Alarm bells start ringing and I awake from my stupor. Wait for him? This man whose voice even turns me on, who is more handsome than any real person has the right to be, who has left me lunch for three days straight, who has a smile that could light up all of the night, really, truly wants me? I’m dumb, but not that dumb. I slap my hand over his. “No. It’s not too much.”
Chapter Eleven
Birdie
“It’s too much, isn’t it?” Nick runs his hands through his hair. I’m sitting in the middle of his bed as he paces back and forth at the end of it. I’ve got his laptop out in front of me and books all around me.
“No, it’s not too much.” He’s clearly overwhelmed by all of the information he has gathered. “This is good.” There’s a lot of things to go through but I love paper trails and I don’t mind looking everything over for him. I want to help him find the smoking gun that will put his uncle behind bars.
“Good?” He stops pacing. “Shit. I shouldn’t have pulled you into this mess.” He keeps saying that. I bite my lip to try and keep from smiling. Maybe I should be worried about his uncle and the threat he brings, but I’m not. All I can think about is helping Nick clear this up and maybe some of those crazy sweet words he said to me earlier. Nick is turning out to be a little too good to be true. Still, here I sit trying to figure out his books for him.
“You can’t fudge the numbers, Nick. Everything has a trail and I’m going to find it,” I try and reassure him. “You can’t lie or change them. They are what they are. If you do try and change them, things get messy quick and you can find it rather easily. So, whoever tried to alter the books is an idiot.” People always think they’ll get away with it but in the end they get caught. When it comes to money, everything is traced and tracked. I have a keen eye and I intend to inspect this information as if my life depended on it. From what Nick says about his uncle, it might.
“You look so fucking sexy on my bed.” I know he’s lying because I look a hot mess right now. Still, it doesn’t stop my body from heating under his appraisal. “You should take a break. You’ve been at it for hours.” He pushes the laptop closed. I’ve only been at it for an hour and I’ve barely cracked the surface of anything. Still, maybe a small break won’t hurt. Nick climbs on the bed, moving so he sits behind me. He wraps his arms around me and begins feathering kisses down my neck. My head falls to the side, allowing him access. I let out a small moan of pleasure as my body relaxes into his. I turn my face, silently asking for a kiss.
He gives it to me. I melt into him, letting his warmth surround me. It feels so good to be in his arms. I feel right again. For three long days, I’ve felt out of sorts. As if a piece of me was missing and now it is sliding back into place, righting me again. I moan into his mouth.
“Oh shit.” I jump at the sound of Gran’s voice. I scramble away from Nick, almost falling off the bed but Nick saves me right before I roll off. “I was sure that I was too old to sneak up on anything.”
“Gran, I’m trying to make you a great-grandma.” My mouth falls open. I gape at Nick. I can’t believe he just said that. He’s smiling.
“I’m already great,” she says before she sits down on the edge of the bed. Her eyes immediately go to the papers that are strewn all around. I see the look of surprise as she sends a questioning look Nick’s way.
“She knows everything, Gran. As luck would have it, Birdie is good with numbers and does the books at her work. She’s offered to take a look at everything and try to help.” I sit quietly, watching their interaction.
“I knew something was up the night I came to dinner here. I overheard you and Nick talking while I was in the bathroom. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but the walls here are paper thin,” I say as my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “I thought you guys might be on the run from the law or something.” That has Gran cracking a huge smile. I reach out to grab her before she slips off the bed in her fit of laughter. She’s so fragile, I’m worried she will break something.
“Do I look like I could run anywhere?” Gran teases and we all laugh this time. A warm feeling fills my chest at how this feels. Sitting around, joking with one another. I feel a part of something for the first time in a long time. Sure, I have Mr. Higgins, but I’ve longed for more. I appreciate and love him but I get lonely.