Chapter 19
Poppy sat in the corner of Nick’s sofa, legs outstretched, with her laptop. He was down at the other end with his feet propped on the coffee table. She was sure it was a scene playing out all over the world right then, but the other people cared or loved each other.
They were not those people. This was due to necessity.
Four days had passed since Malcolm Davy turned her house upside down, and Nick had not left her alone once. He was keeping her safe, and she was getting used to that and being with him. The thought terrified and excited her.
Every member of the Atherton family had dropped by at different times to meet her and check up on their brother, and Poppy liked all of them.
Seeing Nick and his siblings highlighted what she didn’t have. She’d never looked to the future because of Davy, but maybe if this really ended, she could.
“I can hear you thinking from here,” Nick said.
“Writing with one good hand and a bad one is difficult. It takes lots of brainpower,” Poppy said. No way in hell was she telling him what she was really thinking.
He put his laptop on the coffee table and then looked at her.
“Where is your mother now, Poppy?”
“I don’t know. We lost touch.”
He got to his feet and took her laptop before she could stop him, placing it beside his.
“I was working. The books don’t write themselves, you know, and seeing as I’m slower now, I need to work longer hours.”
“You’ve been at it for hours already. Give your brain a break,” Nick said.
“You’re bossy.”
He smiled. “We’ve already established that and why. Lots of siblings. My life is an open book, so tell me about your mother. I want to know more about you, Poppy.”
“I don’t want to talk about her, Nick. But I do want to talk about me still being in your house.”
His sigh was loud, as it had been every time she’d brought this up.
“I can’t work out if you’re saying that to annoy me or it’s how you stop me from asking personal questions,” Nick said. “I mean, you’re not unintelligent. You know you can’t go back to your place until assface is caught, and I’m not letting you.”
“I’m an adult and make my own decisions, Nick.”
“You’re really ungrateful is what you are.”
“I’m not ungrateful,” she gritted out. “I can’t just cohabitate with you, Nick. You said there was no significant other, but I’m sure you date.”
“Actually, I have this little black book, and it has pages titled Tuesday through Sunday. Each day has three or four names, and I rotate the women. Monday is my day off.”
“Hilarious,” Poppy said.
“Look.” He moved closer. “We’re okay cohabitating like this. You’re not like Em, and a messy pig. You don’t play loud music like Sam. I can handle having you here.”
“Hercules misses his home.”
They both looked to where the cat sat in the large armchair on the blanket Nick’s mom had brought over for him. He was currently purring loud enough to reach all corners of the room.
“Yeah, I can see it’s tough on him. What’s the real problem here, Poppy?” He moved fast. His large body was over hers in seconds, knees on either side of her, arms braced behind her, effectively caging her in.
“N-no problem.” She stared into his eyes, now inches from hers. “I just don’t want to be in your way.” She hated the breathlessness in her voice. “What are you doing?”
“The only time you stop fighting me is when I put my hands and mouth on you.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Where is your mom?”
She sighed. “I really don’t know.”
“That has to be tough.” He kissed her again.
“Not everyone lives like your favorite family sitcom, Nick.”
“I know, and sorry you didn’t.”
“I did okay,” she whispered as Nick kept dropping kisses in between words on her lips. She’d known there was tension between them. Felt it every time he was close, but Poppy had been fooling herself to think they could stop this from happening if she stayed here.
“I’ve told myself for days we can’t do this, especially now I know you’re innocent?—”
“I’m not innocent,” she added.
“Close to innocent,” he growled, “and I don’t want to hear the details about you and the only man you’ve slept with.”
“That’s very Neanderthal of you, considering you’ve probably slept with lots of women, starting in college.”
“Probably, but I can’t help how I feel. I should have slept with you in college.”
“You didn’t want to. We weren’t like that back then.”
“There was something about you that got to me even then.”
She opened her mouth to deny that, but he closed it with his, and it was long, heated minutes later that he whispered the words, “No more talking. I want to be inside you, Poppy.”
Desire flooded through her veins.
“I shouldn’t want that too.”
“But you do.” His tongue licked just under her ear as he pulled her shirt free. “I need to explore you, Poppy. Every inch.”
“’Kay,” she got out as he pushed her shirt over her head and off her body.
“You’re beautiful.” His hands cupped her breasts through the white satin of her bra.
“Feels so good,” she whispered as his thumbs stroked the peaks of her nipples.
“You feel so good,” he rasped. “Now I want to taste you.”
His fingers pushed the straps from her shoulders, and then his mouth was on her. Poppy shuddered at the long sweep of his tongue down one breast.
“Don’t bite your lip to stop from making a noise, Poppy. I want to hear every sound that comes out of your mouth while I make love to you.”
“You’re always telling me what to do.” The words came out more a purr than a growl.
His laugh was low and dirty. Then he was moving down her body, stopping every inch to kiss or lick her skin. By the time Nick reached the waistband of her leggings, she was wet and aching.
“I want you naked.” He tugged the leggings down her thighs. His hands parted her legs.
“Nick.” Poppy’s whisper was desperate as he eased the satin of her panties aside, and then his mouth was there, on her.
His tongue was wicked as it swept over her slit, pulling moans and sighs from her as he caressed every inch of her wet heat.
She could feel the tension climb as his teeth grazed the hard nub between her thighs.
When his fingers eased inside her to thrust once, twice, and then a third time, Poppy cried out as an orgasm tore through her.
“I don’t think I’ll ever tire of that look on your face,” he whispered.
Opening her eyes, Poppy found him above her again.
“Take your clothes off, Nick.” She wanted to see all of him. Touch his warm skin and kiss him like he had her.
He dragged his sweater over his head and then took something out of the pocket of his sweatpants. He then dropped them and the boxers. Muscles ran in ridges down his belly, but it was the thick, hard length of his erection that drew her eyes. She sat upright.
“I want to touch you.”
He nodded.
She trailed her fingertips over his body, tracing each muscle, mapping the contours.
Leaning in, she inhaled his delicious scent and then kissed him.
Wanting the taste of Nick Atherton, she licked his chest and was rewarded with a low moan.
Her fingers grazed the smooth head of his erection and he jerked back.
“For someone with no experience, you do good,” he grunted. “But you can explore another time. I need you now.”
“Condom?” Poppy whispered.
Nick grabbed the foil packet he’d taken out of his sweatpants.
“You carry one in those?”
“While you’re in my house, I do.” He tore it open and rolled it on.
Nick then picked her up and sat with her straddling his thighs.
“Take me inside you, Poppy. I don’t want to hurt your arm.” The muscles in his jaw bunched as he looked at her. “Now,” he demanded.
Poppy may not have a lot of experience, but she read books and had learned a lot about sex that way. She rose on her knees until she felt the blunt, hot head of his erection pressing at her entrance. His hands gripped her hips as hers went around his neck.
“Just take it slow, baby.”
One large hand gripped the back of her neck as she slid down the first inch, and his mouth took hers. Poppy lowered further, feeling the delicious stretch of her muscles accommodating him.
“So tight,” he whispered, and then she took all of him inside her. He moaned. “Hell, you feel good.”
She felt the tension climb again as she rose and then lowered back down onto his hot length. He let her set the pace. Let her take it slow. But Poppy felt the effort it cost him. Soon, the delicious shudders ran through her.
“Fuck,” he gritted out, jaw clenched, and she knew he was close. “Come for me again, Poppy.”
He pulled her down as he thrust up, and she shuddered. Seconds later, she was free-falling into another orgasm. Nick joined her, pumping hard into her a final time.
She sat there, breathless, slumped against that solid chest with his arms holding her close, wondering what she’d been thinking doing that with Nick Atherton. Because Poppy was sure of one thing now: he’d just ruined her for all other men.