Chapter 45

CHAPTER 45

RYLEE

T he next morning, I woke up alone in Simon's massive California king bed. I felt like a Disney princess, stretching luxuriously as the soft morning light filtered through the windows. Birds chirped outside, completing the picturesque scene. It took me a moment to fully register my surroundings, and then I smiled, remembering the previous night's events.

The man was addicting. Last night had been amazing. He turned me inside out, loving my body over and over until I was convinced there was no possible way I could orgasm again. I felt like he had pulled me into his version of heaven. This house, him, all of it was intoxicating. I was struggling with the idea of leaving. I didn't want to ever leave.

But this was not my life. This was a fairytale. I had a home and a job that I would return to. But it was nice to dream. Just for a little bit. I assumed he was working in his office, probably handling phone calls and getting stressed out.

I looked at the time. "Holy crap," I muttered.

It was after ten. I wondered how long he had been up, and felt guilty for being a lazy bones and walked into the bathroom, my body feeling just a little sore after the night's activities. I turned to look at my back and noticed a little bruising from lying on the cement. I noticed a new toothbrush, a cup of water, and a neatly folded set of Simon's clothes laid out for me on the bathroom counter. My heart warmed at his thoughtfulness. After getting dressed and brushing my teeth, I made my way downstairs, following the sounds of activity in the kitchen.

Simon was there, fumbling with the stove while balancing his phone between his shoulder and ear. He looked a bit frazzled, clearly in the midst of a stressful call. Not wanting to interrupt, I took a seat at the kitchen island and waited. He was wearing a pair of sweats and nothing else. I watched him move, the muscles in his back and arms flexing, sending shivers of delight through my body. I wanted him all over again. When he finally noticed me, he quickly ended the call.

"Morning, beautiful," he greeted, his expression softening.

"Morning," I replied, smiling back. "What are you doing?"

"I've attempted to make breakfast," he said. "I'll be the first to admit I'm not a cook. I can barely scrape by. I survive on freezer meals and takeout."

I laughed. "It seems like you're managing fine."

He plated some breakfast for me: eggs, bacon, and toast. "Coffee, water, or orange juice?"

"Orange juice, please."

He poured a glass and joined me at the island with his own plate. He let out a sigh, like he'd just run a marathon and was finally getting the chance to sit down. We started eating, and I couldn't help but ask about his morning. I could feel the tension rolling off him in waves. I thought he might just tell me, but apparently not.

"So, what was that call about?"

Simon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "My PR rep. They're pushing me to release a statement to get the reporters off my back."

"Are you going to do it?"

He shrugged. "Sounds like I have to. And this petition is gaining momentum. I'm worried about the repercussions."

"Petition?"

"To shut down the refinery." He sighed.

"Can they actually make you shut it down?"

"No, but if it gets loud enough, city leaders and politicians could get involved," he answered. "I'm not sure what to do. I've got high-paid advisors all telling me something different. First it was talk to the public and then it was hide. Now, they want me out there again. It's a fucking mess. What do you think? If you were me, what would you do?"

I was taken aback when he looked at me expectantly. "You want my advice on something like this? Simon, I'm a bartender. I don't know the first thing about?—"

"You're my girlfriend," he said firmly. "I care about what you think."

His words made me feel valued, like he actually wanted my opinion. I considered my response carefully. This was a big deal, and I didn't want to be the one to lead him astray. "Okay. I think they have reason to be upset." I paused, expecting him to get defensive, but he didn't. "But I also think they're coming from a misinformed place. Maybe if they had more information, they'd chill out a bit. If they knew how the accident happened and the cost of closing the refinery, they might reconsider. Maybe there's a compromise?"

Simon smiled, a look of admiration in his eyes. "You're right. Thank you for your input. We've been telling them it's fine. They need to understand why we believe it's fine. I have a lot to think about."

"Just remember people might not understand, but if they are willing to listen, you can explain it to them in a way they will understand."

"I hope so," he sighed. "What are your plans for the day?"

"I'm supposed to have a late lunch with my friends," I told him. "I have a feeling this will be when Lauren officially asks us to be her bridesmaids. She sent dozens of texts to confirm we were all free and made reservations. It's not like we don't know we're going to be her bridesmaids, but this is part of the pomp and circumstance."

"You don't want to be her bridesmaid?"

"I do." I nodded. "I love weddings, which you can never tell anyone."

He chuckled. "Afraid it might ruin your edgy reputation?"

"Absolutely." I grinned. "I just know this one will be wonderful."

"I'm sure you'll have fun," he said.

"Maybe you can be my plus-one," I added, giving him a hopeful look.

"I like the sound of that," he replied, his smile widening.

We cleaned up the kitchen together. I found myself loving how such a mundane task was made fun with Simon. We joked and teased each other as we washed the dishes, and I couldn't stop smiling. Simon was not familiar with how to run the dishwasher. It cracked me up, but I knew he had grown up wealthy and would have no reason to learn how to run his own dishwasher.

"I still need to hire a housekeeper," he said. "And a gardener. Thankfully, the pool guy that's been maintaining the pools for years showed up to do his regular maintenance. I renewed the contract."

"Sounds like a tough problem to have," I teased.

He laughed. "Sorry, that probably sounded really arrogant."

"It's fine," I told him. "Don't apologize. You're busy. I wouldn't expect you to try and keep this big-ass house clean on your own."

"We'll see," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe if I could find some time to learn to use that dishwasher, my life would be a bit simpler. You could show me?"

I chuckled at his statement. There was just something endearing about a man who was willing to admit he needed help with domestic duties. His honesty was refreshing. "Well, there's always YouTube tutorials," I suggested.

He looked at me in surprise. "Seriously? There are videos on how to use dishwashers?"

"Simon, there are videos on how to do literally everything on the internet."

He looked amused. "I'll need to look into that."

"But I would be happy to show you," I said. "I'm guessing you don't have a vacuum. We'll have to get you one. I'll show you how to use that as well."

"Let's not get carried away," he joked.

"When you're ready, we'll graduate to doing your own laundry."

He held up his hands. "No, no, no. I have to draw the line there."

I laughed and slapped his ass.

"Let's take a shower," Simon suggested once we were done.

"Together?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He grinned. "Why not? It's not like we haven't before."

"No, but I seem to recall we didn't do much actual showering last time," I retorted, a smirk playing on my lips.

Simon chuckled, pulling me closer to him. "Well, can you blame me? You're a sight to behold, especially when you're all wet."

"Simon!" I playfully slapped his arm, though I couldn't deny the heat rushing to my cheeks at his words. He laughed again, and there was a spark in his eyes that was impossible to ignore.

"Alright, alright," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "How about this? I promise we will take a legitimate shower. Deal?"

"Deal," I agreed, still grinning.

He took my hand and led the way up the stairs. His bathroom was as big as a spa with a huge, jetted tub and a walk-in shower big enough to hold a tea party.

"This is ridiculous," I murmured under my breath.

"Never seen a bathroom this big, huh?" Simon asked, trying to suppress a chuckle.

"What gave it away?" I retorted, giving him a playful nudge with my shoulder.

He led me to the shower and adjusted the water on the digital control panel on the outside. We undressed each other slowly, our actions deliberate and filled with anticipation. He was gentle yet firm, his hands tracing the contours of my body with a familiarity that still managed to make me blush even though he had seen me naked more than anyone else.

Once we were both naked, he turned to pull open the glass door of the shower. He stepped in first, holding out his hand for me to join him. I took it and stepped inside. The warm water cascaded over us as we stood there in silence. Jets shot at us from the wall.

Things started off goofy and playful. "Let me shampoo your hair," he offered.

He dumped shampoo in his hand and ended up massaging too hard, getting soap in my eyes. We both laughed our asses off, and I playfully pushed him away.

"Leave this to the expert," I said, taking over. "You'll leave me blinded."

Once I rinsed the shampoo out and opened my eyes, Simon was there with a finger under my chin, leaning in for a kiss. I smiled against his lips, feeling a rush of affection for him. I couldn't believe how strongly I felt for him in just a short period of time. I totally thought I'd have post-travel blues after coming home from my trip, but thanks to Simon, the days just kept getting better.

We finished washing each other and stepped out. As we toweled off and got dressed, I caught him stealing glances at me, his eyes filled with a mix of admiration and something deeper that made my heart skip a beat.

"What time do you have to meet with your people?" I asked him.

"Not for another two hours," he answered. "Don't go yet."

I nodded. "I can stay for a little bit."

"Let's go for that walk we didn't take last night," he said, taking my hand.

We wandered around the property, enjoying the fresh air and each other's company. It was a perfect way to spend the morning. I felt more at ease with Simon than I ever had with anyone else. I tended to be a bit high strung, but with him, I felt like I could let my guard down and just enjoy life.

As we made our way back to the house, Simon pulled me close and kissed me softly. "I'm really glad you're here, Rylee."

"Me too," I replied, feeling a warmth spread through me.

When it was finally time for me to go, Simon walked me carrying my wet bag of clothes from last night to my car and kissed me goodbye.

"Have a great time with your friends," he said, smiling.

"Thanks, I'll see you later," I replied, feeling a pang of sadness at leaving him.

As I drove away, I couldn't help but reflect on how much Simon had come to mean to me. Our time together was always special, and I was grateful for every moment we shared. I had no idea what our future looked like, but I hoped we had a future.