Chapter 60

I was in my studio in the next afternoon, sitting in the middle of a pile of fabric samples. I had them all spread out on the floor under the window.

The sun had come out, and I wanted to look at everything under the natural light before it slipped back behind the clouds.

I heard a distinct knock on the door that told me Nolan was here.

I stood and saw him waiting in the doorway, holding a little gold box in his hand.

“Please come in, sir,” I said with mock formality.

We met halfway across the room and he handed me the box.

“What’s this?”

“Just a little something.”

I lifted the lid off the flat, square box. Inside was a gold necklace.

“Oh my Goddess,” I said, “it’s gorgeous.”

“Would you like to try it on?”

I nodded and led him over to the trifold mirror.

I faced the mirror and he stood behind me with the necklace. I held my hair up while he swept it around my neck and carefully fit the clasp together.

He made eye contact with me in the mirror and touched the necklace lightly with both hands. Running his fingertips over my collarbones.

It tickled. I laughed and turned around to face him. His hands slipped easily around my waist.

“Thank you,” I told him. “But you didn’t have to. The gifts are sweet, but you know I don’t need them.”

He just smiled.

“While you’re here,” I said, “can I take your measurements? For the suit?”

“Oh,” he said. “Of course.”

I patted his cheek and stepped aside. Got my tape measure from my desk, and a notepad and pen.

He had a funny look on his face. A goofy sort of grin.

“What?” I asked.

He shook his head and said, “Nothing.”

I dropped the notepad onto the table and started unravelling the measuring tape.

“Take your jacket off,” I told him. “And tell me why you’re trying not to laugh right now.”

Nolan shrugged off his jacket and paced over to a clothing rack, where he hung it up on a wooden hanger.

“Trust me,” he said as he walked back over to me. “That’s not the thing I’m trying not to do right now.”

He raised his eyebrows at me.

“Oh,” I said. I looked down to remind myself what I was wearing.

Nothing sexy.

Nolan chuckled and said, “Forget it.”

He looked straight ahead into the mirror and ran a hand through his hair. He’d finally gotten it cut. I could have sworn that for a moment, he started blushing.

That was not something I’d seen Nolan do before.

I measured him for the jacket first. Arms, back, chest, waist.

He kept fidgeting under my touch, and I had to remind him several times to keep still and stand up straight. He seemed to find my reprimands very amusing.

I measured his hips and legs last. I knew he’d enjoy it more than he should.

He started getting hard as I measured his inseam.

I jotted down the number on my notepad.

Very patiently, he asked, “Was that the last one?”

I turned and told him, “Yes.”

And then his clothes were coming off. And mine, too.

I glanced to the door and noticed that it was open.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said.

His back was to the door. He made a little movement with his right hand, like he was tossing an invisible ball over his shoulder.

The door swung closed.

Then Nolan looked over at the couch closest to us. It had a bunch of fluffy pillows and cushions on it. Nolan lifted his hand and waved it to the side.

The pillows tumbled down to the ground.

I looked back at Nolan, and he met my gaze. His face was stern.

Outside, the cloud cover passed over the sun, throwing the room into shadow.

Nolan pushed me down onto the couch and followed closely behind. I laid back and stretched to get comfortable.

Then he was inside me and losing himself to his inner beast.

He gave me a hard, sloppy, desperate kiss.

This time he didn’t hesitate or hold back. He sank his sharp teeth into my lip, drawing blood. His eyes were locked on mine.

They were vivid green, glimmering with animal desire.

I closed my eyes and kissed his neck. Breathing in the smell of him.

He smelled fresh and alive. Like a rain-soaked pine forest.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, warning that the storm was coming back.

Nolan jerked my head back and growled. Then he sucked my lip until it healed. And licked my teeth clean of any trace of blood.

NOLAN

Watching Yena do her thing was impressive.

It occurred to him tonight that he had never actually known an artist, before he met her.

It was not like the prince had friends. That was not the type of life he lived. But he had many, many acquaintances.

In his lifetime, he had already met tens of thousands of people.

No other person Nolan had ever met, though, was like this.

A true artist. A visionary.

A person who saw the world differently. Who opened the eyes and the minds of everyone around her. And whose talent was effortless and undeniable.

He had come in here to give her a gift. That was really it.

Watching the artist in her element, though. The way she swayed her hips as she moved across the room. The cute way she bossed him around, so comfortable in her world.

He admired her. He loved her, too.

And now, more than ever, he knew he could really trust Yena, too.

And Yena even trusted his wolf. She knew how to rile him up. And didn’t care if he got rough.

She liked when the wolf got rough with her, even.

They fucked on the couch. And then the floor. And then the couch again.

It took Nolan way too long to remember that he was late for a meeting.

The thought did not come floating back into his brain until he and Yena were lying in a heap on the floor, all twisted up in each other’s limbs, catching their breath and trying to slow their heartrates.

He apologized and told her he had to go.

She was groggy.

“You going to be alright?” he asked.

She gave him a doubtful frown and said, “I might need a nap.”

Nolan laughed and kissed her forehead.

“You know,” he said, starting to pull his clothes on. “You’re incredibly talented, Yena. I know I’ve said this before, but I just want you to know how much I believe in you and your art.”

“Thank you.” She blushed and started getting dressed.

Nolan finished buttoning his shirt and looked at her very seriously.

“You’re so young, and already you have such expert skill in your craft. And a unique artistic vision. It’s…”

He found himself lost for words.

Yena put him out of his misery and said, again, “Thank you. Really.”

They finished dressing and headed down the hall together. Nolan dipped into their bathroom to change into some fresh clothes, then kissed Yena goodbye and headed back to work.

He looked at his watch and muttered a string of expletives under his breath. He was not late for a meeting. He had missed it entirely.