Love Conquer

by Hart, Cary

  “You got to be…” She rips open the envelope, scanning the contents. “Shit motherfucker.” She throws it on the coffee table.

  “What’s going on?” I ask, but am ignored.

  “Gav? What am I going to do?” She sits on the couch, face buried in her hands.

  Picking up the papers, he scans through them. “Well, looks like they just need you to testify in the custody case of Tucker Alexander.”

  “I’m not sure…Wait, what? She gave him Aiden’s last name?”

  “Since you were his teacher and involved with all parties they are calling on you as a character witness.” Gavin sits down beside his fiancée.

  “Gav…”

  “I know babe…”

  “Guys?” I plop down in the chair across from them.

  “Aiden is the one who was in the middle of that situation that went down last summer.”

  “Ohhh! That’s the guy?” I glance at Niki from the corner of my eye.

  “Yep, that’s the asshole.” Gavin throws the papers down before he climbs back on the couch, pulling her with him. “We will figure this out.”

  “Niki, I’m here to stay. I’ll go with you. Whatever you need. I’m here.”

  Lifting her head, she gives me a weak smile. “Thanks, Nina.”

  Deciding I’m just interfering, I slip away to my room for a little nap. After everything last night and now today, I can’t help but let the exhaustion take over.

  Tomorrow is a new day.

  Nina

  It’s been a couple weeks since I got the keys to the house and thankfully, Niki gave me the time to get it cleaned up before I moved in. Plus, I needed to save money. Even though I’m staying rent free for the summer, I still need things. Furniture for one.

  Deciding to take a break I head up to the coffee shop to see Jen, but as I walk in, something catches my eye.

  The couple.

  Walking out of the same door that I’m going in is the couple from a few weeks ago, but today instead of looking afraid and uneasy, she’s smiling and laughing.

  Was I going crazy?

  “Hi.” I wave, trying to catch her eye, but they both act as if I’m not even there.

  Did he threaten her?

  Did I imagine it?

  Hurrying inside, I run to Jen, who I know is working a double. “Who was that couple?”

  “The one that just left?” she replies.

  “Yeah, are they regulars?” I ask, hoping she has something that could put me at ease.

  “Not really. I mean I’ve seen them, but not like the others.” She grabs a cup and starts making an order. “Why? What’s going on?”

  “Just something I’ve noticed, but I’m not sure if I’m being crazy or not.”

  She pushes the drink toward me. “Six eighty-five.”

  “What?”

  “I’m going on break. You’re buying us drinks.” She holds out her hand.

  “You’re a mess.” I dig in my purse, pulling out a ten.

  “That is neither here nor there.” She rings me up, handing back the change. “Corner booth. Gossip session.”

  “Got it.”

  Balancing the coffees, I head toward the corner, taking a seat, waiting for Jen so I can get her input on a few things for the house.

  It’s kind of crazy if you think about it. Just a few weeks ago, it took everything I had to step through those doors, but today, I live for the unknown. I crave it. Each day is a new adventure on the quest to finding myself, to finding where I belong.

  Kyle

  “I have to tell you, Lee, I think you’re alright.” I give him a firm clasp on the back.

  “I bet you do.” He shuts the tailgate. “You couldn’t have got all that,” he points his thumb over his shoulder, “without me.”

  “Fine. You have me there.” I reach into the cooler and get him a water.

  “I helped you do all that and this is what I get?” he jokes, taking the bottle from my hand and chugging it down.

  “Help me take it over to Nina’s and I’ll buy you dinner and a round of drinks.” I throw the cooler over the side and round the truck.

  Heading towards the passenger side, Lee opens the door, and stalls. “Dinner, drinks and you stop giving me hell at work.” He dares me to refuse.

  “Deal.” I wave my hand. “Now get in.”

  Climbing in, he buckles up. “Does Nina know you did all this?”

  “Not exactly. She’s expecting me though.”

  “Don’t you think it would have been helpful to tell her?” He starts fiddling with the radio.

  “Don’t touch that.” I smack his hand away. “It’s called a surprise for a reason. Plus, this stuff is just to get her started.”

  “That’s cool.” He scans the area. “This is a nice neighborhood.”

  “It’s a quaint little subdivision”

  I turn onto her road and see her unloading some things from Niki’s car, looking damn hot in cut-off jean shorts and a barely-there tank.

  “And here she is.” I pull into her drive.

  “Holy shit! She’s even hotter out of uniform.” Lee’s leaning forward checking out what I have seen so many times in the past week.

  Throwing my arm out. I push him back. “That…” I nod over to Nina who is totally oblivious to how sexy she really is. The little sway in her walk, in those short shorts, is a huge turn on. “Is not for your viewing pleasure.”

  My eyes only.

  “So you’re the alpha male type?”

  “What? No! I mean, I don’t think so.” I’m trying to figure out what he meant. “Nina takes care of herself.”

  “Chill, Lewis. I was just giving you a hard time.” He holds out his fist for me to bump.

  “Just help me get this unloaded.” I hop out, catching Nina as she’s coming back out.

  “Kyle! What’s all this?” She walks up, hand shielding her eyes.

  “Well, this is a table for the kitchen and that’s a couch for your living room and behind that over there is a box of supplies that I thought you could use.”

  I stand waiting for her approval, nervous that maybe Lee was right. Is this too big of a gesture? Did I take it too far?

  “Please tell me you didn’t pay for all that?” She steps around me and looks over the side of the truck bed.

  “Nope, it’s all borrowed or donated.” I stand beside her, wrapping my arm around her waist to bring her in. “Drew had an extra table and couch when he moved in with Aubrey and the supplies are random from me.” I wink.

  “You shouldn’t have.” She looks at me, blocking the sun. “Oh.” She laughs, dropping her hand. “I should have had you here all day. Put you to work as my built-in sun blocker.”

  This girl. Sometimes she says the quirkiest things, but damn if it isn’t as cute as hell.

  “Let’s get this unloaded so we can send this guy home.” I signal toward Lee.

  “Standing right here.” He raises his hand.

  Nina gives me a sideward glance and walks over to him. “Lee, nice to meet you. I’ve seen you in Java Talk a few times and this guy only says great things about you.”

  “The pleasure is all mine.” He takes her hand, a wicked smile plastered across his face.

  Count that dinner goodbye, kid.

  “Nina, you’re going to build the kid’s ego,” I tell her over the truck.

  “Kid? He’s what?” She looks him over. “Twenty-three?”

  “Yeah, but he’s right. I got to get this unloaded before my ride comes to pick me up.”

  “At least let me fix you guys dinner.” She begins to worry her bottom lip. “Well, by fixing, I mean picking up the phone to order a pizza.”

  “He has to leave,” I bark, stressing to Lee that he better not mess with our plan.

  “He’s right. I really do.” He looks at his watch. “We have twenty minutes to get everything unloaded.”

  “Then I guess we better get a move on it,” she agrees.

  “You just grab th
e door and tell us where you want it.”

  “Alrighty then,” she says as she takes off for the house.

  Pulling down the tailgate, Lee jumps up and starts to push the couch to the edge. “Kyle, man, you are one lucky son of a bitch.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  “I can’t believe you did all this.” She comes out of the kitchen with two red plastic cups. “Tea?”

  Taking one from her hand, I down it. “Lipton?”

  “Of course. I went to the store beforehand and bought what I needed to make sure I had it on hand.”

  “I could have drunk water.”

  “And I could have sat on the floor,” she says plopping down on the couch.

  “Touché.” I follow her down.

  “Kyle…”

  I can already tell she’s letting something bother her. Not saying a word, I lay my hand out, palm up.

  Watching my movements, she grins from ear to ear, taking my hand. “I don’t have the money to pay for those supplies right now.”

  “You don’t have to.” I give her hand a little squeeze. Laying my head back, I roll it to the side to see her reaction.

  “I wanted to do this on my own.”

  I shift to look at her. “Consider it a house warming gift.”

  “Gift?”

  “Yeah. A gift.”

  “Gifts are good.” She gives me a lazy smile. An accepting one.

  “They are.” I stand and walk over to an unopened box and cooler. “I also have this.” I pull out the new air mattress and set of sheets. “And brought us some dinner.” I slide the cooler over and open it.

  “Ohhhh! Real food!”

  “I made subs and a few sides. I thought with the temps being record high, this would-be kind of nice.”

  “It is.” She pulls out a sandwich.

  “Nope.” I grab it and return it to the cooler.

  “Hey!” Nina claws for me to give it back.

  “Let’s call it a night. The rest of the stuff we need to do can wait till tomorrow.” I search for the bag that has a couple towels. “Here they are.” I throw one at her. “Let’s take a nice cool shower, get into clean clothes and veg out on this thing while we eat.” I kick the mattress box over to her.

  Her eyes are wide and I can see the wheels turning. “Separate showers.”

  “Oh?”

  “It’s better that way…well maybe not better, but necessary.”

  “Oh.”

  “Do you want to go first or me?”

  “I guess me.” She stands and heads toward the hallway.

  Bending down, I pick up the mattress and begin to set it up.

  “Kyle?” I look down the hall and see Nina, still fully dressed, with tears in her eyes. “Thank you for all this. For being you. Just…thank you.”

  “Always.” I bring my fist up to my chest and rub the spot that now beats for her. The constant pounding reminds me that I will always do anything for her.

  Nina

  Even though a cool shower sounds nice, my body is exhausted. I need the warm water to sooth my muscles that are worn after cleaning. This place was a mess, the guy who lived here after Niki was filthy!

  Throwing on a pair of sleep shorts and a tank, I pad out to the front room. Kyle is just putting the finishing touches on our little picnic.

  “I didn’t think of bringing blankets, but I did buy you some new sheets.” He fluffs out the top one, laying it over the mattress. “Just a little stiff.”

  “That’s good,” I giggle. “I’m not sure how big that hot water tank is, but I don’t think I used it all up.” I wink, tying my hair up and sitting down on the couch.

  “I just need to rinse off.” Kyle pushes himself off the floor. “I’ll be…” He stands, his eyes raking over my body before they land on my chest. “Quick. I’ll be quick.”

  Looking down, I notice I forgot a bra, and I’m apparently on high alert. “I-I…I can change.” I stand, my face heating from his stare.

  “No.” He shakes his head as he walks over to me and bends down. “You are so beautiful. Never hide.” He lifts my chin, claiming my lips as his. Soft and tender and over way too soon. “I promise, quick.”

  “Mmm-hmm.” I nod my head slowly, eyes still closed.

  “Everything is ready. Just get comfortable over there.” He grabs his towel out of the bag and a pair of shorts he brought in from his truck.

  Leaning back on the couch, I take it all in. Today has been a breakthrough. No more comparisons. Kyle has shown me time and time again that he is nothing like Brandon.

  Every move, every kind deed isn’t just a choice. It’s his nature, everything that he has learned from his family.

  Family…

  A thought crosses my mind as I stare across the room. A small box sits in the corner with a few cleaning supplies.

  Tip-toeing down the hall, I hear the water still running. Not sure how much time I have, I run and grab the box and dump everything out, then put the box beside the bed. Standing back, I take it in.

  Not right.

  I bend down and try to lift the air mattress, but it’s too awkward. Flopping it back down I get down on all fours and push it till it hits the front of the couch. Then I throw one box on one side and hurry to my bedroom where I know there is another one. I dump out its contents and put it on the other side of the mattress.

  I study the scene again.

  Almost.

  Flipping open the cooler, I get out the sub and sides. Everything was to be split, but instead of bringing plates he brought plastic ware so we could share. Yanking the blanket, my makeshift curtain, down from the window, I toss it over the bed, laying the food on top.

  Running to the kitchen I fill two cups up with tea and set one on each box. Spinning in circles, I look for what I need next, the final touch, and my eyes land on my bag in the corner. Hurrying over, I pull out a pen and the sketchbook I keep on me at all times. Yanking out a page, I write:

  K.

  You are always the brightest part of my day.

  xoxo

  N.

  Quickly rolling it up, I reach for the band in my hair and secure the note. I place it by the tea on his box.

  Perfect!

  “What’s this?” Kyle comes walking in before I can get into place.

  I spin around. “Holy…” My jaw drops at the vision before me. Kyle looks great with clothes on, but Kyle without a shirt? I’m pretty sure I have drool leaking from the side of my mouth. It’s summer for Pete’s sake. Why haven’t I seen him without a shirt before now?

  “You like what you see?” He comes over to wrap his arms around me, but the closer he gets the further I back away. “Hey, come back here.”

  “You are…I don’t even know what to say.” I stop, letting him come to me. “Can I touch you?”

  “Maybe later, but first…” He reaches out. “Hug time.”

  I nod. “That sounds like a plan.”

  As soon as our bodies connect, I know that I need more than the occasional kiss. I need him. All of him.

  “Nina?” He speaks into my hair.

  “What?”

  “This?” He turns me around. My back to his front, he holds me close. “You remembered?”

  “Well, I know this isn’t your house and I don’t have rocking chairs, obviously, but I wanted to show you that…” I trail off, opting to let the note say it all.

  Walking around me, he sits down on the bed. He holds his hand out for me to follow and I do, climbing in beside him.

  Reaching over, he takes a swig of his tea before he grabs the note, unrolls it and reads.

  “Kyle, I just wanted—”

  “Shhhh.” He lays the note down and crashes his lips to mine.

  He rolls me over, pushing the sandwich to the side and kisses me, wild and consuming. I never want these kisses to end. Moving between my legs and on top of me, his mouth lowers back to mine.

  Nipping.

  I feel his teeth scrape my bottom lip.


  Licking.

  His tongue traces the seam of my mouth.

  I can’t help the moan that escapes as my mouth falls open, inviting him in. Needing more. The way he hardens against me, I can tell he feels the same.

  He pushes my tank up. Skin on skin. The only barrier now is his shorts and mine, and knowing this turns me on even more. I lift myself to meet his movement, loving the friction.

  My body pleads for a release, just from moving together in rhythm with our mouths. He whispers, “just this,” against my lips. I shake my head and move my hands, rubbing his back as I lower them to his ass, wrap my legs around him and pull him down, my hips meeting his.

  “I need you now. I just want to feel you.”

  Stopping, he looks me in the eyes, searching for approval, not wanting to take advantage of hormones going crazy. Knowing he’s trying to hold back, to make sure I’m ready, only makes me want him more.

  Working his way down, his eyes never leave mine. I raise my head to watch his descent. Collarbone, then lower. His mouth finds one nipple, taking it in and swirling his tongue over it, before switching to the other nipple. Back and forth. Sucking, pleasuring, in a way that is caring, pure adoration. My head falls back; the sensation is too much and my body arches up to his mouth. His hands drag down my sides, holding me in place, but his firm touch is gentle and I know I’m safe with him.

  His lips move lower, lighting fires in their wake. Reaching my navel, swirling, dipping, his tongue dances on my skin.

  I lean up once more and find his eyes on mine again, his smile teasing as he licks his way back up. My hips buck in reflex, wanting more. He presses a kiss to my chest, right in between my breasts, before his mouth heads south again, this time bringing my shorts down.

  His hands on me, his mouth. Our bodies pressed together like he was made for me and I for him.

  The wetness of his mouth, the air hitting damp skin causes me to shiver from a million sensations I’ve never experienced, never knew what I was missing. From that first swipe of his tongue up my center, I nearly see stars.

  Pausing, he looks up once again, a handsome yet wicked smile on his face as his finger finds my core, hovering right there. Watching, waiting. Making sure. My heart melts as I nod in approval. One finger, sliding in and out, teasing me. Then two, and my eyes close as my hands find his hair, the pleasure all-consuming.