Hayley
"Hello Naomi. Where's Nick?" I ask Naomi, Nick's housekeeper.
After saying goodbye to my parents, I speeded home. To Nick- my home.
"He went to the gym, mam. He said he needed to blow some steam." She replies sweetly.
"Okay. Thank you." I nod and rush down the stairs towards the gym next street. I know I messed up yet again but I'm promising myself this is the last time. I love Nick and now, I'm not letting anything-not even myself- mess it up. Nick has given me all the happiness in the world and all I've done is hurt him. Not anymore.
I run my way into the gym earning confused looks from people. My eyes search for something deep brown- so deep you could get lost. I keep looking around the gym and there he is- bench pressing in a sleevless black training shirt and shorts, droplets of sweat on his hair. I don't care how hot and sexy he looks right now. I run over to him and stand above his head. Nick suddenly drops the weight creating an unusual loud noise and stands up quickly. Everyone looks at us like we're aliens.
"What are you doing here?" Nick asks without any emotions in his voice.
"I need to talk to you." I reply.
"Hayley, I know I shouldn't have walked away but I really don't want to talk to you right now." He says looking away, anger and frustration in his voice.
" Shouldn't have walked away? Of course you should have walked away. It's good you did. I deserve it. But, this is important. I need to talk to you Nick. Please?" I say softly.
He closes his eyes for a moment and runs a hand over his hair.
"Fine. Go to the terrace. I'll be there in five."
I nod and go to the terrace. The moon looks beautiful tonight. It is a full moon- so bright surrounded by stars.
"What is it, Hayley? I told you I didn't want to talk to you now." Nick's voice comes for behind me. I spin around and take a step towards him.
"Nick, I know I messed up. Big time! But my parents came all of a sudden and then you were there too and they didn't know about you an-"
"Why would they know about me? Afterall I'm just your boss right?" He doesn't even look at me as he snaps.
"No No No, Nick. You know, you're not
just my boss. You're my......"
"Your what? Friend? Emotional support fuck? Boss who you hook up with?" He looks into my eyes and takes a two steps towards me. There's hurt and anger in his dark brown eyes as he asks, "What am I to you, Hayley?"
"Everything. You're my everything, Nick." I step towards him till our chest touch.
He looks away again. I cup his face in my palms gently turning it till he looks at me and softly say, "You are my world, Nick. My life. My everything. You are the sun to my moon. I shine because of you, I live because of you."
"I don't believe it anymore, Hayley. I've been trying to become worthy of you. To deserve you. And I am going to keep trying till my last breath. But boss?"
He clenches his teeth and removes my hands from his face.
"That is what I am to you. Thank you for letting me know, Hayley."
My vision blurs with tears as he turns away from me.
"NO! Nick. I-it-it wasn't supposed to go this way." I shout but my voice breaks. "Please. Please just listen to me, Nick."
He takes a inhales sharply and slowly turns around.
"Don't you dare cry, Hayley. You know I cannot see you cry."
I blink away my tears. "Please let me explain, Nick."
"Talk."
"I wanted tonight to be the perfect night for us, Nick. I wanted it to be special because......because tonight, I was going to tell you that I'm in love with you . I was going to tell my parents about you- Us. I thought I'd even have you talk to them if you wanted to. But then all of a sudden, my par-"
He holds up his hand stunned. The colour drained out of his face. "Wait. You-you're in love with me?"
I give him a small smile. "Of course I'm in love with you! How could I not be?"
"I don't bel-"
I don't let him complete. "You really don't see it do you? Nick, a part of me has been in love with you since the moment I saw you at that party, playing with those children and dogs. And now, all of me is in love with you. I wasn't bluffing when I said I'm yours. I am yours, baby. You own me."
" Hay-" He starts but I press my palm to his mouth and shush him.
"Shhh. I will be the one talking now." I slide my hand down his hand and lock his fingers in mine.
"I thought no one would ever love me. That I would never find a love like in the books.....till you came into my life. You made me believe in love again, Nick. You made me love myself again." I kiss his fingers.
"I've fallen in love with you, Nick. So fucking hard I can never get up, I don't even want to. I fall in love with you a little more with every second I spend with you and I never want to stop. I love you, Nicholas Parker."
A tear rolls down my cheek, I wipe it and kiss Nick on the corner of his mouth. "I know I have hurt you, Nick. But I promise you, I didn't mean to. After Dave, my parents became very protective of me. They got worried and panicked when I even talked to a guy. I didn't want the news of us coming as a shock to them. That's why, I planned on calling them tonight, with you, until they surprised me. I panicked, Nick. I c-couldn't think of anything. Not even in my dreams would I think of hurting you, Nick. I'd rather jump off this terrace than hur-"
His lips crash on mine before I can complete. He fists my hair and kisses me like I'm his oxygen. Tears graze my cheeks as I kiss him back - one hand locked in his and the other on his chest. He slowly breaks the kiss and gently wipes my tears, the brown of his eyes locked with the hazel of mine. I try to say how sorry I am but before I can speak, he whispers, "I promise you, Moon, next time you speak of hurting yourself, I'm going to bend you over my desk and fuck the thought out of you."
"I'm so sor-" I try again but he interrupts.
"What did I tell you about apologies baby? You will not apologise to me. Ever."
"Bu-"
"Tell me you love me." He says tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"I love you." I say softly.
"Again."
"I love you, Nick."
"Once more please?"
"I'm going to repeat it till you believe it, my love. I. Love. You."
He shuts his eyes and a flush creeps up his face as he says, "You called me your 'love'?"
"Yes, my love. The only one. " I smile at him. He slowly opens his eyes and I finally see it..... his eyes shine with love again. For me.
"I love you too, Moon. Till my last breath and after." He says pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"Till my last breath and after." I promise and take his lips into a slow kiss again.
I don't know what I did to deserve this man who is perfect in every way possible. Too perfect to be real. He's beautiful. From he outside and from the inside- handsome who's a mansion with a view. He has the purest soul and the biggest heart. He makes me feel alive and seen. He supports me, encourages me and kisses me like I'm his oxygen. He didn't just draw starts around my scars, he made them fade away. Like they were never there.
I love him with all my heart and soul.I'm going to love him even after bones are dust buried deep into the ground. I will be a barrier between him and everything that aims to hurt him.
Now that I have him, I'm never going to let him go. He's stuck with me. Forever.
"The moon is beautiful today. Isn't it?" I ask slowly looking up.
"Mine is."
"Nick?" I whisper.
"Yes Moon?" His lips brush against mine.
"Will you be my date to the wedding baby?" I ask and trace the outline of his lips with my tongue. He takes my lips into his and smiles against them.