23. Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Three
Eliza
“Who’s up for a game of charades?” my dad asks. “It’s a family tradition.”
Nick looks over to me. “That’s awesome !”
I raise my brows in surprise. “You really think so?”
No one has ever thought my nerdy family was anything other than, well … nerdy.
“Yeah, come on!” He grabs my hand and whisks me away to the living room—in order to keep up, I have to jog. Nick plops down onto the end of the couch, and in a moment of pure clumsiness, I land right in his lap.
I freeze, our gazes locking as the warmth of his body encompasses mine. I try to ignore the way my heart’s pounding. My hands are trembling, and my stomach is swirling…
He’s so close, his face only inches from mine, and I want him even closer.
What’s happening?
“Sorry,” he mumbles, releasing my hand.
I shake my head, not letting his eyes go. “Don’t be. I’m just a klutz.”
He chuckles, a smile tugging at his lips. “Well, for the record—”
“Aw, look at you two.” Granny’s voice interrupts the moment.
My eyes go wide as my face heats up, and I slide to the side of Nick, disappointed and confused. I look up at Granny, who’s got the most curious look on her face. She’s probably wondering why we were sitting like that when there was no one to pretend in front of. Nick’s eyes are on his hands, and I can’t seem to catch them before my parents join us.
The game of charades goes just as smooth as dinner did. Nick is killing it, and I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard in my entire life. The man has no shame, and no problem acting like a total goof—even in front of my entire family. The sincerity in the way he does things is just … amazing.
“Okay, last one, here we go.” Nick takes a deep breath, before beginning to act out the word he drew from the bowl. He starts wobbling and jiggling, his body contorting in exaggerated movements .
He looks like a melted candle, and I can’t help but burst into uncontrollable laughter. His efforts are so over-the-top, it’s impossible not to be entertained at the sheer ridiculousness of his performance.
“A seizure!” I yell out, trying to guess the word.
Nick shakes his head, dissatisfied with my answer, and switches tactics. Now he is scooping his hand in an imaginary jar and running it through his hair, attempting to mold his locks into a mohawk shape. He points to the imaginary jar.
“Hair gel?” I suggest, earning a nod from Nick before he continues with his performance.
He holds his arms high above his head in a circular motion, causing my mom to shout out her guess: “The sun! Bleaching your hair in the sun!” She applauds herself proudly as Nick squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head, unable to contain his laughter now.
But still determined to get us to guess correctly, he starts the circular motion again and throws in some ridiculous body shakes for good measure, all while laughing uncontrollably.
“Ooooooh! It’s Jell-o!” I squeal out, finally guessing correctly and adding to the chorus of laughter filling the room.
“Yes! You got it!” Nick nods triumphantly amidst his chuckles, happy that we have all been thoroughly entertained.
Granny claps her hands together with a big grin on her face. “That was a spectacle!” she exclaims, wiping her tears from laughing so hard.
Nick takes a small bow while still grinning widely. “Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all week. ”
“You’re good at this, Nick,” my dad says to him as the game ends. “You belong at our Thanksgiving charades. You took it up a notch.”
“Thank you. Hopefully, I’ll be back for many, many more to come.” His gaze clicks with mine for a split second, but not long enough for me to read his expression. “But, um.” His eyes drop to his watch—his non -smart watch. “I probably should get going. It’s getting kind of late, and the store has its Black Friday sale tomorrow.”
“Oh,” Mom says in a disappointed voice as she fixes her hair up into a ponytail. “Well, I hate to see you go already, but we sure are glad you joined us tonight. I couldn’t be happier about you and Eliza.”
He nods. “Thank you. I’m happy too.”
Everyone says their goodbyes, and I get up to walk him out. Granny, however, grabs him before we make it to the door.
“Nick, you did really great tonight.” Granny’s expression is soft, and almost… sympathetic?
“Thanks, Ms. Marilyn,” Nick replies, his voice dropping down a few notches. It’s a notable change, and it hits me as a sobering reminder…
None of this was real, but I don’t want it to be … do I?
“I’ll walk you to your truck,” I say quickly, opening the front door. A sharp breeze blows through the door, and Nick grabs my coat for me. “Thank you.” I slide it on and follow him out, not missing the raised eyebrow from Granny .
It’s strikingly dark outside, the warmth of the holidays dissipating into the cold black cover. Our feet crunch across the leaves, and Nick doesn’t say anything. However, he does stop just outside of the driver’s side of his truck, turning to face me.
“Thank you again for tonight.” I gaze up at him, his blue eyes soft as they peer into mine. “You were amazing.”
“Your family is great, Eliza.” He chuckles. Something about the way he’s looking at me, has me taking a step toward him.
“I…” My voice trails off as my heart begins to pound with anticipation.
Nick reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me into his chest. I breathe in his cologne and then lean my head back, the tension palpable between us. “Happy Thanksgiving, Nick.”
His lips curl upward and a mischievous glint dances in his eyes, drawing me closer. The world around us seems to freeze for a moment as we lock gazes, both feeling the pull of an unspoken desire between us.
With slow and deliberate movements, he leans in, leaving our lips mere inches apart. As his warm breath tickles my skin and his nose brushes against mine, all my senses come alive.
My heart is now thrumming in my chest as I wait for his next move.
And then, in one swift and exhilarating moment, Nick’s lips capture mine in a tender kiss. It’s soft and supple at first before growing bolder with each passing second. I taste the sweetness of apple pie and warmth of cinnamon on his lips, a delicious combination that has me melting into his embrace.
He grazes my bottom lip teasingly with his tongue, coaxing me to open up to him.
And I do.
His tongue slips into my mouth, igniting a passionate dance that sets every nerve ending on fire. I let out a soft moan into his mouth as his hands grip my waist tightly, pulling me closer as the intensity of the kiss grows. It’s heavy and heady with raw desire.
Suddenly, it feels like I’ve been brought back to life from the dead.
And I want Nick.
My hands wrap around his muscular neck, and I tangle my fingers into his hair, pulling him impossibly closer as he lets out a low groan into my mouth. The sound only fuels the fire burning within me. I can feel the heat of his body pressed against mine as the kiss deepens, our connection growing stronger with every passing second.
This kiss is unlike any other I’ve experienced before.
It’s intoxicating and addicting.
But just as quickly as it began, it’s over.
And I’m left breathless and craving more of him, my lips swollen and my heart thudding.
“Happy Thanksgiving, Eliza. I’ll see ya around.”
My brows furrow with confusion, and then he points to the window, and the audience we have peering through the blinds.
So that is why he kissed me.
My heart plummets as I back away a few steps, giving him an awkward wave as he climbs into the driver’s seat of his truck.
It’s all pretend—even the mind-blowing kiss. And that’s for the best. Right?
I just got caught up in the moment.
We’re better off as friends.
“You’re a good friend, Nick,” I blurt out, and he stops, his hand on the door.
He says nothing, only nodding as he slams it shut.