34

Nathan had spent three and a half weeks solely taking care of Suzanne.

As he had promised, he had set aside his business, almost completely isolating himself from the real world, which was a significant effort for a man like him, addicted to work.

He hadn’t earned his reputation as a ruthless businessman for nothing.

Suzanne was feeling a little better due to the therapies Nathan also attended, though he was worried about her weight loss; she barely ate, so he had to force her.

She hardly ever left the room, which made her pale, and it was difficult to understand her, but she remembered the therapist’s words and tried a little harder.

"You must be her support, her companion, her pillar at this time; she trusts you, and you cannot break that trust."

Nathan sighed and then gently touched his wife's arm.

"It's time to get up, today we’re having breakfast outside and I don't want any complaints," he declared.

"But I don't want to, besides I'm not hungry," she muttered, making a face.

"No excuses, sweetheart. Get up."

"No," she said, and covered herself with the sheet again.

Nathan was tired of seeing her so downcast; he understood that she had become depressed due to the bad experience she had gone through, but he had an empire to maintain and couldn't continue hiding there, consoling her.

Moreover, he wanted his girl back, so many weeks without sex was a real ordeal.

"The topic of sex is delicate, you’ll have to try to get her to agree without pressure," the therapist had also said.

"Damn quack," he muttered under his breath.

He picked Suzanne up in his arms, and without thinking, carried her to the bathroom, where he had prepared a bath for her.

"Nathan!" she screamed.

"How 's the water?"

"Idiot!" she said, and dragged him into the bathtub with her.

"But what the…?" He couldn’t finish the sentence, as she took him by surprise, both of them getting soaked with their clothes on.

"Now we're even," she said, amused.

"Little devil!" he exclaimed.

She burst into laughter, and he watched her, mesmerized. It had been so long since he had seen her smile.

He took her in his arms and kissed her with all the desire and sexual frustration he had been carrying for weeks.

She gasped, a little surprised.

"Nathan..."

"I'll make you forget once and for all, darling," and with that, their clothes went flying, leaving them completely naked.

"Make me forget," she begged.

He kissed her tenderly, his caresses as soft as a feather's touch. He took her back to the bed, where he unleashed his passion.

The tenderness with which he touched her left Suzanne melting in his arms. Focused on every inch of her skin, every nook of pleasure, he had her head spinning.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, kissing her breasts with patience and devotion.

His caresses were gentle, his movements measured. Suzanne looked at him with a tender smile, closing her eyes and letting herself go.

Her body relaxed slowly as more of Nathan's caresses made every pore of her skin tingle. His kisses were like honey, and amid sighs and moans, the penetration began to make them one.

He made love to her like never before—tender, gentle, and slow.

That day something changed between them, though he didn't notice or pretended not to. That day they didn't have sex; they made love. Their kisses were different, as were their caresses.

Suzanne felt him so much hers as if he belonged to her, she felt fulfilled.

She wondered what would become of her when the contract ended and he left; she didn’t know for sure, the only thing she knew was that she would be devastated for having fallen in love with him.

She had always thought she would give herself to a man who loved her as much as she loved him. She dreamed of getting married and having children, but Nathan was a free man; marriage to him was a business deal, she wanted children, but he didn’t like kids.

She didn’t know why these thoughts flooded her mind.

“Why are you crying?” The question snapped her out of her thoughts and took her by surprise; she hadn’t noticed her silent tears.

Nathan was lying next to her, looking at her intently.

“It’s nothing,” she simply said; she couldn’t tell him she loved him.

He raised a hand and gently wiped her tears away, giving her a small, reassuring smile.

They slept embraced again, and upon waking, Suzanne focused on the present, smiling when her husband suggested they eat out.

Breakfast turned out to be pleasant; the restaurant was warm with an impressive view.

Nathan held her by the waist as they entered the company, and everyone looked curiously at the big boss with his assistant, looking like a real couple, not going unnoticed as they had disappeared for weeks.

He settled at his desk as did Suzanne, and they began working to catch up on what had happened during their absence; even Emilia handed him a report on the company’s activities during his absence.

That night, while having dinner in the privacy of the apartment, Suzanne watched the handsome man before her with fascination.

He noticed her fixed gaze and raised an eyebrow, amused.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll fuck you mercilessly,” he said, and she blushed.

“Nathan, how can you talk like that?” she reproached him.

“I’m a hot-blooded man with a great sexual appetite, as you might have noticed,” he grinned slyly.

“Mmm,” she murmured and looked at his luscious lips with desire.

He stood up from his seat and this time kissed her passionately. He wanted to take her right there, but he needed to talk to her first.

“I have to go to New York on Monday,” he informed her, and as soon as she heard it, her smile faded, something he didn’t miss.

“How long will you be gone?” she asked, trying to hide her sadness.

“We’ll be there for a whole week.”

“We?!”

“Yes, you’re coming with me, Suzie,” he smiled, and she was enormously surprised.

He always traveled, but he had never invited her on a trip before.

Nathan understood her surprise; he never took his lovers on business trips or social events abroad.

He usually traveled alone, but just thinking about being away from her for an entire week felt like an eternity.

He had never been with the same woman twice, but this little enchantress had something intoxicating; he couldn’t help but desire her the first time he saw her.

He thought he would soon grow bored of her, but they had been together for over seven months, and he still desired her as much as the first day.