Julie,
I had to take care of some business things today. I’ll see you tonight at the party. In the meantime, Cozy Spa in town is expecting you. Massage, facial, the works. My treat. Don’t argue.
Enjoy your day, sweetheart.
Nick
Relief crashesover me so hard that my eyes sting.
He didn’t leave for good. But still, the ache of him doing that doesn’t disappear. This deadline has made me anxious and paranoid. And I’m aware that when we open those envelopes, everything will change between us for better or worse. We will leap together, or we’ll walk away. It’s that simple.
I’ll respect his decision, but I’ve been trying to prepare myself for all options.
The thought of us going our separate ways after we’ve shared so much has me reeling. Crossing this line with him was a risk, but it was one that I was willing to take. I just hope this doesn’t hurt me.
If it does, I’m swearing off men for an eternity.
After I take a shower and eat a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I grab my keys and head to the spa. Inside smells like lavender and eucalyptus. The soft music and trickling water feature in the corner are calming. As soon as I arrive, I’m escorted into a room where I lie face down on the table. A warm blanket is draped across my lower back, and I try to remember the last time I felt this relaxed.
Nick did this because he knew I was tense and needed it.
The masseuse presses her palms along my shoulders, working out knots I’ve carried since Craig returned.I close my eyes, and instead of the calm ocean sounds, I imagine Nick’s laugh, his real one. I think about how he walked into Cozy Coffee the first day he was here and confidently invited me to dinner. It’s impossible for me to forget the cute grin he gave me when he pretended to be my boyfriend.
The firm pressure moves down my arms. My mind drifts to the nights we spent together at Hollow Manor. How he kissed me on the blanket in the apple orchard as the sunlight flickered through the tree branches. Him holding me close after the break-in, jaw set like he’d burn the whole world before letting anyone touch me.
The masseuse circles her thumbs along my lower back, and my body sinks deeper into the table. I think about Nick’s hands on me. The way he held me in the Range Rover when I straddled him, teasing him in the beginning. Or how he pulled me against him after the Fairy Godmothers left my condo and whispered sweet words to me.
A lump rises in my throat. I can’t imagine being with anyone else. Nick has been my everything, even among the chaos, and I’m not ready for it to end yet. Our time together overshadows the drama with Craig, the naked picture scandal, or any of the town gossip. I think about the sexy moans he releases right before he comes. And how he calls me sweetheart, like the word was invented for me.
The massage shifts to my legs, kneading out the tension, and I let myself replay the moment we kissed last night after we revealed our carved pumpkins. Candlelit gourds that he’d carved our love story into surrounded us, as if they were proof that what we shared wasn’t fake.
Fake.That’s what this was supposed to be.
My eyes sting, and I bite the inside of my lip. Tonight, what we’ve written and tucked inside those envelopes will decide our future. This will either be a beautiful, fleeting October or the opportunity to keep him long after the leaves have fallen.
The masseuse presses gently into my temples, and I force myselfto breathe. I need to relax and let go, but my heart keeps lurching toward thoughts of him. I’m … in love with him. The realization unravels me. And if he doesn’t feel the same, I’ll be ruined.
By the time the massage ends, I feel wrung out, like every knot in my body has melted away.
After my facial, I’m given aftercare instructions. My body is spaghetti as I enjoy the crisp October air. All I can think about is Nick. His hands on me and his voice.
By the time I get home, the need for him is too much.
I peel off my clothes and step into the shower. The hot water cascades down my back, steam rising, but it isn’t enough. My skin feels too tight, my body restless with all the things I can’t say yet. I close my eyes and see him—the upward lift of his mouth when he calls me stubborn, along with the heat in his gaze when I push back.
My hand trails lower, my breath catching as my fingers brush over my clit. I let myself imagine it’s him instead. His hands. His mouth. The way he takes his time until I’m trembling, screaming his name.
I brace a palm against the slick tiles as the tension builds, my thoughts nothing but Nick.
Him holding me. Him buried inside me. Him whispering, promising me that he’s not going anywhere.
My body breaks apart, a rush of heat and release that leaves me gasping his name into the steam. I lean against the wall, breathless, my knees nearly giving out as the orgasm takes over. The water washes everything away except the truth that terrifies me.
I don’t just want him. Ineedhim.
When I finally step out, I wrap myself in a towel and catch my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed, and my eyes are bright. I look alive, in love, and ready to conquer the night. I tell myself that no matter what happens at midnight, I will survive.
I dry off and slip into the costume. My hand slides across the teal fabric with gold trim, making me feel bolder than I am. I choseJasmine because Nick has shown me a whole new world. There was no other choice.
