I realized that if I turned to face him, we’d be practically mouth to mouth, but the way he said my name sounded so earnest, so sincere, I couldn’t resist. When I rolled over to face him, we were so close we shared the same air, and I tried to steady my racing heart. Even in the dark, I could see where he focused his gaze.
“I like you,” he said, his gaze drinking in my lips.
“I like you too.”
That little affirmation was all Nick needed, and he reached for my hip at the same time his mouth brushed against mine.
“Is this okay?” he whispered against my lips.
When I nodded, trying not to tremble, his fingers deepened their grip on my hip as I moaned against him. His body was like fire, it was so hot, and hard in places I never realized that bodies could be hard before. Nick had muscles everywhere, and I liked the way they molded against all the softer parts of me.
I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling at his hair and deepening our kiss. It was emotional, filled with desire, want, and need. But I wasn’t ready for anything more than kissing, and I knew instinctively that Nick wouldn’t push it.
In that moment, I realized that I trusted him. After everything that had happened tonight, Nick had earned my trust faster and more completely than anyone ever had before.
We held hands as we kissed, linking our fingers as we held on to each other as if we were afraid to let go. When we finally did break apart, I blinked hard, trying to steady my heart. There were no words for kisses like those; they were intimate, conveying a depth of emotion that forged bonds between us.
I was afraid to say anything, not wanting to break the spell, hoping that if anyone broke the silence, it would be Nick. His breathing echoed my own, rapid and shallow.
“Jess?” He said my name softly, giving it an unspoken question that floated between us in the darkness.
“Yeah?” I inhaled deeply, trying to slow the breaths that still came out in quick bursts.
“That was really nice.”
I smiled, so glad he couldn’t see the blush I knew was creeping into my cheeks. “It was something, all right, but I’m not sure I’d call it nice.”
Nick laughed and leaned forward to press his lips against my forehead. “I don’t know what else to call it without ruining the moment.”
He was probably right. Calling it hot wouldn’t have fit, nor would anything else I could think of. Nice would have to do.
“Good night, Jess.”
“Good night, Nick.”
He sighed as he wrapped his arms around me, and I closed my eyes and dreamed of him.
I woke up the next morning emotionally spent, yet also refreshed. It was a contradictory feeling that I didn’t understand at first until memories of every moment from last night hit me at once.
How would I ever be the same after everything that had happened? Not only because of the altercation at the party, but because of how Nick handled it, how he handled me. I’d never been in that kind of situation before—thank God—so I wasn’t sure what other guys normally did. But I was pretty certain that almost strangling someone with your bare hands probably wasn’t the most normal reaction. Then again, what did I know about guys and their tempers?
I felt connected to Nick now. He’d comforted me, taken care of me, fought for me. He made me feel safe, and I never knew before last night that a guy could make you feel like that. Honestly, I never knew before last night that I wanted to feel that way.
Focusing my sleepy eyes on my bedroom wall, I’d almost forgotten that I’d asked Nick to stay with me until I rolled over and practically crashed into his hard stomach. His arm moved around me and he pulled my body against his. I was certain he was still asleep until his lips curled into a devilish smile.
I swatted at his chest. “Nick, are you awake?”
“If I say no, will you stay like this?” he asked, knowing damn well what was currently pressing against my thigh.
Smiling, I tried to pull away from him, but he held me in place. “Nick,” I said with a groan.
“Jess.” He groaned back, mimicking me.
When his eyes opened and he stared at me, drinking me in, I wasn’t sure how I stopped myself from quivering, because that look sent a fire through every part of me.
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
It wasn’t a request, yet it wasn’t a demand either. Nick’s words were simple, direct, and non-negotiable.
My eyes closed instinctively as I parted my lips and waited for him. The bed moved under me as Nick got closer. His thumb stroked the length of my cheek before brushing across my lips.
“Do you know how beautiful you are?”
I dipped my head but said nothing, squeezing my eyes shut a little tighter. I wasn’t great at accepting compliments, and this was no exception. His breath was closing in, I could feel his exhale around me, and yet I still waited for the feel of his lips. When his hands moved away from my face, his mouth was suddenly there, meeting mine.
God, his lips were soft. So soft.
We kissed until we found our rhythm and fell into it, our bodies coming together, touching and stroking as we explored each other, everything working in unison as if we were made for each other. Kissing Nick was like eating your favorite ice cream on a hot summer day—taste-bud overload and way too good to stop.
His hands threaded through my hair as my fingers found themselves firmly embedded in his shoulder blades. Our movements were sensual, slow, and passionate, both of us taking our time to explore the kiss, the curve of each other’s back, the hardness of muscle. I squeaked when he accidentally bit my bottom lip, and he pulled away, a smirk on his face.