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Chapter 31

Jensen figured Josh was coddling her like she was a little kid. Pulling out his cellphone, he snapped a pic.

Natalie shielded her eyes from the flash.

Josh glanced at Jensen unhappily. “Why are you still here?”

Jensen clammed up and split.

After leaving, he couldn’t resist sending the pic to his mom, Dianna: [Check it out, Morn! Josh has been Mr. Bachelor for 30 years, but he’s all in this

Dianna scanned the photo carefully, thrilled. Josh is finally into someone!‘ she sighed to herself.

Then Dianna thought of something and replied: [Good to see Josh’s all set. What about you, though?)

Jensen was stumped

Afternoons made for great naps.

Natalie dozed off and Josh swept her up to bed.

Waking up at 3 PM, Natalie found a note: [Got work. Won’t be back till evening. Hang tight and don’t wander unless you need to.]

She dropped the note and flicked through her phone. The buzz was all about Jennifer landing the chief design gig at Sherman Group, and the bombshell–Jennifer was actually Katherine.

[Fair play to her. She’s got talent]

[Hell yeah. Lead dancer at the National Opera House and a finalist of the Moranta Design Competition. That’s legit]

[She’s paving the way for women!]

[Nobody would second–guess Brian for picking Jennifer.]

Jennifer’s fans were painting her as the victim while scrubbing away any dirt,

[Natalie is a rural nobody. Can’t dance without doping. Total disgrace.]

[Jennifer’s nothing but sweet How could you slander her like that before!!]

[Exactly! Jennifer and Mr. Sherman go way back. The engagement couldn’t be called off by Mr. Sherman himself. He must’ve been cornered so he

y from the wedding!!

ran away

[Careful with your trash–talk. People badmouthed Ms. Natalie Linney before, and their accounts got axed. Want to see for yourself!]

Opinions were flying left and right.

Elizabeth had also sent Natalie several messages.

Natalie, Jennifer has become the deputy CEO!

[Brian is insane. How could he let Jennifer join the company the second you’re out?]

Natalie filled her in on the sitch.

Elizabeth was furious. (He’s such a jerk! How don’t people see through their act?!] Later, she shot over another text: [Swing b

by my place this Monday. No one will

mess with

you here.]

Natalie smiled and replied: (Got it.]

• Elizabeth had studied visual communication and dabbled in classical dance

e out o

1/3

ulun van

of love for it. They’d met by chance.

Chapter 31

but the elite dug it.

Her biz was Karida Jewelry, though some knew it as Scott Jewelry. It wasn’t swanky, b

After putting down the phone, Natalie went back to her book. There were piles of books in the room. She grabbed a presidential biography and got engrossed.

Josh walked in at five, spotting Natalie deep in her read. “You into that?”

“Yeah.” She flipped a page. “Seems like a great president.”

Raising an eyebrow, Josh wrapped her up. “What about our guy in office?”

She pondered a second. “He’s pretty new, right? You’d know more.

Plus, he’s got a hot, young wife, fresh in her twenties”

Josh paused and said slowly, “Well, he’s on the ball, a nice guy. P Twenties!” e

echoed Natalie.

“You think she’s too young for him?”

“Not really,” Natalie mused. “I’ve heard of big shots with much younger wives. Like that Nobel laureate with a wife 54 years his junior…

Josh chuckled, making Natalie second–guess her words. “What’s up?”

With a gentle nose tap, he reassured her, “Our president isn’t as old as you think.”

Natalie zipped it.

Then, our of the blue, Josh suggested, “Stay over. There’s a hot tub room here. After dinner, I’ll get it set up with some herbal soak. It’s healthy” Natalie was surprised. “Just you and me!*

Josh raised his eyebrows and said, “Or who else do you want to go with?”

this is like

“But this is like the Presidential Palace.”

Josh smiled, “Don’t worry. No one will come here. It was his private territory, after all.

Post–dinner, around 8:30, Martin brought robes and gear.

Natalie clutched the clothes, wincing at the thought of no privacy in the bathroom, facing Josh stark naked. She mumbled to herself, ‘It’d be awkward!‘

“You ready?” Josh appeared in a towel, replaceing Natalie unchanged. He smiled, “Need help?”

“No, I’ve got it!” she insisted, ducking behind the curtain.

Robed up, Natalie stepped out. Josh led her to a lit room with a steamy, herb–scented hot tub and a projector set up.

Natalie wondered, ‘Does the president’s assistant also have such great treatment?‘

Josh took off his bathrobe, turning to Natalie, whose cheeks were steamed to a glow. She couldn’t meet his eyes, staring at the ground.

He slid her robe down, and as it hit the floor, her face fired up.

Josh looked at Natalie, his gaze intense. Suddenly, he scooped her into his arms, her instinctive grip on his neck while his toned torso sent her heart racing.

The tub’s warmth enveloped them, but as Natalie tried pushing him off. Josh held firm.

Underneath the mist, Natalie’s beauty was something else, and Josh seemed entranced.

She nudged him to back off, but Josh pinned her against the tub wall, the steam around them swelling with tension.