The Forgotten Heiress novel Chapter 53

He turned around and Jessica watched as, little by little, his eyes began to return to normal. She knew that the storm had passed when the wolf-Matt- sat back and wagged its tail. Nick sat down on the curb of the sidewalk and the wolf went to him and licked his chin.

Nick laughed, scratched the wolves head and murmured, "Thanks." Then looked at Axel and Christian and praised their commitment to her. "I'm glad to know that I made the right choice when I chose you two to protect her." They both bowed their heads and relaxed a bit but Nick wasn't done, "but don't make the mistake of forgetting that I'm your Alpha ever again."

They nodded again but his concentration was no longer on them; it was on Jessica. He always seemed to be on uneven footing around her and he told her so after he apologized. "It's just that, I've never done this before." He explained to her.

She raised an eyebrow and Nick took it as a good sign that she was no longer glaring at him or trying to sink into the wall.

"I've never had a mate before and this is all new to me." He confided "No one ever told me how hard this whole mating stuff would be. I ache to be close to you." He placed a palm on his chest. "And I went nuts when you said no to me. I've never asked a girl out either." He admitted to her.

Her eyes widened and she looked at him skeptically, "never?"

He shook his head, "never."

The admission brought her up short and did all kinds of crazy things to her insides. Even though she refused to put a name to the feeling, she'd hated thinking of him with other girls and had tortured herself all evening thinking that maybe he'd decide to go find someone else when she didn't hear from him again.

She scooted up to sit with him at the curb, the wolf between them and Axel and Christian standing behind them, and did something she rarely did. Looking down at her shoes she apologized.

Smiling, Nick looked at her over the wolf's head-she could have sworn he was smiling too. "What? Can you repeat that?"

Jessica raised her head, their eyes connected and she apologized again. "I've never gone out on a date before," she admitted to him, "and I was too scared that maybe I wouldn't measure up and that's why I said no."

Nick laughed and stood up. "Well at the risk of being rejected twice," He extended a hand towards her and asked. "Will you go out with me tonight?"

Jessica placed her hand in his and he helped her stand up, smiling at him she asked. "Nothing fancy?"

He shook his head and agreed. "Nothing fancy."

"But not today." She didn't think she was ready for that.

"Not today."

They made their way towards her bike and she stood back while he got on and scooted forward to make room for her. When he was set, he smiled and stretched his hand out towards her. She smiled back, took his hand and jumped on; scooting forward until he was flushed against him and wrapped her arms around him.

He gave her hand a tight squeeze and turned toward Axel and Christian, Jessica was amazed to find that she'd forgotten about them. Nick seemed to take up all of her attention when he was around and everything and everyone else became irrelevant.

"Take the rest of the night off," he told them, "she will be safe with me." He looked down at the wolf Matt, "you too."

Axel and Christian smiled and nodded while the wolf just wagged its tail. They were off with one last wave of their hands towards their guards. Jessica leaned her head on his back and sighed, now that she knew that whatever they did wasn't going to be a fancy affair, she could relax and enjoy whatever was to come.