Nicholas drove towards his apartment, his heart thumping with excitement. At last, he was happy to have Alyssa all to himself. She was now his for life! Her confession stirred him deeply, and he wanted to confess his own feelings for her. With the engagement and wedding all planned out, he couldn’t ask for more.
“Are you excited to get engaged to me?” asked Nicholas hopefully, but Alyssa shook her head.
“No, I would have loved it if you had proposed on one knee. This looks a little forced and artificial. It feels as if you’re marrying me because my parents want you to.” Nicholas sighed, knowing that he had messed up. He had planned to propose the way she wanted him to, but she escaped Oyster Island before that. He had to clear this misunderstanding before it worsened. He steered the car off the road and parked at the side. Alyssa looked at him curiously, not knowing what was happening. Nicholas turned to her, gazing deeply into her eyes.
“That’s not true, Alyssa. I’m marrying you because I love you. I would have proposed the proper way, but you left Oyster Island before that. I hardly got the chance to talk and propose to you.” Alyssa gaped at him in disbelief. Did he just confess his love for her?
“What did you say?” she whispered with wide eyes. Nicholas smiled tenderly at her and reached out to tuck a stray curl behind her ears.
“I would have proposed to you.”
“No, before that.”
“I’m marrying you because I love you.”
“Say it again, please,” she whispered.
“I love you, Alyssa. I always have and always will. I fell for you not today, but the day I first saw you. Throughout my life, I’ve never been with anyone but you. I’ve never loved nor pursued anyone else but you.” He threaded his fingers through hers and held her hand in his large ones while Alyssa sat dazed and overwhelmed as she listened intently to his magical words.
“I love you too, Nicholas,” she whispered shyly aloud for the first time in her full consciousness.
“I know. You told me many times,” he smiled at the shocked look on her face.
“Many times? When? I just mentioned it once by mistake in that note,” she said, her cheeks flushed with color.
Nicholas shook his head, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “That’s what you think. You confessed earlier in your sleep.” Alyssa’s jaws dropped with surprise. She didn’t have any idea about that.
“You’re kidding me, right? I know I didn’t do any such thing in my sleep,” she said, horrified at her own stupidity.
“No, I’m serious.” Alyssa gaped at him, but he chuckled and pulled her onto his lap.
“What are you doing, Nicholas?” she gasped, looking out at the cars rushing past them.
“Taking what’s mine. You shouldn’t have left me alone on the island, Alyssa. I felt devastated, but your note saved me from heartbreak. I had planned so many things for us to do.” Alyssa felt guilty for acting on an impulse. She should have waited for him to return.
“I’m sorry for jumping to my own conclusions. I thought you had gone to attend Eva’s wedding without me. Now that everything is cleared up, I’ll make it up to you, Nicholas,” she said, caressing his cheek slowly. A tremor went down Nicholas’s body as if her touch alone was enough to break all his restraints.
“How are you planning to do that, may I ask?” he asked in a husky whisper, his eyes dark and twinkling under the streetlights. He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. Alyssa’s breath got stuck in her throat as he kissed her knuckles while his eyes held her gaze, waiting for her reply.
“I’ll make your favorite dinner,” she started, but Nicholas shook his head slowly.
“I would still be hungry!” Alyssa smiled, knowing his line of thought.
“I would offer myself to you for dessert,” she grinned while his eyes widened. He hadn’t expected that at all. A slow smile broke out on his face.
“I’d definitely like that. Now I realize how hungry I am. I could do with an appetizer now.” Before Alyssa could realize what was happening, Nicholas caught her cheek and crashed his lips to hers. He devoured her lips first and then plunged his hot tongue into her mouth to deepen the kiss to a new level. Alyssa clung to his shoulders as her body throbbed with need, a need for more. He bit and sucked, swirling his tongue around, not leaving a single recess deep inside her mouth. His passionate kiss drew an equal response from her and she kissed him back, not getting enough of him.
His hand molded her body to his while grinding his arousal against her body. A car whizzed past at a breakneck speed, followed by a police car breaking their magical moment. “I think we should take this home.” Alyssa nodded and got off his lap and settled down in her seat.
Nicholas started the car and drove on again while Alyssa kept thinking about what they would do when they reached home. They didn’t need to talk to feel the attraction pulling them toward one another. Within the close confines of the car, the se*ual tension between them was too much to bear.
He parked the car, and they carried her luggage to his apartment. He just couldn’t wait to get her alone in his bedroom and continue where they had left off.
Alyssa felt a sense of belonging as she looked around his apartment. It felt as if she had come home forever.
Nicholas carried her luggage straight to his bedroom without even asking her. He didn’t need to after their confession earlier. Alyssa followed him into his room. Every time she came to his apartment, she always wanted to stay back, but this was the first time she would actually stay back and sleep there. She stared at the huge king-size bed with a pale blue bedspread. Furnished in a beautiful combination of pale blue, white, and beige, the room was quite spacious. There was a huge attached open balcony that opened to the sprawling lawns below. She could sit here and watch the New York skyline with Nicholas. There was a swing in one corner that made her gasp with delight. It wasn’t there the last time she was here.
Nicholas waited patiently for her to settle down. What was the hurry? She was his for life! He smiled at her enthusiasm. “I had this ordered, especially for you, when I was recuperating. I thought you would come over to see me.”
“I wanted to, but I was busy helping Eva with her wedding preparations.”
“What about us, Alyssa? When will you think about us?” asked Nicholas with a sigh. Alyssa walked up to him and placed her palms on his chest.
“Whatever I do, I always think about you, Nicholas.”
“I see. So what do you think about? My kisses? Or our love-making?”
“Everything,” she said, laying her head on his shoulders as he wrapped her in his arms. It was a tender moment, and they both closed their eyes and felt the other’s presence in their lives.
“Shall we continue where we left off?” asked Nicholas, picking her up in his arms without waiting for her answer.
“I think so.” She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and gazed at the man she loved so much. Acutely aware of her gaze upon him, Nicholas winked at her.
“Are you thinking how lucky you are to have me in your life?” he asked playfully.
“Yes, how did you know?” she gasped, making him fall for her all over again. She was so adorable!
“Just kidding, baby. I’m the lucky one,” he said, gazing into her beautiful eyes. Alyssa planted a kiss on his cheek, and he groaned with need. He placed her on the bed and jumped over, making her squeal.
“Stop jumping on the bed, Nicholas. It’ll break,” she giggled.
“No, it’s sturdy enough to endure more,” he said, his eyes glittering with excitement.
“Oh, have you tried them on this bed? How many women have you brought home?” she asked, sobering up and looking at him suspiciously.
“None. Everyone considered me a nerd since I never went out, while others felt I was gay.” Alyssa grinned and pulled him towards her.
“Does that mean that you’ve never had se* in your life apart from with me?”
“No, I’m not a saint, Alyssa. Of course, I had a few times while at college, but they meant nothing. I know I am your first one,” he said proudly.
“Yes, you are. My first in everything, my first love, my first kiss, the first one to touch me,” she admitted.
“I’m honored, love.” He pecked her lips and showered kisses all over her, but it wasn’t enough. He could feel himself getting aroused by her. Alyssa pulled him closer, her hands going underneath his tee shirt to feel him.
“Shall we?” she reminded him. Nicholas grinned and pulled it off him. The moment she touched his body, he was on fire. It was his dream to make love to her first time in his home. Now that would come true!