Page 53 of Until Now

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I planned four days in Denver. On our first day, I booked tickets to the Colorado Rockies versus Chicago Cubs game. Our seats directly behind first base. “Where’s your man, Nin?” Kai asks.

“Rizzo? He got traded.”

“Don’t you remember her one million text messages about it?” Eileen teases earning a glare from me. I’ve never been into sports, unless it came to Anthony Rizzo…or Tim Tebow. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t had a thing for the first baseman after Daddy dragged me to a Cubs-Rockies game years ago.

“You gonna stand for that?” Kai asked Nick.

“I know where she sleeps at night,” Nick said and kissed me.

On our second day, I planned a private tour of Stranahan’s Whiskey for the boys. I would go for a hike while Eileen spent the day at the spa, but she refused to go. She didn’t want me to go hiking alone. I won’t tell Eileen this, but had she just asked, I would’ve gone to the spa instead.

“How was the spa?” Kai asks when we meet them for dinner.

“I wouldn’t know,” Eileen rolls her eyes. She immediately regretted her decision the second we reached the trail.

“What do you mean?”

“Eileen went hiking with me,” I chime in.

“I would have rather been by the pool.”

“I told you to stay back, but no, you didn’t want to let me go alone.”

“What if you had been kidnapped?”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Lina.” I roll my eyes and pop a piece of bread in my mouth.

On our third day, Nick and I went hiking in the Rocky Mountain National Park before we met Kai and Eileen for dinner. Just before we left for drinks at The Cooper Lounge, Michaela called. A manufacturer giving her issues and kept pushing back the delivery date, if they pushed back any further the project would have to be delayed. Within thirty minutes, I had it resolved, but then Michaela started asking for more.

“C’mon, Dee, we gotta go,” Nick says walking into the suite office.

“Solo un secondo.”

“Nope, time is up.”

“Nick! How is Denver?” Michaela shouts through the phone.

“Stealing her, Michaela. I gave you thirty minutes, now she’s mine.”

“Wait, I just have one more—” But, Nick hangs up before she can finish.

On our fourth day, I left the day open for anything Nick wanted to do. We spent the morning in bed watching TV and talking. By lunchtime, we finally pulled ourselves out of bed to meet Kai and Eileen. For dinner, I surprised him with dinner at the Flagstaff House in Boulder. The restaurant originally built as a summer cabin was later turned into a restaurant that offers some of the best views.

I try not to laugh too loud as we walk into the suite after dinner. I know Kai and Eileen are already in bed, it’s well past one in the morning. Walking into the bedroom, I step out of my heels kicking them toward my suitcase. I pull pajamas from my bag, but a hot shower sounds miraculous. I strip out of my satin drape blouse and faux leather pants and wrap a towel around my frame. As I turn the dial waiting for the water to warm up, I wonder how we got here.

Elevator,Nick would say. I smile at the thought, such a smartass. But that’s not what I mean…

Speak of the devil.

Nick walks into the bathroom still dressed, but his eyes darken when he sees me in just a towel. His attention quickly diverts to the sink.

My fingers flick through the falling stream to see if it’s warm enough…not quite. The thought comes back to me. How did we get here? I don’t mean the room, but how did we make it to this moment? We’re dating… I think? I’m still not completely sure, but it’s nice. We’re taking it slow and I’m okay with that. We still have so much to learn, we’re letting each other in little by little, but I might be falling for him.

Can I be honest? That scares the shit out of me.

“You okay?” I ask when I catch him staring again, but his mind seems to be somewhere else. When he finally meets my stare, I smile and ask again, “Fossette?” Nick crosses the bathroom and closes the space between us. At first, his kiss is soft and tender, the smallest hint of hesitation. If the line is crossed, what happens next? I push him away gently, “Nick, are you sure?”

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