Page 48 of This Time I'm Keeping You
He turned the handle and found it locked.
“Poppy, unlock the door.”
Silence.
“You have to come out at some stage, so it may as well be now.”
“I’m dressing!”
“Can I watch?”He heard her gasp.“Just open the damn door.I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I’m not discussing it through wood.”There was more silence, so he started hammering his fist on the door.
Coming from a large family taught you a few things: persistence and how to be annoying when required.On the fifth thud, he heard the lock click and the door open.
“Stop that!Your family will hear,” she hissed.“Or have they gone?”She looked hopeful now.
“Mom’s cooking breakfast for you,” Nick said, running his eyes over the fluffy blue sweater she wore teamed with jeans.Placing a hand on her shoulder, he nudged her back a few steps and then used his heel to shut the door.
“Don’t push me, and I don’t want to have breakfast.I’m packed and will be leaving.”Her words came out louder than needed, but he guessed that was because she wanted to convince him she was serious.
“Mom would be hurt if you left before eating it… even if I let you leave.”
She slapped the hand that was still on her shoulder.He didn’t remove it, instead sliding it around her back to pull her in close.
“Now you need to listen to me, Tinker Bell, and make sure you understand what I’m saying.”
“No,” she snapped back.
“You need to stop fighting me and understand I’m in your corner.You need to know I’m not going anywhere, and it’s my choice, and the choice of my family, who I cannot control no matter how much I wished I could sometimes.”
“You’re lucky to have them.”The words had a whole lot of longing in them he would unpack another time.
She looked up at him.Nick could lose himself in Poppy’s eyes.She made him feel things.He wanted to slay her demons and make her feel safe.
“I know that, Poppy.I love them and count my blessings daily that I was born into my family, but sometimes the thought of solitude?—”
“Until you’ve lived with solitude, don’t wish for it.”
He cupped her cheek.“I’m sorry you’ve lived alone, Poppy.Sorry that asshole forced you to avoid people.”
“I didn’t avoid people.”
He left that alone.“You are not leaving, and I am helping you through this.Get used to it,” Nick said
“You don’t?—”
Nick kissed her to shut her up, and then he kept right on kissing because she tasted like sin, and that was one of his favorite flavors.
Chapter19
Poppy sat in the corner of Nick’s sofa, legs outstretched, with her laptop.He was down at the other end with his feet propped on the coffee table.She was sure it was a scene playing out all over the world right then, but the other people cared or loved each other.
They were not those people.This was due to necessity.
Four days had passed since Malcolm Davy turned her house upside down, and Nick had not left her alone once.He was keeping her safe, and she was getting used to that and being with him.The thought terrified and excited her.
