Chapter Five
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While en route, they chatted about his practice in Athens and his parents who still lived there. "That was why I was a bit late. My mother called just as I was about to leave. I hadn't spoken to her or my father in a few weeks and ..." he trailed.
"And...I'm happy to know you give your parents the respect they're due." She pulled into the driveway of a small town home. "And...here we are."
"And here is?" He asked as they exited the car.
Michelle took a moment to put the top up on the convertible and secured the car. "Here is home, Nicky," she answered with a small giggle. She ascended the steps and unlocked the door, swinging it open for him to enter. She flicked the light switch just inside the door and the room flooded with light.
Nick glanced around the open, spacious area of the living room/kitchen/den of the downstairs portion of her home. "This is nice."
"Mmm...I love it here." She moved to the sliding glass doors that opened onto a large, covered patio. "C'mon out here...it's a lovely night and I really do have an awesome view of the bridge."
She waited while Nick settled in the patio swing. "I'll be right back," she said and disappeared inside the house. When she returned she held two glasses and a bottle of Asti. She left one of the lights on in the living room, but kept the outside lights off. She handed Nick the bottle and corkscrew and watched while he opened it easily.
"You weren't lying, this is a beautiful view," he said, pouring the wine and handing her a glass once she settled next to him. Taking a large sip of the bubbly wine, he asked, "Shelley, what upset you so much earlier today?"
She sighed heavily and brought the glass to her lips. She wanted to scream that she didn't want to talk about it; didn't want to relive the pain again. It wasn't so much that she didn't want to talk to him about it, she just didn't want to talk about it...period. "Tell me what you heard," she insisted.
"Nothing. You were on a leave of absence," he assured. He could hear the pain in her voice, whatever it was had taken its toll on her. "It's okay, Shelley...you don't have to tell me." He reached for her hand that rested on her thigh and covered it with his own. Her fingers curled around his and it felt as is a thousand little pins had jolted him, sending tendrils of tingling currents throughout his body.
"No Nicky...it's not that," she said. His touch was magical...she was sure her entire body was on fire and at the same time he enveloped her with a calmness that made her feel safe. She leaned toward him and rested her head on his shoulder while they gazed at the spectacular sight of the bridge lit up at night. "My sister...identical twin sister...she died in childbirth. I went home to help the family and it turned out that I was more of a reminder of what was lost than any kind of help. Her husband said that seeing me with Rachelle's baby was a twist of a knife in a wound too deep to heal." She hadn't realized she had started crying; wasn't sure when she had.
Nick took her glass and set it aside along with his own. Placing an arm around her shoulder, he held her close while she sobbed through her tortured feelings. "I'm so sorry, Shelley. I'm sure your family didn't mean to hurt you."
She nodded against his chest while she clung helplessly to him. He was like a haven against the darkest of her emotions; she hadn't let anyone close to her in such a long time. "I miss her, Nicky. We were two sides of the same coin and I feel lost without her."
He whispered to her in soothing tones, assuring her things would get easier. She would never stop missing her sister, but each day it would get a little easier to remember her with happiness instead of heartache. He held her until she quieted and eased herself out of his arms.
"I'm sorry about that. You barely know me and I dump all over you. Not to mention, I've probably ruined your shirt."
Nick smiled softly and cupped her face in his hands and brushed the tears from her cheeks. "I have other shirts and you can ruin each one of them if you so desire."
Michelle returned his smile. "They make you Greeks very gallant, don't they?"
He chuckled. "I'm not sure about that...but this one enjoys your smile and laughter. He'll do what it takes to see you happy."
Michelle blinked. Was he serious? "We've only just met, Nicky and yet, you talk as though..."
"I've known you my whole life," he finished for her. "And you're thinking I'm out of my mind."
"No, I'm thinking you're on the rebound and I don't want to be a transitional thing," she admitted, lifting herself from the swing and moving to stand at the edge of the patio. She stared across the bay, hugging her arms around herself.
"What do you mean?" he asked, moving to stand directly behind her.
"Rae," she said simply.
"Rae," he repeated. So, she did know.
Michelle nodded but didn't turn to face him. "She let it slip...the truth about your affair. She says it's over; that she..."
"It is over, Shelley," he insisted, placing his hands on her shoulders and massaging the muscles tenderly.
"Is it? Because there are things I'm feeling..."
He moved closer until her back pressed against the hard muscles of his chest. "Things I, too, am feeling," he admitted, nuzzling her neck. "Shelley..."
"Nicky..." she turned slowly, his lips leaving a heated trail along the soft skin of her neck. When his lips finally found hers, she was lost in a sea of emotion and desire. His mouth was firm and insistent as it moved over hers. She parted her lips when she felt the exploring probe of his tongue before it slid over her bottom lip. She sighed within the kiss when his tongue gained entrance and together they explored, delved and delighted in each other. The kiss gaining intensity as the minutes passed, leaving them breathless and gasping for air when they pulled away from each other.
"Na-Nicholas," she said breathily while running her hands down his chest.
"Yes, ma'am?" he responded and nipped her earlobe and ran a hand slowly down her spine. He shuddered in response to her body as it quivered with each stroke of his hand and fingertips.
"It's too soon...too soon," she fairly cried. She wanted nothing more than to be with the gorgeous specimen of a man, but she'd been this route before. She couldn't bear to be hurt again.
Nick nodded against her neck. God, how he wanted her like no other, but he would not take advantage of her vulnerability. "I'll call a cab," he insisted and moved away from her. His body screamed for him to pull her back into his embrace, but his mind won out.
Michelle shook her head. "It's really late, Nick. Stay, please. There's a spare bedroom and I have some of my brother-in-laws things here. I'm sure I can find you something to sleep in." She realized what she said contradicted her reluctance to have sex with him. If it were anyone else, she never would have made the invitation to him to spend the night. As it were, although she had no idea why, she trusted him to be a gentleman. Her mind screamed that he could be the Greek version of Jack the Ripper, but her heart told her differently.
Nick tried to hide a grin. He slept in the nude, but he wasn't about to tell her that. "Very well, if you insist." Her invitation floored him for they had just met, but there was something about her that reached through the ages and spoke to his heart...no...his soul.
"I insist," she answered. "And tomorrow, if you'd like, we can take in some of the local attractions. I don't know how much sightseeing you've done since you've been here." Opening the sliding glass doors, she picked up the wine bottle and glasses and carried them to the kitchen sink.
"Sounds good. I haven't really seen anything other than the bridge," he admitted as he followed her inside and watched while she checked to make sure the house was locked up before they retired for the evening.
Michelle led him upstairs and showed him to the guestroom. "The bathroom is just down the hall, next door on the left. There's a brand new toothbrush still in its package in the medicine cabinet and anything else you need should be under the sink. My brother's clothes are in the dresser and closet, so help yourself."
Nick nodded and leaned toward her, kissing her cheek gently. "Sweet dreams, Shelley."
She reached up and placed a hand to his cheek, "You too, Nicholas, my sweet Adonis."
He took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to her palm. "I've never been anyone's Adonis," he whispered.
Michelle didn't quite know how, but she found herself in his embrace again. She wound her arms around his neck and whispered, "women are stupid or blind, Nicholas. If the gods were making a shining example of masculine beauty, there is no doubt you were the result."
Nick's eyes slid closed listening to the soft, silkiness of her voice as she bestowed the wondrous compliment upon him. He opened them ever so slightly and kissed the tip of her nose. "Go to bed now, Shelley. If you stay another moment in my arms, I won't be responsible for my actions."
He was warning her, giving her the chance to get away. Her leaving was the last thing he wanted, but he was determined that when she came to him, it would all be for him and not to run from any misery or pain she was feeling. He wanted to ride to the heavens of pleasure with her, but not for the sake of escaping any torment either of them might now be feeling. Her torment over her sister's death; his over his loneliness.
She nodded, sliding reluctantly from his arms. She squeezed his hand gently before letting go. "Sweet dreams, Nicholas," she whispered as she disappeared through the doorway.
Within moments, he heard the door to her room close softly before making his way to the hall bathroom to wash up. He could hear her moving around in the next room and grinned when he realized the muffled tones he was hearing was not her speaking to herself, but rather singing.
Finished with his evening toilet, he went back to the guest room. Opening the dresser, he found several pairs of men's pajamas, a few shirts, slacks and other various items. In the closet he found the man's dress clothes. He thought it strange that her brother-in-law left his clothing behind.
Feeling suddenly like he was spying, he stripped out of his clothing and laid them out carefully over the wingback chair in the corner of the room. He slid nude between the crisp cotton sheets. His eyes closed slowly as his head rested on the soft pillows. Having gotten used to sleeping in strange places, he felt himself slipping away quickly. Tomorrow promised to be a cheerful, enjoyable day. Something he hadn't had for quite a while.
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