Page 96 of Keep My Heart
‘I did too. It was the first time I’ve had to relax since I left here last week.’
When we reach the door, I stop and turn to Nick. ‘What time do you want to go to breakfast?’
‘Is eight too early?’
‘Kind of,’ I say with a laugh. ‘It’s after two. That’s only a few hours away.’
‘Right,’ he says, nodding. ‘So nine?’
‘Sure.’ I look up at him, wishing he would kiss me.
‘I guess I’ll be going,’ he says, but his eyes remain locked on mine.
Moments pass, and I can feel our attraction to each other heating up the air, the tension between us rising and ready to burst. I can’t take this. I need to get inside before I do something stupid like kiss him.
‘Nick, I—’
He cuts me off with a kiss as he grabs me around the waist. The kiss is gentle at first, almost hesitant, but then becomes bolder, more aggressive, his tongue going past my lips. My knees are buckling, my body firing up with those tingles I’ve been longing to feel since he left.
And then, just as suddenly as he kissed me, he ends it. He pulls away, looking at me with what seems like regret.
‘I wasn’t going to do that,’ he says.
‘Then why did you?’
‘Because it’s all I’ve been thinking about since the last time I saw you.’
‘Really?’ I ask, wanting him to tell me more.
He pauses a moment, his gaze moving over my face, then says, ‘I’ll pick you up at nine.’
He’s gone before I can ask him anything more. I go inside the house, even more confused about what’s going on with him. Hekisses me and then doesn’t explain why, or what it means? Maybe it didn’t mean anything. Maybe he just wanted to kiss me.
* * *
In the morning, Nick arrives five minutes early. I’m still doing my makeup when I hear the doorbell ring and my mom answering the door.
‘How’s the dishwasher working out?’ I hear Nick say as I hurry down the stairs.
‘Wonderful!’ my mom says. ‘It’s so nice not to have to wash them by hand. Nick, while you’re here, would you mind looking at something for me?’
‘Mom, he can’t keep fixing stuff for us,’ I say, laughing, as I meet up with them in the kitchen.
‘I’m not asking him to fix anything,’ she says, looking through a folder. ‘This is about the land I’m trying to sell.’ She looks up at Nick. ‘It’s only ten acres, but I don’t have a reason to keep it. It’s in North Dakota and used to belong to my grandfather. I inherited it when he passed and I’d rather not have to deal with it anymore.’ She hands Nick a stack of papers. ‘This is the contract for the sale. I wondered if you could just take a look at it, make sure everything’s good before I sign it.’
‘Sure, I can look it over.’
‘Nick, you don’t have to do that,’ I say. ‘You’re on vacation.’
‘It won’t take long. Most of these contracts are pretty standard. I’ll look through it and have it back to you before I leave.’
‘Oh, thank you, Nick,’ my mom says. ‘It’ll save me the time of having to find a lawyer. Since Benny passed, I haven’t found someone to take his place.’
‘Mr. Graver died?’ Nick asks.
She nods. ‘About a month ago. Anyway, just let me know if you see anything of concern. I’ll pay you for your time.’
‘I won’t accept money,’ he says. ‘But I will accept baked goods.’
