My heart ached over just the thought of not seeing him. If I had to keep going to the bar and taking him food, I would.
I had the solution. I just needed to try harder to convince him. “Baby, we know exactly how to fix it. I’ve already asked you to move in here with me. It means that we could see each other every day, even with our crazy schedules.”
Nick stood up and pushed my shoulders back until they reclined against the sofa. Climbing onto my lap to straddle me, he took my face in his hands and looked me in the eye. “That’s not going to fix your jealousy, Preston. And if someone finds out that we’re together and alerts the university, then this may have all been for nothing.”
I shook my head. “Falling in love with you will never be for nothing. Just think about it and how the logistics could be so much easier for both of us. We could sleep together every night, and wake up together every morning. You can come home from the bar and crawl into bed with me. If you need me to okay changes, you’d have to go no further than the next room.”
Why wasn’t he jumping at the chance to live here and make this thing easier for us?
Nick looked at the clock on the wall. “You make it sound so simple. But I’ve got to go or I’m not going to make it. I’m sorry, babe. Just hang on. Christmas is almost here, and we’ll have some time off.”
I nodded, disappointed that he didn’t jump at my solution. “I know. And you’ll stay with me all weekend, right?”
Nick looked at me and kissed my cheek. “Yeah, I’ll do you one better. I’ll stay for the week since you’re closed. But Christmas Day we’ll be with my family.”
I sighed and kissed him one more time. “Okay, that would be good. But let me drive you home. It’ll be faster.”
“Okay,” he said, climbing off my lap.
I hurried back to my bedroom and grabbed a t-shirt and Pirates hoodie. When I returned, he was standing by the door, his hands buried in his pockets. Nick gave me a sad smile.
I was such an idiot. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to push him away.
Grabbing my keys and phone, he opened the door and went into the hallway. I held out my hand for his, and he took it without hesitation. I needed the connection.
“What are you going to do the rest of the afternoon?” he asked as we walked to the elevator.
“I’m coming back and making room for your stuff. That will keep me from going nuts until you come back to me.”
He chuckled, but this time it was a happy one. “You just won’t take no for an answer, will you?”
I looked at Nick in the mirrored doors of the elevator. “Not when it concerns the person I love most in the world, no. I’ll stop at nothing to make you happy.”
Nick gave me his normal love-drunk smile. “I love you.”
I smirked at him. “And I love you more.”
“Always gotta make a competition out of everything,” he teased.
When we got in the car, I let it idle a few minutes to warm up. Nick was rubbing his hands together to keep warm. I reached over and pulled him to me, and wrapped my arms around him.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I just miss you, and I can’t stand the distance between us. Now that I have you, I want all of you.”
Nick tilted his head back. “Me too. I guess that counts as our first fight.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I guess it does. And I guess you won.”
“How do you figure that?”
I snorted. “If I’d won, you’d be tied to my bed.”
Nick burst out laughing. “In your dreams, buddy.”
“Hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. I can take control of everything for you.” And that gave me the best idea for a Christmas present.
“That sounds awfully familiar.”
I kissed his forehead, then let him go so I could get him back to his apartment.
