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When Nick finally stepped back from Grace, he stared into her eyes for a moment and then looked around.  He noticed Petey standing there, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other in embarrassment.  He was holding a small bag.

“Hey, Petey!  How’s it going?”  Nick held out his hand. 

Petey reached out and shook it, transferring the bag to his other hand.  As much as he hated seeing Nick touch Grace, Petey was complimented that Nick remembered his name and acknowledged his presence.  He held up the bag and Grace took it, bestowing a beautiful smile on him.

“Remember,” she said, “Chick flick.” 

Petey wrinkled his nose in distaste. 

“Am I right?”  Grace turned to Nick and explained the conversation they had had earlier. 

Nick looked at Petey over the top of Grace’s head.  “She’s right,” he said, shaking his head in disgust.  “It works.”  Both Nick and Petey rolled their eyes.  It was a real ‘guy’ moment. 

“Well, I gotta go,” said Petey.  “Bye, Ms. Barrett.  Bye…”  He hesitated over the name.

“Nick. Call me Nick.”

"Bye, Nick."  Petey floated down the street.  He had just gotten dating advice from Nick Carter.  Omigod!  Who would believe that?

Nick turned to Grace.  The temptation to kiss her again was very strong, but he figured he had pushed his luck in public long enough.  "I brought back your hat," he said.  "You left it on the boat."

"I'm always leaving stuff with you," she laughed.  "I left my purse in your car the day we met...twice!!  And now the hat."

Nick reached out and ran his finger down her jaw line.  "My grandma would say it's a way of making me come back."

Grace smiled up at him.  "She could be right.  I better buy more stuff."

Nick got the hat from his car and then hurried over to hold the door open for her.  As they made their way to the elevator, Grace waved the little bag at Gary and said, “See.  I didn’t need the wagon after all.” 

Gary waved back and then looked at Nick.  He tipped his chin up defiantly.  Nick realized that Gary had known all along where Grace was, but wouldn’t tell him.  Nick didn’t have a problem with that.  It would have been unprofessional of Gary to give out information like that.  Nick lived in a high-security world and he understood it, but he wasn’t sure that professionalism had been Gary’s only motivation.  He seemed too pleased with himself for that.  Oh well, he shrugged mentally.  Taking care of Grace seemed to be a neighborhood habit. 

“Are you hungry?” asked Grace.  She was emboldened by the kiss to believe that he would not linger by the door in embarrassment today, but would come right in.  She was not wrong.  Nick closed the door behind him and looked around for a place to put the hat.  Grace pointed to a row of pegs on the wall by the door.

"I'm always ready to eat, if you're hungry.  But I'm not starving.  We had a big lunch," he answered, looking around.  Man, he loved this apartment.

Grace would have torn out her tongue before she asked him who 'we' was, but it was the word that stood out the most.  She set the bag on the counter and turned to find him standing right behind her. He took the crutches from her and lifted her onto the stool.

“I would like a little more of this, though.”  Nick lowered his head to hers and kissed her very sweetly.  The only part of them that was touching was their lips and it electrified her entire body.  Grace reached a hand out to his arm to steady herself.  Her head was whirling and she thought falling off the stool might not be the most glamorous reaction.

Nick stepped away and looked at her, cocking his head to one side.  “Mmmm…that just became the best part of my day.”  She smiled back, hoping no comment from her was called for.  She didn’t think she could formulate words yet. 

Finally, she said, “Your nose is red.”  Omigod, Grace, she told herself.  What a romantic thing to say.  He’ll be totally bowled over by that.

Nick touched his nose.  “I was out on the boat.  I guess I didn’t have enough sunscreen on.”  He looked around.  “Am I keeping you from something?  Are you busy tonight?”  Grace shook her head.  Nick continued, “Well, maybe I could hang out here with you, watch a movie or something…”  His voice trailed off and he gestured vaguely at the television.

“I’d like that,” replied Grace.  “What kind of movie do you want to watch?”

“Well, after the advice we gave Petey, I’d have to say some kind of…”  Nick paused and wrinkled his nose.  “…romantic comedy?”  He finished the sentence on a questioning note.

Grace laughed.  "Well, I guess that depends on whether you are trying to impress a girl.  Are you?"

"Yes, I am.  Very much."  And he lowered his mouth to hers again.

This time, Grace slipped her arms up around his neck.  Nick put his hands on her waist and pulled her off the stool and up against him.  Then he ran his hands over her back.  She could feel him responding and she backed slightly away.  He broke the kiss and looked down into her eyes.

“I know.  Slow down.  I know.”  He kissed her forehead and released her.  He went over to her TV cabinet which had a shelf of videos and DVDs and started looking at the titles.  “Hey, you’ve got quite a few action films here.  I didn’t think you’d be a fan.”

“I’m not.  Those are…” Grace hesitated.  She did not want to bring Matt’s name into the conversation.

“…Matt’s?”  Nick did it for her. 

Grace nodded. 

“Is everything okay there?” asked Nick.  “Have you seen him at all?”

Grace didn't know how to answer the question.  She had seen him all right... standing outside her building, yelling into his cell phone about a 'fucking Backstreet Boy', but she didn't think that was the question Nick was asking.  After a moment, she shook her head.  No, she hadn't seen him.

“I’m sorry.  That’s none of my business.  I shouldn’t have asked you that.”  Nick apologized.  It really wasn’t any of his business and he shouldn’t have asked.  But she lied.  He knew she lied.  It was written all over her face.  It’s still none of your business, he told himself.  “How about this?”  He held up Remember the Titans.

Grace grinned at him and nodded.  “That’s one of my favorites.  And I promise not to cry too hard at the ending.”

Nick laughed.  “Okay, deal.  And I promise too.”  He looked at the clock.  “Should we start the movie now?”

“No,” answered Grace, shaking her head.  “Since neither of us is hungry enough for dinner, why don’t we just put out some snacks and finger foods, and then we can watch the movie and graze.”

“Sounds good,” said Nick.  “Tell me what to do.”

“Put on some music,” instructed Grace, motioning to the stereo.  She grabbed one crutch and moved around the counter into the kitchen.

"Hey, you've got stuff by Pleather.  Where did you get it?  They don't have an album out yet."

Grace explained that she knew the guy who was doing their website.  They had given him a copy of it to get a feel for what they were about.  They were demo recordings.  He wasn't much into their music and had given it to Grace when he was done with it.

"I saw them last night.  At a club.  They were great."

Nick put on the music and joined her in the kitchen.  She told him what to get out of the fridge and the cupboards and they chopped and sliced and chatted.  Nick got down a platter and arranged pate and crackers, cheese and vegetables.  He took a long time over it and when he was done, it was a work of art.  Grace turned from where she was putting together a dip and exclaimed over it.  "Now look what you've done.  You've made it too beautiful to eat."

Nick looked over at the couch and then down at the platter and plates and napkins.  He went over and pulled a coffee table close to the couch.  Then he put all the food on it.  Grace watched him from the kitchen without interrupting.  He popped the movie into the player and put the remote on the table as well.  He looked at it all and then nodded in satisfaction.

He turned back to Grace.  "Drinks?"

"I'll have water.  What would you like?"

"I'll have beer," he said, going to the fridge.  "Don't you drink at all?"

"Not much," she said.  "Let's finish listening to the CD before we start the movie."

Nick agreed and they settled themselves on the couch.  It was long and low and comfortable.  Nick was a big man and he sometimes felt awkward on small furniture, like he was going to break it.  But this couch invited him in.  He stretched his long arms along the back of it.  Grace sat just within his reach and he played with her hair.

"I love your hair," he said.  "It's not curly-curly, but it's, I don't know, playful."

“Well, you wouldn’t like it if you had it,” she said.  “It’s easy to take care of – just wash and go – but this is pretty much all you can do with it.  You can’t change the style every five minutes like you can with yours.”  Grace reached over and smoothed his hair off his face.  Nick felt a stirring in his groin.  He sat forward and reached for some of the food.

They ate snacks and he told her about the club and the people that were there.  "That's who was on the boat today too.  Kevin and Kristin and Theresa.  Bri and Leigh came too."

"Wow!  You had a busy day.  I only had one thing on my to-do list and I never even got that done."

"What was that?" asked Nick, picking up a celery stick and smiling.  No vegetables had spelled out her name yet, but he felt that they were a sign anyway.

"Oh, it was a momentous job.  Having a shower!"  She laughed.

Nick tried to force his mind away from the picture of her naked and wet.  "Why didn't you do it?"

Grace looked at the window and a shadow crossed her face.  "Matt called..."

Nick sat back on the couch and picked up her hand.  "Tell me," he said.

So she did.  She didn't mention the 'fucking Backstreet Boy' bit, just the part about hearing the ambulance and looking out the window and seeing him.  "I don't know why, but it just unnerved me a little.  I felt too vulnerable to attempt a shower."

"Do you need me to talk to him?"  Nick was concerned for her, but also very happy to hear the explanation.  It meant that she hadn't really lied about not seeing Matt; she just had a different definition of 'seeing'.

"No," said Grace.  That was the last thing she needed.  "Just let it be.  He'll get over it in time.  I think he's just not used to...well, not being the one in charge...the one to make the decision."

"If you're sure."  Nick looked at her intently.

"I'm sure.  But thank you for offering."  She smiled at him. 

They both noticed at the same time that the music had ended.  Nick got up and turned off the stereo. When he sat back down, he reached for her and pulled her close so that she was leaning on his chest.  He flicked the remote and the movie started.  They watched in silence, enjoying the feel and smell of each other.  Occasionally he would brush his fingers across her face or she would run her hand over his chest.  When the movie was ending, Nick brushed a tear from his eye and looked down to see if Grace was crying too.  But she wasn't.  She was fast asleep.  Nick pulled the throw blanket off the back of the couch and spread it gently over her. He turned off the TV and leaned his head back.  He enjoyed the feeling of her in his arms.  He felt very protective of her.  It was a new feeling for him and he loved it.  Moments later, he was asleep too.