He laughed and shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “That’s what I was just wondering,” he mused.
“What exactly is your point, Nico?” I asked impatiently, although I had to admit I was curious.
He shrugged. “I’m starting to wonder if the curse could be contagious.” With that, he turned and walked away, still chuckling.
November watched me for another minute, then looked at Rayne. “I’m not sure whether to hope that’s true or not,” she said with a sigh. “I like her.” November’s eyes moved back to me and narrowed. “Of all people, I never thought I’d have to say this to you. Don’t break her heart.”
I responded with a lift of my chin then my eyes fixated on…Rayne (even her name was beautiful) once again as Nico’s words rattled around in my head. They sparked something familiar inside. It was a fitting description for the way I’d felt when I first saw Rayne. It only took an instant for it to hit me, to know. Boom!
I mulled this over through the rest of the night, barely noticing when Jack and Liam took off. Our eyes constantly met, though she tried to be covert about it. It solidified my belief that she also felt the pull between us.
Finally, last call arrived, and I sighed in relief. If I’d had to sit there for much longer and watch men hit on her, I probably would have lost my shit with someone.
Rayne began cleaning things up and I seized on the opportunity and stood. I prowled toward her, every step heightening my awareness of her. My desire for her. My need to be the only one for her.
The air between us was thick and she watched me warily as I approached. I couldn’t keep a predatory smile from sliding onto my face. Especially when I saw her shiver.
When the bar was all that separated us, I tipped my mouth up into a half smile and grabbed her hand from where it rested on the shiny, wooden surface and squeezed it gently.
“I’m Nick.”
Chapter Four
Rayne
Loafers, I mean, Nick, kept ahold of my hand, his thumb brushing softly against my pulse point. Another shiver raced through me and his tilted smile turned into a full-blown grin.
He was such a contradiction in his style versus the hungry, determined look on his face. I had to admit; it made me very curious. He wasn’t my usual type. I tended to go for the broken ones.
I cleared my throat, which was suddenly very dry. “Rayne.”
“I take it you’re new in town?”
I narrowed my eyes and cocked my head, adopting a mock sarcastic attitude. “No shit, Sherlock.”
Nick threw his head back and laughed. It was a great sound, and I felt the urge to hear more of it.
The other bartender on the closing shift, Kate, came over and interrupted us. She was a cute, pixie-sized girl with short, blonde hair, a tiny waist and a generous chest. Even I could appreciate her assets, but when I glanced at Nick, his eyes were still glued on me. I was used to male attention, but more often than not, their eyes strayed continuously to the parts below my neck. So, I was surprised to see Nick staring at my face, almost as though he was trying to memorize it.
“Great job tonight, Rayne,” Kate complimented. “It was nice to have some experienced help.” Her eyes bounced inquisitively back and forth between Nick and me. “Um, nice to see you, Nick.”
He glanced over at her and gave her a genuine, albeit polite, smile. “You too, Kate. Night.” The heat in his gaze cooled when he looked at her but the moment his eyes came back to me, it flared to life.
Kate’s expression was a little befuddled as she waved and took off. A minute later, my boss called out that he was locking up.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Nick stated. It was obviously not a question. Again, I was struck by the assertive attitude rolling off someone who looked like they just stepped out of an IZOD ad. And, it hadn’t escaped my notice that people seemed to be looking at him like he’d grown another head tonight. I was very intrigued and almost regretted not having a vehicle for him to walk me out to.
“I’m only staying a few blocks from here, so I walked,” I told him regretfully.
He frowned deeply and glanced at the classy, gold watch on his wrist. “You were going to walk home at three in the morning?” His tone was protective, and It made me smile. Of course, he didn’t know that my parents made sure I had several black belts and trained in boxing before they sent me out into the world. A lot of men (and women) found it intimidating.
“I do it all the time, Nick,” I explained. I winked and put my hands on my hips. “I can take care of myself. Trust me.”
Nick’s hold on my hand tightened and he tugged lightly walking with me to the end of the bar where he could pull me around to the front so I was facing him without a barrier. “No fucking way am I letting you walk home alone at this hour.”
I shrugged, not opposed to the idea of spending a few more minutes with him. “Suit yourself, Loafers.”
He’d begun leading me toward the door but at my words, he stopped and looked back at me inquisitively. “Loafers?”
I snickered and looked pointedly at his shoes. “I didn’t know your name.” He didn’t appear to be amused, so I swallowed my smile and gestured for him to continue toward the exit.
Once we were outside, I tugged lightly at the hand he was still holding, but he refused to let it go.
“Where do you live?” he asked gruffly.
I pointed in the right direction and we began walking that way. We strolled in a comfortable silence for a while.
“You do this every night?” he queried suddenly, breaking the stillness.
“Sure,” I responded. Nick threw me a dark look and shook his head before facing forward again. He grumbled something that I couldn’t quite catch though it sounded like, “Not anymore.”
“What was that?”
Nick stopped and opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, then shut it and abruptly started moving again. “Nothing,” he mumbled.
We reached the entrance to my apartment a few minutes later. “This is me,” I told him. I felt a slice of regret that he was leaving, which was weird since I didn’t even know him. “Thanks for the escort, Loafers.” I planted a quick, hard kiss on his lips before spinning around and grabbing the door handle.
“Wait.” I looked back over my shoulder but didn’t turn around. “Are you working tomorrow?”
“No. The part-timer I replaced is working her last shift.”
“Have dinner with me.”
I raised a brow at his demanding tone. I should’ve said no and left it at that but…damn, I was too intrigued by this man. I wanted to crack the nut open and see what was really inside.
“Sure.”
“I’ll pick you up at six.”
“I can meet you there,” I said before I remembered that my car was in the shop.
“I’ll pick you up at six.” His tone was final, as though warning me not to argue.
I mentally shrugged, what the hell. I’d have to give in eventually anyway.
“Suit yourself, Loafers.”
Chapter Five
Nick
Loafers. Rayne said it tongue-in-cheek, but the little nickname grated on my nerves. I tried to hide my irritation behind a smile, which wasn’t that hard since I was pleased she’d agreed to go out with me.
“Tomorrow,” I agreed. With one last saucy smile, she disappeared inside.
I made my way back to the bar, lost in thought. I wasn’t myself when it came to Rayne and it was throwing me for a loop. My car was parked out front and as I reached it, I wondered what Rayne would think about it. It was a safe, reliable car.
Like you. Safe and reliable.
I frowned at the thought as I got in the car and started it up. What’s wrong with being dependable? I asked myself.
Nothing. As long as that doesn’t translate to boring.
I shoved the annoying voice to the back of my head as I pulled out of the parking lot and drove toward home. Instead, I focused on the plan for
my date. I decided to take her to a little French restaurant in Nashville.
It had been a long fucking day, so when I got home, I practically fell into bed.
French mousse was suddenly at the top of my favorite dessert list. I licked it off Rayne’s stiff nipple and then did the same to the other. She moaned and her chest lifted toward my mouth. Damn. I didn’t think I could get any fucking harder.
Rayne wrapped her long legs around my waist, the heels of her boot digging into my ass.
“Nick! Fuck me, now!” she commanded.
“Whatever you want, baby,” I growled before lining my cock up with her dripping pussy and driving inside until I was fully seated. “So fucking tight,” I gritted through clenched teeth. It was taking every bit of my self-control to hold back my orgasm.
She bared down with her inner muscles and I groaned in part pleasure, part pain. Slowly, I started moving, but Rayne was impatient and lifted her hips to meet mine, trying to quicken my pace.
I wanted to savor our first time together but when she whispered something dirty in my ear, it set me off. Next time, I vowed.
I gave in to the overwhelming need and began to slam into her over and over. The bed shook with the force of it, the headboard banging into the wall. Rayne screamed my name—
“What the fuck!” I shouted as I startled awake, my body drenched in sweat and my cock painfully erect. I flopped back down on the bed, panting and yelling a string of obscenities in my head. I’d been so close…
Sitting back up, I snarled several of those curses aloud and stomped into my bathroom. I stepped into the shower and turned it on at its coldest setting.
“Son of a bitch!” I roared. The icy streams stung as they hit my overheated skin. After a time, my hard-on finally deflated and I hopped out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I glared at my bed. It was eight-thirty on a Saturday morning, but I wasn’t keen on a repeat of the dream and definitely not the shower.
Instead of going back to sleep, I dressed for a day at home, shorts and a casual polo with flip-flops. I went to my office and pulled out the case files I’d brought home. Sitting at my beautifully refurbished, antique, oak desk, and popped my black-rimmed reading glasses on and poured over the details.
Eventually, my stomach growled and broke my concentration. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was already four. I’d worked the whole day away.
Standing, I tossed my glasses onto the desk and stretched. I headed into my partially finished kitchen and made myself a sandwich to tide me over until dinner. As I ate, I looked around at the space and pictured what it would look like when the cabinets were painted, the wood floor was refinished, and the appliances replaced.
We’d installed all new plumbing, pushed out a wall to create a breakfast nook, and replaced all of the light fixtures. Cooking was something I enjoyed. My mother had taught me, informing me that would need these skills so I wouldn’t starve when I moved out. She also assured me that my future wife would appreciate it.
I wondered briefly what Rayne would think about the kitchen and if she knew how to cook. Well, I’d find out soon because I’d already decided not to let her stay in that hole in the wall apartment in town. Nor would she be walking anywhere alone at night. Just the thought of something happening to her caused my breath to get stuck in my lungs.
This whole thing was crazy. Did I really believe in love at first sight? The boom, as Nico had called it. I wasn’t ready to answer that question. For now, all I was willing to admit was that I needed Rayne.
I headed to my closet to get dressed but found myself hesitating before pulling a dress shirt off of its hanger. I pictured Rayne, her rugged style, and confident attitude. Then I thought about the restaurant I had chosen, and I realized I was acting like a complete asshat. An idea for a new date started forming in my head. One where I could have Rayne all to myself.
I’d never broken the mold I was raised in, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t considered it. I decided to step out of my comfort zone. Tonight was as good a night as any to explore the me hiding inside. And, I had a feeling that if I truly wanted to keep Rayne, I would need to open up and be real with her.
That meant letting her see the boring parts of me (because let’s face it, I’m still me) as well as the parts I’d kept locked up.
Spinning around, I marched to my dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans. My friends had given them to me as a joke, but now I was glad I’d kept them. Once I put them on, I added a belt and went looking for a T-shirt.
I scanned the racks of neatly organized clothes and realized that the only T-shirts I owned were ratty and old, the ones I used when working on the house.
I grabbed a blue polo and threw it on, but left it untucked. As far as casual footwear, (I certainly wasn’t wearing loafers) I only had my flip-flops, which seemed a little too surfer boy. Then I remembered, I had a pair of deck shoes from the summer before when I’d taken sailing lessons while on vacation.
I slipped them on, then took a look at myself in the mirror. It was a more laid-back guy than usual, but it was still me.
Before I could second-guess anything, I headed for the entry where I grabbed the keys to my Civic. I walked out to the garage and stopped, staring at the truck. For what I planned, it was the more appropriate vehicle. It was old but in good condition. I’d detailed, washed, and waxed it after I got it home.
Jogging back to the house, I swapped out my keys and returned to the garage. I hopped into the truck and slowly backed out before doing a three-point turn and heading into town.
I parked in front of the building where I’d left Rayne the night before and got out of the truck. However, before I could get to the door, she’d already come outside.
We gave each other a once over and she cocked her head to the side as her eyes returned to my face.
“Quite a different look for you, Loafers.”
“Um, I could say the same…You look fucking gorgeous, baby,” I murmured after clearing my throat and shifting my stance. It was suddenly extremely uncomfortable in my pants, but it would be way too obvious to adjust myself at the moment.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She was wearing skin-tight jeans, wedgey-sandal type shoes, and a black, long-sleeved lace top over a red tank. Her hair hung long and straight down her back and her makeup was subtler than the night before. When she turned to lock her door, I almost fell to my knees at the sight of her spectacular ass in those jeans. I couldn’t fucking wait to get my hands on them.
“I would have guessed that last night was your version of casual,” she said with a smirk.
“What can I say, baby?” I shrugged, forcing my gaze to return to face. “I’m unpredictable.” My inner voice laughed hysterically at the statement, but I ignored it.
I held out my hand. “Let’s get going.”
Chapter Six
Rayne
I took Nick’s hand and let him lead me to…a truck? I glanced around for a different car, but he opened the door to the truck and gestured for me to get in.
“This is your truck?” I asked incredulously. Loafers guy?
Nick’s ears turned a little red and I smirked. “Are you blushing, Loafers?”
His eyes narrowed and he growled, “No. and yes, this is my truck.” He sighed. “But, in all honesty, I rarely drive it. I normally drive a Civic.”
I laughed as I climbed into the passenger seat. “Now that’s more like it.”
He shrugged and gave me a crooked smile before loping around the front of the truck to hop into the driver’s side. “It’s more practical for what I have in mind for tonight.”
I folded my arms and leaned back against the door, so I could study him. His hair needed to a cut and some of it flopped onto his forehead when he turned to look behind so he could back out. “I assumed we’d be going to a restaurant to, you know, eat dinner. Since you invited me to dinner…”
He chuckled as he pulled onto the main road. “Alright smart ass, that might
have been my original plan.”
“And now?” I asked, my hand itching to push the hair off his forehead.
“I decided I didn’t want to share you.”
I laughed but it trailed off when I noticed he was entirely serious. He glanced over at me and his blue eyes were dark with hunger. And, not for food. Okay…so that was kind of hot.
To my shock, he pulled up to a drive-thru for a local burger joint. “Is this okay?” he asked. I nodded, momentarily speechless. I’d expected a fancy-pants restaurant and when he said we were going somewhere else; I would never have imagined that it would be fast food. It made me want to laugh. Nick surprised me at every turn and I found that I liked it a lot. I liked him, a lot.
He inched up until he was in front of the speaker and looked at me expectantly. I studied the board for a moment, then rattled off an order. Nick relayed my choices to the server and added his own.
We moved forward to a window where Nick paid for our meal and then we waited a few minutes for our food. He set the bag between us on the bench seat and secured our drinks in the cup holders before driving off. It wasn’t long before we were turning onto a dirt road. It slowly inclined until we were at the top of a hill that was just high enough to overlook the town. It was still light out but it would be pretty once the sun went down and everything was lit up.
Nick turned the truck and parked with the back facing the view. I started to open my door when I was tugged backward. “Wait for me, please.”
Ah, there was a glimpse of the gentleman, the boy next door. He was sweet and while the dominant side of him got me hot, the softer side of him caused a gentle warmth to spread throughout my body. I sat back as he grabbed our take out and exited the cab. When he came around to my side, his hands were free, so I assumed he’d left it in the bed of the truck.
Happily Ever Alpha: Until Rayne (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 2