“We’ll see about that, I guess. Mind telling me where we’re going?”
“Well, I sort of had to save this girl from drowning today—” I cut him off with a snort and he glanced back, throwing me a wink, his electric blue eyes glittering with amusement. “And now I’m starving, so we’re going to grab something to eat.”
Nick ended up taking us to a tiny beachside eatery that was within walking distance. The parking lot was bigger than the actual building, but I don’t think there was one spot open. Nick insisted that I had to try the seafood there even though I had never been a fan, and I was surprised when I actually liked it. We ate our food, overlooking the ocean, and fell into an easy conversation just like the night we met. After making a quick stop back at Nick’s house to grab my semi-dry clothes, we ended up back at the resort parking lot.
“You sure you don’t want to hang out for a little bit longer?” Nick asked, running his hand through his hair after sliding off his helmet.
“It’s not that I don’t want to, I just need to get Remy’s car back to her.”
He pursed his lips at me as I leaned back against the car. “You’re not just blowing me off again, are you?”
“Of course not! That probably wouldn’t be a good idea anyway, since you’re going to be my boss and all,” I teased, as he took a step towards me.
“Oh, so you’re just gonna be nice to me because we work together? I see how it is.” His dimples disappeared as he frowned, and dipped his head down, his face just inches from mine.
“Well.” I licked my lips, nervous but excited at the same time from the closeness of his body. “What exactly are we doing here? I mean, I like you, and I’m not just saying that because we’re going to be working together. But—”
A single finger landed on my lips, and my words caught in my throat at the contact. My head was swimming from that one simple touch, causing me to forget whatever I was saying in the first place.
“Both of our heads are spinning right now. We both just came out of messed up relationships, and our worlds still haven’t settled down yet. Who knows if they ever really will?” He moved an inch closer, his lips just lightly brushing my ear. “So, for now, let’s just be friends… and maybe someday, more.” His hands landed on my waist, grazing lightly up my sides until they reached my hair.
His eyes closed just as his mouth crushed against mine, and I whimpered when he fisted his hands into my hair, pulling our bodies together. I rocked towards him when his tongue brushed against mine, and I tasted him again.
When I met Nick, my first impression of him was that he was a laid-back, easygoing guy. I never expected him to own me, but that’s exactly what he did with just his simple kisses.
He pulled back slightly, nipping at the corner of my mouth, before burying his nose in the crook of my neck, and inhaling deeply. “So perfect,” he murmured against my skin.
I dropped my hands down that had somehow become tangled in his hair, and leaned back against the car for support. “Is that really something ‘friends and maybe someday more’ do? Not that I minded,” I added when his head snapped back, and he gave me a questioning look.
“Ally, that’s our thing. We can make whatever the hell rules we want, and that one is definitely at the top of the list.”
Chapter 9
Nick
I blew out a sigh of relief as I shut my computer down for the night, and flipped off the light in my office. “Heading home, kiddo?” Leo patted me on the back when I walked out to the front desk where he was just finishing with a guest.
“Yeah, I think I’ll head out early while I still can. You think you’re good?”
“Of course, the missus hasn’t been bothering me as much since she knows I only have two days left. Are you meeting up with the lovely Miss Ally?” Leo gave me a wide smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
It had been almost a month since Ally came to work for me at the resort, and I had been right all along. The guests loved her, and she loved what she did. She might have been a little bit down when I first met her, but I could see the light trying to shine through. Her bubbly personality was exactly the type that was needed for this line of work.
And the resort wasn’t the only place I got to spend time with Ally.
I had been telling the truth when I told her we should just be friends, and maybe someday, more. I just needed to seal the deal with that kiss that I now thought about day and night. Yeah, totally what I had to do.
I somehow managed to keep my hands, and my lips, to myself for the most part, even though we spent almost all of our free time together.
After a little while, I realized that Ally had never been treated the way she deserved. She wasn’t used to being taken on dates, or even being asked the simple question of how her day was.