Chapter Two

 

 

 

 

Nick

 

 

 

 

 

It really wasn’t fair to the world that Kelly Gold was so hot. Her long, light brown hair fell just past her shoulders but was pulled back into a ponytail at that moment. She had mesmerizing, deep blue eyes that got lighter in the middle and reminded me of the ocean. When she smiled, Kelly’s gorgeous face would light up and make you feel like you could do anything. The diamond stud in her nose gave you an instant sneak peek into the sassy attitude that she wasn’t afraid to throw around. The small black words inked into her skin on her left hip told people she’d been hurt but she wasn’t letting anything hold her back.

She was seriously beautiful.

I watched as she placed her foot on the kitchen chair so she could tie her sneakers and it gave me the most incredible view of her ass. Her small shorts and the tight sports bra left very little to the imagination. Her tiny body was toned from her time at the gym but soft in the right places and I knew just how delicious she felt when she was naked underneath me. Those thoughts weren’t helping me in the moment, though, so I turned away as she tied her other shoe and instead focused on the dog.

“Should we walk him first?”

“He’ll be okay until we get back,” Kelly said as she came up next to me. “Megan walked him before she left.” She disappeared in her room and came back into view with her gym bag over her shoulder.

She locked the door to the apartment behind us and we walked towards my year-old black Camaro automatically. Kelly fell into the passenger seat as I got in behind the wheel and we didn’t say anything as I drove us to the gym a few miles from her place. I’ve been there with her several times even though I wasn’t a member. Between how much time she spent there and the yoga classes she taught, Kelly was beloved and they basically let her do whatever she wanted.

“Are we doing weights or cardio?” she asked as we walked inside and I glanced over at her.

“Weights, if that’s okay. I already went for a run this morning.”

She nodded and waved to the front desk person when we made it through the doors. “Hey, Florian.”

“Hi, Kelly,” the young guy at the desk replied as he admired her almost-naked body. “I’ll scan you in.”

“And a guest, too, please.” She gestured to me. “Thank you.”

We broke apart automatically so we could go into our different locker rooms and I quickly changed into my workout shorts and a tank top so I could get out on the floor. Kelly was already at a weight station and being chatted up by some meathead. I walked over to where she was and wrapped my arms around her from behind while staring the dude down. He immediately took the hint and mumbled a goodbye before walking away.

“What are you doing?” she asked as she twisted her head to look up at me.

I pressed a kiss to her forehead and shrugged as I let her go. “He looked skeezy.”

No guy was good enough for Kelly. I included myself in that category, too. I had known that that Dr. Douche would fuck it up but I had hoped I was wrong. Something about him had been off from the beginning, though, and I hated that he’d hurt her. She seemed okay in the moment but I worried about her when I went home later and left her all by herself to think about it. Kelly was one of those chicks who’d put on a brave face in public and waited to burst in private.

The chemistry between the two of us was off the charts. Emotionally, we just clicked. We could have silent conversations from across the room, we both loved to make the other laugh, and there was never a dull moment when we were together. Physically, I’d never been with anyone like Kelly and no one came close to comparing to her. What flowed between the two of us couldn’t be replicated.

If I was going to be in a relationship with anyone, I’d pick Kelly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to pick who I wanted and so the best I could offer her would be something temporary. She wanted long-term, though. She deserved long-term. The last thing I wanted to do was offer her a relationship, have us fall in love, just to have to walk away and hurt her in the end. So we’d slept together a couple of times and decided that being friends was the best course of action for us. I valued her friendship more than most anything else. That hadn’t stopped the jealousy I felt whenever she mentioned Devin the douche or I saw the two of them together, though.

I watched as Kelly adjusted the weight setting in the shoulder press and I took the machine next to her as I did the same. She was quiet as she worked out, only speaking when she was correcting my posture because she couldn’t help it. We fluttered from machine to machine until we were at the bench press and spotting each other. Kelly always impressed me when she’d do reps with a hundred pounds of weights hanging over her small frame. She probably only weighed twenty pounds more than that herself and it was a huge turn on to see her go from being so feminine to so strong. Watching Kelly work out was fucking sexy.

“Three more reps, Nick, come on,” she said as she looked down at me. I pushed the bar above my head and wanted to stop but Kelly’s blue eyes bored into me and I couldn’t give up while she was watching. She kept count and finally helped me guide the two hundred and fifty pounds back into its’ cradle.

“Good job.” Her fingers dug into my shoulders the second I sat up and I let out a small, happy moan. Kelly had magic hands.

After a couple of minutes, she dragged me to the floor and made me do a circuit of planks, burpees, lunges, and squats. By the time she had finally let me stop, sweat was pouring down my face and I was ready to pass the fuck out. She, on the other hand, didn’t even look winded.

“Okay. I’m done,” I huffed as I wiped my face down with the towel. “You’re a fucking machine and I can’t keep up.”

She stretched her arms above her head and gave me a grin. “I’m done, too. Let’s go to the sauna.”

I hated the fucking sauna and she knew it but she also knew that I’d do it. So, I went into the locker room and pulled my clothes off before wrapping a towel around my waist. The co-ed sauna was next to the pool and when I opened the door, Kelly was the only one inside. She was in nothing but a little, white towel and I took a seat on the bench immediately above her. Her head rested against my legs and she sighed without saying anything.

“Want to talk about it?” I asked after a few minutes of silence and she shook her head.

“I don’t ever want to talk about him again, honestly.”

I didn’t force her. Kelly would talk to me when she was ready. I didn’t know when it happened but she’d become more than just my friend and was my very best friend instead. It was probably when the two people we were closest to, Megan and Owens’, relationship had intensified and we’d both felt like we needed to give them their space. We had naturally drawn together and Kelly had become my rock. She was there for me anytime I needed her and I hoped she knew the same from me.

She moved up so she was on the bench next to me and rest her cheek against my sweaty shoulder. We stayed silent as she traced the orange and red flames that were inked across my upper chest. I eventually stopped her hand because, well, she was continually touching my body while wearing nothing but a towel and my dick didn’t understand that we were just friends. She didn’t say anything, though, and just squeezed my hand with her own.

We sat in the sauna for about fifteen more minutes before Kelly finally called time. I followed her out the door silently and we walked by the pool to go back to the locker rooms. We were almost there when I snaked my arm around her waist to pull her back to my chest. I pressed my lips to the crook her sweaty neck and left them there. She dropped her head to mine as her hands gripped my arm that was around her. After a long moment, I kissed her skin and released the hold on her before we both continued to head towards our separate locker rooms.

I was showered and dressed before she was so I went to the gym bar and ordered her the weird green smoothie I knew she would want. I picked a strawberry-banana flavored one for me and read a pamphlet on healthy eating as I waited. I had the smoothies five minutes later and it was another ten before Kelly appeared from the locker room. Her hair was still wet and she was wearing a pair of short, white shorts and a tight grey tank top. A smile stretched across her face when I handed her the smoothie and she thanked me before doing the same to those behind the counter.

It was almost eight when I drove us back to her apartment and I had every intention of just dropping her off so I could go back to my place. I had to be at work at seven the next morning and Kelly would keep me up until well after midnight if I stayed.

That plan went out the window when I pulled up in front of her complex and saw the figure leaning against her front door. I could tell the second Kelly saw him, too, because her body went from relaxed to tense.

I barely had the car into park before I was out and stalking down the pathway towards him. Fire raged in my chest and all I wanted to do was hurt the asshole that had hurt Kelly. He saw me and let out a long sigh before pushing off the door as he shook his head.

“I’m not going to fight you, Nick.”

“Then I’ll just kick your ass,” I said as I swung and immediately connected my fist with Devin’s nose. I could hear Kelly saying my name as he stumbled backwards but I moved forward to hit him again. A small, warm body jumped on my back and I felt Kelly’s legs hook around my waist from behind as she clutched my shoulders. Her soft lips were at my ear instantly.

“He’s not worth it, Nick.”

I stared at Dr. Douche as blood dribbled from his nose and down his lips. My chest was heaving as I breathed angrily and all I wanted to do was slam my fist into him again. I didn’t, though. I reached my hands back instead and gripped her thighs lightly. She let out a relieved sigh and pushed on me gently so I’d let her go. I didn’t at first, but I let her down after she pushed on me for the third time.

“Can we talk, Kelly?” Devin asked, holding his wrist to his bleeding nose. I was kind of impressed that he hadn’t run off like the coward he was.

Kelly stood next to me with her arms across her chest. “Are you married?”

Devin didn’t answer but just stared at her. When she repeated her question, he finally nodded.

“Then we have nothing to talk about.” She grabbed my hand, either for support or so I wouldn’t hit him again, and moved towards the door so she could unlock it.

“I left her. I love you, Kelly.”

She froze at his words and turned around to look at him with her eyebrows furrowed. “You lied to me for six months. I don’t even know how long you’ve been lying to the other woman you once claimed you loved enough to marry and have a family with. I don’t think your love is worth a damn, Devin.” She shook her head and stared at him for a moment. “I don’t love you. I thought maybe I could eventually but I realize now that I loved the idea of you. And the idea of you is a complete farce. Go away. Go home to your family. I don’t want to see you ever again.”

I watched as Kelly pushed through the door but I didn’t move from where I was. I turned back to look at Devin and raised my brows.

“You’re a fucking idiot.”

He rolled his eyes and pulled his wrist back to see if the bleeding had stopped. “You must be happy. Now you get her all to yourself.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I clenched my fists at my side and fought against hitting him again. I really hated that guy.

“Please,” he scoffed slightly. “I see the way you look at her, the way you’re constantly touching her. I’ve noticed. Just friends, my ass.”

I didn’t bother to tell him that I didn’t need him to fuck up if I wanted Kelly. I was pretty sure that she and I had more chemistry and passion in our pinkies than the two of them did altogether. I stayed quiet as he began to walk away. He was hallway up the path before he turned around.

“I’m not giving up, just so you know. I do love her.”

“She deserves a hell of a lot better than you.” I gestured for him to keep walking. “So you should save yourself the trouble.”

He muttered under his breath but did as I said. He was almost to his car when a dark blue truck parked next to my Camaro. I heard Megan calling Owens’ name frantically as he jumped out of the driver’s seat and stalked towards Devin. Megan continued yelling his name as she got out of the truck and Devin froze as he waited to get hit again.

“Owens,” I yelled, causing him to stop and look at me. I shook my head. “I already broke his nose.”

Owens nodded and murmured low words to Devin. Devin said something back but I couldn’t hear what it was. Whatever he had said pissed off Megan, though, because she surged forward and slapped him across the face. Hard. Owens chuckled and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend as she began to yell.

“You don’t get to say my sister’s name, you scumbag. Don’t you tell me you’re not giving up because next time I see you around here, I’m going to knee you in the balls so hard that you won’t be able to have any more kids.”

Devin didn’t say anything else as Owens basically carried Megan down the pathway. I opened the door for them and he didn’t place her back on her feet until we were in the living room.

“Damn, Megs,” he said quietly as he placed a kiss on her lips. “That was fucking hot.”

I laughed and shut the door behind me. “It was epic.”

“Where’s Kelly?” Megan asked as she looked around the living room. I shook my head and gestured to her room.

“Dr. Douche was here when we came back from the gym. She went inside and I stayed out there to make sure he left.”

Megan nodded and stepped towards me so she could speak quieter. “How is she?”

“She’s good,” I replied, equally quiet. “We ate, we watched TV, and we went to the gym. She was in great spirits before Dr. Douche showed up.”

Megan’s arms wrapped around my middle and I hugged her back easily. She gave me a smile when she pulled back. “Thank you, Nick.”

“No thanks necessary. I’m going to go tell her I’m leaving, though.”

I knocked on Kelly’s door and her soft voice gave me permission to push it open. She was sitting on her bed with her remote in her hand as she stared at the TV. I walked over to where she was and dropped onto the bed next to her.

“Want me to stay?”

She glanced over at me and shook her head. “You work early tomorrow. You should go home and get some sleep.”

“I can sleep here.” To prove my point, I settled my head on one of her pillows and closed my eyes. Her pillow smelled like the berry shampoo she used and I wanted to push my face into it to get a bigger whiff.

Kelly’s body cuddled beside mine and she shook her head. “Go home, Nicky.”

I hated when people called me Nicky but Kelly did it anyway and I’d grown to like and expect it from her.

“Let’s go to Vegas this weekend, Kel,” I said as I rolled to my side and wrapped my arms around her. “Let’s go drink, dance, and just have fun.”

She was quiet for a long moment before I felt her move next to me. I opened my eyes and she had her head propped on her hand she stared at me.

“Yeah?”

I nodded and reached up to tuck a strand of her wild hair behind her ear. “Yeah. It would have to be Friday night since I’m on shift Sunday morning.”

“Okay. Let’s do it. Can I invite my sister and Simon?”

“Yeah, but we’re going regardless of whether or not they come.” I shifted so I could press my lips to her cheek. My body hummed at the simple contact and it took everything I had not to drift down to her mouth. “Sure you don’t want me to stay?”

“I’ll be okay. We both know you’ll be up until after midnight if you stay. Go home.”

The two of us sat up on the bed and wrapped our arms around each other in a long, tight hug. I pressed another kiss to her face and forced my limbs to let her go as I stood from the bed.

“You’ll call me if you need anything or if you need to talk, right?”

She nodded from where she was still on the bed. “I will. Thanks for tonight, Nick. You’re the best.”

I just smiled and offered her a nod before walking out of the bedroom.