“If I was really trying to be charming”—I brush her hair back—“I would tell you it’s because my feelings for you are far deeper than you’re probably ready to hear. I would say it’s because I plan to keep you around for a long time and meeting my family is quite important. But I’m not trying to be charming, so I’ll say it’s because you’re here and why not.”
She lifts up on her toes, giving me another quick kiss. “If you were being charming, which, as you say, you’re not, I would think that was sweet.”
“You would?”
Nicole shrugs as if she really doesn’t care. “Well, it’s better than saying something like you wanted to have me meet her so you could behead me.”
“Seriously, love, there are other things held at the Tower of London.”
Her face brightens. “You mean Anne Boleyn’s head is here?”
“I have no bloody idea. I was talking about the Crown Jewels.”
“Oh! I love diamonds.”
I’m not at all surprised. I don’t know a woman alive who doesn’t love jewels. “How about we move on to that?”
She nods. “And we’ll find out if her head is here?”
Dear God. “If that will make you happy.”
Nicole wraps her arms around my waist as we start to walk. “You make me happy.”
I kiss the top of her head. “I’m glad.”
I exit the shower and grab my phone. I have two missed calls that I refuse to deal with now. Making my way to the bedroom, I towel my hair and stop when my eyes find her.
Nicole is lying on her side, blonde hair spilling around her, and I swear, each time I see her, she takes my breath away.
I climb in behind her, sliding my arm under her head as she scoots closer to me.
Nicole rolls over, her blue eyes find mine. “Hi.”
“Go back to sleep,” I tell her.
Her hands touch my bare chest. “I love your body.”
“Do you now?”
She nods. “I do. So much so that I’d really like to feel a bit more.”
“No one is stopping you.”
Her fingertips slide up to my neck and then she trails them down my torso slowly—painstakingly slowly. “I think, this is my favorite part,” she says as she grips my cock.
“I can tell you that it likes you very much, love.”
Very fucking much.
I move to my back, pulling her on top of me. “Kiss me,” I command.
Nicole does as I ask. Her lips are on mine, and it’s as if we go from a playful burn to a raging inferno in seconds. She does this to me, drives me mad with a simple kiss. I want to take her, own her, ensure she never forgets who is touching her.
I don’t want just tonight, I want every tomorrow.
The thought alone scares me, but then her tongue slides against mine, and I no longer care.
“Why does it feel so good with you?” she asks.
“Because it’s how it’s meant to be.”
She moans, and then our mouths are rather busy again. I cup her arse—one of my favourite parts of her—and slide my cock against her pussy.
“God! It’s like it’s better each time.”
That’s because it has been. Each time I’m with her, I find something new that she likes.
I rock back again, forcing her to whimper. “You like that?” I ask as she makes the sound again that I store mentally, ensuring I’ll do it again. I love when she can’t help but arch her back after I lick around her ear.
Little things that, when combined, will make a big impact.
I roll us both over so I can press against her. My mouth moves down her chest, pulling her nipple into my mouth and sucking hard. I flick the tip as her hands tangle in my hair. “Yes!” She moans.
“I want to hear you,” I tell her.
“Make me scream.”
I do the same to her other breast, wanting to drive her to the edge, but not over it yet. I plan to be doing something else for that.
I snake my hand between us, finding her clit and rubbing it as I suck on her breast. Each time she squirms, I stop.
“Don’t tease me,” she begs.
There’s not a chance in hell that will be happening. I want to taste her. I slide down her perfect body, spreading those long legs and loving the sigh she makes.
“Let’s see if we can get the neighbors to bang on the walls, shall we?” I say before I bring my tongue to her swollen clit.
“Yes!” She calls out as I go to work.
A man should love this as much as the woman he’s pleasing. I know I do. While the pleasure I derive is different, it still feels fantastic giving her more than she can handle. Nicole arches her back as I continue to make various shapes against her.
I push faster, sliding two fingers inside and damn near losing control when I feel her start to grip me.
I want her to come around my cock, not my fingers.
Instead of pushing her higher, I stop.
“What the—” she asks, but I flip her onto her stomach.
Quickly, I pull her arse up and sink into her. “Fuck!” I roar.
“You feel so good,” she says.
I push deeper, loving the feel of her heat. My hand slaps her ass, and she screams.
“Yes! Callum!”
I knew she liked it rough. I do it again, and she clamps down on my cock.
“Fuck!” she screams as she comes apart. Nicole bucks her hips back as her face hits the pillow. I watch in awe as she releases and continue to ride her.
“That’s it, love.”
I slide out, putting her on her back so I can see her face. The feel of her around me is no less amazing when I enter her again.
“I don’t want this to end,” Nicole says.
“It doesn’t have to.”
“I mean us . . .”
“It’s not going to,” I promise. “I’m not letting you go anytime soon.”
She smiles and touches my cheek. “Are we crazy?”
I kiss her lips, trying to gather my thoughts. Just this morning, I wondered the same thing. If I am crazy for feeling the way I do or if we are just aware of what this is because it is right. If Nicole were to walk away right now, I would be lost. It’s crazy, but it’s true.
My feelings for her may not make sense, but they’re real.
I want to take her to Italy, France, Greece, and anywhere else she wants to go.
I want to give her anything she wants.
I want to show her that nothing else matters but us.
I know what the answer to her question is.
“The only thing that would be crazy is to ignore whatever this is.”
Her fingers brush against the scruff on my face. “Then let’s not be crazy.”
“Let’s not.”
We don’t say another word as the mood shifts into something much softer. The passion doesn’t ebb between us. It just becomes what neither of us are willing to admit yet . . . love.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nicole
“No, you don’t even understand, Danni. His house is insane!” I tell her as I creep around. “He’s making me go meet his mom today, which is crazy because . . . I don’t do mothers. Then he wants me to meet his brother, who I saw a picture of, and holy shitballs, he’s hot.”
“So you thought going through his shit was the way to build a solid relationship?”
“Shut up.”
Callum is passed out, and I’m wide the hell awake, so I decided to investigate. Last night was intense between us, and I know my friends think I’m nuts, but there’s only one way to find out the skeletons in someone’s closets . . . open all the doors.
You think someone is normal until you find a doll head collection.
If I’m really falling in love with him, it’s better to figure this out now.
God, I can’t even believe I’m using the L-word at all.
“I’m just wondering because you’re not known for being brilliant, and this is clearly why .
. . he’s nice, treats you well, takes you across the ocean, and how do you repay him? By snooping.”
“You were my last choice on who to call, just so you know,” I tell her as I move to the bathroom area.
“I’ll be sure to thank Heather and Kristin for avoiding your call. God knows there’s nothing I love doing more than this,” Danielle says, and I snort.
“You’re my accomplice, be helpful.”
“I feel like I’m aiding and abetting,” she says as I go to another room.
“Whatever. I’m in another country, you’re fine.”
“Even better, we’re breaking international laws.”
I roll my eyes. “Do you have any fun in your life? I bet you’re straight vanilla in bed. Do you let Peter put it in your butt? Or maybe he likes it in his butt! Strap-on, perhaps?”
She huffs. “Did you find anything?”
And mission accomplished. Say anything to make her uncomfortable, and I win.
“Nope, which is what has me sure there’s something I’m missing. No women’s underwear, no strange medications, hell, I can’t even find porn! What ridiculously sexy man doesn’t have a porn stash? I totally took him for threesome type stuff or maybe even a little male on male if you know what I mean,” I say quieter than the first part. If he wakes up, I’d like that not to be what he hears.
Danielle goes silent.
“Hello?” I ask after a few seconds.
“I’m wondering where we all went wrong when we friended you . . .”
“Me?”
“Dude, you’re insane. You’re creeping in the house of a man who flew your ass—first class, no less—to London. Plus, what the hell is the matter with you? You want to find porn or something?”
I huff. “It would at least be normal. What single guy doesn’t have porn, Danni?”
“I don’t know, Nic, but this is beyond stupid. You have a nice guy there who clearly has deep feelings for you.”
I’m aware of that. “I also have . . . nope . . . not saying it. I have nothing but the desire to find out whatever he’s hiding.”
“You know, you’re a real dumbass.”
“You’re a bitch.”
She laughs. “No shit, but at least I’m smart. Tell me that you don’t care about him and that’s why you want to find something.”
“I want to hang up this phone.”
“Then do it. It won’t change the fact that you care about him. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be trying to find some trivial thing that would make him dumpable.”
My friends are dead to me. Well, at least Danielle is. How dare she be able to read my intentions from that far away. It has nothing to do with her or my feelings. It has to do with not being blindsided.
“Whatever. I’m ignoring you.”
“Okay. Well, when you wake up from being an idiot, say thank you, enjoy the sex, admit your feelings are more than the crap you tell yourself, and allow yourself to just go with it.”
She’s failing to get the point. I don’t want to admit anything. I want to live in denial because it’s nice here. No one gets hurt. No one has their feelings all mangled because one person is a lying asshole. Although, clearly, my heart is already not listening.
“I am enjoying the sex, thanks.”
“Out of that entire little tirade, that is what you take away.”
“You said sex. I stopped listening after that.”
She snorts. “You’re a man. I’m convinced.”
Wouldn’t be the first time they’ve accused me of being more male than female. “Look, if Peter was doing you the way that I get done, you’d love sex as much as I do. Don’t be jealous of my amazing sex life.”
“Nicole,” Danielle snaps. “I love you, but I’m going to hang up now. I have to get some sleep before I have to get up to get Ava and Parker to school. I’m seriously falling asleep. As fun as this has been, you need to find another friend who has insomnia. I love you.”
Danielle is known for always being late because the woman never sleeps. Maybe she’s part vampire? Not the scary kind, though, the ones who drink animal blood because they have morals.
However, right now, I don’t care about her issues. I’m too busy trying to find out if he collects some creepy weird thing . . . like dolls.
“You’re on your cell phone, I can travel with you.”
“Oh my God!”
“Get in the car, I need plausible deniability as to why I’m in different rooms.”
“I hope he throws your ass out.”
“You’re grumpy,” I say as I open a drawer.
“No, I have my period. I’ve had cramps, bloating, and—” I close the drawer and stand there counting. The math has my heart racing and my head spinning. She keeps talking, but I can’t focus because I met Callum almost two months ago, and haven’t had a period since then. In fact, I’m about two weeks late.
“Nicole?” Danielle’s voice is animated. “Hello?”
“Shh,” I tell her.
“What the hell did you find?”
I start to shake. “Danielle, I’m late.”
“You’re late for . . .”
My eyes lift, and I look into the mirror. “No, I’m late. As in . . . I’m two weeks late.”
“Oh.” She goes quiet.
“Yeah . . . I’ve never been late before . . . except one time.”
The one time I found out I was pregnant.
“Are you feeling all right?” Callum asks.
I’ve been quiet all morning. Ever since my revelation on possibly being pregnant, I can’t think straight. I’m in a foreign country, yes, it’s England, but it’s still foreign. I don’t exactly think there are any CVS Pharmacies around here.
“I’m not sure.” I go with the truth. I don’t want to say anything because . . . I’m freaking late for the second time in my life. It could be nerves, flying, stress, or any other craziness.
A few times without a condom could be nothing . . . or it could be the fucking wrench in my life that I’m so not prepared for.
“What’s wrong?” The concern in his voice warms me. “Are you worried about meeting my mother?”
Well, now I am. “Just a lot on my mind.”
I need to know. I can’t wait. Now that it’s in my head, it’s like a snowball that keeps rolling, growing in size.
“I think I need something for my stomach. Do you have anywhere we can go?”
“Of course.” He gets to his feet. “We’ll go to the chemist.”
I tilt my head. “A chemist? What is he going to do, turn me into some kind of chemical mixture?”
“What? Oh, right, you call them pharmacists.” He snorts.
I nod. Usually, I’d make some smart-ass remark, but I don’t have it in me at the moment. Just like I hopefully don’t have a baby in me either.
“I’m sorry.”
“Nicole?” He stands before me. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
I get to my feet and place both hands on his chest. “I will be. Can we go now?”
“Of course.”
We walk together to the nearest pharmacy, and Callum is quiet, probably assessing my sudden weirdness. I’m trying to be normal, but I’m terrified. Not that I don’t want kids, I do, but not like this. I want to be married first, have this grand thing, and then plan for a kid. Maybe even adopt because . . . I’m up there in age.
And while my feelings for Callum are strong, I’m not sure that we’ll last. Truth be told, I’m shocked I haven’t run already.
“Can you give me a few?” I ask him, needing to do this on my own.
“If you would prefer,” he offers.
He looks disappointed so I lean up and kiss his cheek. “Thank you.”
“I won’t lie, I’m rather worried.”
I need to pull my shit together. For all I know, I’m going to pee on this stupid stick and find out there’s no baby and I wasted a perfectly good morning where I could’ve been preparing to meet his mother and brother.
<
br /> “Please don’t be. I promise that I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll just be over there.” He points to the cash register area.
Great, now I have to find a way to pay for this without him noticing. This should be super easy . . .
“Okay.”
I head to the back where most stores keep the things no one wants anyone to see them buy and stop in front of a damn wall of boxes claiming to give the earliest results.
Why are there a million brands of pregnancy tests? It really shouldn’t be a shop-around type of item. It’s a stick that tells you your fate. Also, the technology part of it confuses me. One line or two. Words or no words. Do you want the early detection? It’s really not that damn difficult, so why should buying the actual test be? I scan the shelves and pick the one with the best color combinations. It seems like a legit decision, and the longer I stay back here, the more chance I have of being found.
I grab a few things of antacids, some weird-looking bottle that I’m assuming is Pepto, and try to hide the tests inside the shit.
Sure enough, Callum is right there. “You find everything?”
“I did.”
“Okay.” The worry is clear on his face.
I’m glad I never went into acting. I really suck at it.
“I’ll just be a few minutes.” I smile at him, praying it doesn’t look mangled.
Callum leans in and kisses my forehead. “I take it you don’t want me to see what you had to get?”
Fucking hell, did he see me? Shit. Okay, we’re grown-ups, and if I’m pregnant, we’re going to have to figure things out. Maybe I should get it over with and tell him.
He clears his throat. “I figure you don’t want me to see, so it must be that time or something?”
Oh, well, that’s kind of a part of it. “Yeah, I mean, we’ve just started dating . . .”
“Yes, but I don’t plan on it being the end anytime soon. I’m well aware of what it’s like to have a relationship with a woman.”
“Okay . . . so, you must understand I need a little privacy too?”
He nods. “Sure.”
I start to walk toward the cashier and turn toward him. “I have to pee real quick too, so I’ll be a few.”
Not Until You Page 14
