Even though my stomach is swirling, and I’m deliriously tired, my eyes can’t help but drink in his delicious body. It’s too perfect not to ogle. Not overly muscular, but not skinny either. A hint of a V muscle, slim hips, and tight, compact pecs. Pure perfection!
My eyes snap back to Nick’s face when he asks, “I know; who do you think let me in?” He waggles his brows, his tone cheeky. “Now scoot.”
Once I’ve wiggled to the far side of my bed, he pulls back the comforter then glides in. I giggle when he repositions the mountain of pillows on my bed. He even throws a handful of them onto the floor like missiles. When he’s comfortable, he motions for me to join him. With a smile, I scamper across the bed so I can lay my head on his bare chest. His heart is beating as wildly as mine, his skin just as sticky.
I peer up at him when he asks, “Have you eaten anything today?” He sighs when I shake my head. “You have to eat, Jen, or you’ll get even sicker.”
Leaning over, he grabs the bowl of chicken noodle soup from my bedside table before nudging me with his shoulder, requesting I lift my head. When I do, he lowers a spoonful of Maria’s famous chicken noodle soup into my mouth. I moan when the delicious flavors engulf my taste buds. Grinning at my positive response, Nick offers me another spoonful.
Our routine continues until I’ve eaten the entire bowl of chicken noodle soup. “Good girl,” Nick praises.
I snuggle back into his chest. The rapid beating of his heart soothes my thumping head while his gentle rubs on my back make my swirling stomach less noticeable. I feel safe and protected in his arms. I’d even go as far as saying cherished.
And perhaps loved.
Just as the words I’ve wanted to say to Nick for months prepare to escape my lips, so does the chicken noodle soup. I dive over him before darting into the bathroom. I make it to the toilet with only a second to spare. My body doesn’t stop heaving until every drop of the soup is expelled from my stomach. It's a brutally long five minutes.
Groaning, I rest my head on my forearm slumped over the toilet seat. I feel ten times worse when Nick wets a cloth in the vanity sink. I really don’t want him to see me like this. Ignoring my silent protests for him to go, he wipes the vomit from my chin as his worried eyes dance over my ashen face.
Confident he’s cleaned up the mess, he tosses the washcloth in the sink. “Do you feel better?”
I nod but continue to lean against my arm. I’m so tired, I don’t have the energy to move. Noticing my exhausted state, Nick scoops me into his arms. He flushes the toilet and switches on the exhaust fan before placing me back in my bed.
This time, he throws off every pillow but two. Once he lies down, he rolls me over so he can spoon my back. As the soft curves of my body melt into his, my blinking lengthens and my breathing shallows.
Just before tiredness overcomes me, I whisper, “I love you, Nick.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Nick
Jenni’s sleepy confession should freak me the fuck out, but for some reason unbeknownst to me, it doesn’t. That falling I mentioned months ago isn’t just falling anymore. I’vefallen.That’s why I rocked up to her house uninvited. I didn’t expect her father to let me in—his wife isn’t a fan of mine because of the whole paternity fiasco—but I was worried when Jenni canceled our date because she was sick. I hated the thought of her being ill and alone.
When I explained that to her dad, he considered my response for several long painful minutes before opening the door for me to enter. He probably wouldn’t have been so accommodating if he knew how hard I got every time Jenni’s lips circled the spoon.
Even pale and tired, she’s as beautiful as ever, and taking care of her has those feelings I mentioned months ago catapulting to a new level, freeing me to express myself without fear of backlash. “I love you too, baby.”
I press my lips to her temple before snuggling in closer. My ultimate rule breaker just made me break the very top rule on my list, yet I couldn’t be happier.
What the fuck is happening to me?
* * *
I don’t know what the time is when something pokes me in the back. I grunt before moving away from the sharp pointy object, only to be struck again a second later. When I sluggishly open my eyes, I almost jump out of my skin. Jenni’s mother, Taylor, is standing over me. The sharp pointy object digging into my back is her finger.
“Can I have a word—in private?”
Nodding, I kiss Jenni’s temple, then slip out of her bed, trying my hardest to cover my morning glory with my hands. I realize I’m failing when Taylor’s eyes narrow after landing on my crotch. I don’t know what she’s expecting. It’s god-knows-what-time in the morning, and I was just snuggled up to the most perfect ass in the world. A stiffy is bound to happen.
Taylor’s eyes slit more before she motions for me to join her in the hallway. I grab my jeans, shirt, and shoes off the floor before walking out of Jenni’s room on the heels of her mother. Taylor watches me get dressed in the clothes I was wearing the night before, her anger intensifying the more clothes I put on.
“She's sick,” I explain, not wanting her to think we were doing anything sexual under her roof. I may be an ass, but I understand respect. Furthermore, Jenni is sick. She isn’t up for vigorous activities.
Instead of my statement giving her comfort, Taylor’s anger flares. Her face lines with redness as the veins in her neck bulge. “How much will it take?”
I bend down to tie my shoelaces. “How much will what take?”
My eyes float from my shoes to her when she answers, “For you to leave my daughter alone. How much money will it take for you to agree to never see her again?”
