Restoring Hope (27 page)

As sleep set in, Nic decided he’d worry about John Cummings and his threat to their happiness tomorrow. Tonight, he would hold his woman, wake her later and show her again how he felt, and then in the morning, he’d get beignets and eat those off her as well. But, for now, he’d sleep the sleep of a man whose dreams were fulfilled by reaching out and grabbing hold with both hands and not letting go.

Chapter Twenty-One

When Hope opened her eyes the next morning, the sun shining, warm, strong arms wrapped around her, she smiled. For the first time in forever, she smiled a smile of true happiness. Hopeless was the best way to describe how she’d felt until God gave her this second chance, one she’d been looking for her whole life. Coming to New Orleans on a whim, Hope now knew was God directing her to Nic.

Ten years she’d lived on eggshells, each year taking a little more of who she was; she’d been outgoing once, mouthy even. A trait she hadn’t fully lost and a source of anger for David. When he wasn’t acting like she was priceless and the love of his life, he was moody and explosive. He could go months without an outburst, but the constant wondering when he would lose control again took its toll. She’d withdrawn to avoid his anger, but every once in a while the old Hope would come out, defiant, tired of being scared. Since she’d been in New Orleans, she felt the old Hope reemerging again, and it was freeing. Guarded at first, a trait she’d brought with her from Nevada, she kept people out. Fortunately, they’d ignored the hand she’d put up and scaled her walls, smashing holes into them. Now she was lying in the arms of a man who loved her, whom she loved, and with time and God’s grace, she knew she could begin to heal.

Nic was spooning Hope, her head laying on his arm, his other arm wrapped protectively around her waist, his leg draped over hers, securing her to his body. In all the years she’d been married, not even in the beginning when she’d thought he’d been her Prince, had she felt this loved, this protected, this connected. Not wanting to waste another minute of her life, she tangled her fingers with his on top of his hand and then brought it up to her breast.

Even in his sleep, Nic responded to her body, knew instinctively what to do as if he’d been programmed to sense her needs and moods from the first time he’d kissed her. Nic wrapped his hand around her breast, his mouth and nose nuzzling her neck slowly as his mind cleared the fog of sleep.

Hope reached between them, found his hardening shaft and brushed her thumb across its crest as she heard Nic inhale sharply, his hand tightening around her breast. Rubbing her hand up and down his length as it hardened further in her hand, Nic groaned in her neck as his arm pinned by her head reached around and captured her nipple with his fingers. Thumb and forefinger claimed her hard peak and he pinched and tugged as his other hand reached between her legs. He found her wet folds and inserted two fingers inside as she mewled and moved against his hand. Still holding his length, she increased the speed of her hand as he moaned driving his hips into her ass as the pressure built.

Nic felt her core tighten around his fingers as his cock swelled larger in her hand, and he bit down on her neck, needing to anchor her, claim her like a wolf claims his mate. When he felt the blood rush to his cock, he applied his thumb to the bundle of nerves at the apex of her sex, and rolled it as they both were both consumed by their passion. Grunting out his release as Hope whimpered her own; he claimed her lips, feasting on them as the aftershocks rocked through their bodies. Releasing her mouth, Nic rose up, kissed the hollow of her neck then kissed each of her breasts, flicking his tongue over the nipples he’d ignored.

“I neglected these,” Nic told her breasts. “I’ll make it up to you later,” he whispered as Hope giggled.

“See that you do,” Hope insisted, enjoying the playfulness between them.

Nic rolled to his back trying to take Hope with him, and she pulled back.

“What?”

“Thanks to you I’m a mess, I’m hitting the shower.” Reaching for her shirt before he could stop her, it was then Hope remembered she had no other clothes.

“Shit, I left my bags on the train.” Nic grinned at her dilemma and threw his hands behind his head.

“That’s ok; you can live in my house naked, sugar,” Nic chuckled, his grin wide, his brows wiggling.

“And when Nicky stays with you?” Hope reminded him. Nic’s face fell a bit, and he rolled towards her responding, “Good point, I don’t need my son as competition for your affection.”

“Pfft, no competition, he’d win hands down,” Hope laughed and then smacked Nic’s ass as she tried to exit the bed. He grabbed her at the waist and hauled her back to his chest nibbling on her neck. There was something about the spot where her shoulder met her neck that he couldn’t get enough of, so why deny himself?

“How ‘bout we shower and then I’ll take you shopping for clothes,” Nic whispered flicking his tongue against her ear.

Hope loved his mouth on her neck, so she didn’t respond at first because, well, it was Nic, and he was talented with his mouth.

“I, oh,” Hope stuttered as his hands came to her breasts, his open palms rubbing the nipples in circles, giving them the attention they deserved.

“Sugar?” Nic whispered in her ear. “How ‘bout we finish this discussion in the shower, preferably while you’re against the wall.”

“Works for me,” Hope agreed, as her head fell against his shoulder, the topic of conversation forgotten for more important issues.

When Nic said go shopping for clothes, what he really meant was Rose would take her shopping for clothes. Nic’s a man; he paid the bills, he doesn’t shop for that shit. He gladly handed over his credit card to Rose saying, “Whatever she wants.” Rose being Rose took that literally and dragged Hope through all the French Quarter boutiques.

“Hemline,” for the discerning fashionista; “Feet First,” fun & stylish handbags, footwear and accessories. “Grace Note,” (Hope's favorite), fun vintage clothing and accessories where she found killer jeans that fit her like a glove. But, she thought Nic’s favorite would be “Minou Minou” where she picked up a sexy little coffee colored, baby doll nightgown, with lace across the breasts that left nothing to the imagination. The silk caressed her curves, taking her angelic looks so far away from heavenly that Rose feared Nic might have a heart attack when she wore it. Not that she figured it would stay on that long.

Hope had been insistent about paying to the point of anger, but Rose told her “No,
Cher
, you belong to Nic now; he takes good care of his woman.”

“Just because we’re together doesn’t mean he has to buy my clothes,” Hope had argued, but Rose had just taken the stack of stylish tops and jeans she’d tried on, and put them all on the counter.

“Trust me, he won’t give a hoot what you say, he gonna take good care of you and ‘dat is all you need to know.”

“He can’t afford to buy my things and take care of Kat and Nicky,” Hope argued trying to put the clothes back. Rose pushed them towards the personal shopper, as the woman watched them argue, and said, “Nic come from old money, he got more dan’ enough to go round. His daddy in Sugarcane, big plantation up Baton Rouge way, and Nic his only heir.”

“But—”

“Listen to me, T-Hope . . . A man like Nic, he a real man, not like dat’ man you married who kept you under his thumb. Nic will take care of you; you will want for ‘notin, not one ‘ting, you hear me?”

“I don’t want his money, Rose; I was married to a man who put money above everything. I’d be happy in a shack without a penny to my name if Nic were with me.”

“You gonna give him everah’ting you have to give?’

“Of course, I’d do anything for Nic.”

“Den’ how dat’ different’ from what he doin’ right now by buyin’ you what you need?” Hope narrowed her eyes at the old woman, and Rose smiled knowing she had won.

As they paid, Hope’s new clothes were packed in fancy boxes with tissue paper and tied with pink and purple ribbon. It was a far cry from the thrift store purchases she made in the last few months. As she signed the receipt, still debating if she could let Nic pay for her clothes, she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise just before she heard, “I see you wasted no time spending my husband’s money.”

Rose and Hope spun around at the same time, and Rose’s hackles went up.

“Well, look what da’ dog drug in, da’ Kat-woman herself. Careful, Kitty-Kat, Nic won’t take kindly to you upsettin’ his woman.”

“Rose, always a pleasure to see you, though, you’re hard to miss, sugar,” Kat hissed and Hope saw red.

Rose being a big woman didn’t care about Kat’s claws. She loved her womanly curves; they spoke of a good life filled with children and heaps of food that filled her soul so she could give it back to others. Yeah, Rose was a big woman, but her Roscoe loved it. Still does. Several nights a week, too.

Hope could handle the insults she threw her way, could ignore Kat’s implication she wanted Nic for his money. What she couldn't abide was Kat’s insults towards Rose, and since she was on a short fuse from the last two days, she let Kat have it.

“You can say what you want to me I could care less what you think. Nic wants me in his life, so that’s where I’m staying. But, you ever disrespect Maman Rose again, and it’s on.”

Kat squared off with Hope and seethed back, “You're nothin’ but a no account whore who thinks she can weasel her way into
my
husband's bed and spend his money. He'll wake up real quick, sugar, and when he does, I'll be waiting with open arms.”

“Seriously?” Hope asked. “You are not to be believed. You hide behind your breeding and your sense of self-importance. What makes you think people will just forgive you and turn a blind eye to your actions? Nic has moved on, and you need to accept it.”

“I have close to twenty years’ experience with Nic that tells me you are nothing but a temporary play thing.
I
am his wife;
I
am his soul mate, the love of his life, and he will remember that. You may think you’ve won, but trust me, I always get what I want, always.”

“Oh,
sugar
,” Hope replied in her best southern drawl, “I think you’re forgetting just who walked out on whom.” Then she leaned in and asked Kat-woman, “Were you insane, or just selfish? I really want to know. All that is Nic and you threw him away for a roll in the hay?” Then shaking her head Hope finished with “You had it all, the love of a good man, beautiful children and just like a spoiled child you wanted more, you’re not only weak you’re pathetic.”

Hope and Kat stood there, neither one wanting to back down. The air was thick with angry energy until Kat curled her lip in anger but had nothing to say in defense. Looking Hope up and down, she sniffed in disgust at what she saw before her and then turned on her heels to leave the shop. Both Hope and Rose watched as she her swung her hips, flipping her golden locks, and then pulled open the door and sashayed down the street.

“Dat’ woman gives da’ sisterhood a bad name she do,” Rose announced as her eyes followed Kat.

“The struggle is real,” Hope deadpanned and Rose turned to Hope, a smile on her face and both women laughed.