AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Leaning back in his chair, Nico hated the look of betrayal flaring in Brooke’s eyes. He wanted to give her time and space, but her taste and touch beckoned him here. Now seeing her in the flesh ignited a raw passion inside him that he couldn’t ignore. She was so pretty it almost hurt. He damned himself for his weakness and hoped like hell he could make things right.
“The reason I didn’t tell you from the get-go was because I was embarrassed.”
“Why? There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We all have pasts. I’d never judge you.” Her gaze narrowed with concern. “Why don’t you start from the beginning?”
Now he’d have to reveal the whole sordid tale and hope like hell she’d look at him the same way. “I was twenty-two and fresh out of culinary school. I worked my whole life and saved up some money. I moved to L.A. with big dreams.” He sucked in a breath and the smell of candles and incense flared in his nostrils, along with the flowery scent of Brooke’s perfume.
“You planned to open your first restaurant there?”
He nodded. “I worked as a Sous Chef at one of the best restaurants in the city, with the goal of making a name for myself.”
“Is that where you met your ex-wife? In L.A.?” The soft lilt of her voice gave him the courage to continue.
“She worked as a waitress there and things got serious pretty fast.” He heard her sharp intake of breath, which made him happy in a selfish way. At least he knew she cared on some level. He’d never been the jealous type, but the thought of Brooke with some other guy got his blood boiling.
“Why did you get a divorce?”
“It turns out my ex was only interested in my money, not that I had a lot.” His pride still suffered the hit. He fought the urge to push the memories back to the hole from where they came. But Brooke deserved to know the truth.
“Nico, that’s terrible.” She leaned forward and reached out to squeeze his hand. “What happened?”
“My ex drained everything. When I asked her about money missing from our account, she’d find a way to manipulate the conversation and make me feel guilty for working all the time. The more I worked, the more she’d spend.”
A line formed between her brows. “I can’t imagine how hard that must’ve been for you.” Her voice hitched with emotion, anchoring him to the present.
“By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late.” He ran a hand over his face. “One day I came home, and she was gone. And so was the last of my bank account.”
Her gaze lit with compassion. “I’m so sorry you went through something so awful. Most people would've given up. How did you pick yourself up and start over?”
The question washed over him, flooding his mind with painful memories. “I came back home with my tail between my legs and worked my ass off. Things get put into perspective after you lose everything. I found some investors and never looked back.”
The warm, reassuring smile playing across her lips reminded him of her sweet, caring nature. She couldn’t be more opposite from his ex. “You’re a survivor, Nico. You created your own success, despite a terrible experience, because you’re strong and excellent at what you do.”
Her compliments made his chest swell with pride. “The whole thing screwed my head up for a while. It’s the main reason I haven’t gotten serious with a woman.” But Brooke made him want to try.
“I’m not surprised after everything you’ve been through. And yet you were willing to take another chance on love. What brought back your faith in humanity and allowed you to trust again?” she asked in a tentative voice.
“All this time I thought I was getting something over on my ex by being bitter and lonely. But then I realized I was taking poison and expecting her to die. I couldn’t give her that power over me anymore.”
“I admire how you didn’t let a bad experience make you jaded.” She smiled. “I have no doubt that you’d rise from the ashes. You have an Aries moon.”
He chuckled and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “Do you believe everything is tied into the stars?”
“Well…yeah, it happens to be a system backed up by thousands of years of research and study.” Her words ignited his affection and passion. “I think it helps to make sense of the world around us.”
When he looked into her eyes, he expected to see pity or judgment, but only sincere empathy shined back at him.“So, you see, I don’t take this kind of thing lightly.” He let go of her hand and reached over to brush his thumb across her cheek. “All I could think about when I woke up and you weren’t there was this sense of loss. There was this intensity to our love making that I’ve never experienced before. I can’t explain it. I know it makes no sense.”
“I get it…believe me, but there’s something about me you should know.” He caught the alarm in her voice. “It might change your mind about us.”
“Trust me, that’s not going to happen.” He placed a finger to her lips. “You don’t need to tell me right now. I think there’s been enough soul-baring for one night, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” She exhaled a long, deep breath, looking relieved.
“You’ll tell me when you’re ready.” Scooting his chair closer, he leaned over and pressed a kiss on her cheek. “See, I know you better than you think.”
“Oh?” Her nose wrinkled in the most adorable way.
“I know you’re sweet.” He kissed her temple, breathing her in. “I know your eyes roll back in your head when you eat chocolate lava cake.” His cock strained against the front panel of his jeans. “I know you make these little breathy sounds when you’re about to come…”
