Her Imaginary Husband (Contemporary Romance) (18 page)

He paused with his hand on the key in the ignition. “Do you need to go home right away?”

Nikki shrugged miserably. “Nothing else to do. I’ve got a ton of essays to read and laundry to fold and bills to pay.”

“Can you play hookie for a couple of hours? Just go play? You look like you need a break from life right now.”

Nikki met his eyes, touched by his tender tone. “It’s been a day, for sure.”

“If you didn’t have to be responsible right now, what would you do?”

She sniffed and tossed her hands in the air. “Uh, go to a sunny beach and read a book.”

Will smiled warmly. “Okay, something closer?”

Nikki looked at him again. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

She looked out through the windshield and shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe take in a funny movie. Take my mind off stuff for a bit.”

“I can drop you off at the cinema downtown.”

Nikki laughed. “With all my stacks of papers? I don’t think so.”

“Oh yeah.” He turned the key and adjusted the blasting volume of his stereo to a more tolerable decibel.

“Whoah! You like your music loud, huh?”

“You know us football coaches. We’re all deaf from all the noise at games.” He pulled out of the parking lot heading down the street towards the main drag that ran though the center of town and out to Rakefield.

Nikki leaned back into the seat, half-listening to the love song on the radio and wishing she could just take Christmas vacation a month early.
I told Nikki and Amanda they could start fresh. What about Will? He’s being so kind. Maybe he started over...
She caught Will glancing at her sideways and admired his features as casually as she could. Through the window beyond him, she saw the cinema complex. She huffed out a breath and made a decision. “Go ahead and drop me off at the movie.”

Will’s eyebrows leapt. “Really?”

“Yeah, I’ll stick around for the next showing of
Two Men and a Waffle
.”

“You’re kidding. Not
Vandals for Hire?
” Will cast her an inquisitive smirk. “You’re not kidding. All right, then.” He switched lanes abruptly, preparing to enter the cinema parking lot. “How will you get home?”

“Oh.” Nikki felt deflated.

“I could come back for you.”

Nikki rolled her eyes. “If you’re going to do that, you might as well stay and watch…” She caught herself too late.

“Would you like me to?”

Ugh. If I say no, I’ll seem like a total user jerk. He’s being nice, after all.
“Oh, surely you don’t want to. You can go get stuff done, and I’ll call my friend when she gets off work.”

“I don’t mind. It’ll be fun.” He parked the car and turned to grin at her. “Let it be my treat? Consider it an offset to your upcoming body shop expenses.”

Nikki looked at him steadily. Too many conflicting emotions burbled inside of her, and she didn’t trust herself to act rationally in her current state. “This is not a date, Will.”

“I didn’t say it was.”

“
Not
a date.”

“I know. I’m just treating a friend and colleague to a much-needed break from reality.”

Nikki looked down at the tall stack of essays on the floor by her feet. “What the heck. Let’s see what time it starts.”
I must be crazy
. “How am I going to explain this if anyone sees us?”

“No one will see us.”

“This isn’t a date, Will. You understand that, right?”

“Of course not. I won’t even buy you popcorn.”

“Good.”

They sat in front of a row of college aged kids who were laughing and sending last minute texts. Nikki knocked her knees together nervously, feeling like a teenager who had snuck out of her bedroom window while grounded.
What am I doing? What am I doing?
She took a long drink from her Dr. Pepper.
I’m going out to a movie with a hunky colleague who has been nice to me all day. He’s been awesome, in fact. I’m a full-grown adult. There’s nothing wrong with that.
She crammed a handful of popcorn in her mouth.
And if he tries anything?
She gulped and tried to ignore his cologne.
He won’t try anything. Will he?
She ventured a glance and found him watching her.
Oh, crud. I hope he doesn’t try anything.

The lights dimmed as the last moviegoers entered. A very tall couple planted themselves right in front of Nikki so that she had to lean towards Will in order to see. She propped herself on her elbow and listed as far as she dared without actually touching shoulders with him. He smiled at this, his eyes hinting at a wolf.

Dang, he smells good. Dang, he smells good.
She closed her eyes and willed her senses to stop firing messages to her brain, but instead they registered his nearness, his strength, his—

He shifted ever so slightly and their arms touched. Heat rushed up her limb and dove into her gut, stirring up a few butterflies and at least a pigeon or two. Welded inexplicably in position, Nikki watched the previews for five movies, none of which looked good. A romantic comedy trailer came on featuring a football coach.

Laughing weakly, she grabbed at her Dr. Pepper, breaking the contact and feeling a chill. “They’re making movies about you, huh?” she quipped.

He let out a throaty chuckle as the couple on screen kissed passionately. “I wish.” His eyes locked with hers, and she felt like mercury rising in a thermometer. She stuffed more popcorn in her mouth, gluing her gaze back on the big screen.

Nikki watched the opening scenes of the movie, unseeing, for the most part. Except that the leading man looked too much like Will, and was very charming, and…distracting. Her brain worked on overdrive, revisiting her rotten day, her past dating blunders, Will’s good and bad moments, and oddly, her mother warning her never to put herself willingly in a tempting situation.
Mom gave me good advice?
Guilt dropped her gaze downward. In the flickering light, she saw her left hand, ring and all, resting on the popcorn bag.

Sometime half way through, she leaned back and felt Will’s arm there. She paused for only a second before deciding he’d put it there to be comfortable since she wasn’t using the space. The leading man continued to be brilliant and funny, and Nikki gradually relaxed and let herself enjoy the movie. When the scene with the waffles flying off the conveyer belt came, she rocked with laughter, feeling light again.

At last the credits rolled. Will didn’t move. He tapped her popcorn bag and mimicked the lead character. “You want syrup on that?”

Grinning, Nikki watched as the other moviegoers wandered out, animatedly discussing the film and slurping the last of their soda. She didn’t answer, savoring a moment of freedom.

“You all right?” Will shifted so that his arm was no longer behind her.

“Hmm?” She straightened in the seat, the romantic rush from the movie’s finale starting to fade. “Oh, yeah. Should we go?”

He inched closer. “Do you want to?” His voice said,
Stay!

“I…um.”
Red alert! Red alert! Gorgeous man coming in for a kiss!

With one hand, Will brushed her hair back, and with the other, he lifted her chin gently. The effect electrified her, and she closed her eyes and let it happen. He kissed her softly at first, but when she opened her mouth to breathe, his tongue slipped in and began exploring, coaxing.
Wow
,
he’s good at this!
She responded instinctively, and soon her arms wrapped around his neck as if of their own volition. Will’s hands moved up and down her back, pressing her closer to him, and a surge of excitement filled her. She felt his fingers on the bare skin of her lower back where her sweater slid up, and a thrilling tickle urged a giggle from her lips. His hand rose higher up, and his thumb slid around to touch—

“Whoah!” She pushed him back, pulling her sweater down and crossing her arms protectively over her chest. “Time out, Coach.” Gasping for breath, now with embarrassment instead of passion, she gathered her purse.

“Wait, Nikki. I’m sorry!” He kissed her cheek, her jaw line, her neck, even as she resisted reluctantly. “I didn’t mean to.”

Nikki almost relented—it was so sensuous, so—she pushed him away. “I think you knew exactly what you were doing.” She stood to go, wishing she’d been strong enough to resist him in the first place.

“Unnecessary roughness, Nikki.” He pulled her gently back down to sit. “I’m sorry. It’s just that…You’re so different from all the other women around.”

“Right.” She felt flattered and cheap and attracted and repulsed all at the same time.
This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.
“I’m sorry, Will. This shouldn’t have happened.” She turned and walked down the aisle, glancing back at the projection booth to see a man sitting in the back row by himself.

Will stood to follow her and his phone rang. “What the—?” He fumbled in his pocket to retrieve and silence it, but in the dark, he swiped the wrong way and answered it.

“Hey, lover! Are we still on for tonight?”

Even standing several feet away, Nikki knew the piercing voice.
Nyman?!

“Uh, hi, Liz,” said Will awkwardly. “I really can’t talk now.”

“But I thought you’d be here by now! I’ve got on your favorite red negligee. Come on, lover. Don’t keep me waiting.”

Will looked up at Nikki, obviously horrified.

“Go.” Nikki simmered. “You don’t want to miss your hot date.”
I guess I was just the warm-up.
She turned and stormed out as the man in the back row stood up. He had a Riverview High baseball cap on, and she groaned in recognition.

Officer Ross!

Nikki ran red-faced into the parking lot before remembering that Will had been her ride.
Stranded in Eastmont during prime movie hours
.
Could this day get any worse? And all my papers are in his car!
She rummaged in her purse for her phone. With blurry eyes, she punched the speed dial. “Come on, Janna. Answer!”

“You’ve reached Janna’s cell phone. I’m probably parked between the cushions of her couch or lost under the seat in her car. Don’t worry. She’ll find me next week and call you back.”
Beeeeep!

“Shaboobaloo!” Nikki stomped her foot and tried to think of who else to call for a ride home.

“Lose your pumpkin carriage, Cinderella?”

Nikki turned pained eyes on Ross.
No! Not you!
Humiliated, she started walking towards the street.

“Hey, wait up!” He trotted after her.

When he caught up with her, she spun and faced him. “You must think I’m the worst character around.”

“What? Why would I—?”

She choked back a sob. “I mean, you’re a cop! You uphold the law and goodness and everything. You watch
Gilligan’s Island
, for crying out loud!”

Ross rested his hand gently on her shoulder. “Yes, I do.”

“You do?” She wailed.

He caught himself. “I mean I watch
Gilligan’s Island
. I don’t think you’re the worst character around.”

She sagged back against a lamp post, her face in her hands. “But I
am
the worst. A married woman having an affair…”

“That only works if you’re married.”

Nikki froze.
Did I just hear him right?
She peeked out between fingers. “You knew?”

He smiled with his eyes. “Since the first day.”

“Wait, but how?” She stood up straight and looked at him in confusion.

“No ring. I looked that first day. Believe me, I looked.” His expression showed a shy longing, and Nikki felt as if her tears evaporated.

“I could have forgotten it… lost it.” She fluttered her fingers. “See? I found it.”

He caught her hand tenderly and ran his thumb over the ring. “There’s also the background security check they run on you when you’re hired. You indicated single on that. And, as campus cop, I was privy to that information.” Her mouth gaped open even as he winked.

Is the world spinning?
“You knew? You knew all along?” She pulled her hand away reluctantly to hold on to the lamp post. Dizzy with emotions, she rested her forehead on the post. “You knew all along and never let on? How could you do that to me? How could you lie…?” She covered her mouth, her face contorting with shame. “I lied to you. I’m terrible. I lied to you over and over!” She closed her eyes. “And I’m terrible at lying.”

“Yeah, you kind of are.” Ross grinned. “That’s a good thing.” He stuffed his hands in his jacket pocket and moved into her line of sight. “I figured you had a good reason.”

“I did.”

“Coach Carlin.”

“Right.” She rolled her eyes. “But then I didn’t follow through.”

“He just kissed you.”

Ross leaned on the post with his shoulder, and Nikki resisted the urge to grab onto him instead.

“But I
let
him kiss me. I didn’t even really want him to, but…”

“Maybe you needed to be kissed.”

Nikki stared out over the parking lot.
He knew. All those times I talked about my imaginary husband Mike, and he never said anything. He just listened.
“I’m so sorry I lied to you. I feel even worse about that than kissing Will.”

“I’ll forget both if you will, too.”

Nikki finally met his eyes unguarded now. There was no mistaking the kindness, the sincerity. “I told you all about him, and he’s not real. I described him in so much detail.” She fell silent. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet and raw. “I wanted him to be real. I wanted someone that good to love me like that.”

“He could be real.”

Nikki’s heart skipped, but she wiped her eyes, scowling at the amount of make-up that came off on her fingers. “I look a mess. Arrest me for impersonating a human being, Officer.”

“No, I’m off duty now.”

“Ah, so I can call you just plain Ross now.”

“Or you could call me by my first name.”

Nikki stared at him. “Ross isn’t your first name?”

“Nope.”

“I thought it was one of those ‘friendly authority’ things, like Teacher Nikki or Helper Joe.”

“Nope.”

She folded her arms. “Well, are you going to tell me your first name, or do I have to look up your background check records?”

He laughed, the warm sound rolling through Nikki. He barely suppressed a smile, his eyes glistening. “My name is Mike.”

“Mike.” The dizziness faded, and something solid and secure took hold of her. “Like my Mike.”

“I hope so,” he said.

Nikki stared at him. “Your name is Mike. Like my imaginary husband.”

“Yes.” His cheek tugged the corner of his mouth upward. “I hope I live up to your imagination.”

A doubt jabbed her. “You knew all along I was single, but never made a pass.”

“That wouldn’t have been appropriate, given the circumstances you presented. I didn’t want to ruin your reputation.” He winked. “I did send the apples, though.”

“You?”

He shrugged a confession. His smile sent wriggles of joy through her.

“You’re sweet on me?”

“Apple of my eye.” He inched closer.

“And you let me give them right back to you every day?”

“I kind of hoped it meant you were sweet on me, too.”

He felt closer with every breath, and she couldn’t inhale him fast enough. This was no hormonal chemistry and cologne thing. This was… Nikki felt hope surge within her. “And if I tell the world I’m not really married?”

“Katie already knows. And Doug.”

“What?!”

“The secretary and the custodian always know everything. I’ll tell them to leak the good news of your annulment.”

Her jaw kept wanting to fall open. “Mike,” she said with disbelief.
How could his name be Mike?

“Nikki,” he said, parroting her tone. His lop-sided grin shifted as he moved in closer. “Since you’re single, can I make that pass now?”

What? Oh wow, really?
Nikki nodded, her mouth still hanging open in wonder. He tilted his head slightly, resting his forehead against hers, and Nikki felt as if her whole body laughed with delight. He gently took her hand, his touch sinking in like velvet. Warmth rushed through Nikki, and her eyes widened.
This isn’t imaginary!
She let out a tiny gasp.

“Too fast?” asked Mike Ross, pulling back with doubt in his eyes.

“Just right!” She couldn’t close her eyes.
Is this really happening?
Ross—Mike hovered close, his nose brushing her cheek. She tingled and quivered at his presence. Her eyes flickered up to see him looking at her. He pressed gently nearer, and then his lips touched hers, a tease, not yet a claim. She closed her eyes and grasped the sides of his face, breathing him in. He pulled her in tight and the true kiss began…