Chapter Thirty Eight

"Nick you shouldn't be here. You should be resting."

"I had to see you. There's something I have to tell you." She bit her lip as he came forward. "These are for you." He handed her the roses.

"Thank you. I'll just go put these in water." She announced and walked into the kitchen.

Nick let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. He was nervous. He wanted everything to be perfect. He had to make her listen, make her hear him. He watched as she came out of the kitchen and walked over to him, and his breath caught.

"So how do you feel? How's your head?" She reached out and touched the bandage lightly.

"I'm ok, a little dizzy sometimes but I'll be alright."

"Here, lets sit." They walked over to her couch and sat. "How...how did you find me?"

"I have my ways." He smiled.

"Figures."

Nick laughed and then turned serious, taking her hands in his. "There's something I have to tell you. I need to tell you."

"Nick I don't think that's..."

"Just...listen." She nodded and took a breath. "I can't seem to remember a time when I felt that something was missing in my life. I had the guys and my career. I didn't...I thought that I didn't need anyone. I've been around a lot of women in my life, I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of. I was on my way to disaster. Then one night I looked at young woman sitting at a table in a club and made the best choice in my life. To go over and talk to her. She gave me a hard time and turned me down. Never happens to me, so I decided to make a deal with myself to get her to sleep with me before I left." Nick explained. He watched as the hurt flashed across her eyes. He sighed and continued. "I decided I'd find a way to make her like me, become my friend, hell maybe even care about me. During all this though, something else happened. Something I wasn't expecting. I started to care for this exceptional woman, so much so I promised I wouldn't hurt her by doing what'd I'd been doing, using women. I screwed up you see and broke my promise. Just when I had gotten closer to her, maybe even into her heart, I messed up and was right back at where I started. So I found a way with some help from my friends, to corner her and make her listen. And then we shared something special. Then she ran, didn't want to have anything to do with me, and it hurt. And just when I think she doesn't care what does she go and do? She saves me from dying. So now I'm thinking, that maybe...just maybe she cares a little for me. But I have a small problem."

"Wha-what's that?"

"I'm too afraid to ask her. I'm afraid she'll turn me down."

"You never know unless you ask. Or at least tell her how you feel."

"Tell her how I feel huh? Well I think I will. You know I promised this person that I'd sing for her. I did a little, but I think I can do better." Nick stood and walked over to her stereo and put a cd in and turned to her. "Do you think she'll listen? Do you think I should tell her?"

"Tell her what?" Alecia whispered.

"That I love her, should I tell her?"

Alecia's mouth dropped.

"Wait, don't answer that. Listen to the song first and then you tell me what you think ok?" Nick turned and started the song and sat down next to her, looked into her eyes and started singing.

Say you've seen too many things, That turned out too good to be true, Against your better judgment, Opened up your heart, 'Til you found the joke was on you, Looking out on the rest of our lives, If we're gonna be together or apart, About the only way I know how to come, Is right straight from the heart.

It was all she could do to keep herself from crying, she wouldn't last much longer.

I want you now, I'll show you how, I can be the man you need me to be, I've been around, but now I've found, That you're the only one for me. You say you'll never fall again, You won't subject yourself to such pain, If you give me half the chance I'll win, Never leave you standing out in the rain, But if you think that I could look you in the face And lie right through my teeth, Then turn around and walk away, But cross my heart, girl I care for you, When I look into your eyes and say

Alecia looked down, to think she thought he didn't care about her. He was singing to her, she wiped at her eyes and she felt her head being lifted so that she was looking into his eyes.

I want you now, I'll show you how, I can be the man you need me to be, I've been around, but now I found, That you're the only one for me, I need you so, I can't let go, Gonna be all that I can be, I want you still, I always will, 'Cause you're the only one for me, I want you now, I'll show you how, I can be the man you need me to be, I've been around, but now I found That you're the only one for me, I need you so, I can't let go Gonna be all that I can be, I want you still, I always will 'Cause you're the only one for me

"I love you Alecia, I can't say I knew when it happened. I want to be the man that you need. I want to change and I'd like for you to help me. I know only you can. I'd give up everything, the way I used to be, for you. Anything just to make you care...to make you love me the way I love you." Nick finished. His heart was pounding so hard as he looked into her dark eyes.

She didn't know what to say, how to say it. She wasn't as good at it as he was. She'd been so mean to him, and yet here he was professing his love for her and all she could do was stare at him. She was so overwhelmed she busted into tears, burying her face in her hands. Nick's face crumpled.

"Alecia...I'm sorry. I never should've said that." She cried harder. "I'm really sorry, I just had...had to tell you. I didn't mean to make you cry."

She looked up at him then, all rational thought leaving her head as she stared into those blue eyes and she took his face in her hands and kissed him gently before pulling away. "I...love you too."

Nick's eyes widened and he pulled back to look at her. "You...what?"

She smiled. "I love you Nick. When I almost lost you I...I didn't want to see how much you'd become a part of my life, how deep I cared for you. I was too afraid to admit it, to say it. But I'm not anymore. I love you Nick, everything about you." She finished.

Nick smiled and grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his arms.

"Nick don't! You're hurt!"

He held her tightly. "Nick!" She laughed and was silenced as his lips covered hers.

She pulled away. "You're head...how...how it is?" She asked breathlessly.

"Spinning."

She pulled back. "That's it, you're coming to my bed."

"Oh yeah!!!!"

"I meant to lie down. You shouldn't have come anyway." She pulled him up and headed down the hall to her room. "Lie down." She ordered. Nick followed orders and laid back on her bed. She came up next to him and laid her head on his chest. "Now I want you to relax."

Nick smiled."Anything else?"

"I was thinking, you said you had help cornering me in your room? That wouldn't involve my key card would it?"

"Umm...yeah. AJ sorta...well he sorta took it out your bag."

"Why am I not surprised. I knew those guys were up to something!"

Nick laughed. "Anything else?"

"Oh yeah, when umm...when are you leaving?"

"Well I can't go and travel with the guys, so I'm gonna be chillin' for about a month. Why?"

"Well I...I want you to stay with me. You need to rest and by the end of the month I'll be going back to work and you'll most likely be feeling better. What do you say?"

"Sounds great to me honey."

She blushed and smiled.

"I did it."

"What?"

"I told you I'd be your friend, even make you care about me before I had to go."

"You suck!"

"I know!"

"Shut up!" She turned to hit him, but he pulled her to him to kiss her passionately.

"See that, I changed my ways for you."

"Yeah you did, and I love you for it." She smiled and brought her lips down for another kiss.

"The Man You Need Me To Be"-By Brian McKnight

The End

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