Page 56 of Heartsick & Lipsticks
Questions whizzed around my brain like race cars on a track.
Why was he asking me that?
Did he want me to stay?
Why would he want me to stay?
Was Ri right about this dress being a ticket to Pound Town?
No. I quickly dismissed that thought. I needed to heed the words of Eminem and snap back to reality.
My words came out much breathier than I’d meant them to as I explained, “I don’t really have any reason to stay. I was working so—”
“Have you been up to the rooftop?” he interrupted my weak protest.
“The rooftop?” I repeated.
His gaze never left mine, and the intensity in his stare spread through me like a shot of whiskey, warming me from the inside out. “Yes, the rooftop.”
I shook my head. “No.”
“It’s beautiful. Will you come with me?”
“Don’t you need to be down here and…” I waved my hand at the hundreds of partygoers who he was hosting.
“No.” His voice dropped an octave.
My heart was beating in my throat as I looked up into his eyes. I kept telling myself that what I was feeling was one-sided and that there was no way that he could be feeling the same things that I was, but the look in his eye was making me feel like he was.
Life was a series of moments that passed without any real significance, but there were certain moments and certain decisions that, even before I made them, I knew would change everything. In that moment, I knew that if I said yes, there was a very good chance that everything was going to change.
I liked my life the way it was. I liked the predictability. I liked the routine. I liked the stability.
There was a little voice telling me that if I said yes, I was inviting something into my life that could very easily damage the delicate ecosystem I’d carefully curated. But that niggling worry wasn’t enough for me to fight against the magnetic pull of Nick Locke’s stare.
“Okay.”
Nick exhaled as he placed his hand on my lower back and guided me into a hallway that was fairly hidden from the main room. The dress was backless, and the heat from his large palm touching my skin radiated through my body as we walked. I couldn’t remember the last time a man had touched me like that. I told myself that was the reason I was trembling.
We stopped in front of an elevator, and I told myself to breathe. The energy between us was suffocating in its intensity. I had to mentally remind myself to inhale and exhale so I wouldn’t pass out from holding my breath.
His tattoos peeked out from beneath the cuff of his shirt as he pressed the button but kept one hand on my lower back. There was something so innately sexy about a man in a tux with tattoos. Just like gray sweats season, I’d never known it was a kink of mine, but Nick was unearthing desires and preferences I’d never known I had.
“I hope you don’t mind me saying that you lookbeautifultonight.”
His words and gravelly tone ricocheted through me. My legs were already having a difficult time holding me up and now my knees had turned into wet noodles as the doors of the elevator opened.
“Thank you.” I didn’t dare look up at him and make eye contact. I feared if I did, I’d either fall into a sloppy heap of hormones or combust from the heat of the flames his touch had ignited in me. Keeping my gaze ahead, I stepped onto the elevator. “And thank you for sending the dresses. You didn’t have to do that.”
“It was my pleasure.”
Pleasure. Hearing him say that word caused my mouth to water and my pulse to race. We were silent on the ride up, and I did my best to ignore my heartbeat hammering in my chest. It was so loud in my head that I wondered if he could hear it standing beside me.
When we stepped out onto the rooftop, I welcomed the chilly, fresh night air. Being in a confined space with Nick caused me to overheat. His hand never left my back as he guided me to the viewing area. I looked out over the bridge and reminded myself that this was not a date. I was working.
“Can I ask you something?”
I could barely hear his question over the rushing sound of my breathing and heartbeat in my head. Instead of speaking, I responded with a nod.
