Chapter Nine
"And he's Nick's brother." She let out all in one breath.
I, uh... WHAT?
...
"Demi, I swear if you call him I will personally kill you." I glared at her. "With my bare hands." I added, trying to scare her.
My best friend here had taken it upon herself to call my- what was he again? – my boyfriend? No. My friend? Friends don't kiss. Not on the lips. Or at least normal ones don't. So back to my question... who was he? We had gone on a few dates, kissed a couple of times... Okay, I know it was more than a couple of times just... play along. The guy I was dating. That sounded uncommitted and casual enough. 'Cause what Nick and I had had going for the last couple of days was totally casual.
What was I saying again? Oh yeah. Demi had taken it upon herself to call the-guy-I-was-dating to inform him of my little drama queen-esque reaction to the news.
The 'news' being Joe, Demi's ex boyfriend – in other words, the douche who had broken her heart – was the-guy-I-was-dating's brother. Both their names in the same sentence was enough to send me crawling back into Womensville. Okay crawling was too slow. Sprinting could work (even though I wasn't a fast runner). So like I said, both their names in the same sentence was enough to send me sprinting back to Womensville. Womensville, aka the land where men do not exist. The land where men are completely ignored. The land I had lived in for the past couple of years. The land I lived in before I spilled my coffee on him.
I kept glaring at Demi hoping she'd give up and toss the god dam phone back to me. And it didn't damn work. She pressed call and held up my phone to her hear, waiting for Nick to pick up.
Bitch.
Yes, I was angry and I had a right to be. I had every right to be a bitch, myself. Or at least I wanted to pretend like I had every right. I knew I was exaggerating, I knew Demi was right when she called me a drama queen but to hell with it, I was upset.
"His phone is off." She frowned. "Dammit." I smirked, wallowing in my triumph.
"See, even the Gods agree that this relationship was doomed from day one." She shook her head at me, her eyes narrowing.
"What's your problem, Miley? At the first sign of trouble you're going to run? Didn't you make fun of me just yesterday for being so harsh with Joe?"
"That's not the same." I retorted, my voice not as tough as I meant it to be.
"It's exactly the same. We've both had messy relationships that have fucked us up." Did I mention she was even blunter when exasperated? "I live my life for my job, parties and one night stands and run at the first sign of a serious relationship. You!" She took a breath (didn't want her monologue to suck the life out of here now, did we?). She pointed an accusing finger at me. "You just ran away from men until... well up until Nick came along." Her features softened. "Don't throw it away over some stupid misunderstanding."
"He lied to me."
"He didn't lie to you."
"You lied to me." I reminded her.
"We didn't lie, Miley! We were trying to protect you!"
"Protect me? Protect me from what exactly? Myself?" I snorted. "Funny, Demi, real funny."
"Look, I panicked when I saw him okay? I literally felt like I was being thrown into my past and all I could see when I saw Nick was Joe's face. I couldn't handle it so I hid the fact that I knew him so I wouldn't have to explain myself to you."
My good side was wallowing in guilt. My bad one? Telling me to make her beg for forgiveness. Yes, I was being a sadistic bitch. Fortunately, or unfortunately – couldn't make up my mind – my good side won out.
"I'm so sorry, Dem. You're not the one I should be mad at." She shook her head.
"You shouldn't be mad at Nick either. He just played along for my sake."
"Why?" I asked curiously.
"Because he cares – cared - for me." She said it like it was obvious. "Nick and I were close. Not like Joe and I were, but we were definitely friends. We cared about each other." I looked at her expectantly. "He hated Joe for what he did to me. He didn't understand it. He checked on me every single day after the breakup until I changed my number because I couldn't stand having any sort of link left with Joe, even if it was through his brother."
"So uhm, Nick? He was a good guy?" I asked carefully.
"Nick's a really good guy. He always was and I can tell he still is." She smiled widely. "I know you know that without my telling you, though." I bowed my head.
"I'm overreacting, aren't I?"
"Just a little." We laughed together and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. Being angry and upset wasn't as much fun as I thought it was. That was sarcasm though, in case you hadn't noticed. "What now?" I threw myself onto the couch, putting my legs up over the arm rest so my feet were dangling in the air.
"You invite him for dinner, tell him you know about my history with his brother and you tell him your parents want you to run their hotels." I groaned at the reminder of my parents' offer to run their hotels. "Something which you've been completely avoiding, by the way." I didn't have the energy to protest.
"Have you even gotten back to them since they told you about selling?"
"Yes?" She shook her head disbelievingly. "Maybe...?" She gave me a pointed look. "Alright, no."
"And you tell me I've got issues." She rolled her eyes playfully. I stuck my tongue out at her in response.
"Just be honest with him."
"I will."
"Sooner rather than later." She cautioned, again.
"Yes, ma'am." We both laughed.
"Alright, looks like my work here is done." She smiled at me. "Call your guy and put yourself out there, Mi. You never know just how much good can come out of taking changes. Oh and let's not forget honesty." She gave me another one of those pointed looks before heading for the front door. "Love you!" She called out before slamming the door behind her.
She was never one to make a discreet exit. Or entry for that matter.
I knew what I needed to do.
I reached over for my phone and scrawled down through my contacts until his name popped up.
Nick.
...
"Out of everyone in the world." I giggled against his chest. "Out of every girl out there you had to pick your brother's ex girlfriend's best friend?" His sheepish smile told me he thought it was as ludicrous as I did.
"Well... I so happen to wonder why it is we only met now if you and Demi were such good friends." He raised his eyebrows knowingly.
He was smarter than I gave him credit for. And it's exactly what I told him.
He chuckled as he pulled me closer into his side, clinking his glass of wine against mine. After a simple meal of lasagna and salad, we had shifted to my living room to cuddle on the couch. Our glasses of wines and dessert had also followed us.
Nick had picked up a few of Maria's desserts, the very ones Felipe (the owner of the Italian restaurant we had been to on our first date) had insisted I needed to taste. Nick, in turn, insisted on me tasting every one of them. Which I did, obligingly. Not that I needed much convincing, they were all delicious.
"So now you know all about my dumbass of a brother and Demi... Tell me about you and Demi." I sighed.
"I didn't know Demi at the time she was dating your brother. In fact, I met her a few months later when she transferred to the mag." He nodded his head.
"She left New York soon after what happened between her and my brother."
"We became close pretty quickly. Of course, she never opened up about what happened with Joe but we became best friends."
"I'm glad she had someone as supportive as you around after the way..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head.
"Are you and your brother not close?" I questioned, my curiosity pricked by the flash of anger I saw in his eyes. It was just a flash, but I saw it.
"We used to be." He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess we're just really different."
"And you don't agree with his style of life...?" I guessed.
"Something like that." He smiled at me. "So tell me... how did you take it when Demi told you I was Joe's brother?"
I blew out my reddening cheeks.
"Honestly?" I bit my lip.
"You do know I'm not my brother, right?" The lines creasing his forehead were all I needed to know he was worried. I held my hand up and smoothed out his worry lines, smiling softly at him. His skin was soft under my touch and I loved the feeling beneath my fingers.
"I do know that." I smiled apologetically. "You'll have Demi to thank for putting some sense into me."
"I-" I closed my eyes, preparing myself to speak up. "I've been hurt before. By several men... And I'm afraid of history repeating itself. That's why I'm so cautious. I over think everything. I overact..." I shook my head, laughing humourlessly. "Are you still here?" I opened one eye and peeked.
He was chuckling.
He cupped my face into his warm hands and brought his lips to mine, kissing them fully.
"I'm not going anywhere." He breathed against my lips. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, relishing at the words coming out of his mouth. Was he perfect or what? I smiled against his lips, loving the mixture of tastes (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, wine... you name it) I found in the crevices of his mouth. It made the desserts taste all that better.
My fingers knotted in his hair and I was amazed by the softness of his curls under my fingertips. I tugged softly, bringing him as close to me as I possibly could which was quite impossible seeing as we were at an awkward angle. He grabbed a hold of my legs and swung them over his before slowly lowering me onto my back so I was lying down. His strong arms supported him on either side of my head as he devoured my mouth with his own very skilled one.
I had never experienced so much adrenaline coursing through my body and I thought I would explode from all the emotions running through my veins. What was he doing to me? I gasped, trying hard to catch my breath when we finally detached our lips from each other.
"You okay?" His eyes were full of concern and I smiled widely, pecking his lip softly.
"I'm more than okay."
"Good." He grinned before leaning down and capturing my lips between his all over again. I couldn't get enough of his lips. I couldn't get enough of the feeling of his built chest laying over mine, pressing just the right amount weight so I wouldn't suffocate under him. I couldn't get enough of the feel of his hands on my face, my hair, my waist.
I knew, from all the feelings bubbling in me that I was falling for him. Hard. And from the way he was treating me, I knew that my feelings were not one sided.
All was left was to hope that we were on the same page and things would evolve according to what we wanted. All I could do was hope. And that's what I did as I kissed him, more passionately than I had ever kissed any man in my entire life. His simple touch was driving me crazy with desires of all sorts, desires I didn't know I was capable of feeling ever again for a man. And this time the intensity was multiplied by a hundred.
"I think I should go." He whispered when he finally pulled away, his hand tenderly brushing a stray strand out of my face.
"Alright." I surrendered with a pout. He smiled at me as he stood up, bringing me up with him.
I wanted to tell him not to go. I wanted to lead him to my bedroom and never let the night come to an end. But I didn't.
What amazed me was that I didn't feel a bit rejected like anybody would in these circumstances. Instead, I felt like I was, for the first time, really being respected by a man. And I respected him even more in return.
"Good night, Miley." He kissed my cheek, letting his swollen lips linger there for a few seconds. "Thank you for dinner. It was delicious." I smiled widely as I let go of his hand.
"Thank you for dessert." I didn't mean it for it to come out that way but I felt my cheeks flush anyways. "Good night, Nick." He chuckled as he entered the elevator and waved before the door swallowed him in.
And a good night it had been.
Thank you, Demi.
Thank you for all the support, I should tell you that more often ;) You guys are amazing!
To be honest, I had hard time writing this chapter... I'm going through a bit of personal stuff at the moment and while sometimes writing helps me a lot, sometimes it doesn't. Writing about happy couples and all of that is kinda hard for me at the moment. I hope it's just a temporary thing that will go away soon! I think most of you will notice how awkward my Niley scene was in this chapter... anyhow, just bear with me. Thanks ;)
xoxo
