Sandcastle
Dreams
By Vanessa
Ch. 6
The next morning…
Kayla squinted against the bright morning sun and became aware of the strong, familiar arms that circled her. She turned her head and met a pair of sparkling blue eyes that she knew so well. “Aw, Nick…I look like shit right now, stop staring at me,” groaned Kayla, trying to hide under his jaw.
Nick laughed, playfully replying, “Hey…I’ve seen you look worse. Remember that time when you had the flu—”
“Hey!” yelped Kayla, swatting Nick’s chest and pouting slightly, cuddling up tighter against him.
“Just kidding. You’re always beautiful to me, Kay,” grinned Nick, nuzzling her hair, “Eye boogers or not.”
Both of them began to laugh and Kayla hit him a few more times, “Go away.”
“So you hung-over from last night?” questioned Nick, concernedly peering at Kayla.
Kayla shook her head, then smiled, “You gonna ask me if I remember anything from last night?”
Nick shrugged, “I took it as a good sign that you didn’t scream when you realized that we were both pretty much naked lying together on the couch.”
Kayla laughed, biting her lower lip and meeting Nick’s eyes, “It is a good sign…I remember everything.” She paused, and uncertainty clouded her mind. We were both drunk last night…maybe Nick feels weird about…us.
“Kay…last night,” began Nick hesitantly, “I mean…I think we were moving a little too fast.”
Moving too fast…what does moving too fast mean? Don’t overanalyze, Kayla… Kayla’s throat constricted and her stomach began turning. What is he getting to? What is he getting to? Closing her eyes and swallowing, Kayla listened to him continue. Nick said softly, “I didn’t want us to make love—”
“What are you getting to?” Kayla voiced her thoughts, avoiding his glance, praying to God he wasn’t just about to break her heart.
Nick smiled to himself. He wasn’t a mean person…no, not at all. But he couldn’t help being happy about Kayla’s current distress. This gave him the encouragement he needed. Gently, Nick turned Kayla’s face to him and gave her his lopsided grin, “Kay, baby…haven’t you ever heard that it’s rude to interrupt?”
Eyeing him suspiciously, Kayla replied unsurely, “Course. I’ve heard plenty of your mom’s lectures.”
Nick grinned and continued, “Well…I was saying, I didn’t want us to make love—”
“Quit saying that,” frowned Kayla, glaring at Nick, “And wipe that smile off your face.”
“Baby, I…can’t help it…you’re just looking way too cute,” sang Nick, laughing.
Kayla broke out into a smile and buried her face in Nick’s chest, “I hate you.”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean,” murmured Nick, talking to Kayla’s hair, since her face was still buried in his chest, “And I was saying…I didn’t want us to make love last night because I wanted our first time together to be special. And even though I know we would’ve had a damn crazy time last night…it wasn’t right. I love you, Kay. You’re the only woman I’ll ever love…you’re perfect for me.”
Kayla finally raised her head, scrutinizing Nick, replying playfully, “Say it a little louder…I’m not sure I heard quite right.”
Grinning, Nick raised his voice, “I love you, Kay. You’re the only woman I’ll ever love…you’re perfect for me!”
Kayla acted as if she still didn’t hear it and Nick smirked, yelling, “KAYLA REEVES I LOVE YOU. YOU’RE THE ONLY WOMAN I’LL EVER LOVE AND YOU’RE PERFECT FOR ME! DAMN SEXY, TOO!”
Giggling, Kayla allowed Nick to roll over so that he was on top, his body weight against hers. “I heard it,” grinned Kayla innocently, looking up into Nick’s sparkling blue eyes.
“Damn right you heard it,” growled Nick, nuzzling her neck, “But I wouldn’t mind saying that a couple million times.”
Kayla ran her hands through his hair, smiling, “Nice line.”
“That was not a line,” said Nick, resting his body against hers, feeling her fingers dance across his bare skin pleasantly.
“Oh yeah…it was.” Kayla ran her hands down his strong back.
“No. It wasn’t.”
“Yeah, it was.”
“No! It wasn’t.”
“Nick,” sighed Kayla, “I know you like the back of my hand—”
“Okay, okay, so it was a line,” said Nick, before meeting Kayla’s eyes and grinning charmingly, “But I thought of it for you.”
Bursting into giggles, Kayla pulled Nick closer to her, “Shut up and kiss me.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
A week later…
Kayla squinted against the setting sun, gazing out at the ocean, “God, I could just live on this pier…”
“Yeah…isn’t it beautiful?” sighed Nick contentedly; turning his head to watch Kayla, whose lips were lifted in a tranquil smile and hair was blowing gently in the wind.
Kayla nodded, turning to catch Nick staring at her, “What? You examining my acne?” Nick only replied with an amused smile and Kayla frowned, “Stop it. You’re making me self-conscious.”
Laughing, Nick gently traced her face with his thumb, “Kay, don’t be self-conscious. I can’t help myself…Hey…do ya know that that white nightie of yours is see through?” His voice rose an octave.
Grinning mischievously, Kayla nodded then asked, “You notice that before?”
Nick smirked, “What straight man wouldn’t have noticed? With a gorgeous brunette as a best friend…”
“God, I never knew you were looking at me like that BEFORE you…confessed your love,” laughed Kayla, adding extra drama to the last phrase.
Nick blushed slightly, but didn’t look away, “Actually, I’ve always thought you were attractive…I mean that time when I visited you and you just got out of the shower and you were in that little towel…or when you were changing with your back to me…when I first saw—”
Her eyes open in disbelief, Kayla swatted Nick’s arm, “You pervert! I never knew you were so…so…”
“So unable to resist your beauty?” said Nick smoothly, cupping Kayla’s face with his hands.
Kayla rolled her eyes but blushed, “Damn it, Nick. It just isn’t fair for you to always use that damn smirk on me every time I’m trying…trying…”
Brushing his lips against hers lightly and looking into her eyes, Nick smiled lopsidedly, his voice teasing and husky, “What are you trying to do, Kay?”
Running her hands from his shoulders up to the back of his neck, Kayla sighed in defeat, knowing she couldn’t hold her own against those laughing blue eyes, “You’re not playing fair.”
Nick grinned, nuzzling her nose, “You like it when I don’t play fair.”
Smiling, Kayla murmured, “Got me all figured out, eh?”
“Spend fifteen years with someone and you get to know a little bit about them,” answered Nick, basking in contentment: he was at his favorite place in the world with his favorite person in the world.
Without replying, Kayla pushed her lips gently against Nick’s, eyes closed, smile still dancing on her lips. After giving each other brief, flirtatious kisses, Nick couldn’t stand it anymore and pulled Kayla closer to him, his tongue finding its way to hers. “Ooo…Nicky’s getting aggressive today,” commented Kayla breathlessly when they pulled apart.
Nick raised his eyebrows, forehead against Kayla’s, growling softly, “You got a problem with that?”
“You gonna punish me if I say yes?” replied Kayla, leaning against the wooden side of the pier.
Catching her mood, Nick closed any available space between the two of them saying in his sexiest voice, “Hell yeah…”
Eyes lighting up and eyebrows raised defiantly, Kayla said seductively, “Yes.”
Half an hour later…
“Mmm…Nick,” whispered Kayla huskily as Nick planted kisses down her neck.
“I love hearing you say my name,” murmured Nick, his voice muffled against her skin as he pushed off her shirt.
“I love saying your name,” returned Kayla, relaxing against her pillows and feeling Nick’s slim fingers deftly pull down her shorts.
Nick kissed her toned stomach, “Actually…what I’d like even better is hearing you scream it.”
“Make me,” breathed Kayla, smiling down at Nick, who gave her his sexy look.
“Your wish is my command,” muttered Nick, moving up to kiss her lips, “Kay, sweetie…everything is just so perfect—”
RING! RING! Both groaned simultaneously and Kayla proceeded to reach for the phone. “Leave it,” ordered Nick, pinning her arms above her head and smiling sexily down at her.
“I love it when you get all forceful,” purred Kayla, looking up at Nick, “It’s just so sexy…”
RING! RING! “Damn it,” cried out Nick; the mood was broken and both knew it.
“I’ll get it,” grumbled Kayla, climbing out of the bed and scrambling for the phone, “They just don’t give up do they…Hello?”
Nick rubbed his face tiredly and leaned back against the pillows, listening to Kayla’s conversation. “Who is this?” inquired Kayla innocently; her face only twitched slightly when she heard the answer. She thrust the phone at Nick, whose eyes were still closed.
“Hmm? For me?” asked Nick, opening his eyes to see the phone stuck in his face.
“Yeah,” replied Kayla lightly, “It’s um…Mandy.”
Nick’s eyes widened as he numbly took the phone. Mandy. The name brought back a mixture of emotions. Mostly bad. “Mandy?” questioned Nick into the phone, his voice disbelieving.
Trying to push aside her questions and inquiries, Kayla sat silently by Nick’s side, listening to his responses. “What? Are you okay? What happened? Isn’t there somebody else?” Kayla noticed that Nick was purposely avoiding her glance, his eyes focused on his hand, which lay in his lap.
A moment of silence settled and Nick seemed to be in deep thought, “Right now? Okay…fine. I’ll be there in a few.”
Kayla felt an unsettling feeling cross her stomach as Nick uttered those words. Great…just what any girl would like to hear her boyfriend say to his gorgeous ex…Nick hung up the phone, looking apologetically at the bedspread. “Kay…” began Nick hesitantly.
Without answering, Kayla sat looking at Nick, watching his face intently. What she saw she didn’t like. “Mandy was crying…she just got in a car accident and she wants me to go to the hospital now. She’s scared cause they’re gonna put her through some examination and there’s no one else who can be there with her…”
Nick finally looked up to meet Kayla’s eyes, saying honestly, “If you don’t want me to go, I won’t.”
Sighing heavily and flopping backwards onto the bed, Kayla closed her eyes, “How long you gonna be gone?”
“Two hours at the most,” replied Nick softly, “I’m serious Kay…if you don’t want me to go, I’ll stay.”
Kayla opened on eye to find Nick peering at her with a solemn expression on his face. Damn those blue eyes… “I’m sure. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go to the Double-D blonde in distress,” sighed Kayla sarcastically, though her heart weighed heavy.
“Kay,” began Nick, tilting her face to his, “I love you. I’m just going cause she has no one else. I’ll be back in two hours. Promise. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”
“I’m sure I won’t,” replied Kayla lightly, making herself smile for him. He kissed her tenderly and reluctantly pulled away, grabbing his jacket.
“I love you, Kay,” repeated Nick, flashing her his trademark smirk.
Kayla grinned back, shooing him, her voice warning, “Two hours…”
“At the most!” yelled Nick as he disappeared out of house.
Tiredly, Kayla leaned back against the bed and attempted to push out all the bad thoughts that kept fighting their way back into her head. “Nick loves me. Nick loves me. Nick loves me,” whispered Kayla over and over again, “Only two hours.” Yet that unsettling feeling wouldn’t go away…