the same technique I use to get
control. I focus on the muscles tightening and loosening, but I also
concentrate on my lungs and how my breaths enter and leave them.”
The confusion and anger were slowly draining from his
face as I talked. He walked up to stand in front of me, and I had to tilt my
neck way back to look up at him. I shifted nervously at having him so close.
Where Mark’s proximity had made me feel uneasy, Nic’s just made me feel warm
and tingly and breathless and excited and...lots of other things.
His hand lifted and his finger traced a line from the
corner of my eyebrow down to my chin. Heat suffused my skin at the intimate
contact. His thumb continued the caress along my bottom lip and the green of
his eyes darkened as my lips parted in a shaken exhale from the sensations of
his touch.
“I’m sorry for getting angry like that in front of you.
But I don’t regret setting him straight for what he said, because it
embarrassed you. And what he implied before, about me helping out all over
campus…” Red flags slashed across his cheeks.
I put my hand on his forearm and squeezed. I had a
feeling it was unusual for Nic to become tongue-tied. It was quite
endearing…too bad it was over a conversation about his number of sexual
partners.
“Nic, he isn’t the first person I’ve heard stories from
about you.” His face became even more ill at ease. I patted his arm. “I don’t
pay attention to rumors. What you do…” I waved my hand and shifted my gaze away
from his awkwardly. “…with other people is none of my business. You’ve been
nothing but nice to me and that is what I’m basing our friendship on.” I took a
step back because being this close to him was messing with my head and
hormones.
He frowned. “I don’t like that you’ve heard rumors
about me, but it’s my own fault. I’ve told you about the groupies, you’ve see
them, and, well…they sort of make themselves available. I don’t feel like I’ve
gorged myself, but I probably availed myself more than I should have.” His face
flushed further and he rubbed the back of his neck.
I had no right to judge him. In truth, I was the last
person in the world who had the right to judge. The thought of him with other
girls in an intimate manner did make me sick to my stomach, but that was
probably because of my own personal issues and I wasn’t going to let them
interfere with our burgeoning friendship.
“Nic, really, it’s none of my business.” And I really
didn’t want to continue talking about it.
He still looked discomfited. “Hell, I’d never thought
I’d regret my past…” He cut himself off with a shake of his head and looked at
me with apprehension. It was kind of a novel look on him, he normally appeared
so self-assured. “Hey, you get off at eight, right?”
I almost did a double take at his abrupt topic change.
“Yes.” I replied tentatively.
“Would you let me drive you home again? I promise it
will be better than last time.” He smiled ruefully.
“Um, okay.” I said nervously. My heart felt like it was
about to thump out of my chest.
He stepped back and turned toward the shafts, and I
blushed slightly at the wayward thought that shot through my mind. Stupid
historical romance novels.
We spent the rest of my shift discussing the properties
of shafts and why Nic preferred one over another. I only heard about half of
what he said because my mind was awash with rioting emotions. Had he come in
just to give me another ride home? If he had, why did he want to? He’d been
extremely bothered at the idea of me taking the bus; maybe he was just trying
to be nice.
It was exhausting attempting to analyze his motives so
I forced that part of my brain to shut up.
Two minutes to eight Nic finally made his selection and
brought his…‘chosen
control. I focus on the muscles tightening and loosening, but I also
concentrate on my lungs and how my breaths enter and leave them.”
The confusion and anger were slowly draining from his
face as I talked. He walked up to stand in front of me, and I had to tilt my
neck way back to look up at him. I shifted nervously at having him so close.
Where Mark’s proximity had made me feel uneasy, Nic’s just made me feel warm
and tingly and breathless and excited and...lots of other things.
His hand lifted and his finger traced a line from the
corner of my eyebrow down to my chin. Heat suffused my skin at the intimate
contact. His thumb continued the caress along my bottom lip and the green of
his eyes darkened as my lips parted in a shaken exhale from the sensations of
his touch.
“I’m sorry for getting angry like that in front of you.
But I don’t regret setting him straight for what he said, because it
embarrassed you. And what he implied before, about me helping out all over
campus…” Red flags slashed across his cheeks.
I put my hand on his forearm and squeezed. I had a
feeling it was unusual for Nic to become tongue-tied. It was quite
endearing…too bad it was over a conversation about his number of sexual
partners.
“Nic, he isn’t the first person I’ve heard stories from
about you.” His face became even more ill at ease. I patted his arm. “I don’t
pay attention to rumors. What you do…” I waved my hand and shifted my gaze away
from his awkwardly. “…with other people is none of my business. You’ve been
nothing but nice to me and that is what I’m basing our friendship on.” I took a
step back because being this close to him was messing with my head and
hormones.
He frowned. “I don’t like that you’ve heard rumors
about me, but it’s my own fault. I’ve told you about the groupies, you’ve see
them, and, well…they sort of make themselves available. I don’t feel like I’ve
gorged myself, but I probably availed myself more than I should have.” His face
flushed further and he rubbed the back of his neck.
I had no right to judge him. In truth, I was the last
person in the world who had the right to judge. The thought of him with other
girls in an intimate manner did make me sick to my stomach, but that was
probably because of my own personal issues and I wasn’t going to let them
interfere with our burgeoning friendship.
“Nic, really, it’s none of my business.” And I really
didn’t want to continue talking about it.
He still looked discomfited. “Hell, I’d never thought
I’d regret my past…” He cut himself off with a shake of his head and looked at
me with apprehension. It was kind of a novel look on him, he normally appeared
so self-assured. “Hey, you get off at eight, right?”
I almost did a double take at his abrupt topic change.
“Yes.” I replied tentatively.
“Would you let me drive you home again? I promise it
will be better than last time.” He smiled ruefully.
“Um, okay.” I said nervously. My heart felt like it was
about to thump out of my chest.
He stepped back and turned toward the shafts, and I
blushed slightly at the wayward thought that shot through my mind. Stupid
historical romance novels.
We spent the rest of my shift discussing the properties
of shafts and why Nic preferred one over another. I only heard about half of
what he said because my mind was awash with rioting emotions. Had he come in
just to give me another ride home? If he had, why did he want to? He’d been
extremely bothered at the idea of me taking the bus; maybe he was just trying
to be nice.
It was exhausting attempting to analyze his motives so
I forced that part of my brain to shut up.
Two minutes to eight Nic finally made his selection and
brought his…‘chosen
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