I woke to unfamiliar smooth white sheets and the morning skyline view that nearly took my breath away. The dawn light filtered in through vast windows, revealing the expanse of Dom’s swanky Manhattan apartment.
Apartment? More like a damn palace, I thought, stifling a groan as I stretched. My muscles protested the enthusiastic activities from the night before.
A lazy smile tugged at my lips, recalling how Amanda agreed to watch the twins all night so I didn’t have to rush home. No crying babies, no bottles, no reason to panic if I wasn’t there to soothe them. I missed them, sure, but the novelty of having zero responsibilities for once felt heady and luxurious. Dom and I used that freedom well.
I had the soreness to prove it.
I shifted, blinking away the morning haze, and spotted him in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a cocky expression. He wore only a pair of low-slung pajama pants, and the sight made my pulse skip.
“Morning,” he said softly, voice still rough with sleep.
“Morning,” I replied, propping myself on an elbow. “You always wake up this early? Or did you never sleep?”
A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. “I slept, eventually. Hard not to, after that workout you gave me.”
“You know, if you keep bragging about your stamina, I’ll hold you to higher standards.”
“Wouldn’t dream of disappointing you,” he teased. Then, his expression softened as he crossed to the bed, sitting on the edge. “How do you feel about leaving the twins with the nanny all night?”
I pursed my lips, scanning the sleek décor of his bedroom. Everything screamed modern, expensive, and carefully curated, from the minimalist furniture to the abstract art on the walls. It was worlds away from the cozy cluttered chaos of my place.
“Honestly, it’s weird,” I admitted. “A part of me freaks out thinking they might need me. But the other part is like, ‘Hallelujah, a full night of grown-up time’.”
He nodded, sympathy in his gaze. “I remember those conflicting emotions. But trust me, they’re fine. Amanda’s a pro, and you deserve a break.”
My heart fluttered at his gentle reassurance. I let out a sigh, pushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “Thank you for this weekend. I needed it.”
Dom smiled, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my forehead. “Anytime. Coffee?”
“You’re a god among men.”
He chuckled and fetched me a cup. Rich and satisfying. Like Dom.
Eventually, I swung my legs over the side, letting the plush rug sink beneath my toes. “So,” I said, shooting him a playful glance, “what’s for breakfast in the land of luxury? You have a private chef, or do I get to rummage through your presumably well-stocked fridge?”
He chuckled. “No private chef, just me. But you’re welcome to rummage. I think there’s some fruit, maybe eggs.” He shrugged, as though unsure what exactly lived in his own fridge.
“Of course, the brilliant Dr. Mortoli can’t remember what groceries he has,” I teased. Standing, I glanced around for my scattered clothes—evidence of last night’s fervor. “Bet you can recall the entire anatomy of the human body, though.”
He smirked. “I’d be a lousy surgeon if I couldn’t.”
I tugged on one of his T-shirts—soft, smelling of him—and followed him through the spacious apartment, taking in the panoramic view of Manhattan. “Still can’t believe how big this place is,” I muttered, trailing behind him. “Makes my apartment look like a dollhouse.”
He paused near the open-concept kitchen, turning with a fond smile. “You said that last night, too, remember?”
I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Well, it’s still true.” The memory of “last night” made my cheeks flare, but I swallowed the flutter in my chest. “So, your medical device company? Is that how you can afford this place?”
Dom’s lips twitched, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Still can’t believe you thought I was exaggerating when I told you about it on vacation.” He opened the fridge, rummaging for ingredients. “But yes, that’s how. I built a company around my inventions. Still own the majority of shares, though I barely do more than a quarterly check-in these days.”
“So you just…what, decided to keep working the ED for kicks?” I leaned against the marble countertop, crossing my arms.
He shrugged, pulling out a carton of eggs and some vegetables. “Saving lives directly is what keeps me going. If I sat in a boardroom all day, I’d go crazy. The ED is where I thrive.”
I watched him with a half-smile, noticing how comfortable he seemed talking about something that would be a bragging point for most. He rummaged for a pan, totally relaxed in his domain, but I see the spark in his eyes when he talked about helping people.
“And you plan to jump ship for administration?” I pressed, arching a brow. “Thought you said the ED was your first love.”
“Emergency surgery is. But it’s a young man’s game, Ella. I’m still at my peak, but eventually, my body will fail. I’ve seen it happen to other surgeons—they hit the wall. A tremor in their hand, losing focus at a critical moment. They’re natural signs of aging, but…” He sighed. “That’s my nightmare. So, I’d rather move into an admin role while I’m still ahead, help shape policy and patient care on a larger scale.”
“Damn,” I murmured, leaning closer. “You’re unstoppable, you know that? Medical devices, top surgeon, future hospital exec. Gonna run for president next?”
He let out a laugh that crinkled the corners of his eyes. “I take back what I said about aging out of surgery. I have a new nightmare.”
I snorted a laugh.
He set the pan on the stove, turning on the burner with practiced ease. The faint hiss of gas accompanied the flicker of a flame. “You want scrambled eggs?”
“Sure,” I said, a wry grin pulling at my lips. “Guess you can show off your dexterous surgeon’s hands cracking eggs.”
He smirked, swiftly cracking two eggs with one hand, tossing the shells aside, then whisking them. I watched, impressed despite myself.
“Show off.”
“I’ve got a chef in the house. I have to show off.”
We fell into a comfortable rhythm—he cooked, I sipped coffee from his fancy espresso machine, occasionally tossing in a sarcastic remark about how I’d never see him flipping eggs in the ED. He countered with a retort about how he’d never see me do surgery at the restaurant.
Damn goofball.
As he plated the eggs, my mind wandered to the twins. Ordinarily, I’d be consumed with guilt for not being there. But I knew the nanny was fully paid, thanks to Dom, letting me stay the night in a carefree bubble. A pang of longing flared—I miss them, but I also relished the mental break.
He set the plates on the sleek kitchen island, pulling up a stool beside me. We ate in companionable silence for a moment, the city’s morning buzz drifting through the windows.
This is surreal.
Part of me marveled at how quickly I’d adjusted to a “new normal” with this man, while the other part remembered the unstoppable spark that led us to hooking up on an island in the first place.
After a few bites, I cleared my throat. “So…once you’re in administration, you said you’ll sell your shares in the device company?”
He nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Yeah. The time commitment to run that plus the admin role at the hospital would be impossible. I barely have time now.”
A sardonic smile tugged at my lips. “I guess that means no more expansions to your penthouse, huh?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I think four thousand square feet is enough.” Then his tone grew more serious. “But yeah, the company deserves someone who can give it their full attention. And if I’m going to help thousands of patients through hospital leadership, that’s where my focus will be.”
“You know,” I said quietly, “it’s kinda crazy how you keep leveling up, all in the name of saving lives.”
He paused, studying me. “It’s what I love. Sometimes it’s grueling, but knowing I made a difference—like with you and the twins—makes it worth it.”
My throat tightened, remembering how he’d literally saved us. The lingering gratitude, the sense of safety, it all rolled together, making me feel dangerously vulnerable. I poked at my eggs, forcing a casual tone. “Well, I won’t complain. Since your hero complex saved me and my girls, I guess I can let you keep being unstoppable.”
“You let me, huh?”
I shrugged, fighting a grin. “As a favor.”
He laughed and gently smacked my thigh. “You are such a brat sometimes.”
“You like it.”
He smiled and shrugged, a silent admission.
Eventually, he stacked the dishes in the sink, rinsing them with quick efficiency. I hopped off the stool and wandered into the living room, trailing a hand over the back of his plush sofa. The memory of last night’s frantic passion sent a delicious shiver through me.
Dom joined me, wrapping an arm around my waist from behind. His breath tickled my ear. “Penny for your thoughts?”
“Just…thinking how my tiny apartment is going to feel even tinier now,” I joked, though a note of truth lingered.
He pressed a soft kiss to my neck. “Space is overrated,” he murmured. “Besides, if you had too much room to roam, there’d be nothing holding in your feistiness.”
A laugh bubbled up, and I twisted in his arms to face him. “Insult or compliment?”
“Compliment. Always compliment.”
“Good,” I teased, “because I might bite if it was an insult.”
He smirked, leaning down to claim a kiss. My heart fluttered at the tender press of his lips, the lazy swirl of his tongue meeting mine. We broke apart, both of us a bit breathless. He guided me to the massive windows overlooking the city. The morning sun glinted off distant skyscrapers. It felt like we were on top of the world.
In a way, we are.
“I’ll have to go check on the twins soon,” I said softly, though I made no move to leave his embrace. “But for now…”
“Stay a bit. I’m in no rush, and neither are you.”
I allowed myself a small smile, letting my head rest against his chest. “Fine, I’ll indulge in this fancy morning a little longer.”
He squeezed me gently, and for a while, we just stood there, soaking in the hush of his apartment, the distant hum of the city. My restless mind, always anxious about the girls or my job or the next crisis, felt strangely still.
