Page 43 of Falling for Nicole
“I know so, Gingernut. Now come back down here.”
Declan
I can tell by the look in her eyes that she doesn’t believe me, but I really had no clue the bed had already been delivered. Lilly said it would be this evening.
“You hungry?”
“Starving,” Nicole agrees, downing the last of her champagne. “I need something to soak this up.” Hiccupping as she puts the glass down, I can’t help but agree.
“What do you fancy?” I don’t miss her eyes drop to my stomach, which she seems to have a fascination with—not that I’m complaining.
“Chippy?”
“Sure. I need to shower first though.”
Georgia came up trumps with this place. Not only did she manage to reduce the rent significantly, but she also had the whole place cleaned and updated ready for Nicole to move in. Of course, she has no idea it’s for Nicole—even a blind man could see they have a serious dislike for each other—so I knew mentioning it wouldn’t do me any favours. I told her it was for family, which is kind of true.
Stepping into the bathroom, I find the bath spotlessly clean, the chrome taps polished within an inch of their lives. It’s almost a shame to ruin it.
“Wow, it’s even more stunning than the photo.” Nicole’s eyes run over every inch of the room as I do the same to her. She’s right. Even more stunning than any photo could portray.
Her cheeks heat when she realises I’m watching her.
“What?”
“Nothing. Getting in?” I hold out my hand, tug her into the bath and pull the curtain around us both.
After washing off, we both drip dry before pulling our clothes back on. I think Lilly might have been wrong, Nicole could do with a few more things as well as her bed to move in with.
“How about we go shopping after we eat? Get you some towels and stuff.”
“That sounds like a plan,” Nicole says as she fights to get her denim shorts up her damp legs.
* * *
“Where the hell are we going?”
Carrying a bag of fish and chips in one hand and holding Nicole’s in the other, I take her to my second favourite place in this little seaside town: the highest point on the cliffs that overlooks the bay below and out to sea. It’s the perfect spot.
“Wow. How did you find all these places?”
“I did a lot of walking when I first found the town. I wanted to know everything about it before I set up the business.”
“This is really stunning,” she says as she unwraps the paper containing our dinner. “How much is the rent on that place?”
“Four hundred a month.”
“Fucking hell, she really did owe you a favour. What the hell did she do to get it for that price?”
“It’s probably best we don’t ask.”
“Okay then.”
“But…” I see her look over at me, questions and concern filling her eyes. “You don’t have to pay anything for the first three months.”
“What? Why?”
“I’ve covered it.”
