Chapter Seven

“I know. And that’s why you can’t shut down on her now.” Will’s voice had an edge that hadn’t been there before. “You hear me, Nick? That woman is on her way up here right now because she loves you and wants to be here for you. If you refuse to let her in here, or refuse to talk to her, she’s going to think that you need some space and she’ll put up with it… for a while. But after a few days, maybe a few weeks? Mia’s going to feel like you don’t trust her and don’t want her around, but she’ll probably still stick it out for a few months. Maybe a year. Then she’ll finally have had enough, and she’ll go and leave you… and she’ll hate herself for it forever.”

“I know.” Nick’s throat was tight at the thought of hurting Mia that badly yet again. “She’d feel like she abandoned me while I was in pain, even though I'd have left first, by checking out emotionally.”

“Exactly.” Will reached for Nick’s hand now, and Nick almost slid off the bed in surprise. His father never touched him, and now here he was, holding his hand in broad daylight. “Don’t let it happen, Nick. Promise me.”

“I promise,” Nick said, his voice breaking a bit.

“Good.” Will gave his hand a squeeze, then withdrew it. “You hold her close, son. You need her to get through this. I know what I’m talking about, so just trust me, alright? You need her.”

“I know,” Nick said again, just as the door flew open. “I know I do.”

Both men turned and sure enough, Mia was standing there. Her chestnut-brown hair sparkled warm blonde and a bit red in the summer sun, and it fell around her face in disheveled waves. She was panting – clearly she’d dashed at breakneck speed from the cafeteria – and her face was pink.

Right away, Nick flashed back to all the times that she’d come for him, moaning his name so damn sweetly, writhing under his possessive touch: she always looked like this then. Messy hair, gasping for breath, lips parted and cheeks flushed.

She’d never looked more beautiful to him than she did in this moment, though.

“Nick,” she said between gulps of air. “You’re awake.”

Quick as a blink, Will was on his feet and squeezing past her.

“I’ll let you two have some privacy,” he said. “Let us know when you want more visitors, Nick.”

Nick nodded, but he didn’t take his eyes off Mia for even one second. As soon as his Dad shut the door, Mia stepped forward. Then – hesitant if he wanted her close, if he needed some distance after what had just happened to him – she paused.

“How are you, babe?” she said, knowing even as she asked that it was a damn stupid question.

Holding her eyes the whole time, Nick stretched out his hand to her, and she came. She reached the bed, and then – without uttering a single word – he tugged her down. She fell hard and without any grace whatsoever, and she fell right on top of Nick. She gasped, terrified about hurting him. Her hands were braced on his broad chest and she pushed against all that strength and heat, trying to put some space between them.

“Nick!” She struggled to stand up again, but he wrapped his muscled arm around her waist and held her in place. “Careful! I’m going to jostle you…”

“It’s fine,” he whispered. “C’mere, Mia. I want to hold you.”

“But…”

“No ‘buts’, angel. Please.” His gray eyes were heartbreakingly tender as he looked up at her from his reclined position, his blond hair so dark against the white pillow case. “I need to hold you.”

Hearing it in his voice, Mia stopped trying to pull away. Nick – her sweet, strong Nick – never showed much emotion. Oh, he was affectionate and gentle out of bed; in bed, he was passionate and generous and sexy as sin. When his life was going well, he told her he loved her, he told her that she was beautiful, he told her that she was his everything.

But as soon as his life hit a bump and veered off-course, Nick shut down.

Never in her entire time on earth had she met a man who needed control the way that he did. From the very beginning, Mia had thought him focused, disciplined, almost overwhelmingly physical. She loved those things about him, loved them desperately… but she couldn’t kid herself that in times of crisis, those things reached a tipping point in the man that she adored. And when they did, he drew back in and on himself. He just shut down and shut the world out, and he grappled with whatever it was until he had beaten it down into the dirt.

And when he did, he shut her out. Each and every time.

This time, though… this time, Nick was open. He was vulnerable. He was needy.

He needed her. And damned if she was going to deny him what he needed.

Without another murmur of protest, Mia sank down on him. She turned her face into his corded neck, felt those incredible arms wrap around her entire body. It felt damn good, but what happened next felt even better: Nick gave a shuddering sigh, shut his eyes, and buried his face against her throat.

In that single act, he gave over to her – just gave over completely, and she knew it.