“Kiss me, Nik.”
I dropped my lips to hers, covering her mouth and inhaling her. Our tongues danced, twirling in slow motion.
Damn, this woman was sheer perfection. I ran my hands up her back, pushing her into my body.
Sorry, Nana, but the promise I made you… I’m breaking it.
8
Rita
I SMILED AT elderly people while I sat across from Granny, who’d been shining brighter than the sun since we arrived at Palm Vista. She always looked this happy and beautiful when she was with Bea. It made me sad they couldn’t be together more often.
My phone chimed with a text—another one from Nik.
Granny and Bea glanced my way. I grimaced and put my phone on silent.
This was the third text he sent today. The man had been positively adorable in the last twenty-four hours. After we both confessed our feelings and made out in his bedroom, it was like a switch flipped with him. I was all he could think about. It was the same for me with him.
NeighborNik: Make it okay? How’s Nana?
Me: Yup. She’s perfect. Talks nonstop about you.
NeighborNik: I doubt that. I’m her little hellion grandson.
Me: You are quite the devil.
NeighborNik: In 5 days you’ll meet my devil.
Me: LOL You call it DEVIL?
NeighborNik: Fuck yeah. You’ll find out why. I wanna see you before work.
Me: K. How about 5?
NeighborNik: Perfect. See you then.
I put my phone down and exhaled. Four hours before I could see Nik was a lifetime away.
Yesterday after he visited Bea and took the lasagna I’d made to her, I met him at a park near our neighborhood and spent the afternoon with him. We’d found a quiet, semi-private spot under a tree and got cozy on a blanket I brought.
I had no idea Nik could be so sweet. He bought a small container of fruit and fed me grapes and strawberries and played with my hair while I yammered on about Toni and our high school years. Not once had he complained about me talking his ear off. He seemed totally content just being with me.
We kissed a lot too. It was glorious having a man find me irresistible. And no other woman had stolen his attention. He seemed to only have eyes for me.
The time spent with him, though short, was the best day of my life.
“What has you smiling over there, Rita?”
I lifted my head. Granny and Bea were staring at me with curious expressions. Crap!
“Just texting with Toni. You know how silly she can be. The girl makes me smile all the time.” I was going straight to hell for lying to them. I had to wonder how I had gotten to be so good at it.
“Thank you for the lasagna. It was delicious.”
I nearly choked on my spit. “Oh, you’re welcome, Bea.”
“Rita made you a lasagna? When?” Granny didn’t take her eyes off me.