44. Chapter 44
Lydia
Iwake up to the smell of coffee and bacon. I didn’t have much of an appetite last night, but this morning I’m starving.
I pad into Nick’s bathroom to check my reflection, fully expecting puffy eyes and tangled hair.
Instead, the woman staring back at me looks well-rested and happy.
I find some mouthwash under the sink to use and run my fingers through my hair.
Going to bed with it wet is never a good idea, but it could’ve been worse.
I consider putting my bra back on before heading into the kitchen, since the white T-shirt Nick has given me is worn so thin it’s practically see-through.
I quickly decide against it. He’s already seen all there is to see, and the man did nothing but worship my body a few hours ago.
The memory warms my cheeks, and I can’t stop the smile spreading across my face.
I look at myself in the mirror again and decide I really like the woman looking back at me.
I walk into the kitchen to find Nick in nothing but gray sweats sitting deliciously low on his hips, a dish towel slung over his shoulder. I step up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, pressing a kiss just beneath his shoulder.
“Should you be cooking bacon without a shirt on?” I tease.
He glances at me and smirks. “Aw, so sweet, baby. You’re worried about me.” He turns and wraps me tightly in his arms, ducking down so we’re eye level.
“Did you sleep okay?” He brushes a stray piece of hair from my face, his hand lingering on my cheek. I hum softly, leaning into his touch, loving the warmth of his skin against mine.
“I slept great. I had a cuddly, tough guy wrapped around me all night to keep the bad guys away. How about you?”
“I had a gorgeous blonde in my bed. I was the happiest man on the planet.”
He winks before bending down to brush his lips against mine.
“Thank you again, Nick, for letting me stay here. And for being so patient with me last night. I’ve never had someone take such good care of me.” I don’t say it for sympathy, but Nick’s eyes turn sad anyway.
“This is the bare minimum of what you deserve, Lydia. And as far as you staying here, I will be perfectly fine if you never leave.” My eyes must widen at the admission as Nick hurries to add, “I don’t mean in a creepy ‘I’ve got you here and I’m never letting you go’ way; I just mean I would love having you here with me all the time.
Your stuff with mine. My pillows smelling like your shampoo.
Your toothbrush in the holder on my sink… You know, couple stuff.”
His expression turns shy, so I decide to take pity on him. “Couple stuff, huh? Are you saying you want to be a couple with me, Mr. Fulsom?” I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck.
“I’m saying I would very much like to be a couple with you, Ms. Hayes.”
He reaches down and grips me under my thighs, lifting me up. My legs immediately wrap around him as he carries me to the island, gently placing me on top. He kisses me, slow and deep, and I can feel everything he’s not saying behind it. Everything we’re both finally allowing ourselves to admit.
“You know what this morning needs?” I ask, breaking our kiss, my eyes wide with excitement. Nick looks like he wants to laugh at the sudden change in tone.
“Can I see your phone?” I ask, stretching out my palm.
He doesn’t hesitate. He just pulls it from his pocket and hands it to me.
I try not to let on how much that tiny show of trust means.
I fiddle with the Bluetooth settings until I find the one labeled Home Speaker, reach for the song I am looking for, then press play. “You Make My Dreams,” by Hall & Oates.
I slide off the counter, anything but graceful, taking Nick’s hands in mine.
I half expect him to laugh at me and tell me I am being silly.
Simon always did. I tried many times to get him to dance around the house with me early in our relationship, but he always told me how ridiculous I was.
I always brushed it off, never letting him see how much it hurt.
I honestly don’t think he would have cared.
But I should’ve known better with Nick. His eyes light up, and he doesn’t skip a beat, matching my energy immediately.
I’ve learned Nick is the exact opposite of Simon.
He pulls me in and out in a move he’s making up as he goes.
Dancing has always been a catharsis for me.
I do it when I’m happy. I do it when I’ve had a bad day and need to put myself in a better mood.
Dancing like a total spaz is like therapy for me.
We dance around the kitchen island, Nick pausing only briefly to turn the bacon off before we burn the house down. Then he pulls out a wooden spoon and pretends to sing the lyrics. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard.
When the song comes to an end, he pulls me close, kissing my temple, soft fingers brushing down my back. “Please don’t ever stop dancing around the house with no pants on.”
My mind flashes back to the time he knocked on my door, and I answered in just a T-shirt and Care Bear underwear. I laugh at the memory, knowing he’s thinking of that day also.
“Thank you for dancing with me,” I say playfully as Nick pulls me closer to him.
“Pretty girl, I will always dance with you,” he replies, voice deep and soft, sending a tidal wave of emotion to my gut. I pull back before I blurt out the fact I have fallen in love with him.
“Do I smell coffee?” I ask, changing the subject.
We sit at the island and eat eggs, bacon, and toast while drinking coffee and talking about the bookstore and Nick’s shop. We know we need to talk about what happened last night, but neither of us is ready to burst the perfect little bubble we’ve created.
“I was asked to go get margaritas with a couple of girls I know tonight. Like a girls’ night,” I say, taking a piece of Nick’s toast off his plate.
“Oh yeah? Do I know these girls?” Nick asks, grabbing my coffee mug and refilling it for me, adding a couple of big dollops of creamer.
“You do. Sam and Ellie? They came by the bookstore yesterday and asked if I wanted to meet them. I was really excited about getting to hang out with them, but now I’m not so sure it’s a good idea.
” I shrug, hating the idea of missing out on the first girls’ night I’ve been asked to.
“It’s probably for the best. Simon never allowed me to have actual girlfriends, so I’m not sure I’d even know what to do. ”
I let out a humorless laugh and look down at my plate. Nick reaches over, softly grabbing my hand and bringing it up to his lips.
“It kills me how much he took from you, Lydi. I know it’s scary right now with him coming around, but if you want to see your friends for a girls’ night, I want you to go.
I’ll make sure he doesn’t come anywhere near you.
Not tonight. Not ever.” Nick ducks his head to look me in the eyes, his words hitting home. “I will always keep you safe.”