Chapter 21 #2
Nico gives me a flat look before he closes the distance between us, running his fingers through my hair like he seems to always do. He does it so often I’m starting to wonder what the driving force behind it is. Is it the control? The connection? Or maybe he just has a kink for red curly hair.
“You’re the first person I’ve ever brought here.”
My teasing smile falters as I look at him seriously.
“How long have you had this place for?”
“Seven years,” he says steadily.
Seven years. He’s had this place longer than he’s even known Carly, and he never brought her here. Yet, he brought me here the instant we touched down in Boston. I’m trying not to read more into it, but fuck, he’s making it really hard not to.
“Wow, if you’re not careful you’re going to make me feel like I’m special or something,” I tease.
“You are,” he answers quicker than I ever would have imagined.
My throat tightens and I do my best to swallow through it before clearing my throat. Nico seems to sense my unease and he slowly unwinds his hand in my hair, placing a chaste kiss to my lips before he speaks.
“So, let’s see what we can do about getting you some clothes and that toothbrush.”
Yeah. Some clothes and a toothbrush my ass.
Silly me, why did I assume that when he said we were going shopping for some essentials, that we’d be going to the local grocery store or something.
No, this man takes us to Newburry Street.
At first, I didn’t know what that meant.
It only took us passing by four luxury brand name stores for me to piece it together, though.
We even walked by a sign that literally said the “Rodeo Drive of the East Coast”.
After three bags from Chanel, two from Prada and four from Dior, I call it.
“Okay, what’s the deal?” I ask as I’m standing on basically a runway in the dressing room of the Versace store.
“Hm?” Nico asks as he glances up from his phone.
“Why are you buying me enough clothes to outfit an army? You know I’m already sleeping with you, right? You don’t have to try hard anymore.”
Nico smirks as he waives me towards him.
Of course I go to him, moving as carefully as I can in this silk black gown that I have absolutely no where to wear it to.
He gestures for me to straddle him and I glance to the associate who has been circling us like a hawk as she smiles and shuts the curtains, effectively closing the dressing room off from all other customers.
Climbing into his lap, I loop my arms around his neck as he holds my hips.
“Do you not like it?”
“Like what?” I ask.
“Me spoiling you.”
I laugh. “Sir, you passed spoiling about twenty thousand dollars ago.”
He shrugs. “So what’s twenty thousand more?”
Nico leans in and begins kissing my neck, moving down to my collarbone as I shake my head.
“It’s forty thousand dollars total, you know, a brand new car. Or a downpayment on a freaking house? Look, I know you’re used to throwing your money around to get your way but I don’t need it.”
He pulls away, looking at me tenderly as he nods.
“I know, that’s why you deserve it, though.”
I shake my head. “I don’t need it, though. I’m not interested in what’s in your wallet.”
“Just what’s in my pants?” he guesses.
I point to him as I nod. “Exactly, now you’re getting it.”
We both laugh at that before I shake my head.
“Seriously, I appreciate it more than you know. I feel like I’m having a pretty woman moment right now. You do know I’m a receptionist/college student, not a hooker, right?”
He furrows his brows in confusion.
“Fuck, I do this every time.”
My mouth drops open, and I smack his chest as he laughs.
“Asshole.”
He grins as I try to push away from him, pulling me closer as he presses my mouth to his.
I haven’t really seen this side of him. This relaxed, playfulness.
It’s a complete 180 from how he was in Seattle, how he was around Carly.
The na?ve little voice in my head says I’m the thing that’s bringing it out in him.
“Seriously,” he says. “I hope I’m not making you uncomfortable. I just…I want you to like it out here. I want to make you comfortable and I may or may not be trying to sway you into coming out to Boston more than just this once.”
“Really?” I ask.
He shakes his head like it’s so obvious.
“Cassi, I’d move you out here right fucking now if I thought you’d let me.”
I blink at that, more than a little stunned. Okay, maybe the fling thing was a little too built up in my head. No doubt from a point of self-preservation or something. Then again, maybe he wants his side treat on the tap, easy access and all that.
“We barely know each other, Nico.”
He nods. “And I hate it. I want to know every single thing about you, and I want your zip code to be the same as mine while we do it.”
My heart squeezes at his words and before I can respond, he continues.
“But, I know that isn’t our reality right now, so I’ll settle for stealing you away for moments like this.”
“Until Carly comes back,” I unhelpfully add, effectively ruining the moment.
Nico frowns as he shakes his head.
“It’s not like that.”
“It’s okay, Nico. I get it, and I’m having a great time.
I followed you across the country knowing what this is.
I’m a big girl,” I say as I stand and head for the dressing room, shutting the door behind me as a nasty wave of guilt and self-deprecation slam into me.
Though, I don’t get to revel in my misery for longer than a moment or two before the door comes swinging open, and a pissed off looking Nico is standing in front of me.
I startle for a moment and go to ask him what he's doing but before I can, he’s lifting me into his arms, pressing my back against the wall of the dressing room.
“What the fuck did you just say?”
“What...I—”
He cuts me off, shaking his head.
“No, what the fuck did you just say? That you know what this is? Tell me, Cassi, what is this?”
I can feel myself practically curling within myself as I shrug.
“I don’t know. I just…I don’t want to read more into this…thing then there is.”
“Read away, babygirl. This thing between you and I is so fucking messy, so intensive, so epic, it’s like galaxies colliding.
It’s important, it’s real, and I’m not letting you go anytime soon.
So, don’t you dare try to diminish it, don’t try to diminish yourself or who you are to me.
I’ve known you for one week and yet it feels like you’ve been by my side for my entire life. ”
I’m speechless, actually fucking speechless. That was more romantic than any book, movie or poem I’ve ever seen or read in my life, and it was just delivered by the world’s sexiest man to me. Honestly, what do I say to that?
“I wanted this weekend with you but I want so much more than just one weekend with you, Cassi. I want all of the weekends with you. I want…you.”
“What about—”
“You. Just you, do you get that?” he asks, his eyes practically begging me to agree with him.
So, what’s a girl to do?
Slowly, I nod my head, and what looks like relief fills his gaze before he closes his eyes and nods, pressing a kiss to my lips.