Chapter 271

"I stayed up late chatting with friends, so I crashed at their place."

Nathaniel leaned down, invading Evelyn's personal space. "What kind of friends? Male or female? Names? Addresses?"

His interrogation sparked her temper. "Am I not permitted to have friends? Or must I surrender all privacy when I'm with you? Should I file hourly reports? This feels more like house arrest than a relationship!"

Nathaniel didn't react to her outburst as expected. Instead, his lips curved slightly as he studied her furious expression. The exhaustion weighing him down lifted somewhat seeing her so spirited.

He let the silence stretch before asking pointedly, "Where's your phone? A simple call would've sufficed if you planned to stay out."

Evelyn's confidence wavered. She spread her hands helplessly. "About that...I lost it last night. No idea where. I'll replace it with the same model."

The phone had likely fallen out during her altercation with that celebrity. She'd only realized it was missing when hailing a cab this morning. Thank goodness she'd carried cash.

Nathaniel snorted, producing the missing device from his jacket pocket. He tapped it against her forehead. "At this rate, you'll lose your head next."

Evelyn blinked in surprise, inspecting the phone. "How did you get this?"

"Police recovered it by the riverside and returned it to the registered owner."

Relief washed over her. "Thank heavens! I was terrified someone might drain your linked accounts. I couldn't possibly repay that."

"Nathaniel called her name abruptly.

"Yes?" She met his gaze, her pulse stuttering at the intensity in his dark eyes.

His voice dropped to a velvet murmur. "I never meant to cage you. There's no need for such defenses with me."

Evelyn froze.

His stern expression softened as he continued, "Keep your secrets. Maintain your social circles. But never disappear without word. What if something happened to you?"

As he spoke, his calloused fingers traced her cheekbone with reverent care, as though handling a priceless artifact.

His response threw her. The man balanced reprimand with reason, his usual ambiguity replaced by startling clarity. Was exhaustion making him sentimental?

Nathaniel's gaze traveled over her features - the defiant arch of her brows, the stubborn set of her mouth. A week apart had been manageable through distraction, but now...

Physical contact shattered his restraint. The smoldering desire he'd suppressed ignited uncontrollably. Crushing her against him, he claimed her lips with desperate hunger.