Unbreakable Currents

Chapter 14

The next morning, I woke up in a daze. My head was splitting, and my mouth was raw from dehydration. That's what I got for partying on a work night. I rolled over to look at my phone. I had two missed calls from Natalie and only had a few minutes before I had to be at work.

Oh shit. I could have sworn I set my alarm.

There was no time to call Natalie back. I would have to deal with whatever she needed when I got to the complex.

I shot out of bed and ran down the steps to see if Nick could take me to work. I could use a shower and a change of clothes but the ones I wore to the bar last night would have to do.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I smelled bacon and heard the soft sound of music. I looked to my left and saw Nick standing at the stove.

He looked relaxed and refreshed. His hair was damp, and I wanted to run my fingers through it. Regardless of our confrontation from last night, he still made my body tingle with desire.

I stood on the other side of the counter from him.

"What exactly is going on here? You do realize I need to be at work like now?"

He turned his attention from the stove to me.

"I've taken care of that. And the last time I tried to cook for you, you left unexpectedly so I owe you a breakfast." Nick's face was smooth, and he was beaming ear to ear.

"Okay, here's the thing. That's sweet and all but I've been at this job for two weeks and have not worked either Friday due to confrontations with you. I can't lose this job." My voice was unstable.

"You have done more in the last two weeks than the previous manager did in a month. You're not going to lose your job. I called Natalie and told her you were with me and wouldn't be in today and that if Sally needed you, she could have her call me and I would explain."

"Seriously, you talked to Natalie? And if Sally calls, she will flip. What would you even tell her? I was drunk, almost got arrested, and you came to the rescue and now I'm spending the day with you?" I was furious.

"Calm down. I am not going to tell her anything like that. She won't call. And if in some freak chance she does, I'll tell her that I wanted to get to know you better." He winked at me.

"What if I don't want to stay?"

"I will make you a deal. Let me treat you to breakfast and then afterwards if you still want to go, be my guest."

"Fine. But I really need a shower."

"The bedroom you slept in last night has a fully stocked bathroom. Breakfast will be ready in ten."

I took a quick shower and felt instantly refreshed. I changed into the oversized clothes he provided me last night and I did not feel sexy. Nick had been right about keeping things stocked. The bathroom had all the necessary bath and body products in beautiful scents. Why though? It made me queasy thinking about how many other women could have possibly slept in this room and used these toiletries. Sabrina had said that she thought he had a girlfriend or maybe just a play thing. Well if he wanted to talk, I would definitely be asking about his stockpile of beauty products.

Back downstairs, I sat down at the table where Nick was reading something on his laptop, the delicious looking food spread out on the table. I noticed for the first time my growling belly. I grabbed a few things off the platters and dug in.

"Are you going to breathe while you do that?" Nick chuckled.

I put my fork down. "Sorry, I must have the hangover munchies. This is really good. Where did you learn to cook?" I tried to smile at him, but my mouth was full and I didn't want to embarrass myself further by spitting food on his nice table.

"My mother taught me. I loved to watch her in the kitchen when I was growing up."

Nick held up the bacon with his fork and took a bite. "This is good but hers is better. I never could get it just right."

Nick was being fun and lighthearted this morning, very different from the man I saw last night. I needed to know more about him. Was he bi-polar or just playing games? He had said when we decided to break things off that we both had personal stuff we needed to work on. I pondered this a few seconds and then, instead of diving right into my investigative questioning, I went for a softball question.

"So, was that your house last night? Is that how you knew I was there?"

"It is. I put it on the market a few months back. My neighbor watches over it for me and she called me when she saw you trespassing."

"Sorry." I lowered my head, suddenly embarrassed about my antics last night. "Why are you selling it? It's gorgeous. We vacationed here years ago and the boat took us near that same harbor. It was my dream to live in a house like that."

"It is gorgeous, yes, but I wanted an escape further away from the complex. I had been scouting this street out for a while and knew if a house ever came available, I would pay whatever price. I am assuming you saw the view from your bedroom balcony? Well, my bedroom has one very similar. There is nothing like it and worth every penny." Nick paused. "Do you want to see it?"

"See what?" I cleared my throat and lifted my head so I could see his expression.

"The view from my room." His eyes were inviting and locked with mine.

I froze. I wanted him more than I ever had any man. He was wrong for me in every way. And I didn't want to burden his life with mine, but I didn't want to run this time. If I went to his bedroom, I wasn't sure if I would be able to run from him again. With the desire in his eyes that I've waited years to see from a man, the risk was one I was willing to take.

Without any further hesitation, I leapt towards him and straddled him in his chair. Nick's lips met mine with a demanding kiss. We both sighed. I missed the way he tasted.

"Hold on to me tight."

I grasped my arms around Nick's neck, my legs around his waist, and he carried me up the stairs to his room.

He swung the door open and carried me to the balcony but didn't put me down. We both rested our eyes on the beautiful scene in front of us.

The waves of the gulf were peaceful and gentle. The blue water was twinkling from the bright sun hitting it.

He released the hold on me, and we sat down on the garden sofa. I sunk back onto it, taking it all in. This was paradise.

He leaned in and started kissing me passionately. I followed his lead. He grabbed me at the waist and pulled me in so I was straddling him again. Our lips never spreading apart, he pulled my shirt over my head. I was burning with desire for him and the hot sun hitting my back heightened the pleasure. I moved my hands underneath his shirt and rubbed his chest down to his stomach. He released a low moan. I relocated my lips from his and kissed his neck and proceeded down to his chest, caressing it with my tongue, savoring him. He grabbed the top of my gym shorts and maneuvered them down my waist, so they were resting up against my butt.

"I need to get a condom." Nick's breathing was heavy.

Not answering him, I kept massaging his neck, circling my tongue around his collarbone and down his pectoral.

He shifted from below me and leaned me back, so I was lying on the sofa. I thought he would walk away to get protection, but he stayed put. Instead, he took my shorts all the way off and did the same with his. I pulled at his hair and caressed his scalp with the tips of my fingers. Naked on an outside balcony for the whole world to see, I knew he would shield my body with his.