45. A Couple Of Days Of Hot Sex Will Do That To A Gal
A Couple Of Days Of Hot Sex Will Do That To A Gal
Missy
‘This is nice.’
I tip my glass and take another sip of wine as I lean back against Nick’s chest on the lounger he pulled down to the beach. His legs stretch out around mine, one hand linked with mine on my chest, both of us with a free hand for drinking.
‘The wine or the company?’ he asks softly next to my ear, and I shiver from his breath on my skin, making him chuckle, low and slow.
‘Everything,’ I admit. ‘The moonlight on the lake, the sounds of nature, the fire, this wine, and you.’
‘Perfect,’ he adds, and I nod, yeah. It’s perfect. ‘You warm enough?’ He pulls up the blanket, covering us a little higher as he asks, and I nod again.
‘I kind of don’t want to go back to reality,’ I admit, and he holds me a little closer.
‘Well, we have a whole new reality to get used to,’ I smile at his words, ‘and we need to tell Jonah.’
I laugh. ‘He already thinks you’re my boyfriend.’
‘That makes me feel even worse, Miss. He thinks that, but we never talked to him about it. Tomorrow — we need to talk to him tomorrow.’
‘It’s okay, Nick. He loves you.’
‘And I love him, but it’s just been the two of you for so long. He deserves a real conversation about this.’
‘I don’t expect anything of you, you know, where he’s concerned. We’re just starting this thing: me and you. I’m not expecting you to step in and be his new dad.’
The idea knots up my stomach as thoughts of Bax flood my brain, and Nick kisses my temple.
‘Don’t think about him.’ He kisses me again, ‘And as for Jonah, I’m not rushing anything with him, but I want you to know that I’m entering into this relationship with you knowing you come as a package deal. I wouldn’t get into this if I wasn’t expecting us to become a family.’
A sob bursts out of me, and I sit forward.
‘Oh my god.’ I put my glass on the little table Nick brought down and cover my face. ‘This is embarrassing.’ I cry and wipe my eyes.
‘Honey, what’s wrong?’ Nick’s hand strokes up my back, and I turn to face him.
‘You are the best man I have ever met. Do you know that?’ He smiles but looks a little nervous. ‘I was attracted to you because you are smoking hot, but I thought you were the world’s biggest asshole.’ He laughs, shocked, and I smile — a watery, tearful smile. ‘The girls kept telling me to give you a chance, that you were a good man, and I didn’t believe them, then slowly, bit by bit, starting with the way you were with Jonah, you showed me what a good man you are, I didn’t stand a chance of not falling in love with you.’
‘Remind me to thank the girls.’
‘I lost my family, Nick. I lost pretty much my entire family in one day. I tried to build a new one with Bax and Jonah, and you know how well that went. It’s all I have ever wanted, and then you come along — this beautiful, perfect, hardworking, sexy, funny, kind man, and you want that with us!’
He smiles now but tilts his head to the side like a confused puppy.
‘Miss, there’s nothing I want more.’ Sliding along the lounger toward me, Nick reaches up to cup my cheek. ‘I never had much in the way of family either, not really. They were there, but it wasn’t a happy one. I swore to myself I would never be like him, and if I got the chance to be a dad, I would be the best dad there is. Me and Jonah, we got dealt the same hand in the dad stakes, so when you’re ready, when he is, I want to be the one to make that right for him, do better for him, and maybe even give him a sibling or a two.’
I gasp, my lips parting at his words.
‘You want to put a baby in me?’ My voice is high, pinched, full of emotion, and he laughs.
‘Miss, I’d put a baby in you right now if I thought you’d let me.’
I shake my head but can’t keep the smile off my face.
‘No babies, not yet, but we can practice.’
Grinning, I stand and hold out my hand for his. Taking it, he pulls me back down, and I shriek at the sudden movement until his lips find mine.
‘We’re all alone, Miss. We can practice right here.’
‘ I don’t wanna, ’ I whine, and Nick laughs.
‘Quit it and get your butt in the car.’
We’re leaving the cabin. We stayed an extra night on Doug and Cara’s orders. We sent them all a photo of us and told them we were officially a couple, and Doug said we were taking another day at the cabin. When we protested, Cara said she wasn’t giving Jonah back even if we went home, so we might as well stay. So we did.
We made love all night, ate breakfast in bed, swam and made out in the lake, and lay in the sun, both of us reading and enjoying that calm joy that held us. We showered together, cooked dinner together, and talked some more. I asked him if my scars bothered him, and he reminded me that he had his own. Then he kissed them and assured me, with his body on top of mine, that he loves every inch of me exactly as it is.
It's been perfect and wonderful, and as much as I miss Jonah, as much as I love Forest Falls, a huge part of me never wants to leave this bubble we’re in.
‘Are you going to stay at my place tonight?’ I ask, turning to find Nick smiling as he drives.
‘Do you want me to?’
‘Of course I do. You’re my man.’
His smile grows, matching mine, and he turns his gaze on me briefly before returning it to the road.
‘I am a man in a relationship now, so I will just do what I’m told,’ he quips, then reaches across to grip my thigh. ‘I will stay over whenever you want me to, but I also don’t want us to go too fast and freak either you or Jonah out. Been a long time since you have a man sharing your space. ’
Part of me wants to dive in with both feet, say screw it, move in, we love each other, but his words hit home. I love my own space and my own company, and Nick and I haven’t even been on a real date yet.
I place my hand over his on my leg and gaze out of the window, watching the countryside pass us by as we drive in calm silence.
We’re good. There’s no rush.
‘Oh my god, you’re glowing.’
Zoe’s voice calls out from the iPad on the table, and I grin, happy.
‘Well, a couple of days of hot sex will do that to a gal,’ Bree answers, and I laugh.
‘Also, a couple of days sitting out and swimming in the sun.’
‘Yeah, sun, right.’ Cara raises an eyebrow and sips from her glass.
‘So, you two are like fully on and official now. How is it?’ Zoe asks, and oh my god, I have not stopped smiling this entire time.
‘It’s amazing. He’s—’ I shrug, and Zoe smirks .
‘I told you he’s a good man.’
‘You did. You all did, and you were right. He’s incredible.’
‘And Jonah?’ Cara knew we were telling Jonah about us this afternoon, so asks for an update.
‘I don’t know if he fully understands. He thought Nick was my boyfriend before any of this happened, so he noticed something between us, but we sat him down, and Nick told him that he loves me, and he loves him, and that he’s going to be spending a lot of time with us, sleeping over and doing fun stuff.’
‘They just kind of roll with it, don’t they? Once Bo knew that Doug loving me didn’t change how much he loved her, she was on board.’
‘Yeah, he was good.’
‘So why the long face?’ Bree questions.
‘I don’t know. I feel weird.’ I put down my glass and cover my face with my hands for a moment while my friends wait for me to explain. ‘It’s just been me and Jonah for so long, and he knows he has a father, but he doesn’t ask about him or even want to see him.’
‘Good!’ Zoe hisses.
‘That motherfucker is not a father,’ Bree snaps.
‘My point is, Jonah hasn’t ever asked for a dad in his life. It didn’t matter to him that he didn’t have that, and then, over the past few months, I watched him bond with Doug, Merv, and Buck, and it was beautiful to see how he gravitated toward these amazing male role models and how they all accepted him into their lives. Then Nick came along, and even when he and I didn’t get along, the love affair between Nick and Jonah was rolling down the hill, gathering snow, growing.’
‘Honey, what are you trying to say?’
‘They loved each other before we did. They bonded while we were still fighting, and Jonah has accepted Nick into our lives without a second glance, so I don’t know, I just…’
‘You need to get used to Jonah having someone else to turn to,’ Cara finishes.
‘Isn’t that weird? I should be so happy that they adore each other, and I am, but also, I feel—’
‘Jealous.’ Zoe finishes, and I drop my forehead to the table.
‘Oh my god. I’m such an asshole.’
‘No, you’re not at all.’ I feel Cara’s hand on my back. ‘Doug and Jessie both went through weird emotions when Bo accepted me with open arms. It’s a lot of change.’
‘But I think you need to talk to Nick about this,’ Zoe says softly. ‘You’re in a relationship with him, Miss. Communication is key to making sure this thing never stops working.’
‘What if he thinks I’m pushing him away again?’
‘He won’ t. He knows you love him,’ Bree assures in her no-bullshit tone.
‘I really do.’ I smile, and I know my friends are right. Nick and I are solid. We just need to keep talking.
When I let myself into my apartment, I smile. The TV is on quietly, the dishes are all done and put away, and the side table lamps illuminate the space, but Nick is nowhere to be seen.
I left Bree’s house feeling better about the emotions I’ve been feeling — everything has been turned on its head, and it’s a lot. Bax is behind bars, and Jonah and I aren’t alone anymore. As I walk through my apartment, wondering where the hell he is, I find myself outside Jonah’s room, and I gently push on the partially open door and peek inside.
There he is. There they both are. I inhale shakily at the sight of Nick sitting up in Jonah’s bed, eyes closed, my boy’s favorite bedtime story in his lap, and my baby asleep against his chest.
I have stuff to deal with, get used to, but this — the two of them, someone sharing some of the load — this is everything I have dreamed of and never thought I would have.
I love this man, and I know we’re only going to get stronger and stronger .
Walking over toward the bed, I gently stroke my fingers through his hair, and he inhales as he opens his eyes, first, looking down at Jonah, then up at me with a sleepy, gorgeous smile that makes my stomach flip over.
Gently, Nick slides out from under Jonah, laying him down with a kiss on his head before following me out of the room. Once the door is closed, Nick reaches out for my arm and pulls me to him, kissing me like he’s waited his whole life to do so.
‘Missed you,’ he whispers against my lips, and I wrap my arms around his neck.
‘I missed you too.’
And without another word, he picks me up, carries me to the bedroom, and shows me exactly how much.