Part 18: As we cuddle against the odds...

I awoke to the soft sunlight streaming into the room, casting a warm glow across everything. It was a beautiful day, and that thought made me smile. As I moved to stretch, I was momentarily halted by a sensation that made me furrow my brows. My hand was firmly clasped by another hand—no, my arm was securely wrapped in a masculine embrace. I became acutely aware of the warmth enveloping me from behind and remembered where I was: Nick's house, in his bed!

My heart skipped a beat as I recalled the events from the night before, making me blush with embarrassment.

The little things from the previous night—the way he was there for me, how he held me, and the tender kiss on my forehead—flooded back. Forehead kisses, as I understood them, symbolized unwavering support and complete affection. That thought made me want to squeal, but I bit my tongue to keep myself from doing so. The way he held me even while he slept was both comforting and exciting.

Did this mean he was also attracted to me? Of course he was! My inner voice quipped, rolling her eyes.

I wondered if we might kiss again. Slowly, so as not to wake him, I turned to face him. The sight of him sleeping soundly took my breath away. His chest rose and fell with each breath, his face calm and serene. I had always admired his looks from a distance, but now that I was in his arms, I allowed myself to fully appreciate his features.

I couldn't resist. My fingers itched to touch his skin, so I gently traced his features, careful not to disturb his rest.

I scooted closer to him, taking in every detail of his face. His strong jawline and smooth skin were perfect, though I could feel the faint prickle of his stubble under my fingertips. I traced the edge of his closed eyelid, feeling the softness of his skin and the gentle flutter of his lashes. His long, thick eyelashes were the kind that would make anyone jealous.

I wondered what it would be like to feel those lashes brushing against my skin in a tender kiss. As I drew my finger closer to his lips, my heart raced with anticipation. I knew I should stop before I did something I might regret, but the desire to kiss him was overwhelming. I leaned in, our breaths mingling.

Just as I was about to close the gap, his onyx-like eyes snapped open. I gasped in surprise, having not expected his sudden awakening.

Oh, no! Shoot me!

Internally, I chastised myself for letting my desire take over. I wished for the ground to open up and swallow me. Slowly, I met his gaze, noticing a mix of surprise and amusement in his eyes. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Oh, dear!

"What were you doing?" he asked, his voice husky from sleep, a playful smile tugging at his lips. I blushed, caught off guard.

Couldn't he have waited a few minutes?

"I... I... um..." I stammered, struggling to find the right words.

"Were you trying to steal a kiss?" Nick mused, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he leaned in closer, making my heart skip a beat. My eyes widened in surprise, wondering how he had figured it out.

"Because if you were, you could have just asked," Nick smirked, breaking my flustered thoughts and making me blush furiously. Wasn't it too early for this kind of flirting?

I tried to stay composed and come up with a witty retort, but all I could manage was a nervous laugh.

"No... I mean... I was... I-"

"Do you want to kiss me, Mandy?" His boldness caught me off guard once more, sending my heart racing.

Did I want to kiss him? Hell yeah!

I wanted—no, I was dying—to kiss him so badly. Now that he had asked, I didn't know how to respond or what to do.

But...

"Why..." I breathed, trying to steady my racing heart. "Why do you think I want to kiss you?" My voice trembled slightly as I awaited his answer. His gaze remained locked on mine, and he leaned in closer.

"Why?" he murmured, his fingers gently playing with my hair before resting on my face.

I locked my gaze on his intense eyes, wondering what he was thinking and what he might do next. I couldn't help but lean into him as his finger traced patterns on my skin, making me close my eyes and lose myself in the moment.

"Because I know you want to kiss me so badly, judging by the way you've been looking at my lips," he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

My eyes widened in shock. How did he know? How could he have sensed it even while he was asleep?

"So, what's it going to be, beautiful?" His question interrupted my racing thoughts. His fingers traced the curve of my lips, leaving a tingling sensation in their wake.

I savored the sensation, letting out a contented sigh as pleasure coursed through my body. I struggled to respond coherently, torn between giving in to the temptation and pulling away. His touch was electric, and the chemistry between us was undeniable.

"You're seducing me," I managed to say, my voice barely audible but clearly heard, given the mischievous smile on his face.

"I'm glad it's working," Nick admitted shamelessly, a seductive gleam in his eyes.

Despite the early hour, the room remained dim. The thick curtains blocked most of the sunlight, creating a cozy, intimate atmosphere. Our bodies were pressed together, my hands resting on his chest while his arm wrapped around me. His gaze held mine captive, and I could hear our labored breaths as a rush of emotions surged through me.

I wanted him to take over and kiss me, but he seemed to have other plans. Unable to wait any longer, I leaned in quickly, closing the gap between us and—

RIIIIING!

My action came to a screeching halt just as my lips were about to meet his. It took me a moment to realize the sound was a phone ringing.

Why now? I thought, cursing my bad fortune. Why did the phone have to ring at this perfect moment?

Argh! I wanted to scream and stomp my feet like a spoiled brat, but all I could do was hold it in.

Nick's muttered curse jolted me out of my reverie. I quickly drew back, feeling embarrassed and frustrated. Noticing my irritation, Nick reached for his phone with a playful smile.

I bit my lip and looked away, but my curiosity got the better of me. I leaned in, peering over his shoulder at the screen, which displayed the name "Sweet Stuff."

My heart sank. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown on me. The abrupt realization jolted me out of my reverie.

Sweet Stuff? Who was she? His girlfriend? Or perhaps one of his hookups?

I couldn't believe I had forgotten that Nick was a man, and I hardly knew him. It wouldn't be surprising if he was seeing someone. It was foolish of me to assume he was a one-woman man.

And he even gives them pet names? I scoffed at the thought, feeling irritated with both him and myself.

I suddenly wondered what pet name he might have given me. I tried to ignore the thought, but it kept nagging at me. Did he even give me a nickname? I felt like nothing more than a nosy neighbor who doesn't know when to stop.

"Aren't you going to answer that? The sound is annoying!" I snapped, my irritation getting the better of me.

Why was I so angry? I could feel Nick's questioning gaze on me, but I didn't care.

I was even annoyed that he wasn't answering the phone. Was he uncomfortable talking to his lover in my presence? Of course, he'd want his privacy.

"I'm leaving now. I'll let you take the call. I'm sure 'Sweet Stuff' is getting impatient," I scoffed, making a move to get off the bed when he suddenly grabbed my arm.

"That she is, but why are you calling me?" Nick asked, looking amused.

I stared at him, perplexed, wondering why he would ask such a question.

"What are you talking about?" I probed.

"It's you calling me," he said, waving his phone in front of my face. I squinted at the screen, still confused, before recognition dawned on me.

"What? No way!" I exclaimed, grabbing his phone to check it myself. To my astonishment, it was my number calling him.

I answered the phone and put it to my ear, only to be greeted by my worried friend's voice.

"Hello! I'm glad you answered, Nick. I'm sorry to bother you this early, but did you happen to see Mandy as you were heading out for a jog? Please let me know if you've seen or heard from her recently. She isn't here, and her phone is here. I'm starting to get worried. I just want to make sure she's safe—"

"I'm fine, Carrie." I cut her off before she could continue. There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and I could tell she was still stunned. I must have left my phone behind in a panic yesterday.

"M…Mandy? Is that you? Oh my goodness, thank God you're okay... But wait... what are you doing with Nick's phone? Oh, forget it; just come home right away and explain yourself!" The call ended abruptly before I had a chance to respond. I sighed, smiling at how much she reminded me of my mother—a bit of a nagging mother.

I sat back on the bed and turned to face Nick, who was leaning against the headboard with a smirk on his face. I was relieved it was just my friend calling, but also a little embarrassed for overreacting.

I couldn't believe I had been so worked up over what I thought was another girl calling him. My mind wandered to how he saved my name in his phone: "Sweet Stuff?"

The endearment made my cheeks flush with awkwardness, and I began to blush. I tried to play it cool and asked him what he was smirking about, but he just shook his head and looked at me with that knowing smile.

"You know you're cute when you're flustered, right?" Nick chuckled.

"I... I have no idea what you're talking about." I blushed and looked away, trying to hide my embarrassment.

"Hmm, I'm sure you don't. Did you think someone else was calling?" Nick leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing playfully. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Were you perhaps jealous?"

My eyes widened at his question. "Wh...what are you talking about? Who's jealous? Why would I be jealous? It's not my fault that you saved me as 'Sweet..."

I stumbled over the words, unable to finish. My face burned with shame.

"...Stuff?" Nick finished for me, a teasing glint in his eyes. "And you already told me you don't have a girlfriend, so it's natural for me to misunderstand when you see those terms of endearment. Who knows how many girls you've saved with them?" I huffed, turning away, annoyed.

I felt an urge to take his phone and investigate further, to see if he had saved other girls with similar nicknames.

"I can give you my phone so you can check how many," Nick said, handing it to me with a smirk.

I hesitated for a moment before taking it. He looked at me with an amused expression, clearly enjoying my reaction.

Why did I suddenly feel like a jealous girlfriend wanting to look through her boyfriend's phone? My face flushed with embarrassment as I realized how ridiculous I must have sounded. I quickly shook my head and smiled warily at him.

"No need," I said, pushing the phone away. "It's your phone, and you have the right to do whatever you want with it. Um… I'm leaving now before Carrie arrives and causes a commotion." I clumsily got up from the bed and made my way to the door, but then I stopped, biting my lip in contemplation.

Turning around, I rushed back to Nick, placed my hand on his cheek, and gave him a quick peck on the lips. His eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting my sudden gesture.

"That's... a thank you for... um... being there last night and being my teddy bear," I said, pulling away. I took a step back and saw Nick's brow furrow in confusion.

"Not that I have a teddy bear... I've been wanting to buy one, but... but I'm too lazy to go out and get it... Anyway, I'll take you out today... Not like that... I mean, to the barber... for your hair? Th... thanks and good morning." I turned and hurried out of the room, closing my eyes and berating myself for being such a mess.

How did we end up like this? I was a wreck last night, but here we were, cuddling and sharing awkward but sweet moments.

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