Shutting off the light, he wrapped her in his arms, and pulled the comforter over them. She listened to his heartbeat slow down as he drifted off to sleep.
She’d never experienced this all-consuming passion before. And she sensed deep down that Nico might be the only man on the planet who could give it to her.
CHAPTER7
BROOKE
Sunlight streamed in from a crack in the vertical blinds. The sounds of traffic and car horns forced Brooke awake. She glanced around Nico’s small bedroom and found her dress and undergarments folded on a desk chair. Tingles from last night still clung to her skin. Sultry images rushed through her head in rapid succession, each one more vivid than the next.
Strong arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace. Nico’s warm breath fanned her neck, and her heart squeezed. She could get used to waking up like this. She wanted to stay here all morning in this cocoon. But she couldn’t because whatever they started wouldn’t last.
In the light of day, her head spun. She’d broken every one of her own rules. She’d slept with Nico on the first date. Granted, the sex had been out of this world. But it was so unlike her to get down and dirty this fast. She craved order, and right now, everything felt out of control.
She’d lectured all of her clients about the dangers of leading with sex. She drummed it into their heads for a reason. Oxytocin and endorphins get released, which leads to intimacy, a sense of false expectations, and disappointment in big fat spades.Shit, shit, shit.
Self-preservation kicked in and jolted her out of her sex-muddled brain. “I need to get out of here,” she muttered and untangled herself from Nico’s strong arms.
Glancing at him over her shoulder, he turned onto his back, and threw his arm over his head. Delicious scruff darkened his cheeks and jaw. She sighed deep, taking in his thick lashes and messy hair. If only she could stay here and make love to him again, wake him up in the most sensual way. He’d already ruined her for all other men by being sweet, romantic, and scorching-hot in bed.
How bad would it hurt when he forgot all about her? At least this time she’d be the one to end things before she let them go any further. After she reached for her bra, she slipped it on and then stepped into her dress, sans underwear.
Before she could contemplate the situation any further, she grabbed her heels and her purse, wishing she didn’t have to do the walk of shame out of his building. She prayed she didn’t bump into anyone she knew, especially a client.
Pulling out her cell, she ordered an Uber. She grabbed one of her cards and a pen to leave a note. She turned it over and wrote the first thing that came to mind.
Thx for last night. It was fun. B.
How lame. She inwardly cringed. She set the card on the pillow and pushed a stray hair off Nico’s forehead. Her chest tightened as she stared at his sleeping form, committing every gorgeous detail to memory.
A wave of sadness washed over her as she tiptoed out of the bedroom and walked out the door. Deep down, she knew it was for the best.
* * *
“Hold on. Let me get this straight. Nico closed his restaurant for you on a Saturday night, cooked you dinner, got you roses, and gave you multiple orgasms?” Gillian stood behind the register, closing it out for the day. She looked up and stared at Brooke like she’d grown another head. “And you just left without saying goodbye?”
Fortunately, the shop was empty, or their customers would've gotten an earful. Brooke grabbed the keys off the hook and began locking the crystal cases. They decided to close early for a coven meeting back at the manor to discuss preparation for the upcoming Founder’s Festival.
“Yup, I’d say that about sums it up. The more entangled I get, the worse it will be when he leaves me.” Brooke needed to protect her heart, but at what cost? She hadn’t stopped to consider Nico’s feelings in all this. “What I did was selfish. I instantly regretted leaving the moment I walked out the door.”
“I can only imagine the sex being combustible from the way you two looked at each other,” Saje chimed in, walking through the store picking up empty Dixie cups that had been filled with their daily potion. “You’re going to end things before you even give Nico a chance?”
Ignoring his calls and texts had been a shitty thing to do. Guilt sat in her stomach like a brick. She’d call him eventually and apologize when the heat between them died down. Then she thought about what she’d say when she did call. Something along the lines of, “I’m a coward,” or “I’ve been cursed,” didn’t seem apropos. Every time she thought about him, sensual images flooded her mind. She’d never been experimental in bed, but he made her want to try everything by being a generous, passionate, hot-blooded lover. He’d given her the best sex of her life. “Nico will move on.” And she’d be left broken hearted.
“You don’t know that for sure.” Gillian stacked up her tarot decks and tied them in a ribbon. For all her cousin’s headstrong ways, the Taurus in her wanted the best for Brooke.
“My seventh house has always been a complete shitshow. The curse has made sure of it. Let it be for now, Gillie, please.” Brooke tried to ignore the way her stomach twisted. She hated how she’d left things with Nico. She exhaled and picked up her phone off the counter, checking her calendar for her upcoming appointments, trying to stay busy.
Saje walked up to the counter and set down the tray of potion cups. “I’ve been doing some research and I may have come across a potion with an accompanying spell that we haven’t tried before.”
“I appreciate all you’ve done, Saje, believe me, but I don’t know if I have it in me to keep doing this.” How many more times could Brooke get her hopes up only to have them shattered again? “I don’t think I can take any more heartache.”
Gillian came up and pulled her into a hug. “You’ve got to believe things will change. If Saje could concoct a potion that managed to turn Garrett from a vampire into a human again, then anything’s possible.” Gillian and Garrett shared true love, full of mess and emotion, ups and downs, but they somehow endured.
Tears misted in Brooke’s eyes as she pulled back. What would it be like to dream about someday with a guy like Nico? “Good point. I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m being so emotional.”
“There’s no need to apologize.” Gillian squeezed her arm.
“Thanks, for always being there for me. I want you to know how much I appreciate the love and support.” Exhaling a breath, she pointed to the flier on the counter. “Have we come up with a theme yet for the Founder’s Day Festival?” Brooke asked, eager to change the subject.