A change in Nora’s breathing brings my attention back to her. She shifts on top of me, making a soft noise, and rubs her cheek against my chest. “You didn’t get up yet,” she murmurs sleepily, and I smile, a peculiar sense of wellbeing spreading through me at the pleased note in her voice.

“No, not yet,” I confirm, stroking her smooth, naked back. “I will in a few moments, though.”

“Do you have to?” Her words are muffled. “You make a nice pillow.”

“I’m glad I can be of use.”

At my dry tone, she moves her head, looking up at me through her long, dark lashes. “Does it bother you? That I sleep on top of you like this?”

“No.” I grin at her question. “Do you think I’d let you if it did?”

She blinks. “No. Of course you wouldn’t.” Moving off me, she sits up, pulling the blanket up around her. “We should probably get up. I wanted to go for a run before breakfast.”

I sit up too. “A run?”

“Yes. It’s safe here, isn’t it?”

“Not as safe as at the compound.” The idea of her running out there makes me uneasy, even with all the security measures and no obvious threat in sight. If anything were to happen to her…

“Julian, please.” Nora begins to look upset. “I’m just going to run here, in Palos Park. I won’t go far, but I can’t stay cooped up in this house for two weeks—”

“I’ll go with you.” I get up and walk over to the closet to find a pair of running shorts. “Get dressed. We should hurry. I’m guessing Rosa is already preparing breakfast.”

We start the run with an easy jog to warm up. It’s a brisk sixty degrees out, but moving keeps me from feeling the chill, even though I’m not wearing a shirt. I debate having Nora put on more layers, but she looks comfortable in her cropped leggings and a T-shirt, so I decide to let it slide.

As we exit our driveway and turn onto the street, I keep a careful eye on neighbors’ cars pulling out of their garages and people stepping out for their own morning run. Being around so many strangers makes me uneasy. My men are strategically positioned all around the community, so I know we’re safe, but I can’t help watching for signs of danger.

“You know nobody’s going to jump at us from the bushes, right?” Nora says, obviously noticing my preoccupation with our surroundings. “It’s not that kind of neighborhood.”

I glance at her. “I know. I vetted it.”

She smiles and picks up speed. “Of course you did.”

I match her pace, and we run at a fast clip for the next several blocks. A light sheen of perspiration appears on Nora’s face, making her golden skin glow, and I find myself increasingly distracted by the sight of her. She always looks sexy when she runs, her petite body athletic and feminine at the same time. The tight, round muscles of her ass bunch and flex with every step she takes, and I can’t help picturing my hands squeezing those globes as I slam my cock into her.