her.

But it wasn’t easy. “God, we haven’t been intimate since right after the wedding,” I thought to my wolf, who was just as frustrated as I was.

“You should take what you want,” my wolf said. “I think she wants it, too.”

I swallowed. Of course that was true; our ill-fated attempt in the kitchen the other night had ended with both of us feeling more frustrated than before. But she was sleeping now, and the auction was tomorrow.

“I might not even be able to last, anyway,” I said, my hand slipping below the water. “It’s been too long.”

My wolf roiled inside of me as images of Olivia flickered across my mind. It really had been too long, and I was… out of practice, for lack of a better word.

“Maybe after tomorrow, we can have some time alone together,” I murmured as my hand worked its way toward my aching groin. “In the meantime…”

I closed my eyes, letting the images of Olivia take over my mind. My hand began to move of its own accord, mental pictures of her beautiful eyes rolled back slightly, her lips parted, her honey-golden hair fanned out on the pillow around her, her beautiful breasts bobbing with the movements, soft under my hand…

A soft moan escaped my lips. “Olivia…”

Suddenly, however, my reverie was broken when I heard the door creek. My eyes snapped open, widening when I saw her standing there, her mouth agape.

“Olivia—”

“I’m so sorry,” she said, immediately covering her eyes with her hand and turning. “I didn’t know you were in here.”

“Wait, Liv—”

But she was already gone.

I quickly rose from the tub, grabbing a nearby towel and wrapping it around myself. Before even waiting until I was dry, I burst out of the bathroom and followed her toward the bedroom, calling after her.

“Olivia,” I called out as I threw open the bedroom door to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, her cheeks redder than ever, “I can explain—”

“I-It’s fine,” she said, hesitantly meeting my gaze. “I’m sorry for walking in on you.”

I stood there for a moment in the doorway, clutching the towel around my waist. I was still hard, and I knew she could see it judging from the way her eyes flickered down there.

“I just miss you,” I finally said, taking a step forward. “We haven’t been intimate in so long, and I was worried that if we go on our honeymoon soon, I won’t be able to last.”

Olivia swallowed, but said nothing. I took another step closer.

“Unless you’d want to…” I paused, licking my lips. “...tonight?”

She swallowed again, her face reddening as she quickly looked away. “I’m so tired, Nathan. I’m not sure if I can.”

My chest ached at her words, and my wolf bristled inside of me, but I nodded anyway and turned back toward the door. “Of course.”

“On the honeymoon, though,” she said. “Maybe then.”

I swallowed. “Yeah. Maybe then.”