"The best decision I ever made!"
"Yeah, it was." I smile and stroke his back. "And I'm glad I gave in to my inner urges and let you have your wicked way with me."
"Mmm…I like that. 'Wicked way.' Give me a few minutes, and I'll have my wicked way with you again."
"Promises, promises." I yawn widely, feeling exhausted, physically and emotionally. The waiting and wondering if he was going to show up has worn me out.
"Are you jet-lagged?"
"I suppose I must be. I might have to sleep before you ravish me again."
Aaron shifts and brings the covers over us, pulling me into his chest. "Sleep, baby." He kisses my forehead.
I want to talk to him some more and make the most of the time we have, but I'm too tired. I fall asleep quickly to the sound of his heart.28
AARONI can't sleep. Nicole is curled up against me, obviously exhausted from all the traveling she has been doing. My mind is full of “what next” questions. I've managed to get myself here, and I'm so damn happy that I did. She's amazing, beautiful, funny, warm, gentle, and stronger than she would ever give herself credit for. I relaxed for the first time in years and gave myself over to sex that isn't contrived and remote, and it felt unbelievably fantastic.
I know I should be reveling in the moment, but now that I know I want more with Nicole, I have no idea what that will mean. She'll be heading back to the UK, and then what? Will she be content with a long-distance relationship? Could we make it work when we've spent so little time in each other's company? I know her job is important to her, so asking her to come to Atlanta would probably go down badly, and anyway, it's too soon for us to be making big changes for each other.
After an hour of staring at the ceiling and dealing with a massive erection that just won't go down, Nicole turns in her sleep, and I extricate myself and get up. I haven't called Robert to confirm that I'll be arriving in New York, and I'm desperate for a drink and a bite to eat, so I get dressed quietly and headed down to the hotel bar.
Robert is out with friends, so our call is quick. I tell him I'll join him on Sunday afternoon and stay a couple of days. I want to spend time with him and make sure he's okay. I sensed something in him during our previous telephone conversation that I didn't like. He's always been good at covering up what is going on in his head, and I need to make sure that he's okay for my peace of mind.
The bar is busy – it's a Friday night after all – so it takes me a while to get served with a beer and a burger. I eat and drink quickly, wanting to get back to Nicole as soon as I can. When I'm done, I pay and take the elevator back up to her room. I open the door as quietly as I can, expecting Nicole to be asleep, but the room is lit up, and Nicole is sitting on the edge of the bed with her face in her hands. When I walk in, she looks up and swipes at the tears I now see on her face.
"What is it, Nicole?" I say, striding over to her and kneeling on the floor in front of her.
Nicole pulls away from me, her eyes widening. Her chest hitches, and for a second, I think she’s crying, then she grips the side of the bed with one hand, her other hand flying to cover her heart.
“Nicole, what is it?” I ask again.
“I can’t…my heart…it’s beating to fast…I…I…” she gasps.
I place my fingers to her throat, feeling for a pulse while she continues to pant way too fast. Is she having a panic attack? Or is it something more serious. I just don’t know. Beneath my skin, her pulse flutters in a way that I don’t like. I don’t like one bit.
“How long has it been racing like this?”
“I woke up…you weren’t here…I just…a few minutes.” Her chest hitches with each movement and my heart skips. This isn’t right…none of this feels right. I stand slowly, conscious that whatever I do next, I don’t want to scare or alarm her.
It could be a panic attack, or it could be something more serious. All I know is that I’m not about to take any chances. Pulling out my phone, I tell Nicole to take calm breaths while I make a call. Her eyes tell me she understands that I’m going to do whatever it takes to help her. When she squeezes my hand, I want to drop to my knees and beg for her to forgive me for every single douchebag move I’ve made over the past weeks. She looks so fragile and helpless and I should have done more to be the kind of man that she needs.