Chapter 10: Nikki

Theo slipped his arm along the back of the bench as he shifted so he was angled toward her. His eyes sparkled as his smile seemed to swallow her. “I like the view as well.”

She felt the heat of her blush warm her cheeks and took a sip of her wine to hide behind the glass.

His smile grew as he noticed the effect he was having on her. “I must say, I was glad when I saw you at that bookstore,” he said. “After you left the coffeehouse, I was kicking myself that we hadn’t exchanged numbers. I loved getting lost in our conversation that night.”

Without realizing it, she shifted as well, so that she was facing him more, her elbow resting on the back of the bench, just inches from his fingertips. “It drove me crazy over the next couple of days, too. I just assumed you were being nice and didn’t want to hurt my feelings.”

He shook his head as he reached his fingers the short distance and lightly touched her arm. “No. I’m just scatterbrained at times. I needed that night as I tend to find myself lost in my writing and not paying much attention to things around me too much. You were the breath of fresh air I needed to clear my head some and force me to hit pause.”

Her body tingled at his touch, and she found herself staring at his lips, wondering if he would kiss her tonight, wondering if she wanted him to kiss her tonight. No, she didn’t wonder that. She knew. She wanted him to kiss her. Ached for it. “I needed it also. I tend to get lost in my work as well. It’s something I’ve been working on but finding it hard to shake.”

He shrugged. “You must love what you do. You sounded like it that night. When you love what you do, then it’s never really work, and you find yourself drawn to what you love over and over. It consumes you most times.”

He was right. She did love what she did, but she needed to find something else to love. Or rather someone else. She smiled at him, lost in his words. “So tell me more of this story with mermaids,” she said.

And he did, sharing with her his latest story idea in great detail. She found herself lost in his words, the passion with which he spoke about his characters and the turmoil he foresaw them going through. She couldn’t help getting swept up in his enthusiasm. Her gaze kept darting to his mouth as he spoke, imagining them pressed against hers, his breath on her cheeks.

The night passed and neither of them noticed. The band had stopped playing, and most of the patrons at the bar had surrendered to the night and headed for home. They didn’t realize the time until a server approached asking if they needed another drink as it was last call for the bar.

Theo looked confused again, lost in the passing of time they didn’t notice. Nikki couldn’t help but smile again at how easy it was for them to get lost in each other. They told the server they were fine, and Theo watched as the woman walked away, but where most men would have been checking her ass out as she walked, Theo’s gaze scanned the emptying surroundings. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I seem to get caught up when talking about my stories.” He turned back to her, a sheepish smile warming her heart.

She stood, stretching her muscles that had been trapped in one position for a couple of hours. “It seems to happen to us—getting lost in our conversation.” She offered him a smile and as she did, she noticed her nerves were gone, and had been for quite a while. She gave a soft nod as she watched him rise to join her at the railing. “I must admit, I like it. I love listening to you talk about your characters. It’s as if they’re real people and you’re telling me about some friends of yours.”

He leaned on the railing, one hand reaching out to touch her arm. “It’s how I feel about them most times.” He gazed up into her eyes, stepping closer, and she felt her heart give a sudden gasp. “Yet, being able to talk to a real person is far greater. Thank you for this. I enjoyed it very much. I hope you’ll do me the honor of joining me again.” He shifted as he spoke, facing her, his closeness a warm blanket.

She eased closer, her hand on his chest. “I would love that very much.” Her voice was a soft whisper as she stared into his eyes.

He slid a hand around her waist, his movements tentative, hesitant. His gaze dropped to her lips, and she felt her breath catch in her throat, desperately wanting… He leaned down and softly pressed his warm lips to hers. She clutched at his shirt, holding him to her, losing herself in the tenderness of his kiss. When he pulled away, she continued to stare up into his eyes, pressing her lips together, savoring the feel of him on her. He nuzzled her nose with his, his eyes closed. “Is it weird that I’m not ready to leave?”

She sighed. “No. I’m not ready either.” She pleaded with him with her eyes not to let the night end.

“I must admit, I’m better at writing love scenes than acting them out.”

She smiled. “I think you’re doing great. You’ve captured my attention. I’m eager to see how the story ends.”

He kissed her forehead. “I’m hoping it doesn’t end.”

She laid her head on his chest, a sigh of contentment escaping her lips. “Me too.” This was one story she was eager to turn the page on, but prayed the story lasted forever. The main character had gripped her, and she wasn’t letting go.

He lifted her chin, his eyes holding promises she wanted him to keep. “There’s plenty of story in this tale, but I’d love for this chapter to continue.”

She nodded. “I think the chapter should end with breakfast.”

He leaned down and kissed her harder, his tongue dancing with hers as they stood there, pressed together. They never even noticed when the lights of The Oasis went out.