Page 69 of Nikolai
Up until now, if you’d asked him, he’d have described himself as a total badass.Tough as they come.Nothing scared him, he could survive anything.He ate nails for breakfast and shat bullets.
That kind of guy.
Instead, he’d fallen face first into Parker’s care like falling into a perfumed vat of flower petals.Oh man.
Parker hadn’t left his side.He had asked the nurses to put a cot in his room instead of having Parker sleep in an uncomfortable chair and they did.He’d encouraged this with a €200 tip, but that probably wasn’t necessary.It had been made clear to him that he could have what he wanted within reason and what he wanted was for Parker to be comfortable, since she refused to go home.
He’d dozed a lot, to his surprise.Just fell right asleep at odd times, only to wake up hours later with Parker right there, usually working on her laptop or reading something on her tablet.As soon as she realized he was awake, she’d put everything down and dedicate herself to making him comfortable.Nick had been wounded before, had had surgery before, but hadn’t had Parker by his side before.And man, did it make a difference.
She fussed over him, and instead of it irritating him because goddamit, he wastough,he…liked it.Liked her straightening out the bed because God forbid wrinkles in the sheets bother him, holding a glass of water, which she kept chilled in a cooler.Nick drew the line at being fed, but it was a temptation.
After two days of whining, Dr.Crowley finally let him go home.Or to Parker’s place, which was better than any home he’d ever had.Parker had a long list of questions about his care and took careful notes.
He’d woken up this morning feeling okay for the first time since he’d been shot, but leaving the hospital, being driven to Parker’s place, settling in—it had taxed him, though he’d never admit it.
Parker insisted he sit down on her couch, which was sinfully comfortable, with a very lightweight cotton blanket, and he’d fallen fast asleep.
Fuck.Alone with Parker for the first time since being shot, and he fell asleep.
He woke up and found her beside him, dozing, her head on his shoulder.
Yeah, she’d be exhausted.Sleeping for days on a cot in the hospital, always moving around to make him more comfortable.And though she hadn’t been shot or wounded, she’d lived through an earthquake, crawled through rubble and had killed a man.
Enough to make anyone tired.
Nick studied her face as she slept.She had dark circles under her eyes, new lines in her face, and was very pale.She’d never looked more beautiful to him.An extraordinary woman.And his.
Of that he was certain.
She was taking really good care of him.He was going to take really good care of her.
Her eyes opened unexpectedly, wide, tired, beautiful.She sat up, pushing her hair out of her eyes.“Hey,” she said.She looked him up and down and seemed satisfied.He hadn’t taken another bullet in the time she slept.He was on the mend.
“Hey back.”
Parker gave him a soft kiss and stood up.“How about we have dinner at the table, like civilized beings?You must be sick of eating off a tray in the hospital.”
“Oh yeah.”One thing about his Parker.She liked to live elegantly.Good thing she wasn’t a soldier out in the field, shitting in the woods like a bear.But the thing was, Nick loved that about her.Wherever she was, she created beautiful surroundings.Everything she touched became nicer.
Nick stood up on his own, but leaned on her a little as they made their way to the table.There were candles and pretty napkins and silver napkin rings.Soup in a china tureen—he’d learned the word from Parker—slices of sourdough bread, a small salad.No wine yet, but that would come.
Nick had spent a lot of time, a good portion of his life, in the badlands.Where there was no civilization, where it was dog eat dog and no beauty.He knew where he wanted to be.In Parker’s world.
She smiled as he pulled out her chair for her and tried to hide that he sat down heavily in his own chair.
Parker ladled bright yellow soup into his bowl.He leaned over and sniffed.“What’s this?”
“Carrot and ginger soup.Full of vitamins for a growing boy.”
He laughed and tasted it.It was, of course, delicious.As was the toasted sourdough bread drizzled with olive oil.
When Nick finished the soup and slice of bread, Parker touched his hand.“I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh yeah?Am I going to like it?”
“Very definitely.Now close your eyes.”
He closed his eyes obediently.
