Picture Perfect
Chapter 32
By Crystal

Casey woke to the feeling of a finger drawing circles on the small of her back. Without opening her eyes she shifted around to find that she was lying on someone's chest. She moved her fingers a little to find that they were intertwined with another set of fingers. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around. She looked up and was face to face with Nick.

"I had a dream that I threw up all over you," she moaned softly.

Nick smiled sympathetically. "That wasn't a dream."

"Oh dear. It wasn't?"

"Afraid not. A few hours ago you woke up and threw up all over me. I got up and changed and came back because you were crying about your stomach hurting."

"Why don't I remember any of this?"

Nick slightly shrugged and half-smiled. "You were pretty out of it."

"What time is it?" Nick looked at his watch. "It's around ten in the morning. The family went out for breakfast. My mom came in here a while ago and said they'd be gone for a few hours."

"She saw us laying like this?"

Nick shook his head. "No, I had gone into my room to change my clothes and I saw her coming out of your room. She told me then. After they left I got back in bed with you."

"Then how did I end up on top of you?" she asked curiously. She sat up and supported herself on one extended arm.

"You just did. You were dreaming I guess and just started cuddling up against me. I've been watching you the entire time."

"You took care of me?" The look in her eyes was so sincere that Nick's eyes watered.

"Yeah Casey."

"Why?"

"Because."

Casey looked down, then lay her head back down on his chest. Nick lightly ran his fingers through her hair. Casey listened to the beat of his heart. She moved the fingers on her right hand and noticed that they were still attached to Nick's. She brought their hands up and placed them on top of Nick's chest. She stared at them for a few moments. Everything seemed so surreal.

Casey turned her head the other way and looked up into Nick's eyes. She closed her eyes and detached her hand from Nick's. It crept to the hem of Nick's shirt and slipped up where she rolled her palm over Nick's side. His chest rose and fell slowly and heavily. Nick took his free hand and slowly ran down the side of her body and down to her leg. He pulled it up so that it was draping over one of his own. Then he slowly moved back up, placed his hand on Casey's face and brushed against her eyelids. She opened them and looked at him. She took a deep breath before sitting up and moving her head up to Nick's head. She furrowed her brow and looked down at him undecidedly. Very very slowly she closed her eyes and leaned her head in closer and allowed her lips to lay lightly against his own. In soft motions she began to kiss him. Nick's lips sweetly kissed her back, slowly increasing their tempo. Casey parted her lips and let her tongue mingle with his.

After what seemed like hours, Nick put his hands on her hips and she moved her body over his. When he started to move her top up, she stopped.

"We can't do this Nick," she said, out of breath.

Nick closed his eyes and leaned back in the bed. He ran his hands over his face. With a heavy sigh he got up from underneath Casey and got out of the bed. He started to walk out but stopped and turned around.

"You can't keep doing this to me Casey. One minute you want me and the next you don't! One minute you love me and the next you hate me. I can't deal with this anymore! When you've made up your mind let me know."

"Nick stop!" she cried out. She got up and walked over to where he was standing. She walked around to face him but he wouldn't look at her. She put her hand up on his chin and turned his face so she could look into his eyes.

"I know I'm messed up Nick. No one knows it better than me. We have a very long history together and a future that is unforeseen as of right now. Let's not live in the past or look towards the future. Let's just be here now, in the present."

"And what's in the present Casey? An alcohol fest here, a fuck on the kitchen floor there? Yeah it was fun at the time but I don't want to live my life around that. These past two weeks have been a non-stop roller coaster and I never know what to expect from you. Yesterday you jumped my bones in a photo booth and told me that for the last 18 years you've wanted me. Well guess what Casey, for the last 18 years all I've thought about is being with you. All that time when I was away and I didn't call I was thinking about you. But when you told me that you loved me that night I… I didn't know what to do. So all I did was think about you. I don't know how I feel about you now but…"

"Don't say anymore," she whispered. "Just hold me, please?"

Nick opened his arms and brought her close to him for a warm embrace. "I want an answer Casey. I want to know what you feel for me. Until then I'm just going to stay out of your way."

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"I feel like I felt that night before I left. Like a helpless little boy in love with a girl that remains a mystery to him." He let go of her and walked out of the room without looking back.