Chapter 451

Olivia

The brilliant blue ocean almost seemed to glitter underneath the warm Mediterranean sun as Nathan and I stepped out of the airport, breathing in the sweet tropical air. A refreshing breeze ruffled my sundress and hair, instantly filling me with a boost of energy after the long flight.

“Ahh… isn’t this perfect?” Nathan murmured as he wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close. His fingers trailed lightly over the nape of my neck in a way that never failed to make me shiver. “So warm and sunny compared to home. I could get used to this, Liv.”

I laughed a bit, leaning into him. “Me too,” I mused. “I plan to spend every minute either sunbathing on the beach or gorging myself on fresh olives and pasta. Maybe both at the same time.”

Nathan grinned roguishly. “You deserve it. You are eating for two now, after all.” His hand trailed down to rest on my belly, which was finally beginning to ‘pop’ these days.

I smirked and placed my hand over his. “Well, if you insist…”

As we made our way down the cobbled street, I let my mind wander to the blissful week and a half that lay ahead of us.

It had been just three days since the auction, and already we were here.

Nathan had kept his promise and had bought our plane tickets and made our reservations mere minutes after the Alphas had walked out of the Council building, and now here we were, standing warm and smiling under the bright sun.

No work, no pack drama, no responsibilities, no kids… just rest, relaxation, and most importantly, uninterrupted time alone with my husband for the first time since our wedding. My cheeks began to heat as certain indecent thoughts began to sneak into my imagination.

After all, it had been too long since we had had a chance to be intimate together. We needed this. Badly.

Suddenly, the feeling of my phone vibrating in my pocket startled me out of my reverie. Glancing down, I saw it was a text from Angela. My excitement dimmed slightly thinking of my babies back home without me. Maybe they needed me.

Quickly, I unlocked my phone and began to type out a reply, one that demanded pictures and updates on how Elliot and Aurora were doing without me.

But before I could hit ‘send’, Nathan gently took the phone from my hand and slipped it into his pocket.

“None of that now,” he chided. “Angela and Levi have everything under control, as does Clint. Let them handle things and give all your attention to me for once.” His tone was playful but firm.

I sighed, leaning against his sturdy frame. “You’re right,” I admitted. “I know they’re in good hands. It’s just hard to shut off the mom instincts, even for a second.”

Nathan squeezed me a little tighter for a moment. “I know it is,” he said gently. “But right now, I just want you to focus on relaxing. No stress or worries allowed.”

Soon enough, our taxi was pulling us up to the front of the hotel, a beautiful seaside resort with brilliantly white stucco walls and terracotta floors. We made our way into the spacious foyer and checked in.

“Wow,” I breathed as we stepped into our private room. “This is…”

“Amazing,” Nathan finished for me.

It really was; the room was beautifully decorated in sunny yellows and deep ocean blues, with gauzy curtains fluttering in the salty ocean breeze. My eyes landed longingly on the private balcony pool, with steam gently rising into the warm afternoon air.

“Why don’t you take a nice long soak while I unpack?” Nathan suggested, clearly noticing my gaze. “It’ll do wonders for your back after that flight, I’m sure.”

I didn’t need any more convincing; my back was killing me after the flight. The back pain had come slower in this pregnancy than the first one, but it was finally here, and spending hours on a plane didn’t help any.

Within moments, I had stripped down to my bikini and lowered myself into the salty water. I let out a soft sigh of relief as the feeling of weightlessness washed over me. God, I needed this.

As I reclined against the edge of the pool, my eyes drifted shut beneath the warmth of the sun. In the distance, I heard Nathan shuffling bags and drawers from inside the suite, but I was too blissed out to worry about anything other than the warm pool water.

After all we had been through, we deserved this honeymoon… this peace. And I intended to let nothing disturb it.

However, minutes went by and Nathan didn’t come outside to join me like I had expected. I cracked my eyes open, noticing that the room had gone quiet. Maybe he had dozed off?

Padding softly inside, I frowned slightly, noticing Nathan sitting at the suite’s desk, his eyebrows knit in concentration as he typed rapidly on his laptop.

“You’re kidding me,” I said, trying and failing to keep the accusation from my tone as I leaned against the wall near him.

Nathan jumped, too engrossed in whatever business matters held his focus to have heard my approach.

“Oh! Liv, I didn’t hear you…”

His voice trailed off as his gaze traveled over my body, briefly outlined against the sunlight from the window. I saw his throat bob with a hard swallow, his pupils dilating ever so slightly.

Taking advantage of his distraction, I sauntered forward and promptly shut the laptop right on his fingers. Ignoring his startled yelp, I leaned on the desk and fixed him with a stern gaze.

“How come I’m not allowed to text Angela about my kids, but you’re allowed to send work emails?” I accused, to which Nathan’s face turned a little red. I allowed my robe to slip teasingly off one shoulder as I continued. “Seems a little unfair, doesn’t it?”

Nathan swallowed again, his adam’s apple bobbing as his initial surprise shifted into a lustful glare in his eyes.

“You’re right,” he murmured, his voice dropping an octave as he took me in with his gaze. “It is unfair. How can I make it up to you?”

His heated gaze raked down my body again. This time I felt my own cheeks flush under the intensity of his stare. Before I could respond, he abruptly stood, closed the laptop with an air of finality, and swept me directly off the desk into his powerful arms.

I yelped in surprise, instinctively throwing my arms around his strong neck. His blue-green eyes burned with lust and mischief, a look that I hadn’t seen in way too long.

“I think I know how to make it up to you,” Nathan purred, already carrying me towards the plush canopied bed. “To make up for my terrible lapse in judgment…”

My heart pounded against the inside of my chest as he tossed me playfully onto the mountain of pillows, my robe slipping farther down to reveal my breasts. His knee sank into the mattress as he moved over me, blocking out the sunlight with his broad body.

“Nathan…” I breathed, my pulse racing faster than a hummingbird’s wings by now.

Nathan grinned, but said nothing. His lips met the tender skin of my collarbone, sparking a fire through my veins, burning away any further protests.

We fell into the mountain of pillows together, our limbs tangled beneath the heat of the sun.