That time alone together helped heal a lot of issues from their shared past and they rediscovered a load of good memories to help balance the painful ones. I doubted Nick would ever fully understand his mother’s actions in leaving him behind, but with the help of his therapist and the constant interaction with Chloe, he was finally moving forward. For the first time since I’d known him, the man I loved more than anyone in the world looked genuinely happy, relaxed, and much less haunted by his past.
Learning to value himself would always be a work in progress though, and that was fine. We all have our tender places. But Nick had recently started working under a licensed private investigator as part of his training, and already I could see the changes he was trying to make regarding his safety. As well as ensuring he carried his phone when he was on surveillance or anything risky, he also carried a GPS tracker card and kept in regular contact with his boss and with me. The first few times he’d headed out had been nerve-racking for me, but he was loving every minute, and all I really wanted was for him to be happy.
“Come on, Sleeping Beauty.” I pulled Nick’s hair aside to kiss his cheek. The long silver locks on top had completely regrown from the closely shaved look he’d sported in Kettleworth almosta year before. “We better show our faces or things are going to get ugly.”
“Nooooo,” he grumbled, shrugging me off. “It’s your fault I can’t open my eyes. You wore me out.”
I chuckled. “Serves you right. Now get up.” I pinched his butt.
“Ow!” He spun over to face me. “That was uncalled for.” He wrapped a hand around my dick and started a slow stroke. “You know, we could always let that lot out there get everything ready while we stay in here and—” He nuzzled my throat. “—do things.” He nipped along my jaw. “Dirty things. Come on. You know you want to.”
“Mmm.” I thrust into his hand a few times before coming to my senses. “Tempting as that is—” I shoved Nick away and scrambled out of bed before I changed my mind. “—it would be rather rude, considering that it was us who organised the party in the first place.”
Nick fell back on the mattress and groaned. “I hate it when you’re right.”
I snorted. “No. You hate it whenanyone’sright if it’s not you.”
Nick eyed my naked body and licked his lips. “Not always.” He reached out and flicked my semi-hard cock. “Remember the time you convinced me to give you a hand job in the change room of that menswear shop you li?—”
“Nope.” I slapped my hand over his mouth. “We agreed never to mention that humiliating error in judgement ever again.”
Nick licked my palm until I yanked my hand away. “But it was sooo cute when the assistant banged on the door and asked if we needed any help?—”
“And you went and told him that you didn’t share.” I rolled my eyes. “I can’t ever show my face in that store again.”
“You are so cute.” Nick grinned and pulled me down for a kiss. “Don’t ever change.”
“Last warning, arseholes!” Lee’s shout rattled the glass in the windows. “People will be arriving in ninety minutes and the spit-roast boys are getting antsy.”
Nick groaned. “We better go, I suppose.” He shot me a look. “Are you nervous?”
I scratched my nails through the thick scruff on his jaw, relishing the feel. “You mean about today? The first time we’ve brought both sides of our wider circle of friends and family together to tell them we’re officially a unit for the long haul. Hell yes, I’m nervous. You?”
Nick swung his feet over the side of the bed. “Terrified. And I totally blame you and Luther. I was quite happy to keep it to a half-dozen people for drinks and nibbles.”
“And I thought I was the introvert,” I teased.
Luther and I had become firm friends in just a few months. When he’d heard about our plan to semi-formally announce our commitment to our friends and family, he’d been all in, refusing to let the occasion pass without some kind of fuss. Davis would apparently have a conniption and haunt him for the rest of his life if he did, or so he said.
And since organising a party was hardly Nick’s forte, or mine, and Luther could do it in his sleep I left it to him to do most of the heavy lifting, especially around the decision about which of Nick and Davis’s old friends to invite. A few had come around to us being together, but there were some who simply couldn’t seem to get their heads out of their arses, and that was fine. Nick had no trouble cutting them loose. We didn’t need the negativity in our lives, and I was thankful to him for stepping up.
“We can always change our mind about saying or doinganything,” I told Nick, somewhat hoping he might agree. “Weknow.Theydon’t have to. Other than Luther, no one knows the real reason for the party.”
Nick turned my face to his and kissed me softly. “If that’s what you want, then sure, we can do that.”
I sighed and straddled his lap, looking him dead in the eye. “No. It’s not what I want.You’rewhat I want, and doing this today is what webothwanted when we planned it.”
Nick’s mouth turned up in a slow, sexy smile, grey eyes twinkling. “So, does that mean we’re still on?”
I cradled his face. “Yes, we’re still on.”
Nick waggled his brows. “They’re gonna freak out. Gazza, especially. You’re gonna be in so much trouble again.”
I couldn’t stop the smirk. “The best part about the whole thing.”
Nick snorted, then grew quiet, his gaze soft on mine, his voice rough as he said, “You know, if you decide you want more down the track, I’ll agree in a heartbeat. There’s nothing I won’t do for you, Mads. I just want you to be happy.”
“I know.” I traced his lips with my fingertip. “And thank you. But this feels good. It feels right. And that’s all we wanted, right?”
