The Collector's Curse

【08】The View Was Splendid

Lingering in bed with Ulrik on Sunday was in a league of its own. First, it started with waking up to his mouth dropping soft and lazy kisses on my bare shoulder, his breath tickling the delicate skin of my neck. That was a great way to start the day, making me grin wide before I'd even opened my eyes. Then some cuddling, filled with whispers and wandering hands, which had inevitably transformed into slow, lazy morning sex.

Or at least, it had started lazy and slow until I'd flipped us around to straddle him with intensity. Fucking was easy, fucking was uncomplicated, and it didn't make my heart swell and ache as much. While I was fine with embracing this connection we had, to explore that insane chemistry, I wasn't entirely ready to put my heart in the balance. Not that I had much of a choice in the matter, as this man had always been so good at tearing down my defenses and getting under my skin.

Shielding my heart wasn't so simple. Not when all he had to do to steal it was to reach out for it. Good thing he wasn't aware of it. Not yet.

My phone buzzing pulled us out of the warm cocoon we were wrapped into, ripping us away from our post-orgasmic bliss. "Shit," I mumbled, reading the text in the notifications.

"What?"

"It's Gigi. She wants to do some yoga again."

"Well, you're already warmed up," he humorously pointed out.

Pouting like a child, I wriggled closer to him with a whimper. "I don't wanna go."

"Won't she suspect something if you refuse?"

I considered giving it a thought, but the conclusion came fast. "Ugh... She might, yeah."

His fingers traced random spirals and swirls on my back and shoulder, igniting delightful shivers under the skin he grazed. "Would it help if I came down to work out, too?"

"So, you think having the privilege of watching you work out is an incentive good enough? Maybe you do have an ego problem," I joked.

His hand found my ribs under the covers, and he pinched me, making me jolt with a giggling squeal. "I meant so you're not alone, you idiot."

"I know." To ease the jab, I kissed the tattooed skin of his pec. "It would help, but don't feel forced on my account."

"I don't mind—on the contrary. It would be good after those few days of chaos."

"We've been keeping up with the cardio alright. Time to lift weights. We'd hate for those muscles to go anywhere." I ran my hand over the perfect slabs of his abs, very appreciative of them. It might have been shallow of me, but damn, I loved his body as it was. The man behind the skin was as enticing, for sure, but this perfect exterior was very much to my tastes, and my greediness pushed me to want more of it. To want all of it. With a contented sigh, I pushed against his firm stomach to lift myself up.

"Alright, let's get ready. You'll get to watch my ass, and I'll get to watch you be all sexy and strong."

"Aye, aye, captain."

Since we'd be all sweaty again soon, we forewent the shower but did some speedy maintenance where our morning sex had left a mess. Dressed in our gym clothes, we made a halt in the kitchen for a quick bite, agreeing that we'd eat adequately later. With our stomachs reasonably full, we then made our way downstairs to the luxurious home gym.

Like I had done the week prior, I took out everything I needed from the hidden closet and settled it in a corner. Ulrik clearly had his own habits, and by the time I dialed Gigi, he was already starting with his warm-up. My friend on the other side of the North Sea was quick to reply, and seeing her bright smile and familiar face filled me with happiness. Although I was having so much fun here in the Westergaard estate, I missed her. She was so much more than my roommate. Gigi was also my best friend and might as well have been a sister to me.