VALOROUS (A Quantum Novel)(19)

His fingers curl into the stiff muscles of his thighs. “You have to tell me what happened to you, Nat. I have to know so I won’t do anything to trigger a flashback.”

I look down at my hands, which are folded in my lap. “I don’t know if I can.”

“I’m so afraid of doing the wrong thing.”

“Nothing you do is wrong, because you love me.”


“I love you more than life itself. I’m obsessed with you. I want to hold you and kiss you and touch you and make you scream, but the thought of doing anything to make you afraid… I’m losing my mind over that, Nat.”

I lean into him, and he puts his arm around me, drawing a low growl from Fluff that makes us laugh.

“At least she’s not biting you anymore.”

“I’ve been going crazy thinking about the things I did and said…”

“I loved it. I want more.”

“Natalie…”

I giggle at the way he says my name, as if he’s barely able to contain himself. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d find a man like him. We’ve known each other a matter of days, and yet I believe, deep in my bones, that he will love me for the rest of our lives. And I will love him just as much for just as long.

“Are you laughing at me?” he asks.

“Maybe a little.”

“Do you know what happens to a naughty girl who laughs in her lover’s face?”

“No,” I say breathlessly, “what happens?”

He leans in to whisper in my ear. “She gets her sweet ass spanked until its red and rosy.”

My mouth goes dry and my hands begin to sweat. “You wouldn’t dare…” But I already know he would, and I’d probably love it as much as I’ve loved everything else we’ve done together.

“Try me.” He kisses me, a soft, sweet caress that belies the intensity of our conversation. “But I’m not laying one finger on you again until I know what happened to you. I can’t handle the fear of scaring you. I have to know, Nat.”

He’s right, and I know it. Just like he doesn’t want me to be afraid, I don’t want that for him either.

“We’ll talk soon.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He takes hold of my hand, laces his fingers between mine and holds on tight the rest of the way to Malibu.

Hayden’s beach house is nothing like Marlowe Sloane’s, which is somewhat of a disappointment. Whereas hers is a cozy cabana, his is all glass and blond wood and contemporary angles. It has none of the charm that I loved about Marlowe’s place, but who am I to complain about a multimillion-dollar waterfront estate that has been made available to us on a moment’s notice? I look forward to checking out the view when the sun comes up.

“Why don’t you have a place out here?” I ask Flynn as we get ready for bed.

Fluff is making herself right at home, running around checking everything out.

“I did for a while, but I didn’t get out here often enough to justify the cost of it. I sold it to Marlowe.”

“Oh! That was your place? I loved it there.”

“I did, too, but I was hardly ever there. She wanted it, so I sold it to her.”

“That’s a fantastic house.”

“This one,” he says, “not so much?”

“No, it’s great!” The last thing I want him to think is that I’m ungrateful to him or his friends, who have stepped up so completely for me since my life blew up. Despite my rocky start with Hayden, he has proven himself a friend to both of us in the last couple of days.

Flynn laughs at my distress. “It’s not what I would choose either.”

“Thank goodness.”

We share a warm smile.

“Are we setting the alarm to get up for the nomination announcement?” he asks.

“We sure are.”

He sets the alarm on his phone and crawls into bed with me.

“Will you be able to sleep with the nominations coming?”

“Yeah. It’s exciting, but certainly not the most important thing in my life right now.” He gives me an extra squeeze and the next thing I know, the alarm is going off and Flynn is groaning in my ear.

“Come on,” I say, tugging his arm, “let’s go watch you be nominated for an Academy Award.”

“Don’t say it! You’ll jinx me.”

I love his superstitious side. It makes him so incredibly human. Even though he’ll definitely be nominated, he doesn’t take anything for granted.

“I’m starving,” he says.

“I could eat.”

We raid Hayden’s fridge to make a big breakfast and enjoy coffee and mimosas as the sun begins to rise over the Pacific. Hayden’s view is spectacular. At five twenty-five, we turn on the TV to watch the nominations, which come rolling in for Camouflage, culminating with a nomination for him as best actor and the movie as best picture.

Our screams of excitement make Fluff bark her head off, but we are too caught up in our celebration to chastise her.

I hug him so tightly and try not to cry all over him. I’m so proud and happy for him, and I love sharing this special moment with him.

Flynn’s phone chirps with a text right before it rings. He puts the phone on speaker and takes the call from Hayden.