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Chapter Ten

“Hi honey, I’m home,” I called.

“Hey babe.”

Nick walked out of the living room, bouncing Brooklyn as he walked. She was still wearing her hand mitts, her arms were waving around angrily in an attempt to dislodge them.

“How’s the little hyena?”

“She’s a little scary when she’s bottled full of quiet anger.”

I laughed and kissed the top of her hair. I looked up at Nick and felt myself relax.

I couldn’t remember a moment since Nick and I met where I had been uncomfortable around him. Even when I was angry at him for punching Hunter’s lights out, I still loved him because he did it for me. He leaned down and gave me a kiss.

“How are Bri and Leighanne?” he asked.

“Good. Leighanne’s very pregnant.”

Nick laughed. “Good, hopefully little Littrell will have as big of pipes as this one.”

“They can cry a duet,” I said. Nick laughed.

We headed into the living room. I sank down in the recliner. Nick set Brooklyn on her play mat and came up behind me. I felt his hands on my shoulders; he started to massage in slow circles. My eyes closed. I felt him lean closer to me.

“Liv?”

“Mmmm?” I was lost in a trance from the rubbing.

“What happened to your hair?”

My eyes flew open.

“Oh that.”

“Yes, that.”

“It’s a funny story.”

His hands stopped rubbing.

“A funny story?”

“I’ll tell you. Just don’t stop rubbing.”

He started back up again; albeit reluctantly. I launched into an abbreviated version of the dress story without the information about the Spanx, the prayers to God, and the fact that I couldn’t really breathe in it. When I got to the point about being yanked backwards by my hair, Nick stopped rubbing.

“Someone yanked you by the hair?”

“She went berserk and started yelling that I had her dress.”

“So what did you do?”

“I grabbed her wrist and yanked with all my might.”

Nick started to laugh. I tilted my head up and looked at him. His face was creased into a smile.

“I would have paid money to see that,” he admitted. I rolled my eyes.

“Well, anyhow, long story short, Leighanne grabbed the dress and the clerk came up. While she was asking what happened, I disappeared, swiped my card as fast as possible and we got out of there.”

“You know, you and Leighanne are quickly becoming like a Lucy and Ethel. You just stumble into trouble.”

I laughed. “That makes you Ricky Ricardo.”

“Want to bang my bongos around?”

I snorted. “You’re so lame.”

“Hey!”

He started to massage my shoulders again. I figured while he was in a good mood I probably should tell him by Hunter.

“By the way,” I said. “I kind of had a run-in at the airport.”

“A run-in?”

I nodded.

“Hunter.”

He stopped rubbing. I felt him lean over. He looked right at me.

“What type of run-in with Hunter?”

“He grabbed my purse and started rummaging through it.”

“Security didn’t stop him?”

I shook my head. “No, but it’s funny. That voodoo doll you bought me fell out and I stepped on it. Hunter grabbed his knee and started hollering. I took my purse and ran off.”

Nick didn’t seem to find it funny.

“We’re getting a restraining order,” he said in a controlled voice.

“I think he might have been heading back to Wisconsin,” I said. He shook his head.

“I don’t care. I don’t want him anywhere near us. It’s not just you I’m worried about.”

I followed his gaze to Brooklyn. She had given up her fight and was sleeping on her play mat. He had a point.

“You’re right. I’ll call the lawyer tomorrow morning.”

Nick smiled and gave me an upside down Spidey kiss. Before he could pull away, I wrapped my arms around the back of his head.

“Does this mean I’m getting lucky tonight?” he whispered. I smiled and nodded. His eyes sparkled. I let go of him so he could stand back up. He walked over and crouched down next to Brooklyn.

“I’ll put her to bed,” he whispered.

“I’ll slip into something more comfortable,” I suggested. I ran up the stairs. Between the running and the physicality of sex, I concluded that I should meet my exercise requirements for the day. Right?

I pulled back the covers and opted for candles instead of lamps. I tore off my shirt and jeans and rooted around the closet for some lingerie. I heard Nick head into Brooklyn’s room and the soft sounds of him singing a lullaby. I wiggled into a red lacy number that I hadn’t worn before.

As I walked into the bathroom to see for myself how bad my hair was, I heard Brooklyn begin to cry. I almost did the same when I turned around with a hand mirror and saw the small patch of baldness. I had never considered extensions before, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to be a bald bride. I was even more upset as I ran a comb through and a few more hairs fell out. She seemed to have loosened my entire scalp.

I brushed my teeth and still Brooklyn cried. I applied some perfume and still she cried.

“Do you need any help?” I called out as I walked towards the bed.

“No, I’m good! Just continue getting ready!” Nick called. With a smile I ran my hand over our sheets. I lay down and tried a couple “sexy” poses. Brooklyn’s cries quieted, but still Nick didn’t come in the room.

My head sank down into my pillow. The aromatherapy candles made the whole room seem like a huge bubble of relaxation. The air conditioner kicked on; any mugginess in the room disappeared.

And I fell asleep.

I never heard Nick come into the room. I can imagine that his face looked a lot like a child who learned that there really wasn’t a Santa Claus. There I was, my sexy pose completely lost, my boobs spilling out of the lingerie, my mouth open and fast asleep. And there was Nick, who had worked so hard to get his daughter to sleep and yet faced with a night of absolutely no nookie.

I woke up in the middle of night in absolute confusion. The candles were extinguished and Nick’s warm body was pressed against mine, but he was snoring softly. My eyes went to the clock. It was three thirty in the morning.

As Brooklyn’s cries became shriller, I realized she was the reason for waking up. I slid out of bed and padded into her room. I let the light from the hallway be my guide. I scooped her up and made the natural ‘shhhhh’ sounds.

After a diaper change I settled into the rocking chair for a feeding. I felt grateful as I watched her eyes close.

“You and I have something in common tonight,” I whispered. “We both fell asleep during something important.”

I placed her back in her crib and stood and watched her for several moments. She had grown so much. I loved the way her mouth made sucking movements even as she slept; the way she liked to tuck her legs like a frog, and the way her hands rolled into little mitted fists.

It was good to be a mommy.

With that happy thought in my mind I walked back into our room. Nick opened an eye and watched as I made my way back to the bed.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I---“

I didn’t get a chance to explain why I was sorry. The words got lost in my throat as Nick hovered over me and kissed me hard. I’ve never stopped to analyze Nick’s kisses, but I knew that his kisses were like no other. Hunter was always a sloppy, wam-bam-thank-you-ma’am lover. Nick was the complete opposite. His kisses were slow and supple; I loved the feel of his tongue running along my teeth before probing the depths of my mouth. Even when he pulled away to start nipping and licking through the lace on my bodice, I felt the tingle on my lips.

“Don’t nip to hard,” I gasped as my hands ran through his hair. He looked up at me with a smile. I felt his hand dip between my legs.

“What about this?” he whispered. I moaned louder. His eyes sparkled mischievously as his fingers moved. “Or this?”

“Sweet Jesus,” I cried, throwing my head back. He worked quickly and with a mission. Stars exploded in my eyes as I felt my body shudder with sweet release. He leaned back, smiling proudly at his handy work.

The sight of him smiling triggered something in me. I sat up and pushed him sideways. He did a quick roll and landed on his back with a little ‘umpf.’ My hands pressed down on his abs as I swung my leg over him. His hands reached out for me, but I pulled them back over his head.

“My turn,” I said huskily. I kissed him softly and began to work my way down his body. His erection pressed into me as I lavished my way down the hard muscular plane of his stomach and down lower. It was his turn to moan and my hand wrapped around him.

“Not too hard,” he said. I smirked.

“What about this?” I taunted. His eyes widened, his mouth opened to release a strangled sound. “Or this?”

I felt his strong calf press against my behind as I worked my magic. His hands darted towards me again, but I scooted back against his leg. His sigh in frustration.

“What’s a matter?” I teased. My head lowered, my lips parted. I felt his entire body tense up.

“You’re killing me,” he said huskily. As my lips touched him, the only sound I heard was the sound of his breathing coming faster.

He didn’t make it more than a minute before I felt him reach down and touch me. We wrestled playfully along the mattress, ended up diagonally along the bed. I drew his bottom lip into my mouth as his hands ran along my legs.

It might sound saccharine, but every time felt like the first time all over again. I could still picture us at the condo in L.A. on the beach blanket and the way Nick carried me up the stairs. I remember my heart beating as we undressed and the feeling of our skin making contact everywhere.

“Livvy,” Nick murmured into my neck. I loved the sound of my name on his lips. I felt…complete.

I had all that I ever needed in this house.

-----------------------------------------------

Nick and I were still up as the sun rose in the sky. I traced hearts along his chest.

“Will you still love me when I’m old and wrinkly?” he asked. I laughed.

“I’d love you even if you were bald and ate prunes all day and had to soak your teeth in a glass at night.”

It was his turn to laugh. “I never thought I’d meet someone like you.”

I looked at him in surprise. “Nick…”

He shook his head. “I’ve met a lot of girls, but no one like you.”

I closed my eyes; his words were like warm cleansing water.

“Well,” I snuggled up even closer, wrapping my arms around him.

“You’re stuck with me.”

His head rested on my own. My eyes fluttered closed.

We slept for about two hours. Our living, breathing alarm clock woke us up with hungry cries. I groaned; I didn’t want to leave my warm little love nest.

“You want me to get her?” Nick asked groggily.

“No,” I whispered. “She’s hungry.”

I threw on my old robe and went to tend to Brooklyn. As she ate, I closed my eyes again.

My thoughts went back to my wedding dress. I had a feeling I needed to camp out at mom’s house today. I wouldn’t rest easy until I saw the UPS guy holding that big box.

I had risked a chunk of my hair for that dress.

The least it could do was arrive properly on time.