She could hear his jaw creak in a yawn. “I’ll sleep better with you here.”
What could she say to that? She let him pull her in closer, although she had little hope that she would be able to join him in his nap. But her body was so sated that she felt her eyelids drift downward as his breath grew deep and even, whiffling through her hair.
Chloe jerked awake to find Nathan still wound around her. Tilting her head, she checked the digital clock on his bedside table. She’d only been asleep for about forty minutes. She felt like she’d been out for hours.
Now she had to figure out how to disentangle herself without interrupting his much-needed slumber.
It turned out to be impossible. He was strong and he was heavy. When she tried to slip her legs out from under his, he simply settled closer against her so his weight pinned her to the bed. An attempt to lift his arm from around her waist triggered an almost breath-stopping grip.
She was going to have to wake him up.
“Nathan,” she murmured, giving his arm a gentle shake.
“Yes,” came the immediate, clear response.
“You weren’t asleep.”
“I was until you started squirming around.”
“Sorry.”
“I’m not.” He released her waist and moved his hand up to her breast. His erection pressed against her bare bottom.
She grabbed his wrist and tried to pull it away. “You need your sleep, and I need to get dressed and go back to work.”
His hand didn’t budge an inch. “You like deals, so here’s one. I’ll let you up if you promise not to put your clothes on.”
“How am I supposed to work?”
“The same way you always do. You sit in the desk chair and you type. Clothes have nothing to do with productivity.”
She snorted. “We haven’t gotten a darned thing accomplished since you unbuttoned my blouse.”
“On the contrary, I’m feeling very accomplished.”
She could hear the smile in his voice, and it undermined her already tenuous self-discipline. “Smug is what you’re feeling.” But she was smiling too.
All of a sudden he rotated onto his back and flipped her so she was lying on top of him, looking down into his glinting eyes. “Stay here with me,” he said.
She levered herself up and braced her forearms on his chest. “I can’t afford to.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t put in for the hours we’re in bed together. I need to work.”
His eyebrows drew down into a scowl. “You will put in for any hours you spend here in my home.”
“Really?” She wasn’t going to back down on this. Her self-respect hadn’t vanished entirely. “You’re going to pay me for sex? That makes me a—”
“Stop!” he snapped. “I’m not paying you for sex. I’m paying you for your time.”
She could see the frustration in his face as he realized he wasn’t improving the situation. Instead of making her angrier, that made her want to kiss him. “I rest my case.”
Taking advantage of his momentary inattention, she scrambled off of him and the bed.
“Damn it, Chloe.” He raked one hand through his hair as he sat up.
“A very persuasive and articulate argument.” She retrieved her bra and panties from the floor, thanking her lucky stars she’d worn one of her few matched sets.
As she bent over to step into the beige lace, he gave an appreciative whistle. “Could you do that again but with your back to me?”
Knowing he was watching her dress made her self-conscious, so she snagged the rest of her clothes and turned toward the bathroom.
“No more comments,” he said. “Just let me enjoy the view.”
She clutched her clothes against her chest and looked back at him. “I’d like to take a shower.”
“Of course. I’m an inconsiderate idiot.” He threw back the duvet and rose from the bed in all his beautiful, uncovered glory. “You’ll find plenty of clean towels. Use whatever soap and shampoo you like.”
She wanted to stay and drink in the gorgeous lines and planes of his body, but he was already pulling on his trousers. Sighing, she continued into the bathroom.
Maybe she was becoming immune to luxury, but the fact that it was twice the size of her bedroom and had a tub you could fit six people in didn’t even make her blink. The exquisite marble mosaics on the floor and walls demanded a moment’s admiration, and she twisted the tops off several shampoos to sniff their perfumes before she chose a tangy citrus scent that reminded her of Nathan. Then she stepped into the room-sized shower and nearly shrieked when she turned the handle and got blasted from all sides by multiple showerheads.