Saying Yes: Stormy Love: Book 1

by Ella Sparkle

  “Okay,” I said with a small smile, still not sure if I had killed the mood or not.

  “The reason I wanted to leave with you tonight is that I wanted a chance to talk to you and get to know you more. That is virtually impossible inside of a club, with all of the people and music. I thought we could go somewhere and talk. Does that sound like something you would like to do?” He seemed so sincere, I was starting to like him even more.

  I smiled at him and clutched his jacket around me a little tighter. “That sounds great. Thank you.”

  “You're in the driver’s seat, Jenna. We are not going to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with. Okay?”

  “Okay.” I smiled a little wider, it was nice the lengths he was going to, to reassure me and make me feel comfortable. Hot and sweet, how did I get this lucky?

  Nick had a mischievous smirk on his face. “Now, that said, I was hoping to kiss you at some point tonight. How do you feel about that?” Nick’s voice had grown huskier as he moved closer to me. He put his finger under my chin and tipped my head up until I was looking directly into his eyes. Even under the faint light of the street lights, I could see his eyes had grown darker and were filled with lust. It made my head spin. I liked that feeling. I liked it a lot. I liked being with him.

  “Jenna?” Nick whispered waiting for my answer.

  I continued to stare into his eyes and out of nervousness and excitement, I started to chew on my lower lip. Nick’s gaze instantly fell to my lips and I could hear his breath catch. It was thrilling to see him look at me like that. Like he desired me. “Yes,” my voice was so breathy that I barely recognized it.

  Nick smiled and reached down to gently take my hand in his as we resumed walking. “Good,” was all he said. It was only a little further until we reached the club’s parking lot. “Here we are.”

  “Wait? What? We're here? Where's your car? I don’t see a car here...” I started to get nervous as I glanced around at the mostly empty lot.

  “I didn’t drive my car tonight, I have my Harley with me. Have you ever ridden before?” Sure enough, Nick was standing next to a big, badass-looking motorcycle. I felt panic rise in my throat. I had never been on a motorcycle before. My mother’s voice rang clear as day inside my head; ‘Those things are nothing but a death trap!’

  I found my voice and managed to squeak out an answer. “No. I never have.”

  Nick gave me a big grin. Damn that sexy grin of his and the fact it made my brain all scrambled and my lady parts scream with excitement. “You ready for your first ride? You can wear my helmet.” Nick pulled a big black helmet off the back of the bike and handed it to me.

  Now it was Cassie’s voice in my head telling me to say yes and be open to the experience. I took a deep breath and tried to muster up some confidence. “Yes?” I squeaked out.

  Nick raised his eyebrows at me. “That sounded more like a question than an answer.” Okay, so maybe I hadn't been able to muster up any confidence. The idea of riding his motorcycle was only slightly above ‘absolutely terrifying’ in my mind.

  “Ummmmm... Yes,” I said trying to sound at least a little more confident than before.

  Nick paused and looked at me for a moment, I'm sure the look on my face was one of absolute panic. “Jenna, the words coming out of your mouth are yes, but everything else about you is screaming no. What's going on? Talk to me.” Damn he was good, everything about him seemed so right, so strong, so reassuring.

  I sighed. I felt like I was in the midst of another potential mood-killing moment and if he didn’t already, Nick was soon going to regret asking me to leave with him. “Alright. Here is the total truth.” Might as well just throw it all out there so he could leave without wasting any more of his time. “My life is kind of a mess so I have been trying to be more open to new experiences and opportunities by saying yes when I would normally say no.”

  “Ahhhhhhhh... I see.” Nick rubbed his chin for a moment. Here it comes... the ‘this is just not going to work’ moment. I braced myself for what he would say next. “So riding the bike would usually be a no-go, but you're trying to be open-minded about it. Fair enough. If you really don’t want to ride, that's absolutely fine. We can call an Uber and I'll just pick up the bike later. Remember, I told you we're not going to do anything you're not comfortable with.”

  It took a moment for Nick’s words to sink in, since they were not at all what I expected. Any concerns I had seemed to melt away as Nick spoke. I realized he really was being considerate and respectful of me and my feelings. It made me feel… well it made me feel safe and like I could trust him.

  “You know what? Let’s do it. I trust you. Yes, I would like to ride your motorcycle with you, Nick.”

  “You sure?” He asked, looking intently at me, trying to filter out the truth from my words.

  “Yes! Yes, I am. Let’s go!” I pulled the helmet on and Nick went over a few of the basics about riding with him. I climbed on the back of his bike and wrapped my arms tightly around him as I pressed my front up against his back. My dress rode all the way up my thigh, but I didn’t care. It was one of the most thrilling moments of my life.

  The engine roared to life. “Ready?” Nick asked. I gave him a thumbs up. “Alright, hang on tight, here we go!”

  I let out a little squeal and clutched on tighter to Nick as the motorcycle began to move. Nick chuckled as we pulled out of the parking lot and started to drive down the road past the club.

  I, Jenna Morgan, was riding a motorcycle holding on to the most handsome man I had ever seen.

  When did this become my life?

  Chapter 20

  Jenna

  I'm not sure what was more intoxicating. The feeling of the wind on my skin and the sheer power of the motorcycle between my legs, or the warmth of being pressed up against Nick’s incredibly muscular body and breathing in his deliciously spicy scent. Either way, I was hooked.

  We rode towards the outskirts of town. It wasn’t long until the houses were further and further apart. We turned and went up a winding road before Nick pulled the bike over on a bluff and turned off the engine.

  “Here, let me help you.” Nick grabbed me around the waist and lifted me off of the motorcycle.

  “Woah! You just lifted me off that thing like I weigh nothing! "I was momentarily surprised. I don’t think anyone had ever just picked me up like that before.

  Nick laughed and reached for my hand. “Come on. There's something I want to show you.”

  Nick and I walked across the parking area and over to the edge of the bluff. I couldn’t help but gasp when I looked out to where Nick was pointing. “Oh my goodness! Look at all the lights! You can see the entire town from here. Nick, it's so beautiful!”

  Nick wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer to him. “This is one of my favorite spots. In the daytime, it feels like you can just keep looking out forever, but at night, all the lights from town look almost magical.”

  I snuggled into Nick’s side a little more. I seemed to fit just perfectly up against him and couldn’t get enough. “How did you find it?” I asked as I continued to gaze at the twinkling lights in front of me.

  “I don’t remember exactly.” I was pressed so tightly up against Nick I could feel his deep husky voice vibrate through me. “It seems like I have always just known about it. I grew up here and with the type of work I do, I'm constantly looking for new building sites. There isn't much of this area that I haven’t seen.”

  “Thank you for sharing this with me. It's really special.”

  We stood there in comfortable silence before Nick finally said, “Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course,” I answered quickly, not having any idea where Nick’s question was going.

  “What is the deal with you and Mike? He seems very protective of you. Is he an ex-boyfriend or something like that?”

  I was so surprised by the question and the hint of insecurity in Nick’s voice that it took me a second to regroup and
respond. “Oh no! Nothing like that at all. I've only known him since I started working at Pete’s Pizza. He's just really protective. Poor guy lives with four younger sisters and his mom, I think it's just in his nature to be protective of people he cares about.”

  “How much does he care about you?” Nick asked. Was that jealousy I heard in his voice? It couldn't be. Nick and I had only just met... he couldn't be jealous... could he?

  “Strictly friends. I promise, nothing more,” I assured him.

  “Good to know,” Nick said, sounding relieved before he quickly changed the subject. “So, tell me more about this 'saying yes' thing you were talking about earlier.”

  I turned and slid from Nick’s side to his front so I could look at his face. He brought both of his hands down to rest on my hips as I brought mine up and put my palms on his chest. I looked into his eyes for a moment before I took a deep breath. “I'm going to lay it all out on the table. You can choose to do what you wish with the information.”

  Nick wrinkled up his face a little. “Ok, this sounds rather ominous.”

  “More like a big mess. Or to use one of Cassie’s favorite phrases, it might even be ‘total dumpster fire’ level.” Nick was listening intently and so I continued on. “For as long as I can remember, I have had this plan about what my life was going to look like and where it was going. I took great comfort in that plan and have stuck to it. A little over six months ago, my plan started to crumble, and about a month ago, it blew apart.”

  “Okay,” Nick said slowly. “So what kind of crumbling are we talking about?”

  I quickly continued, determined not to lose my nerve. “I was in a relationship almost the entire time I was in college that abruptly ended the day I graduated. At the time, I was lost and heartbroken, but now, with some distance, I see that it was toxic and I am much better off without it.”

  Nick’s voice was a low growl as he pulled me a little closer to him. “Just so we are clear, I have no idea who this guy is, but I already hate the fucker for whatever he did and the way he treated you.”

  I gave Nick a small smile. I did not doubt what he said was the absolute truth. “Thank you. My life went on pause for a while after the breakup. I was enrolled to start law school last fall, however, I ended up deferring it for a year and am going to start this fall instead.”

  “Wow! You are going to law school! That is incredible! Congratulations! Is it close by?” The enthusiasm in his voice was so genuine, making me like him even more and wanting to share even more with him.

  “It's about a four-hour drive from here." I briefly paused before I continued with my story. "After the breakup, law school was still part of my master plan and so was working at a very prestigious law firm. I got an entry-level clerical job at my fantasy law firm and was hoping to work my way up through the ranks there. About a month ago, I suddenly got fired from that job.”

  Nick was quiet for a few seconds. “Do you mind if I ask what for?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t mind, but I am not sure what for. They just said it was not a good fit. It was still within my probationary period, so there was not really anything to be done about it.”

  Nick pulled me into a hug. It felt so perfect and so right. “That sucks,” he said talking into my hair as I buried my face into his chest. “I'm sorry that happened to you.”

  I pulled my head back and looked back up at him. “After that, Cassie suggested I make some changes in my life, so we came up with the 'saying yes' plan. Basically, any time something comes up that I would have previously said no to, I need to say yes and see what happens. The idea is to be open to new experiences and opportunities.” I thought it was going to feel weird telling Nick everything, but I actually didn’t feel that way at all. Maybe it was the fact that he seemed genuinely interested... or maybe it was because he was so freaking sexy I had lost my mind standing near him. Honestly, it was probably a heavy mixture of the two, with a little boost from the drinks I'd had at the club earlier.

  “So, how is this 'yes' plan working out for you?”

  I gave Nick a coy smile and decided to be bold. “Well, I'm here with you right now, so I would say pretty good.”

  Nick leaned in and kissed me on top of my head. “I am glad to hear that,” he said in his husky voice and it was like a current zinged through my body. I could still feel the spot where his lips touched me and for a fleeting moment, I considered never washing my hair again just to preserve the kiss.

  “In all seriousness,” I said, as I tried to keep myself focused on the moment and not fall off into a series of highly naughty thoughts about where else Nick could kiss me. “I think it's going pretty well. It's how I landed the job at Pete’s and through Pete's I've made some new friends, who I really like and who I have a lot of fun with. I'm usually pretty quiet and have a harder time meeting new people, so it is a pretty big deal for me.”

  “So what other new experiences have you had as the result of saying yes?”

  “Well, going to the club tonight is something I would have likely said no to before. Same thing with the outfit I am wearing. Way outside of my comfort zone. Cassie played fairy godmother tonight and gave me a bit of a makeover.”

  Nick leaned in so he was whispering in my ear. “I do have to say I admire her work. You are incredibly beautiful. When I ran into you at the club you took my breath away. There was no way I wanted to let you out of my sight once I laid eyes on you.” A shiver ran all the way through me from my head to my toes and back up to my head again... only this time it was not from the cold air. Nick’s breath was warm on my cheek and the intimacy of the moment made my pulse race.

  “Thank you,” my voice was barely above a whisper. I don’t think anyone had ever talked to me like that before and I was not quite sure what to say.

  Nick moved his head slightly until his lips were almost touching mine. “Jenna?” he said, his breath growing unsteady.

  “Yes?” I whispered back.

  “I want to kiss you right now. Is that okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is that a real yes because you want it to happen or a yes because it is part of the 'yes' plan?” Nick whispered against my lips. I could feel his grip on my hips tighten and I was about ready to explode with desire for him.

  I wanted it. Badly. So badly that if it didn’t happen soon, I would pass out from need. Was that even a thing? If not, I was going to become the first documented case. “A real yes,” my voice was still barely a whisper.

  That was all it took before Nick’s mouth came crashing down on mine. I let out a soft moan and grabbed the front of his t-shirt with both hands. Nick wrapped one arm around my waist pulling me flush against him as the other hand came to the back of my neck and his fingers wound into my hair.

  I had never been kissed like that before. It was so... I don’t know if there is a word in the English language to express how freaking amazing it was. I considered myself to be ruined for all other kisses, since no one was ever going to kiss me like Nick Blaine.

  After a few moments, we pulled apart, both of us breathing heavily. I looked up at Nick through half-lidded eyes and reached my hand up to my lip. They felt swollen from his kisses and it was the best feeling I had ever felt.

  Chapter 21

  Nick

  “Wow,” Jenna whispered as her hand reached up to her mouth and she traced her lips with her fingers.

  Holy fucking shit, ‘wow’ was right. I struggled to get my breath back under control along with the rest of me. I don’t think I had ever been that impacted by a kiss before. Yeah, I had kissed my fair share of women, but it was always just kind of a means of getting to the next thing. Though with Jenna... holy fuck. It was like an event in and of itself. My head was spinning and I couldn’t think of the last time I was so turned on. Her soft lips pressing against mine as she clutched my shirt in her hands like she was holding on for dear life. And when she moaned... holy shit, when she moaned into my mouth, I about lost it right there on the spot.


  I cleared my throat. “Wow is right.” Lamest fucking thing I could have possibly said, but I still couldn’t quite think clearly. There was something about Jenna that scrambled my thoughts every time I was around her and after that kiss... man, I didn’t know if I was ever going to quite recover from that kiss.

  We just stood there holding on to each other as we tried to catch our breath. The only sound around us was our rapidly beating hearts. The fact she seemed to be just as impacted by that kiss as I was only made the whole thing hotter.

  I started doing multiplication tables in my mind, trying to distract myself in an attempt to get my head and my dick back under control. 9 x 9 is 81. 8 x 8 is 64. 7 x 7 is 49...

  Suddenly a thought occurred to me. I was in the perfect situation. Jenna was going to law school in the fall, which meant her time in town was limited... she was only going to be there for a few more months. We could hang out and have some fun, but there was an expiration date on it. There was no doubt we were attracted to each other, but I had other shit going on in my life that I couldn't be distracted from in the long run. A short-term distraction, that I could manage. Just enough to get her out of my system and then she would go to law school and I would go back to focusing solely on Blaine Construction.

  No attachment, no expectations, and when the expiration date came, a clean end to things. It really couldn’t be any more perfect. I just had to figure out how to make it happen.

  “So, the 'yes' plan is all about having new experiences and new opportunities, correct?” I asked, trying my best not to sound too excited about what I was thinking.

  “That is the idea.” Jenna nodded. Her voice still had a breathy quality to it which made every nerve in my body sizzle.

  “Are you going to be here until you leave for law school in the fall?” I needed to stay focused on the matter at hand and not think about how her tongue darted out and lightly licked her bottom lip as she nodded her head. I blinked my eyes trying to stay on target. “Then, when it's time for school to start, you are moving to be closer to school, right?” Dammit, Blaine! Stay cool!