I try to slide out of Tony’s arms, but he squeezes me tighter while laughing above me.
He finally takes pity on me and lets me go, and I make a beeline for the couch. On the coffee table is an array of sweet and salty snacks laid out on a tray. And yes, I immediately spot the chocolate-covered marshmallows. There are two empty glasses next to a decanted bottle of white wine in an ice bucket. On the TV, a movie is paused on Julia Roberts’s face, but the movie is easily decipherable by the still image lighting up the screen.Runaway Bride.
The couch is covered in a new dark gray throw blanket that wasn’t here yesterday, and Tony picks it up and hands it to me. “This is a heated blanket. The remote is right here.” He places it in my hand. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want this or a heating pad, so I got both. I can get the heating pad ready in the microwave if that works better for you.” He starts making his way back toward the kitchen and lifts a small teddy bear. “Thought this one was cute. It’s also infused with lavender or something. Don’t know what it helps with, but figured it was worth the upcharge. Plus, you said you might feel a little sensitive, and I couldn’t shake the image of you cuddling this bear on your stomach.” He smiles shyly.
And I… well. I do the most rational thing a woman in my position would do.
I cry. No, not cry. I start sobbing.
Before my ass hits the couch, Tony has swooped me up into his arms and sat me on his lap. “Are you okay? Did I… did I do something to upset you? Or is this, you know… the you being sensitive bit?”
I manage to laugh through the sobs. “Second option.”
Tony rubs my back. “Ah, I see.”
I snuggle into his neck while trying to get a handle on my emotions. “You didn’t have to do all of this. This is too much. It’s too… I don’t even know what to say. Why are you so good to me?”
Tony lifts my chin with his forefinger, then gently wipes my tears away with his thumb. “I’ve waited what feels like a lifetime to be a boyfriend again. To be a partner. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it could be with you. And now that I have the chance, you better get used to me going all-out.” He tucks a rogue stand of hair behind my ear. “You still have no clue how far gone I am for you, do you?” He chuckles. “I even spent an hour talking about you to my therapist today.”
I sit up straight on his lap and place a hand on his chest. “Hold on, your therapist knows about me? You spoke to her… about me? Am I hearing that correctly, or am I love drunk in this moment?”
He pulls me in for a kiss. “We can talk about all this later. First, let me wine and dine you. Then we can discuss anything you want, mi amor.”
I stiffen at the reminder of what I need to tell him.
He notices and rubs my back. “I promise, corazón. You have nothing to worry about. You can tell me anything.”
* * *
“Fuck no. Not a chance. Over my dead body, Nikki.”
Oh well, so much for having nothing to worry about.
39
Nikki
“Start again. From the beginning.”Tony huffs as he paces back and forth.
After dinner and a couple of glasses of wine, I finally got the courage to broach the subject of Justin with Tony, and needless to say, my caveman isn’t happy.
“Love, I’ve already told you all there is to know. Please sit with me?” I reach my hand out.
He looks at it for a moment, then finally concedes by taking it and placing a soft kiss on my open palm.
I take it as an opening to explain once more. “Look, when Justin showed up last night, he came in peace. There were no ulterior motives, and he didn’t seem upset at all.”
“Red flag number one. A man who loses you shouldn’t be able to function in society so quickly after a breakup. Trust me, I should know.”
I squeeze his hand in mine and carry on. “It’s just a simple favor. It’s the least I can do after ending our relationship so suddenly. A decision that triggered the loss of his living arrangement, may I add.”
Tony rolls his eyes. “Overstayed his welcome, if you ask me.”
I sigh. “Look, when I visited his family for Thanksgiving, your sister called me while we were touring a church. The same church his parents got married in. So when I answered your sister’s FaceTime request, and she immediately started rambling about her wild night of sex with Evan—”
“Nope. Hard stop. How are you making this worse, Nikki?” He shuts his eyes tightly.
I grimace. “Ah, right. Sorry. Anyway, after that inappropriate conversation at the church, I felt like I had to redeem myself with them. So when they mentioned that they would be spending their fortieth wedding anniversary here in the city, I jumped at the chance to book a nice restaurant for their celebration. Everything is all set, and I don’t have to do anything, but—”
