Chapter 33

Sam blinkedawake to bright morning light filtering in through the window. For a single disorienting moment, she forgot where she was, her mild hangover making her head swim. And then the night’s events came flooding into her in vibrant color.

Stretching her pleasantly sore muscles, she glanced over at the empty space beside her. Natalia must have already risen despite the early hour.

Sitting up, Sam removed her night guard. She’d started using one in grad school — the stress making her grind her teeth into dust.

Rising, Sam pulled on shorts and a tank top before brushing her teeth. As she applied toothpaste to her guard, preparing to tuck it away, she noticed a similarly shaped case next to the second sink. The one with a dozen tiny bottles and jars neatly arranged on one side.

She shook the case to confirm its contents. Sam grinned, imagining Natalia protecting that investment in flawless Turkish porcelain. From the fierce persona she projected, no one would guess even the unflappable Natalia Flores battled tension like the rest of them.

Had she woken up before Sam so she wouldn’t be caught showing human frailty? Was the prospect of waking up in each other’s arms too much?

Memories of last night set her skin buzzing. Everything had felt different between them. More open, more connected. Like they’d cracked each other’s shells just enough to glimpse the softness within.

The thought sent Sam’s heart racing. She craved more of that — more intimacy, more trust, more Natalia.

Splashing water on her face, Sam shook off the swelling emotion. She was getting ahead of herself. Natalia showing a hint of vulnerability didn’t mean she wanted more. Sam couldn’t afford to get attached when Natalia still kept her at arm’s length.

Sam toweled off and headed into the main room, following the scent of coffee. She found Natalia sitting at the small table near the kitchenette, dressed impeccably in a white linen dress that brought out the olive in her skin tone.

Despite the early hour, Natalia had her laptop open, brow furrowed behind her reading glasses as she worked. Her makeup and hair were already perfect. Was there anything she did that wasn’t hot as hell?

“Morning,” Sam said, unable to resist running a hand over Natalia’s back as she passed.

Natalia tensed briefly before glancing up, the frostiness in her expression melting. “There’s coffee,” she said flatly.

Sam should have expected Natalia wouldn’t be as affectionate as she’d been the night before. She stopped herself from kissing her in greeting. Instead, she replied with, “My hero,” before grabbing a mug from above the sink. The frosty shoulder might have hurt her feelings if she hadn’t expected it.

As she moved, Sam could feel Natalia’s eyes following her around the small kitchen, lingering on her bare legs and arms. Women usually liked her tattoos, but Natalia consistently stared at her ink while dripping with lust.

When she turned, mug in hand, she found Natalia’s gaze trained studiously on her laptop again. But there was a hint of color in her cheeks that hadn’t been there before.

Oh, yeah. Sam grinned before drowning her amusement in mediocre coffee. She’s so into me.

“What are you working on?” Sam asked, while the caffeine dripped into her system.

“Not on this conversation,” she replied without looking away from the screen.

Sam laughed. “Come on, you didn’t come all this way to be chained to your computer.”

Natalia glanced at her over her glasses. Imagining her as a strict headmistress tired of Sam’s bullshit, Sam’s pulse jumped. If she’d had a principal like Natalia when she was in school, she would have gotten in so much trouble she would have been expelled.

“Now you’re telling me how I come, Professor?” Natalia’s voice was hoarse from the night before and even sexier than usual. God, this was going to be the death of her.

Sam moistened her lips, attention shifting from Natalia’s perfect mouth to her fathomless eyes. “I’d never presume.” She set her mug down. “But I do think that will be there in a few days…” she left the implication open. Knowing Natalia would understand that she meant their time together away from obligation and demands wouldn’t last long.

Natalia’s eye contact was focused, but it lacked bite. Maybe if Sam couldn’t read her desire beneath the surface, like something was fighting to break free, she’d trust her expression.

Cracks appeared in her polished armor. It made Sam ache to touch her, to lavish her with the affection she sensed Natalia craved beneath her facade. The affection she only allowed under the guise of sex. But she didn’t want to push too far, too fast. Natalia was skittish, ready to bolt at any moment.

Leaving Natalia to her work, Sam decided on a shower. While she washed the scent of Natalia off her skin, she fantasized about her slipping into the steamy shower behind her. The moment never came, but it didn’t stop Samantha from imagining what Natalia looked like pressed against the tiles, head tilted back and unraveling under Sam’s touch.

Sam had just finished blow-drying her hair into a lush coif after pulling on jeans and T-shirt, when there was a knock at the door. This time she recognized Blanca’s banging and jogged to answer it before Natalia got up.

“Good morning!” Blanca trilled, breezing inside. “We thought we’d come collect you two for breakfast on the beach.”

Greta offered Sam an apologetic look as she followed, her steps more hesitant than Blanca’s gallop. “Hope it’s not too early.”

Natalia regarded Blanca and Greta with thinly veiled surprise as they bustled inside. Sam bit back a grin, amused to see the normally reserved Natalia caught off guard.

“Not at all, please come in,” Natalia recovered smoothly, rising to greet them.

“We ordered a little spread to be delivered to the beach.” Blanca’s tone was as bright as her face. “I thought it would be nice to get to know each other before the chaos of the day gets away from everybody.”

“Oh, how thoughtful. But I’ve already had coffee this morning,” Natalia replied, tone serviceably polite. She was really trying to be friendly, a realization that set off sparklers in Sam’s chest.

Blanca shook her head. “Eso no es comida.” She rested her hand on her hip to take on the full role of nagging Cuban grandma. “Coffee isn’t food.” She smiled. “You need carbs and butter and sugar to get through the day.”

“Not sure my cardiologist would agree with that,” Sam joked, wondering if it would distract Blanca from her mission. It didn’t.

“Oh please.” Blanca waved her away, attention glued to Natalia. “We’re too old for diets.”

“Definitely sure that’s not how that works,” Sam added.

“Okay, I’ll call and order you both kale salads and quinoa muffins or something,” Blanca conceded.

“I appreciate the invitation, but I wouldn’t want to impose—” Natalia tried again.

“No imposing!” Blanca waved her hand. “Any friend of Sam’s is family to us. We’d love to get to know you better.”

Greta nodded encouragingly. “It’s no trouble at all.”

Natalia pressed her lips together. Sam could see her searching for another polite way to decline. But Blanca had a remarkable talent for getting her way through sheer force of bubbly charm.

Finally, Natalia dipped her chin in acquiescence. “Well, if you’re certain it’s not an inconvenience, breakfast on the beach sounds lovely.”

“Wonderful!” Blanca clapped her hands together.

Sam grinned, barely containing her delight. She hadn’t been sure Natalia would agree to something so casually social. But here they were, the four of them heading out the door into the sunshine, ready for a relaxing morning together.

It felt surprisingly natural having Natalia by her side like this. Almost domestic. The glimpse of normal coupledom with her was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.