Secrets & Surrender: Part One (13 page)

“If he does anything, I promise I’ll do something about it. For now, let’s just leave it alone. I have a surprise for you.”

“I can’t just leave it—ooh, a surprise? What is it?” Screw Seth. I loved surprises.

“Wait for it.” He held up a finger for a moment, and then a ballad, that wasn’t country, spilled out of the speakers.

“Oh my God! You got them to play a Phil Collins song!”

Nic grabbed my hand and twirled me around, making my dress flare out in a series of red waves. When he pulled me back, I gazed up into loving eyes. He looked down at me, his dimples flashing.

Mesmerized, I watched his perfect lips moving as he sang. Everyone around us disappeared. There was only Nic and me. He buried his hand into my hair, stroking the back of my neck as his sweet tenor voice sent thousands of butterflies into my stomach. He pressed his head against mine, his warm breath hitting against my lips when he softly sang about how my kisses made him shiver and how, when I was in his arms, nothing else mattered.

The music went into a crescendo and he lifted his head slightly. Hazel eyes held mine tenderly as he sang how his entire world could fall apart and it wouldn’t matter because I was with him. I bit back the tears pricking my eyes when I realized the meaning of his words. His world was falling apart slowly in front of him. It was the only world he’d ever known, and he was giving it all up to be with me.

“Don’t you agree?” he sang.

“About what?”

I blinked, trying to understand what he was saying.

“About us.”

I gazed into the worried eyes of the annoying boy I’d met months ago, but had then turned into the man I’d fallen in love with.

He knows.

My breath caught in my throat. He knew I was holding back from him. Though I showered him with kisses and admitted that I’d fallen for him, he knew I was holding a piece of myself away from him. And why? Hadn’t he proven that he’d do anything for me, that he really loved me? He’d never given up on me, even when I’d pushed him away. He was the one person who had total faith in me because he saw something in me that he loved.

So why couldn’t I let him in?

The way his parent’s looked at me when I first met them flashed through my mind. As much as I wanted to be with Nic, there was a tiny part of me that was afraid he wouldn’t understand once he knew about my family’s secret. I don’t think I could take it if he turned away from me once he knew.

I brushed my hand over his cheek, relishing the feel of his stubble against my fingers. He was so handsome in his tuxedo, his hair combed back in soft dark waves. He was more than a beautiful face. He had a beautiful heart and spirit. I could trust him, couldn’t I?

“Sure, we’re totally groovy together.” I pulled him to me, kissing him before he could say anything else.

His arms tightened their hold around me as he deepened his kiss. My heart thumped frantically against his chest at the intensity of the kiss. It was different. It was as if he was pleading for more, wanting more than the lame answer I’d given him.

I kissed him back urgently, promising I’d try.

“A
re we there yet?”

Nic smiled widely, looking way too excited as we drove down a winding country road. Stars twinkled against the clear night sky. The full moon glowed, casting shadows that fell across Nic’s handsome face.

“Almost there.” He directed the car underneath a small bridge, and then turned onto on a gravel path that was barely visible from the road. He took the car down a dirt path that ran parallel to what appeared to be a small river.

“Where are we?”

“Five Mile Dam.” He maneuvered the car and parked it in a thick brush of bushes and trees, hidden from view.

After prom, Nic offered the limo to Cody and Cassie. Nic had paid the limo driver for the entire night. Cody nodded, a whisper of a smile on his face. The little stinker knew exactly what Nic was up to. Cassie shrugged her shoulders when I eyed her inquisitively. Apparently, Cody and Nic were just full of surprises. Lucky for Nic, Cody wasn’t much of a talker and could keep a secret.

We’d driven the two-hour drive to San Marcos. The SWT campus was spectacular at night. I hadn’t seen the college, which sat on the highest hill in the small town, except in brochures. Walking around campus at night with Nic as a tour guide was amazing. He had visited the campus a couple of times with his father when they’d first moved to Texas. Nic mentioned something about SWT being the current Texas governor’s alma mater and his father having meetings with other Texas college presidents at the SWT campus. His father had insisted Nic go with him because it was a good opportunity to network.

“Father likes to take the back roads between San Marcos and Austin. For some reason, he thinks people are out to get him so he hired a bodyguard, who also happens to be his private driver.”

It was no surprise to hear that Mr. Marcelli had enemies. The man was evil incarnate. It was hard to imagine that he could be the father of someone as sweet as Nic.

Nic opened my door as he continued. “His name is Tony. He’s actually a pretty nice guy. Tony was the one who told me about this place and how it’s a nice private place to bring someone special.”

Taking the blanket out of the trunk, we walked to the riverbank. He picked a spot and flicked it open. Then turning to me, he said, “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

I swallowed thickly.
Uh-oh. Here it comes.

“Mandi, I know you have a hard time trusting me.”

“I trust you.” He raised an eyebrow. “Okay, so maybe it took a while for me to open up to you. But can you blame me? I mean, how was I to know that you were serious about us?”

“You’re right. I went about this the wrong way. And at first, it was because I’d never met anyone who’d turned away from me. I admit, girls usually came easy for me. But meeting you, you’re so different from anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Of course, I’m one of a kind.” I gathered my dress and plopped down on the blanket. “You should be so lucky I let you hang with me, considering the lame preppie clothes you wear and the fact that you think Slash is the ultimate guitarist.” I grinned.

“That part is debatable.” He chuckled and sat down beside me. His face turned serious. “But not the part where you’re one of a kind. You’re the only one for me, Mandi. I hope you can see that.”

“I do,” I whispered softly.

“Are you sure?” Hazel eyes searched mine for an answer. “Sometimes I feel like you’re holding back from me. Maybe you don’t want me to go with you to SWT?”

“No. Oh, Nic.” I kissed him gently, swallowing back the truth and hoping my kisses were enough for him. “I do want you with me. I—ouch!”

“What’s wrong?”

I pulled at one of the dozen red rhinestone bobby pins that held my mass of curls off my shoulders. I held up the flower-shaped rhinestone pin. “This damn thing’s been stabbing my head all night.”

“Then why did you wear them?” He laughed as he helped me take the pins out of my hair.

“Cassie thought I should wear my hair up. She said I have a pretty neck.”

Loosening a pin, a strand of hair fell to my shoulder. He leaned in close, hot breath hitting against my skin. His fingers glided down my throat sensuously. “It’s more than pretty. It’s beautiful.”

“Nic.” My breath quickened. His lips hovered over mine, tempting, teasing.

“Mandi, I love you.”

Warm hazel eyes held onto mine, waiting for me to say those three words back to him. I opened my mouth to tell him I felt the same way, to tell him there was no one else in the world who made me feel the way he did. The words were stuck in my throat.

Instead, I crushed my lips against his. I kissed him with such passion that he jerked back, taken off guard. I clutched the lapel of his tuxedo jacket, deepening the kiss and keeping him close to me. I desperately wanted to show him the words that were trapped inside of me.

My hands flew over the buttons of his shirt. I needed to feel his skin, his warm body, against mine. Nic moaned when I pressed my lips against his well-defined chest. Slowly, I kissed every inch of him. My fingers trailed down his muscled abdomen.

“Mandi.” He groaned when my hand rested on his hardness. He took my hand and brought it up to his lips. “Are you sure?”

I looked at his heartbreakingly handsome face, which was made even more so by the moonlight. During all these months of dating, we’d never gone all the way. Surprisingly, it was Nic that stopped me. I’d wanted to jump his bones since the night of our first date. I knew I wasn’t his first. And he wouldn’t be my first either. For some reason, Nic had wanted to wait. It’s as if he knew he wanted to be sure that I wanted him completely.

Holding his eyes, I sat up and unzipped the back of my dress. Then I unhooked the back of the halter from behind my neck, letting it slip down to my chest. His eyes drank me in appreciatively.

“I’m sure.”

In one swift movement, I was in his arms. His kisses were like fire. His lips trailed down my throat and then down to my breasts. Breathless, I reached behind me. With one snap, my bra was off.

“You’re so sexy,” he breathed, his hands caressing my breasts.

Our kisses grew hotter and, before I knew it, all of our clothes were tossed aside, and his bare chest pressed against mine. I felt his hardness against my thigh.

“I want you, Nic.”

He nodded, reaching into his pants pocket. A cool breeze blew, making me shiver as I waited for him. I gazed up at the twinkling stars and made a wish. I wished that this perfect night would last forever. There was a rustling and tearing of a package. Nic’s face was suddenly over me again, taking the place of the stars.

“My beautiful, Nic.” I closed my eyes and wrapped my legs around his waist, bringing him closer.

“Mandi, let me see your eyes.”

I opened my eyes and sucked in a breath. His face was so soft, so raw with emotion. He tensed and slowly pushed into me, filling me with such love that I cried out.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No. It’s just...it’s just...” I pressed my lips against his, substituting, words of love with kisses.

The world moved rhythmically. It was a slow burn at first. Then I felt a pressure building within me, and I clung to Nic, my fingers digging into his back. He let out a moan and he moved faster. Then he shuddered and my body exploded in unison with his.

I laid in his arms, breathless, his sweat slick body against mine. I pressed my head against his chest, listening to the racing beat of his heart. My heart pounded in sync with his, answering his call of love. His arms pressed me tightly against his chest and those words came out again, tearing at my heart with the questioning tone he used.

“I love you. Mandi?” His voice cracked with raw emotion.

I knew he was asking if I loved him. And I wanted to say those three words, but instead, I once again choked back my reply. I closed my eyes, a tear rolling down my cheek. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t give him all of me. I had to protect my family. Every day that passed, I grew closer to him and fell in love with him a little bit more, putting them more at risk

Sometimes when we touched, like the way he was holding me now, I found myself breaking, wanting to tell him everything. And it scared the hell out of me, knowing that I was so close to telling him about my family.

His arms tightened, waiting for me to tell him I loved him. I wanted to hold on to him until my arms grew numb, until all my fears disappeared and I could give myself to him completely. But then a small voice within me wondered if I could trust him, really trust him.

I closed my eyes, squeezing him tightly in response, hoping my touch and kisses were enough because, right now, it was all I could give him.

“Me too,” I whispered.

N
ic’s mother was gonna die in three, two—

“Dominic, are you sure there are no other dorm rooms available? Perhaps a larger suite? I’m sure a simple phone call from your—Mandi, please be careful with that box. The crystal is used, but still highly valuable—what was I saying? Oh, yes, your father would be happy make a phone call on your behalf. This kitchenette just isn’t sufficient for your needs.”

I was standing in the middle of the kitchen with a box labeled
Waterford
ready to bash Mrs. Marcelli over the head with it. I must’ve still been in shock to see her in Nic’s dorm, ordering us where to place his moving boxes. Why else would she still be alive in my presence? I was stunned that I was able to be in the same zip code, not to mention the same room, with that woman.

And it was all my parents’ fault.

Leaving Koppe was hard. Who knew that I was actually going to miss that small, ass- backward town? The hardest was leaving Cassie and Cody. I was so worried about Cassie moving back to Houston and leaving Cody. Then Nic told me about Cody’s surprise. Apparently, Cody, that stinker, had rented a house for him and Cassie. I wish I had been there to see her face when he showed her. Cassie had been depressed since prom, thinking that she’d have to leave Cody and return to Houston to live with her mom.

Life was going smoothly with Cassie settled in with Cody, and my family had settled into our new home too. The house we were renting was a little bit better than our old one. It had three bedrooms instead of two. For once, Juan actually smiled when he found out he had an actual room of his own. Smiles from Juan were rare these days. It was like overnight, he had turned into a total pain in the ass. Ever since Nic had announced he was moving with us to San Marcos, he’d been dissing Nic every chance he got. And Nic was nothing but nice to him. If Juan didn’t grow up soon, I was going to kick his ass.

Fortunately, my parents couldn’t have loved Nic more. Before moving to San Marcos, Nic had helped my father find a job at the local light manufacturing plant. Nic knew the owner...or more like his mother knew the owner. Apparently, they were old college buddies. Obliviously, Nic’s mother was desperate to win Nic back because with one simple phone call, my dad had a job, no interview needed.