Chapter 165
Veronica looked around as they pulled into the driveway of a house hidden of a side road in the middle of nowhere it seemed. She looked over at Nick who was staring at the house in determination.
“Nick? Where are we?”
“C’mon and I’ll show you,” he answered, slipping out grabbing the bag he’d brought and then hurrying around to her side to open the door.
Veronica slid out, grabbing her bag along the way. Her eyes widening when Nick took her hand and started to lead her behind the house. She wondered what was going on, it was getting late and the sun was starting to set.
“Ok, close your eyes,” Nick said suddenly.
“Close my eyes? Why?”
“It’s a surprise, c’mon, close em,” he smiled, covering her eyes with his hand.
Veronica closed her eyes and allowed him to lead her to their destination.
“Alright…stop. Ok, open your eyes.”
She blinked her eyes open, her jaw dropping. Behind the house was a beach, there was no one else around. She looked over at Nick who took her hand and pulled her forward.
“What’s going on?”
“We’re at a friend of mine’s house, this is his private beach,” Nick explained.
Veronica followed along and gasped softly as they stopped by a blanket that had been laid out. Tiki torches were stuck in the sand around the area, next to the blanket was a portable stereo and a picnic basket.
“So…what’s…I mean, what are we doing here then?”
Nick looked over at her suddenly, “I’m giving you your fantasy.”
Veronica looked over at him quickly, “What?”
“Your fantasy, I’m giving it to you.”
She looked over at the blanket then at the water, it suddenly hitting her.
“Nick, you didn’t have to do this.”
“I know, but I wanted to, I wanted you to have this.”
She shook her head, “I told you, fantasies aren’t supposed to come true.”
“This one will, mine have, why shouldn’t yours?”
Veronica looked over at the blanket and sighed heavily.
“C’mon, sit down,” Nick tugged on her hand and sat on the blanket, turning the radio on.
Slowly she sat, looking around.
“This is perfect Nick I mean…,” she looked around at everything then at him. “It’s really perfect.”
“Well almost, not quite.”
She frowned in confusion, before grabbing her purse and digging inside for what she’d purchased that afternoon.
“Here, I got you something,” she held out the bag.
“Aww sweetie, you didn’t have to get anything for me,” Nick smiled.
“Well think of it as a late Vday gift.”
Nick chuckled, opening the bag he reached in, he pulling a box out.
“This is going to sound so fanish, but…I remember you saying it was one of your favorites and I love the smell, it’s one of my favorites and so…whenever there was a guy I liked, I’d buy him that or if it was his birthday…I can’t help it, I have a weakness.”
“Gravity huh? God I haven’t worn this in forever, I loved this cologne,” he laughed softly.
“There’s nothing like being in an area where a guy just was that had cologne on, man,” Veronica sighed.
Nick looked over at a moment, “You said you’d always get it for guys you liked, so you like me huh?
She could feel herself blushing, “Well yeah, of course I like you.”
He smiled a bit, opening the box and pulling the bottle out. Quickly he uncapped it and splashed a bit on before putting it back in the box. Soon the air was filled with the familiar scent.
Veronica inhaled deeply and sighed again, “Mmmm.”
Nick continued to watch her as she closed her eyes, apparently savoring the scent.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this but, I used to smell it and think, Nick wears this, this is what Nick Carter smells like,” she shook her head, chuckling a bit as she slowly opened her eyes.
Slowly he licked his lips, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, I mean…it’s not a lot or anything, but I thought, why not?”
“It’s plenty, trust me. I’ll wear it and think of you from now on.”
She smiled a bit, looking out across the water.
“Veronica, there’s something I’ve been meaning to do since you got here,” Nick announced suddenly.
Veronica turned her head to look at him, “Oh?”
He nodded, grabbing his bag and opening it, pulling a familiar looking case out. She looked at the case then up at him.
“Can I draw your picture?”
She stifled the sudden urge to laugh, swallowing hard, “Nick, I look horrible, you don’t want to draw me looking like…”
“You’re beautiful,” he interrupted.
Veronica sighed, shaking her head, “Nick…”
“Please?”
She gave him a weak smile before nodding, “Ok.”
Nick smiled and opened the case and then reached back into the bag, pulling out one of the sketch pads she’d bought him and opened to a fresh page. She watched in interest as he got set up.
“Ok, I was thinking I’d get a profile shot, have you looking out across the water and…hold up,” he leaned in, pulling the tie from her hair and then running his fingers through it, letting the breeze catch it and then letting it fall naturally. “There.”
Veronica looked over at him, “This is gonna be terrible, I just want you to know.”
“Stop being so negative Veronica, it’s going to be awesome. Now, I want you to look straight ahead and I want you to relax your face, forget I’m here.”
“Yeah right.”
“C’mon now, relax your face…no smiling Veronica,” he chuckled.
“I’m sorry, I’m trying.”
He waited a moment before bringing his legs up, resting the pad on his lap. He stared at her a moment before starting.
She couldn’t believe it was happening, couldn’t believe she was there and that he was drawing her picture, it was surreal. Veronica swallowed hard, her heart racing.
“Whatever you’re thinking about don’t, it’s causing strain on your face. You need to relax baby,” Nick instructed.
“S-sorry,” she cleared her throat, taking a deep breath. Forcing herself to clear her thoughts, she instead focused on the night and the smell of the water.
A short time later, Nick set the charcoal he was using down and blew lightly on the picture.
“All done.”
Veronica turned her head to look at him, “Yeah?”
He nodded, “Take a look,” he turned the pad so she could see it.
She sighed softly, “Aww Nick, it’s beautiful.”
He smiled, “I know, you are.”
Veronica shook her head, “No, I meant the picture.”
“Only because the person it’s of, is beautiful.”
He silenced her with a finger to her lips when she started to protest, “I’m going to keep this over the head of my bed, so that when you can’t be here, it’ll be like you’re still with me.”
She recognized her own words to him, fighting back tears. She handed the pad back to him, looking out across the water quickly.
Nick spread his legs apart, “C’mere, sit here,” he patted the empty spot between his legs.
Anxious for him to not see her cry, she slid over between his legs, staring out ahead. She tensed slightly when she felt Nick slide his arms around her waist and pull her back against him, resting his chin on her shoulder. Closing her eyes, she let herself relax back against him and he willing accepted her body against his.
“Ya know,” he started softly. “I finally realized something today, well I guess I’ve known about it for a while, but I finally let it sink in and decided to really acknowledge it.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
“That nothing is guaranteed, that it only takes a moment to lose it.”
“That’s true.”
“That moment came for me today…with you.”
She reluctantly opened her eyes, frowning, “Me? How?”
Nick shook his head, “Everyone told me I could lose you, but I never really paid much attention, and never really gave it that much thought. I was…stupid, careless.”
“Nick, you’re not going to lose me, if anything, it’d be the other way around.”
Nick sighed softly, “That’s what you’ve been thinking I know, but you’re wrong.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Ahh pivitol chapter here everyone. I'm anxious to hear what you all think.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
