Thank you for the reviews on the first chapter, please continue to review. :) xo
Disclaimer: I own none of the following people named in this story. They are simply characters. The only thing that belongs to me is the storyline.
"Give me affection, I need your perfection. 'Cause you feel so good you make me s-s-stutter." - Stutter, Maroon 5.
Chapter Two
Nick
At precisely 6 PM on the night after my encounter with Miley, I found myself standing in front of her apartment door. I stared blankly at the deep purple shade of paint before me as I lifted my sweaty hand and balled it up into a fist, knocking 3 times softly. Her building was found in one of the many ruts of New York City, a random street between two random avenues. She probably just took what she could find, as most people did here.
I glanced down at myself, wondering if I'd come overdressed. I told her to dress casual yet sophisticated but now I was second guessing myself. She seemed like a more laid back girl, what if I scared her away? I adjusted the black tie I was wearing loosely over a deep red button up shirt that was tucked into a dark pair of jeans. I'd rolled up the sleeves and unbuttoned the first two buttons. Can't get more casual than jeans and rolled up sleeves, right?
Just as I was raising my hand to knock again, the door was pulled open and Miley appeared in front of me. The breath caught in my throat as my eyes landed on her face… I had seriously never laid my eyes on a woman so beautiful.
Okay so now I'm over-exaggerating and being cliché, but seriously… I almost woke up this morning and thought that yesterday wasn't real and I'd just had a dream about this gorgeous angel named Miley. I'd be damned if that's not beauty.
Miley brushed her long auburn locks which were hanging freely over her shoulders away from her face and opened her mouth, "Hey." She said, causing me to blush lamely. Of course me – being the idiot I am – forget to speak.
"Hey." I responded softly and hesitated before leaning in and giving her a soft peck on the cheek. Her skin was soft and she smelled of vanilla and raspberries, mm…
Okay, Nick. Enough being creepy. I pulled back and took the time to quickly scan her up and down with my eyes. She was wearing a navy baggy knit sweater paired with skinny jeans the same shade as mine which were tucked into a pair of knee-high lace up boots. I moved my eyes back to hers and gave her a warm smile, "You look beautiful." I complimented and her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "Ready?" I asked.
"Let me just grab my coat." She said, returning my smile with one of her own. She turned around and stepped back into the apartment and I let out a soft breath. How was it I was able to be so smooth yesterday and now I'm making a complete fool of myself? Be cool, Nick. Be cool.
And stop talking to yourself in your head, Nick.
Okay where was Miley? Before I went seriously insane, although I think I got into that club already. Just as fast as before, she appeared in front of me, this time her black wool jacket hiding the sweater under it.
As she buttoned up the last of the buttons on the coat, she gave me another one of her cute little smiles, "Okay, now I'm ready." She said and stepped forward, pulling the door shut behind her.
Miley and I were now seated at a table in the middle of El Abruzzi; one of the many Italian restaurants in New York City. I had considered taking her to one of my usual date places, the cliché expensive restaurants that you had to make reservations at and be able to spend at least 40 dollars on a steak. But judging by the way she eyed my suit in Starbucks yesterday, I had a feeling she expected that of me so I decided on a casual Italian place that was still fancy enough for her to know that this date was actually important to me.
I watched as she twirled her spaghetti on her fork before bringing the bite into her mouth, meeting my eyes just as she got some sauce onto her cheek. She blushed deeply when she noticed me staring and quickly brushed the sauce off with her pointer finger. I gave her a reassuring smile and lowered my eyes to my own plate, taking a bite as well before swallowing and speaking up, "Let's play 20 questions." I said randomly. I hadn't even considered that in my mind for a moment. 20 questions? Seriously, Nick? You can build skyscrapers that are 74 stories high but you can't come up with something better than 20 questions?
She didn't seem to mind, though, because her face lit up at the idea. "I love that game!" She grinned at me, causing the corners of my mouth to rise up in a slight smile, "You go first." She continued.
I nodded and let myself mull over the idea I'd thrown at her. Okay, fine… 20 questions. Start off easy, Nick. I took another bite of the spaghetti as I considered an easy question and looked up at her, "Where are you from?"
"Oh, that's easy." She stated, causing me to high five myself mentally, "I grew up in Tennessee."
"I knew I'd noticed some southern twang in your accent." I told her, causing her to blush again. False, I hadn't noticed anything in her accent until she brought up the fact that she was from the south.
"So how'd you end up in the city that never sleeps?" I questioned and she smirked.
"It's my turn."
I nodded in defeat and lifted my glass of red wine, taking a sip as I watched her. She looked so cute, her eyebrows contorted in concentration as she tried coming up with a question until finally she gave up and just repeated the words I'd spoken to her, "Where are you from?"
"Oh, that's easy." I mocked and she giggled, "I'm from Jersey."
"So you're not too far from home, I see." She commented and I smiled at the thought.
"Nope, I make sure to stay close."
She seemed to like this idea because she smiled again and spoke, "Staying close is important."
I nodded and twirled my fork around in my spaghetti, "So how'd you end up in the city that never sleeps?" I repeated my earlier question and noticed the laugh that escaped her lips. It was the kind of laugh that you couldn't help but smile at. It wasn't forced, but wasn't obnoxiously loud either. The perfect laugh.
"After high school I went to college in Boston. I majored in journalism." She told me and I nodded for her to continue, placing a bite into my mouth. "My professor told me the best place for me to pursue that was in New York, so I packed up my bags and moved here with my best friend, we've lived together ever since."
"The blonde one?" I asked, referring to the tall, curly haired girl that was with Miley in Starbucks yesterday. She nodded and I smiled, "And? Was your professor right about New York?"
Miley shook her head and put a hand up to stop me, "Ah, my turn." I rolled my eyes jokingly and she smiled, "What about you?"
"What about me, what?" I wondered, tilting my head to the side.
"Like what's your story? How'd you end up in New York?"
"Oh." I said and brought my wine glass back to my lips, taking a sip before speaking, "I went to Columbia—"
"Fancy." She interrupted and I shot her a look which caused her to blush, "Sorry. I'm done." She said and pretended to lock her mouth and throw away the key.
"I went to Columbia." I said again and paused to see if she would say anything but she was just watching me with a keen interest in her eyes, "Long story short; my brother, Joe. He already lived here with his girlfriend while I was in college. After I graduated I was looking for somewhere to live here, and his girlfriend moved to France for some art scholarship so I moved in with him and bada bing, bada boom." I snapped my fingers and she giggled.
"Do you still live with him?"
"Nah, we lived together for about a year before we realized that living together without our mom down our throats to stop us from ripping each others' heads off when we fought was dangerous." I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest, "So I got my own place."
She nodded in interest as if I'd just told her the secret to cure cancer, "You're a journalist?" I asked, causing her to snap out of the trance my story seemed to put her in.
"In theory." She said and laughed when I raised an eyebrow, "I'm an intern at the New York Times." She admitted with a small blush, "And to pay the rent, I work your average 9 to 5 cubicle job. You know, answering phones, arranging schedules. All that jazz."
"Interesting." I told her and this time it was her turn to roll her eyes jokingly.
"Yeah, very." She said sarcastically and I laughed, "What do you do?" She questioned, keeping her eyes on me.
"I'm an architect."
Miley and I were walking side by side down the dimly lit New York streets. It was silent apart from her quiet humming, but it wasn't awkward. It was more of a comfortable silence. My hands were stuffed in the pockets of my jeans and hers were swinging at her sides along with the tune she was humming.
"So," I began and her humming stopped as she turned her head to look at me, "I only asked you, like, 18 questions."
"Were you counting?" She teased me and I thanked god it was dark so she couldn't see the blush that rose up to my cheeks.
I ignored her comment and turned the corner that lead to her building. I offered driving her home but she said that driving at night in New York City was like closing your eyes at the top of a mountain during a meteor shower, "you miss all the lights."
"Can I take you out again?" I asked and looked down at her, noticing that her body was nearly brushing against mine as she walked.
Her eyes darted up to mine and I caught her smile, "Yes."
I smiled back at her and we continued walking in silence for a few more minutes until she stopped, noting that we'd reached her building.
She stepped in front of me and turned to face me, clearing her throat slightly. I felt like I was in high school again, dropping a girl off at her doorstep after our first date and her dad was spying on us through the window. "Thank you again for tonight, it was really amazing." She was the first to speak.
I nodded, "I still have one more question."
She stayed quiet, giving me my chance to speak. Damn, I hadn't even considered this. What was I meant to ask?
"Do you kiss on the first date?" I asked without thinking and watched her eyes widen in surprise slightly.
"I, uh… Maybe."
But I didn't even give her a chance to consider her answer before stepping closer to her and gently pressing my lips against hers.
please review. i'm still getting the hang of this whole fanfiction thing... :)
