I ran my fingers through his soft hair and over his cheek. “Let me feed you. It’s one of my love languages.”
Nick smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I’m starving.”
It was music to my ears.
We sat on the plush rug and ate dinner in front of the fire before we spread out on my sofa. I stretched out on my back across the buttery soft leather as Nick settled against me with his head on my chest. His legs entwined with mine as we talked and discovered things about one another that were mundane, but were now exciting. Even the smallest detail, like his favorite color, filled me with a warmth I couldn’t describe. It was the craziest thing and so foreign to me. I learned to savor the feel of him in my arms. And every day it became more and more clear to me: I was head over heels in love with him.
I ran my fingertips over his skin where I’d rucked up his t-shirt. “Are you from Portland? Or did you come here for school?”
“I’m from here. Grew in up in the suburbs with my parents and twin sister.”
I pulled back to look at him. “You’re a twin?”
He grinned. “Yeah. She’s my best friend. We’re four minutes apart.”
“Why haven’t I heard you talk about her?” I shifted, and he settled back onto my chest.
“She’s in California right now, going to school. She’s going to be a physician’s assistant. Smart as hell.”
I kissed his head. “Sounds like you’re proud of her.”
“I am. We’re really close. Talk every day. I can’t wait to see her this week. She’ll be home for Thanksgiving Wednesday night.”
“How long will she be home?”
“Just the weekend. She leaves Sunday, too.” I could hear the hint of sadness in his voice.
“Maybe I’ll meet her at the airport.” I wouldn’t tell him I wanted more.
Nick worked his way onto an elbow and looked at me. “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”
My pulse sped up as he looked at me with all that love in his eyes. “Nothing. My family’s on the east coast, and my brother, Greyson, is in Colorado. We usually get together at Christmas.”
Nick smiled at me. “Come home with me for Thanksgiving. My mom fixes way too much food for everyone, but we’ll eat and watch football. I think the Pirates are playing that afternoon.”
I smiled and ran my fingertips over his clean-shaven face. “I’d love to. But you have to promise to meet mine as well.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I can do that.”
We looked at one another, just basking in the ease of the moment and the possibilities of what we could be. I was seventeen years older than him, but it didn’t matter. He was my person. I could feel it deep in my soul.
“Will you stay the night with me on Thanksgiving? Or are you spending the night at home?”
Nick ran his fingertips across my stubble. “I usually stay there, but I’d rather be with you, unless you’ll stay with us. I didn’t want to ask you to do something you wouldn’t be comfortable doing.”
I laughed. He really didn’t know me well yet. “Baby, I’d sleep in a box on the street if it meant I could be with you.”
A shy smile took over his face, and he lowered his head to kiss my chest over my heart. “Me too. ”
Overcome with all the emotions I never thought I’d feel again, I wanted to love gush all over him, and it was taking sheer will not to spill all my feelings for him. Again. But he beat me to it this time.
“I’m falling, Preston. I can feel it. Please don’t break my heart.”
Cupping his face with one hand, I looked into the ice-blue eyes I loved. “Never.”
Nick moved up to take my mouth in a sweet kiss. We melted into the sofa and made out for a while. If kissing him was a biblical experience, I couldn’t imagine what making love to him would be like.
When he lowered his head to my chest and snuggled in, I knew he was tired. “Want to watch a movie, or maybe soak in my tub?”
