Black Diamonds: Stalking Prey

Chapter 9

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Us...

I never thought that I could react so strongly to a word as simple as 'us'. I mean it's the word 'us'! There's nothing really special about it. However, when a man like Nic says 'us' and he means it in a romantic term, then it's game over.

I'm still standing there looking at Nic with wide eyes, stupefied. My heart is beating a wild rhythm in my chest and I know for a fact that he can hear it. Why am I even reacting like this anyway? I mean we talked by ourselves before.

That's because he's never asked you to talk about 'us'.

Sending up a silent prayer, I clear my throat and respond to him. "What about us?" I ask, shakily.

He straightens up and takes a small step back. "I want to talk about what happened last night."

I immediately know what he's talking about and I feel a blush rise up my neck. "Uhm, why do you want to talk about this now?" I ask, hating how my voice is still shaking with awareness.

A small smile appeared on his face. "I want to talk about it now because there's no one else here to eavesdrop and... to better explain myself about my actions earlier today," he said in a guilty voice.

Just thinking about the way he acted today makes a little spark of anger wash over me, but then a wave of calmness washes over me right after. I can't be mad at him because he actually apologized for it, but still...

"Okay. Do you want to talk in here?" I ask while waving my hand towards the living room.

"Sure," he says. He place his hand on my arm to guide me over to the couch and sits next to me. We sit there a few moments without talking and it is driving me insane. Just as I am about to break the silence when he finally takes a deep breath and begins to talk.

He turns on the couch to face me. "Salene, I want you to know that you are one of the most hard working people I've ever known despite everything you've been through."

My heart jumps and I give a embarrassed smile. "Thanks," I mumble to him.

"I know that sometimes you may resent ever meeting me, but..." he pause and tilts my chin up so that I am looking into his eyes. "I am glad that I saved you." I stay silent and he continues. "I know that we haven't been getting along much today and it is my fault. I shouldn't have spoken to you that way or make you feel as if you weren't doing your job. It was just..." he takes a deep breath as he close his eyes. "I was just that I was upset that another man was flirting with you." Nic confesses and then open his eyes to look at me.

To say that I'm stunned by his confession is putting it lightly. No, I'm floored by what he's saying to me. Is he trying to say that he likes me?

Snapping myself out of my thoughts, I swallow the lump in my throat. "Nic...I-I don't know what to say. Why are you telling me all this?" I boldly ask.

He gathers my hands into his larger ones and say with sincerity, "The reason for telling you this, for the kiss last night, and for my behavior earlier today, is because...I care for you. I really do."

My mouth drops open and I feel my eyes burning. This confession from him is affecting me more than I thought it would. He's basically telling me that he likes me. "N-Nic."

He puts his rough fingers on my lips and I stop talking instantly. "Shh, you do not have to say much right now. I just want to better explain myself as to why I acted out of character." He then scoots back a little bit on the couch and starts to shift awkwardly on the couch. "I wanted to know if you would want to give this a shot?" he says while motioning back and forth between us.