Page 26 of Meet Me in the Penalty Box

Nico gave me a lazy smile. “Taking you to my bed to clean you up and get you comfortable.”

His words warmed my soul and I was taken by surprise with his attentiveness. I didn't question him as he laid me down on his plush mattress that had all-black bedding. I didn’t say a word as I watched him disappear into the bathroom, nor did I when he came back with a warm washcloth.

“I need my clothes.”

Nico chuckled lightly and shook his head. “I promise you, you don’t.”

I should have felt uncomfortable, still completely naked under his gaze, but there was something about him that just felt right. He felt familiar, even though I didn’t really know him that well. He made me feel safe and I let him tuck me under the covers of his bed as he rose to his feet.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he told me as he handed me the remote. “I’m going to go heat up our food and we can have dinner in bed.”

Hesitantly, I took the remote from him and eyed him skeptically. “Do you always walk around your house naked and expect your guests to do the same?”

Nico laughed again and shook his head. “Only with you, love.”

He left the room without another word and I sat up straight, my back pressing against the pillows while pulling the blankets up to cover my exposed chest. I turned on the TV and flipped through Netflix before settling on a true crime docuseries when he finally returned with our food.

Nico had heated everything up on separate plates and was balancing them in his hands as he walked back into the room. He handed me mine before setting his on the nightstand. I watched him walk back out of the room, but he was only gone for half a minute before he came back in with two glasses and a bottle of wine.

He popped the cork and filled both of our glasses before climbing under the sheets. We both sat in silence, eating our food and sipping our wine as we learned about the case they were trying to solve.

“Do you watch a lot of stuff like this?” he asked while lifting his glass to take a sip of his wine.

I swallowed a mouthful of pasta and nodded. “Yeah. I like true crime type stuff.”

“That makes sense with what you said at Dare, thinking I was going to take you to some secret location to murder you.”

Laughter spilled from my lips. “Hey, it’s always the ones who are charming and attractive that you have to be careful with.”

Nico stared at me for a moment and I looked over at him as mischief danced in his blue irises. He didn’t say a word, but simply smiled at me before diverting his gaze back to the TV as he continued to eat. We finished the rest of our meal in silence and the air between us was sparked with electricity. It was palpable and I was afraid if I touched him, I would certainly be electrocuted.

After we were done, Nico took both of our plates and stacked them on his nightstand before filling up our glasses again. The red wine splashed against the clear cup and I allowed my eyes a moment to truly appreciate his body. The blankets stopped just below his belly button and my gaze traveled across the planes of his muscular form.

“So, Harper,” Nico started as he shifted in the bed to face me. He had his elbow propped on the pillow and was resting his hand on his head. “What made you move to Orchid Beach?”

His question caught me off guard and I took a long sip of my wine. “I needed a change of scenery and had just gotten out of a relationship. I went to Boston for college and ended up staying there after I graduated. It just never really felt like home, so I decided I’d move somewhere that I could make my own home.”

“Where are you originally from?”

I was surprised he didn’t question me on my relationship.

“I was born and raised in Denver. I considered moving back there, but I left Denver because I wanted more than just mountains,” I told him. As much as I loved Colorado, I wanted to see and experience other places in the country or the world. I didn’t want to live there for my entire life. “What about you? Where is home for you?”

“I actually grew up here,” he said simply with a shrug. “My family lives across the state now, though, so I do miss them. They come and visit occasionally and I try to go back home to see them when I can.”

“That must be nice.” I smiled at him as I adjusted myself on the bed to lay the same way he was, although I made sure to keep my chest covered. “Are you all close?”

A wave of pain washed through his irises as he looked past me and nodded. “My family has always been extremely supportive of what I do. After my mother passed away, we were all a little lost, but in time, it has made us closer than ever.”

I stared at him for a moment, my heart clenching in my chest while simultaneously breaking for him. He was still hurting, his wounds were still open, and it was clearly written all over his face. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him it would all be okay, but those were just words. They changed nothing. They would never erase the hole in his heart from losing his mother.

“I am so sorry, Nico,” I said softly as I continued to watch him. “I know that doesn’t really help, but I really am sorry for your loss. I can’t even imagine how that must feel for you.”

He slowly pulled his gaze back to mine and gave me a sad smile. “Thanks, love. It’s been two years already, but sometimes it feels like we just lost her yesterday. I appreciate your kindness, though.”

“If you ever want to talk about anything, I am always here for you.”

“Actually, I do want to talk about something.” His smile grew tighter and he raised an eyebrow. “You just got out of a relationship before moving here? What happened?”

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