Chapter Fifteen

Natalia

They always say not to eavesdrop because you will probably hear something bad about yourself. It’s something like that anyway. I didn’t mean to listen in on Samuel’s phone conversation. I decided to tell him I’d changed my mind. I had the best night with him. It shocked me how much. I didn’t really want the night to end. When he asked if I’d sleep with him, I laughed it off. He kept pushing it though, even promising to wear pajamas. I knew he didn’t have any. He’s not the type. After I called him on it, however, we compromised.

Still, once I got back to my room, I panicked. I don’t know Samuel. I’m crazy attracted to him. He’s my freaking husband. All that said, we’ve had one real date. It was a great date—don’t get me wrong, but I’m not the kind of girl to just fall into bed with a man. I had trudged back to Samuel’s office. I knew I had time, because his conference wasn’t supposed to be till midnight. When I heard him talking, I stopped outside the door. I had every intention of going back to my room and waiting for him. Until I heard him say something that made it hard to breathe.

“I know. I don’t think my mind was made up until I met Izzy, though. She’s settled here. I want her happy. I think I’d even leave the family if it meant making sure she stayed that way.”

I didn’t stay to hear anything else. I had to get away. I had to breathe and sort out what I was feeling. Somehow, I found myself in Samuel’s bed, wearing pajamas, hearing his words repeating over and over in my head. Samuel had been telling his partner that he was planning on staying in Arizona and leave him in charge in Russia. I ignored most of that because he had already mentioned that to me. My attention wasn’t drawn to the conversation until Samuel said he wanted to make me happy and would leave his family to keep me that way.

He wants me happy. No one has ever cared about that except for Daniel. Samuel had no way of knowing I was there. He didn’t say that to mislead me. He really meant it. I’m uncertain what to make of that. I know I’ve been drawn to him since the moment I first saw him. I would have been attracted to him even if I didn’t know he was the man I married.

Now I’m here. I’m in Samuel’s bed, after having the best date of my life with a man I’m attracted to. I haven’t had sex in almost two years. I want him, but I’m not ready to be intimate. Even knowing all that and although being in bed with him is dangerous, I’m here. I can’t help it. Hearing Samuel say he wanted me to be happy, though, is affecting me.

“Are you asleep, Izzy?”

he asks. He settles in the bed, pressing his body against my back. His hand wraps around my waist and the heat from him seeps into my bones. It feels like heaven.

It feels right.

“No,”

I whisper. “I’ve been thinking.

“What about, sweet Izzy?”

I roll over on my back and Samuel shifts so he’s kind of leaning on his elbow, his upper body hovering over me, while his hand is pressed against my stomach. I bite on my bottom lip as I stare at him. He really is too beautiful. It should be against the law for a man to look as hot as he does.

“Did you mean it when you said you would be proud to have a daughter like me?”

I ask lamely. Afraid to question him about what I overheard.

“Absolutely. I meant what I said about wanting to make this thing between us work. I think the two of us could be spectacular together, Izzy.”

“You make me want to believe you, Sam, and I think that is kind of insane. We don’t know each other.”

“We will. I’m not going to rush you. We’ll go as fast or as slow as you want.”

“What if I want you to kiss me but nothing else right now?”

I ask, hypnotized by his beautiful eyes with golden flakes in them.

“I would kiss the hell out of you. Fuck, Izzy, I want to so bad right now that it’s hard to breathe.”

I reach up to slide my hand against his neck, rubbing softly against his pulse point. “Kiss me, Sam. Make me forget all the bullshit and just feel like a normal woman kissing a man she really wants in her life.”

“Thank fuck,”

he growls quietly, his lips crashing down on mine. I open my mouth immediately, granting him access. I lose myself in the feel of being close to him and the way he conquers my mouth.

When we pull apart, his eyes are darker somehow and filled with lust. “Maybe marriage to you won’t be so bad,”

I whisper. His full lips spread into a smile. He kisses me again while his hand slides under my pajama top. I stiffen slightly. Although, I don’t want to stop kissing Samuel, he pulls back.

“I’m sorry. We’ll just kiss. Whatever you need, Izzy. I’ll give it to you. You’ve asked for time. I promise you, sweetheart, you can have all of it you want.”

He kisses me again and I forget about everything but letting myself feel the pleasure he gives me.

This man is making me believe that I could have a future with him.