Back in Red Top, Nick dropped Dan and Sammy home and then continued to Molly's place. He parked the car but didn't turn it off. For a minute they watched the rain drizzling on the windshield. It was too late to be called evening, but too earlier to call it a night.
"Do you want to come in or you're heading home?"
"I should probably get everything settled at home."
She nodded, though she wished he would have come in. "Yeah, you probably should."
Her disappointment was transparent, he wondered if his was too. "You have an earlier morning tomorrow, don't you?"
"Yup." She turned to him. "You do too, no?"
He nodded.
She leaned her head on the headrest behind her. "Can't life give us another snow day or something? Let us continue our weekend."
"Sleep in," he added.
"Watch a movie in bed."
"With some ice cream."
"And sprinkles."
"And you."
She turned back to him. "And you."
He smiled. "Let's both dream about it tonight."
"And maybe it'll come true?"
"You never know."
She laughed lightly. "Deal." She took his hand for a shake.
He leaned over the armrest and kissed her. "Concentrate real hard. Alright?"
She leaned forward, and against his lips, told him, "Promise."
They kissed again.
"Good night," she said with their faces still close.
"Night, Molsie."
He watched her run to the door where she wouldn't get wet. She then turned around and blew him a kiss before disappearing inside.
*****
Their wish didn't come true, and the week was just as hectic as any other, with a sprinkle of longer work hours and midterms on the way. There was barely a chance to see each other, but they found some time and then every possible excuse as well.
Nick knocked once before stepping into the house. Two heads turned in his direction.
"Why do you always knock?" Liz asked.
"I don't know," he shrugged his shoulders.
"When we walk around naked, we make sure to lock the door," Chloe joked.
"Good to know, Chloe."
"She's in her room," Liz continued. "She's been studying for midterms, but she might want to see you."
"If she bites your head off like she tried to do with ours, you can join us for a movie."
A movie, he thought; that was the last thing he needed. He began drifting off sitting on the couch at home after just getting home. Though he had a sweet sleep, he had promised Molly yesterday he would study with her today. It helped her have someone to "teach" the material to.
"Thanks, but something tells me she'll be fine."
Chloe answered something, but he didn't hear what she said.
His hand pushed on the parted door, quietly opening it. He expected a desk full of notes, which there was, but the person who was supposed to be planted on the chair next to it was not.
His eyes moved to her bed where he found her lying over the covers, asleep. She was on her back, her hair gathered in a pony spread across the pillow, and had a peaceful expression resting on her face.
Nick sighed in relief, carefully clicking the door behind himself. Crossing the carpeted floor, he gently slipped onto the bed, close to her. He laid on his own back and smiled to himself as he rested his own eyes.
She shifted her position. He reopened his eyes and turned his head only to come face-to-face with hers. She was still sound asleep, breathing softly through her nose.
He sighed and reached for her arm. He brought it across his stomach and rested his hand over hers. He shut his eyes again, but as he did, he felt her leg cross over his.
"You up?" he whispered.
He got no answer, but a moment later, her head moved closer to him.
An hour passed and they were no longer asleep in bed.
"I think I'm burnt out," Molly said as she swirled in her chair.
"I agree," Nick stated.
After a short power nap, Molly taught Nick more material than he could retain. He listened patiently as they threw a stress ball back and forth between themselves. Whenever Molly read something in her notes, however, Nick bounced the ball against the wall.
"You're burnt or you think I am?"
He threw the ball back to her and with a smile, answered, "Both."
"You want to go for a walk?"
"It's raining."
"Really?" Molly turned her head toward the window. "Shoot, it is."
"You want to watch a movie?"
She threw the ball in the air and caught it again. "That's a possibility."
"That's a possibility?" He caught the ball thrown at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She clapped her hands for him to throw the ball back, but he didn't. He got off the bed where he had been sitting and went to look out the window.
"You want to go out?"
"It's raining and it's not the summer. So, no. Not really." She clapped her hands again. "Throw it back."
"Not outside." He turned to her. "Out, as in out on a date?"
She stopped focusing on getting the ball thrown back and realized the conversation that opened. Nick had promised her a couple of times already that he would take her out on a real date. She knew his intentions were genuine, though this offer now was coming out of discomfort.
"I'd love to go out on a date with you, hon. But we've both been having a busy week and right now I don't have a clear head because of midterms approaching."
"So, after midterms?"
"Yeah, but it's not something urgent, Nickie. We don't have to do something," she made air quotes, "official. Do we?"
"I'm taking you on a real date, Mol. Real dates."
"Okay, but I'm saying it's not something that needs to be done. We'll eventually go out somewhere; there's no pressure."
"And I'm saying that I'll take you somewhere. Soon."
She half-laughed. "Nick, honest, what's with you? I don't need to go on a date. And you should know it."
"Yeah, you do."
Her expression fell serious and she studied his face. "No, I don't."
Neither spoke. She couldn't figure out his expression as he looked back at her.
"I just..." he started.
"You just what?" she asked in a calm tone.
He sighed. "You might not need it now, but in the future, you might feel otherwise." He squinted his eyes. "I don't want you to feel otherwise."
"What?" she asked, confused.
"I don't want you to look back and feel like there was no effort put in or feel like I didn't try enough. When two people are a couple, there are those nice dates. You deserve nice dates."
Molly leaned back in her chair and laughed lightly.
He stood still in honest surprise.
She smiled but controlled her laughter to get out five clear words. "I'm crazy about you, Nickie."
His mouth parted, but he didn't say anything.
She got up and walked over to him. Wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his chest, she spoke more words. "I'd say you know me better than anyone. Do you think I'll look back and say there was no effort put in?"
He didn't answer.
"You want to know what I'll think about when I'll look back?"
"Hmm?" he asked softly.
"I'm going to look back at how I felt, how you made me feel, Nickie."
He bent his head down toward hers. "How do I make you feel?"
"Like I'm loved," she whispered.
She lifted her head and his eyes instantly caught hers. Her lips tried to smile, but they remained almost in a frown. "Like...like..." She half-smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she whispered. "It's hard to describe love."
His nostrils flared as he swallowed. His hands cupped the sides of her face and pressed his lips on her forehead. A moment later, another kiss was placed on her nose. Then, after brushing her lips with his, he kissed them.
You make me feel like I belong, his thoughts echoed. He didn't say anything though. Had she asked, he might have shared, but then again, he might have not.
"Let's watch a movie. In bed." She agreed to his original proposal. "If you still want to."
With his arms still hugging her, he walked, pushing her to take steps backward until they reached the bed.
"What do you want to watch, love?"
"Anything. I really don't care." She didn't feel like watching anything in particular but figure since it was his idea, he had something specific in mind.
"What about some old TV shows?" He pushed her to fall on the bed.
She grabbed his sweater and pulled him down with her. "Really and truly whatever you want. I could go either way."
He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her earlobe. "What if we didn't watch anything?"
"Like if we kept ourselves busy in another way?"
He kissed her. "Uh-hum."
"I think I could be in favor of that suggestion."
"If I move too quickly," he rested his forehead against hers, "tell me."
******
A/N: Hey guys, hope you're having a nice week ;)