Page 116 of Steeling Her
“Gage, stop trying to throw her off me just so you can have a shot.” Nick climbs over onto the boat. Once he’s steady, he allows me to follow him, holding both my hands to safely guide me onto the crystal clean boat.
“Why not? I’m better looking than your ugly ass,” he jokes, and I laugh into my hand at how casual their relationship is. It’s a playful one where Gage likes to annoy Nick. Gage is very good looking, but I like Nick better. I find Nick more attractive, and I really enjoy his personality. We click together better.
“Yeah . . . I’m the ugly one with a date.” Nick’s sarcasm makes Gage erupt beside us in a fit of laughter, his shoulders shaking from Nick’s dig at him.
“At least you admit it. So, Carter, where do you want to go on our date?” Gage asks me, and I can’t stop laughing at his jokes just to piss Nick off. It’s winding him up so bad because I can practically see the steam leaving Nick’s ears.
“Goodbye, Gage.” Nick pushes him to the side of the boat where we got on. I wave him goodbye as he straddles himself over the boat.
“Call me if you get bored, Carter, or if he crashes this baby into something and you need some mouth to mouth or something else that he might not be able to offer. I’m your man for that.” He points his thumb proudly at himself. I watch Nick growl and push him completely off the boat to make him leave. I press my lips together as I watch their playful jokes with one another.
“She wouldn’t touch your sorry ass anyway,” Nick grumbles as soon as he turns his back.
Gage mouths “Call me anytime, babe” with a wink at the end.
“Fuck off, Gage, I know you’re asking her to call you.” Nick comes over to me, the possessive side of him coming out like I’ve never seen before. He grabs my waist and pulls my body flush with him.
Placing a chaste kiss on my lips, I immediately like the way he’s treating me like a guy would treat a girl he likes. He’s making it known to his cousin that I’m not someone he should flirt with, but I know he’s just doing it to wind Nick up. I know he’s only poking him for fun and isn’t serious about it.
“Bye, beautiful. Bye, Carter.” I chuckle into Nick’s chest while he laughs too. Gage blows him a kiss and walks away from us, but not without shouting, “You must give a good lick out if she’s staying with you, bro! I give much better ones though, Carter. Nick has my number if you want find out!” And runs away because Nick jerks forward threateningly.
“That fucking dickhead,” Nick mumbles beside me. I stroke his arms up and down to gain his focus back on the date. “I’m unfortunately related to that.” He sighs once he’s face to face with me again.
“He’s nice,” I tell him and wrap my arms around his waist. I ease my chin on his chest as I look up at him. “But I like you better.” That makes him smile. He leans down and kisses my head. The feeling of his smile on my skin makes me shut my eyes. This is absolutely my most favorite thing he does with me. I love when he kisses my forehead. I feel so safe when he does that.
“He’s still a little asshole,” he mumbles as he steps back. “An asshole that flirts with my date.” He rolls his eyes and takes my hands. “You sit here.” He guides me over to a seat where he’ll steer the boat.
I sit down, but he lifts me back up and places me on his lap. I smile over my shoulder at him while he starts up the engine. He kisses my cheek and I lean back into his chest while he steers the boat out onto what looks like a lake. If we travel further south, which we didn’t, we’d be at the ocean.
The wind blows through my hair as I shift it over to the other side, clear from Nick’s face isn’t so he doesn’t choke on my hair. Once I do that, I feel a warm set of lips meet my shoulder. I snap my head around from the gentle touch to see him kissing my shoulder. Watching a smile meet my skin, I can’t help but do the same.
Everything he does feels so good. His lips start to wander up higher along my shoulder blade, kissing every part he comes into contact with, until he gets to my neck. He begins to lightly nip on my skin. I feel a moan rise up my throat, and I try to swallow it down as much as I can. I jump up away from him and he smacks his head.
He looks at me apologetically as he rubs his head. “I’m sorry, Carter. I didn’t mean to keep going with you. I got carried away.” I stand on the boat’s deck as he stares down at his feet. I feel bad for making him feel bad.
“Hey, Nick, it’s fine.” I crouch down to get him to look at me. “I’m just not ready for that yet,” I tell him truthfully.
“I know, I didn’t mean to push it. I just couldn’t stop myself.” I feel my heart drop with the look of disappointment in his eyes. He’s so annoyed with himself, I can see it.
“I know, and it’s fine. I don’t think either of us are really ready for that . . . Well, maybe it’s just me. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I don’t want this to ruin the mood. I’m really enjoying this date, and I would like it to continue.” I reassure him, unsure if he wants to call it quits and let him go off and calm himself down. I know it’s probably been a while with him and his history tells me he had many options. So, he’s probably craving it right now. I understand. Guys have needs.
“We’re not going anywhere; this date is happening. It hasn’t ruined the mood, but could I ask you something? Please don’t take offence to it.” He lifts his head once I rise to my feet and shake my head, letting him know it’s alright to ask me things. “Would you mind if you sat there?” Nick points to the seat next to him. I smile and sit right next to him. “I’m just hard as I rock right now from the sound you made.” He starts the boat up again. I blush, knowing that I whimpered. I thought I didn’t but I guess I did.
Dammit, no wonder he kept going.
I sit on the seat, quietly watching the water drift by us. The smell of the lake and the hum of the engine from the boat fills my senses. Then we stop out on the water in the middle of nowhere and I start to look around, admiring the lights above us against the night sky.
“This is really sweet of you, Nick. Thank you. I love this boat,” I express my thoughts about it so far. I’m really enjoying myself. I will always enjoy myself when I’m with him. I’m comfortable being around him, but nobody has gone through so much trouble for a date with me.
“Come with me.” He opens his palm in front of me, asking me to take it. I slip my hand along his and clasp on to it. He pulls me up and we start to tread to the back of the boat. On the left side is a table. I slip into the booth type seat and he sits next to me. Pouring each of us a glass of water, he says, “I have to drive you back home, so I’m not drinking, but if you want, I can pour you one?” he suggests and I shake my head.
“Oh no, water is perfect. I’m not much of a drinker anyway, but thank you.” I reject the offer. I’m not one for drinking. I enjoy the odd glass here and there, but I don’t want to drink alone tonight.
“I know you’re not, but it’s there if you want just one.” He rests his arm on the back of the seat and pulls a fluffy black blanket over us both while we look up at the lights and stars together. “I have dinner pre-made for us too. When we’re done relaxing, I’ll check on it in the oven. I hope to God Gage didn’t fuck it up.” He sighs and leans his head back, closing his eyes.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Nick,” I reply sheepishly. It’s very cute how much effort he’s put into this night. I’m so flattered by it all.
“I just want this to be perfect,” he whispers to himself.
