Chapter Eleven
Lyriope
“Wine? Or sleep?” Nick asks as we reenter the villa. I can see that Louisa has brought the Chianti and the meat-and-cheese spread Nick requested when we arrived.
“I don’t even know what time it is,” I say, looking at the shining sun outside. I missed an entire night of sleep. “I feel drunk already from lack of sleep, jet lag, and… you.”
“Then sleep it is,” Nick declares.
He walks over and grabs my hand softly and leads me to the bed. Polar opposite of the man who just took hold of my neck in a choke hold and issued a warning. But classic Nick Hudson, a complete morph of personalities.
He sits me down and takes off my shoes without ever saying another word. He then takes off his own and stretches out onto the bed, pulling me into his arms.
“Sleep.” Nick kisses my forehead and wraps his arms tightly around me. “No one can reach you here. Not while I’m with you.” He kisses my head again. “Close your eyes, quiet your mind, and just lie down with me.”
He says the few words I need to hear. It’s as if he knows me so well. In such a short time, he understands how difficult it is for me to just stop overthinking and worrying. He understands that unless he is to lie with me, force me, make me do what’s needed, I won’t be able to just shut it down. He understands me.
I press my cheek to his chest and can hear his heartbeat beneath my ear. His arms are wrapped around me, and his steady breathing is like a balm that washes over my soul. For that very second, I can just be relaxed. I can just be calm and be soothed. This is a sensation that I’m not comfortable feeling, but before I can really process the emotions going through me, I fall asleep in Nick’s reassuring and safe arms again.
I don’t know how long it has been, but my eyes flutter open to find shadows cast against the walls of the villa. Outside the window I can see the sun is setting. I try to stretch awake and am restricted by strong arms wrapped around me. I’m on Nick’s chest as it softly rises with his steady breathing. The smell of his manliness invades my senses, and the desire to move my hand that rests on his chest to his lower region is almost unbearable. This man has a power over me that I have never experienced before. I should fucking hate him, and yet, I don’t.
I’m still sleepy, but my body is very awake.
His arms tighten around me and pull me a little closer to his body. “Did you sleep well?”
His simple question sends fire through my body. It’s the way his voice sounds husky but caring. “Yes… I did. Thank you. I guess I was more tired than I thought.”
“I’m surprised I fell asleep as well.”
I adjust my head so I can look into Nick’s eyes. We both stare at each other for a few moments, scanning each other’s face, searching for a peek into our souls.
“When I first arrived at your house, I thought you never slept,” I tease. “You were a real-life vampire to me, and I couldn’t figure out how or why you did that.”
“I rarely do. But something about you… you being next to me in bed.” He stretches, his body tightening beneath me. “You’re like a sedative that I need to calm the storm inside.”
I take a deep breath before speaking. “I feel like I’m in that storm of yours as well. Or maybe you’re in mine.” I close my eyes and press my face into his chest. “Being with you is like being in a hurricane. I don’t know what to feel. I don’t know how I should think. I go from rage to lust. From comfort to terror. I want to run away, and yet I want to know you’ll always hunt me down if I do.” I lift my head up enough so I can clearly see into his eyes. “Explain this to me. Is it just me? Am I insane?”
“I like insane.” Nick lowers his mouth to mine. “Crazy makes my dick hard.” He kisses with more passion, and more excitement than ever before. He rolls me over onto my back and presses his body on top of mine. His mouth continues to claim as I can feel his desire building. I gasp at the sudden change in our energy but pull him closer in need for more.
Nick pauses from his onslaught of kisses to examine my face.
“I want to fuck you right now.”
As part of the contract? Is it time to finally pay up?
As if reading my mind, he says, “Not because of a deal we had. Not because of a debt owed.”
“Then why?” I ask softly, wanting to hear the truth regardless of what it is. The one thing about Nick is he never lies. He’ll never tell me just what I want to hear for the sake of it.
“Because I traveled across the country to finally claim what should have always been mine. To have and to hold what I should have done in Bishop’s Landing. This is what I wanted. This is what I should have done before you left me.” He leans down and kisses me with more force and even more passion. Pulling away, he adds, “You belong to me, Lyriope. Not on paper. Not because of an agreement. You belong to me the same way I belong to you.”
He moves his mouth to my neck and starts to place soft kisses, while his hand slowly works its way under my dress. His palm cups my breast, and I arch my back to meet his touch. His lips move to my ear, and he lightly nips. I can hear his ragged breathing and feel his body tense with pent-up need.
I lower my hand to his bulging erection pressing against his pants. When my fingers make contact, Nick moans in desire.
I undo his belt buckle, unbutton, and unzip in one fluid motion and wrap my hand around his throbbing cock. If there is any question in his mind on what I want, I hope to have clarified it now.
A growl works its way past Nick’s lips as he begins to rip off my clothing in a fire of fever and excitement. I meet his crazed desire by stripping him bare as well. Within seconds, our bodies are nude and entangled together.