Chap 5 is what you want....Chap 5 is what you get :lol: Enjoy guys!
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|Chapter 5|
Both sat and enjoyed the closeness of each other and the peaceful surroundings until Sara finally pulled back from the hug and held the necklace up to Nick. She turned around and pulled up her hair while he slid it around her neck and clasped it together. He kissed the back of her neck lightly before her hair fell.
Sara smiled as she felt the charm lying against her chest and pushed herself up off the ground. She dusted her butt off and walked over to the stream that was nearby and tossed in a few rocks. The whole three months she’d been with Nick had been amazing but she had never once told him she loved him. He showered her with affection all the time and she tried to repay the favor the best she could but those three words had never came out of her mouth. She knew that she loved him and he knew the same. He had never pressured her or even asked and she was grateful for that.
Nick wiped away tears from his eyes and didn’t know why he was crying. He’d not exactly said what he wanted to that was for sure or even given her what he wanted to but that wasn’t the point. He knew deep down that she loved him but as juvenile as it sounded he wanted to hear her say it. It broke his heart a little each time he told her and she didn’t tell him. He got up and walked over to her putting his arms around her waist once he’d calmed himself down a little. He felt her hands rub his arms gently and he smiled.
“Sar….can I ask you something?” He asked still trying to figure out exactly how to ask her without making her mad.
Sara nodded her head and turned around in his arms to face him. “Of course…you know you can ask me anything you want. What’s on your mind?” She smiled and put her arms around his neck not really sure what else he could possibly want to ask her.
Nick cleared his throat still trying to figure out how to say it. He looked in her eyes and realized she didn’t have a clue what he was about to ask. He saw the love she had for him in every square inch of her face and body. It should have been enough but it just wasn’t working for him anymore. “Do you love me?” He finally spit out the words after sometime.
Sara closed her eyes and hung her head down once the realization of what he’d just said to her sunk in. She knew the day would come when she would either have to break down and tell him or he would get up the nerve and ask but she wasn’t prepared for it. Not now. She ran her fingers through his hair and nodded her head yes hoping that would suffice and that he would drop the subject.
Nick sighed pulled back from her. He put his hands on his hips and kicked at the ground a few seconds. Why was it so hard for her to just say it if she loved him? It’s not like if she said it they were married. He had no idea what was wrong with tell him that she loved him and it bothered him greatly. He looked up to see Sara’s arms wrapped around her as if she was cold and a worried look on her face.
“Why can’t you say it Sara? I know that you show me you love me every single second that we’re together. I can tell from the look on your face, the way your body acts, how you talk about me to other people, and everything in between but why can’t you just look at me and tell me that you love me? Nodding your head doesn’t count if you hadn’t already picked up on that.” He said getting a little frustrated.
“You just don’t understand….” Sara started and Nick held up a hand cutting her off.
“No I don’t understand Sara. I mean we’ve been very serious with each other for three months now. I tell you that I love you all the time, not as often as I’d like, but at least I say it. I bring you down here to meet my parents, to show you how my life really is and I have to finally break down and ask you if you love me! What am I missing Sara?” He ran his fingers through his head trying not to raise his voice and upset her.
Sara looked at Nick as her bottom lip started to tremble and tears formed in her eyes. Why did he have to push the issue? Why couldn’t he just accept it for what it was and go on with life? She felt a tear slide down her cheek and she wiped it away as she looked down at the ground. She expected Nick to rush over and pour out apologies but when he didn’t move she realized it really had upset him. She took a deep breath and looked up at him.
”The last time I told someone that I loved them was on a Monday. Before I left to go to school I told my father and hugged him goodbye. The next time I saw him was at his funeral after my mother killed him….” She watched his expression change from frustration to sympathy and she continued her explanation. “From that day I swore to myself that I would never say it to anybody again Nick. Because I’m so afraid that if I do they are going to disappear from my life like he did. I’d rather go on with my life not telling you than to have you disappear and never see you again…” Her voice broke and she covered her face in her hands and slowly went to the ground crying.
Nick walked over to her wrapping her up in his arms and letting her have a long cry against his chest to get all of the pain and anger out of her body. He rubbed her back softly until he felt her body subside from the sobs and she pulled back with bloodshot eyes and mascara running all down her cheeks. She started to say something and Nick shook his head no.
“Sara I’m not going to disappear out of your life. I don’t plan on ever leaving you. I figured you’d be the one to get tired of me and go eventually.” She shook her head no and sniffed a little. “I had no idea….if I did I wouldn’t have even asked you. I was just getting scared that I was reading everything wrong and you didn’t love me. If you don’t want to tell me that’s perfectly fine…I don’t want to pressure you into anything sweetheart.” He wiped away a tear that had fallen. “Your right I didn’t understand and I feel like a complete jerk for forcing you to explain yourself.”
“Your not a jerk…” Her voice came out in a scratchy tone and she cleared her throat. “I’m sorry that I made it such a big dramatic issue but that was just how I felt about the whole thing and…” She said as she wiped her eyes and Nick cut her off again.
“Was?” He asked with a frown.
She smiled weakly and caressed his cheek. “Yes was….It wasn’t until today that I realized how much you care for me and want to be with me Nick. Actually I had been thinking of how I hadn’t told you before you even asked me. I know now that I was completely foolish to keep everything bottled up inside with you. You didn’t read anything wrong Nick…..I love you more than anything in this world and I wish I could go back and tell you every single day that we’ve been together.”
Nick felt his heart swell and he grinned down at her. She had finally said it and he felt like the happiest, strongest man in the world. He kissed her softly and looked back into her eyes. “I love you too sunshine….”
Sara smiled and then looked at his white shirt at the mascara stains. “I think I owe you a new shirt…..sorry. I know how much you liked this one.” She ran her hand over the wet spot as he looked down.
“It’s a shirt….it can be replaced very easily. But you….nothing will ever replace you Sara and I swear to you in front of God and everything around us that I am never going to leave you. So get that out of your mind completely and I don’t ever want to hear you say that again. Alright?” He lifted up her chin so she would look at him and she shook her head in agreement. “Alright…now what do you say we go back to the house and help Mom get dinner started?”
“I say that sounds like a great idea.” She wiped her eyes once more and realized she must look like hell. “God I probably look like crap and they are going to think we’ve went down here and beat the crap out of each other.” She said as she interlinked her fingers with Nicks as they walked back up to the horses.
“You look like an angel and they aren’t going to think anything bad. Here let me help you up.” He said as he swatted he butt when they came up beside Ringo.
They slowly made their way back to the stables enjoying the scenery and each other company. Nick always kept an eye on Ringo making sure no resistance came about but knew deep down he’d taken to Sara and would probably have a hard time getting a ride on himself. Once at the stables Nick helped Sara slide off of Ringo and into his arms.
Sara smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck completely unaware Bill, Jillian, Nick’s brother, wife and two kids were on the back porch and had probably noticed they were back. She leaned up and kissed him deeply letting their tongues slowly dance together. She lets out a small moan when his hands grabbed her butt and squeezed. “I love you Mr. Stokes.” She said softly as he pulled back.
Nick grinned. “And I love you too Ms. Sto..Sidle.” He stuttered and felt his face get a little warm when Sara giggled.
“Mrs. Stokes was it?” She smiled as she saw him look at the ground and laugh a little embarrassed. “It’s got a nice ring to it….very nice actually.”
He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow at her. “Really…is that a proposal Sidle?” He inched closer feeling her breath against his skin.
A grin spread across Sara’s lips as she leaned in and kissed him softly. “What if it was?” She turned away from him and took the reins to Ringo and led him back to the field they’d found him in leaving Nick standing there with a grin on his face and his hands crossed in front of his chest. She looked back with a grin and he shook his head as he started to take the saddle off the horse he’d rode.
On the back porch Lance looked over at Bill with a questioning look. “I’m going to assume that’s Nick’s girlfriend…wife…fiancé….a little help would be nice right about now.”
Bill and Jillian laughed. “Bill has already determined that’s his new daughter but as of right now she’s a girlfriend. She’s really very sweet. Nick’s really not talked much about her but they’ve been gone most of the evening too.”
Lance nodded. “And she was riding Ringo…impressive. I’m gonna go with Dad on this one and say she’ll probably be joining the family very soon. I’ve saw Nick with girls and from what I can tell…” He nods down towards the stables where Nick was chasing Sara around, both laughing hysterically, and trying to get away from each other. “he’s pretty serious about this one. I mean when was the last time we saw Nick laugh and play around like that? Not to mention the fact he practically undressed her right in front of us.”
Lance’s wife Chasity smacked him on the shoulder. “Grow up for heaven’s sake!” She laughed. “Both of you stop assuming. Because that will lead you into pressuring Nick. Let him enjoy his time with her and make the decision on his own if he wants to marry her. If he wants to date her the rest of his life then so be it.” She turned to Jillian. “But I will agree she has done something to him. He’s not been this happy in a long time. You saw how he was when he got out of the hospital. He was an emotional wreck, stopped eating all together, hardly slept. I didn’t know if he’d ever go back to his old self.”
“Wait til he gets up here. He is a totally different person. Just the way he talks and acts. You’d think he never moved and went to Vegas. It’s like he’s the Nick we all knew when he was at college. Not a care in the world and the happiest boy you’d ever meet.” Jillian said in reply to Chasity.
“Parker! Chase! Come here for a sec…” He yelled into the pool at his two sons who groaned and got out. “I’ll give you two 10 bucks if you’ll up to Nick’s girlfriend…” he glanced at Chasity as he said it and then back at his sons. “ and scream aunt…” He turned to Bill. “What’s her name anyway?”
Bill chuckled. “Sara.”
“Right..when they come up here run and scream Aunt Sara and give her a big hug.” He said with a smile.
“Lance no don’t. You’ll embarrass her.” She jerked the money out of his hands before it reached the two boys.
Lance nodded at the boys to go and do it when Chasity turned her attention to Jillian and he mouthed “Do it.”
Nick and Sara were both out breath from the chasing and finally decided to walk inside and get something to eat. They still hadn’t noticed everyone on the back porch until they heard two screaming kids running towards them. Nick looked up frowning until he noticed exactly what was happening and the two boys ran up to Sara putting their arms around her waist.
“Aunt Sara!!” Parker and Chase yelled as they hugged her tightly.
Sara looked at Nick with a questioning look. “Uh…help?” She said more in the form of a question and she hugged the two boys back. “Uh hi….” She said a little confused.
Nick laughed and pointed up towards the porch. “You are not funny man!” He yelled towards Lance when he realized what had took place. “Boys…easy on her. It’s her first day! This is Parker and Chase…they can explain which is which. I am not good with the twin thing. These little devils belong to my brother, who obviously arrived while we were gone.” He said to Sara who smiled and nodded.
Parker and Chase laughed and both gave a hug to Nick before they went running back to the pool screaming. For 6 year old kids they more energy than Nick would have imagined. Nick looked over at Sara who had started to laugh.
Sara looked over at Nick who shrugged and motioned towards the pool. “Aunt Sara hmm…how much did you pay them?” She asked and nudged him with her elbow.
“Aunt Sara…come and swim with us! PLEASE!!!!!” Parker begged and his brother soon joined in.
“I hope it was good because it was really really sweet Nick.” She kissed him on the side of the cheek. “Alright alright let me go grab a bathing suit and I’ll be right back!” She called to the boys and winked at Nick. “You are the sweetest man…”
Nick smiled and watched her go inside the house after being introduced to Lance and Chasity until the boys started begging her to join them again. He made his way up and took a seat on the steps of the concrete porch and reached into the cooler beside him to grab a bottle of water. He had been a little nervous at the fact his brother and two of his sisters had kids. Kids were never a strongpoint with Sara but all his worries had faded when she saw the look on her face at the mention of her being their aunt and realized she would be in for a treat when she met the others the following day. Lance patted him on the shoulder taking him from his thoughts and sat down beside him.
“Aunt Sara…that was a nice touch man. Real nice.” Nick said jokingly.
“It worked so what in the hell are you griping about. I saw the look on her face when she it hit her. I’ll be a gentleman and let you have the credit but you owe me a beer later.” He laughed.
Sara came out of the house dressed in her favorite pink halter top bikini, her hair clipped up and a towel wrapped around her waist. She smiled at Nick as she went by. He watched her jump in the pool with the kids and smiled. He’d saw the change come over here when she’d finally said she loved him back at the stream and felt like they had went through their final hurdle as a couple. The relationship would just grow in time and he knew from the way she was playing around with the boys a lot of things would be changing very soon.