Never, Always (Nicholas Hoult)

Chapter 16: Long Talk

Nicholas and I stayed on the beach for hours, talking about everything. I never left his arms, and I was so happy.

After about an hour of talking, we finally got into the subject of my family.

"How are your parents?" He asked me softly, playing with my hair. At this point, I had laid down with my head in his lap, looking at the ocean.

"Well...my mother died. I was 11."

Nicholas looked down at me, a flash of horror appearing on his face. Yea, I had a hard life. And he didn't know the details. One day, maybe. "Babe..."

"Don't say sorry." I said quickly. "You didn't know."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes, sighing softly. "Dad isn't very supportive. Always at work, doesn't ever call at a good time. I mean, he loves me, but he never has time for me. It sucks. My aunt was usually the one who took care of me."

Nicholas silently stroked my hair, a troubled expression on his face. "Is you're aunt nice?"

I nodded, adding "She's great. But Nicholas, don't worry about me. I prefer being alone. I don't cause problems alone."

"You don't cause problems at all." He said sharply.

I laughed. "I do. But like I said, don't worry."

"I'm going to worry." He whispered, gently pulling my waist until I was seated in his lap instead. I giggled lightly, looking at him. "I care about you, and I want to help you. So I'm going to worry." He insisted gently.

"Thank you." I mumbled, a huge smile on my face. He kissed my cheek, slowly trailing little kisses down my neck and onto my collarbone.

"Nicholas!"

He chuckled. "Yes?"

"Uh...nothing."

I thought this was a heartfelt moment, I just wasn't expecting it. Not that I had recently done IT or anything close. Never, really. Confession time, Jesus this is embarrassing. Yea, I was a 21 year old virgin. It's not that I'm really that unattractive, Rob had wanted to before, but I'm so self conscious that I don't want anyone seeing my body. Do you see my problem?

Don't be mistaken though, I'm insanely perverted- around the right people.

Nicholas wrapped his arms around waist and rested his chin on my shoulder, fingers playing with the hem of my shirt.

"You're being cruel."

He laughed. "What?"

"Tease." I muttered, and he just pulled me closer to his torso.

"I know." He murmured in my ear, and I jumped slightly. "Why are you so jumpy?"

"You know exactly why!" I retorted, and he pressed another kiss to my neck. I gulped, and he turned me in his lap so I was facing him. His eyes wandered to my lips and back to my eyes, and he leaned in close enough to brush his lips against mine.

"Alexandria?" He whispered, lips brushing against mine as he spoke.

I swallowed. "Yes?"

"We should leave...it's getting really late."

"Nicholas!" I must have taken him off guard because I had leaned on him until I was on top of him, legs on either side of his waist and hands near his neck in the sand. "Stop teasing me!"

Nicholas looked up at me in surprise, and he smirked. "Didn't know you liked it like that, Allie."

"Noooo!" I cried, jumping away from him. He stood up and moved towards me, pulling me into his arms.

"Don't worry, not until you're ready." He said with a smirk, but lightly kissed me.

I pulled away, saying "Thank you. But now I'm extremely turned on and it's your fault. In going to the car."

Nicholas laughed in response, his laugh filling up the area around us. "Victory!"

"No!" I said, and he ran after me, taking my hand and we walked to the car together.