Page 43 of Sutton and the CEO Forever

Natalie frowned at him. It was 7:30 in the morning, and they hadn’t intended to start until eight. She had volunteered to come early to paint the trim, and it was nearly done.

“What am I doing here?” she repeated to him, “No, the better question is, what are you doing here?”

Julio showed her his brush. “Painting.”

Natalie gritted her teeth, “I can see that. I was just wondering why you were painting.”

Julio blinked innocently. “Because it needed to be done. Alice and Reena showed me where to paint. I don’t think I ruined anything.”

It looked really good. Natalie didn’t need to know that Julio had been there since nearly four in the morning. He wanted to show her that he had changed.

“You know Alice and Reena?” Natalie’s frown deepened.

Julio gave her his most charming smile. “They are lovely. We were discussing some things that might help improve the center. A wheelchair ramp will be added this week, and the furniture needs some updating.”

Natalie shook her head, “Julio, I am sure you don’t give a flying rat’s ass about a senior citizens’ center in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere.”

Julio’s smile fell, and he moved down the ladder so that they were on even ground.

“How would you know what I care about, Natalie? You won’t speak to me, won’t have anything to do with me. I like Otterville Falls. Here, the people are kind. I like Sutton and Mark and their adorable twins. And I like spending time at Abberly’s with Earl and Martha. So maybe, just maybe, I might give a flying rat’s ass.”

Natalie cheeks heated, and she took a step back. “Why should I believe you?”

Julio let out a sigh. “I haven’t been involved in the business for a long time. I don’t know what else you want me to tell you.”

The door to the center opened, and Reena poked her head out. “It’s about time you got here, Natalie! Your husband has been up since before dawn. Come and see the new appliances he had installed in the kitchen!”

Natalie gritted her teeth. “You can’t buy my affections, Julio.”

He stared at her for a long while. The tension between them was thick, and even Reena felt it and closed the door. Finally, Julio spoke, his voice low and insistent.

“Please, I am begging you, give me a chance. I am not the man you left.”

Natalie felt emotion clog her throat as a myriad of memories washed over her. It had seemed like something out of a dream. They were so young, and he was so dashing. They fell in love and married so fast that she hadn’t taken the time to really get to know him.

And then by the time she did, things were out of control.

“I almost died,” she choked out.

Julio drew in a sharp breath. “Do you think I don’t remember that? That it hasn’t haunted me every second, even all these years later? I used to think that I deserved you leaving. That there was nothing, I could do that would ever make up for the mistakes I made. I put you in danger, and I nearly lost you.”

Natalie felt chills despite the morning sun. “You said that you used to think that, what changed your mind?”

A ghost of a smile crossed Julio’s face. “Do you remember my cousin Jennings?”

Natalie’s brows knit together. “Vaguely. He works out of New York, an assassin if I remember right.”

Julio nodded, “Yes, that was what he did.”

Natalie raised her brow, “Was?”

“His last job involved a woman that he was in love with. He brought her to Italy to keep her safe, and I met one of the most amazing people I have ever known.”

Jealousy, thick and hot, coated her insides. Whoever this woman was, it sounded like Julio loved her.

“Well,” Natalie made a dismissive motion. “How awkward for you to care so deeply about your cousin’s girl. If that makes you think of me somehow, you can go ahead and…”

Julio dropped the brush and had her against the wall in seconds. The heat of his body pressing into the soft curves of Natalie’s. His breath brushed her cheek, and she couldn’t help the shudder that ran through her. Her body remembered him, craved him.

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