A blush crept up Ivy’s neck. She instinctively turned to look at him.

The room was dark, but the faint glow of the city lights filtering through the curtains cast a soft silhouette on his sharp, handsome features. Even without seeing him clearly, she could imagine the heat in his eyes.

He was finally making a move.

Ivy’s mind went blank for a second before she slowly turned back to face him, her voice soft and tight with shyness. “Aren’t you… aren’t you tired after such a long day?”

“Not when I think about you,” he murmured, the words a confession in themselves. He rolled on top of her, his masculine presence enveloping her.

His warm lips descended slowly, and Ivy held her breath, swallowed hard, and closed her eyes.

In the darkness, her senses were heightened. She felt as if she were surrounded by fire, the chaotic images of the day burning away to ash in the flames. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, her thoughts consumed by the rhythm of his movements, until she was completely lost in the moment…

Jamison was restrained, mindful of her still-recovering body. He didn’t push things too far.

Afterward, utterly spent, Ivy fell into a deep sleep.

He smiled silently in the darkness. Once his own breathing had evened out, he slipped out of bed, cleaned himself up in the bathroom, and then returned with a warm, damp cloth to gently wipe her down.

Ivy vaguely registered the warmth, but a sense of dreamy unreality and the pull of sleep dragged her consciousness down. She managed to mumble a “Thank you…” before surrendering completely, letting him take care of everything.

The next morning, Ivy woke to find herself completely naked. She gasped, yanking the covers up to her chin and quickly glancing at the space beside her.

Jamison was just opening his eyes. He frowned slightly. “What’s wrong?”

“I… You’re dressed. Why didn’t you put my clothes back on?”

She knew there were studies claiming all sorts of benefits to sleeping nude, but Ivy just couldn’t get used to it. It felt too vulnerable. What if there was an emergency in the middle of the night? Was she supposed to run for her life in the nude? She’d seen enough news stories about that.

A slow smile spread across Jamison’s face. Dr. Ludwig, finally satisfied after months of abstinence, was clearly in a good mood. The smile was devastatingly sexy.

“You were dead to the world as soon as we finished last night,” he explained. “You didn’t even stir when I was cleaning you up. How was I supposed to dress you without waking you?”

He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Next time, I’ll join you. We can both sleep with nothing on. How’s that?”

“…” Ivy was speechless. That wasn’t what she meant at all.

Seeing her purse her lips and glare at him, Jamison was unfazed. A roguish grin played on his lips. “It’s still early. How about a little morning warm-up? You seemed to sleep well last night, so you should have plenty of energy.”

Ivy shot him a look. “Sure. Let’s go for a run.”

“…” Jamison grunted and flopped back onto the pillows. “It’s freezing out. Who wants to go for a run?”

Ivy had to get to work and had no time for his games. She grabbed her pajamas from the foot of the bed, quickly pulling them on before heading to the walk-in closet.

She hadn’t even finished dressing when she heard footsteps behind her. Before she could speak, Jamison wrapped his arms around her from behind, holding her tight.

“I thought you were going back to sleep. Why are you up?” she asked, quickly pulling on her pants. A man first thing in the morning was a dangerous creature, especially one who hadn’t been fully satisfied the night before. She was afraid of getting tangled up and being late.

“You have to work, and so do I. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be letting you out of this bed.”

Jamison’s voice was deep and husky, a deliberate, seductive murmur. He nuzzled his stubbled chin against her neck, the light scratching sending shivers down her spine. Ivy tilted her head away. “Stop it. It’s raining today, the traffic will be terrible.”

“You’re right,” he conceded, though his body was still reluctant to let her go.

Ivy needed to put on her shirt, so she gently pushed him away and turned to face him. “I have important things to do at the office today. I might also have to go to the hospital with a colleague to see Baillie.”

The mention of business immediately sobered him. His expression tightened. “Take the bodyguards with you.”

Ivy looked at him, puzzled.

“Have you forgotten?” Jamison explained. “The families of the poisoning victims are harassing the Windsors for compensation. If you show up, you’ll probably be their next target.”

The thought hadn’t occurred to her. She nodded. “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

Jamison had a full schedule of surgeries at the hospital and couldn’t easily get away, otherwise he would have gone with her.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything reckless. You focus on your work. I’ll call you if anything happens.”

“Alright.”

They separated to get ready. Just as Ivy was about to leave, she got a text from the bodyguard saying the car was downstairs.

She was rushing out the door when Jamison called her back.

“What is it?” she asked, turning around.

He was already dressed, looking impossibly handsome and commanding. Before she could react, he crossed the room in a few long strides, cupped the back of her neck, and pulled her in for a deep kiss.

“I’m not working late tonight…” he murmured against her lips, the heat of his breath a clear promise of what was to come.