Sound The Bugle

10

Daniel Cooper

The taxi stops outside my house and the driver turns around to me. "That'll be eight pounds, please." He says, not rudely, but not politely. To be honest, I don't blame him at one o'clock in the morning.

Neither of us are drunk. Maybe a little tipsy, but I didn't have much since I haven't drank in eight years. I'd be a mess if I instantly went back to drinking a lot on a night out. Nikki hasn't had a lot either, we actually spent the whole night dancing and talking, after she convinced me to relax a little.

I hand him the money and look over to Nikki who is sat with a tired look in her eyes. "Would you like to come in?" I ask without thinking, but I don't regret it as I thought I would.

What on earth has this woman done to me? This remarkable woman. God, I'm so whipped. She's got me to the point where I trust her and she should feel incredibly special about that. She's wrapped me around her little finger, and I have no idea how. Like I said before, she's wormed her way in to my cold heart.

Nikki smiles at me and nods. "Yes, I would." I climb out of the cab and hold out a hand to her so that she can steady herself as she gets out.

After mumbling a thank you to the driver, Nikki and I walk up the gravel path to my house. I lift up mat and pick up the spare key. I didn't want to risk losing my keys tonight, so I posted my main set through through the letter box as I left.

I open the front door and step back, letting Nikki in first. She enters and flicks the lights on. I follow in and lock the door behind me. Nikki kicks off her sexy black heels and let out a sigh of relief as she walks through in to my living room.

I chuckle as I walk after her. She's sat on the sofa with her head back, smiling. "I had fun tonight." She opens her eyes briefly, but shuts them again as I sit down on the other end of the sofa.

"I did too." I say, meaning it completely. For the first time in eight years, I had fun. I didn't ave heavy feeling in my stomach, every time my eyes shut, horrific memories didn't flash through my mind. "Thank you, Nikki." I look over at her.

Nikki raises her head and looks at me. " I meant it earlier, when I said I was proud of you. You have really come a long way." Nikki leans over to me and kisses my cheek.

And for the second time tonight, actually, for the second time in eight years, I pounce on her again.

I push her back on to the sofa and hold myself above her as I kiss her soft lips. She wraps her arms around my neck and I attack her with my lips. Nikki moves her petite hand over my back, careful as she touches me.

This girl has earned my utmost respect, purely because she respects me.

I move my lips to her neck and she clutches on to my shirt. I move my hands to her legs and wrap them around my waist. Then I stand up, holding her small frame in my muscular arms. "Daniel, are you sure?" She asks, slightly out of breath.

"Absolutely." I bring her lips back to mine. I thought I' be alone forever, now I know what I want. I want Nikki Dawson. I never thought I'd want someone again, but I do. I'm ready to move on, and I want Nikki by my side. I know I'll still feel this way when the alcohol has worn off in the morning.

I carry her up the stairs, stopping every now and then to kiss her passionately. When we make it to my room, I place her gently on my bed. Her hair is spread out behind her and she looks... wow. There's no other word for it.

I lean down and place my large hand on her waist. She begins to open the buttons on my shirt and I pull the straps of her dress of her Shoulders and then stand up as I pull the dress of her body, leaving her in just her underwear in front of me.

"You're so beautiful." I whisper as I kiss the spot between her collar bones. Nikki opens all the buttons on my shirt and I pull it off me, discarding somewhere in the room, along with her dress.

Tonight is going to special, it was special. And I knew it would be from the moment climbed in that cab and went to the club.

****

When I wake up, the first thing that I register is the warm body next to mine, wrapped up in my arms, her face against my chest. I jump back, completely unsure of the situation.

The second thing that I register is that my heart isn't beating fast, I'm not scared and jumpy, apart from my initial uncertainty. No nightmares. A small smile appears on my face.

I relax back in to Nikki, holding her against me. Everything that I though about last night still stands. I still want her. Kissing her forehead, I lean back against the pillow.

She kept my nightmares at bay. As I fell asleep last night, I was scared that I'd panic in the middle of the night and hurt her. But her small hands had a firm grip on me as she begged me to stay with her, begged me to trust myself that I wouldn't hurt her.

I lay there for about ten minutes until I feel her stir against me. She rolls on to her back and rubs her hands over her face. "Good Morning, Daniel." She croaks out, her voice still sleep ridden.

I love hearing my name on her lips. I roll on to my side and look at her. Her strawberry blonde hair is an unruly, but sexy mess and her mascara is a little smudged. Still, she looks stunning.

"Good morning, Nikki." I smile and shut my eyes briefly. I've got a slight headache after last night. It was my first alcoholic drink in eight years.

"Wow, your morning voice is sexy." She chuckles and so do I. She called me sexy. I grin at that, but feel stupid like a year fourteen year old with a silly crush. She's changed my perspective on love, and life in general, over night.

"You're sexy." I tell her and smile, rubbing my tender head. Nikki leans up and kisses my lips, but pulls away quickly.

"You don't regret last night, do you?" She asks me, worry evident on her face and in her voice.

I move myself so that I'm hovering above her. "No, I don't." I lean down and kiss her lips quickly. "You've shown me that I can move on, and I want you there by my side." I kiss her forehead.

"Nikki..." I begin, not too sure if I'm ready to say this. I decide that I am. I need Nikki. She's helped me so much.

"Yes, Daniel?" She brings her arms up and around my neck, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I think I love you."It's true, I do love her.

I love her passive-aggressiveness, her intelligence, her sarcasm, her kindness, bravery, patience; you need a lot of that with me. I realize that I have loved her for a while, but last night I fell in love with her.

Nikki brings her lips up to mine. "I love you too, Daniel." She mumbles beneath the kiss.

I smile and roll on to back, holding her agaisnt me, her head on my chest, my hand on her waist. My eyes are shutting again when she whispers something against my chest. "You haven't lost your touch, you know." And she wraps her arm around me as I laugh silently to myself.