A Confession Under the Sun

Nick's voice trembled with sincerity as he held her close. "I was jealous and angry. I didn't think straight. I misunderstood you. I was stupid. Please forgive me this one time. Give me another chance."

His arms tightened around her, his warmth seeping into her skin, but Jane could barely focus on his words. Her mind raced, overwhelmed by the way he held her, how safe and trapped she felt all at once.

"Let me go," she whispered, her heart pounding.

Nick exhaled shakily and released her, his hands lingering for a second before he gently turned her to face him. Their eyes locked, and the world around them seemed to fade into the background.

"Jane," he murmured. "I always wanted to tell you something, but I never found the right time."

A slow shiver crawled up her spine.

"Jane," he repeated, his voice softer, almost pleading.

"I love you."

Jane froze.

"What?" she stammered, her breath catching in her throat.

Nick's expression was raw, filled with emotions he had kept buried for too long. "I am madly in love with you," he admitted. 

I never had the guts to tell you. I'm sorry."

His confession hit her like a storm, knocking the air from her lungs.

"I really love you, Jane," he continued hugging her and pulling her closer. "Please don't ask me to let you go." He said burying his head on her neck. 

Her heart pounded so hard she thought he might hear it. "Nick…" she whispered, his name trembling on her lips.

The moment stretched between them, charged and unspoken. His eyes darkened, filled with something intense, something she wasn't ready to name.

He spun her around and his lips found hers in a desperate, urgent kiss, stealing her breath and leaving her mind spinning. Jane tensed at first, unsure of how to react, but the warmth of his mouth, the way he kissed her like he had been waiting for this moment forever, made her body soften.

A rush of emotions swirled inside her—shock, desire, confusion. She had never thought of him this way before, but now… now she couldn't think at all.

Her fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt, her knees weak as he deepened the kiss. The world melted away, and for the first time in a long time, nothing else mattered.

Nick kissed her deeply, pouring all of his feelings into that single moment. When he finally pulled away, they were both breathless. He rested his forehead against hers, his warm breath mingling with hers in the quiet space between them.

Jane pulled back slightly, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of his swollen lips, the remnants of their kiss still lingering in the air. A teasing yet nervous smile played on her lips.

"What if I say I don't love you?" she whispered.

Nick chuckled, a soft, knowing sound. "That's not true."

Her breath hitched. "What?"

He gazed at her with quiet confidence. "Just take a moment and think back over the past year. Look at how you treated me, how you cared for me." His voice was gentle, yet filled with certainty.

Jane's heart pounded as memories flooded her mind. The stolen glances, the way she always found herself by his side, the way her heart ached whenever he was upset. It had always been there, buried under the weight of denial.

"Remember the video you recorded for me?" he asked, his voice low and smooth. "What did you say at the end?"

She stilled. The memory came rushing back, and with it, a wave of realization.

Nick edged closer, his breath warm against her skin. "What did you say, Jane?"

Silence stretched between them. She dropped her gaze, her voice barely audible. "No," she whispered, refusing to admit it.

He gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Say it," he urged. "Say that you didn't mean it."

"I… I… didn't…" she stammered, feeling flustered.

Nick chuckled, the sound vibrating through her, sending a thrilling shiver down her spine.

"Will you swear to me that you don't feel the same way?" he asked, taking her hand and placing it over his chest. "Feel it. This is what you do to me every time you're near. I tried to hold back, but I can't anymore." His voice was both firm and tender. "I'm not letting you go."

Jane felt warmth rush to her cheeks. Her body betrayed her, responding to every word, every touch.

"Nick…" she murmured, pushing against his chest, needing space to breathe.

He smirked. "Jane," he said, his voice low and teasing, sending a wave of nervous excitement through her.

"Stop calling my name like that," she mumbled, but the smile tugging at her lips gave her away.

He leaned in, his lips grazing her ear as he whispered, "Are you feeling nervous?"

She swallowed hard, her pulse quickening.

"Should I kiss you again?" he teased, his breath hot against her skin.

Jane shoved Nick with all her strength and bolted to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. She leaned against it, breathing heavily, her heart still racing from the kiss.

From the other side of the door, she heard Nick burst into laughter, his amusement echoing through the hallway. That sound sent a warmth through her—one that both thrilled and terrified her.

He saw my video. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. He knows I love him.

Meanwhile, Nick flopped onto the sofa, his face buried in his hands as a wide grin took over. He couldn't stop smiling, couldn't stop replaying the look in her eyes. This was real. He had finally told her how he felt, and instead of running away in horror, she had blushed. That had to count for something, right?

Inside her room, Jane lay face-down on her bed, pulling the blanket over her head as if that could hide her from the world. What just happened? She replayed every second—the warmth of his embrace, his ridiculous confidence, the way he had kissed her like he had all the time in the world.

How could he be so bold?

She squirmed under the covers, her cheeks burning at the memory. She had spent an entire year convincing herself that Nick was just a friend, but now? Now, he had gone and ruined everything with his stupid, heart-melting confession.

An hour passed, but she still hadn't figured out how to face him. Every time she thought of his teasing smirk, she felt like diving back under her blanket.

Eventually, she took a deep breath, pushed the blanket off, and cracked open her door. The hallway was empty. She exhaled in relief and stepped out—

"Looking for me?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin.

Nick was leaning against her doorframe, arms crossed, looking entirely too smug.

"No," she blurted, her voice an octave too high. "I just wanted some water."

She marched past him to the kitchen, hoping he wouldn't follow. But, of course, he did.

She grabbed a glass, filled it, and chugged the water like it was going to erase the memory of their kiss. Unfortunately, Nick was still standing there, watching her with that same stupid, confident expression.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice slightly strangled from swallowing too fast.

"Nothing," he shrugged, pretending to be casual.

She narrowed her eyes but decided not to push it. "It's late. We should go home. I have work tomorrow."

"Okay," he said easily, grabbing his stuff.

They got into the car, and as Nick drove through the quiet streets, Jane stared out the window, frowning.

"This place doesn't look like Amsterdam," she muttered.

"That's because it's not."

Her head snapped toward him. "What?"

Nick nodded toward the building. "That's my apartment."

Jane gaped at him. "What?" she repeated, because apparently, that was all her brain could process.

The entire day, she had heard him say one word more times than she could count. It clicked now. "Wait a second. The whole time, you kept saying—"

"What word?" he asked innocently.

She crossed her arms. "Okay."

He grinned.

Her eyes narrowed. "How can you afford a penthouse?"

"I can?"

She groaned. "Nick."

He simply shrugged, eyes twinkling. "You'll find out soon."

Jane stared at him, suspicious. Then, a thought struck her, and her lips curled into a smirk. "Are you the same kid I rescued a year ago?"

Nick's smirk deepened. "Do you still see me as a kid after what I did a few minutes ago?"

Her face went up in flames. "No."

"Good." He leaned back in his seat, satisfied. "Then stop calling me a kid and acknowledge me as your man."

Jane blinked. "Okay."

Nick's head whipped toward her so fast she thought he might get whiplash. "Wait, what?"

She fought back a grin. "You're doing it again."

His brow furrowed. "Doing what?"

"Acting like a lost puppy whenever I say okay."

Nick groaned. "This is going to haunt me forever, isn't it?"

Jane giggled but didn't answer.

Nick exhaled dramatically. "Fine. But I meant what I said. I am your man. The sooner you accept it, the better."

Jane turned her gaze to the window, trying to hide her smile.