Guilt cut into her like a sharpened blade. “I didn’t think of that, Nick. Did you have a panic attack?”
He frowned. “I started to. Colt was there. It helped.” He stroked his finger along her cheek before looking at her again. “I hate them. I hate that you’ve seen them, that he’s seen them. That I can’t control them.”
Maisie shifted her arms so she could cup his cheeks, his beard soft against her palms. “I hate that you have them and they make you feel bad, but I’m not sorry I’ve seen them and I know Colt isn’t either. Everyone has anxiety on some level. You’ve had a lot of hard knocks in the last several months. I’m guessing big, tough hockey players don’t often give themselves time to recover from so many things hitting them at once. This is probably your body’s way of saying, hey, deal with me.”
Nick stared at her like he was trying to figure something out. “Big, tough hockey players?”
Maisie nodded, running her hands over his skin, loving the shudder that ran through him, that she felt against her own body. “Yeah. Your mom dying, Ellie’s divorce. Those impacted you. Did you talk to anyone? Or did you wait until your first panic attack to finally get some stuff off your chest?”
Leaning in, Nick kissed the underside of her jaw, moved up to her ear, and nipped the lobe, making her twist beneath him. He lifted his head, a soft, serious smile gracing his perfect lips. “You know a lot about anxiety?”
Maisie shrugged. “Enough to know there’s nothing to be embarrassed about and that if people care about you on any level, they won’t hold it against you or see you differently, so why would you hold it against yourself?”
The emotions that filled Nick’s gaze sucked the air out of Maisie’s lungs. As he moved one of his hands to her hair, his thumb drifted back and forth across Maisie’s cheek. “You really do like me. All of me. Even the bad parts.”
Nudging him, she knew he let her roll him to his back. Putting her legs on either side of his hips, she rested her palms on his chest. His gaze wandered down and then his hands followed but she grabbed them, sat up fully, linking her fingers with his.
“There’s a lot to like,” she whispered.
Nick’s abs tightened deliciously as he arched up to sit, pulling his hands from Maisie’s so he could wrap them around her.
Nick kissed her as if she was the oxygen he used to breathe, and Maisie was completely on board. Until her stomach growled loudly and Nick laughed against her lips.
He pulled back, fingers tangled in her hair. “Seems like you’re hungry for something else. Good thing I’m a big, tough hockey player so my feelings don’t get hurt easily.”
Since she couldn’t magically disappear, no matter how awkward she felt, she owned it. “Being happy makes me hungry.”
Hands going to her waist, he lifted her off his lap and set her on the floor. Her legs weren’t entirely steady. Especially with him sitting in the bed, looking sexily disheveled. Swinging his legs off the side of the bed, he stood, bringing their bodies back together and Maisie’s thoughts scrambled. She didn’t need food.
Nick read her expression perfectly. “Nuh-uh. Food first.”
He laughed at her pout so she grabbed his T-shirt and tugged it on. He could just stay shirtless if he was going to tease her. Unbothered, he pulled on his athletic shorts and nudged her toward the door.
“What did you get at the bakery?”
“One of everything.”
Laughing, Maisie looked back over her shoulder. “You did not.”
He reached out and snagged her around the waist, kissing the crook of her neck, his beard tickling the sensitive skin. “I did. Wanted to make sure you had a reason to smile when you woke up.”
“Nick,” she whispered, her hands covering his at her waist, emotion seeping into her tone. “I woke up smilingbecauseof you.”
“Same,” he whispered back.
Unable to resist, she turned in his arms, her pulse racing as they fell into another heated kiss that stole her ability to do anything more than feel. It was too late to stop herself from falling for him. That ship had sailed into the horizon.
His lips trailed down along her jaw, her neck, sending delightful shivers over her heated skin.
“I like waking up next to you,” he whispered against her mouth.
All the air whooshed out of her lungs. “When you say things like that while you’re touching me, while you’re looking at me the way you are right now, you make it impossible to keep my guard up. To stop myself from falling.”
Nick held her gaze and Maisie held her breath.
“I’m pretty good at getting behind the guard,” he teased. Then he touched his mouth to hers again. “You’re not falling alone, Maisie.”
She arched up into the next kiss, tightening her hold. His hands slid under his own shirt, moving the fabric up along her sensitive skin.
