She pressed her lips together, trying to hide a smile. “You’re welcome.”
He was about to apologize for leaving the church so abruptly when Cade came running down the hall. “Nick!”
Grinning, Nick crouched down to accept an exuberant hug. “Hey, little man.”
Cade pulled back and looked up at him. “Do you wanna see what I got in Disneyland?”
Nick chuckled as Cade tugged on his hand. “Sure.” He met Ellie’s eyes briefly, giving her a slow wink as he passed by her.
“Cool,” Nick said, as Cade showed him his Buzz Lightyear toy. “Did you have fun on your trip?”
Cade nodded his head. “Yeah, but I missed my mom.”
Handing the toy back, Nick’s gaze found Ellie’s once more. “I’ll bet you did.”
Nick had missed Ellie too, and figured she knew it by the smile that curved her lips. He listened to Cade tell him all about his trip to California, but found his eyes connecting with Ellie’s often. He couldn’t wait to get her alone.
* * *
Ellie might as well admit her heart was lost to Nick Coulter. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him and didn’t avert her gaze, even when he looked up and caught her staring. When Cade finished his narrative, Nick stood up and walked in her direction, his blue eyes intensely dark and focused on her.
A tremor ran through her as he stopped and reached out, winding his finger in one of her curls. “Can we go for a walk?” His voice came out low and husky. “I want to talk to you.”
She felt on fire when his hand slid down her arm and captured her hand. “Okay.” Her eyes flitted over to Cade. She wasn’t sure Cade would be cooperative about leaving his toys and going for a walk.
Nick gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Betsy just got home and said Cade could come over for a few minutes.”
Naturally, Cade was willing to do that. Betsy and Owen were the next best thing to his grandparents.
Nick kept a hold of her hand as they crossed the yard to the Stewarts’ house. A heightened awareness pulsed between the two of them as they stood on the sidewalk and watched Cade bounce inside the house. Ellie didn’t miss the glint in Betsy’s eyes as she waved to them. “Take your time.”
Neither of them spoke as they made their way toward the jogging trail. Nick’s thumb caressed the back of her hand, warming her as much as the sunlight penetrating through the trees. Ellie wanted to talk about so many things: The phone call before he left, Thomas’s deception and cruelty, and the picture that had upset Nick at church. She also wanted to know about his lunch date with Miss Colorado and what that all meant.
Before leaving the shelter of the trees, Nick glanced down at her. “I really missed you.”
“You did?” Despite being near him, she still had so many fears.
He pulled her to a stop and stared into her eyes. “I did. I’m sorry I didn’t call.”
“Yeah, but I’m the one who told you not to, remember?” She stepped back and turned away from him, embarrassed by how stupid she had been.
His warm hand clasped her shoulder as he moved behind her. She closed her eyes as the scent of his cologne enveloped her. Did he really have feelings for her?
“Ellie,” he said in a gentle voice. “I need to know. Are you and Thomas getting back together?”
What! She whirled around. “No!” She stared at him in disbelief. “How could you think that?”
A satisfied grin crossed his handsome face. “Because I’m an idiot?” He lifted one broad shoulder in a shrug. “And I was jealous.”
His honesty astounded her. “Really?”
The blue of his eyes darkened as he reached out for her hand. “Yep.” He pulled her close to him. “I couldn’t stand the thought of him winning you back.”
Like that would ever happen. The thought made her shudder. “I don’t want Thomas.”
His free hand slid underneath her hair, his fingers curving around the back of her neck. “Who do you want?”
Did she dare say it? “I think you already know that answer.”
“Yeah?”
Ellie couldn’t speak, so she simply nodded her head.
His eyes dipped briefly down to her mouth. “I want to kiss you. Is that okay?”
Why was he asking her? Now that he posed the question she felt a little afraid. “I…don’t know if I’m ready.”
Keeping one hand buried in her hair, Nick moved the other hand to her waist, drawing her closer. He lowered his head, his mouth hovered just above hers. The anticipation was killing her.
“I’m going to kiss you, Ellie.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as his warm mouth met hers in a slow, tender kiss. She felt her body leave the earth as she melted into him. For a first kiss, it was unbelievable. He knew what he was doing too, which was good—seeing that it had been a long time since a man had kissed her.
He pulled back slightly, and his eyes shone with desire. “See, I told you I missed you.” He didn’t give her a chance to reply, he was kissing her again. Just when she thought she was going to pass out, he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.
She could feel her pulse pounding in her ears. “I think you did miss me,” she said breathlessly.
He chuckled and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his strong arms around her. “I sure did.”
* * *
Nick held Ellie for a moment longer, until his breath was even and his heart had simmered down. The light floral scent of her hair floated all around him, making his head spin. Reluctantly, Nick released his hold on her. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while.”
“Oh,” she said blushing. “It was, um…nice.”
“Nice?” he questioned, his male ego bruised. For him it was out of this world. It was something he had never experienced in his life.
She chewed on her bottom lip. “Okay, it was more than nice.” She looked at him shyly. “It actually was the best kiss I’ve ever had.”
He gave her a smug smile. “That’s better.”
Taking her hand again, they walked slowly back for home. It took every ounce of his self-control not to kiss her again. So, instead, he talked about the dynamics of dating each other.
“I want to be able to take you on an actual date, but once we’re seen in public…well, the press can be a pain.” Nick wanted to be perfectly straight with her about what her life would be like if they dated. Her life would no longer be private.
“Is it really going to be a problem?” she questioned innocently.
In reality, it could get ugly. In general, people would rather read something scandalous than a love story with a happy ending. If they couldn’t find any dirt on her then they would make it up. He needed to protect her and Cade as much as possible.
“It can get pretty bad sometimes and they don’t care if it’s true or not, just as long as they get a story. I don’t want you or Cade to get hurt.”
“As long as we know the truth then I’m not worried,” Ellie assured him.
That’s what Nick had once believed, but the lies Roxanne had spun had almost destroyed him. He didn’t want to talk about Roxanne right now, but he needed Ellie to fully understand that the media didn’t care if what they reported was the truth.
“About three years ago, the woman I was dating accused me of being the father of the baby she was supposedly carrying.”
Ellie’s face blushed crimson and she dropped her eyes. He knew that she likely had not only read the stories, but that she had probably believed them.
“I remember reading something about that.” She lifted her head, offering him a sweet smile. “And a couple of weeks ago, I Googled your name and came across the story again.”
His mouth quirked up into a smile. “You Googled me?”
She laughed. “You’re very popular.”
He raised his hand and cupped her face. “We weren’t…I’d changed and wanted to wait until we were married to be together. She lied about everything.”
Ellie’s eyes reflecte
d her belief in him. “I know you didn’t do what she accused you of.” She covered his hand with hers. “I’m not concerned about what others think.”
She said that now…still, Nick was apprehensive. She was naïve when it came to what the media could actually do. As much as he wanted to publicly announce his feelings for her, she most likely would not be prepared for the outcome. “I think for now we should keep our relationship looking platonic. It will give us a chance to get to know each other without all the speculation from the press.”
Nick felt her stiffen and her eyes became wary. “You don’t want people to know we’re dating?”
How could he explain without hurting her? “Not for the reason you’re thinking.”
She drew back and started walking away. “How do you know what I’m thinking?”
He didn’t, but he could guess. He caught up to her and gently tugged on her hand. “You think it’s because I’m some player and I don’t want commitment.”
Uncertainty flashed in her eyes before she looked down. He put his finger under her chin and raised her face to his. “I know how I feel about you, Ellie.” He took a deep breath and spoke each word carefully so there could be no misunderstanding. “I don’t know how it happened so quickly, but I’ve fallen in love with you.”
He heard her sharp intake of breath. In her eyes, he could still read the distrust. “I just want you to be sure about us before your face is splashed across the Internet. People can be very mean, and there will be a few that will try to hurt you.”
* * *
Ellie held his gaze and wondered if she dared to reveal how deeply in love she was with him already. She could barely admit it to herself, let alone him. Although she wanted to tell him the truth, she was still afraid. He had the ability to hurt her so much more than Thomas ever had.
Nick waited—patience, love and longing all reflected in the depth of his blue eyes. She couldn’t hold back her feelings. “I’m already sure how I feel. I…I love you too.”
She couldn’t believe she had just said that, but Nick was very pleased. His lips curved up, the hue of his eyes deepening as he took her face in his hands and gently touched his lips to her mouth.
He probably only meant the kiss to be short and sweet, but she had been in the Sahara Desert for too long and responded to his kiss like someone who hadn’t tasted water in an extended amount of time. She wound her arms around his neck, her hands sliding through his soft hair. He was like air to her and she couldn’t get enough.
The two of them continued the passionate exchange until they heard someone clear their throat. Reluctantly, they parted. Nick looked dazed, his breath ragged. Ellie suddenly became aware of what she had just done. They stood in the middle of the cul-de-sac, ardently kissing. In front of the preacher.
“Do I need to sleep on your doorstep tonight?” Owen teased.
She raised her hand, placing a palm to her hot cheek. Nick took her other hand and pulled her to his side. “No. I promise to be good.”
Ellie felt mortified. “I’m sorry, Pastor. It’s not his fault. I think I might have gotten a little carried away.” A little?
“Uh, I was right there with you,” Nick argued.
“But—”
“We don’t need to figure out who did what,” Owen said with a wry grin. “I think it was apparent you both were—” He cleared his throat again. “—enjoying it.”
He made a good point so Ellie kept her mouth shut.
“However, as your pastor, I think it will be a good idea that from now on…” Owen scratched his head. “Well, you probably need to…” He seemed to be at a loss of words.
Nick stepped in. “I think what you’re trying to say is it would be a good idea to have Cade with us.”
“Exactly.” Grinning, he added, “By the way, Betsy is gloating right now. I just thought I should warn you.”
* * *
Ellie still reeled from the lip exchange as she got ready for bed. The kiss had been incredible, but it was so embarrassing to have been caught by her pastor. As she washed her face, she noticed her lips were still a little swollen. She placed her fingers against them, and the memory of Nick’s kisses warmed her cheeks.
When they had gone to get Cade from the Stewarts’, Ellie could hardly look anyone in the eye. Certainly Betsy had witnessed her public display of affection, but thankfully she didn’t say anything about it.
Ellie, Nick and Cade all stayed for dinner. As they ate and visited, Nick touched her as often as possible. Their eyes met frequently, and she blushed every time. Still, she wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on hers again. Maybe Owen knew that because when it came time to put Cade to bed, he and Betsy followed them outside.
Nick walked her and Cade home, and then gave her a short, sweet kiss goodnight. He promised to call her after Cade was asleep.
That was an hour ago. She climbed on top of her bed, clutching her phone and waiting for the call. Feeling very much like a teenager, she let out a nervous giggle when his name appeared on the caller ID screen. “Hello.”
“Hey, I miss you.” The low timbre of his voice made her insides quiver.
“You do?” It still blew her mind that this was real.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Um…”
“Because if you don’t believe me, I can come over there and show you.”
She twisted a finger in her hair and wondered exactly how he would show her. “No. I… believe you.”
He sighed dramatically. “Hmm. I was really hoping you would need some proof.”
Her face felt hot just thinking about the passionate kisses they’d shared earlier. “Nick, I’m so embarrassed. I’m not really that kind of a girl. I just think it had been so long since… well, you know, since I’ve been kissed.”
“Ellie, please don’t apologize. I really liked the way you kissed me.”
She moaned. “But in front of a preacher?”
“Well,” he said with a chuckle, “you have a point. Next time can we be somewhere a little more private?”
“Nick!”
“Ellie, I think it’s perfectly normal for two people to kiss each other when they’re in love.”
She took another deep breath, and her voice sounded shaky. “Wow, this is so crazy. Are you sure about this? You do realize you could have any woman you want.”
He made a low growl in his throat. “Do I need to come over there? Because I want you to understand that I want you. Not Miss Colorado or some model. I want you.”
“That reminds me, I was going to ask you about Miss Colorado. She’s a beautiful woman and very talented and—”
He emitted another growl. “Okay, that’s it. I’m on my way over.”
Was he serious? The phone went silent and a minute later, she heard someone knocking on her door. Grabbing her bathrobe, she tied the sash around her waist which covered her nightgown and ran downstairs.
* * *
Nick waited on her front porch, his bare feet a testament to how quickly he had left his house. He grinned when he heard the sound of the locks being turned. Slowly, the door creaked open. Ellie wore a thick white bathrobe, her face washed clean from any makeup. She looked adorable and stunned all at the same time.
“You actually came over here?”
In an attempt to keep his hands off of her, he folded his arms across his chest. “Let’s get something straight. You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met.” He slanted forward. “And I’ve met a lot of women.”
He reached out his hand and took hers, pulling her forward until she stood in front of him. “You are beautiful in every way—inside and out—and I love you.” He leaned down and kissed her quite possessively. When he pulled away, he asked, “Do you understand?”
She looked dazed and couldn’t seem to formulate an answer. Finally, Ellie drew in a deep breath and nodded her head.
He released her and edged back, giving her a satisfied smile. “Good.” He put his hands in his p
ockets. “Now, I better get home before Pastor Stewart sees me.” He winked and turned, striding purposefully away.
* * *
The next morning, Nick whistled while he shaved. He scraped the razor across his jaw, trying not to grin. It was hard to believe that after all these years he had finally found the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
Raising his chin, Nick checked for any spots he’d missed. Confident he was finished, he placed the razor on the counter and rinsed his face with hot water. Just as he reached for a towel, Nick heard his cell phone.
Patting his face dry, he went into the bedroom and picked up his phone, glancing at the screen. It was Alec. Nick wasn’t so sure he wanted to talk to him this early in the morning, but since he felt so great, he decided it couldn’t hurt.
“Hi, Alec.”
“Well, at least I know why you’re in such a good mood,” Alec said dryly. “No wonder you said your neighbor was so nice.”
Nick suddenly didn’t feel as good. “What are you talking about?”
Chapter Sixteen
"Log onto Celebrity Weekly.” Alec gave a low chuckle. “Somebody got lucky, and I don’t mean you.”
Nick’s stomach plummeted as he grabbed his laptop. “Just tell me this: Is Ellie identified?”
“Sorry sport, but they have her name and even spelled it correctly.” He whistled softly. “I’ve got to hand it to them, this is the first time anybody has actually ever caught you in a passionate moment since you reaffirmed your Christian faith.” He chuckled dryly. “After seeing your neighbor, I can’t say that I blame you. She really is a knockout.”
Nick rolled his eyes and sat down on the bed. Finally, he found the website. Sure enough, the intimate moment had been captured with a succession of photographs. He felt heat creep up his neck. “Wow, and that was only our second kiss.”
“I honestly didn’t think you still had it in you.”
“So you’ve said.” Nick gritted his teeth, seeing Ellie’s name next to the caption: Nick Coulter scores on home turf. “This really bites. Ellie won’t be ready for this kind of thing.”
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