Zara’s POV
I woke up with the sound of the shower door closing and the shower tap opening, and I lazily
stretched my body over the bed.
The bed was still warm where Nic lay moments ago, and my gaze shifted to the empty pillow next to
me. I could still smell his intoxicating scent on them.
A lazy smile crept onto my lips.
Last night will be one of the most memorable nights of my life.
As anticipated, Nic and I found ourselves engulfed in the midst of the storm. We arrived home
completely drenched.
My mind strayed, recalling how I trailed Nic during the storm.
“That was the last thing I hoped would happen,” Nic muttered as we reached the porch. “I hate it
when we get these unexpected storms.”
I didn’t say anything; I couldn’t; my teeth were chattering together, and I was shivering from the
cold. My hands were tingling and turning blue, and the rest of my body had lost most of its
sensation.
“Oh, Goddess, look at you!” Nic dropped everything on the porch floor and rushed to my side.
He lifted me in his arms bridal style and quickly carried me off to my room.
Nic opened my bedroom door and flicked the light switch, but nothing happened.
“I guess the power is out,” he growled under his breath and hurried to bed.
Nic sat me down on the bed, removed the wet towel from me, grabbed a nearby blanket, and
covered me.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, disappearing into the bathroom.
I silently sat there, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. My body is ice-cold from the icy wind and
cold rain.
I pulled the blanket tightly around myself, hoping to stop shivering and concentrating on trying to
warm my body.
A moment later, Nicolas appeared from the bathroom. He seemed satisfied with what he had
accomplished.
He quickly came to my side, lifted me from the bed, and carried me to the bathroom.
“You will be warm soon, I promise,” he said, his voice calm and soothing.
The warmth inside the bathroom almost immediately made my teeth stop chattering, and my gaze
swept over the candlelit area, seeing the huge tub being filled with bubbles.
Nicolas set me down and removed the blanket.
“Come on,” he said, holding out his hand for me to take. “Let’s get you all warmed up.”
I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed hold of Nic’s hand and climbed into the bath.
I hissed under my breath when my foot touched the hot water.
“It’s okay,” he said when my other foot made contact with the water. “You will adapt to the water. I
promise you it is not as hot as your body makes you believe. It just feels that way at the moment.”
I nodded, slowly sitting down in the water, and an audible hiss escaped my lips as the water covered
my ice-cold skin.
Nicolas got in the tub behind me, and he pulled me to his chest.
“You relax while I take care of you,” he said.
The steam, his intoxicating scent, and his quiet breathing soon engulfed me.
Nic pulled the sponge closer and quietly started to wash me off.
I sighed, feeling contempt and warm. This was a small piece of heaven, and I was living in it.
When the water turned cold and the bubbles disappeared, Nic lifted my hand and turned to look at
it.
“I think you soaked up all the warmth from the water,” he said. “Even your finger is back to its
natural color.”
A small giggle escaped my lips; my fingers were all wrinkled from the water.
“Come on,” he said, tenderly pushing me into a sitting position. “Let’s get you all dried off and into
bed before you get a cold.”
Nic got out of the tub, wrapped a towel around him, and brought a white fluffy towel closer.
“Our mate sure knows how to care for us,” Kaya purred. “I love his sensitive side.”
“I agree,” I replied, getting out of the tub. “Yet, everyone believes he is the cold-hearted beast.”
Kaya chuckled. “Maybe on the surface, yes, but deep down he is an old softy.”
Nicolas carried me back to the room. He dried me off and pulled one of his old shirts over my head.
His shirt was so warm and comfortable, and it smelled like him, yet a small giggle escaped my lips
when I noticed that the shirt was way too big for my small frame.
“That’s the smallest shirt I have,” he said, embarrassed. “I can call Mariana….”
“It’s perfect,” I interrupted and pulled him to me. Nicolas didn’t hesitate and wrapped his arms
around me, making Kaya purr inside me.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” I whispered against his lips. “You have no idea how much that
means to me.”
“You’re welcome,” he replied and kissed the top of my head.
I let out a deep breath as I laid my head against his chest. I love being so close to Nicolas, and his
heartbeat was like a lullaby to my soul.
“Now,” Nicolas said, and tenderly pushed me to arm’s length. Kaya whimpered inside my head at the
loss of contact. “It’s time for bed, princess. We have a full and busy day tomorrow….”
I pouted and scrunched my nose, causing Nicolas to laugh aloud. I didn’t want Nic to leave me there
alone.
“That bad?” He asked, lifting a suspicious eyebrow.
I nodded.
“Okay,” he said, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief. “I promise to join you in a
moment.”
I searched Nic’s gaze for any sign that he was lying to me. When I couldn’t find any dishonesty in his
eyes, I nodded happily and let go of him.
Nic stepped back and headed toward the bed. He pulled the blankets back and playfully patted the
bed, gesturing for me to get in.
I rolled my eyes at him, yet complied with his silent request and got in.
Nic pulled the blankets over me, tucked me in, and kissed my head.
“I will be back soon,” he whispered.
Kaya whimpered. She didn’t want Nic to go.
“I am not going far, Kaya,” he said. He must have heard her complain. “I am just going to finish up in
the bathroom.”
Nic quickly headed to the bathroom; a couple of minutes later, he returned. He went to shave his
beard.
“I thought you would be sleeping by now,” Nic said.
“No,” I replied. “I’m waiting for you.”
I quietly watched Nic as he got dressed. My gaze lazily lingered on him. I couldn’t get enough of how
masculine he was. He had sculpted every muscle in his upper body to perfection. He was one hell of
a handsome specimen.
Nic got closer, lifted the blankets, and slipped in behind me. He snaked his arms around me and
pulled me closer to his chest.
I sighed, feeling contempt, and before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep.
It was around four am when I woke up with something hard poking my back. I tried to move, yet it
grew harder and harder, making me feel a bit uncomfortable. Nicolas’s body behind me suddenly
shook, and I quickly turned on my back, seeing him soundlessly laughing at me.
“What is so funny?” I asked.
Nicolas reverted his gaze, and I followed what he was looking at.
My jaw dropped, looking back at him confused.
“How?” I stuttered. “I didn’t do anything!”
“I know,” Nicolas said proudly. “He just misses you….”
The bathroom door suddenly opened, clearing the memory from my mind, and Nicolas entered the
room fully dressed.
“Ah, you are awake!” he exclaimed, before climbing onto the bed to steal a kiss. “How are you
feeling?”
“I am stiff at places I didn’t know existed,” I muttered sourly.
Nicolas threw his head back and howled in laughter. He found my situation amusing, considering
that it was he who had caused my body to bend and mold around his cock the previous night.
My face flushed red in embarrassment, and I crossed my arms around my chest.
“Don’t be angry,” he finally said when I caught my breath. “Everyone is a bit stiff in the beginning…. I
see you downstairs for breakfast. Mariana said she’d make her famous pancakes.”
I nodded, swinging my legs off the bed, and watched Nic grab his jacket and head for the door.
As Nic closed the bedroom door, something slipped from his jacket pocket and landed on the floor.
Curious, I quickly snatched it from the floor, yet I never thought that such a small thing could create
so much doubt in a person….
****