“Seriously? It’s a lame event. I’ve got better things to do here. It’s not about her, man. I’m totally over it. And I wish her well… Nope… Actually, I don’t care… I’m done…” It was Nick, speaking to somebody on the phone. “You can’t blackmail me into agreeing to this! That’s not fair, man! Come on!” He sounded frustrated this time. Like the person on the other line said something he could not say no to, even if he didn’t like it.I turned around and found him sitting on his reclining chair. His hair was in total dishevel and he was wearing a pair of dark blue pajama pants and a white shirt.I heard him take a deep breath. Then he said, “I’ll think about it. But trust me, if you’re cooking something in your head, it’s not going to work, man. That ship has sailed. Talk to you later.”Nick stared in space for half a minute. He looked as if he was remembering something, as if a part of his history just came back to punch him on the face. He took a deep breath and then he turned to me. Whe

I knew what he was going to do. But I didn’t find the courage and strength to stop him from doing it.I’ve kissed some guys for fun before and I’ve felt nothing. It would be over soon, I knew. Kisses are overrated, remember? Just close your eyes, wait for those rough lips to land on yours and count one to ten. Imagine playing drums in front of a huge crowd. You feel nervous, you don’t know what to expect, but it will be over soon enough. You’ll make it through without throwing up in front of your audience.I heard Nick’s deep sigh. I smelled his fresh aftershave, and I felt heat radiating from his skin. I smelled his minty breath and then I felt his lips on mine. His lips weren’t rough; they felt like velvet. And then suddenly…Fireworks!My nerves felt like exploding as his lips gently brushed against mine. I felt the spark that started from my veins, shooting electricity throughout my whole body. It charged me, sending me to depths I have never been in before and keeping me on fire.

Did he really mean that? Did he mean for us to go beyond this date? Did that mean he has feelings for me? The way that I knew I have feelings for him? Our thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the dessert, and I was glad for a little distraction. The heavy thoughts in my head were breaking my heart and giving me a headache. “Where’s your family?” I asked, breaking the silence. “My mother is in England. Along with my stepsister, who’s the same age as you, and my stepbrother, who’s a year younger than me.” “You get along well?” He nodded instantly. “They’ve been my family for years now. Didn’t feel like we’re not related by blood at all. Even though I was devastated that my parents divorced, I was happy I gained siblings. My sister wanted to be a fashion designer and my brother is playing in a band. They’re both very passionate artists. And I do whatever I can to support them.” I smiled at him sadly. “I wonder how my life would have been like if I had siblings. The closest I

“I-is this for us?” I asked. “Because I don’t want to be crashing in on somebody else’s date.”Nicholas laughed. “Of course it’s ours, silly.”“But how?”He grinned. “I have my own ways. And people who wouldn’t mind paying back a few small favors.” He held out his hand to mine. I took it and stepped over the lanterns and onto the mat.We sat down facing the beach. Nick shrugged out of his jacket, and then gently, he put it over my shoulders. Only then did I realize that I was feeling rather cold. I hugged Nick’s jacket to myself.Nick turned to one side of the mat. There was a basket there and I watched him pull out two wine glasses and a bottle of Merlot.“Oh my God.” I took a deep breath. “Is it even legal to drink here?”He shrugged innocently. “Let’s give them three hours to get on to us. That was how long the law enforcement took the last time before they caught us vandalizing the walls.” There was a twinkle in his eyes, and a mischievous look on his face. I could really tell he

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. There was a trace of desperation and plea in his voice.I took a deep breath but didn’t say anything.“I’m not supposed to say this, because a gentleman is not supposed to say anything to make any girl look bad. But if it will save what we have then to hell with being a gentleman.”I turned around to face him, raising a brow, urging him to go on.He took a deep breath. “When I first saw Jen at the bar that night, after I watched your gig, I asked her if she knew you. She said you were good friends. I asked her if she could introduce us. She asked why. I told her that I thought you were cute.”What the hell?Nick took another deep breath. “She then asked me if I wanted to hang out with the two of you the next night. She’d introduce us. I took her up for it and showed up at the bar the following night. From the beginning, I thought I made it clear to her that I was interested in you. But she didn’t pick up quickly. When she was calling me, I would always ask a