The Pickup (Imperfect Love Book 1)

by Nikki Ash

  I debate whether to send that entire text, but with me over two hours away I need to make sure Reed isn’t catching a cold or something worse. After hitting send, I lay back in the bed to wait for her response. The pillows are comfy and the down blanket is super soft. Maybe I’ll just close my eyes for a few seconds while I wait…

  Twenty-Four

  Nick

  My phone rings, and when I look at the caller ID, I see it’s my dad. Since the only time he ever calls is when it’s work related, I let it go to voicemail. Right now my priority is Olivia. Speaking of which…it’s been a while since she went upstairs to freshen up.

  Leaving the bottle of wine, along with the glasses where they are, I run upstairs to check on her. Immediately, I spot her on the bed, passed out. When I get closer, I can see she’s in a towel. Her phone dings in her hand, but she doesn’t move. She’s snuggled up in the sheets and snoring softly.

  Taking the phone from her, I check it and see a photo of Reed sleeping with an accompanying text from Giselle saying he doesn’t have a temperature and that he ate and fell asleep. I text her back a quick thank you and place her phone, as well as mine, on the nightstand. After stripping off my jeans and sweater, I climb in with Olivia—she’s in the center of the bed, so I slide in behind her, my arms encircling her body. She makes a soft sighing noise as she settles into me.

  Pressing a small kiss to her check, I lay my head down on the pillow, and for a few minutes I enjoy holding this beautiful woman. The last few days she’s been supermom. Reed’s been up at all hours, and while I try to help, she insists on getting up no matter what. My goal is to get her to understand I want us to be a team. She doesn’t have to do this all on her own. Letting my eyes close, I drift off to sleep.

  * * *

  I’m not sure how long I was passed out, but what I do know is that Olivia is awake. How do I know that? Because her towel-clad ass is rubbing against my front in a way that has my dick hardening. My hands are still wrapped around her waist, and I can feel her shifting in the bed. Pressing my face into her nape, I tighten my grip on her. She sighs and moves her ass up and down my front again.

  “Liv.” I say her name to make sure she’s awake.

  “Mmhmm” is all I get.

  My hand moves up the towel, and finding the knot holding it closed, I loosen it until I feel the two sides of the towel part ways. Grabbing the material separating us, I tug on it slightly until it unravels off Olivia’s body. I throw it onto the floor then bring my hand back to her body. My fingers stroke and tweak her pointed nipples. My lips trail kisses down the back of her shoulder, and I feel her shiver at my touch.

  “Liv, you awake, baby?”

  “Yes,” she breathes. I love the affect my touch has on her.

  My hand glides across her smooth skin, down her hip, and around her front between her thighs. She parts her legs enough for my fingers to slip into her tight cunt. When she lifts slightly, I slide my other arm under her. Sticking one finger, then two, inside her, I fingerfuck her, getting her wetter and wetter. The room is silent, the only sounds coming from the slickness of her pussy, and from her mouth as she lets out moans of pleasure.

  Using her juices, I move my fingers to her clit, circling and massaging the swollen nub. One of her hands goes to her breast, and I can see her pinching her nipple. Her moans get louder. Her other hand comes around behind her, finding my dick and stroking it. It’s already hard, but with her touch, it’s granite.

  “Fuck me, Nick, please,” she begs, turning her neck enough to lock eyes with me. Shifting her ass up slightly, I guide my hard cock into her pussy from behind. It’s warm and wet and so fucking tight, and all fucking mine. Once I’m completely seated inside her, I give her neck a kiss. Then I start moving in and out of her. My fingers are digging into her side, and Olivia’s meeting me thrust for thrust.

  It feels so damn good from behind, but I can’t kiss her or see her. Reluctantly, I slide out of her, and she lets out a disappointed whimper. She rolls to her back, and I crawl up her body, quickly pushing back into her. My hands are on either side of her face, and as I lean down to kiss her, I see her chocolate-brown eyes sparkling with pleasure. I kiss her with every ounce of want and need I have inside me as I make love to her.

  Her legs part a little more, and I’m able to go deeper. I can feel my cock rubbing against her clit. Her body tightens in anticipation of her impending climax. Our kisses turn ravenous, frantic. We’re all lips and tongues and teeth. My thrusts get harder, rougher. I can feel sweat beading above my brow. It’s been too fucking long since I was inside her. I’m never going to last.

  And then Olivia’s walls tighten. I feel her pussy contract, and I know it’s about to be over. She lets out a long, breathy moan into my mouth, without breaking our kiss, as she comes so damn hard around me I about lose it. My hands find their way to her head, and my fingers grip her hair as I pump into her with abandon, finding my own release. I hear myself let out a groan as my seed shoots into my woman’s pussy, filling her with every fucking drop of cum I have in me.

  Twenty-Five

  Olivia

  Nick’s body stills, and I can feel his cum inside me. We stop kissing but Nick’s lips stay pressed against mine for a few more seconds before he backs up. He pulls out of me, taking his warmth with him. When he doesn’t say anything at first, I get worried. What if being with me again wasn’t as good as the last time? I’ve had a baby, so maybe I don’t feel as good to him.

  “Whatever you’re thinking, stop.” He presses a kiss to my lips then to my cheek and last to my neck. “No, I take that back. Tell me. I can’t fix it or tell you you’re wrong if I don’t know what it is you’re thinking.”

  “Was—was it as good as before I had a baby?” Nick’s brows pinch together. I can feel his semi-hard cock rubbing against the top of my thigh, but I block it out.

  “I don’t think you can compare the two. That night we spent together was incredible. Mind-blowing fucking amazing.” I feel myself frown at his words, but then he continues. “But that night, it was strictly physical. You had me addicted to your body within seconds.”

  He holds himself up on one forearm. “Brown-Eyes,” he says softly, and my stomach knots up. I love when he calls me that. “You can’t compare a night of lust to what we just did. The sex that night was off the charts hot, but now so much has changed…the way you make me feel. It’s what I was talking about before…so much fucking more. It’s not just your body I’m addicted to. It’s also your heart and your mind that’s got me hooked and craving more.” And in those couple of sentences, he’s managed to tame down all of my fears and insecurities.

  He gets off the bed and pulls me up with him, giving me a quick kiss before we go to the bathroom to clean up. Once we’re done, we get dressed and head downstairs. Nick pours us each a glass of wine, and we sit down on the sofa facing each other. For a few seconds, we’re both silent. Then Nick says, “Liv, I came in you…I know it’s too late now, but we probably should’ve discussed this first.” My body freezes, and I force the sip of wine down as he continues. “I don’t know what happened when you got pregnant with Reed, if a condom broke, or if we didn’t use one once and I didn’t pull out, but—”

  “I lost my luggage and my pills. I didn’t take them for almost a week,” I blurt out. Nick’s brows raise at my admission. “I’m so sorry. The entire plane’s luggage was put on the wrong plane. You can ask Giselle. I didn’t do it on purpose. I wasn’t trying to trap you…I mean, how could I? I didn’t even have your information. And just so you know, I’m on the pill. I promise I’ll be more careful this time.” I stop speaking long enough to catch my breath. “If you want to use condoms to be on the—”

  “Whoa, calm down.” Nick laughs. “If we would’ve used condoms every time, you not taking your pills wouldn’t have mattered. It takes two. I don’t for a second think you tried to trap me, and I don’t regret whatever happened because it got us our son. And”—Nick grins wickedly—“the
re’s no way in hell I’m using a condom with you. I’ve felt your pussy raw, and there’s no way I’m going back to having latex between us.”

  His words have my cheeks heating up, and of course it only has him grinning wider.

  * * *

  “My baby!” I screech as I run out the door. The last couple days alone with Nick has been nothing short of amazing. The fucking and sex and lovemaking—and yes, I’m listing them separately because when Nick took me from behind in the shower, that was definitely fucking, and when he took me on top of the table, it was sex, and when he woke me up this morning, the way he languorously pumped in and out of me, well, that was most certainly making love. I feel caught up on my sleep and like a whole new person. And now I’m missing the heck out of my son.

  Giselle takes his car seat out and Nick takes it from her. “I need him now,” I state matter-of-factly, which makes Nick laugh.

  “Let’s get him inside where it’s warm and then you can have him,” he says, carrying Reed inside. Killian follows Nick inside, but I hang back to help Giselle with her bags.

  “How was the ride?” I take one of her bags, and she grabs the other.

  “Too long.”

  “Oh no! Was Reed cranky?” We walk up the sidewalk and are almost to the front door when Giselle stops.

  “He was a perfect angel. Killian, on the other hand, drove me nuts. I might have to drive back with your parents because another two hours in the car with that man, and I might end up in jail for murder.”

  “Really? He seems so nice every time we hang out with him.” I shrug. “What did he do?”

  “Olivia, Giselle, let me help you with those.” Killian pops out from behind the door and takes the bags from both of our hands. He smiles sweetly at me, but when he smiles at Giselle, it’s almost too sweet.

  She groans and rolls her eyes, pushing past him. “I need a drink.”

  We head inside, and Nick already has Reed out of his car seat and is making him a bottle. Giselle grabs a bottle of wine and two glasses and brings them over to the table. “This place is unbelievable. Maybe I need to go against my rule of never dating an athlete again.” She waggles her eyebrows playfully.

  “You have a rule against dating athletes?” Nick asks, sitting down next to me and feeding Reed. “I thought it was only musicians.”

  I laugh. “Nope, she’s included athletes in her ban as well.”

  “And why is that?” Killian asks Giselle.

  “Because they think because they can throw and catch a ball, they’re above God.” She winks my way, telling me she’s just messing with the guys. “No offense, Nick.”

  “No offense taken. Besides, you’re not far off. Only it wasn’t me throwing a ball this morning that had Olivia screaming ‘Oh god’ in bed.”

  “Nick!” I screech, and he cackles.

  “Nice!” Killian reaches over and gives Nick a fist-bump.

  “Pigs,” Giselle huffs.

  “She was just kidding!” I exclaim. “She’s really just against dating in general.” Giselle and I laugh.

  “And what about you?” Nick asks, lifting Reed up to his shoulder to burp him. “I know you mentioned dating a quarterback, but were there any types of guys you preferred to date?”

  “I’m an equal opportunist…but there is something about a tall, tan, muscular man who knows how to use his hands…to throw that gets me all hot and bothered.”

  Nick chuckles. “You better equally remember I’m the only one allowed to get you hot and bothered.” He leans over and pulls me into a kiss before getting up with Reed. “Kill, want to grab a beer outside so the women can gossip?”

  “Sure.” Killian laughs then stands and follows Nick out of the room.

  “Wait!” I yell, and Nick stops in his place. “Hand over my baby.” He laughs as he hands Reed over to me. Then he and Killian grab a couple of beers from the fridge and head out back.

  “That guy has it bad,” Giselle comments once the backdoor is shut.

  “It’s definitely mutual. Now tell me what happened with Killian that has you drinking before noon.”

  She drinks her glass of wine slowly until it’s completely drained. “The guy is just such an asshole,” she finally says. Seeing her glass is empty, she refills it. “Now, tell me about your romantic getaway.” And I know that’s all I’m getting out of her right now.

  A little while later, my dad and Corrine show up. Nick and Killian run to the store to buy groceries and when they return, Nick grills up some burgers and steaks while Corrine and I make several side dishes. We all congregate to the dining room to eat. The guys banter back and forth about their Super Bowl win, and the women discuss Giselle’s latest job with some high-class executive who is having his entire place redecorated. It’s the most content I’ve felt in a long time, like everything is finally falling into place.

  Just as we finish cleaning up from dinner, there’s a knock on the door. Since Nick is laying Reed down, I run to the door to quickly answer it, and standing there is Celeste with a single suitcase. She smiles wide at me, and I smile back.

  “I’m glad you could make it.”

  “Thank you for having me.” She leaves her luggage by the stairs, and we join everyone back in the living room. I make introductions around the room even though she knows my dad and stepmom.

  “I love that everyone is here,” I say. “I was so scared when we closed up our flat to come back here, but I’m glad we did.”

  “I was about to drag you back myself,” my dad jokes.

  “Speaking of which, have you decided if you’re going to sell or rent it out?” Giselle asks.

  “You own a place in France?” Celeste asks, joining in the conversation.

  “I lived there for six years. It made more sense to buy than rent. Giselle and I went to college there and then both got our master’s. I haven’t decided if I’m going to sell it, though.”

  Nick and Killian walk into the room as I’m finishing my sentence. “Sell what?” Nick questions as he sits down on the couch. He lifts me slightly then snuggles me into his side.

  “My flat in Paris.”

  “You should keep it, so we can visit. I’ve never been. You can show me your home away from home.” He presses a kiss to my neck.

  “True, but we could always stay in a hotel. The market is flourishing, and I could make a decent amount on it. It’s in a college district.”

  “Does that mean you’re staying for good?” Giselle asks, and I shoot her a glare.

  “What do you mean for good?” my dad jumps in, confused. I didn’t want to get into this now, but it seems I don’t have a choice.

  “Are you planning to move back?” Nick asks, his voice devoid of all emotion.

  “When I came to visit it was only for a week because I was offered a position as an Art Education Coordinator. When we left to come here, I took a leave of absence with the Museum I was working at. You get two months of maternity leave, but I put in a request for additional time.”

  “How much extra?” Nick asks, his tone now ice cold.

  “If I plan to keep my job, I have to return in four months.”

  “Olivia!” my dad exclaims. “You didn’t mention this when you agreed to move home.”

  “I know. I wanted to keep my options open. I never imagined I would find Reed’s dad. Obviously, a lot has changed.”

  Celeste’s eyes are trained on me when she says, “You agreed to shared custody. You can’t just leave with Nick’s baby.” If Nick’s tone was ice cold, his friend’s is equivalent to an arctic glacier, and in this moment, I can understand why they’re such good friends. They might not see eye-to-eye on everything, but she one hundred percent has his back.

  “I’m not going anywhere. I was just keeping my options open,” I repeat. “I love my life here, and I love being near my dad.”

  “What happens if Nick ends up on another team? Like in Florida or Texas?” Celeste pushes, and I stop myself from telling her to mind her own business. I
t’s clear she’s only being protective of Nick.

  “And this is where the conversation needs to end,” my dad says. “As the coach, I can’t discuss this with my player, especially with his contract up in the air.”

  Nick agrees, and the conversation shifts to another topic, but my mind is stuck on Celeste’s question. If Nick leaves, would I go? Would he ask me to go?

  He must sense my confusion because he dusts my hair over my shoulder and whispers into my ear, “I’m not going anywhere, and if I have to, we’ll discuss it together. Just don’t go and leave the country without me.” He kisses my temple then my earlobe. “Okay?”

  “Okay,” I agree.

  “Are you kids going out tonight?” Corrine asks, changing the subject.

  “Yes!” Celeste answers before I can. “I’ve been wanting to check out AM Southampton!”

  “Giselle?” I ask. “You down?”

  “Hell yes.”

  “Well I’m definitely down,” Killian adds.

  “I guess that’s a yes then,” I say through a laugh.

  After we spend the rest of the afternoon hanging out, Giselle, Celeste, and I go upstairs to get ready. We’re all dressed in slinky, way too tight dresses, and as I stand next to Celeste in the floor length mirror, I get choked up. The woman reminds me so much of my mom. She must be almost six feet tall in heels with a slender, yet feminine body. She’s tanned and...perfect. I clearly got more of my dad’s genes than my mom’s since I’m only five foot five and curvy.

  “We look hot,” Celeste winks as Giselle walks over to join us.

  “You remind me of my mom when she was younger.”

  Celeste’s face whips around to mine. “Really?”

  I nod. “I used to wish I could have had her height and body.”

  “You might not be tall, but you’re beautiful, Olivia. Trust me. You look a lot like your mom. You have her eyes and nose, and when you smile you light up the same way she used to in her photos.”