Southern Boy Charm | ✓

Chapter 23

"Pass me the butter."

Nick holds his hands out expectantly, but his palm stays empty.

I sit on the counter behind him as he works at the stove, cooking his supposedly world-famous French toast. After a few seconds of waiting he turns towards me, disappointment crossing his face when he spots me still sitting.

"Do I have to?" I groan. "I'm feeling very comfortable the way I am."

"Of course you are, considering that you don't have to do anything." He says, causing me to pout.

"Well, I wouldn't be able to focus anyway with the view in front of me." My eyes scan his up and down.

He wears just his pajama pants, deciding to ditch putting on a shirt this morning. Usually, Kelly would be down here by now, yelling at him to get dressed like a normal human being, but today both her and my mom decided to go to town. They wanted to hit the farmer's market first, then go shopping and grab some lunch. Even for Kelly, life on the ranch could feel suffocating sometimes.

When Nick became aware of this news, he came knocking at my bedroom door, demanding that I let him show me his superb cooking skills. But apparently, gauging from his well-defined eight-pack staring back at me, his culinary skills weren't the only things he wanted to show me.

It's only been a few days since the Jack fiasco, but since then, Nick and I have been even better than ever. Without the attachment to my life in Ohio, both Nick and I have been able to be more vulnerable with another. With that vulnerability, however, came an increased awareness of just how good-looking Nick truly is.

He talks, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Are you objectifying me to get out of helping?"

I think about denying it but decide against it. There's no way that he hasn't caught me checking him out yet. "Yes," I say sheepishly. "Is it working?"

He leans beside me to grab the butter, his face moving closer to mine then necessary. "Maybe."

He leans even closer, his lips just brushing on mine, but not quite. I know what he's trying to do, tease me for checking him out so many times, but I don't care. Instead, I loop my hands through his mop of brown curls and pull him closer to me.

Despite his previous teasing, he follows my lead without hesitation, crashing his lips onto mine. Our lips move as one, molding against one another ever-so perfectly. I love the way he kisses me, like this may be the last time that he ever sees me again. There's so much passion and need that it makes my heart pound impossibly faster. My whole body feels like it's on fire, electricity running up and down me. In this moment, my mind is one hundred percent, without a doubt, clouded by Nick.

I run my hands down his back, trying to make as much physical contact as I can with him, when he pulls away. He leans his forehead against mine, and now we're both panting, desperate to catch my breath. He runs his thumb over my now swollen lips before looking up at me.

"Let me take you on a date."

He says it out of nowhere, and it's enough to take me by surprise. Nick and I have had so much happen between us, but it's only ever happened here at the ranch or with his friends. Besides our impromptu breakfast after he used me to make Sammy jealous, we've never really gone out. He keeps talking.

"I want this to be a real date, too. One where you get dressed all pretty and I bring you flowers. One where I'll open every door for you and take you to a fancy restaurant. And maybe, if I'm really lucky, I'll get a goodnight kiss."

I bite my lip. What he's proposing sounds great, but absolutely terrifying.

"I've never been on a date before," I say, my voice sounding quiet.

His eyes widen slightly. "I find that hard to believe. You're telling me that no guy has ever taken you out?"

I know who he's thinking about, because I'm thinking it too. Jack, and the fact that we've never been on an official date together. It sounds weird to me now, looking back, but I guess that our timing was never right. When I liked him, he always said that he wasn't ready for a relationship. I guess that when he was finally ready, he assumed that I would be there waiting. The thing is, I probably would have too, if it wasn't for Nick.

I shake my head. "No one has ever asked me on one."

His eyes shine brighter now. "Consider yourself lucky, then, because I am about to give you the best date you've ever had."

I laugh. "That's not hard, considering you have nothing to measure up against."

His mouth morphs into a cheeky smile. "While that may be true, but even if I had the stiffest of competition, I'm sure that I would blow them right out of the water."

I raise my eyebrows at him. "Someone's getting cocky."

"Not cocky confident."

And there he goes again, with his classic smile that makes me want to melt into a puddle at his feet.

"So, is that a yes?"

I pretend to think it over for a while. There's no doubt in my mind that I want to go on a date with Nick. There's nothing that I wouldn't do for a picture-perfect night with him. But what fun would it be if I didn't make him work for it?

"I'm not too sure," I say, failing miserably to repress the smile growing on my face. He leans down, swooping me in for another breathtaking kiss before pulling away all to soon, a grin on his face. "How about now?"

A full-blown smile now occupies my face. "I think I could use a little more convincing."

He laughs, leaning down to kiss me again, but at the last second, he snakes his arms around me and tickles me. I burst into a fit of laughter, writhing and thrashing to get out of his grip, but to no avail.

"Stop!" I shriek, in between bursts of laughter, but he continues.

"Do you still need time to decide?" he asks, a look of fake concern on his face. I want to retort something back, like how what I say can't be used against me since I'm under distress, but my side hurts too much from laughing to get the words out.

"Fine! I'll go! I'll go!" I can barely breathe, my face flushed with red. Finally, he stops.

He holds me in his arms, my body too tired to support itself. Even after I catch my breath, we stay this way, my head cradled into his neck. Despite what happens between us, nothing will ever feel as good as this moment, right here, with him. He lets out a sigh of content, and I snuggle impossibly closer into him.

"I love you," he says, laying a kiss on top of my head. I smile against his chest.

"I love you too."

Neither of us move to look at each other, but we don't need to. Just saying it is enough.

"I could still really use the butter, though." He says, and I laugh.

"Way to ruin the moment."

This time he does look at me, his eyes holding onto mine. "No moment can ever be ruined with you."

~~~

Hello lovelies! How is everyone doing? I am a little tired and a lot of bored, but other than that I'm great! I hope that you guys enjoy the chapter! And for those who were wondering if the previous chapter was the end of the book, you have another storm coming 😉. I hope you guys have an amazing day, and if you enjoyed, please comment and vote!

-K