Page 4 of Big Nick Energy

“Come on, for fun. There really isn’t anything you like? What about––“ He looked around the store, and before I knew it, his hand was in mine, and he led me to the other side of the store. “This one.” He pointed, and I blinked.

The dress was beautiful. A dusty blue made of an almost gauze-like material with cream-colored embroidered flowers with a deep V and delicate straps. The dress cinched at the waist and flowed down the hips. It was probably meant to hit above the knees, but with my vertically-challenged body, I knew it would be longer on me. It looked fresh and comfortable yet pretty in a bohemian way.

And exactly something I would have chosen for myself.

“That’s perfect,” I whispered to myself, and when I looked up at him, his eyes weren’t on the dress but on me. “It’s very pretty.”

“Hmm.” He nodded. The air between us crackled and popped. A current ran between us, and I couldn’t get myself to move away from him.

He was so handsome. Rugged yet distinguished. His dark full yet trimmed beard made my hands itch to touch him. To pet the hair and see if it was scratchy or soft. I ached to feel it against my skin. To have him be my––This too much. I’m making a fool of myself, a voice perked up. Just as I was about to excuse myself, he tangled his fingers with mine.

“Let me buy it for you.” I wasn’t sure if it was an offer or a demand.

“Excuse me?” I squeaked and winced at myself. I was completely out of my league with a man like Nick Marsh.

“Both dresses,” he quickly added, and I frowned.

“Why would you want to do that?” I blurted without thinking.

“As a graduation gift.”

“I couldn’t accept––“

“You could give it to your best friend. You wouldn’t have to tell her I bought it. That could stay our little secret.”

“Our little secret,” I whispered as heat rushed through me and pooled stickily between my thighs as my nipples tightened beneath my bra. His head nodded, but his eyes stayed fixed on mine. Almost like he was studying me. I felt like he could see me. The real me. Like he knew me and could read all my thoughts. And he wasn’t running away. I wanted him to know me. I wanted to know him.

“I don’t know,” I answered too softly. My eyes bounced almost longingly at the dress that hung on the mannequin. There was no way it would look like that on me. I was too curvy and big on top to make it this dainty, but I knew I could pull it off and do it in a way I would feel good in it. I might be curvy, but I felt more than confident in my body and the way I looked.

“Please?” he spoke up, and my eyes darted back in his direction while I tried to pretend not to notice how his thick thumb stroked the top of my knuckles. How my skin was flushed with goose bumps. God, he was sexy. I’d never felt an attraction to a boy like I did with him.That’s because he’s not a boy. Nick Marsh is a man!a voice yelled at me.

A man. Yup. That was exactly what he was.

“You’re…” he started to say, and he almost looked torn. Tortured. His jaw clenched, and the hold on my hand loosened. Was it my imagination or had he even taken a step back? “You’re a great kid, Blanca. Let me get you a graduation present.” Hiswords felt like a huge bucket of ice water had been dumped right over my head.

A great kid.

It only reminded me of how he always called me that.Hey, kid! You hungry, kid?And that was because it was the way he saw me. There I was, about to drool over the way-too-old-for-me guy, and all he saw me as was some kid.

“Oh,” I whispered. I wished a huge hole would appear out of nowhere and suck me right up so I could disappear. I was a great kid. That’s how he saw me.

It didn’t matter I was standing in front of him, aching in the most primal womanly way possible because he’d never see me as anything but some girl his son had once dated in high school.

“I’m okay, but thank you––“

“Please.” There he went being sweet and intense again. “Come on. How cool would it be to surprise…” He looked at me for help with her name. It was cute. He was cute. More than cute.

“Libby,” I shared.

“Libby with a dress.” I glanced over my shoulder, where the dress I knew my best friend loved so much hung.

“Okay,” I found myself agreeing. There was no way I could say no. Not when Lib had done everything she had done, and she deserved a dress like that. “That’s fine, I guess, I mean thank you.” I smiled up at him, though I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. How could it when it felt like my poor stupid heart felt like it cracked in half?

Great kid.That’s how he saw me.

“Okay, then.” He winked and looked through the rack, somehow guessing the exact size I’d need. “Here you go.” When he handed me the dress, our fingers brushed for a brief moment, but it felt like heat and fire trailed through me at lightning speed. “Would you––“ He cleared his throat, and his eyes bounced toward the fitting room.

“Oh no.” I pressed my lips together. Despite knowing he didn’t see me like a woman, I found myself blushing. A dirty thought entered my brain and, like a seed taking root, it grew.

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