Thirteen

I sat in the hallway for a while until my emotions got the better of me and tears began falling from my eyes. I was so frustrated. Frustrated that that puny little gross man had insulted me. Frustrated that Nick had stood up for me. Frustrated that I’d barely stuck up for myself. My body felt shaky and I felt like I was on the verge of a panic attack. I brushed away my tears and began walking toward the elevators figuring that AJ would be able to find me when the meeting was over, he always did.

As I stood at the elevator waiting for the doors to open I noticed someone approaching me out of the corner of my eye and I stared down at my camera in my hands, running my thumb back and forth over the sticker of AJ on the back. "Running away?"

I closed my eyes at the tone in his voice and was unable to hold back the tears that fell as my eyelids closed. "It’s what I do best…" I refused to look at him and feeling even more frustrated wiped at my tears. "Don’t you have a meeting to be in?"

I heard him sigh and he whispered, "Yeah…" He then turned and began walking away quietly.

"Shit… Nicky?" I turned to look at him and he’d stopped walking and faced me. I blinked out more tears much to my dismay and looked away from his eyes to my feet, "I’m sorry…" I choked on my words and he stepped to me and pulled me into a tight hug. I melted into his embrace and could feel his heart beating through his chest. "Thank you.  For standing up to him for me… I…" I looked up into Nick’s eyes and lost my words as he stared at me.

The doors of the elevator opened and Nick grabbed my hand in his, "Come on…" He pulled me into the small room and the doors closed us in, alone. As quickly as the doors closed and the elevator began falling toward the ground floor Nick had pulled my face to his with his hands and began kissing me. Not even attempting to stop him I parted my lips allowing him access to my mouth and let out a soft moan as his tongue met mine and slowly moved against it. Backing me up to the back wall of the elevator Nick pressed his body against mine and moved his mouth to my neck as I gasped for air.

His hands were all over my body and I was in heaven. "Oh god," I panted as his tongue worked magic on my neck behind my ear and his hands supported the weight of my breasts squeezing ever so gently. I used my hands to force him to look at me and we paused for a moment breathlessly staring into each other’s eyes. I ran my hands down the front of his body slowly and he licked his lips. I bit my lip at the sight and looped my fingers in his belt loops pulling him to me again as his mouth met mine and again he pressed the length of his body against me.

The elevator kept falling and I remember thinking that the doors were going to open and someone would find us, but I didn’t even care. All I knew were the feelings running through my body, and they were all that mattered. Nick lifted one of my legs and began grinding his body against mine and I threw my head back in pleasure. "I need you… So bad," he whispered in my ear before tugging on it with his teeth gently.

I ran my fingers through his messy hair and sucked on his neck, reveling in the sensation running through my body as his groin rubbed up mine. "Nick…" I whispered trying to get his attention. He groaned and licked at my neck causing me to gasp, "Nick… the elevator…" I moaned. "We’re… oh god…" I pushed at Nick just in time for the elevator doors to open. We jumped apart breathing heavily and began to laugh as absolutely no one was standing outside of the elevator and the doors closed again. I reached out and pressed the button for the floor that the meeting was on and looked at Nick all of a sudden feeling bashful about what had just happened.

I leaned against the wall of the elevator again and Nick slowly crossed the space between us and my heart nearly beat out of my chest. He brushed his fingertips over my cheek and looked into my eyes, "We need to talk."  I nodded and grabbed his hand holding it tight in mine. "I mean really talk… about everything."

"I know…" I said quietly and looked away from his eyes. He squeezed my hand and pulled me into another of his tight protective hugs kissing the top of my head as we climbed back up to the top of the building quietly. I found myself wishing that the elevator ride would last forever. That we could be there alone together and never worry about anything else. I longed to remain with our bodies pressed together like that, breathing in his wonderful scent, listening to him breathe in my ear.

Slowly though he pulled away from me as we neared our floor again and just before the doors opened he pressed his lips against mine carefully, slowly, beautifully. He squatted to retrieve my camera, which had been lowered to the floor in our moment of passion and handed it to me just as the elevator doors opened. Silently we walked from the elevator back toward the meeting room and once outside of the door I sat on a couch across the hall and Nick paused looking at me before reopening the meeting room door, "Soon..."

~~~~~

"All I’m asking is that you look at it…" AJ sighed as he pushed a contract across the couch at me.

"AJ…" I sighed running my hand over Jack’s soft fur.

"Baby, it won’t hurt to read it. I know that Richard is an ass… and I’m sorry that he did what he did to you. But this book, it could be a great opportunity for you."

I eyed the contract lying on the couch between us and then looked up at him, "I’m doing fine with my career, Age."

"I’m not saying that you’re not doing well, you know that… I’m just saying that this could be a really great thing. Think about it… you’d be doing all of the things that you love to do. You’d be taking pictures, and not manufactured photo shoots, but the real stuff. All of the candid shit that you love to catch on film. You’d be traveling around the world for a year, and you’d be hanging with me and the rest of the guys. This is perfect. Just read the contract? That’s all I ask. Read it before you say no."

I knew what AJ was saying was the truth. The book could be an amazing opportunity for my career, yet as much as I wanted to do it, I just wasn’t sure if I could. I didn’t know if I could handle all that time with the guys… all that time with Nick. I picked up the contract and ran my fingers over it before looking up to AJ’s eyes. "I’ll read it… but I’m not making any promises."

AJ nearly knocked me over with a hug, "Thank you!" He placed kisses all over my face and I giggled.

"Age…" I groaned.

"Oh, sorry…" he laughed as he sat back up and I shook my head laughing at him.  "So… you gunna read it now?" he asked with a grin.

I smiled slightly and looked at him, "Can I use one of your cars?"

"What for?"

"If I’m going to read this, and really think about it, I need to take my time and not be here with you waiting like a puppy dog to hear what I decide."

"Oh…" he replied quietly.  "Well yeah… take the convertible. Keys are on the hook in the kitchen."

I smiled and leaned across the couch and kissed him gently, "Thank you."

"No problem.  Meet me for dinner at seven?"

I smiled and nodded, "Yeah… our restaurant?"

"Yup," AJ grinned.

"Okay, see you then." I grabbed the contract, patted Jack and Vegas on their heads and waved to AJ as I grabbed the keys and my bag which held my camera and my purse then headed out of the door. I pulled my cell phone out as I backed out of the driveway and hesitated for a moment before dialing the number. I drove toward the highway as the phone rang and as it was answered I took a deep breath, "Hey it’s me… can I come over?"