Nicholas

 

 

"Are you going to ignore what I said to you?" I rub her shoulder as I watch her pretend to sleep. "You're a shit liar and an even worse actress, Sophia."

"I'm not acting," Her eyes stay closed. "I'm not ignoring anything."

"I told you I love you."

She rests her forehead against my chin. "I know, Nicholas. I heard it."

Begging a woman to tell me she loves me isn't something I'm willing to do. "I meant it."

"It was a heated moment." Her eyes finally open and search my face. "You were aroused. I was too. People say things when that happens."

"They say things like fuck, that's good or more, or deeper."

"There are other things they say too." She sighs. "You might not have really meant it."

"Bullshit," I blurt out. "I told you I love you because I do."

Her bottom lip quivers but she stills it with her teeth. "Wait until tomorrow and see if you still feel the same way."

"What the fuck is going to change between now and then?" I pull her closer.

She searches my eyes. "I don't want you to say things to me that you don't mean."

"I mean it, Sophia."

"How can you be sure?" Her voice is tinged with fear. "If you say those words to me, I need to know you mean them. You can't take them back."

Fuck me. This woman. She's scared to hand her heart over to me.

I tilt her head back, so I can look into her eyes. "Don’t mistake wheat I'm feeling, Sophia. This is real. All of it."

"I want to believe you," she whispers into the still air between us. "I want to because my heart wants to say the same thing to you."

"Tell me. Say it."

Her lips part and then close, then part before she speaks. "I love you, Nicholas. Please never hurt me."

 

***

 

"Losing him is not acceptable." I feel my jaw tick. "I told you that I want you on Franco twenty-four, seven. If he's headed to New York right now, you better be prepared to find another career. I guarantee that you'll never work another security job as long as you live."

I slam my phone on the desk in my office. The security detail Crew connected me with in Florida lost sight of Franco Abano two hours ago. There's no way in hell he'd be in New York at this point. If he's coming here to harass Sophia, I'll make certain he understands that he'll need to get through me first.

"Who are you going all bad cop on right now?" Cheyenne walks in with a paper coffee cup in each hand. "You were running through a scene out loud, weren't you? I think you should rewrite it. It didn't sound believable at all to me."

I shake my head as I reach for one of the cups. "Why the coffee? Come to think of it, why are you here at all? I gave you the week off."

"It's good to see you too, Nick."

I manage a smile. I had planned on spending the day immersed in my newest manuscript. The ordeal with Joe set me back months. I have a deadline in two weeks that I'm struggling to meet.

I left Sophia's apartment this morning with her. As soon as I got back to my place, I was working until the security guy from Florida fucked up my entire day.

"What do you want, Cheyenne?" I ask, knowing she'll overlook my bluntness. She's used to it and I pay her well enough that she can ignore it. "I want that key back that I gave you when you crashed here when I took off for Brazil."

"You're never getting that key back." She blows on the steaming coffee. "I need access to you at all times."

"I'll change the locks."

"You wouldn't." She plops herself down on the weathered leather chair next to my desk. "We have a date next Tuesday night."

"I'm committed to Sophia." I wink at her. I know she'll have questions, but I'll answer every one. Sophia is an important part of my life now and my publicist needs to realize that. My book tours have to accommodate time back here in New York every two weeks. I refuse to be away from Sophia for longer than that.

"You're getting married?" Her eyes light up. "Can I be your best person?"

"If I were getting married, which I'm not, I'd choose one of my brothers as my best man. I doubt you'd even make it onto the guest list."

"You're an asshole." Her smile contradicts the bite in the words. "So if you're committed to her, but not getting married, what exactly does that mean?"

"I love her," I say with conviction. "I'm in love with her."

"Who would have thought back on that night that your manuscript went viral that we'd be having this discussion?"

"You never know what's on the horizon." I lean back in my chair. "Now, explain what you and I have going on next Tuesday night."