Page 49 of Always My Love

“You won’t need it.” In one quick move, he lifted her up in his arms and marched down the hallway to the guest bathroom she’d used earlier.

When they stood under the spray, wrapped around one another again, he stilled.

“I… shit. I didn’t use protection.” He searched her eyes.

She bit her lip and nodded. “I think I’m okay.” She mentally calculated in her head and winced inwardly. “I can stop at the drugstore on my way home. Just in case.”

“Don’t,” Nick surprised her by saying. “I mean, no, I don’t want…” He pulled her closer. “I’d love whatever the outcome is. No matter what.”

She felt her heart skip.

“How did nothing happen. I mean…” He shook his head and turned off the water.

“You mean before?” she asked as he grabbed two towels and wrapped her in one then tied the other around his waist.

“Fred LeRoy may have been a perve, but he was cautious. He always told me that if I told anyone, there was no evidence because he always used a condom. It was his word against some addict’s slutty snot-nosed daughter.” She held the towel tighter around her.

Nick nodded. “I’m sorry to bring that up again.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I opened up to you. It’s fair game for us to talk about now. Like I said, I’m done running and hiding.”

He walked over and wrapped his arms around her again. “You are so strong.”

She laughed. “If that were true, I would have stopped jumping at shadows years ago.”

“Hey, I still jump at shadows,” he admitted as they made their way back to the other room to gather their clothes and dress.

“You don’t jump at shadows.” She sat on the sofa as she picked up her torn underwear.

“Sorry, I guess I owe you a new pair.” He smiled and took them from her. “So I know what size to get you.”

She laughed as he pulled on his jeans and shoved the torn material into his pocket.

“Thank you for tonight,” she said once they were both dressed and gathering their empty plates and glasses. “For the showers.” She smiled as he loaded the dishes into the dishwasher.

Once their hands were empty, he pulled her into his arms again. “Whatever happens, I’m here.” He kissed the top of her head.

She nodded. “I don’t think…” She shook her head. “It’s the least of my worries.”

“It shouldn’t be a worry at all. Still…” He pulled back and searched her eyes. “What I feel for you is beyond what I can say. Nor do I want to tell you how I feel while standing in my kitchen.” He smiled down at her. Then he kissed her.

She felt her heart skip as she held onto him. “I feel the same. I wouldn’t have shared what I did had I not.”

She felt him nod his head. Then her phone rang and she stepped back to answer it when she saw Hailey’s number.

“Someone was in the house,” Hailey screamed into the phone, and Harper’s heart stopped.