Page 27 of His To Unravel
“That’s my good girl,” I rasp, stroking her hair and kissing wherever I can reach. At the sound of my praise, she makes a noise that sounds like a purr as she nuzzles me and pushes deeper into my hold.
Minutes pass and Olivia’s hot breath on my skin soothes me into a stupor.
She’s gone limp against me and as I hold her, an unshakable certainty settles over me.She’s mine.
Her breathing begins to slow as she comes down from the high of her release. With her body curled up in my lap, still so close, it makes my own restraint feel almost punishing.
She shifts slightly, lifting her head, and I can feel the slightest tension start to settle in her, a blush creeping over her cheeks as realization dawns on her.
She clears her throat softly, her voice small but laced with a hint of playful embarrassment. “I, um… I guess I left you a bit…unattended,” she mumbles, her gaze dipping down, avoiding my eyes.
I let out a low chuckle, brushing a finger along her jaw, guiding her gaze back to me. “Olivia,” I say, my voice gentle but unwavering, “this isn’t about me.” I let my thumb graze over her cheek, enjoying the way she shivers under my touch. “Seeing you trust me enough to come undone like that is more than enough.”
Her blush deepens, her fingers fidgeting as if unsure of where to settle. She opens her mouth, perhaps to respond, but I don’t give her the chance.
“But,” I add, a faint edge slipping into my voice, “if you feel the need to apologize for something, maybe it should be for shutting me out this past week.”
I smile at the stunned look on her face, the tremble in her breath as she tries to regain her bearings. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I shouldn’t have done that. I just… I’m used to handling things on my own. And I wasn’t sure what this was—whatwewere.”
The honesty in her voice hits somewhere deep. I squeeze her hand, my gaze unwavering. “Promise me you’ll come to me next time.”
A small, hesitant smile spreads across her face, and it stirs something deep within me. “I will,” she promises, her fingers lacing through mine with a certainty I’ve been waiting for.
Then, to my absolute delight, she glances up and asks, “Would you like to have dinner with me?”
Without hesitation, I nod and say, “I’d love that.”
Her cheeks flush as she adds shyly, “Could we go back tothe diner?”
The grin that tugs at my mouth is immediate. “Of course,” I reply, watching her anticipation bloom before I press a kiss to her forehead. I can’t deny the gratification that fills me at the thought of her wanting to revisit that spot—ourspot, as it would seem.
Each memory I help create, will be another layer to ensure our lives are so tightly woven together that hers becomes inextricable from mine.
TEN
olivia
I wakeup wrapped in the quiet glow of yesterday’s memories, my mind drifting back to those moments with Nathaniel in the library.
The way he looked at me… How his words eased every insecurity without dismissing them. As I stretch, a warm rush winds through me, settling deep in my bones. It’s a sense of contentment that I can’t remember experiencing before. A thrill that’s mine alone, unbound from obligation or expectations, a choice I’ve made simply because it brings me joy.
And beneath that joy, there’s something else, a quiet wonder at how safe I’d felt with him.
It’s odd to think of “safe” and “Nathaniel” in the same breath—him with his intimidating presence and his calculating intelligence. But yesterday, he managed to make me feel so secure, even as he coaxed me into something raw and vulnerable.
I’ve had physical experiences before, but never like that. Nothing that left me feeling so…seen. So desired. With him, I didn’t have to hold anything back or worry that he’d judge me. With him, I felt free to relinquish some of that self-doubt.
He made every tentative touch, every shaky breath, feelprecious. My mind drifts back to not just the way he made me feel, but also the wayhefelt beneath my hands—broad and firm, like he was made to steady me.
Nathaniel has always carried himself with an air of control, but now I realize it goes beyond sheer intelligence or charisma. His physicality mirrors his mind—a quiet power I hadn’t fully appreciated until he had his hands on me. Even through our clothes, his strength had been impossible to ignore.
And the way he’d used that strength…not to overpower, but to offer me a sense of security that allowed me to let go. Just thinking about it makes me flush, but not from embarrassment. No, I won’t feel ashamed for claiming something just because I wanted it.
As I get dressed, I’m struck by how different this feels.
I’ve spent so long shaping my choices around what would please others—getting the best grades, keeping a low profile, building the kind of resume that made people proud. Yet here I am, falling into something that’s just forme. It’s terrifying but exhilarating—like diving into open water, unsure what’s beneath but craving the plunge anyway.
I grab my bag, pausing when I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror. There’s a hint of something new there—an undeniable lightness. Smiling softly to myself, I pull my coat tight and take a deep breath before stepping out of my dorm into the brisk morning air.
