The Romance of Nick and Layla (Parts 1-3) (12 page)

"So. Now that I’m here in New York with you what do you have planned for me? Hopefully a Broadway show is included somewhere in the mix."

"Sure, if you want."

"I want."

Nick laughed easily and leaned into me. "What else do you want?"

"A nice, hot, long shower."

"I think I can arrange for that."

"Maybe a massage."

"Mmm hmm," he nodded his head, taking note of my requests.

"And, more than anything..."

"The longest love making session known to man?" he interrupted me.

Good Lord. "You’re quite persistent, aren’t you?"

"Have to be. Or else I’d never have anything. Like you."

I smiled as a flood of memories came back to me. The first day we met. The first time we kissed. How I wouldn’t kiss him and he.... Sweet Lord. I closed my eyes and breathed him in. "Hot chocolate."

"Hot chocolate?"

"A big brimming cup of sweet, chocolately goodness."

"So after the shower, a massage and hot chocolate, then what do you want?"

"You have to ask?"

"With you? Always."

I rolled my eyes and bumped my shoulder against his. "You know me. Yes, after a shower, a massage and hot chocolate, then we can have the longest love making session known to man. As long as it’s erotically mind blowing."

"I think I can do that."

"Oh I know you can. The battery operated penis is one thing, but it doesn’t give me multiple orgasms."

"And you think I’m naughty."

"You are. I learned from the naughtiest."

"Girl you know it’s true," he sang.

"Damn. Can’t this stupid car move any faster?"

I watched as the smile on Nick’s lips grew wider and wider. And cockier.

Ooh. Was I in for quite a night.

Chapter Fifteen

This was exactly what I needed. Hot. Steamy. Orgasmic. Oh so good.

I felt my heart expand several inches as I let myself be taken in by the sweet goodness of it all. I closed my eyes. I think I even moaned. Oh but I couldn’t help it.

"Damn Layla."

I opened my eyes and looked at Nick, my lids heavy with content.

"I’ve never seen anyone react that way to hot chocolate."

I set the big mug down on my knee and tried not to smile.

"I saw that."

"What are you, the hot chocolate police? Leave me alone! It’s cold and this is good." I gave Nick my best annoyed look and went back to my drink. His hand touched the inside of my knee. It was better than the chocolate.

"That’s a no parking zone, Hudson. Keep it moving."

"What’s gotten into you Layla? You’re so normal."

I thought about it. Normal? As opposed to what? "Thanks?" I asked, unsure.

"You know what this reminds me of?" he asked.

I looked up at the ceiling, pretending to think about it. Wonder how long I’d have to look without saying anything before he’d realized I wasn’t really thinking? Two minutes. Tops.

"I was just thinking about how this is what it was like when we were first dating. You know?"

"Yeah. I guess. It was a long time ago."

"Three years isn’t a long time," he grunted.

"It is in Nick and Layla time."

"Good point."

"Maybe we never were fucked up, Nick." The room suddenly became dead quiet. I couldn’t even hear our own breathing. It was like someone put us on mute.

"What do you mean?" he asked finally.

"Maybe we were normal the whole time. I mean, couples fight, right? We fought more often than not, but still, we’re together. Right now. For a whole year now. Maybe we weren’t fucked up, is all I’m saying."

"What are you saying Layla? That we’re going to put all of the past behind us and start new?"

"Exactly. Maybe we should put everything on hold for a while. Just so that we can get to know each other again. So we can fall in love again. I mean, I love you, always did and always will. But maybe we can get that spark back that we had. You remember that spark, don’t you?"

I turned to look as Nick smiled. Oh yeah, he remembered. "Yes."

"We were happy, weren’t we?"

"Yes."

"Before it all went awry. Don’t know when it all fell apart. But it changed us, you know?"

"Yeah."

"And now we should try and reclaim that. Right?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to say anything besides ‘yeah’ or ‘yes’?"

"Sure."

"And to be honest, about this whole baby thing... Whatever happens, happens. Right? Nothing’s going to bring us down again. If this child is yours, then it’s yours. So be it. Done deal. We’ll adjust."

Nick’s bottom lip quivered. His eyes were big and blue. He looked so young just then. So vulnerable. And it touched the places in my heart that I thought were closed off from him.

"Baby, what’s wrong with you?" I asked. I set my cup of hot chocolate down on the floor and twisted my body so I could look him in his eyes. "Why do you look like you’re going to cry?"

"I just..." Nick’s voice came in and out. I could barely hear him. And for the first time in a really long time I watched him start to cry.

"Nick, what’s the matter?"

He laughed nervously and wiped his eyes with his hands. "I don’t know why I’m crying!"

I caught his hands in mine to stop him. "Don’t wipe away your tears," I whispered.

Nick just looked at me. I watched as the blue in his eyes intensified. "Why?"

I felt my own chest desperately heaving to bring in oxygen. I couldn’t escape his eyes. It was like I was being pulled into him. And all of a sudden I felt it. Love. Holy God. So this is what complete and total love felt like? Like my body was gravitated into Nick’s body? Like I had to touch him just to make sure he was still there. And I had to look into his eyes just to understand what he was telling me all along. I’m his. And he’s mine. And I finally felt it. This is my man. This is my husband. Those are my tears he’s crying.

I could taste the sweet-saltiness of his tears as my lips pressed gently against his eyes. And I wanted to give myself to him. To make me believe that I was his. To let me be his. To let him own me the way he wanted me to own him. Forever. As husband and wife. As Nick and Layla. Until the day we die.

"You don’t have to hide from me," I whispered, my lips pressed to his cheek. "You don’t have to wipe away your tears for me. I like to see that you’re flawed. It just makes you that much more perfect to me."

"I’m so glad you’re back," he whispered into me. "You’re back to being the same Layla Garrett I fell in love with. Before we fucked it all up."

"Don’t call me that." I could only imagine that his eyes reflected the intensity in my own eyes. We stared at each other and with each passing moment, an understanding formed. I looked at his lips. "My name is Layla Hudson. You gave me your last name. And I’m keeping it."

"It’s yours."

"Good." I could taste more tears on his lips. Such a strange sensation.

And finally, with just one kiss, everything made sense. But with a touch, with just a microsecond of his skin against mine... Forget sense. This was heavenly. This was right. This was all ours.

"Layla, what was the last thing I told you at our last meeting?"

How is it possible that, even over the phone, even over three thousand miles, Doctor Brown still manages to be patronizing? "’Goodbye’?"

"No. I told you that at our next session I wanted you and Nick to come in together."

"Well I haven’t had a session with you since then. And if you bill me for this phone call I will not be happy, Doc Brown."

"Okay Layla. What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Nick and I worked things out. Everything. And we’re back together."

"Really?" What? She doesn’t believe me? Where the hell did this woman graduate from? Apathy University? "So did you find out what you wanted to find out?"

"Excuse me?"

"You said you came to me because you wanted to know why Nick is a jerk."

"Oh I know why. Because that’s all I was letting him be."

"So you think it’s your fault?"

"No. But I don’t think I helped the situation any."

"I see."

"Okay, so now tell me I’m healed and send me my final bill. I’m done." Click. God that felt so good. After all the times I wanted to walk out in a middle of a session but couldn’t because I felt obligated to stay. Oh well. I’ll just pretend it was a bad connection.

"Who was that?" Nick asked as he walked in from the bathroom. Wrapped up in that towel like he was.... Wait, what was the question?

"My therapist in Santa Monica. I told her I’m healed."

Nick merely chuckled as he towel-dried his hair. "Sexual healing."

"No! It wasn’t just that. Not entirely."

"The hot chocolate?" he joked.

I rolled my eyes and folded my legs up on the couch. "Maybe it was you." I fidgeted with the sheet wrapped around my body. I was nervous. Had to admit it.

"Me?"

"You. Nick Hudson. I think you were the key to my success this whole time. And all this time I thought you were the thorn in my side."

"Glad to help."

"I’m serious Nick. I can’t tell you how much clearer I’m seeing the world this morning. It’s like I’ve woken up from a coma. And I’m ready to start living again. With you."

Nick sat down next to me and put a hand on my knee. "You know, what you said last night..." He stopped to look away and clear his throat. And when he finally looked at me again, he looked so grown up. So manly. So mature. "About me not wiping my tears away. I’ve never had anyone say that to me before."

"Most people never do."

"But you said it to me."

"And I meant it. Don’t try and hide from me Nick. Because I love your imperfections. I love that you feel you can cry in front of me. I was always too stubborn to cry in front of you. But when I did, it just made me feel so much closer to you."

"I feel closer to you." He bumped his shoulder into mine and smiled. "So now that you’re healed what’s the first thing you’re going to do?"

"Send you out to get me a pair of clean clothes."

Chapter Sixteen

Someone once asked me how I can possibly enjoy only ever having sex with one man in my life. I remember laughing and shaking my head. They didn’t understand. They never would. They’d never come to realize the perfection of loving only one man. And all that comes with it. The way his touch makes you weak in your knees. The way he kisses you like you’re the only two people in the world. The way he fits perfectly inside you. All of this and more.

My time spent with Nick in New York, so far, has been perfect. Absolutely perfect. We haven’t fought once. Just smooth sailing. No clouds. Just pure sunshine. And now here we were, one day before our one year anniversary. And honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.

Nick was right. Things are back the way they used to be. Before we were married. Before we were fucked up. And I couldn’t help but think that this is the way it would be from this day on. Okay, maybe once in a while we’d have our road bumps. And certainly when the paternity of Vanessa’s baby was determined we’d have some sort of altercation, in some form or another. But all in all we are just perfect.

Maybe it was New York. That old fashion feeling of getting dressed up to go to dinner and a show. Whatever it was, it was good. And that’s exactly what we were doing. I was wearing a brand new dress, which, by the way, put a major dent in my American Express, and I felt like a queen. Now all I needed was my king. Where was Nick?

I crossed my legs and tapped my fingers on the bedspread. He’d better get back soon if we’re going to make our reservation on time.

And just like magic, the lock on the door clicked and in he walked with a huge bouquet of flowers.

"What are all those for?" I asked. I stood up and met him halfway in the room.

"Who do you think they’re for?" He handed the flowers to me.

No ‘who’, but ‘what’? "Why did you do that?"

"Because I wanted to."

"You didn’t have to."

"I know." He looked so proud of himself. In all the ways our relationship failed over the years, he never once failed at expression himself through a gift.

"Then why did you?"

Nick laughed and placed the flowers in my arms. "Because I can. So, are you ready to go?"

"Yes." I inhaled the scent of the flowers and smiled. It’d been so long since I’d received flowers I almost forgot what it was like. What they smelled like.

"You look amazing."

And that made me smile even more. "Thank you." I admired his, what he liked to call "relaxed suit", and nodded my head appreciatively. "You don’t look half bad yourself."

"I tried."

"I can see that."

"The car is waiting downstairs for us. Shall we?" He held out his elbow, waiting for me to take it.

I looked at him, totally amused.

"What?" he asked.

"I was just thinking that we should take a picture of us."

"Right now?"

"Yes! Right now!" I retrieved my cell and took a picture of him behind his back.

"Hey! No surprise photos!" Nick turned around and flashed me a crazy smile. God I love this man.

"You mean like the ones you took of me last night when I was in the bathroom?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at him, waiting for him to even try and deny it.

He had a cocky grin on his face and looked away. "Guilty."

"Since when is the act of taking off panty hose worth a picture?"

"Since you looked damn sexy doing it, Layla."

"Well lookie-loo who’s got the camera now, Nicky-poo."

Sometimes I think Nick laughs like a maniac. Now was no exception. "Are you gonna take a picture or not?"

"Yes. Come here." Nick wrapped an arm around my waist as I held the camera up in front of us. "Say cheese."

"Cheese?" he asked.

I snapped the picture. Dear Lord, I caught him right in the middle of saying ‘cheese’. His face looks all screwed up. Nice work, blondie.

"You messed it up! Do it again. No faces Nick!" I smiled and took another picture. But when I looked at the display Nick’s face was still messed up, with his tongue sticking out and his eyes crossed. "Dude. Ever pose for a picture before?"