Unexpected

Chapter 22 - Better than a dream

She woke to find him looking at her. Quickly sitting up, she apologized. He sat down next to her, closer than she would have expected. When he looked right into her eyes, she wanted to turn away, but couldn't. She was caught in his gaze.

Before she knew what was happening, he was holding her. She could smell him, a mixture of his familiar scent and beer. Her head was spinning. It had to be a dream. What had he want to do for a long time?

She felt his breath as he came closer and before she could turn away, his lips were on hers. His kiss was soft and gentle. Even though she knew it was wrong, she didn't pull away. She savored the moment. He increased the intensity, and she let out an involuntary sigh. Her body had turned liquid, and she wanted to melt into him. Suddenly her brain woke up, and she protested.

All this time she thought he had a wife and Bridget and Jack had a mother. She laughed releasing some tension because he thought Joe was her boyfriend. They were both single, but Uncle David's words filled her head.

His words about wanting to kiss her were foreign to her. No one had ever wanted her and definitely not someone who she had dreamed of for so long. She had never been kissed so thoroughly. He didn't hate her. He had been thinking of her too.

She needed to go home, because they shouldn't be together. If he had suggested it, she would have stayed with him forever. It was well after midnight, when she finally left. Her head was spinning with thoughts of being kissed by Nick. It had been like a dream. No, it was better than a dream.

She felt an uneasiness in the pit in her stomach which reminded her it was not right. They couldn't have a relationship. Reality made everything complicated. How could it continue? Was it ethical? What would Uncle David think?

When she shut her eyes, she remembered the way he tasted. She had never felt as secure as she had in his arms. She thought of his lips on hers and her belly flipped.

How could something feel so right and be so wrong?

When she woke, she had text messages.

🗨N: Good morning!

🗨N: Thinking of you

🗨S: Good morning.

Her phone rang. He said, "I've been up for hours." Hearing his voice reminded her it hadn't been a dream.

She laughed, "Sorry."

"So I've been thinking of you."

She said, "You've been texting me all morning."

"What are you doing today?"

"I'm going to the gym and then I'll go see Lily."

He said, "Come over tonight!"

"I can't. We shouldn't." She wanted to.

"No one needs to know. You can wait until Bridget is asleep. I want to see you. We can have dinner. It can be a date."

"Are you offering to cook me dinner?"

He chuckled. "I can cook. I just don't have a reason to. Hold on." She heard him talking. "I'm back."

"What about your neighbors?"

"The only one who matters is away. This is our only chance." He pleaded.

"Who is your neighbor that's away?"

"Tim lives next door."

"Oh, gosh!" She couldn't believe he lived next to his brother. Still her desire to see him was too strong.

"Alright, I'll come, but this will never work."

"We'll find a way. I know we will. Sorry but, I have to go find Jack. Bye for now."

Sara stood looking at her phone. She couldn't stay away from him even if it was wrong. She smiled at the thought of a date and the feeling in her belly wasn't going away.

She went to the gym to run. Thoughts of him carried her as she went an extra mile. Her mind wavered constantly between disbelief and excitement. She found that she couldn't think of anything, but Nick. Nick, just saying his name excited her.

Lily was worse, when Sara visited. Christine mentioned being thankful for Dr. B and his visits.

"You said you've known the family for years. Did you know his wife?" Sara felt daring.

"Not really. She wasn't from here. She had an important bank job. I knew more than I should have, because my cousin was their nanny."

"Nanny?" It surprised Sara to hear about a nanny.

Christine nodded. "She went right back to work after each baby, traveling too. She didn't spend much time with those little ones."

"But he loved her?"

"Oh yes, they were together for a few years before they got married. I think they had to," Christine whispered.

"Had to?"

"You know."

"Oh." Not that it was a big deal, but it surprised Sara. "Does he still have a nanny?" Whoever watched his kids, he was always running late.

"No, after she died, Julie, Tim's wife took over. He said they recently started daycare, but not every day."

Christine knew more about him than Sara, because she had always been afraid to ask personal questions. She had tried to hide her feelings. Sara felt guilty for asking about him, but she wanted to know more. She could search online to learn more.

Once home. She turned on her laptop and typed in his name. There was the link to the Lake's Region and Maine Medical, but underneath it was the obituary.

If she had googled, she would have known he wasn't married. There was an article about the accident that took her life. Sara saw the photograph of the mangled car, but didn't want to read it. Instead, she read the obituary.

The woman Nick married was Melissa, not Burke. She kept her own last name. Her professional successes were many, her academic achievements too. It listed her as wife, mother, daughter, and friend. The words did not tell Sara about them as a couple or a family. After reading, she had more questions than answers.