Part 3 … Lori

“Prove it.” Dear god, did I really just say that to my fiancée’s best friend? From the look on his face, I’m guessing that I did. I know I’m feeling really emotional right now, but part of me wonders if the look on his face is because of my dare or if it’s the prospect of making love to a-

“Lori, damn it, I can see what you’re thinking and that’s NOT true.” Nick was beyond angry and I’d never seen that very expression on his face before. Ever.

“Nick, just forget it, I’m sorry I said anything.” I turned away from him, fully intent on getting out of bed and getting dressed, but a hand on my arm stopped me.

“Lori, wait. Where do you think you’re going?”

“Home.”

“Lori, be reasonable, it’s almost 3 in the morning. And you don’t have a car.”

“Nick, this was a mistake, I have to go.” The tears threatened again and I’ll be damned if I’d let him see me cry again. I did have some pride left.

“Lori, I can’t let you leave like this. Come back to bed and get some sleep, I’ll take you home in the morning and then you can talk to Howie.” Nick turned me around, but I couldn’t look at him. I was afraid to see what might be in his eyes. Sadness, pity … I just couldn’t deal with it right now. “Please?” Nick ran his fingers through my hair and rested his palm against my cheek, and the shock his touch gave me was unsettling. I wondered if he felt it too?

Nick gasped, and when he spoke his voice was strained. Yep, he felt it, too. “Climb in, I’m gonna turn up the a.c. so you don‘t get cold. I’ll be down the hall if you need me.”

Like an obedient child, I let myself be tucked in, and tried not to shiver when his lips brushed my temple in the softest good night kiss I’d ever felt. I burrowed beneath the covers, trying to wish away the chill I’d felt ever since leaving the medical center some ten hours earlier. Between the alcohol and just my general state of exhaustion, I managed to fall asleep right away, awakening two hours later to the sounds of a driving rainstorm. Only in Florida could the storms come and go so quickly. I suppose the dampness in the air wasn’t helping, but I was suddenly freezing, in spite of the sweat pants and socks I had on. I needed another layer of clothing or I’d never get back to sleep.

In the dark, I fumbled my way to the dresser in the guest room, only to find it completely empty. Damn, I cursed as my teeth chattered. Maybe I could … no, not a good idea. I stood in the dark, waging a battle with myself before finally giving up and heading down the hall. Nick’s door was closed, but Howie said he slept like the dead so I carefully pushed it open and crept inside. Once there, I could make out the shapes of his furniture and could hear him snoring softly from his bed. I smiled and tiptoed to the chest of drawers, pulling open the top drawer and hoping to find something else to put on. I never even heard the movement behind me, and almost had heart failure when a sleepy voice asked, “Lori, what the hell are you doing?”

“Shit!” I exclaimed, closing the drawer quickly and catching the tip of my finger. “Ouch, dammit!”

“Geezus, Lor,” Nick was on his feet in an instant, doing his sleepy best to ascertain what I was doing in his room, in the dark, cursing like a lunatic. I was dancing in pain when he took hold of my shoulders, holding me still until I gathered my wits.

“I smashed my finger,” I explained needlessly. At the look I could feel on his face, but not see in the dark, I decided I’d better explain a bit more. “I was c-cold,” I said with a shiver. “And I wanted to find something e-else to w-wear …” I was shaking in earnest now and Nick held me close.

“Come on, back to bed with you.”

To my surprise, he didn’t take me back down the hall, but pulled back the covers on his own bed and pushed me in, climbing in behind me and pulling up the comforter until it was tucked underneath my chin. It was warm and cozy, and it smelled like Nick, and god, where were my thoughts going? When he wrapped himself around me I knew it was for warmth, but there was no stopping my runaway mind.

“Try to get back to sleep, Lori, it’ll be morning soon. Just close your eyes and relax.”

Relax? How in the hell was I supposed to do that when I had a beautiful man holding me in his arms, rubbing my arms and … humming? Humming, in my ear. I shivered again, and I know Nick thought it was from the cold, but it wasn’t. Not at all.

“Shh, just relax, baby,” he whispered, and as he rubbed my arm once more, I turned over. I turned, and as I did, his hand settled over my breast. Neither of us moved, we simply froze in place as I looked up into his eyes.

“Nick?” I whispered. His mouth opened as if to speak, but no sound came forth. Instead, he closed his hand slightly, gently squeezing the tender flesh as I caught my breath.

“Ah, Lori,” he sighed, lazily brushing his thumb over my nipple, which was pebble-hard from his touch. I wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but as I tried to form a coherent thought, a reason to push him away, his mouth gently captured mine, and all thoughts of resistance fled.