Page 42 of This Time I'm Keeping You
“What?”
“Did you overhear me talking to my friends that day about you doing my assignments, and that was why I kept you around?Was that the reason you said what you did in the library?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, Poppy.”
“It’s okay?—”
“It’s not, but I’m glad I had a chance to apologize,” he said.“Even though I was angry and confused by your actions, I kept looking for you, and one day, you didn’t turn up to class.Then the following three, you were missing.The only person you really seemed to spend any time with was Lindy Rae.I asked her where you were.She told me you’d left college.I got your address out of her, but when I arrived, the super at your building told me you’d left town.”
“It wasn’t just because of you, Nick.”
Maybe it was the dark, or maybe she was ready to talk about her life because for so long there had been no one to listen, but Poppy thought she wanted to tell Nick some of her story.
“My mom never recovered from my brother dying.Dad left us when I was young, and we didn’t see him again.She kind of derailed.A few nights after I overheard what you had said, she called me.She was leaving, and I needed to find somewhere else to go because she wasn’t paying rent on the place anymore.”
“What do you mean leaving?You were going, too, right?”Nick said.
“No, I wasn’t invited, and I didn’t know what to do, so I called Aunt Jenny.She booked a flight for me.I stayed with her until I was qualified and got work.”
“I bet it’s not that simple,” he said.
No.There was a whole lot of hurt and pain, but she’d dealt with it.
“My aunt Jenny is pretty special,” Poppy said.
“I know.We’re friends now.”
“Ha-ha.”
“And because of Malcolm Davy, you can’t live near her?”She could hear his anger.
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry that assface did this to you.”
She felt him move, and then she was looking up at him as he shifted above her.
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not, but it will be,” he vowed, and she almost believed him.
His lips took hers, soft and slow.It melted her bones.Poppy slid her good hand around his neck to hold him there.Being with Nick made her feel different.He took away the pain and fear, and she’d grab that, even if it was only brief.
“I enjoy kissing you, Poppy.”
“I like it too.”She whispered the words against his lips.
The kiss grew deeper, heavier, and then his hand was on her.Sliding under her shirt, one hot palm moved up her body, stroking, caressing every inch it encountered.
He eased back, but she noticed his hand stayed where it was flat on her stomach.“I don’t want to hurt you.”
She could hear the tension in his voice and feel the evidence of his arousal pressed into her side.
“You won’t,” Poppy whispered.
“Never again.”His thumb brushed her lips.
