Nick stood still for a second and let me get used to him before he started moving at a relentless pace.
“I’ll go slow the next time,” he promised as his hips rocked into me. “I just can’t hold back right now.”
I tightened my legs around his waist, and ran my hands through his still damp hair as I felt my body begin to tremble. I knew I wasn’t far. With all the teasing we’d done to one another, I knew it wouldn’t take long, with Nick it never did.
“Shit Leah!” he roared as his orgasm rushed through him.
He continued to rock into me, and I soon followed. I could feel him twitching inside me as the after effects of what we’d just done began to set in. Instead of releasing me, Nick turned and began walking through the house to where I assumed the bedroom was.
When we entered the darkened room, he didn’t turn the light on. He walked over to the bed and placed me in the center.
“Wait right there,” he kissed my forehead as he stepped into what appeared to be the bathroom. When he came back to the bed, Nick was carrying a washcloth. “Here…let me clean you up,” he wiped between my thighs, ridding me of the mess we’d just made before tossing the cloth to the floor. “Slide this way a bit. I’ll pull the covers back,” Nick tugged at my hand.
I slid to the side, and he pulled back a fluffy comforter revealing satin sheets. My eyes darted to his before I looked back at the bed. “Coach Sutter must have gotten a raise,” I giggled.
“Coach Sutter is doing much better for himself right now,” Nick smirked at me. “Get in,” he pointed to the bed.
I slid under the cool sheets and waited for Nick to join me. When he climbed in, he wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me to lie halfway on top of him. “I missed this so much, Leah. I promise…I’m never going to do anything to hurt you again.”
“Oh Nick,” I sighed as I tilted my head up to offer my lips in another kiss. What I intended to be a kiss goodnight, turned heated quickly, and we soon found ourselves making love again as we made up for lost time. I wasn’t getting any sleep tonight…I knew it.
Chapter 8
Leah
When I woke up the next morning, it took me a minute to remember where I was. I was alone in bed. I began to panic, and wondered if the night before had all been a dream, but then I heard him. Nick was somewhere in the house whistling. I sat up in the large bed and glanced around the room. It was beautiful, and so Nick. The bed was centered along the wall opposite a row of large windows which were covered in sheer curtains. The room was a light blue, like the ocean and was trimmed in white. After thinking about it, I wondered how much of the house was original, and how much Nick had done. His old house in Pittsford had been remodeled by him, but this…this house looked like something out of a travel brochure.
I slid myself to the edge of the bed as my eyes darted around the room. None of my clothes from the night before were in here. I’d stripped out of them in the living area. When Nick had carried me in here, the last thing on my mind was what I was going to wear the next morning. I tip-toed over to the dresser and pulled open a drawer. The soft cotton of Nick’s t-shirts and the smell of his cologne greeted me. I stood there for a minute trying to decide which one to steal for the day. When my hand ran across the faded gray one, I picked it up, and shook it open. I grinned as I held it up. Pittsford High Athletics was emblazoned on the chest. It was well worn, and you could tell it was one of his favorites. I tugged it over my head, and went in search of a pair of boxers to borrow.
Once dressed in Nick’s borrowed clothes, I crept around the corner and followed his voice. What I saw brought a smile to my lips. Nick was standing in front of the stove cooking breakfast, and humming. His bare back flexed as he moved elegantly around the space.
The smell of bacon wafted through the air, and I couldn’t stay quiet any longer. “I don’t know which item I want to taste first,” I teased.
Nick spun around holding a spatula, and smirked at me, “What are you in the mood for?”
“What I want wasn’t a choice. I woke up alone,” I whispered seductively as I moved to stand in front of him.
Nick’s eyes darkened as he placed the spatula on the counter, and wrapped his arms around me, “I’ll make note of that for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I swallowed. I hadn’t thought about tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that. I lived in Pittsford. I was only here for the weekend. I was supposed to be going back home with Will today. Things had changed though. Nick must have seen the panic in my eyes because he stepped back, and held me at arms-length.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” he ran his hands up and down my arms.
“I…I was supposed to leave today,” I stammered.
“Well you’re not going to,” he nodded resolutely.
I crossed my arms over my chest, and narrowed my eyes at him, “I’m not huh? You’re making that decision for me?”
Nick sighed, and reached to turn the stove off, “I was waiting for this.”
“What?” I cocked my head to the side.
“The first fight. I knew it wouldn’t take long, but I thought it would take longer than a day,” he grumbled as he grabbed my hands and pulled me toward the couch.
“I don’t want to fight with you,” I muttered “but I don’t want you making decisions for me either.”
“Fine,” he nodded, but held his hand up to silence me before I could respond. “Here’s the deal,” he sat on the couch and pointed to the cushion beside him silently asking me to join him. “I live here now. I work here now. I can’t leave. I have a life here. I want you here with me. I love you, Leah, and I want this to work. I want us,” he waved his finger between the two of us “to live here together. So you have to decide…you can stay here with me, or you can go home…alone.”
I bit the inside of my cheek as I listened to him, “You make it sound so easy.”
“It is,” he nodded. “You either want to be here, or you don’t. So what do you want Leah?”
“You,” I whispered. “I want you.”
“Ok…let’s eat breakfast, and then will make a plan to make that happen,” he leaned forward and pecked me on the lips.
Make that happen? Did I just agree to move here? What about Dad, and Avery? What about the pizza shop?
“Everyone will be fine. You need to start thinking about you, and what you want,” I heard him call over his shoulders. I hadn’t realized I was thinking out loud.
“If this is gonna work,” I yelled back as I climbed off the couch “then you need to learn when to keep your mouth shut,” I teased as I took a seat at the table.
“I thought you liked my mouth,” Nick muttered from behind me as he leaned over to place a plate full of pancakes in front of me.
“I do,” I grinned “but not when it’s talking,” I teased.
“Watch it!” he warned. “I’m already having a hard time with you sitting there in my clothes if you keep that up…we won’t be eating, and all my hard work will be wasted.”
I winked at him as I shoveled a forkful of pancakes into my mouth, “Mmmmm,” I groaned. “This is really good,” I mumbled around the bite as I chewed.
Nick’s eyes flared with desire, “You little tease.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I shrugged innocently. “I’m enjoying my breakfast.”
“Sure you are,” he shook his head as he began eating his own plate of pancakes, and avoided making eye contact.
ooooooooo
After we had finished eating, Nick cleaned up the breakfast dishes while I went to call Avery. I knew I needed to let her know what had happened on this trip, and that it looked as if I were moving out.
My hands shook as I dialed our number, and sat on the edge of the bed I’d slept in the night before. I don’t know what I was so nervous about, Avery had been the one to tell me that I needed to go after what I wanted. I guess the idea of leaving her in a bind for a roommate was it. She’d been so go
od to me over the years. Our friendship was one I took very seriously.
“What’s up bitch?” she teased when she picked up the phone.
“Ummm, did I catch you at a bad time?” I stammered.
“No,” she giggled and I could hear muffled laughter in the background.
“What are you doing?” I pushed.
“Nothing,” she laughed again and then followed it with a “stop it Logan.”
“Ahhhh, I see. Logan’s there,” I teased.
“Yeah,” her voice sounded nervous. “He stayed the weekend since you were gone.”
“Hey, I don’t care whom you have over. You don’t have to hide that from me,” I reassured her.
“Well…he might be here more,” she paused. “We decided to make whatever this is official.”
“It’s about time,” I grumbled. “You two have been sniffing around each other for months.”
“Oh look who’s talking,” she groaned. “How is Nick?”
My mouth had dropped open before I snapped it shut, “How did you know I was with Nick?”
“I didn’t,” she sing-songed. “I knew he lived there, and I knew you two wouldn’t be able to stay away from each other.”
“Avery…he wants me to move in with him,” I hedged.
“So when do you need our help?” she chirped.
“What?” I gasped.
“Our help…when do you need it?” she pushed again.
“What are you talking about?”
“Our help, Leah. When do Logan and I need to be ready to help. You. Move?” she yelled into the phone.
I held it back from my ear as I rolled my eyes.
“You better have told him yes,” was all I caught of the next part of the conversation.
“I told him I’d think about it.”
“What is there to think about Leah?” she grumbled.
I could tell she was upset with me, but Avery never pushed…that’s why our friendship always worked. Even when I was doing or saying something stupid, she always tried to support me.
“I’ll tell him yes. Happy now?” I snapped.
“Yes…very. Now…what did you tell Will?” her voice was tentative as if she were preparing for an argument.
“Not much. We broke up last night. He’s back at our room, I guess,” I tried to keep my voice steady. As happy as I was with Nick, I was still hurt over Will and the way things had transpired.
“What about your things? Is he bringing them back for you?” Avery’s voice held concern.
“I don’t know,” I gasped. “I hadn’t really thought about that,” I flopped back on the bed.
Before I could continue, Nick appeared in the doorway. I placed my hand over my phone to muffle my voice as I looked up at him.
“You have a visitor,” he whispered.
I nodded and turned back to my phone, “I gotta go Avery. I’ll call you when I’m coming home to pack.”
“Alright,” she chirped. “Talk to you later…and Leah?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t screw it up this time,” she giggled before disconnecting the call.
I shook my head in disbelief. I had not screwed this up the last time.
ooooooooo
When I stepped back out in the living space, I noticed someone standing on the back porch. I scrunched my forehead, and glanced over at where Nick was reading the morning paper.
“He didn’t want to come in,” he muttered before shuffling the paper around in front of himself.
When I opened the door, Will stood there with his back to me holding my duffle bag in his hand. My eyes flashed when he turned to look at me.
“How’d you find me?” I whispered.
“Wasn’t hard,” Will responded resigned. “I thought you might want this,” he placed the duffle on the ground and began to walk toward the steps.
“Wait!” I called causing him to pause at the top of the stairway. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want this for you…for us.”
Will nodded as he glanced over his shoulder, “I hope he makes you happy Leah, that’s all I want for you. Happiness.”
A single tear slipped down my cheek as he descended down the steps, “He does.”
Will paused, “I’m glad.”
“Thank you,” I pointed at my bag “for bringing it to me. You didn’t have to do that. I know coming here was hard.”
“You’re right,” he dropped his head as he began moving again. I stood there on the porch for what felt like hours as I listened to his footsteps move further away, and his car roar to life.
“You ok?” came Nick’s voice from behind me.
I nodded silently before glancing over my shoulder at him, “Yeah…I needed that.”
“He’s a stand-up guy,” Nick mused.
“He is,” I whispered “but he’s not you.”
Chapter 9
Nick
After her ex-boyfriend had left, Leah seemed to retreat into herself. She was quiet and sullen, almost a version of the girl I knew after her mother passed.
“Hey, you ok?” I nudged her shoulder as I sat down beside her on the couch.
“Yeah…just thinking…” she trailed off as she leaned into me.
“About?” I glanced down at her.
“Am I making the right decision?” she whispered.
As the words fell from her lips, I felt every muscle in my body tense, “Do you mean me?”
“I don’t know Nick. It’s just happening so fast. I don’t know if I can go back. Things are always so volatile between us. Are we just making the same mistakes all over again?”
“I’d like to think we’ve grown over the last year. I know I have. I know what I want out of life…and I know my life isn’t complete without you in it,” I leaned over and placed a kiss to her temple.
“I just…” she paused. “I’m worried that I’m jumping back into this blind. I mean…how is this going work? I don’t have a job now. I was working with my dad, but now…”
“We’ll figure it out. I can support us until you decide what you want to do, but know this,” I tipped her chin, so she was looking at me, “I want you to be happy. Whatever you choose…it needs to be something that will make you happy.”
She nodded and released a sigh, “So now what?”
“Now we enjoy the day,” I grinned at her. “I can’t move you in one day. It’ll take a weekend at least. I have to work tomorrow, and all week. We have a game Saturday, but Monday’s a holiday, so I’ll be off. We can go back to Pittsford then, and move your stuff. For now…you can stay here…naked for all I care,” I glanced down at her and smirked.
“Naked huh?” she teased. “What would the neighbor’s think?”
“I think they better keep their eyes to themselves. I’m the only one that gets to see you naked,” I poked her in the ribs causing her to laugh.
“Come on,” she stood and pulled on my hands until I was standing. “I’ve got something planned that we can do naked.”
“Lead the way,” I smirked as I let her pull me back into the bedroom.
Oh yeah…it was going to be a fun day. Leah and I naked all day…what could be a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?
oooooooo
Leah
After spending most of Sunday in bed, today I was itching to do something. Nick had gone to work earlier, and left me snoozing. I had the whole house to myself. When I got up, and slipped the t-shirt I had borrowed back on, I made my way out to the living room. The sun was gleaming on the water, and the beach was calling my name. I could definitely get used to living here. I sauntered into the kitchen to find a note on the counter.
There are bagels in the cabinet, and the coffee pot is ready to go. Just turn it on. I’ll see you tonight. I love you.
Love, Nicky
I grinned as I picked up the note and held it to my chest. He’d signed it “Nicky”. I was the only one allowed to call him that. I rummaged through the cabinets in search of the bagels he’d mention
ed, and turned the coffee maker on. Coffee was one thing that I couldn’t live without, I just didn’t function right without it.
After eating my breakfast, I went in search of my red bikini. I wanted to get out on the beach while I could. It was deserted right now, which was perfect. As I wandered through the house in search of it, I began to really take in my surroundings. It was beautiful, and I wondered how Nick was ever able to afford it. I knew he had saved quite a bit before he decided to move, but this was unreal.
I finally found my bikini when I went to look out the slider in the living room. It was still tossed to the side where Nick had left it when he stripped it off of me. I snatched it up, and bounced into the bedroom to change.
Once changed, I grabbed a towel out of the bathroom and made my way back out toward the porch. When I stepped outside and felt the warm morning sun on my face, it was like heaven. I made my way down to the sand, and out onto the beach. When I turned my head from side-to-side, I noticed the beach was empty. It was nice compared to the way it was by the hotel. Here, I could lay in the sun, and not be disturbed.
I shook out the towel I was carrying, and spread it out in front of me. After tossing my phone, and the bottle of water I had grabbed, I stretched out on my stomach and placed my head on my crossed arms. It didn’t take long until sleep claimed me. Two nights of no sleep were finally catching up, and without Nick here to torture me with his tongue, I could finally relax.
ooooooooo
“Wakey wakey,” came a seductive whisper.
“Ummmm. What time is it?” I grumbled as I rubbed at my eyes.
“About seven-thirty,” he chuckled. “Please tell me you haven’t been here all day.”
“Weeellll,” I rolled onto my side and peered up at the darkening sky. “Not all day…just since around ten.”
“Leah!” he gasped. “You’re lucky you didn’t burn up.”
“Come on Nick. I’ve been laying out like this for years. When have you ever seen me burn?”
“Good point, but aren’t you worried that you stayed out all day?” he moved to sit down beside me in the sand.
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