Burned (23 page)

“Aw, do we have to clean now?”

“Yes, we do. If I’m going to stay here some nights, I need to make sure nothing is going to jump out the fridge and eat me.”

A grin spread across his face. “Really?”  He put the duffel bag on the floor and walked over to her.

“Yes, really.” He let his fingers intertwine with hers and tried to draw her to him. She resisted. “Nick, we’re here to clean. We can play after we’re done.”

He dropped her hands. “All right, you win. You know I have two bedrooms.”

She wondered what he was suggesting. “Okay, and that means?”

He raised his brow. “Nothing at all. I’m letting you know the layout of the place. I have a dishwasher, but I use the laundry room down the hall. No hookup for a washer and dryer in the suite.”

“Yeah, it is nice and has more room than my place but I’m not moving in on you. I’ll stay a night or two, but that’s it.”

He held his hands up. “No pressure. I’ll get the cleaning stuff.”

Lincoln wanted to giggle. He was so cute when he tried to be subtle. She took off her sweater and rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. They had a lot of work ahead of them.

They cleaned Nick’s bedroom last. He switched the clothes around in the laundry room and while those loads dried; they ran to the local discount store to purchase new sheets for his bed and personal items for her to keep at his apartment.

Finally done with everything for the night, they ordered pizza and relaxed in the bedroom. Unlike at her apartment, Nick kept the television in the bedroom, and once their bellies were full of pizza, they immediately fell asleep.

Lincoln awoke disoriented. The t-shirt Nick had given her to sleep in was hiked up around her waist. His arm curled over her with his hand cupping her breast with his thumb over her nipple.

He stirred when she moved indicating he was awake also. Nick shifted his hips until his erection pressed against her behind. Her arousal was instantaneous as always when he touched her. His thumb eased a slow circle around her nipple, causing her to moan.

He rolled her over, his knee easing between her thighs. She inhaled to smell the musky male scent of him and not her perfume scented bath soap he’d been using at her place. She felt his heartbeat against her chest. Sliding a hand between them, she stroked him. Her eyes closed as her fingers caressed him. He groaned in her ear setting off high volts of electricity to race through her body.

She now realized no man other than Nick would ever make love to her again. Her body craved for him and his skillful touch.

His lips traveled up her neck. His tongue licked at the corners of her mouth. When he kissed her, it sent spirals of ecstasy through her like always. Her body arched and withered against his erection, seeking it, and needing it inside her. He used a free hand to pull the t-shirt over her head to attack her sensitive nipples with his wet tongue and warm mouth.

Nick’s breathing was heavy as he discarded his pajama bottoms without releasing her breast from his mouth. She arched her pelvis as he thrust his hips forward to sink inside her warmth. Lincoln moaned and pulled his head from her chest to meet her lips for a passionate kiss. As he rocked against her slowly, she nibbled his earlobe to keep from screaming out. Her body quaked, and Nick slowed so that they would reach the pinnacle of their lovemaking together.

He rolled off her but kept her pinned to his side. “I love you,” he whispered in a raspy voice.

Lincoln draped her arm around his waist. “I love you too.”  She felt her smile spread knowing she meant it. She wasn’t sure when it happened or how it happened, but she had fallen head over heels in love with Nick Barona.

Chapter Twenty Three

Nick dropped Lincoln off at work and stopped by the firehouse before going to her place to start painting. He needed to get his toolbox out of his locker and since he was in the area, he wouldn’t have to make a second trip.

He saw Jon outside washing engine 30. “Hey, Jon.”

“Nick. What brings you by?” Jon asked looking over his shoulder at Nick.

“I need to grab something from my locker. So how was the bachelor party?”

“Eh, it was okay, but you were missed. I heard you had the ladies falling at your feet at Regan’s party,” he said.  He picked up the hose to rinse off the front of the truck.

Nick felt the heat rush to his cheeks. “It was fun and it made Lincoln happy.”

“That took balls, man. There is no way I would have done that,” Jon said as he rinsed the suds off the truck.

 “Bullshit, if Gabby asked you to do it, you would.”

“Yeah, probably but thank God she will never ask me. I don’t have those Michael Jackson moves like you do. Gabby said you were good.”

Nick laughed. “Your wife is kind. Michael probably turned over in his grave with embarrassed at my imitation of him. Anyhow, was Anthony at the bachelor party?”

“Yeah, he was there but he didn’t stay long. Why are you asking?”

Nick scratched his head. “No reason, just wondering.”

Jon turned off the hose and stared at Nick. “You’re not just asking, what’s going on?”

He hesitated. “Lincoln saw a man standing outside her bedroom window later that night. She wouldn’t let me chase him down. Yesterday I found footprints under the bedroom window.”

“Wait, you think Ant is stalking Lincoln?”

“I’m not accusing him of stalking her but watching me when I come and go. I need you to take a look at his shoes, Jon. If he has mud on his shoes, then it was him. If not then her apartment manager should be informed a stalker is lurking around at night.”

“This is stupid, Nick. Why would he do that?  He knows that you are with Lincoln. He doesn’t like it, but there is nothing he can do about it.”

“Jon, please just do it. Lincoln is scared to stay at home. I return to work in a few days and if Ant is the one watching her, then she needs to know in order to get a restraining order against him. If it’s not him, I’m breaking her lease and moving her in with me.”

Jon picked up a sponge and began to wash the fenders of the truck. “You can check for yourself. Ant is in the break room. I don’t want any more to do with this mess than I have to.”

“Cool, I’ll look for myself.”  Nick walked into the break room. He stopped to talk to Gordon who was making lunch. Anthony was seated at the table reading the newspaper and pretending not to notice he was there.

“Hey Nicky, good to see you dude,” Gordon said, shaking Nick’s hand.

Nick sniffed around the stove. “Gordon, wha’cha got cooking?”

“Lasagna. I hope to finish it before we get a call. Stick around and join us for lunch.”

“I’d like to stick around but I have some painting to do. I’m painting my girlfriend’s apartment for her.”  He saw Anthony’s head shrink into his shoulder, but he didn’t make any type of remark.

Gordon cleared his throat and bent his brow. “Oh, well okay, in that case it was good seeing you. I’m going to miss you around here.”

“You’ll see me during shift changes. Plus, I was thinking about taking some ballroom dance classes. Lincoln mentioned she wanted to do something different and I told her you were the best at ballroom dancing.”  Again he shifted his eyes in Anthony’s direction for any reaction.

It worked. Anthony pushed away from the table. Nick took a glance at his shoes and his heart raced. He had to wait to approach him. If he did it now, he for sure would be back in jail.

Gordon nudged him on the arm. “Hey, are you trying to ruffle Anthony’s feathers?”

“Nope, I just wanted him to get up from the table.”  He slapped Gordon on the arm. “I’ll be in touch about those dance lessons, man,” he said as he walked away.

He went to his locker and got his tool box. Walking to the bay doors, he saw Anthony and Jon standing outside. With Anthony standing directly in the sunlight, he got a better look at his shoes. As he suspected dry mud was on his shoes.

He cleared his throat and kept walking towards them. “Jon, you got the truck shining like new money. I wanna take a picture to tease my crew. Gotta show them what we are up against. Do you mind?”

Jon nodded. “Be my guest.”

Jon stepped out of the way, but Anthony remained where he was standing. Nick took his phone and angled it to get the truck and Anthony’s shoes in focus. He snapped the photo and placed the phone back in his pocket. “Have a great day. Even you, Ant,” he smirked, as he saluted them.

Chapter Twenty Four

Nick cleared most of the furniture from the living room and removed the pictures from the walls. He covered the carpet with heavy plastic before opening a can of eggshell-white paint. As he poured the thick paint in the pan, his thoughts shifted on how to reveal to Lincoln that Anthony and not a stranger was watching her apartment at night.

He clicked the remote to turn on the CD player. Sensual R&B music drifted from the speakers. He stroked the paint brush down the wall wondering if this was the type of music, he should play to initiate intimacy with Lincoln. He shook the notion from his head. He had been with Lincoln enough to know she didn’t require music to get in the mood. His touch did that for her. She loved when he placed kisses on her neck and behind her ears. The mere feel of his hands on her body made her melt. Nope, they didn’t need music to start a fire burning. The passion they shared in each other did that.

Nick rejoiced in having the ability to do that with her. Certain women he entertained were easy to draw under his spell, but he never thought Lincoln Hathaway would be one of those women.

Life indeed had a strange way of turning around at the drop of a hat. He was finally looking towards the future. Not long ago, he was happy with his life as a playboy. He would have lived that way until he was too old to care about women. Now he looked forward to his days off and having Lincoln as the only woman to share his space.

He dipped the brush in the paint again. His happy walk down life’s road did have a glitch. The glitch was Anthony, who was determined to ruin what he and Lincoln were building. He’d thought about going to Melanie to let her know what Anthony was doing. Only Melanie was quick to jump ship, and that would leave Anthony available to pursue Lincoln aggressively.

Brian McKnight’s “Love of My Life” drifted from the speakers. It took Nick back to their official first date. That was the turning point for him. He knew from that night that he would do anything and everything to please her. Those lyrics hit home for him.

His cell phone rang and jarred him. “Hello.”

“Hey, what are you doing?”

The sound of Lincoln’s voice filled his ears and heart with joy. “I’m painting and thinking about you. How is your day going?”

“To be honest, I’m having a hard time concentrating at work.”

“Is everything okay?” He asked.

“Yes, I’m jealous you’re home and I’m here slaving away. I should be helping you paint my apartment.”

He grinned into the phone. “Do you think that would be wise?  I’m shirtless and got a little sweat going on. I don’t think you’d be able to resist having your way with me.”

“Nick, what am I going to do with you?”

“Nothing, but love me and let me worry about the rest.”

“You make it easy for me to love you. However, if you are worrying about me, don’t. I’ve been thinking, Nick.”

He leaned his shoulder against the wall and paused before asking her what about. When a woman says she’d been thinking, that could be mean danger. “What are you thinking about?”

“First you have to promise me you won’t fly off the handle. I need you to keep your head.”

Her voice didn’t carry any accusation or incrimination of anything he might have done, only soft compassion and concern. “Okay, I promise. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Baby, I think it was Anthony outside my window. Nick, watch your back as far as he goes. He has snapped and is not the same person anymore.”

He pumped his fist happy that burden had lifted. “I came to the conclusion it was him too. But, I’m not worried about him, and I don’t want us to lose any sleep over him. I will take care of Anthony once and for all.”

“No. That is exactly what I don’t want you to do. Nick, I’m going to take care of this. He should hear it from me that it is over.”

“You’ve done that already, Lincoln.”

“He’s seen me cry and I even smacked the hell out of him. What he doesn’t know is how important you are to me. He’ll hear the words come from me that I’m in love with you and he can hate me for the rest of his life.”

He sighed. “I don’t like that idea, Lincoln. But I know you’re going to do it no matter how I feel. Just promise me, you’ll confront Anthony at the firehouse. At least there, Jon and the other guys will be around if he flips out.”

“That wasn’t where I wanted to do it, but I will. Don’t forget to pick me up at quitting time since I don’t have my car.”

He chuckled. “I would never forget you.”

“Well, I have a bone to pick with you, too.”

“Uh-oh, what did I do?”

“Regan said you dropped out of the wedding. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. You are not going to let Anthony win, baby. So stop by her house and get your tuxedo before you get me.”

“Man, Orlando has a big mouth,” he groaned. “Okay, I’ll get the tux.”

“Thank you, baby. I have to get back to work. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”  He clicked off the phone wondering how it was possible to be this happy and not burst.

*****

Lincoln decided to call Anthony while she had a few minutes of her lunch hour left. Despise for him tingled in her spine as she dialed his number. She hadn’t spoken to him since Nick’s arrest.

“Hello.”

She cringed, and bile rose in her throat when he answered the phone.

“I know this is you, Lincoln. If you’re doing a crank call, block your number.”

Her throat closed, and she had to force the words past the blockage. “I’m not making a crank call.”

“So, why are you calling?  I’m sure it’s not to inquire about my health.”

“You are so right about that. We need to talk. When are you available to meet with me and alone?”

“Not now. I’m at work.”

“I didn’t say now. If you’d been listening, I said when you are available.”  The harsh words flew from her mouth unprovoked.