Broken (27 page)

Nick laughed a little. “So, Jack is a little man-whore, huh?”

I nodded my head, trying to forget the fact that Nick was a man-whore too. But I truly believed that he was reformed.

I hoped that I wasn’t being naïve.

Chapter 54

Nick

I spent the night with Scotty, and I literally had to try to block out how much she turned me on. I didn’t want to have a raging hard-on, because I wanted to hold her all night long. Just hold her. Feel her warmth next to me. So, I tried mind-over-matter, and it worked for a little while. But, after feeling my arms around her slender body for about a half hour, I knew that there was no use.

“I’m sorry, Scotty,” I whispered to her. “I can’t help it. I wish I could.”

“It’s ok, Nick,” she said. “Hopefully, sometime soon, it won’t, uh, be as much of a problem.”

I couldn’t kiss her. That would really get me going. So, I just laid behind her, feeling her body next to me. There was no better feeling that I could have ever experienced. There was no other place that I would have rather been. I mean, I had literally traveled the world. Been to some amazing places, and did amazing things. I had always had beautiful homes that were appointed in the height of luxury. Always the best of everything – top of the line cars, high dollar furniture, artwork that was worth millions – yet, spending the night with Scotty, in her tiny bed in her tiny bedroom, was my all-time favorite place to be. I would give up every bit of my wealth, if I had to in order to be with her. Every bit of it.

I couldn’t sleep, even after I heard Scotty start to breathe heavily, as she obviously was asleep. I was just too wired, too excited, too on-top-of-the-world.

I was truly in love for the first time in my life.

∞

The next day, Scotty and I woke up, and I could hear Jack rummaging around in the kitchen. I felt a tad embarrassed, but not really.

Jack looked surprised, to say the least. “Well, hello handsome!” Then he looked at Scotty with a huge grin on his face. “Scotty Marie. You little minx.”

Scotty looked embarrassed. “Uh, sorry about last night. I know that it was your turn to get the bed. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Oh, no need, no need. God knows I’ve done it to you about 50,000 times. I was beginning to wonder when you would ever do
it back to me, and now you finally have. And you go girl. You go. You’re so scandalous!”

I took a deep breath. It was Sunday, and I knew that Scotty was having finals next week. God, how I didn’t want to leave that apartment. I never wanted to leave, ever. But, at the same time, I needed to be respectful and understand that Scotty was going to have to study.

“Uh, Scotty, I better leave. I know that you have a ton of studying to do. I’ll see you tomorrow at work, though.”

She nodded her head. “Tomorrow at work. Uh, last night. Uh, thanks. You don’t know how much what you did meant to me.” Then she motioned for me tilt my head so that she could whisper in my ear. “I love you Nick.”

My heart did about a thousand backflips. “I love you too,” I whispered back. “Like I have never loved anyone.”

And, as I made my way to the limo, as I had called Charlie a half earlier to come and pick me up, I knew that what I was saying to her was true.

Chapter 55

Scotty

Nick just left, and I was, once again, floating on air. I had to study, because finals were coming up for the next few weeks, including my finals in Nick's classes. But it was so difficult to do so. I just couldn't concentrate.

Jack had teased me some more about Nick spending the night, but he said that he was very proud of me for letting something like that happen.

“Well, nothing happened, really,” I said. “I mean, there was no, uh, penetration.”

“There was everything but, I hope,” he said.

“No, not everything but. I mean, he, uh, kinda took off my top and uh, you know...” I was sure that my face was all kinds of red. “He, he, he, kinda used his tongue...”

“Go on,” Jack said with an amused look on his face. “So, he felt you up, and licked you like a cat. Oh, I have to live vicariously through you now that Brad's out of the picture. So, go on. What else?”

“Brad's out of the picture?”

“Yeah. I don't want no closet case, even if he does have a jillion dollars in real estate around the city. But no changing the subject. I have to know about loverboy. Your loverboy. Every juicy detail. Leave nothing out.”

“Well, there's not much to tell.”

“Did you see his cock?”

“No,” I said weakly. I always was a horrible liar.

“I'm calling bullshit on your scandalous ass. What was it like?”

“It was...nice. Very nice. A little, uh, well, uh, a lot, uh, huge. But nice.”

“I knew it. I knew it. Well, that's it. You just nailed down the world's most perfect man. Damn. I thought that there had to be something wrong with him, and a small dick would be it. God can't be that unfair to give one person so much. Well, ok then. You have to marry this man. Yesterday. As long as I can come in a live in your guest house.”

“What guest house? He has that loft, remember?”

“Well, then, Nick will just have to buy me the loft next door. Wouldn't that be
tres
fabulous?”

“That would. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Baby steps, remember?”

“Baby steps my ass. Scotty, this man is in love with you. And you're in love with him. Just jump in, head first, and enjoy the ride. And think about all the hos who would give their last pair of Pradas to be in your shoes.”

“I'll try not to think about that.”

“Whatever. Anyhoo, where are we going right now to celebrate?”

“Oh, Jack, I'd love to go out with you. But I have a shit-ton of studying to do. Just a shit-ton. Yesterday set me back, so I gotta get right on it.”

Jack looked disappointed. “Ok, then. Ok. I mean, I haven't really seen you in like forever. But we'll go out after your finals. When are you done?”

“A week from Friday, although I only have two exams next week. I have the rest of the exams this week. So, I have to hunker down.”

“Like Nick is going to give you a shitty grade.”

“The exams are anonymous. He doesn't know which papers he is grading.”

“Oh. Too bad.”

“No, I'm glad about that. No way would I want a grade that I didn't earn just because the instructor, uh, likes me.”

“Take it any way you can get it. And, the instructor doesn't like you. He's head over heels crazy in love with you. I can see it in his eyes.”

I felt my face turning about a hundred shades of crimson. “If you say so.”

“I say so.”

So, I hunkered down and got to work with my studying and researching for various final projects and papers I was going to have to hand in that week.

After a couple of hours, I stretched and I heard the door buzz. My heart started racing. Nick coming to visit me would be a distraction, but I really wanted to see him.

Jack was at the door. “Hello?”

“Hello,” the disembodied voice said. “I have a delivery for Scotty James.”

Jack pressed the buzzer and looked at me. “A delivery. I wonder what that
is?”

A few minutes later, Jack opened the door, and a man was standing there with a dozen roses in a crystal vase. They were beautiful, red, and long-stemmed. I could barely breathe as I took the flowers and looked at the card. “Thinking of you and can't wait to see you tomorrow. Love, Nick.”

“Oh my god. These flowers are gorgeous,” I said. I never in my life had received anything like this from any man, and I suddenly realized exactly what I had been missing all those years. The feeling of being special to somebody, so special that the man can't take his mind off of me.

And, perhaps even more importantly, knowing that the feeling was mutual.

Chapter 56

Nick

I was going to invite Scotty over to my place on Christmas Eve and I wanted to have something special for her. So, I was actually going to cook dinner. Which was a challenge for me, to say the very least. I had never in my life cooked much of anything. I mean, in college, I lived on the usual college food - frozen burritos and shit on a shingle - and I had girlfriends who would cook for me, as I had always been very athletic, so I needed to eat properly. I also ate out a ton. Always. And that was how I lived my life with Rielle as well.

Cooking had never been something that I had really aspired to. That was always Ryan's forte, even during his drug days. Ryan was the gourmet cook. Me, not so much. It was just too much trouble, and cleaning up was a bitch. I had a live-in housekeeper when I lived in Kansas City, but here in New York, there was not a place for Sheila, my live-in housekeeper, to stay, so I had been living very much on my own, and I didn't want to have to clean up a mess in the kitchen. And, since the best way to not have to clean up a mess in the kitchen was not to make a mess in the first place, this was another reason why I pretty much forwent cooking.

Yet, I wanted to cook for Scotty. Which was huge for me. However, since I have had zero experience in doing so, I decided to practice a bit in the kitchen, to try to get the hang of it. So, I went to the grocer and got some frozen chicken breast. I came home, put my burners on high and put the frozen chicken breast into a frying pan and tried to cook it.

That didn't turn out well at all. The chicken was charred black on the outside, and completely raw on the inside. I scratched my head, looking at the inedible chicken, wondering what I did wrong.

Another time, I damn near set the kitchen on fire with my efforts. I learned a lesson from that – make sure that I had a fire extinguisher at the ready when I cooked. So, in my further cooking endeavors, the fire extinguisher was right there next to the stove.

Finally, I called Ryan.

“Hey,” he said. “What's going on?”

“Buddy. I'm dying here.”

“Why?” He sounded a bit alarmed.

“I've been trying to practice my cooking skills. I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm afraid that I'm about to burn down my loft.”

Ryan started laughing hysterically.

“Hey,” I said. “It's not funny.” But then, I started laughing too. “Ok, it is funny. But, seriously, I've already started one fire that I had to put out, and I've burned everything I have tried to cook. What do I do?”

“Well, buddy, I have to tell ya. Get
The Joy of Cooking
at Barnes and Noble, and
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
by Julia Child. Also, DVR some cooking shows on the Food Network. You're a smart guy. You got this.”

I sighed. “Ok, but I don't exactly have years of experience like you do.”

“Sure. If you spent your time cooking instead of chasing tail, you would be much better off.”

“Thanks a lot,” I said. “Way to rub it in.”

“Just joking,” he said. “Really not, but that was kinda mean of me to say.”

I just shook my head. “Well, thanks for the advice. I'll find those books and see what I can do.”

“This girl. She must really mean a lot to you for you to go through all this trouble.”

“You have no idea.”

And he didn't.

Chapter 57

Scotty

The two finals weeks went by like a whirlwind. I didn't see Nick that much during those two weeks, aside from seeing him at work, because I didn't have his classes that week, and he had a proctor come in to administer his exams. Finally, on the 20
th
, I had my last paper to hand in, and I was able to take a breather. Those two weeks were tough, between working my job and drafting ever more demanding projects there and trying to get every last bit of studying, researching and writing in, so I had to admit that it was quite a relief to get it all behind me.

It was also a relief that Shane was summarily fired. Nick made sure of it, although he didn't tell the partners exactly why. No questions were asked, though. They pretty much just fired Shane because Nick wanted them to.

Nick was that powerful in the firm.

Finally, my head was able to think of something other than designs and researching. So, when I got to work that day, I made sure that Nick knew that it was time for me to let loose a little bit.

“Well, Scotty, I'm glad that you let me know that you're free. Actually, though, I was wondering if you don't mind waiting for us to be alone until Christmas Eve. I'd love to have you over at my loft and we can make things special.”

“Sure,” I said. Actually, that was ok, because Jack was chomping at the bit to go out that weekend, so I didn't mind that I wouldn't be seeing Nick until Christmas Eve.

So, Jack and I went out drinking that weekend, and, on Christmas Eve, Nick came to pick me up to take me to his loft.

“Now that you're my girl, I really don't want cold, impersonal limo rides to my place,” he explained as he opened the passenger door of his Jag. “And I have a surprise for you.”

I got into the warm leather seat, and Nick immediately put his hand in my hair and kissed me passionately. “God, I've missed you. I mean, we've seen each other at work, but I've been dying to get you alone. Just you and me.”

I felt butterflies when he said that. About a million butterflies. I looked at my hands, and saw how much they were shaking. Yet, at the same time, I felt calm. Serene. Like I was right where I was supposed to be. It was right with Nick. I could just feel it.

I hadn't had the money to really buy Nick much for Christmas, so I actually knitted something for him in my spare time. It was a scarf and hat, and I was able to get it done the previous Sunday, as I didn't see Nick and my finals and everything were over by then. I hoped that he understood that this gift was meaningful.

When I got to the loft, I smelle
d something cooking. Nick's place was decorated beautifully, with an enormous Christmas tree that was in the corner of the room, and the tree had about a million lights and ornaments. I looked out the window, and snow had just begun to fall. There was soft Christmas music on in the background.

“And what is your surprise?” I asked.

“Uh, actually, the surprise is that I made dinner tonight. Probably for the first time in my life.”

I looked at him,
and then felt like I was going to burst out laughing. He looked so sweet, and so much like a little boy who was dying to please me. I felt like his making dinner was a big deal, because he obviously felt like it was.

“That's very sweet,” I said. “What did you make?”

“Veal
Osso Bucco
,” he said. “You don't understand, Scotty. I don't do this for anyone. Not ever. I've actually been practicing my cooking skills the past week or so. I burned quite a few things along the way. I even had to call Ryan several times to get pointers, because that guy is a mean cook, let me tell you.”

That was when I knew how much I meant to him, and his cooking for me touched me like nothing else possibly could. So, I went up to him, and wrapped my arms around him. “Thank you, Nick. That's probably the nicest thing that anybody has ever done for me.”

Then we kissed, lightly, gently. He wrapped his strong arms around me, and then started gently stroking my hair as our kiss became ever more passionate and urgent. I could immediately feel his hardness again as he leaned into me.

“Uh, let's quit for now,” he said. “Or we might not make it past dinner, and I've worked too hard on this meal to pass it up.”

“I agree,” I said. “I can't wait to taste it!”

Nick got out a bottle of wine and poured me a glass and also one for himself. He brought out the salad, which was a simple Caesar salad, and proudly announced that he made the dressing himself. “Egg yolk, olive oil, anchovies, Parmesan cheese and garlic,” he said. “And a little lemon and Worcestershire.”

I smiled and bit into the salad. “Very nice, Nick,” I said. “Probably the best Caesar salad I've had.”

“Right,” he said. “You don't have to blow smoke up my ass. I'm already in love with you. But thanks.”

“No, really. It's very good.” And it was. It was almost perfect.

Then the main course, Veal
Osso Bucco
. This seemed to be an amazingly difficult dish for an amateur cook. It involved a lot of fresh herbs and fresh vegetables and a Dutch Oven. He served it with a side of potato gnocchi, and a broccoli casserole.

It actually was delicious. I smiled, because I was apprehensive about Nick's ability to pull something like this off. “This is a ten,” I said, digging in. “This is really, really excellent.”

“You're not just saying that?”

“No. I'm being totally serious. It's really good.”

“So, do you think I should quit my day job and open up a restaurant?” he asked with a smile.

“Well, the architectural world would be losing a genius if you did that, so no.”

At that, he got up out of his seat and kissed my forehead. “And now, for the dessert.”

He brought out a crème brulee, lighting the top of it with a lighter. This, too, was delicious, and seemed to have a level of difficulty beyond that of somebody who had never before cooked.

“This has all been amazing,” I said. “How did you learn all this?”

“It wasn't a problem,” he said. “I just didn't let it defeat me. I never let things defeat me.”

“That's an admirable trait,” I said.

Then he got up again and gave me his hand. “Dance with me,” he said.

We got up and danced slowly around the room to
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
and other songs. He sang softly in my ear, and then whispered “I'm so happy you're here. This is going to be the best Christmas ever.”

“Oh, I agree,” I said, although it would be difficult for this Christmas with him to not be the best Christmas ever. After all, prior to this, I've had nothing. Nothing special for Christmas. No presents, except for when I lived with Mr. Lucas, and I couldn't enjoy the presents then. No special person. Nothing.

Now, I seemed to have it all. A special guy who loved me. I couldn't ask for more.

At some point, Nick started kissing me, slowly, while we danced. I caught my breath, wanting to savor this moment. He tasted of crème brulee, and his lips were so very gentle. He was actually a great kisser. A magnetic kisser. I felt everything in my body stand at attention – everything seemed tingly to me.

My heart was pounding out of my chest, as I realized that, quite possibly, tonight would be the night. The night when I would make love for the very first time. Make love, not be raped. There was a world of difference to me, so I felt that I would be losing my virginity.

I was very nervous, to put it mildly, but also very excited.

“Scotty,” he whispered. “What are you thinking?”

“Just that, I, uh, very much want you to make love to me tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I've thought of little else these past few weeks. I didn't think that I'd be ready for something like that for a long time. But I realized that you would do anything for me, and that you are in my life to protect me, not to hurt me. I realized that when you saved me from Shane and from losing my job. So, I'm very nervous. Don't get me wrong. But I think that I'm ready.”

Nick nodded. “This isn't very romantic, but needs to be said. I got checked out this week. I'm in the clear. But I'm sure that we still need to use condoms anyhow, because I would imagine that you, uh, are not using anything.”

“No, I'm not,” I said. “To be honest, I never thought that I would ever have a need for that. Until recently.”

“Ok,” he said. “We'll go slow. I don't want to hurt you.”

At that, he went to his couch and motioned for me to join him. Once again, I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, almost, I was so nervous. I sat down next to him, and he gently put his hand in my hair and kissed me. Then he said “I'm not going to make any moves without asking first. And you need to tell me if you're feeling uncomfortable. Remember, I can be a very patient man when I want to be. So, don't feel pressured.”

“I don't,” I said. “I feel that this is right, like I have never thought anything was right in my life.”

Nick too
k a deep breath. Then he started kissing me again and gently put his hand on my stomach. “Is it ok if I touch your breasts?” he asked. He had before, the first time that we made out, but apparently he had to make sure that I was still ok with it. I nodded my head, and he gently lifted up my top and unhooked my bra. He slowly ran his hand over my breasts, and then unbuttoned his own shirt. I gulped, and put my hands on his magnificent torso. He was so smooth and so toned and taut, like he spent his lifetime running and lifting weights.
Sheer perfection
.

We ran our hands over each other's chest areas for awhile. My hands were wandering around his firm pecs and onto his even firmer back. I ran my hands over his muscular arms, and kissed his neck. He was doing the same – running his hands over my back, waist and breasts, and then he gently ran his hand through my hair, and, every so once in awhile, he would rub my cheek with the back of his hand while looking into my eyes.

After a little while, I decided to get friskier with him. I unbuttoned my pants and slipped them down. Then I grabbed ahold of his belt and unbuckled it, before unzipping his pants and taking them off of him. I laid down on the couch, and Nick's hands ran from my calves to my thighs. Then he started to gently massage my legs, and whispered “I'd like to explore your thighs with my tongue.”

I nodded my head, as he firmly and gently ran his tongue on my inner thigh. I could feel his lips sucking on my skin just a little, and he bit me tenderly as well. His hands were working on the outside of my legs, while he licked and sucked the inside of my thighs. I put my legs around his neck, and then I could feel his mouth making its way further up.

“Sweety,” he said. “Please let me know if anything I'm doing is making you uncomfortable. I'd like to take your panties off now and explore, if you let me.”

By then, I would have let him do anything at all. I was so engrossed with how I was feeling about him kissing and licking my thighs, and the way that his commanding hands were caressing my legs, that he could do anything to me. I was feeling things that I had never felt before. There were tingles and electricity that was flowing through my body. I started to moan, as Nick removed my panties.

Then his tongue was on my clitoris, and it was probably the most amazing sensation that I had ever felt in my entire life. He took his time, as his tongue was slowly circling my clitoris, and then he started to lick and suck inside of me. My breathing started coming harder and harder, and I could feel my legs start to shake. Nick was still gently, yet firmly, concentrating on allowing his tongue to explore my clitoris and vagina, and then his hands gently lifted up my butt off of the couch, and he gently put his fingers inside my rear. He pressed down, and then put one of his fingers on his other hand inside of my vagina.

I felt the energy that I felt before, but stronger this time, build from my vagina area and spread throughout my body. I felt like my entire body was tingling with pleasure, and I started moaning and breathing heavier and heavier. I briefly felt like I would lose consciousness, because I was so completely engrossed and feeling a sense of extreme joy. Also, my breathing was so heavy, I was almost hyperventilating.

Then, my heart really started to race as Nick gently whispered in my ear “are you ready for me, Scotty? Please tell me if you aren't. We can stop.”

“No, Nick,” I said. “I want you to make love to me.”

I heard him sigh heavily, and then he unwrapped a condom and slipped it on. And then I could feel his enormous manhood at my opening. I let out my breath so that I could relax, but, it was painful at first. Very painful. I was completely wet, though, so the pain lasted only briefly. As he slowly and gently slipped his penis in and out, he started kissing me passionately, and I had an even more powerful orgasm than the last one. This orgasm lasted for what seemed like forever, but was probably only a few minutes, but this feeling was still unlike any other I had felt before. Nick's hands were on my breasts and moved to my waist and then he was running his hands through my hair.

Nick took his time. He was slow and patient and very tender. He rhythmically moved inside of me, but never really picked up speed. He said to me in a low voice “are you ok? Are you feeling comfortable? Please tell me if I'm hurting you.”