Chapter 11
Henry
Iwatched Nick’s back as the door shut and wanted to curse Uriel for giving me such an impossible task.
Nick’s reaction made it clear I hadn’t done a good job of skating the line.
He’d shut down after saying he’d give us a chance.
I could sense his inner turmoil as he struggled with what I’d told him.
He also drank a lot more after our talk.
By the time we got to the B something I also couldn’t let happen.
I wasn’t equipped to handle this situation.
My dating history had always been tertiary.
I’d never entertained getting serious, because I was still a child by angel standards.
Two centuries is a blink of an eye for a being who measured their lifespan in millennia.
I was still seated when Nick emerged from the bathroom, not even glancing my way. He’d changed into shorts and a tee shirt and walked past me like I hadn’t been there. Without a word, he pulled the sheets back on the far side of the bed, crawled under them and presented me his back.
Talk about icing me out.
Never go to bed angry was something my mother taught me. Doubtful she meant it in this context, but it was sound advice. Nick’s actions and body language signaled there’d be no more discussion tonight.
I shuffled my way to the bathroom, anxious about what to do next.
I wanted so badly for him to turn around and face me, but he didn’t.
My mind was teeming with thoughts as I faced myself.
I looked weary because I was. This was the moment Uriel had warned me about.
The easy fix would be to walk out and show him my powers.
Then I could explain we, he and I, were angels.
The easy way would also doom him to a quick death.
Splashing water on my face, I pushed that image from my mind. Uriel had said Nick and I could find a way forward, so long as I found the right path. I clung to those words like a lifeline.
In my arrogance, I thought this would be easy. Telling him I held something back, but would tell him soon seemed brilliant at the time. Clearly, it wasn’t the way forward.
I brushed my teeth slowly, pushing every brain cell to find a solution to Uriel’s riddle. Nothing came to me, which shouldn’t have been a surprise. Things like feelings and emotions couldn’t be forced. Normally I accepted that, but this wasn’t normal. Convincing Nick was a matter of life or death.
My head ached as I left the bathroom, but it was nothing compared to the pain in my chest. Nick’s energy washed over me, only this time it wasn’t soothing. He was awake, but based on what I felt, he was probably just as uneasy over our situation as me.
Staring at the bed, I wondered if I should sleep in the car or find a hotel. Sharing a bed seemed far too intimate for where we were at that moment.
I changed into shorts and a clean tee shirt. No great revelation came to me, so I followed the plan. If Nick had been uncomfortable with me in the bed, he would’ve slept somewhere else.
As I crawled into the king bed, dreading the tension that filled the air.
Nick didn’t stir as I slipped under the sheets, the small space between us a vast and insurmountable distance.
The tension in the air was palpable. I wanted to reach out and touch him, to feel the warmth of his body against mine, but I was frozen by indecision.
The fact Nick got in the bed probably meant he still wanted something more with me. But what if he didn’t? If he stayed because he felt he had nowhere else to go, any move on my part wouldn’t be welcome. Would he feel secure enough to tell me to stop?
I’d stop, of course, if I felt even an ounce of hesitation, but only an asshole would put him in that position. Before I touched him, I needed to be sure it was welcome.
“Nick?” My voice was barely a whisper, but it echoed through the darkened room.
Pushing out a tendril of talent, I reached for Nick’s presence. He was awake and had heard me. Seconds ticked off as I anxiously waited for his response. All he did was feign sleep.
I had my answer.
I turned onto my side and faced his back in case he’d relent and acknowledge my attempt to speak. He wouldn’t, but that didn’t stop me from hoping.
Watching his torso move as he breathed, I focused on how to win him back. And I would find a way. Failure wasn’t an option. As cliched as that saying was, it was true. I wasn’t going to let my HKarlin die.