Chapter Nine
After serving my time at school without further incident, I pulled up in front of Nikki’s house and sat staring at it. I needed to apologize for my earlier behavior and running away from her like I did.
It was time to face the music. I liked her a lot, and that was okay. It wasn’t as if I had to be committed for the rest of eternity. I could just relax, see where things went naturally, and have some fun along the way.
I climbed out and headed toward the door. Nikki opened it before I could knock, lifting her finger to her lips.
“My brother and sister are sleeping. Clara’s sick, and Timmy fell asleep beside her when he got home from school.” She stepped aside and gestured for me to come in, closing the door behind me.
“How old are they?” I asked staring at where they lay snuggled on the sofa together.
“Clara is seven and Timmy is five. She’s in second grade and he’s in all-day kindergarten. They’re best friends, though, and rarely ever this quiet, so I’m determined to enjoy it.”
“Gotcha.” I totally understood how that might be nice. I didn’t have any siblings, but I had enough cousins to know kids this age could get rowdy.
“So what’s up?” she said after a slightly awkward pause. “Did you come over for some reason in particular?
Leave it to Nikki to be so direct it made me nervous.
“Uh, yeah . . . I guess.” I slid my hands into my pockets, glancing down at my shoes for a moment while I tried to compose myself. “I wanted to apologize for being a jerk and ducking out on you earlier today.”
“Yeah, I noticed. Why did you?”
Okay, so she wasn’t going to go easy on me.
“I just had a moment of panic, but I’m better now.”
“Panic over what?”
Damn. She was going to make me spell it out.
“Over how much I like you,” I replied honestly, and she made a little “oh” shape with her mouth, but no sound came out. “I didn’t mean to, you know.”
“Mean to like me so much?” she asked for clarification.
“Yeah. Getting close to someone again hasn’t really been a top priority of mine.”
“I see,” she answered, but she still had this wrinkle of concern on her brow. “So what are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing.” I sighed. “I’m gonna quit fighting everything and let life take me wherever it wants.”
She placed her hand on my chest. “Chase, this is your life. Only you can decide what it’s going to be like. It can be anything you want it to be, but you have the power to steer your ship where you want it to go.”
“Is that so?”
“It is if you believe it. What do you want?”
I stepped closer, wrapping my arm around her waist and dragging her up against me. I gazed down into her big brown eyes, wondering if she could feel my heart pounding in my chest.
“Kiss her,” a soft voice came from the couch, and I turned in surprise to find Clara staring at us with sleepy eyes and a grin.
Nikki blushed heavily. “I’m sorry, the kids get excited, and they say dumb—”
I silenced her by covering my mouth over hers. Her body felt so good as it melted into mine, her arms reaching up to intertwine around my neck, and she kissed me back.
I couldn’t help myself as I deepened the contact, slipping my tongue between her lips to taste her for the first time, and sparks raced through me.
Suddenly, I felt like I couldn’t get enough, and I caressed her urgently, running one of my hands up into her hair, pushing her face harder to mine. I couldn’t ever remember being affected so much by such a simple touch.
Another child-like giggle brought us both back to reality, and Nikki gasped as we broke away from each other. I found myself slightly out of breath, as I looked between her and her little sister.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to get so carried away,” I apologized.
She waved her hand away as if it was nothing, but the color of her skin said otherwise.
“Clara, go back to sleep so you can get feeling better.” She tucked the blanket up higher under the young girl’s chin.
“He’s cute,” Clara said dreamily and closed her eyes. It wasn’t long before her breathing was deep and even again.
“Would you like a drink?” Nikki said, walking past me into the hallway.
I followed into the kitchen, leaning up against the fridge and watching her as she moved about the space, stretching to reach into the cupboard. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way she felt in my arms, as she filled the glass and turned to give it to me. I took a couple of quick swallows before setting it down on the counter.
“Come here,” I said, holding my hand out, and she took it without hesitation. I pulled her into my arms, and she laid her head against my chest. We fell into this natural swaying rhythm as we cuddled together, and I found myself wanting to keep her close.
She eventually slid from my grasp, mumbling something about needing to check on the kids, and I followed her into the hallway. She peeked briefly around the corner.
“Good they’re still asleep. My mom’s going to hate me for letting them nap so long, because they probably won’t rest well tonight now.” She stepped toward the doorway once more. “Would you like to squeeze into the recliner with me and watch some television?”
I grabbed her before she got too far away and spun her around, pressing her body up against the wall with my own. “I’d rather pick up where we left off, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind.” She tilted her head, and I lowered my face to hers again.
The same shock rushed through me once more, setting my body aflame. I couldn’t believe the electricity moving between us, more powerful than anything I’d ever experienced before. Her lips were so soft and yielding under my own. I couldn’t seem to get enough. I pressed against them, teasing with my tongue and even nibbled with my teeth.
She made a happy little sighing sound in the back of her throat, and I started chuckling into her mouth before I broke away slightly.
“You enjoying yourself?” I asked, nudging her nose with my own.
“Very much. And you?” She smiled, her stare never leaving my mouth.
“It’s okay,” I replied, and her gaze flashed up to lock with mine.
“Only okay?” She looked truly worried.
“Alright. It’s a little more than okay.”
She bit her lip before she pushed me away. I was about to protest when she grabbed my hand and pulled me through a nearby door.
“This is my room.”
It wasn’t big, but it was well cared for. The furnishings were made of a painted black wood and consisted of a twin-size bed, dresser, desk, and ceiling-to-floor bookshelves. Her bed was covered in a white bedspread and pillows which matched the curtains at the window. There was an overstuffed white chair and ottoman pushed into a corner as well.
“So you like to read,” I observed, as I ran my fingers over some of her titles.
“Yep. I’m a big romance fan, in case you couldn’t tell. And I love pretty much all things paranormal.”
“Really? So you’re into the whole vampire craze?”
“Absolutely.” She grinned. “There’s nothing better than a good bite.”
“Is that how it is?” I yanked her to me and leaned in to nip her neck, and she squealed. “Like this?” I breathed against her, and she shivered, as goose bumps rose over her skin.
“Something like that,” she whispered breathlessly.
She smelled so good, I didn’t want to move. She held still as I brushed my lips up the side of her neck and face until I found hers again. I feathered a light kiss over her mouth before I reached down and swung her into my arms.
“I thought romance heroes swept their girls off their feet and carried them off to bed.” I chuckled evilly at her shocked expression which turned to delight when I stepped over to deposit her on the soft mattress with a bounce.
She giggled, and an elated look passed across her face as she scooted over and patted the spot next to her. “Are you going to join me?”
“What kind of hero would I be if I didn’t?”
“A virtuous one perhaps? Or one who is great at resisting temptation?” she teased.
I appeared to ponder this for a moment. “No, I can safely say neither of those descriptions have ever applied to me. Sorry.”
She shrugged, as I sat next to her. “Okay. I guess I’ll have to settle for whatever you’ve got.”
“Hey now,” I said, rolling over and pinning her under me. “Be nice, or I may have to torture you instead.” I laughed and started tickling her. She squirmed and thrashed beneath me, trying to get away. “Give up yet?” I asked.
“Never!” She grabbed me, smashing her lips to mine.
Something ignited, racing through me at the contact, and I groaned as I pressed against her, feeling every part of her body connected with mine. Her tongue invaded, causing a burst of pleasure to course through me at her aggressiveness.
I tried desperately to hold myself in check and kiss her slowly, but she clutched at me urgently. I easily moved from her lips, to her neck, and down to the exposed skin under her throat. I was completely on fire for this girl, and I didn’t want to stop, but my brain was screaming warnings to put the brakes on before we reached a point where we couldn’t turn back.
“Nikki.” I exhaled heavily, lifting away. “I need to go.”
“I don’t want you to,” she complained, reaching up to kiss my neck as she wrapped her legs around my waist, keeping me anchored against her.
I groaned loudly. “I have to. Things are getting too crazy.”
“That’s okay,” she replied, belying everything I’d ever heard about her.
I found her mouth again, delving into its sweetness, until I could barely breathe from kissing her so heavily. I wanted her badly—it would be so easy to take her right here, right now.
“I can’t do this. Your mom could come home any second,” I said, trying to douse the flames, knowing she would later regret anything that happened.
My every nerve protested as I sat up and untangled myself from her limbs, reminding me I always gave into my body’s demands.
I climbed off the bed.
“Please stay, Chase.”
It took all I had to keep from crawling right back up there with her.
I swallowed hard. “You’re babysitting, remember?” I was grasping at straws.
“Oh,” she said, crestfallen. “I didn’t think about that.”
I smiled and took another step backward toward the door. “That’s the problem. Neither of us are thinking right now.”
She gave me a slight nod and continued to stare. Her swollen lips and messed up hair beckoned to me.
“Thanks for letting me come over,” I said lamely. “I’ll call you later. I hope your sister feels better soon.”
I turned and fled from the house as quickly as I could, climbing into my truck and practically squealing out of the driveway in my eagerness to put some distance between us.
Admit it, Walker. You have it bad for this girl, I thought.
I’d never walked away from a willing partner before, and most definitely not because I wanted to protect her feelings and virtue.
I felt like I was losing my mind.