Page 66 of One Month's Notice

“Sounds good.”

The ride back to the hotel was quiet. Nat relaxed into the seat, listening to the hum of the taxi’s engine and watching the city as it flashed by. When they arrived, Michael paid the driver and walked Nat to her room.

“I’ve had a lovely evening, thank you,” Nat said, suddenly aware of her heart beating a fraction faster. “For today as well, for everything.”

“You’re welcome.” Michael smiled at her. “It has been my pleasure.”

They stood in silence for a moment, before Michael looked at his watch.

“I should probably get going,” he said, something reluctant in his tone. “Goodnight, Natalie.” He leaned in, pressing a kiss against her cheek, then moved back in one effortless move. He brushed a stray stand of hair from her face, his fingers trailing softly down her cheek. Nat closed her eyes, and moments later felt his lips, soft and warm, on hers. She lifted her hands up to his neck and he responded by placing his arms around her waist, pulling her in as he deepened the kiss.

He finally pulled back, locking eyes with her.

“I couldn’t help myself,” he confessed, his voice almost a whisper. “I know we agreed just friends. I didn’t come here expecting…”

Nat could only nod in reply, her heart now drumming wildly against her ribs.

“I had better go,” Michael said.

“Goodnight.” Nat’s voice was thick with tangled emotions.

With one last look, he turned and walked down the corridor, leaving her standing in the doorway. She watched him until he disappeared around the corner and then she slipped into her room, her mind replaying the kiss as she leaned back against the closed door.

The quiet of the hotel room settled over Nat, her thoughts a whirlwind of “what if” and “maybe”. She stood motionless for a moment, before coming to a sudden realisation.

“Fuck it,” she said, conviction swelling inside her chest. Without allowing herself a moment of doubt, Nat opened the door and made her way down the hall, her steps resolute. The soft carpet muffled her steps, but each one rang like thunder in her ears.

She paused before his door, her breath catching. This was crossing a line they had carefully drawn together, but the confines of those boundaries now seemed suffocating. With trembling fingers, she clenched her fist and knocked.

After a moment that lasted longer than Nat felt necessary, the door swung open. The buttons of Michael’s shirt were undone, the fabric hanging loosely to reveal his toned body and smooth skin. His eyes searched hers, asking an unspoken question. Nat didn’t give him the chance to voice it.

“I don’t think just friends is enough for either of us.” She held her voice as steady as she could manage.

For a moment, he simply looked at her, those bright eyes reflecting a whirlwind of emotions. Then something shifted in his gaze, and he stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He captured her lips with an intensity that took her breath away. This kiss was nothing like the one they had shared earlier. It was intense, a mix of longing and newfound bravery. It revealed hidden desires and unspoken truths, and as Nat wrapped her arms around his body, she poured all of her emotions into the embrace.

They stumbled backwards into the room, their kiss never breaking, and the door clicked shut behind them. He led her into the bedroom, his hands exploring the contours of her back, sending ripples of anticipation coursing through her. Nat’s skin burned beneath her clothes and the air between them crackled, charged with the electricity of long-denied attraction.

As Michael’s hands removed the layers of clothing between them, Nat let go of her doubts and finally allowed herself to believe that she was good enough. Good enough to be desired, good enough to be successful, and good enough to be loved. And as they came together, everything else seemed unimportant, leaving only the undeniable truth that they could no longer be just friends.

Michael’s chest rose and fell with a measured calmness, his breath a soft whisper against Nat’s temple as she nestled closer into the smooth lines of his body. The crisp linen sheets, once neatly tucked and undisturbed, now lay in a tangled mess around them.

“Are you OK?” Michael’s voice was a low rumble.

“More than OK,” Nat murmured, her words muffled against his smooth skin. She could sense the rhythmic pulse of his heart against her cheek. It was a stark contrast to the energy that had possessed them moments ago. The urgency of their movements had given way to a peaceful calm that now enveloped them. With every breath, Nat felt the lingering traces of doubt evaporate, brushing away the shadows of insecurity that had clung like cobwebs. Michael’s fingers traced idle patterns on her back.

“You’re amazing, you know.” His voice was soft, breaking the comfortable silence. “Before you, everything was just… shades of grey. Now, there’s colour everywhere.”

Nat lifted her head to meet his gaze and smiled.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she whispered, a soft giggle escaping her lips as a smile formed on her face. “Thank you for believing in me.”

As sleep began to tug at the edges of her consciousness, Nat allowed herself one last moment of awareness—to memorise the feeling of being held by someone who saw her for all that she was, flaws and dreams intertwined. In the protective circle of Michael’s arms, Nat drifted off to sleep with a faint smile of happiness—the kind that comes from knowing you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.

Chapter twenty-eight

Sunday 29th May

Nat stirred awake, her eyes blinking open to the dimly lit room with a hint of morning light peeking through the curtains. She shifted slightly, the bed sheets rustling softly against her skin, only to find herself gazing into the calm blue eyes of Michael. He was already awake, propped up on one elbow, a content smile playing on his lips as he watched her emerge from her dreams.

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