No Lies

13| Protective

Nora

"Go to the advocacy centre dinner with me tonight." Nicolas said in my neck. His arms were tight around me, not letting go.

"You're going?"

"Of course I am. I know you're going as well. Come with me."

"Was attending formal dinners together a part of this?" I asked softly. This still confused me. I didn't know where we were headed. 

"No, but you being someone I wanted to try something different with wasn't a part of the plan as well."

"Something different? What does that mean?" Though my heartbeat increased drastically when he said that.

He took a deep breath. "I-I don't know how to put it in words. But...we both know this is turning into something serious, something more than just using each other for sex."

"And?"

"And I want to address it."

"Um, okay? What-"

"We agreed upon you not having any other man because you were fucking me." He said. "Now I don't want any other man for you because I want to be the man in your life."

I lost my breath.

"You for me, me for you." He finished. "Exclusively. Not just for sex."

"R-really?" I stammered.

"Yes, Nora." He cupped my face. "I admit I lusted for your body in the beginning. But that's not all I want now. I want you, all of you."

I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn't. My breath was knocked out of me. He smiled softly when he took in my astound expression, just bent down to press his lips to mine. Cupping my jaw, he pushed my head up to get a better angle. "I'll pick you up at 7."

I nodded.

"There'll be reporters." He said urgently. "Will you be okay with that?"

"Yeah." I replied. 

"I admire your strength." He murmured. "I don't think I've ever said this but I admire how strong you are."

I smiled softly. It was bad. It was bad how fast I was falling for him.

Nicolas left my office shortly after, leaving me to my work. I had one last meeting with Jasper Rhode after which I needed to head home. So I rushed to the conference room where he had been waiting for me. Unlike the first time I'd seen him, he was dressed in a suit. He pulled it off with great ease, just as he pulled out a seat for me and proceeded with the meeting.

Charlie's assistant was in there as well and I saw him writing down points in a diary, probably to report it back to him. The meeting lasted half an hour, and all that time Rhode didn't take a break, that surprised me. In the end we settled with a deal, and he gave me a firm handshake, smiling.

"Will you be attending the advocacy dinner tonight?" He asked me once we left the conference room.

"Yes, will you?"

He nodded. "I'll see you soon, Nora."

I bid my goodbye to Gracie as I left for the day. Ben and Matt were waiting for me outside the building. I saw the buzz of a few reporters, but they didn't approach me, observing from a distance. Matt opened the door for me. "Mr Reid is on the line."

Just hearing his name made my heart do a back flip. I got in, calming down my jittery nerves. "Hi?"

"I called your phone, you didn't pick up." He said. Benjamin and Matt didn't get in the car. A while later I understood they were giving us privacy.