He gently pulled me by the elbow and shoved me behind his back.Simon looked at him for a moment and then he smiled. “Nice to see you, too, bro.”“You have no right calling me that,” Nick said. “And you don’t get to talk to my girl.” He took a step toward him and in a low, murderous voice, he said, “Not this girl. I swear to God, I will kill you this time.”Simon looked shocked for a moment and then he took a step back. “Now, you just made me want her even more,” he said in a mischievous voice.Nick narrowed his eyes and then without warning, he took a swing and his fist landed solidly on Simon’s jaw.Commotion erupted and suddenly, people were around us. Some were holding Simon back, some were holding Nick back. Nick wanted to come at him for another punch but Blaze was suddenly in his way, pushing him back.“Nick, he’s not worth it,” Blaze said. “Not worth going to jail for, at least.”“Right, go ahead! Let your little brother do the dirty work for you again!” Simon spat.Nick looke

I kissed him back, wound my arms around his neck, and tried to show him the same passion that he was showing me. I didn’t know if we were going too fast and honestly, I didn’t give a fuck anymore. I love Nick. I wanted him with every fiber of my soul.I may be new to being in a serious relationship but it didn’t matter. I love him. He loves me. And I knew that I no longer feared the ghosts of his past, because honestly, I created them, made them bigger and scarier than they actually were. And I almost lost him because of my own insecurity, my own paranoia. I would not do that again. I wouldn’t hold anything back anymore.Suddenly, light exploded above us, interrupting our kisses. I pulled away from him and stared up at the glass ceiling. I saw fireworks erupting in the skies, mirroring the exploding emotions and love that I have for this man.“Wow,” I said in amazement.“You like it?” he asked.I blinked back at him. “You didn’t do that, did you?”He shrugged. “What if I did? A guy co

Nicholas shook his head and then he pulled me to him, giving me a hug.I pulled away and stared back at him. “Why?”“Mom’s cooking skills didn’t improve. She just had a visit from a kitchen angel,” he whispered in my ear. I had to laugh at that. “Now you tell me you weren’t born to do this. I have at least five dishes on my plate. None of them disappointed me so far and you know I’m a very picky eater.”“I just helped your mother.”“I have a very good taste recognition skills and my mother never cooked like this. You didn’t just help her.”I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Your mother wanted to make you happy today. She went through a great deal of effort. I was just at the right place at the right time. So this is still all her.”He proceeded with eating his food and visibly enjoying it. “You know, I thought you went shopping all morning with Beatrice yesterday. How did you find time to cook with my mother?”Uh-oh! Do I tell on Beatrice? She deserved it! But then again, I didn’

We were at Margaret’s diner by Saturday noon. The huge backyard had been transformed to hold the charity event. There were several booths set up and each one offers a different type of food or service. There were face paint and temporary tattoo stations, popcorn and snow cones, and craft tables. There was also a huge bouncing castle for the children.The people from the city barely knew about this place before. But today, a lot of people and families have come down to check out the place and I was extremely happy for Margaret. Brett and the band were already setting up on stage for their free concert. I think Rhythemes would be dry tonight but that was all right. Margaret would need the funds more than they do. And it was time the people discover this little diner for a cause that sits just outside the city.Nick wore a plain white shirt, denim pants, and white rubber shoes. I was wearing a pair of short denim jumpers, with a white sleeveless cropped top under it, and white sneakers.

“You said you went to Rhythemes, heard me, saw me, fell for me. Turns out you went there specifically for me. You were in pursuit of me, even before you heard me, or saw me.”He still didn’t answer.“It must have been quite a challenge that you couldn’t resist when my father first told you about it,” I said bitterly. “He wanted to test your charms on me, to change me. After all, you left quite a reputation here when you left a couple of years ago. You were an excellent gambler. No doubt you’ve mastered the art of poker face. You were practically made. At your age, you have a stable job, a beautiful house. You’re set. You wouldn’t be interested in my father’s money. You were perfect for the job. No one else fit the bill.”He remained quiet. It broke my heart even more. I wanted him to deny it! I wanted him to tell me I was wrong! But fuck! He just sat there and kept his mouth shut.“You just arrived to the States during that time. Fresh from your breakup with Margot after she turned to