Nick sighed and pushed past her into her townhome. He kicked the door closed behind him while guiding her by the hand to the living room. He turned to her and placed a hand on each shoulder. All traces of amusement were gone.
He was completely annoyed and so damn kissable.
“Let’s try this again. Remember when you called me out and practically told me I was full of shit when it came to my VP duties?” Kalilah couldn’t say anything, so she just nodded. “Well, I’m returning the favor. Spill it. What’s your issue?”
He was looking at her so thoroughly that he could probably tell her what color panties she was wearing – well, if she were wearing any. She broke the contact and shrugged out of his embrace.
“I’m not avoiding you. I was giving you a chance to realize that you didn’t need me.”
Kalilah would have thought she’d grown an extra nose with the way Nick was looking at her. He either liked or was getting the hang of wearing contacts because she still had not seen him wearing his glasses again. Kalilah inwardly shuddered; it was hard reconciling the two Nicks.
“Need you?” he repeated in disbelief.
She felt her annoyance slightly start to surface.
“Yes. Need me. You are a completely different person than you were a few months ago. You have women checking you out all day, and you have a lot of confidence now.” She held up her hand before he could speak. “I’m not complaining about any of that. It’s a good thing. But now that you are different, you have the option to go about losing your virginity differently.”
Nick closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he raised his hands and looked towards the ceiling as if praying for patience. When he spoke again, it was with the feigned patience adults usually reserved for children.
“I promised my mom that I would spend the day with her. I don’t have time to sugarcoat anything right now. You’re right. I don’t need you.”
She flinched because she didn’t expect that statement to hurt as much as it did.
“Kalilah. I know that I don’t act like it, so it’s possible that you’ve forgotten. Just in case, I’m just going to lay it all out there. I am a very rich man.” He stretched his arms out. “I mean extremely wealthy. I could stop working tomorrow and still be rich for the rest of my life.”
Kalilah looked at her feet. She didn’t want to watch him leave her. He stepped closer to her and continued.
“My confidence may have been a wreck, and I am a different person than I was a few months ago, but neither version of me needs you. Someone as rich as I am can buy almost anything. I’ve had plenty of opportunities to lose my virginity between my thirteenth birthday and now.”
He lifted her chin, making her look at him in the eyes.
“I asked you because I want you. That hasn’t changed.”
Nick pulled her into his arms. It felt so good to touch him. Kalilah fought the urge to kiss him. His intensity was sexy and overwhelming.
“Nick…”
He rubbed his thumb on her bottom lip.
“Let me finish. The old Nick never needed you, and the new Nick doesn’t need you, but both of us want you. In fact, the current Nick’s desire for you is stronger than the old Nick’s.”
He pulled her against his erection to prove his point. His lips now hovered over hers.
“If I didn’t have to meet my mom, I would show you exactly how much I want you.”
Kalilah splayed her hands on his chest; she could feel his rapid heartbeat under her fingertips. He was warm and solid. She tilted her head back, and her breathing shallowed as she stared at his lips. She’d missed kissing him. The thought of never kissing him again scared her more than having feelings for him.
Her gaze clashed with his. Nick’s eyes were a darker, smoky gray, they were earnest and filled with promise. Kalilah slid her hands up his arms, over his shoulders, and rested them behind his neck. Her fingertips toyed with the thick, soft hair that she’d been wanting to touch for the last three days. She was exactly where she wanted to be.
Nick smirked briefly before he shifted his hands from her waist to the globes of her ass. He squeezed them and pulled her flush against him. His erection pressed against her belly. Her nipples were crushed against his chest. Every breath he took caused her shirt to rub the sensitive nubs. She let out a soft moan. Suddenly, she didn’t care if he was late meeting his mom. She wanted him. She was wet and ready, all he had to do was…
Nick slid his thumbs under the hem of her shirt and he slowly started to inch the material up. Kalilah shivered in anticipation. His thumbs were almost to the underside of her breasts. Nick watched her intently as his lips slowly descended to meet hers.
Kalilah jumped out of his arms when the Golden Girls theme song started playing. It was loud and sudden. Nick growled in frustration and pulled out his phone.
“Hey, Ma.” He nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I should be leaving home in fifteen minutes.” His heated gaze roamed over Kalilah’s body. “Yes. I’m hungry, too. Starving in fact.” His looks told Kalilah that he wasn’t talking about food. “Okay, see you in a bit. Love you, too.”
Nick disconnected and put his phone back in his pocket. “Golden Girls is still her favorite show. I made it her ringtone.”