The Villainess Needs a Hug (Ivy Windsor) novel Chapter 1044

Katrina glared at him, freezing for two seconds before blurting out, "What is going through your mind?! Don't tell me you flew all the way out here just to—"

She had honestly thought she could use this business trip as an excuse to finally get two good nights of sleep.

Who knew that after her first night of tossing and turning in an unfamiliar bed, he would track her down on the second night with such an obvious agenda!

"Naylor Wilson, believe me, I will kick you out!" she warned, blushing furiously as she pointed a finger at him.

Naylor laughed, grabbing her outstretched hand and seamlessly pulling her into his embrace. "I didn't fly all the way out here just for that."

Struggling in his arms, Katrina froze at his words. Her eyes locked onto his face. "Then what else are you planning?"

He was unbelievable, openly admitting it without an ounce of shame!

And claiming he had ulterior motives, to boot.

Naylor's expression turned a shade more serious, though his eyes remained endlessly affectionate and gentle. "Tomorrow is Thursday. I was thinking you could talk to your boss and take Friday off. We can add the weekend to it and spend a few days exploring Southport. We can treat it like a mini-honeymoon."

Katrina looked at him, slightly taken aback.

When they got married, Naylor had suggested exactly this.

But Katrina had said work was too busy to ask for time off, and with her mother recovering at home, going on vacation felt inappropriate, so she canceled the idea.

She hadn't expected Naylor to still be thinking about it.

Seeing her quiet contemplation, Naylor held her tighter and continued his persuasion. "Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Three days is plenty of time to enjoy the city. We'll fly back on Sunday, so it won't interfere with your work next week."

Katrina frowned. "Is that... really okay?"

As a junior associate, she wanted to appear dedicated and serious about her career. She was worried the partners would think poorly of her.

"Why wouldn't it be? Isn't your flight scheduled for noon tomorrow? First thing in the morning, set up a meeting for me with that lawyer, Mr. Halloway. He's a senior partner at your firm, right? He should have decision-making power. I'm going to discuss a partnership with him."

Katrina was stunned. "What partnership?"

Naylor pulled her over to sit on the edge of the bed, keeping her tucked against his side as he explained. "My company is expanding into more sectors, and our in-house legal team can't keep up with the demands. I plan to secure a long-term retainer with a major law firm. Isn't Mr. Halloway a senior alumni from your school? I remember you saying he was your mentor's prized pupil. That being the case, I'll negotiate with him. If the deal goes through, it'll give you some serious leverage at the firm."

Katrina listened in sheer disbelief. "Do you have any idea how much a retainer with a firm like ours will cost your company annually?"

"Of course I do. But it's not an area where we can cut corners. If a single major project hits a legal snag, the losses or penalties will far exceed the cost of this retainer."

"That's true."

Katrina thought about it and nodded. "Okay, I'll mention it to Mr. Halloway tomorrow."

"I'll bring up your time off while we're talking. You don't need to say a word," Naylor said, playfully pinching her chin with a smile.

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