Limoncello

Chapter 10

"Heaven's hiding barely out of frame, but Hell embraces like a hurricane." ~ Thousand Below, Hell Finds You Everywhere

–

Maeve awoke late the next morning with arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Gentle kisses and warm breath tickled her neck. "G'morning," she murmured, smiling, voice raspy from sleep.

"Good morning, doll," Nick rasped into her neck. "You sleep well?"

"Mhm," she hummed, turning to face him. "Did you?"

"Slept like a baby," he grinned. He moved his arms so that she could face him fully, then rested a hand on her hip, rubbing his thumb across the sliver of skin exposed from her shirt riding up. Nick's hair was tussled, his eyes sleepy, and his goofy smile was spread across his face like he'd just won the lottery. To him, he had.

"How's your hand?" she questioned. She placed her hand on his bicep and ran it down his arm until she reached his hand, grabbing it and moving it from her hip to in front of her.

"It's a little sore," Nick shrugged. "I'm not too worried about it." He watched fondly as she inspected the bandage that was still securely in place around his knuckles. With a gentle touch and focused gaze, she began to unwrap his hand to check the wound underneath.

"It looks a little better," she commented under her breath once she could see the wound. She set the bandage on her nightstand before she pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles as she made eye contact with him.

Nick felt his heart jump into his throat and his eyes began to crinkle from how hard he was smiling. "It's all thanks to you," he grinned. He took his hand from her gentle hold and used it to pull her closer to him. "Best nurse ever," he chuckled before pulling her in for a kiss.

Maeve giggled against his lips as she kissed back, her hands moving to cup his face. The kiss was soft and slow. Both of them kept accidentally breaking the kiss because they couldn't stop smiling.

Nick was the first to fully pull away. "Can I take you fishing today?"

"I don't really know how to fish," Maeve shrugged. "But I'll come with you."

"I'll teach you," Nick sat up excitedly. "This is gonna be sick."

"Slow your roll," Maeve giggled, sitting up. "I need coffee and food first."

—

After a quick breakfast, Maeve sat in the passenger's seat of Nick's truck with the air conditioner blasting while Nick loaded up the poles, chairs, tackle boxes, and a cooler filled with water and beer. It was absolutely precious how excited he was to take her fishing. He hadn't stopped smiling once, rushing around to get everything they needed packed up like a kid helping pack the car for Disneyland. The next thing she knew, the driver's side door swung open and Nick plopped into the seat. "You ready?" he chirped, buckling his seatbelt with a quickness.

"Ready."

Nick plugged his phone into the aux and put on a mix of 90s and early 2000s country music before peeling out of the driveway. His right hand made purchase on Maeve's thigh for the majority of the drive, which took about 30 minutes. It felt like no time at all as they laughed and joked all the way to the lake.

When they arrived, Maeve tried to get out of the truck. Nick stopped her. "Ah ah ah," he patted her thigh. "Don't touch that door." Maeve furrowed her eyebrows at him as he got out of the truck and ran to the passengers side to open the door for her. He offered her his hand.

She grabbed it with a giggle. "Thank you," she chirped, getting out of the truck with his help and pressing a quick kiss to his check. She didn't miss the way his face flushed.