Nick and I arrived back to his house at sun down. After we indulged in each other a few more times, we spent the rest of the day sunbathing on the boat deck. I was embarrassed at first when I realized Gary had been driving the boat while Nick and I were hidden away consumed with one another, but when we resurfaced Gary was pleasant and didn't seem to mind. When Nick stepped away for a moment, he actually let it slip that Nick has never brought anyone on his boat other than family.
I didn't ask anymore questions. The day was going great and Nick had revealed enough of his feelings for me that I was reassured. I wanted to know more but I had no doubt, in time, he would open up more and I would have to also.
"What would you like for dinner?" Nick asked as we pulled up to his house.
"Hmmm, I can think of a few things." I stretched my arm around his neck and tugged on his hair. I couldn't get enough and I yearned for him.
"As great as that sounds, how about we eat dinner and then you can have me for dessert?" He sweetly kissed my arm teasing me.
"Are you sure?" I batted my eyelashes at him and licked my lips.
He leaned in a whispered into my ear. "Dessert, I promise."
Nick's breath against my ear rendered me speechless.
We walked into the house and I heard a clanking noise from his kitchen.
"Is someone here?"
Nick laughed, took my hand and led me to the kitchen.
There was a small woman about my height loading the dishwasher.
"Hey Mary, I want you to meet Abby." Nick glanced at me and said, "Abby, this is Mary, my housekeeper.
Mary turned around and smiled at me. Her salt and pepper colored hair was in a ponytail and she looked to be in her late fifties.
"It's so nice to meet you." I put my hand out to shake hers but instead she hugged me.
"Miss Abby, it is very nice to meet you also."
We stepped back out of our hug and she kissed Nick on the cheek. She was sweet and sincere. Her demeanor reminded me of the first time I met Natalie and was struck by how genuine she was.
Oh Shit! I never returned Natalie's call.
"Please excuse me, I need to make a quick phone call." I went into the living room and dialed.
"What the hell is going on?" Natalie was unsettled.
"Nat, I am so sorry it has been a bizarre day."
"Nick called me this morning asking your bathing suit size and said you spent the night with him. I thought you went home when we got to the complex?"
"I was restless and needed some air and ran into some issues. I'm fine but I have so much to tell you."
"Well damn, can we get together or are you still with lover boy?"
"I'm at his house. We were talking about dinner and I was thinking of suggesting a quiet night here, grilling out. You should join us."
"I don't know if that's a good idea."
"It's fine, he won't mind. And you have to see the inside of his house."
After the call I rejoined Nick and Mary in the kitchen. When I entered, Nick kissed me and I heard Mary giggle. Maybe she had never seen Nick like this with a woman? The thought made me feel good.
"Hey, if it's okay I invited Natalie to join us for dinner. I thought it would be good for me to spend some time with her and maybe break the girlfriend news to her together."
"That's fine but just dinner. We have plans for dessert" Nick's voice was low and sexy. I felt the heat enter my cheeks and I knew I was beat red and blushing.
**********************************
Natalie arrived a little while later with more clothes for me. With his permission I gave her a tour of the house. Although it wasn't my home, I felt comfortable here. She was as mesmerized by the décor and views of the Gulf as I was the first time I saw it.
We settled in the backyard, which was fenced in and small but it had an inviting seating area under a pergola. There was a gate that leads to the beach, only about 100 yards away.
"This dude has a nice place." Natalie nodded her head with approval as she scoped out the yard.
"Yeah, he has a lot of nice things. It makes me a little uncomfortable." It was the truth.
"There's no reason to be uncomfortable, Abby. Live it up. We only get one life." Natalie took a drink of her sangria and smiled.
"I'm glad you're here. I feel like I'm living in this fantasy world sometimes with him."
"I bet. So before he comes out here, tell me what the hell happened since I last saw you."
I filled Natalie in on all the events from the night before. She listened intently, keeping quiet until I was done.
"How do you manage to put yourself in these type of situations? Good thing Nick showed up or your day wouldn't have been spent on a boat but in jail." Natalie was amused and I didn't blame her. If the roles were reversed I would have been too.
"I know. So on another note, Nick asked me to be his girlfriend. Well okay, he didn't ask me exactly but we decided we want to be together and quit trying to run away from our feelings."
I realized I was a little nervous to say those words. Natalie wasn't his biggest fan and I wasn't sure what she would say.
"Good, I'm glad."
"Excuse me?"
"I said I'm glad. You two have been going back and forth for two weeks and you're both obviously happier together than apart. Just promise me you will be careful. He seems like he has a dark side and I don't want you to get hurt." She winked at me.
"What are you girls gossiping about?" Nick came towards me and gave me a heavy kiss.
"Get a room" Natalie giggled.
"Alright ladies, I'm putting on the steaks now. We should be ready to eat in about twenty." Nick put the meat on the grill and headed back to the kitchen.
Natalie turned to me "He seems different outside of work, way more laid back."
"Well, we're working on it." I shrugged my shoulders and broadly smiled.
*********************************
We said our goodbyes to Natalie and dinner had been a success. We all talked and got to know each other better, including Mary who decided to join us. She had known Nick since he was a baby and had great stories to share.
Nick had never spoken much about his family but he opened up about them tonight. His parents lived in Niceville, about thirty minutes from Destin, and he was an only child like me. His mother was a real estate agent and his father worked as an accountant. Mary mentioned to me that they spent their last dime to make sure Nick was taken care of so now that Nick is a successful businessman he takes care of them. They had spent most of their paychecks and savings to send him to private school so he would have the best education. All this talk of parents made me miss my mom and I couldn't help wishing she were here.
Mary hugged me when she left and said she would see me again soon. I was looking forward to that as Nick seemed to open up around her. If I had to have her here every day to pry stuff out of him I would.
I started to load the dishwasher and Nick put his arms around my waist making me almost drop a plate.
"You look so beautiful loading that dishwasher."
I turned to face him and smirked. "Oh my gosh Nicholas, that is the sexiest thing I've ever heard."
He kissed my nose. "I believe I owe you desert, Ms. Phillips."
"Yes, you do but I should really finish these."
"We can do that later."
I gave him a no nonsense look.
"Fine, I will be upstairs in the bathtub." Nick was being coy and it turned me on.
I finished the dishes in record time and made my way up to Nick's bathroom.
He was sitting up against the back of the tub with his eyes closed, engulfed in bubbles. He looked tranquil and I hated to disturb him but I wanted to surround myself with him.
I took my clothes off, stepped in, and Nick's eyes flashed open. I shifted so my back was resting up against his chest.
Since he had been so forthcoming with information at dinner, I decided this was a good time for me to ask about something that had been weighing on my mind.
"Why haven't you used a condom?"
"What?" He was confused so I elaborated.
"The first night we were together you flipped out when we slept together and didn't use a condom, and then the second time you wore one but ever since then we haven't and you've not mentioned it once. I just wondered what changed."
"Abby, do we have to do this right now? Can't we just enjoy the moment?" His voice was stern and I could tell he was annoyed by the question.
I sat up and shifted so I was looking him in the eyes. "Nick, I'm serious. We are enjoying the moment but I don't know what the big deal is. It's a pretty simple question." My tone was low but forceful.
"I always use a condom and since I didn't know where we were going with this or if you were on birth control, I just freaked out. Then you told me you were, and on the balcony I had already decided you were mine, so we were good."
"That's it? The way you acted when I brought it up was like I asked you to consider robbing a bank with me or something."
"Yep, that's it. I'm going to grab a bottle water." He kissed my cheek and stepped out of the bath a bubbly mess.
I couldn't pin point why there seemed to be a new distance between us. Nick was short with me and didn't even ask me if I wanted anything, which wasn't like him. Maybe I was reading too much into it but there was more to his meltdown about birth control.
Holy crap, when was the last time I took my birth control?