Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina)

Chapter 105

One year later

Katrina never slept well when Kylan had to go out of town. She didn't like being alone at night. She didn't like worrying about if he was sleeping well, or if he was having a nightmare. Even though his nightmares only happened now when he was overly stressed, she still worried. She still wanted him to be okay, especially when he wasn't with her.

She missed his arms, his smell, and the quiet reassurance that she was safe. If she allowed herself to think about it too hard, it was probably a little ally that she couldn't get comfortable without her husband's strong arms around her, or his chest pressed to her back in that way she liked.

But she was so combined with Kylan, so wrapped up in everything that was him, in what doing life with him meant to her.. So, when he was p she didn't sleep well.

Lately, he was gone a lot. Too much, if she had anything to say about it.

Ross Corporation had fully integrated into the military side of business, and she was happy for Kylan, really happy for him, but it meant he had to go on several trips and listen in on extra phone calls. Which was fine. It was.

He was a CEO, and his company was growing, thriving in ways that made her smile. But she missed her husband. And while she knew he missed her too, it didn't make those nights where the bed was too big and too empty, any easier for her to handle.

When she woke up to her alarm, it took her a moment to remember she was by herself. Kylan was in Boston for a conference, and he wouldn't be back until tomorrow night. And it was fine. It was. She was fine.

But tomorrow was her first wedding anniversary, and she was possibly a little sad he hadn't been able to turn has CEO persona off a day early

This was one of those times where she missed being his assistant. She never regretted taking the PR job. She knew she made the right decision. She knew her relationship, her marriage with Kylan was healthier because of it. She knew it was a smart move, and Vincent had proven to be Instrumental for Kylan.

But were she still his assistant, she would be with him. She would be able to slip beneath the sheets of his hotel bed and she would be able to feel safe the way she would never tire of

But it was fine. She was fine.

Katrina was taking a half day an work so she could go cake tasting with Aaron and Maine. Their wedding was in three months, and they were ironing out the last of the details. Cake just so happened to be one of them, and she wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to distract herself and indulge in something sweet.

nd she

She was the maid of honor for both of them. And it was an honor. They were right for each other in every way that mattered, and she wanted their day to be as meaningful as her wedding had been.

She turned on her side, huffing a bit as she looked at the empty space in the bed next to her. She stretched out a hand, running her fingers over the pillow that should occupy her husband's head.

One more day. He would be home tomorrow, and she would celebrate her anniversary, and he would hug her and this would be another conference behind her

She forced herself to sit up, rubbing the remnants of sleep from her eyes. She grabbed her phone from off its charger at the exact moment it began to ring. She smiled at the picture of herself and Kylan on her wedding day that she set as his contact photo. The sun was shining her foreheads were pressed together, and he was staring at her with warmth. With love. With that safety.

Katrina pressed the "accept" icon and stood from her bed, balancing her phone on her shoulder so she could move her covers back in place while

she talked.

"Good morning, my darling" She were the first to speak, her voice a little hoarse from disuse.

"Good morning, love. How's your sleep?"

She fluffed the last of the her throw pillows, smoothing down the lines in the duvet and then huffing. "You know how I slept," She replied just a bit coolly

She could hear Kylan sigh on the other end of the line while she walked to her closet and began to pick out a skirt and shirt that wouldn't suffocane her too much in the mid July brat

"When are Aaron and Maine subjecting you to an obscene amount of sugar?"

attice for a few

She peeled off her nightgown and underwear, taking hold of her clothes and then heading to the bathroom. 1 have to go into the office hours because Anna called in sick and wasn't able to finish the quarterly PR reports. So, they'll pick me up around lunch time" She brushed through the tangles in her hair, bating back a yawn. She sank onto the toilet seat, wincing against the cold porcelain that greeted her bare skin. "Remind me when your flight gets in tonsorrow, please"

Just after seven. I wish it were earlier. This whole conference has been a damn headache. Vincent also steeped my tea for a minute too long this morning, so that doesn't help a thing."

She couldn't fight the snort of laughter that left her throat. "Not the tea. What are you while

"Yeah, yeah. Tease at my expense. See if I do that thing you li

like tomorrow"

meant to do, Kylan?" She frigned horror, smiling all the

That sobered her immediately. "You better do that thing I like. You've been gone long enough this time. She allowed her disappointment to saturate her words, standing and discarding her pajamas into the black hamper near the shower.

"I know I have. I don't like leaving any more than you like missing me, Kate. The home tomorrow, and I suppose I'll do the thing you like."

She smiled at that. "Thank you, darling. I'll give you a call this evening. She moved to turn the handle inside the shower, adjusting in until the temperature of the water was where she wanted it to be

"I look forward to it. I love y

you

"I love you, too. Be safe, and please be nice to Vincent." She set her phone down on the bathroom vanity, smiling when Kylan huffed a laugh before ending the call

Six months after Oscar retired, she decided to drive herself to and from work. It just Didn't feel right, not having him drive her anymore. She was happy he retired, happy he was healthy, but it made her sad when it was no longer him that waited for her outside of the black SUV every morning and evening, soar candy in hand for her more often than not

She didn't mind driving either. Honestly, having a private driver was a little bit excessive, to begin with. So, now it was her that navigated the New York City traffic in the Bentley she couldn't believe Kylan let her handle.

It was. Strange, marrying someone who had so much monetary success. It took some getting used to, allowing herself to believe that everything Kylan owned was also hers. It was never about the money for her, not even when she signed the contract so long ago Now, though, she steered the Bentley to the familiar glass behemoth that was Ross Corporation, and she parked the SUV in the underground parking structure.

The next few hours flew by in a daze of caffeine, phone calls, emails and reports. Ryan stopped in to say hello, and that helped brighten her spirits

Around noon, Aaron sent her a slew of texts to warn her that he and Maine would be at the office in a few minutes and to have her ass waiting outside or else.

She rolled her eyes at that, but she still closed out of the Word document she was working on and slipped her flats back on her feet.

She made her way down to the street below, spotting Aaron's familiar sedan waiting near the curb for her. She watched him clamber out of the car and practically run over to her enveloping her in his arms and spinning her around like he hadn't seen her in weeks. When really, she saw him at least once a week outside of work for her standing date.

He planted a wet, sloppy kiss on her cheek, and she groaned, wiping the moisture off her face with the back of her palm. But she still smiled at him, and he smiled at her.

He opened the passenger door for her, and she clambered inside. Maine was sitting in the back seat, and she turned to give her a more reasonable greeting than her hancé had given her

Aaron navigated the New York City streets like only someone could that had lived and breathed the busy concrete jungle life for years. Conversation flowed easily, like it always did with her best friends. With the occasional road rage thrown out when a fellow driver did something that Aaron deemed particularly heinaus, she traveled to a quaint bakery located at the edge of the city limits.

Finding a spot to leave the car was another beast to behold, but Aaron was also adept with parallel parking, and she found herself walking out of the stifling heat and into the cool of the bakery in no time. The same bakery she and Kylan also visited to pick out their wedding cake

It made her both sad and happy, being here on a day like this. Sad, because she missed her husband. Happy, because she got to witness her most cherished friends create memories that they would look back on and cherish, just like she did.

An attendant greeted them a moment later and led them to a back room that housed a single, covered table. Seven or eight plates with a sliver of cake each were expertly placed all in a line, a small slip of paper detailing what was what in front of each one. She sat on Aaron's left, Maine on his right. The attendant left to retrieve champagne for her trio, and she grinned at her friends.

"Chocolate ganache. Hell yeah. Aaron rubbed his hands together, packing up the sampling spoon that rested near him.

"Lemon and raspberry sounds even more delicious." She found her spoon, waiting for them to take the lead.

"I don't know. This strawberry buttercream looks phenomenal. We might need to choose a few flavors, one for each layer of the cake, Maine, his spoon in hand, grinned at Jean

Chapter 105

The kind worker indeed returned with champagne a few minutes later, and she promptly dug into the cake samples.

It was fun. So much fun, bring there with her friends, listening to them bicker and fit. Each slice of cake was moist, delicious, and she didn't envy the choice that Aaron and Maine would be left with. Until they told her to decide and she wasn't smiling anymore.

Ther

spoon and

"Absolutely not. I won't be held responsible for if the cake is a hit or miss. That's too much pressure." She licked some icing off set it on an empty plate, pushing it away from her.

d then

Aaron rolled his eyes at her and scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're the maid of honor, Kate. So. Honor" He shrugged his shoulders like he made perfect sense.

Maine laughed, running a hand through her hair "Let's just go with a classic lemon cake and then spice it up with a meringue icing" She looked at her fiance for approval and Aaron posted, but then he nodded.

Katrina reached over and ruffled his hair, smiling her biggest smile and meaning it.

-0-0-0-

She didn't sleep well again that night, and she woke up far too early the next morning, considering when her mind finally allowed her to get any rest the night before

Determined to morph her anxiety into something positive, she channeled the restless energy into cleaning the penthouse from top to bottom in preparation for Kylan's arrival that evening

He sent her periodic texts while she scrubbed every surface, including the baseboards and each of the doors. She focused her efforts on the line things that no one else cared about, but Kylan did. Like fluffing the curtains, folding the towels so they hung just so, and shining the silverware.

All of which would put him in a good mood, or so she hoped.

She listened to music while the worked, her mind drifting to a year ago of its own accord.

A year. A whole year she had been married to Kylan,

It felt like no time had passed, and yet also that an eternity had, all wrapped into three hundred and sixty-five days.

They had come so far, and they had done it together. For each other. For herselves.

It would never be perfect, but it was more than enough. More than she ever dreamed she would get to have, especially with Kylan.

Around five-thirty, she finally deemed the penthouse clean enough for even her husband's ridiculous standards, and so she lit a candle on the kitchen countertop and then she stripped to take a shower

She shaved every nook and cranny of her body, scrubbed, and washed her face and hair twice, and then the put on a new black dress that was little more than strips of fine fabric. She took extra care with styling her hair and applying her makeup, and then she checked the time. Six-forry-tive. He would be home in fifteen minutes.

A werk was too long. Much too long.

She sat at the kitchen counter, tapping her fingernails on the marble surface, and wondering when exactly she became so damn lovesick for another human being

Her phone rang, pulling her out of her daydreaming. She picked it up, grinning at Kylan's contact picture staring b

back at her.

"I hope you're calling to sell me you picked up my favorite bottle of wine from that place in the Upper West Side," she teased into her phone Kylan was quiet for a second too long and the smile drifted from her lips.

me until tomorrow. I tried to charter a private jet, but there

"My flight was canceled. It was the last flight of the day, too. I won't be able to get on a plane until were none left. Im so sorry, Kate [fcked up."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to center herself, to try and force away

y the disappointment that threatened to swallow her whole.

"It's not your fault." Her voice sounded too quiet, too sad, but she wasn't sure how to fix it.

"I shouldn't have waited until our anniversary to fly home. That was foolish of me. I should have prioritized you. Ross Corporation can want. You're what's important to me. I'm sorry, darling. I have a flight at six o'clock in the morning and I should be home as you're waking up."

the candle on

She blew

the counter and sank off her stool, walking around the penthouse and turning off every light along the way: She reached her bedroom and flopped onto her bed, lying on her back, staring at the ceiling but not seeing it

"It's okay, Kylan. It's just an anniversary, she murmured into her phone. Kylan sighed heavily and her frown deepened.

"It's not just an anniversary, and it's okay for you to be furious with me. I'm furious with myself. I'm mostly furious with the airlines, and with every pretentious shit that reserved a private jet out of this airport today." He paused, but she didn't say anything to fill the silence. "Til make it up to you

Chapter 105

I swear I will

""You'll do that thing I like?" She replied halfheartedly

"For as long as you want. I swear it"

She traced the swirls and patters on the ceiling with her eyes, blinking away a few tears that threatened to cloud her vision.

"Okay, Kylan," she breathed in her phone. She wanted to sleep, to ignore the ache in her chest.

"I love you. Katrina Ross. I'm sorry 1 f*ck things up like this

She sniffled, wiping at her eyes, no longer caring about smudging her carefully painted makeup. I love you. It isn't your fault. You can't predict things like this, and you also shouldn't spend a ridiculous amount of money on a private jet, anyway." She pulled back her duvet, climbing beneath

it, dress and all.

"I'll be home soon. I promise."

"I know, darling. Try and get some rest, alright? I'm good here," she promised, curling up on her side.

"One more night. My next trip isn't for another month."

"That'll be a nice change of pace," she mumbled, staring at her wedding ring, watching the way it glinted in the evening sunlight filling the room "Goodnight, Kairina. I love you?"

Kylan never said a phrase like I love you so often during a phone call, and she knew he must be feeling as guilty as he was saying. She wasn't upset with him that wouldn't be fair. But she was upset, and the burning in her chest was getting worse.

"I love you, too." She ended the call, frowning at the July sun outside, hating that she was alone in her bed.

Katrina was warm, way too warm. She groaned, rolling over to try and remove herself from the heat that was practically stifling her

Mint. Pine. Both scents filled her nostrils, and her eyes flew open.

Kylan

His grey eyes, his perfectly disheveled hair, the soft smile playing at the edges of his lips.

His lips.

She surged forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, crashing her lips to his.

He reciprocated immediately, his arms encompassing her, pulling her to him so that there was no space left between them. Closer, closer. She wanted to be closer. Needed to be closer.

Kylan broke the kiss first, only so he could pepper more kisses across her face, her neck, her collarbones. He made it to the crook of her neck, and then he inhaled, and every bit of lingering tension inside her melted away to nothing

0

missed

you so much, Kate," Kylan spoke into her skin,

Her fingers trailed up into his hair and she angled her head so she could leave a kiss along his hairline. "I missed you, Kylan. So much"

"Is this dress new? Do you care about it?" Kylan asked her, pulling away just enough that he could look at her fully.

"It's new, and Ic- Kylan He didn't wait for her to finish spraking before he ripped it right down the front. "I did care about that dress," she protested, scowling at him.

He ignored her, rolling her to her back wordlessly. He hovered above her, hair hanging in front of his face, bits and pieces greying here and there. His shirt was disheveled, dark bags lined the underside of his cyes, and he looked exhausted.

But beneath that, he seemed happy. He looked content. He looked comfortable, which was something she would never tire of

seeing

When he stared at her, when she was alone and quiet like this, she got to see Kylan. To experience Kylan for all he had to offer, and all he longed to give. It was special, and it would never stop being special.

"I'll buy a new dress. I'll buy you twenty, I don't give a shit. I need you." Kylan peeled the remainder of her dress away from her body, his hands rubbing up and down her sides as he openly appreciated the pair of silk underwear and bra she had chosen to wear last night. She was suddenly glad she fell asleep before finding the energy to change her clothes.

And then kylan was kissing her again. Everywhere he could reach, every bit of her body he could find. He hyper fixated everywhere, no part of her body going unloved

3. PM

Chapter 103

He reached the apex of her thighs, and she smiled down at him, threading a hand through his hair. "That thing I like?" she quietly asked her

husband

By the light of the morning sun, he looked ethereal, and she was so lucky. So damn lucky.

"That thing you like. He pulled her underwear down her legs, tossing them somewhere she didn't give a damn about. He took hold of her calf, kissing her ankle, rubbing her skin in all the right ways. "Happy Anniversary, Kate. I love you." With that, he dove right in. Right where she wanted him. Right where she needed him.

And he did that thing she liked, for as long as she liked.