Natalie giggles and pushes playfully at my chest.
“Come on, it was such a sweet moment,” she laughed. “You ruined it with your corny jokes!”
“I know, but I couldn’t help myself. It is hard,” I teased. “We’re going to have to get out of here soon because I need you, baby.”
With that, we sped through the rest of the meal, even while discussing everything: her life, my life. Our past. I even mentioned how much I wanted to go to Hawaii and hadn’t had the chance yet.
“How have you not been to Hawaii?” the pretty blonde asked, a little bewildered. “I thought all billionaires own private islands in Hawaii.”
I squeeze her thigh.
“I think you mean the Caribbean, honey. A lot of billionaires own islands there. But I guess I’ve never had a reason to go to Hawaii. That’s silly right? I’ve traveled the world and yet haven’t been to one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I guess it’s a combination of work and life that just gets in the way. Someday I’m going to take time off and go though.”
“Someday sneaks up on you,” Natalie said in an ominous tone. “Soon you’ll be seventy and too old and creaky to enjoy the islands.”
I merely pinch one luscious thigh.
“Hey, I’m not that old,” I say. “Seventy is a ways out still.”
She merely laughs again and takes a bite of her molten chocolate cake.
“Mmm,” Natalie moans, her lashes fluttering shut with delight. “This is so good.”
I merely nod.
“You’re beautiful, baby, and I love watching you eat.”
Her eyes fly open.
“You’re so silly, Rowan. There’s nothing special about the way I eat. If anything, I’m a slob sometimes and get food on my clothes way too often.”
But as she continued with her chocolate cake, I knew I wanted her. I wanted to taste her and please her. I had a very vivid image of biting her nipples and bending her over a table. The sexual thoughts I had were all-consuming but there was more than just the physical between us. By now, this date had gone well into the evening, and the restaurant workers had gone from enamored to annoyed that we were still there. One man was impatiently standing off to the side, tapping his polished shoe on the ground while checking his watch.
“We are an unlikely pair, aren’t we?” Natalie asked while polishing off the rest of the cake. I nod, but answer seriously.
“Yes, maybe. I mean, May December relationships are everywhere in NYC to be honest. But I’m glad you came into my life, sweetheart. You’re sexy and smart and funny and so far I can’t see why I shouldn’t pick you up and carry you home with me.”
Natalie perked.
“OMG, is that an option? Because my feet are killing me, so I’m totally down with that,” she teased.
“Honey, it is an option,” I growl before throwing a few hundred dollars onto the table as a tip to go with the check I’d already signed for. Then I pulled out Natalie’s chair and swept her off her feet, literally.
“Rowan, I was teasing!” she giggled while thumping at my chest. “You don’t have to go all He-Man on me!”
But I merely stride to the door, my precious cargo in hand.
“I wasn’t. Now, let’s go back to my place, woman,” I growl. Then, we’re in the darkness of the SUV and all my senses go haywire as I kiss the beautiful blonde once more.
9
Natalie
Two months later.
“Am I going in first today?” I asked rolling over in bed and kissing Rowan. Normally, my man was wide awake before I’d even had my first cup of coffee. It’s not surprising to me that Rowan’s successfully run a multi-billion dollar business for decades because he’s like an Energizer Bunny. But today, he pulls a pillow over his face.
“Yes, because I can’t move,” he groaned. “You wore me out last night, honey.”
I giggle.
“We need to work on your cardio,” I say before kissing him and jumping up to hop in the shower. “Maybe some treadmill or exercise bike. Or the Peloton. I hear that’s a good workout!” I add cheerily.
My handsome man just groans again.
“Ugh, that’s the thing where you get on a bike at home and pedal along with an instructor, right? Isn’t that just for suburban housewives?”
I giggle.
“No, some of the instructors are really good! Come on, up and at ‘em,” I add again.
He mumbles, “You’re killing me, honey. I love it and I want more of it, but wow. How can you be so chipper when we were up making love all night long?”
“I guess there are some benefits to being half your age,” I tease before scrambling into the bathroom and shutting the door as he lets out a mock-roar behind me.
I half-expect the door to burst open and for my man to join me in the shower, but instead, I have the steamy room all to myself. That’s okay. We shower together a lot now because over the last two months, we’ve basically been glued at the hip. Or more accurately, I live with Rowan now in his enormous penthouse and we spend our mornings and nights making love non-stop. It’s comfortable though, and not just all passion and sparks. I now have my own side of the closet and my own set of drawers in the dresser. My toothbrush is in the master bath, and my shampoos and make-up products are scattered all over the counter. My man groans about how much space I take, but I know he loves it. After all, before I arrived he was all on his own, rattling around in this huge space.