20. Nick
Nick
S tay on the farm. That’s what I told myself every single time my attention drifted to Sonya. There was a lot to do on the farm, each day, and I always did my part. There were fences that needed to be repaired, equipment to check out and too many other things to even think about leaving today.
But with each hour that passed, I became more and more useless. I couldn’t focus on the fences without risking my fingers because I’d catch a floral scent on the breeze that reminded me of Sonya. No matter what I did, she was there.
Smiling all the way up to her eyes. Laughing with her whole body.
Loving me with every inch of her being. I got a lot done before I finally gave up, showered and stopped for strawberry cheesecake before heading to the woman who’d occupied all of my thoughts but not before stopping for a strawberry cheesecake.
Sonya opened the door with a bright smile as soon as her eyes landed on my face, and then her hands were on my shirt, dragging me inside the house.
She pushed the door shut and pressed her body to mine before fixing her lips to mine, kissing me like she couldn’t get enough of me.
Like she missed and longed for me as much as I did for her.
She was hot fire and gentle need, and the kiss was long and slow, as if we had an eternity to stand there kissing.
When she finally broke away, Sonya flashed a sleepy smile and hummed her pleasure. “Hey,” she whispered softly.
“Hey,” I echoed because one kiss from her and my brain was totally fried.
She laughed softly. “This is a nice surprise. Did you just come for a kiss?”
“No.” I hooked my arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “I’m here because I couldn’t stay away. The kiss was just a bonus.”
“Damn,” she whispered and kissed me again, harder this time. She was hungrier for me, her need was raw and intense, evidenced by the way her hands clawed at my chest and she climbed my body. She stepped back and took off her shirt. “I missed you.”
Heat swelled in my chest at those simple words. “I missed you more,” I told her and made quick work of her bra. Then her pants. That little scrap of a blue thong. “I smell you everywhere I go.”
Fire flared in her eyes as a laugh fell from her lush lips.
“Good, because I feel you everywhere,” she groaned as she flicked button on my pants and tugged on the zipper.
She took her time sliding them down my legs, stopping to caress my ass, my thighs and my calves.
She moved up, sliding her tits across my straining erection as her hands slid under my shirt, still moving up until my shirt was on the floor with the rest of our clothes. “Beautiful.”
That one word snapped my tension and I hauled her into my arms, kissing her like it was our last night on Earth and the only thing we wanted was this. Each other. I lifted her up and she gripped my cock, lining our bodies up perfectly so that I could lower her down.
“Yes!” That one word slipped from her lips on a moan so rough it scratched down my back. “Fuck, you feel amazing.”
I held her tighter, sliding her up and down my cock until my legs shook. Until my balls drew up and my body erupted with an orgasm so powerful I had to use the door to keep myself on my feet. “Sonya,” I whispered.
“Unh,” she groaned as her body clamped around me, pulsing furiously as she rode out her orgasm until her body went slack. “Much better than any toy.”
My cock twitched. “Later, I want to see just how you fuck yourself when you think about me.”
She shivered again. “Same.”
My heart hammered in my chest and we stayed like that for several long minutes until the need to sit was too strong to ignore. She clung to me and I held on to her as if separating might undo the magic that swirled between us.
I took us to the sofa where we sprawled out naked and…talked.
“Mom’s excited about her blackberry corn muffins recipe, she’s been working on it all week for a new TikTok.” I laughed and shook my head. “Words I never thought I’d say in my life.”
Sonya laughed. “She’s got quite the following, Nicky,” she teased.
“People find her charming and lovable and those recipes are sent from the heavens.” She rattled off a bunch of numbers that didn’t mean much to me, but sounded like a good thing for Mom.
“She’s going to make a pretty penny from those videos. ”
“My mom the influencer,” I shuddered dramatically, which had Sonya doubled over laughing.
“You’re a regular social media family,” she joked. “The cook and her two little thirst traps.”
“Hockey player,” I amended, tugging on the leg I hadn’t stopped touching since we dropped onto the cushions. “First and foremost.”
“Of course,” she replied in mock seriousness.
“And you? How is work?”
She shrugged. “It’s good. The same as it always is, really but starting from scratch is nice because I can see my hard work in real time.
” She talked about organizational structure, engagement metrics and other words that meant nothing to me, but I could’ve listened to her talk all day because when she was passionate about a topic, she glowed.
“Max and the farm hands got a good laugh from the blooper reels you posted.”
She tossed her head back and laughed. “The viewers loved them too. Said they showed how hard you guys work to make sure those don’t happen during the games.”
“Yeah?” That surprised me. Hockey fans, hell sports fans in general were experts in Monday morning quarterbacking.
“Yep. They can laugh at you but not non-fans. It’s an interesting dynamic.”
None of the conversation was particularly earth-shattering. We weren’t solving world problems or even making love, we were just together. Being normal together. It was easy, and it was comfortable.
Hell, who am I kidding? It was perfect.
And it only got better. Later we ended up in the kitchen making dinner together, something I’d never done with any woman other than my mother.
She seasoned the chicken and I chopped salad ingredients while we talked about our favorite childhood memories.
We even bickered when it came to the mashed potatoes.
“Butter is the way to go,” she insisted with an authoritative tone.
“Heavy cream and a splash of starchy water,” I shot back with an arched brow.
She smiled and shook her head. “No butter? Are you insane? You must be insane.” She nodded to herself as if it was settled. “I guess we’ll have to test both out and see.” Her eyes held a challenge.
“I guess so.” And just like that we split the boiled potatoes and got to work. “Mine need to go into the oven for about fifteen minutes,” I told her, amusement dancing in my eyes.
“Then there’s only one thing to do,” she said, reaching for her phone and cranking up the music that had been nothing but background noise until now. “Dance party!” She turned the stove to simmer, faced me with a bright smile and began to shake her body to the beat.
She was beautiful, so free and happy as she strutted and shook her body around the kitchen. What could I do except join her? I shook my hips but as one song ended and another began, I pulled her close and we danced for real.
“Color me impressed,” she whispered, placing a soft kiss to the center of my chest.
“Didn’t think a big oaf like me could dance?”
She shrugged. “You’re not an oaf but most men don’t like to dance or can’t. This is nice.” She snuggled close and let me lead her around the kitchen for two more songs until the oven timer sounded.
I pulled back, slowly releasing her with a smile.
Sonya spun out and then bowed as if we were in a dance competition.
“Prepare to eat the best mashed potatoes you’ve ever had.
” Her smile was cheeky and affectionate, and in that moment she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
It didn’t matter that her hair was mussed—from my fingers—or that she wore nothing but a t-shirt and socks. She was gorgeous.
That’s when it hit me.
I was in love with Sonya.
Shit, I’m in love with her.
The realization smacked me right in the chest. I wasn’t panicked, which shocked me, but I didn’t know how Sonya felt. She cared for me, I knew that much, but did she love me? I had no fucking clue and I was too chickenshit to ask.
So I showed her instead.
I listened, really listened, when she talked so she knew I cherished her thoughts.
I watched her face with hope in my eyes when she tasted my mashed potatoes, because her opinion mattered.
I touched her constantly so she knew how wanted she was.
I leaned into her touch so she knew it was welcome.
My mom always said it was the little things that a woman remembered, so I paid attention to them.
All night.
Dinner turned to dessert and she squealed with joy when I brought the cheesecake from the fridge. “Thank you for dessert. And your delicious mashed potatoes that only needed a bit of butter to be perfect.”
I laughed and shook my head. “You can’t help yourself.”
She shrugged. “Mashed potatoes are serious business.” Her lips pressed against mine softly. Gently. Almost sweetly. She cleared table and stood at the sink. “I’m sorry about the way I left the bar.”
Her apology surprised me. “You don’t owe me an apology Sonya.”
“I do. I was…overwhelmed.” She turned to face me, leaning against the sink with a wistful smile.
“Why?” Had I pushed her too far that night?
She shrugged, her gaze bouncing around the kitchen as if she couldn’t look at me.
“Because I feel too many things when you’re around Nicky.
” She smiled to herself at her use of the nickname only my mom used.
“I care about you and I worry just as much, and it’s all so complicated and sometimes I think nothing good can come of this.
” She motioned between us, her tone almost regretful.
My gut tightened and fear gripped me tighter than I’d ever known it. “Are you saying you want to end things?”
Her head snapped up, eyes wide as she frowned at me.
Then a loud laugh exploded out of her as she shook her head.
“No. God, no. If I could do that I wouldn’t feel so conflicted.
I’m just saying that all my thoughts jumble together when you’re close and I can’t think straight. That’s why I left the bar.”
I nodded as I stood, bridging half the distance between us. “Not because you were mad that I want the world to know you’re mine?”
“No, I wasn’t mad. I get it and I want that too, but I worry about you.”
Damn. Had anyone but Mom ever worried about me this way? Hell no. I took a few steps forward until I was right in her space, smiling just enough to make her lips twitch. “Is this close enough to scramble your brains?”
She laughed. “I said jumble my thoughts.”
“Same thing,” I shot back and ran my fingers through her hair until she shivered. “Like this?”
She moaned and nodded. “Yeah,” she sighed. “Just like this.”
That was all the invitation I needed.
My lips found hers. The kiss was greedy and intense from the beginning.
Her arms wrapped around me and one hand slid up the back of my neck until her fingers tangled in my hair with a soft moan.
She gasped softly and gave me more of her weight, falling into the kiss with the kind of trust that cracked open my heart and let a little more love inside.
Sonya moaned and as I lifted her, she wrapped her legs around my waist as we tumbled back to her bedroom.
The rest of the night was just for us.