"Why are you doing this?!" Lulu said, urgently, practically running to keep up with Nick's long strides toward the elevator.

 

 "Doing what?" Nick replied, not altogether convincingly, his own conscience ticking him off. He hit the lift button quickly. What was happening with the boys really wasn't fair, and he had absolutely nothing to feel guilty about representing them, and if she were implying he had other motivations...well...he didn't. Dammit! He couldn't even convince himself, he thought.

 

"It seems ever since Brian came to..." she started, but Nick, interjected, "Look, it's not personal Lulu."

 

Louisa looked at him skeptically, "Well, the other night...at the Incline, you were rude and....

 

"Was I?! You were the one who stormed out of the restaurant!" Nick interjected.

 

"Yes! But...but...You KNOW...you were offensive, implying that I just wanted to follow Brian around, that I was screwing up my life...why do YOU have a PROBLEM with what I do with MY life?!" Hurt and anger radiated from Lulu's deep brown eyes.

 

Yeesh, fuckin' elevator come on!! He hit the button again. Inside, Nick was frantic to get away from Lulu's probing questions, questions that he couldn't answer for himself yet. DING!! Phew! Nick walked in, hoping for a fast getaway, but Lulu as hot as she was, was not about to let him get away without answering her.

 

"Because he wants you to be a housewife," Nick said disdainfully. Lulu was so taken aback at his answer she just stood there her mouth slightly open, a look of puzzlement on her face, as the elevator door slid shut. There, Nick thought, exhaling, safe on the other side, let her think about that for a while.

 

That night after work, Lulu decided to go to the Incline with a few co-workers, they sat telling war stories, and she was on her second glass of wine. Nick's comment earlier in the day had unnerved her, and hit home. She did get the feeling that Brian had their lives mapped out with little to no input from her. Their life together would be on his terms, and instinctively, she had known her career might become secondary after they married. She had chosen not to address the subject with Brian, because admittedly, she knew she probably wouldn't like what he had to say on the matter, and her temper might get the best of her.

 

More unsettling than that however, was the man who had suddenly become an integral part of her life, and was causing her to re-examine the choices she was intent on making. Nicholas Fallin. She had him on the brain as of late. She relaxed back in the booth and turned her attentions to Barbara's latest date horror story that had the other girls pealing into laughter.

"HEY NICK!!" Barbara suddenly yelled out jovially looking towards the door.

 

Lulu's heart practically jumped out of her chest, and had begun beating a mile a minute, as she saw him begin to make his way over.

 

"Sit down Nick, pull up a chair," Barbara said, a broad smile on her face.

 

"No, I - I...can't, I just...uh...wanted to talk to Lulu for a second, would you excuse us?"

 

Barbara's eyes twinkled Lulu's way. Like Pavlov's dogs he mesmerized the women seated at the table with his seemingly shy, stilted voice. His dark blonde head angled downward.

 

Lulu found it curious that at times he seemed a little socially inept. He was so smooth and charismatic in court, relaxed and at ease...but she found in social situations, among large groups, he had a tendency to clam up and withdraw just a little bit. She uncurled herself gracefully from the booth despite her two glasses of wine. Nick watched her every move. His eyes on her were a heady experience, and she found herself making her gaze linger just a little bit longer into his, and wondered vaguely if it was the Merlot giving her nerve. She followed him to a table tucked into a quiet part of the bar. Nick automatically pulled out her chair, and waited till she was seated, before he sat down. A gentleman through and through, she thought.

 

He exhaled slowly, looked down, and then up, at Lulu. "What...you and Bri -," he stopped short, as he couldn't bring himself to say the name, "Uh - well, it's none of my business, and I shouldn't have said what I did." He searched her eyes, and she his.

 

No. You shouldn't have...so why did you?", said Lulu softly, her dulcet tones caressing his senses. It was the first time she had said anything since he had walked into the bar, and there was a vague reproaching quality, and that coupled with the way she was looking at him, and her soft voice, had the desired effect - he immediately grew warm.

 

"I was mad," he whispered, looking at her intensely.

Lulu decided not to explore that, and after looking into his eyes a few more seconds, and feeling as if she were playing with fire, she finally broke their locked gaze and dropped her eyes downward.

Nick looked at her down bent head, her shining chocolate brown hair waving around her face. Admiring it, it had occurred to him that most of the women he'd dated had been blonde. Odd, because it wasn't a conscious decision, he didn't consider himself to have a "type." But what was conscious and deliberate was the decision to remain aloof from the many women who had flitted in and out of his life. No one had intrigued him enough to ever consider changing. He liked being unencumbered, and didn't hesitate to make sure any woman he was seeing knew the score. Now, in the dim light of the bar, he was thinking she had the most beautiful dark shiny mane outside of his mother. One small brunette can do major damage, he concluded - she literally made his head spin sometimes with exasperation, sometimes with tenderness, most of the time with desire...thoughts of her had begun keeping him up at night. My God she was dangerous. Maybe that's why he stuck with the blondes, he had chuckled derisively; they were safe.

 

He reached across the table and tucked a dark silky lock, behind her small ear, it clung lovingly to his finger. Lulu's eyes looked up dazedly, as she felt the tickle of his calloused fingertips graze her earlobe. She softly inhaled, barely stifling a gasp at the touch.

 

"I accept your apology," she said.

 

"For what?" Nick replied, his low voice cracking slightly.

 

"Well, for saying what you did of course" she said.

 

Nick lowered his hand, it grazed her neck, and she shivered imperceptibly.

 

"Lulu. I never said I was sorry. I still believe he wants you barefoot and pregnant, with no career of your own. I just said I shouldn't have said that to you," his eyes went hard with jealousy, at the visual of Lulu padding around milkdud's kitchen with a swollen belly.

 

Louisa, puzzled at his sudden change in temperament and demeanor - was reminded at how hurtful he could be when he wanted, her mind flashed back to his outburst that night at the Incline. She stood up abruptly, temper flaring - and as a wave of dizziness hit her, sat back down quickly.

 

"Louisa! What is it?!" Nick, startled, and reaching out to steady her, had grasped and was gently holding one of her arms.

 

"The wine," she said softly, her hand to her forehead.

 

"What?! How many glasses did you have?"

 

"Two."

 

"Two glasses, that's it? That's nothing!"

 

"I'm anemic Nick, it goes to my head faster."

 

"Yeah, and you also look about 100 pounds soaking wet which doesn't help."

 

"How do you know what I look like soaking wet," she giggled, flashing dimples and a row of teeth that never failed to mesmerize him. Lulu's smile was gorgeous. Nick stunned, just sat there.

 

"You can let go of my arm now I'm not going to fall." Nick loosened his grasp.

 

"Well Jesus, Louisa, didn't you know you weren't supposed to have wine?"

 

I can too have wine, it's actually good for me, I guess I just can't have more than one glass."

 

"You guess?"

 

"Yes, I GUESS. I don't drink that often."

 

Saint Louisa, Nick thought. He studied her, "Well, you can't drive home, I'll take you."

 

"Thanks, but you don't have to Nick. Barbara lives 5 minutes from me."

 

"Uh, Lulu Barbara ditched you," Nick said, smirking.

 

Lulu glanced over at the booth where she was last, and sure enough Barbara had left. She was pretty sure Barbara had probably thought she was doing her a favor, "What?! Oh well...I...I can catch a cab."

 

Nick, impatient at her hemming and hawing, decided to ignore her and jumped up to get her jacket. "Stay here," he said abruptly, Lulu bristled at his tone. Sometimes Nick could sound very Lord of the Manor.

 

Walking briskly back to her, he asked if she was ready, Lulu nodded. She took her jacket, chose not to wear it and slung her small bag over her shoulder. Nick threw a bill on the table, and guided her with his hand in the small of her back through the bar. As they stepped outside, the cool air hit their faces, and revived Lulu a bit. Walking through the lot, Lulu suddenly felt better, "You know Nick, I'm okay I think, really, I'll be fine."

 

"Better safe than sorry. Get in the car Louisa." She cut her eyes at him, at which point he added, "please."

 

Lulu climbed in, as he went round to the driver's side, she had an insane urge to lock him out. She couldn't help it, he unnerved her. Smothering a smile, Lulu glanced over. Nick noticed the dimple in her cheek.

 

"What's so funny," Nick asked quietly, starting the motor.

 

She didn't dare say what she had been thinking; he'd think she was an ungrateful witch. She thought about some of the things she had said to Nick when they first met, and her heart ached.

"Oh, I don't know...it's just that..." she stopped, a wave of emotion hitting her unexpectedly.

 

Nick saw it. "Lu-lu?" He said softly. He sat back and looked at her. Uh-oh, he thought, she was clouding up.

 

"Well, you've always been so nice to me, helping me out, even saving me from myself in court sometimes...while I...I've been a bitch." She looked utterly dejected...and adorable.

 

"Noo-oo, that's not true," Nick lied effortlessly, giving an empathetic chuckle. Boy, he planned to buy Lulu a case of red wine for her birthday. All sweet, docile, and full of praise...for him.

 

"No. No it is true, it is" she was adamant, shaking her head. "I questioned your integrity and your morals when I first met you and I had no right, NO RIGHT to do that, I'm awful, I'm a huge bitch -- how can you even stand me?" She sniffled, two fat tears sliding down her cheeks. That's it, he was destroyed. In the close confines of the car, Lulu reached out and touched his face softly, and looking directly into his eyes.

 

"Will you forgive me for what I said to you?" she entreated, whispering.

 

"Lulu..." Nick's voice cracked, he cleared his throat, "there's nothing to forgive, but if it makes you feel better..." He moved closer, "I'll do whatever you want me to do."

 

Her heart melted. Leaning into him, she had planned on just kissing his cheek, really she did, but he turned his face towards her, and his lips were right there. She nuzzled into his neck at first, to which he gave a soft groan, and then she lightly sipped at his lips with tiny kisses.

 

This was torture he thought, his pulse racing, and the blood leaving his head.

 

"Lulu, I can't take this!" Nick breathing heavily and groaning, pulled her across the seat and into his lap, he had to be closer! She curled into him as if she had come home, burrowing beneath his suit coat, and lifting her head up, as his was above her. Nick bent down, and cradling her head in his hands, placed his mouth directly over hers, ravaging her mouth with a slow deep kiss, that neither one of them wanted to end. Interspersed between Lulu's sobbing sighs and Nick's moans, the engine hummed. Nick clasped Lulu's slim hips in his hands, her skirt bunched at the tops of her thighs and he pressed her harder against him. Lulu, gently nipped his plump lower lip, and Nick's breath caught. His hand glided over her nape, and under her soft thick hair, he clasped a fist full, and nipped her back, Lulu laughed.

 

"This is the sweetest apology I ever had Lulu," Nick said dazed. He didn't even think he could drive yet. Lulu slowly scooted off his lap, and he moaned, she turned red. She couldn't believe what had happened. Amazingly she didn't feel in the least bit guilty, it felt more right than anything she had ever done in her life.

 

She had turned a corner, Nick thought, he could see it in her eyes. Brian was toast. She couldn't be with him in all the ways he had dreamed about yet, for that he wanted her stone cold sober - but it was coming, and sooner rather than later.

 

"Are you okay?" Nick asked, caressing her hair.

 

Yeah, are you okay?" said Lulu.

 

"Never better," Nick smiled, his eyes turning downward at the corners, his smile was so infectious, she laughed, her smile lighting up the car and his heart. He put the car in gear.

 

"Nick," she said softly, "do you remember the night of Alvin's birthday at the Incline?"

 

"Uh...um...yeah," Nick said tentatively, his curly head bent low and into his chest. That wasn't one of his better moments. He had propositioned Lulu after knowing her for only two weeks, plus all that rambling about his mother thinking he was nice and charming. God! Sure he had an excuse, he had had one drink too many, but that made it even more embarrassing...

 

"What you told me your Mother used to say about you?" Lulu looked at the top of his head. Exasperated at Nick for staring at his tie, and not her, she reached out and touched softly under his chin.

 

Nick raised his head and looked at her, a slight sadness within the piercing blue of his eyes, "Look, Lulu...let's not tal --

 

"Shhh..." she stopped him, a gentle finger on his lips. "I just wanted to tell you...that she was right." She flashed him the most beautiful smile ever.

 

Flushing with the most intense feeling he had ever known, Nick's heart soared. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Thanks," he said with a crack in his voice. He pulled out into traffic slowly, the two of them with smiles on their lips, and promises in their eyes.

 

THE END