Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 28

Nik's POV:

The first thing I felt was the soft press of warmth against my leg. Half-asleep, I shifted slightly, my mind groggy and unfocused, not yet fully aware of where I was or who I was with. The room was dark, the faint sound of the occasional drunk students passing by the house in the background, but something was off. I blinked my eyes open, the haze of sleep slowly lifting as I became more aware of my surroundings.

My leg was touching someone else's. I frowned, confused for a moment, until I remembered—Victoria. She was here, in my bed. I must have moved closer to her in my sleep, or maybe she had moved closer to me. Either way, it was like our bodies had unconsciously sought each other out in the night.

Just as I was about to drift off again, I felt her move, a slight, restless shifting that caught my attention. Her breathing was uneven, her body tense beside mine. I lifted my head slightly, squinting through the darkness to see her face. Her brow was furrowed, and her lips, usually so soft and full, were pressed into a thin line. She mumbled something incoherent, her voice laced with fear.

My heart clenched in my chest as I realized what was happening—she was having a nightmare.

Without thinking, I instinctively reached out, my arm sliding around her shoulder to pull her closer. I knew better than to wake her suddenly. My sister had suffered from night terrors when we were kids, and I'd learned the hard way that waking someone up in the middle of a nightmare could sometimes do more harm than good.

Instead, I gently pulled her into me, feeling how cold her skin was against mine. The contrast between our bodies was stark, her icy chill against my warmth. I tucked the blankets around her more securely, trying to ward off the cold, and hugged her from behind, my chest pressing against her back. My hand found its way to her hair, and I started to stroke it gently, my fingers threading through the soft strands.

"Shh, it's okay," I whispered, my voice low and soothing, even though I knew she probably couldn't hear me. "You're safe."

Her body continued to tremble for a few more seconds, her breath coming in ragged gasps, but gradually, I felt her start to calm down. The tension in her muscles began to ease, her breathing growing more even as she settled into the comfort of my embrace.

I stayed like that, holding her close, my head resting on top of hers. The scent of her hair—something sweet and soft—filled my senses, and I felt an inexplicable urge to protect her, to keep her safe from anything and everything.

As I held her, my eyes traced the delicate features of her face, now softened by the dim light filtering in from the window. Her long, dark lashes fluttered gently against her cheeks, and her lips, slightly parted as she breathed, looked so inviting that it took everything in me not to lean down and press mine against them. I was not a creep. Unlike my brother. Our first kiss will be memorable—Wait, what?

Anyway... They were soft, full, and so incredibly kissable that I had to force myself to focus on anything else.

I couldn't help but notice how her hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, the strands slipping through my fingers like silk. There was something so angelic about her in this moment, her vulnerability only adding to the beauty she carried so effortlessly.

She was stunning—utterly captivating in a way that made my chest tighten with an unfamiliar ache. I'd seen plenty of girls in my life, but none of them had ever affected me like this. Not even close. Sure, I had a girlfriend or two, three throughout my life, mainly when I was in high school. But nothing compared to this. To her.

As I lay there, fully awake now, my heart continued to beat in a slow, steady rhythm, in sync with hers. It was a strange feeling, being so close to someone I'd only recently started to know, and yet feeling this overwhelming need to protect her, to keep her safe in my arms.