Chapter 82
Fiona and Nick said their good-byes and stood silent as Sarah, AJ and Howie pulled out of the parking lot of the club to go find Kristina, who was parked on the shoulder of the road waiting for them.
Nick could see tears in Fiona’s pale eyes although she tried desperately to hide them. Taking her in his arms, he held her close against him, loving the way she felt, the way she always seemed to relax and breathe for the very first time as she allowed him to comfort her.
She slid her arms around his waist and rested in his arms, with the satisfaction of knowing that someone still cared about her even though Kristina seemed to have moved on.
She sighed at the thought of being dismissed so easily from her best friend, the tears spilling onto Nick’s blue T-shirt.
"Shh, baby. It’s gonna be okay" Nick whispered in her ear, stroking her silky blonde hair.
Fiona tried desperately to fight the tears but she couldn’t. "Take me home, Nick. I just want to be in your arms and in your bed."
Nick kept his arm around her and walked towards his convertible, opening the door and helping her inside before making his way to the driver’s side. Starting the car and backing out, he said excitedly, "Kris was awesome up there tonight, wasn’t she? I didn’t know she could sing like that! And, Oh My God – the way she and Howie danced together during that one song was HOT. They look so good together."
Quietly, still hurting by Kristina’s lack of interest in talking to her, she replied. "Yeah. They do look great together."
"I can’t believe Sarah is Stephen’s sister. She’s so sweet and he’s such a prick. It’s hard to believe two people can be from the same family and be so different."
"Uh huh" Fiona managed, the tears spilling over once again.
Thinking that Stephen’s appearance had been the reason Fiona was upset and not realizing that by talking about Sarah he was only making matters worse, Nick continued on. "I bet Kris and Sarah were happy to be reunited, considering how close they are. What a surprise..."
"Pull over, Nick!" she sobbed.
Confused, "What?"
"I said, pull over DAMNIT!"
Nick had barely stopped the car when Fiona opened the door and jumped out.
"Baby, what’s wrong?" he asked, rushing to her side. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Yes...NO...I, I just don’t want to hear about Sarah anymore. Everything is all about Sarah and I’m left out in the cold with no one."
Nick reached for her but she pulled away, leaning against the car, her face buried in her hands. Part of her felt guilty about being jealous since Sarah and Kristina had been away from each other for so long, but the other part of her still felt betrayed.
"Oh honey" Nick said, cradling her face in his hands, his thumbs gently brushing the tears away. "Is that what you think? That Kris doesn’t need you anymore?"
Fiona began to cry even harder, nodding her head in response to Nick’s question before allowing him to pull her into an embrace.
"Don’t think that way, Fi. She’s just had a LOT going on lately. She and Sarah have a lot of catching up to do and I’m sure she would be heartbroken if she knew that you felt this way. You know Kris better than that."
Fiona glanced up at him, thankful that he was part of her life and could help her see things from a different prospective. "I guess I just feel like I’m not needed anymore" she whispered.
Leaning in and capturing her lips in a loving yet passionate kiss, Nick closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers long after the chaste kiss had ended. "Don’t you see, baby? I need you."
"You do?" she asked, genuinely surprised by his admission.
He smiled that famous Carter smile that she so loved, the one that sent shivers up her spine and made her knees grow weak. His crystal blue eyes were twinkling in the moonlight and his hair was ruffled by the passing traffic as he spoke to her with a seriousness in his voice. "Yes, I do. With each passing hour I find the emptiness that consumed my heart closing up and with each day that we spend together I find a new happiness, a deepening need to be closer to you, to love you with all of my heart. I’m falling for you, Fiona. You simply take my breath away!"
"How much did you have to drink tonight?" Fiona asked with a playful smile.
Laughing, he grinned, "Why? Are you afraid that Thor and I won’t be able to perform for you later?"
"Is that all you think about, Nicholas?"
"Nah. Only when you are standing in front of me with that pouty expression on your face. It makes me hard."
Fiona blushed, her tear-stained cheeks flooding with color. "Let’s go home."
Smiling, Nick opened the door. "Sounds like a winning idea to me, babe."