“You really want to do that?” Nick’s voice is so calm. “Pretty sure the police are on their way. I’ve seen at least a half-dozen people calling 9-1-1.”
His fists opening and closing now, Sal glances from side to side. Everybody in the restaurant is watching us, and, yes, I’ve seen quite a few of them calling the cops. I’m surprised I don’t hear any sirens yet. Then again, sometimes the cops around here will wait before they head for a mob hangout, to give those involved time to work things out on their own. Everybody’s a little safer that way, most of the time.
Nick just waits. Sal takes a step back. For a second I think he’s actually going to back down, but then he jumps Nick, his fist headed straight for Nick’s face.
Nick ducks. It’s only after Sal’s fist has hissed past his jaw that Nick retaliates, landing a solid punch right to Sal’s gut. Sal doubles over, and Nick goes after him, hit after hit, until a couple of Sal’s men finally intervene. Now, finally, I hear sirens.
It doesn’t take much to get Nick off Sal. I think Nick was waiting for the other guys to move in and drag him off. Now that they have, he’s happy to leave Sal be. A couple of policemen appear toward the front of the restaurant, asking what’s going on. After a quick discussion with the maître d’, they head toward us.
Nick takes a step back as Sal’s men release him. He straightens his jacket, shoots his cuffs, and sits back down at the table.
Then, of all things, he winks at me. “Nothing like a little entertainment with dinner, huh?”
Chapter Six
Nick
I wake up the next morning feeling pretty damn good. I feel even better when I see Sarah curled up next to me, all pink, bare skin and tousled hair. She’s asleep, but she’s got her arms folded around herself as if for protection. That bothers me. She should feel safe here.
I shift toward her, feeling her warmth. It’s nice waking up with someone else in your bed. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that. Usually women aren’t in my bed much longer than it takes for me to get my rocks off, and then they go home. But I want Sarah here. Just looking at her reminds me of what I’ve accomplished—taking her right from under Sal’s nose, making her mine.
Fucking my baby inside her.
I wonder how long it’ll be before she’s knocked up. Seems like a few weeks, at least, although I’m not sure. I’ve always been more concerned about making sure a woman’s not pregnant, so I haven’t thought all that much about what it takes to be sure she is. I don’t think even a doctor would know this soon.
I have a feeling, though. The way she responded to me, the way it felt when I came inside her—I just have a gut feeling I’ll be seeing her grow thick and heavy with my child over the next few months.
The thought makes me smile. I reach toward her, tracing my fingers over her shoulder. Her skin is so soft. I don’t really want to wake her, but on the other hand I do, because I want her under me again—want to be inside her again.
She shifts a little, but it’s to curl closer around herself.
“Oh, no, that won’t do at all, baby,” I murmur, and stroke her shoulder again. This time it’s a little more forceful—just a little—moving her more toward me and opening that hunched body. She needs to learn to trust me even when she’s sleeping.
She makes a small sound. I’d think she’s protesting, but she’s obviously not awake. I keep stroking her, moving her, shifting her shoulders and her arms so she’s more open to me. After a while I bend to kiss her face, her shoulders, her belly.
Finally I look up, and her eyes are open. She’s regarding me under partially lowered lashes, her expression neutral. I want to see her smile. Better, I want to hear her scream out my name.
“Good morning,” I tell her, and lick from her belly button up to between her breasts. “Feeling okay?”
She nods but says nothing. Doesn’t move. Just lies there watching me. I wonder if she’s completely awake.
Then one hand lands on the back of my head, her fingers combing into my hair, and I know she’s both awake and willing.
Encouraged, I kiss up from between her breasts to her nipples, laving them with my tongue, suckling, then nipping.
“Nick…” I like hearing my name on her lips. She says it again. “Nick…”
I don’t answer, my mouth busy on her breast, sucking its softness deep. Her nipple is hard against my tongue. Her fingers dig into my scalp, pushing me closer.
We’re both already naked, which is handy. Her body is warm and soft, and as I ease myself over her, she fits against me like she’s meant to be there. I finally release her breast and kiss farther up, across her chest, her collarbones, finally to her mouth. She opens to me, letting my tongue come deep. I stroke then thrust into her mouth. Her thighs fall open under me, and I move between them.