Page 23 of Who's Playing You
His right hand just hung in mid-air, between us. I looked from it back to his face.
I didn’t think it possible but he smiled even bigger. “Are you okay?” he asked on a chuckle, a chuckle that rumbled deep in his chest and was the most amazing sound I’d ever heard in my life.
A chuckle that seemed to have been the electric current that I needed to jump start me back to firing off a brain cell or two because I quickly replied, the words tumbling from my lips, “Nonoitsfine… Imean… noyoudidn’t…” I quickly shut my mouth, pinching my lips together while I closed my eyes and breathed a heavy sigh through my nose.
It would be really terrific if the Earth could just open up and swallow me whole right now. Or to be struck down by lighting, that would also be perfect for this moment, because the embarrassment that I felt was crippling.
I could feel the heat, and I could literally feel the color red flush my neck and cheeks.
I couldn’t help but cover my face with my hands due to mortification, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I obviously shouldn’t be let out in public unattended.”
I saw his one foot scuff the gravel beneath his shoe as I heard his delicious and full laugh. “You’re kind of adorable, you know that?” he asked as if that were an obvious response to my delusional behavior.
“I wouldn’t have expected that description to be used for my behavior just now,” I replied on an almost whisper while I removed my hands and let them fall to my sides as I looked up to his eyes. Andohmygawd…his eyes were literally the most beautiful shade of grey.
Light storm clouds.
Did this man have a flaw? Even just one?
“Well, expect it because I just said it,” he replied and chuckled. “So now I feel compelled to ask you if you’re okay, because you kind of short-circuited for a minute there.” He said this without judgement, which I appreciated.
“I’m sorry. Yes, I’m okay. Thank you for asking, and also please accept my apology. I’m just having like a really weird da… well, year. Yeah, year is more accurate.”
The one side of his mouth lifted up and it revealed afuckingdimple! I just groaned as if it had physically pained me.
He chuckled good naturedly, “Well, at least it keeps things interesting, huh?”
“I suppose that’s one way to look at it,” I replied and couldn’t help but give him a small chuckle in return.
“So since we established you’re okay… you’re Scottie, right?” When he asked it, it was a weird non-question-question.
“Umm, yeah. I’m Scottie…” I replied super skeptically. “And you are…?”
“Oh right, sorry,” he laughed and his whole face lit up. “I’m Nick-holas. Nicholas.”
“Oh my God!” recognizing the name I relaxed and freaked out at the same time. “I’m so glad to meet you, and I’m sorry for… well, for whatever that whole thing was. I’m really okay. Just having a day.”
“A year. Right.” He laughed some more and his laugh felt like warm honey dripping all over your body.
I shifted my mindset to a more professional one, trying to regain my wits. “Well, I’m really excited to meet you and to have you take part in this workshop! Is the rest of your party here already too?”
He looked a little sheepish, but before he could reply, a group of three “bro-dudes” passed by us. Nicholas put his hat on so it was forward facing again, which was a crime against humanity if you asked me. He then took a step closer to me, and angled his body so his back was to the parking lot and the guys walking by. This didn’t leave me with much personal space. Instead his deliciously fresh and masculine scent hit my nostrils, and I was literally ready to melt.
“Yeah, so about that…” he trailed off and I just looked at him. “I’m the party.”
“Pardon? What do you mean,you’rethe party?”
“Yeah so, long story short: I’m your group. I’m your retreat. Your student. Singular.”
My eyebrows scrunched together. “I don’t understand. What happened to everyone else? Are they okay? I didn’t have a phone call or an email letting me know they weren’t coming… did they want to reschedule? Ohh… do they want a refund?” I was babbling. I couldn’t stop. My head was spinning.
Nicholas quickly started almost shaking his head in earnest while his mouth kept saying “no no no” as he chuckled and his large and powerful hands gently cupped my shoulders.
“Oh shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to touch you without your consent,” he said awkwardly as he took a step back. “No one wants to get a refund, so don’t worry about it. And they won’t reschedule. I, umm, so I reserved all twelve spots.”
I couldn’t help the blink, and another, that my brain told my eyes to do so it could compute this information. “I’m sorry… what?Youreservedalltwelve spots?”
“Yeahhhh.” He dragged out.
