“I’m going to go so you can get some rest.I just wanted to give you these and make sure you were feeling okay.”He points to the bag on the floor.“I hope you don’t need to use those.”
“Thanks for bringing these, and I’m hoping the same thing.”I’m about to say something else when I hear, “Hey, Cat.”
To my shock, I see Isabelle and Chloe, with no other than Matt himself trailing behind them.This is all I need.I can see ice crystals in the air when Nick turns toward the sound of Chloe’s voice and makes eye contact with Matt.
Chloe, as usual, pushes out her chest and runs her hand down Nick’s arm, needlessly touching him, and moving in for a kiss on the cheek, which he gives her with a smile.I can only imagine how he’s managing to keep that smile up.“Hey, Nick, fancy seeing you here.Are you staying?I love it when the unexpected happens in the form of two gorgeous testosterone-filled men.Only very good things can happen: one for me, one for Cat.”
Where is a cliff when you need to throw yourself off it?
Nick shakes his head while still maintaining his smiling face.“Unfortunately I won’t be able to stay to enjoy yours and Isabelle’s lovely company.I’m afraid the testosterone will overflow and someone might end up with pistols at dawn, fighting over your affections.”
Chloe, who’s in her element and doesn’t seem to mind compliments being thrown her way, beams up at Nick, brushing her body against his as she walks inside, saying, “Nick, I’m a girl who knows how to share, there is enough of my affection to go around.By the way, I fully intend to give you that call for the one-on-one consultation we talked about.Later.”
Nick lets her pass by without saying a word and looks at me apologetically with an imperceptible shake of his head.I let my facial expression do the talking for me.Isabelle clears her throat, looking between us with an amused smile.Nick kisses her on the cheek as she goes in and she blushes a bit, saying, “Hi, Nick; bye, Nick.Nice to see you again.”
The last person, whom I haven’t looked at yet, stops dead in front of Nick.The look on both their faces is unmistakable, especially Nick’s.Not wanting my friends to hear them, I step out as far as I can, pulling the door shut.
“I heard you were back,” Matt says.
“You heard right.”
“Good luck.”
“Don’t need it.I’m not going anywhere.”He turns to me and his expression morphs from frosty to affectionate.Brushing his thumb across my face, he says, “Goodnight, Cat, and in case I don’t get to say it tonight, sweet dreams.”
Oh, man.“Goodnight.”
Matt watches him walk away then catches me off-guard when he blurts out, “What the hell was that, why was he here?”
“I could ask the same of you.I was not expecting to see either of you here tonight.I didn’t invite him over.He came to say hi.We’re friends.I don’t appreciate the way you’re acting, because I didn’t do anything wrong.Do you want to tell me who I can and can’t see now?”
“I’m not saying that.I was in the area, bumped into Chloe and Isabelle, and they said I should come with them.I thought it would be a great surprise.”
“I’m happy to see you.I just wasn’t expecting you, just like I wasn’t expecting Nick.Let’s not argue about this.”
“Okay, but all I’m saying is it’s unnerving seeing him with you.”
I don’t say anything to that.Instead, I pull his head down for a kiss and say, “He left, we’re here together, let’s go inside with our friends and enjoy the rest of our night.You are a good surprise.”He takes my hand and closes the door.
I could tell he was a little tense the rest of the night, as he didn’t join Chloe when she tried to get him to dance.He did sit next to me the entire night, holding my hand, and letting Isabelle and Chloe know when they asked that we were dating and seeing where it would lead to.Isabelle was her usually happy self, especially with the prospect of another couple she likes going out on a double date with her and Kevin.Chloe was way too excited, pleased that Nick was all free and clear for her.But, the end of the night, all of us were laughing.Matt and I made plans to go on a date next week when he comes back from his business trip.
The week was uneventful with Matt gone.Every night we would talk on the phone and then like on some freaky radar, Nick would call me and he would be the last voice I heard at night instead of Matt’s.It wasn’t bad, though, because he was the only one who knew I was pregnant, and when a little groan would escape from my nausea, I didn’t have to pretend it was a yawn or me clearing my throat, which gets old fast.He would just say in a soothing voice, “Lie back and breathe.”
Even though we didn’t talk about Kate or what happened, I found I was less and less angry with him each day.And still not one word about Matt or what happened in the hallway between the three of us.
Matt came back and I was happy to see him.I was still looking for those fuzzy feelings though.But he made me laugh, and I was happy to be with him.The first night he was back things got a little hot and heavy, and I got carried away, almost forgetting I was pregnant.As horny as I was, I couldn’t bring myself to have sex with him, pregnant with Nick’s child and him not knowing.It seemed wrong on so many levels to have him in me while pregnant with someone else’s child is.
I’m breathing heavy while kissing Matt; he’s shirtless on top of me, and I’m in my bra with my dress pulled down to my waist.I break away from the kiss when his hand goes up my thigh, pulling my underwear down.“Matt—”
“Yeah?”he says, kissing me on my collarbone.
“I think we should stop,” I say, holding his hands to keep them from going any lower.
He stops kissing me and puts his hand on the side of my face.“What’s wrong, am I hurting you?”
“No, no, I just think things are moving a little fast…I don’t know if I’m ready to take this next step in our relationship.”
“Okay.I can understand if you’re not ready yet, if that’s what it really is and it has nothing to do with anyone else.I’ve waited this long; I can wait till you’re ready.”
