The next two weeks passed as a blur for her. Alesha tried to keep busy every possible second. She avoided the computer and was rarely home. When she did come home, she was so exhausted that she fell right to sleep. But it wasn't a restful sleep. As when she was awake, her thoughts were plagued by visions of bright blue eyes and a sweet, mischievous smile. More often than not, she woke herself up crying. But she was slowly getting better.
Alesha zoomed around the house getting ready. She didn't have to be to work today, but she was going to go to Orlando and shop.
She grabbed her purse and her phone, opened the door to leave and almost ran into Brian. He was standing at her door getting ready to knock.
"Who. That was weird," he said.
"Ummm...hello. Get lost?" she asked.
"At least let me finish what I have to say first? Then I'll go."
"What? You don't have to go," she said.
"But..but you just told me to get lost," he replied, confused.
Alesha laughed, "No. I asked if you had gotten lost, meaning how'd you find my apartment."
He grinned, "Oh. Hehe. I stopped by your store." He noticed that she was leaving for somewhere, and pointed at her purse. "I'm interrupting. I'm sorry."
"Huh?" She asked. Seeing what he was talking about she smiled, "Oh. No. I mean. Yeah. Kinda. It's okay though. Just had the day off. I was going to go hang out in Orlando or something."
He nodded. "Ummm...can we go somewhere and talk?"
Alesha looked at him, and for the first time he could see the pain in her eyes. He noticed the dark circles from lack of sleep. He could then hear the sadness and loneliness in her voice. "I don't know Brian," she said softly, not meeting his eyes.
"Look," he sighed. "I screwed up. I should have kept my nose out of his business. God if," he looked at her his eyes bright with unshed tears, "if you could see Nicky right now. He doesn't eat, he rarely sleeps. He sits at his stupid computer night and day waiting for you. He keeps his phone next to him, watching it, waiting for you to call."
Alesha's tears fell," I don't want you to not be friends because of me."
"Oh sweetie," he said softly, taking her in his arms. "Without you in his life, he is not here for me to be friends with. Please, come with me to see him. Please?"
Sighing, Alesha debated inwardly about whether or not to go. "God," she thought, "he's as torn up as I am about this." Smiling sadly, she said, "Come on Bri, let's go."
He looked at her surprised, and then he smiled. "Really?"
She laughed, "Yes. But I tell you, I refuse to go through this again. The next time you feel like you need to protect Nick from me, talk to him first. Then make your decision. Because if I leave again, it's for good."
He squeezed her close again, "Thank you." They walked to his Honda Civic and headed out towards Tampa. They chatted off and on the whole way, making small talk.
Alesha was very fidgety. She was extremely nervous. "What if Nick doesn't want to talk to me," she thought. "What if he refuses to have anything to do with me?"
They pulled into the driveway and Brian started to get out of the car. He looked over at Alesha and seen that she was sitting there, staring at the house. She looked scared to death. "Come on sweetie," he said softly. "Nicky's waiting for you."
Alesha looked at him, he could see the conflict of emotions as each crossed her face: happiness, fear, sadness, worry...all were reflected in her eyes. "What if-" she started.
"What if you don't go in there and I have to kick your ass? Well, we won't have to worry about that, now will we?" he smiled innocently.
Laughing, Alesha got out of the Civic. They walked in and Brian yelled, "It's me. Don't worry about it." There was no answer. Brian shrugged. "Go on," he whispered and shoo'ed her in the direction of Nick's room.
She never remembered actually walking there, but she found herself in front of his bedroom door. She tapped lightly, but there was no answer. She knocked a little harder, this time the door opened a bit. She peeked in and found him sleeping restlessly, curled into a ball.
Smiling sadly, she quietly walked in and closed the door behind her. She sat down gently on the bed, brushed his hair from his face, and kissed him softly on the cheek. She could see how their time apart had affected him. Even while he was resting. She could see how thin his face looked, the dark smudges under his eyes. "Oh Nicky," she whispered and kissed his cheek again, laying hers next to his.
He was mumbling something in his sleep. The only part she could understand was her name. "Shhh..." she whispered. "I'm here." She lightly touched his cheek caressing it soothingly. He stirred a little, shifting his position so that his head rested against her hip and his arm was across her legs. He settled and was soon sleeping peacefully. She gently rubbed his back, as mothers do to babies to calm them while they sleep.
Nick awoke about an hour later, confused at the body next to him. He peeked up and saw her watching him. "I thought I was dreaming again," he whispered. She shook her head and smiled softly. He pulled her down by him and hugged her close. "God how I have missed you," he said burying his head into her shoulder.
"I've missed you too," she said softly.
He squeezed her to him tightly, kissing her on the neck. He pulled away and looked deep into her eyes. With his finger he traced every bit of her face, going over every curve, ever indention...it was as if he was memorizing her, studying her. Then with his lips, he retraced every line he had drawn with his fingers. His lips touched her eyes, her forehead, her cheeks. He then found his way to her lips. He kissed her gently at first, barely touching her. After feeling her respond, his lips pressed harder. His tongue sought its way through her parted lips and found hers. He explored her mouth with his, as his eyes had studied her face.
Alesha had been kissed many times before, and certainly wasn't a stranger to passionate kisses. But this kiss was unlike any she had ever experienced. It was full of so much emotion, so much need, so much desire, so much hunger, that when they broke the world was spinning and she could barely breathe.
He leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, his breathing as labored as hers. "I'm not going to ask you why you left," he whispered huskily. "I'm just going to ask that you never leave again."
"I'm sorry baby," she whispered and pulled him close. He kissed her again, but this time his hands were the ones doing the exploring.
She pulled away slowly and looked at him. He smiled at her softly and whispered in her ear, "I love you Alesha. I don't know why, or how it happened, but god I love you. I can't bear to be without you."
"I love you too, Nick," she said softly, kissing his bare shoulder and then laying her head there. "But are you sure?"
"Sure about what?" he asked.
"This," she said, softly tracing a line along his collarbone. She smiled as he shivered. "Us," she continued, kissing the same line, smiling as he shivered again. "Everything," she whispered, kissing his neck and his jawline and then his mouth.
His kiss answered her as his mouth sought hers hungrily. There was no need for words to answer the questions that both of them had. The passion that overcame them, the passion that they embraced...that was enough to make all worries and doubts disappear.
