Page 53 of Meet You in the Waves
“I like buying you things,” he returned, just as honest. “Besides, it’s easier for me, you know. You live in the mostexpensive city in the country on just a part-time job. I live at home with my folks who buy me cars and won’t let me pay for a single thing. And you’re not earning anything at the moment.”
“And you are?” I asked, a little annoyed at his perfectly valid logic.
“I get holiday pay,” he assured me. “Please let me buy you an ice cream. I really want to.” He pouted at me and I had to bite on my cheeks to stop myself from smiling at him.
“Fine,” I relented, awarded by one of his famous smiles.
“Thank you,” he said, brushing his hand across the back of mine. It was the most we had touched in public all day and I felt a shiver cross my spine at the small contact. I liked it a lot.
“I’m pretty sure that’s meant to be my line.”
“You can thank me in othercreativeways later on,” he said, pumping his eyebrows suggestively.
“Are you suggesting I pay for the ice cream with sexual favours?” I returned, pretending outrage.
“Yep,” he returned, right in my ear.
“I don’t know whether I should be offended or turned on,” I muttered.
“Definitely the second one,” Nick grinned. He reached down to thread his fingers through mine, squeezing my hand for half a second before he dropped contact and led the way down the high street.
The ice cream shop had a queue down the street and I sighed as I went to move to the end.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Nick asked, gripping my elbow and steering me to a window out the side of the colourful little ice cream parlour.
“Nick,” I heard someone squeal from behind the counter. Of course Nick knew all the staff. He and the girl in the ice cream shop talked for a brief moment about the crazy holiday period and then she offered to get us ice creams. Nick ordered a biscoffand Nutella cone and a peanut butter and brownie concoction that sounded amazing. She was quick to return with the two cones.
“Is this the locals only window?” I asked Nick, eyebrows raised.
“Sure, let’s call it that,” he grinned back at me. Nick paid for the cones and then we turned and walked down the street, the night still warm after the hot day. I felt his eyes on me as I licked the cone, wondering if his thoughts had just gone to the same place as mine. I looked up at him, his gaze darkening and we both laughed.
We exchanged ice creams half way through as Nick showed me a little of the town including the surf shop he had worked at through high school. We ended up on the jetty jutting out to sea as we finished our ice creams and stood against the railing, arms touching.
“I really love it out here,” I said, feeling the sea breeze in my hair.
“You look good here too,” he returned. “Like you fit.”
“Yeah. I feel like I fit too,” I agreed because it was true. I did feel like I fit in around here, far more so than I ever had in Sydney. It might have been due to the slower pace and the clean country air which was more like what I was used to growing up.
But as I looked across at Nick, long locks flowing in the warm night breeze, his carefree and easy-going demeanour centring me, I was left to wonder if that was the only reason.
CHAPTER 18
nick
The house was quiet by the time Ajay and I made our way back home. We were slow removing our helmets and riding jackets, both of us hovering around each other, prolonging each moment.
I wanted to kiss him so bad but I knew if I started I wouldn’t be able to stop. I also didn’t know how he felt about Dane and Dee knowing about us. I didn’t give a damn about Kira but I also recognised she was another complicating factor between us. At least for tonight while she was in the house.
So I pulled him into my arms, feeling how perfectly he fit there and pressed a chaste kiss to the top of his head. I left him by the sofa with a spare pillow and a blanket and made my way upstairs alone.
But I didn’t want to be alone. I wanted Ajay here beside me, his gorgeous body pressed up to me. My hands on him. Those delicious lips on mine. I tossed and turned in my bed until it became too much. I needed him.
I pulled out my phone and brought up a new text message thread with Ajay. We hadn’t actually exchanged any texts or calls but I’d gotten his phone number before the New Year’s party incase I lost him in the crowd. I didn’t hesitate before typing out a quick text.
He love hearted my last message and I set my phone down, heart suddenly pounding out of rhythm in my chest. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous and full of anticipation. I’d had plenty of guys in my bed before including Ajay just last night.
It was just that, well, things had really steamrolled ahead of the two of us and I had a feeling it would only take an ember to spark this entire thing aflame.
