Page 166 of For Better or Hearse
“Yes,” she says. “I have Augustus. And my business.” Dread and excitement churn in her stomach. “I’m going to talk to a lawyer and see what else I need to do before I launch.”
It’s nowhere close to being in her wheelhouse. Planning. Organization. All forA Very Good Death. But she wants it so much. And she’ll get it. The future.Theirfuture.
“I’m proud of you.” He tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “We have service on the rig. I’ll call as much as I can.”
Gripping the front of his T-shirt, she says, “I want you to be safe out there, okay? I’m the only one who kills you. Understand?”
Nathaniel barks a laugh. “Duly noted.”
Ash brushes, rinses her toothbrush off, spits in the sink. Nathaniel slips his hand into the blue-and-white kimono she bought in Japan and cups her breast. She purrs in his arms. The playful touches, the heated glances in the mirror. Even the act of brushing their teeth is foreplay.
In the mirror, Nathaniel crosses his muscular arms and leans back against the wall to watch her.
His expression is curious. Attentive. Always. She’ll turn to tell him something, only to find he’s deep in thought, considering her. That big, beautiful brain of his is working overtime. Her Very Tall Asshole who plans.
“Do you want kids?”
She freezes at the abrupt question. Wide-eyed, she meetshis gaze in the mirror. Then turns to face him. “I, uh…I would. I want to travel first.”
He nods, grins. “Me too.”
“Girl or boy?”
“Either. Healthy. Happy. Not Chucky.”
Humming, he crosses his arms. “What did your wedding plans look like?”
She narrows her eyes. “Why?”
“So I can do it right.”
She almost faints dead away.
He chuckles softly. “Don’t look suspicious. I just love you.”
“You know what?” She smiles. Her heart hurts too much to possibly be good for her. “I’m just going to let you love me that much.”
“Good,” he says, taking her hand and tugging her into him. “Because I do.”
With a sigh, she lays her head on his chest and wraps her arms around his trim waist. “Sometimes I feel like I’m jinxing it.”
No matter how good things are going, she’ll always overthink it.
“You’re not,” he murmurs, stroking a hand down her back. “But I understand.”
Of course he does.
There’s a long second of silence as they hold each other.
“When I come home,” Nathaniel says, “I’ll have about three months off before I start back at Cedars.”
Her heart thrills at the prospect. “What should we do?”
“Travel. Let’s go to Tibet.”
“I’ve always wanted to go there.” She wiggles her brows, smiling. “Death vultures.”
“Ash.” His expression sobers. “I need you to tell me. When it gets bad for my grandfather. When to come home.”