Yours Book 2: Gaining Experience (Yours Series) (12 page)

S
ephora

N
ick has been giving
me hungry gazes throughout the wedding. I almost missed my queue to give Ettie the ring, I was so caught up in staring into Nick’s eyes. He and Luke totally ignored Ettie’s directions during the wedding photos. She wanted Luke and I to stand together as the maid of honor and best man.

Nick nor Luke were having it. Every time you look Lucian has his arms wrapped around Kimmie protectively. Nick on the other hand has not only been protective, but his hold could be deemed down right possessive, especially when Craig starts to tease him.

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been a bit possessive myself. I don’t like the way Ettie’s friend Michelle keeps looking at Nick. She has one more time to touch him or bat her stupid lashes at him.

I am not a confrontational person, but it would be clear to a blind man that Nick is not interested and a bit annoyed himself. He crossed trying to be polite for the sake of my sister’s wedding hours ago. I have almost grinded my teeth down to nothing from holding my anger in.

I can’t help it. Every time I catch her flirting with Nick, I see images of Jillian. I swear I am seconds away from being on an episode of
Snapped
.

I had to excuse myself to the restroom before I did something stupid and ruin my sister’s wedding. I’ve never been in a fight so I don’t even know if I can back the anger I am feeling. It doesn’t mean that I am not so tempted to try.

“You are a better woman than me,” Nellie says as she steps up to the mirror where I have been staring at my reflection wondering who I have become.

I am ready to lock horns over a man. It is laughable. Me, Sephora Emilsson, trying to beat a bitches’ ass over her man. I’d probably get my ass kicked and my best friend that would usually kick ass for me, is too pregnant to help me out.

“What do you mean,” I tilt my head to the side and look at Nellie through the mirror. I like her. I can see the sadness in her eyes, but she seems so sweet.

However, her next words stun me into thinking she may not be as sweet as I first thought. “Those two drunk heifers needed to be put in their place. It is fine to look, but when she put her hands on my husband, I had to let her know,” Nellie shrugs.

My mouth hangs open for a few seconds before I burst into laughter. “Really, what happened,” I scoff.

“Wyatt had to step out to take a call. That one that has been in Nick’s face all night and the other blonde followed him. So I followed them. When I stepped outside the blonde had her hand on my husband’s arm,” Nellie pauses then shrugs. “I snatched her by her wrist and gave her and her friend a polite warning.”

“A polite warning,” I ask lifting a brow.

“Yup,” Nellie says popping the p. “I told her if she wants to keep both her hands attached to her body she will reframe from putting her hands on
my husband
. I also told her and her little friend that they needed to stay out of Nick’s face for the rest of the night before I whip both of their asses for being plain disrespectful.”

I throw my head back and laugh. I knew I liked Nellie from the time I met her at the suite Ryan rented for our little party. She may be little, but there is more than sadness in her eyes. There is a fire that contradicts everything else about her. I can’t believe she threat those tramps of me as well.

“Thanks for looking out for me. I’ve never been in a fight before, but I was strongly considering letting tonight be my first,” I giggle.

“You are family. Ryan and Braxton introduced you as such. You never have to thank me. It is what us Blacks do for family. As for fighting, we could always fix that. Noah is the most patient, but any of the guys would be great at teaching you some self-defense. I haven’t been much help to the world lately, but I could show you some stuff too,” Nellie pauses and taps her chin in thought.

“Actually, I have met your boyfriend. How about Bean and I give you a few lessons. I think he is a bit possessive like Wy can be. I didn’t miss that Ry has a thing for you, so him helping is totally out,” Nellie bursts into laughter. It looks good on her.

I want to be her friend so I can see this side of her more. Her laugh is infectious. I think about what she is offering. Nick’s words start to float through my head about my safety. I have been working on somethings I haven’t told Nick about, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t learn a little self-defense just in case.

The thought of saving my man’s company, helping him to find the voice that is behind the man that has been tormenting him for years, and being able to protect myself while doing all of this gets me excited. I look at Nellie and nod my head. I am bubbling with champagne and excitement now. Maybe the champagne is what has given me all this courage tonight in the first place.

“I’d like that very much. I’ll give you a call when I can schedule sometime from the warden,” I tease.

Nellie rolls her eyes. “I know what you mean. I call Wy the same,” she giggles. “Let’s go enjoy your sister’s wedding.”

Nellie and I walk out of the bathroom giggling together only to both yelp simultaneously. I can see that Wyatt has scooped her up off her feet, into his arms. From the delicious smell of his cologne and the familiar hold of his strong arms, I know that it is Nick that has my feet dangling off the floor.

I look up over my shoulder at him with a pout as Nick and Wyatt’s laugh fill the hallway. My pout melts into a smile at the sight before me. I have never seen Nick so relaxed and happy.

His face is smooth of worry and his green eyes are sparkling something fierce. I am so used to Nick being serious or focused. Sure, I have gotten small glimpse of him letting go, but this is something total unguarded and carefree.

I have noticed all throughout wedding that Nick and Wyatt seem to be as close as he and Luke are. The guys have all been sticking together whispering when no one is around. At times, their faces have looked grim as if they are all not at a wedding, and then other times they have looked as if they don’t have a care in the world, like right now in this moment.

Nick pecks my lips and starts off in the direction of the reception with me in his arms. I look over to see Wyatt is carrying Nellie just as effortlessly. I just shake my head.

S
ephora

I
look
up into Nick’s eyes as he sways me in his arms on the dance floor. Michelle and Sasha are forgotten at this point. I have dismissed them just as they have done me over the years, when Ettie wasn’t looking.

These are the moments I cherish most. Moments when Nick has me in his arms and the rest of the world melts away. I couldn’t be happier than I am right now. My fingers are even doing a happy dance in the hairs at the nape of Nick’s hair.

Nick’s hands haven’t been able to stay still since we started dancing. Oh, who am I kidding. Nick’s hands have been everywhere every chance he has gotten today. He knows he is driving me insane.

Leaning in he presses his lips to my ear as his hands settle on my backside. “This dress is killing me,” he groans in my ear. “I want you so much it hurts. I’ve been trying to sneak off with you for hours now and we keep getting interrupted.”

“Sneak off with me? What exactly do you have in mind,” I smirk and turn my head to look into his eyes.

Nick presses his lips to mine gently at first before deepening the kiss. “I want to take my time tasting that sweet pussy of yours, before I take you hard from behind. I can’t wait to get my hands in your hair. You don’t even understand the restraint it is taken not to coil it around my hand right now. I know if I do, I’ll take you right here in front of every one without a care,” Nick breathes heavily against my lips.

I moan and snuggle closer to him. I move my hands from his hair and rake my nails down his back. Nick tightens his hold on my ass. I am already wet. I’m just as tired of waiting as he is.

I open my mouth to speak, but the clearing of a throat pulls me away from responding to Nick. We both turn to see my mother staring at us accusingly. I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

“Nicholas, I thought now would be just as good a time as any to cut in,” my mother says with her chin lifted in the air.

I feel the rumble building in Nick’s chest before it makes its way out. I place both hands on his chest to calm him. When he turns to look me in the eyes, I smile up at him.

I tilt my head towards my mother and say, “When you are done with my mother come find me,” I lift on my toes to place a kiss on his lips and then move to his ear. “Then I will let you taste me all you want.”

A wicked smile takes over Nick’s face. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Sephora,” Nick rasps.

“I never do, Lincoln,” I say with a wink.

Nick throws his head back and laughs. Reluctantly, he releases me and lets my mother take my place. I spot Kimmie sitting at a table and I go over to give my aching feet a break.

“You and Nick make the perfect couple you know. I can tell he loves you so much,” Kimmie coos with a beaming smile when I take a seat next to her.

“He is something special, isn’t he,” I say with a huge smile of my own. I turn to Kimmie and tilt my head as I study her face. She is glowing and she looks much happier than when I arrived at her apartment back in Seattle. “So things look like they are getting better with Luke,” I pry.

Kimmie’s smile consumes her face. “He was so happy to find out we are having a little girl. I didn’t think he would be so happy about a girl. Everything changed after he got to see her,” Kimmie pauses and shakes her head. “I can’t explain it. It’s like knowing the sex of the baby and seeing her on that screen melted something in him. He has been really sweet; I mean, even sweeter than he has been since I came back.”

“That’s a good thing right,” I ask excitedly.

Kimmie bites her lip as her eyes fill with tears. She nods her head with a watery smile. “He is just so different. He tells me he loves me all the time now. It was never like that before. He would always say that I should let him love me, but he has never just come out with the words to say it, not like he does now,” Kimmie chokes out.

I pick up a napkin from the table and dab at her cheeks with it. “I’m so happy for you two. I know you guys have something special. You just have to get over the dumb shit,” I say.

Kimmie bursts into laughter and leans to pull me into a hug. “I love the new Sephora. Nick really is good for you,” Kimmie pulls back to look me in the eyes.

“Yeah, I remember you saying he would be,” I giggle.

“Yeah, and I was totally right. Ugh, I wish I was getting as much sex as you. I’m so horny with all these pregnancy hormones. Luke may have come around a lot, but he still won’t touch me enough to get me in bed,” Kimmie groans. “At least one of us is getting some, I hope you guys make a playmate for my little girl soon.”

This time I am the one that bursts into laughter. Kimmie has no idea how much sex Nick has insisted on having since I stopped the pill. We already had an active sex life, now it is like the substance we need to sustain life.

“First, I need to get to the bottom of whoever is threatening FLI. Then we can think about babies,” I say not wanting to jinx the fact that Nick and I are considering having a baby.

Kimmie presses her lips. We both have been digging into the A&T servers to see if we can find something more. Nick would kill us if he knew, but we are being very careful. I think I may be on to something. I just haven’t had time to get Kimmie to look at my latest finds with me.

“I don’t have a good feeling about all of this, Soph,” Kimmie sighs. “Nick wanted to handle it with his security team for a reason.”

“Kimmie, we both know that Nick doesn’t have anyone that’s as good as you or I on his security team. No offense to Kevin and the other guys, but they wouldn’t have gotten half as far as we have in such little time without being detected,” I huff.

“I still don’t feel right about it. Maybe if we just told Nick that we want to help he could at least know what we are up to to help minimize the danger,” Kimmie says and begins to worry her lip.

“Listen, if you want to stop working on it, I’ll just continue to do things on my own. I just know I am too close to something important to give up now,” I just can’t give up now. I know I am close to closing in on something that will unlock some part of this puzzle.

Kimmie’s face turn angry. “Sephora, you are my best friend. There is no way I am leaving you in a dangerous position with no one to watch your back. I just think it would be better if we involve Nick,” Kimmie says firmly.

“And I want to wait until we have something that will really help before we go to him,” I sigh.

“Because you know he would tell us to stop if he knew what we were up to,” Kimmie twists her lips at me.

“Kimmie,” I start but I am cut off by a curious looking Luke.

He walks over looking between Kimmie and me. I shut my mouth, using my eyes to plead with Kimmie to keep my secret for now. Kimmie rolls her eyes but she gives me a slight nod. I relax knowing I can trust my friend.

“What are you two over here talking about. Whatever it is looks too intense for a wedding. No geek talk tonight,” Luke teases.

“Hey, I am not a geek,” Kimmie pouts, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Yeah baby, you are. A sexy geek, but you are a geek. I have proof. You hide your stripes well, but not well enough. I love that you have a brain in that pretty little head of yours,” Luke says in a loving tone.

“Who are you and what have you done with my brother,” I tease.

“Whatever Lilla du, Ettie is looking for you. She sent me over to retrieve you,” Luke says with a crooked smile.

I groan and lift to my feet. Ettie has been running me ragged for the last two days. I’m surprised I’ve broken free for this long. This has been a beautiful wedding but I have already decided that this is over the top and not at all what I want.

“Ah, well duty calls,” I chirp before heading over in the direction of my sister.

* * *

N
ick

Sephora was pissed off before she disappeared into the bathroom and so was I. Watching her get all possessive over me and ready to fight, when I know Sephora has never had a fight a day in her life, was a major turn on. When I stood outside the bathroom waiting for her I had every intention of carrying her off somewhere where I could finally get some relief for my aching cock.

I have been wanting to get my hands on Sephora since she walked down the aisle in that dress. I’ve imagined a million ways to take her and satisfy us both. I almost had my chance too. I think Wyatt had the same idea. We almost got away too. That is until Ettie’s little wedding coordinator popped out of nowhere to inform us all we were needed inside for speeches.

Now here I am with Faraz in my arms, still pissed off. If this woman says one word out of line to me, I am going to blow. I have always had patience for Faraz in the past, but seeing firsthand how hard she is on Sephora boils my blood like none other.

“You have come to hate me,” Faraz says to break the silence as she cups my tight jaw.

“I wouldn’t say that,” I mutter.

“Cut the shit, Lincoln. I am not the lush everyone thinks I am. I’ve more than earned my Oscar around here,” Faraz says lifting a brow at me.

“Humph,” I snort.

“So you know the entire truth don’t you,” Faraz says softly. “Liam appreciates you not revealing it all to Lucian. We are all in danger, Nicholas. Dating you puts my Lilla du in greater danger. I don’t disapprove of you for her. I disapprove of you being with her before someone nips this all in the bud.”

“I can understand that Faraz, but this is not new. You have damaged Sephora self-esteem for years. Not just in the past eight. Do you know she has no idea how gorgeous she is? I watch her cringe for months whenever a lighter or thinner woman entered a room. She’d sneak a peek at me to see if they grabbed my attention away from her.

“She used to hide behind her hair. As if you could hide all of that beauty to begin with. She is not just gorgeous on the outside, she is stunning on the inside. So please tell me why you made her feel like anything but, way before there ever was a Nick and Sephora,” I grind out.

Faraz lifts her chin defiantly. “You are a white male, Nick. You will never know what Sephora and I have lived through as dark skinned black women. I have done all that I have to ensure her thick skin when it counts. I’d rather it be me to deal out the punches than someone out there that doesn’t love her. I didn’t have that.

“I learned the hard way how cruel people can be out in the world. Did you know I was on track to be a model right before meeting Liam. Actually, it is a funny story. I met him the day I had my heart broken by the fashion world. I walked in to that casting call with my head held high knowing I deserved a fair chance.

“They sat at the table blinking at me as if I was there to deliver their lunch and was taking too long to drop the bags and leave. They actually told me the gig was filled and they wouldn’t need to see any further models.

“I was used to being told I wasn’t thin enough, or tall enough, but this, this stung greater than any of the rest. As soon as I walked out they called in the next model. It was then that I noticed there wasn’t one dark brown face there other than mine. They never even took my portfolio. Didn’t even ask my name.

“I tore out of there in tears. I couldn’t even see pass my tears. I ran smack into Liam on the street. I remember him wrapping his arms around me and murmuring soothing words,” Faraz looks up at me with a softness I am not used to seeing on her face. “He called me his beautiful angel. There was never a day he didn’t make me feel beautiful. I may have wanted to be a model, but I had my own insecurities. Liam helped to wipe those away.”

Faraz takes a breath and blinks away what looks suspiciously like real tears. “I sighed a breath of relief when Lucian and Ettie were born. Their father’s fair skin gave them a chance I wasn’t afforded. When Sephora was born I knew right away she was different. She was the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen, but I knew the world won’t see pass her lovely chocolate skin to appreciate that beauty.

“I don’t know if I was wrong in the way I raised her. I did everything I did out of love. I tried to even the playing field for her as much as I could. I have never thought of my daughter as any less than my other two children. Honestly, I value her more. Everyone else sees her as the timid one. I see her as the strongest one,” Faraz says with a sincerity that makes me ingest her words more deeply.

“Not everyone. I see her for who she is,” I reply.

“And that is why I am here. You are good for her Nicholas. I am so proud of her for standing up to me, but the monster you are up against has proven to be a challenge for us all. I need you to do a better job than Liam has in protecting Sephora. I know he did what he thought was best, but it wasn’t best for everyone,” Faraz says and pats my cheek. “If she doesn’t come first you will lose it all.”

“She will always come first,” I say through clinched teeth.

“I know. I just needed to hear it for myself,” with that Faraz kisses my cheek and walks away as the song comes to an end.

I have so many questions for her, but this is not the time for them. She is right. I have learned more than I ever thought I would about what really happened all those years ago. I have been filled with resentment for weeks now with the things I now know.