Page 49 of His Sunshine Baby

“Elena, even with no strings attached, I’m not the kind of asshole that will spread our private affairs around. Whether it’s about you, me, or us, I won’t. You can trust me. And you can even consider me an open ear if you want to talk. If we agree on this relationship, it has to be one where we can trust each other, alright?”

I suddenly feel a wave of relief wash over me. Maybe I was waiting for this. For some sort of comfort. A way to confirm if I could trust him or not. It’s not as if I would believe him with those few words, no matter how sincere they seem, but the fact that he just thought about it is...

Without thinking, I lean over to kiss him, a brief but deep kiss. When I back away, he’s staring at me, half smiling and half confused.

“What was that for, Miss Whitewood?”

I can’t help but smile too.

“A thank-you kiss.”

“Hm... I don’t know what I did right, but I should do it more often.”

And with that, he leans over in my direction to kiss me again. It’s a longer, deeper kiss than before, one that tastes like sweet whiskey. I like it and answer without thinking at all. It’s not an innocent kiss, but a passionate one, and soon enough, I feel his hand on my thigh again. His lips go down to my jaw and my neck as I feel my breathing get a bit more erratic.

“Nate… We’re not...”

I struggle to talk, but he doesn’t care. His fingers are already venturing under my dress, moving to where they previously had been. This time, however, I can tell he’s only teasing me… And it’s a bit frustrating. I’m torn between the fact that we are in a classy restaurant, more or less in public, and the fact that I actually want more. I glare at him, but he still has this innocent smile that doesn’t match his electric blue eyes with a hint of lust in them.

“You still haven’t said yes,” he whispers against my ear.

“No.”

And with that, I gather my rational self and push his hand away, crossing my legs in the most defiant move I can think of.He pouts a bit but doesn’t insist. How surprising, Mr. Black is consistent about obtaining my consent.

I grab a fork and ferociously start eating my starter, while he smiles and takes a sip of that fancy wine he ordered. He is still giving me some glances, but we both start eating in silence, except for a couple of trivial comments about our dishes. I have to admit, it’s very good. I understand the concept of putting quality before quantity, but I do hope my main dish will be a bit bigger. I finish my plate in no time.

“So, what exactly are you looking for?” he asks.

“In what?”

“Having sex with me.”

I almost spit out my wine. Can’t he be a bit less blunt sometimes! I put my glass down.

“You mean, like, conditions?”

He nods and crosses his arms, looking curious.

“I want to know. What is it exactly that you want us to agree on, and what do you need to accept me?”

“I get it! I get it!” I say before he says something embarrassing again. “Alright, we can discuss this.”

I try to gather my thoughts for a moment. Truth is, I came here thinking I wanted to agree to it already. After discussing it with Danny, it became clear. Even if this is going against my pack’s rules, I’m deeply attracted to Nate. Moreover, having a physical relationship with someone from a different clan has its perks: no gossip in the pack, higher chances to keep this private, and no risk of wanting more either. Neither of us could afford that last one.

“First, I don’t want to be at your beck and call only. If I don’t feel like seeing you, I won’t,” I state very bluntly.

“Agreed. I have no intention of insisting if you don’t feel like it. Likewise, I might not be available either. I tend to have long days. Are there any times that wouldn’t be appropriate?”

“In the mornings, I train the young ones from 8 a.m. to noon. And not on Sundays around lunchtime, I eat with Danny’s family or my pack members.”

I don’t mention it, but the training actually doesn’t start until 9 a.m. However, I usually stop by the hospital to see my dad before that, and I don’t want to mention that to Nathaniel. He nods.

“Agreed. For me, Mondays are a no-go: it’s the busiest day of the week. And I usually see my brothers on Sundays as well.”

“Noted.”

“Texting and calls are fine?” he asks.

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