Broken Pieces (The Riverdale Series)

by Janine Infante Bosco

  Sam nodded towards the brown bag that Nick clutched in his hands. “What’s in the bag?”

  He ignored her question and instead of answering her, he asked one of his own. “What do you want?”

  She slowly rose to her feet. “Is this a bad time?” She asked, obviously catching the harshness in his tone.

  He laughed sarcastically and brushed past her to unlock his door. “Forget that. I know what you want.”

  “Oh really?” She asked, her voice a touch on the edgy side. Hmm, he must’ve struck a nerve with the ice queen.

  “Really.” He stated and pushed open his door. “I’ve got your routine down pat, sweetheart.” He leaned against the door jamb and watched her intently. Her arms were crossed and her eyes narrowed. Her guard was up and she was ready to fight. Good, he was in the mood for a fight. After the shit day he had, this seemed like the perfect ending.

  “You need your itch scratched, so you come knocking on my door.” He cocked his head to the side. “You’re so polite afterwards too, saying ‘thank you’ before you run out the door.” Her mouth opened to speak but he didn’t let her have a word in edgewise. “I’ve had a long day and I’m really not ready to service you just yet, so if you don’t mind hanging around…” He turned around and stepped inside his apartment, leaving the door open behind him. She could enter at her own risk as far as he was concerned.

  Sam stood in front of his door baffled. She’d seen him angry before, but never was it directed to her in this way. As much as she wanted to tell him to fuck off and maybe even give him a taste of her right hook, something stopped her. She inched her head forward and tried to seek him out without stepping into the apartment. She was still torn as to whether or not she should follow him inside. She had come there with intentions to keep this thing between them physical. He was right. She was sitting on his doorstep for one reason only, and if she stepped inside his apartment and probed to find out what was bothering him, well, that would cross the line of just physical.

  She stormed into his apartment and slammed the door behind her. Nick glanced up from his kitchen island, where he was busy pouring himself a water glass full of Jack Daniels. He lifted the glass to his lips and took the first hefty sip. It burned his throat as he swallowed, but still he went for a second sip. He placed the glass back on the counter and shook off the feeling as the alcohol spread through his system. He lifted his head and stared at her. She was standing in front of the island, her eyes shooting back and forth between him and the bottle of liquor. He slid the bottle towards her, and wondered if she had the balls to do a shot.

  Her eyes met his and instead of reaching for the bottle she reached for his glass. She watched the amber liquid swirl around the glass and then she cringed as she took a sip. Nick actually smiled briefly as she pinched her nose so she wouldn’t smell it as she took the shot. She placed the glass back on the counter top and made a face of pure disgust.

  “How the hell do you drink that?” She grimaced and watched the smile on his face quickly falter.

  He shrugged his shoulders and took another sip. “I’m used to it.” He said flatly and busied himself with pulling out take out menus from one of the drawers. He fanned them out on the counter and nodded towards her.

  “Are you going to eat dinner with me? Or is that too much trouble? Maybe you didn’t work that into your plan for tonight.” He asked and felt as if he was daring her to eat a meal with him much like he felt he had done with the drink.

  “What’s with you tonight?” She asked as she leaned against the island. Her eyes worked hard to try to see into the depths of his soul.

  “Are you asking because you care or because you’re insulted?” Nick asked curiously as he braced his hands against the edge of the counter and leaned closer to her.

  “Both.” She said honestly. “But mostly because I don’t know how to react to this side of you because I’ve never been on the receiving end of it.”

  Nick shrugged. “It comes with the package, sweetheart. The way I see it you can either take it or leave it, but if you leave it, you’ll leave unsatisfied and we both know you came here to be satisfied.” His voice was deep and raspy. He took another sip of his drink and waited for her to make a decision.

  She wanted to tell him she didn’t come here just for that, but it would be a lie and only at that moment had she considered that maybe she didn’t just want to be satisfied. Maybe she could enjoy his company if she let herself. Instead of committing to an answer, she grabbed a menu and bit her lip as she perused it. “How’s Chinese?”

  Nick took her in for a moment. He’d never say it out loud, but he was happy she didn’t turn around and walk out the door. He nodded. “That’s fine with me.” He reached over his head and pulled his T-shirt over his head. Her eyes widened and she dropped the menu from her hands. She quickly recovered and picked it up, shoving her face behind it. “Order whatever… I’m going to grab a quick shower.”

  She brought the menu down and looked at him, watching as he padded towards the bathroom. “What do you like?” She called out to him.

  He looked over his shoulder. “I’ll eat whatever you order.”

  “What if you don’t like what I order?” She said softly.

  “Then you’ll learn something about me.” He said and quietly disappeared into the bathroom.

  After she placed the order she sat on his couch uncomfortably. She replayed his words over and over as she contemplated what to order. Did he really think she didn’t know anything about him? She knew a bunch of things about him, yet she couldn’t single out one thing that wasn’t generic, one thing, that, everyone didn’t know. She couldn’t tell you what he liked on his pizza or how he liked his steak. She didn’t know how he took his coffee or what type of cologne he used. Things that she knew seven years ago about him had been erased from her memory. All she knew now was physical things. How sad was that? The first man she ever loved that she wasn’t related to, she knew nothing about. It was his fault though, she argued with herself. If he hadn’t left, maybe she would’ve had the chance to learn those things. If he could keep his shit in his pants, maybe she would’ve had the chance to learn those things when she went to Seattle.

  She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn’t hear when he had walked out of his bedroom. It wasn’t until he sat next to her and offered her a beer that she had noticed him. She turned around and ignored the beer he offered her and stared at him.

  “Name one thing you know about me.” She challenged and then amended her challenge. “And I don’t mean the Sam you knew seven years ago, I mean the woman sitting beside you now.” She took the beer he held for her and repositioned herself, so that she was leaning against the arm of the sofa, one leg tucked under her ass. She took a swig of the beer and arched one of her eyebrows.

  Nick leaned against the cushions of the sofa and spread his arm out along the back of it. He glanced at her as he drank his beer. “Fine, I know you don’t own a coffee pot.”

  Sam rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t count. Anyone who has ever been to my apartment knows I don’t have a coffee pot. Now, if you knew why, I didn’t own a coffee pot than, that might’ve counted.”

  “Alright, so tell me. Why don’t you own a coffee pot?” He asked sincerely.

  She eyed him skeptically. “If I tell you, you have to promise not to make fun of me.”

  “Would I do that?” He laughed when she shot him a look and then held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, Okay, I promise not to make fun of you.”

  She bit her lip before confessing. “I can’t make a decent pot of coffee to save my life. I’ll either give you sludge or water with grinds.”

  Nick bit the inside of his cheek not to indulge in the smile that threatened his lips. “You do know they make a single serve coffee pot now right? You don’t have to measure anything, just stick a pod in and hit a button.”

  “Nick!” She warned. “You promised not to make fun.”

  “I’m not
making fun of you I’m educating you.”

  “Yeah, if that helps you sleep at night.” She took another sip of beer to hide her smile that still broke through to her eyes.

  Nick let out a breath he wasn’t even aware he was holding. She looked so comfortable and at ease with him at that moment, he couldn’t remember the last time he saw her that way with him. He lifted his hand from the back of the sofa and tucked a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail, behind her ear. She brought the bottle down from her lips and watched his hand out of the corner of her eye before their eyes meet.

  Her tongue moistened her lips in anticipation, she was sure he was going to kiss her. She was so sure he was going to kiss her, she even closed her eyes and then there was a loud knock on the door. She quickly opened her eyes and averted her gaze to the door. Nick sighed and leaned forward, placing his beer on the coffee table. He stood up and before he padded barefoot to answer the door, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Neither of them said a word as he dealt with the delivery man.

  Sam walked into the kitchen, and opened his bare cabinets in search for plates and utensils. She found a stack of paper plates and grabbed them.

  “Nick do you have forks?” She called out to him, not realizing he was behind her.

  “Of course I have forks.” He said and reached around her to open a drawer and nodded towards the utensils that sat in an organized tray. “But you ordered Chinese. It comes with chopsticks.”

  She grabbed two forks and turned around. “I don’t know how to use chopsticks.” She said and gave him a look that dared him to crack one joke.

  “Did you ever ask anyone to teach you?” He asked softly. Something told him she had a difficult time asking for help.

  She looked at him for a moment before she grinned. “No, I’ve been waiting for you to be the one to teach me the fine art of chopsticks.” She said sweetly and sarcastically. He brushed past her and tugged on her ponytail.

  “Smart ass.” He reached into the bag of takeout and unpacked the food while she walked around and placed the dishes on the island. Once all the white cartons were lined up on the counter, he walked around and sat beside her on one of the stools. “So what do we have here?”

  They opened the food cartons, Sam used a fork and Nick used chopsticks to fill their plates. Sam took notice to his likes and dislikes by what he piled onto his plate. He seemed to like anything with spice, helping himself to the General Tso’s Chicken and the beef with garlic sauce. He bypassed the Lo-Mein and the shrimp with lobster sauce, and for some reason she filed that in the back of her mind.

  She took a bite of her food and watched out of the corner of her eye as he picked up some of the chicken with his chopsticks expertly. She chewed thoughtfully and once she swallowed, she looked at him. “Are you trying to impress me with your skills?” She asked teasingly as she loaded her fork proudly.

  He didn’t look at her as he popped a piece of chicken into his mouth. “I think I’ve already impressed you with my skills.” He chewed to hide his smile.

  She nearly choked on her Lo-Mein at his comment. She coughed and he offered her his beer to help it all go down, the devilish smirk firmly planted on his face. She took a gulp of his drink and then nudged him with her elbow. “Cheap shot, Foti.”

  He shrugged and leaned back in his stool and stared at her amused. “Oh, so you’re not impressed with my skills? You were just waiting at my doorstep to have dinner with me?”

  Her fork stopped midway towards her mouth. She looked over at him and because she was genuinely enjoying his company, she decided to throw him a bone. “Maybe that is why I came here, but for what it’s worth, I like having dinner with you, almost as much as I like your skills…” She let her sentence trail off as her cheeks reddened. She used her food as a distraction, and let her fork finally find its way to her mouth.

  Nick watched her stare down at her food as she chewed trying not to make too much of her comment or the fact that she was blushing. He smiled and opted to leave it alone, not willing to risk waking the lioness. He leaned forward and reached for the un-open pair of chopsticks and took her free hand in his. She lifted her head and her eyes found his. He winked at her, asking silently for her to trust him as he laced her fingers with the chopsticks, positioning them just right. His hand guided hers and together they lifted a piece of chicken with the chopsticks and brought it to her lips. He smiled and removed his hand and without dropping the chicken she fed herself with the chopsticks.

  She chewed and then licked the sauce at the corner of her mouth as she tried to grab another piece of food, this time by herself. Carefully and with a steady hand, she brought the food to her lips, smiling proudly as she chewed. He laughed at her and pushed his plate aside. She swallowed and reached for her napkin. “I take it you didn’t like it?” She asked, looking at his basically full plate. She knew he could eat, she’d seen him go to town more than once.

  “No, I liked it. I’m not really hungry anymore.” He said in a raspy voice.

  Sam was familiar with his tone and when she found the courage to meet his gaze, she knew the look in his eyes as well. He wanted her. She swallowed as her stomach clenched with desire. She pushed her plate away, just as he had. She looked down at her lap, feeling his gaze boring into her.

  “You hardly wear your hair down.” He commented in a hushed tone. “How come?”

  She shrugged her shoulders as his fingers toyed with the ends of her ponytail. “I’m always running late. It’s just easier.” She said softly before she looked over her shoulder and met his gaze. She bit down on her lower lip and slowly reached behind her head and freed her hair from the ponytail holder. Her hair fell, the golden locks cascading down her back. She shook her head slightly as she ran her fingers through her hair trying to tame it. She turned around and her eyes met his. She tucked some strands behind each of her ears and peered up at him from under her eyelashes.

  Nick stood and moved to stand between her legs. His fingers combed through the silky golden strands and she closed her eyes at his touch. He bent his head and brushed his lips lightly against hers. “Sam…” He whispered against her mouth.

  “Hmm?” She croaked, opening her eyes just the slightest bit.

  He bent his knees so that his eyes were level with hers. He watched as she opened her eyes fully, meeting his stare. “I’m not letting you run away from me tonight.”

  “I’m not running.” She whispered.

  “Not even when we’re done.” He warned in a gruff tone. He gaged her reaction to his demand.

  He saw the nerves begin to consume her and watched as she battled her conscience.

  “What are you saying?” She whispered biding her time.

  “You spend the night with me and I’ll pleasure you all night. You fall asleep in my bed and you awake in my arms, no notes on the pillow.” He paused and repositioned himself a bit, pressing himself further into the v of her legs. “And if you’re a good girl, in the morning I’ll teach you how a proper pot of coffee is made.” His eyes bore into hers as he grinned crookedly. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. “Otherwise, leave now.” He murmured, his lips not even a centimeter away from hers.

  “Okay.” She hissed.

  “Okay, what?” He took her lower lip between his, sucking lightly on the tender flesh.

  “I’ll spend the night with you.” She whispered as she ran her hands up his chest. They glided over his shoulders before wrapping around his neck. She looked up at him and leaned into him.

  “As long, as you promise to make it worth my while.” She teased before she wrapped her legs around his waist. He cupped her ass and lifted her off the stool. Nick’s mouth crashed down onto hers. He didn’t bother answering her with words. Weren’t women all about actions anyway?

  Chapter Thirteen

  The sunlight filtered through the blinds, taunting Nick to open his eyes. He cursed under his breath and went to get out of bed to draw the cur
tains closed and go back to bed, when he felt pressure on his chest. He glanced down to find Sam was draped across his body. One of her legs was entwined with his, while her arm was spread across his waist, her fingertips were clutching his hip. Her blonde waves tickled his chest as they cascaded wildly across his pecs. He looked up at the ceiling and silently took back any and all curses, pleading with his maker to wake up like this more often. She was a sight, a damn welcomed one too. She curled into the crook of his arm, still asleep. Softly he brushed his knuckles against her cheek, moving the hair that fell into her face, so that he could get a better look at her.

  She was beautiful in the morning. He noticed. While she slept, there was the faintest hint of a grin playing on her swollen lips. He couldn’t help but grin himself, knowing he was the reason behind those smiling lips. He let his hand travel absent-mindedly down the slope of her body as his mind wandered. He had his share of women and usually he couldn’t wait for them to leave in the morning. The morning after sucked as far as he was concerned, it was uncomfortable and strained. Half the time he was struggling to remember, the name of the woman beside him. He glanced down at Sam again and for the first time in his life he didn’t feel as if he was suffocating. Looking at her snuggled against him felt right. He wondered if she would’ve woken up first, would she have felt the same way. Probably not, he figured. However, she did agree to spend the night and promised not to run in the morning.

  She started to stir and her hand absently moved between his legs. Nick’s eyes widened as her palm glided over his cock. Yeah, he could get used to waking up like this, so could his dick, which sprang to life at Sam’s touch. Her hand stroked the length of his morning wood as her body nestled closer to his. She pressed her lips against his pebbled nipple.

  “Morning…” She murmured as her tongue rolled over the turgid peak. He stared down at her, watching as she slowly lifted her head from his chest, her eyes twinkling as they met his.