Chapter 8

"What's the matter?" she asked.
"Tha...that song." he mumbled.
"Does that song mean something to you?" she asked gently, stroking his hair. He closed his eyes, then decided it wasn't time to tell her.
"It relates to a situation I was in not so long ago." he said.
"Oh," she murmured, looking at him awkwardly. Tears suddenly filled her eyes and she looked away. "Me too," she said softly in a tear- filled voice.
She got up, and went to sit on her rocking chair by the window.
* * * *
Over the next few weeks, Jacinda's demeanor changed. She was always reserved, and although she took good care of Nick as always, he felt the new tension between them and regretted it. He had grown to trust her completely since he had come to in her room, and desperately wanted to tell her about his heartbreak with Mandah. He realized that Mandah was the past, and he had moved on since then. He also realized now the intense attraction between himself and Jaci. If only she'd trust in him...
Jaci was downstairs, making eggs for herself and Nick. Nick. She could never stop thinking about him, even when they were apart. The nature of the feelings she was experiencing frightened her, but the very thought of him made everything clear. There was an intense attraction and bond between them, and that's what truly frightened her. If only she didn't feel this way, but she did. Even if she'd promised herself as a heartbroken twelve year old all those years ago that she'd never trust or love another guy again, Nick had dug himself into her heart.
The eggs were ready. She scooped them out of the large pan, and put them on the plates. Turning off the stove, she headed upstairs with their breakfast.
Nick's eyes lit up when he saw Jaci enter the room. She looked gorgeous today, wearing black capri pants and a pink tank with a part at the back open with a bow tied there, and rosebuds where the straps joined the tank at the front. She had on light pink eyeshadow, emphazing her wide gray eyes and a pink shimmery lipstick. Her hair was loose down her back in a mass of dark auburn curls.
She set the plate and glass on the breakfast in bed tray she had bought and went over to her desk where she ate in silence. He sighed. So much for her sitting beside him liked they used to do, and talk about anything. Oh well, it was worth a shot. He devoured his food, and drank all his orange juice. He set the tray on the floor, and turned himself around so that he was looking out the window.
Jaci sighed when she finally pushed away her plate and glass, looking ahead at the wall. She missed the conversations that she and Nick had had before this tension had arisen between them. Finally, she could stand it no more, and decided it was about time she confess her secret to him.
"Nick?" she said in a quiet voice, not daring to look at him.
Hearing his name, he turned around and looked at her bowed head questioningly. "Yes?" he asked, not daring to hope that she would finally come out of her shell and talk to him.
She swung her glittering gray gaze over to look at him. There was something in those eyes that made him curious.
"I....I'm sorry about virtually ignoring you these past few days. I...I got scared when our talks started to get more personal, so I backed off. I wanna tell you now why I'm always like this. I don't mean to be, I just am."
An emotion he'd never felt before burst within him. She was actually going to tell him about her past. "Come here," he said in a husky voice, tapping the space beside him on the bed. She rushed over, and laid down next to him, looking straight into his ocean blue eyes. She realized something. His eyes were blue again. Gone, was the hurt and dull look in those magnificent eyes. Only curiosity and something she couldn't figure out sparkled in their depths. This gave her the courage to say what she meant to say.

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