Alpha Billionaire Series
Hot Mess Chapter 21

KAYLA

I never knew I could feel this way. Not just the delightful, glorious pressure between my legs that reminded me of what Nick had done to my body. But the encompassing feeling of everything. I didn't know how to describe it. I was euphoric. He rolled off my body and out of the bed. "Let me take care of this. Don't go anywhere."

I was so overwhelmed with sensation, I couldn't talk. I tried to say I wasn't going anywhere, but it came out as a series of gurgles and grunts. "You're cute, can't function?"

"Not at all. This is what being properly drunk has to feel like. All lightheaded and woozy, with legs of rubber. I stretched, enjoying the feel of my skin. I could still sense his body on me, it was a feeling I didn't ever want to lose. I never knew I could feel this way. "You've never been drunk?" Nick asked as he climbed back into the bed.

I shook my head. "The most I've ever been is slightly buzzed. Amber's parents let us have champagne one year at New Year's. We each got a class, and then they went to bed. Amber and I finished the bottle. There really wasn't that much left in the bottle, but we threw back like we knew what we were doing. It made me fuzzy headed and giggly, and then I slept really hard." It didn't seem so bad. But I never tried overindulging again.

"I'm not going to tell you you're missing out, because you are not. Getting to the point of being drunk can be fun, being drunk, not so much. And the next day, waking up with a hangover is the worst."

He pulled me against his chest, and I snuggled in. He was warm and his skin felt like the finest silk, or maybe velvet, so soft and smooth. I wanted to rub against him more.

He chuckled. I loved how his laughter sounded as it bounced around in his chest. His fingers drew lazy circles on my naked shoulder. This was the best possible way I could have imagined this night going.

"I prefer getting my noodle legs from sex than from drinking."

"Are noodle legs normal?"

"Either you haven't had decent sex or..." he stopped talking and tilted my chin, so I was forced to look up into his dark eyes. "Kayla, are you-"

I pressed my fingers to his mouth. He didn't need to say the words out loud. I didn't want my lack of experience to ruin this for me.

"Let's just say I was nervous for a lot of reasons. Can we leave it at that?"

Nick growled low in his throat, maybe it was a groan of disappointment. "You should have told me. Did I hurt you?"

"Everything was amazing. Can we leave it at that. I don't want to turn this into... I..." I didn't know what to say. "It doesn't change anything, does it?"

He kissed me and looked into my eyes. "It changes a lot, and it changes nothing. It only makes this more special." He kissed me again, and I melted against him. I don't know what he did exactly, but I swear he turned my bones to liquid. Very happy liquid. My heart pounded into my throat. I felt like crying for joy, and for being an idiot. Had he known, he would have taken care of me. He had taken care of me, had been gentle and he hadn't known I had never done this before. I couldn't imagine how this amazing night could have been any different.

Nick managed to give me the best Christmas present he could have, and he didn't even realize it. I felt freer, more in charge of my life than I ever had before. There was no one waiting back at the hotel to tell me I was out too late. No one I had to worry about, so I could stay out all night without getting into trouble.

I was twenty-four and it was about time I knew how to be an adult. Maybe getting properly drunk should be on my list of things to do? Nick's arms tightened around me, and my thoughts returned to him, to us, to this.

I snuggled in closer, resting my hand in the center of his chest, twirling my fingers into his chest hair. I wanted to stay wrapped up in him forever. I listened to him breathing, and at some point we both faded into sleep.

A familiar jangling sound invaded my dreams. I tried to figure out what I was supposed to do when I heard the noise. I had to open a basket and press a button, and when I did it the first time, another basket with another button appeared. It turned into a demented game whack-a-mole before something clicked and I clued-in this was a dream. I opened my eyes, realizing the sound in my dream was not a game I was losing but my phone. Nick's arms held me, his body curled around mine. The light that filtered in through the half-closed curtains of his room made me think it was insanely early. I heard my phone ring again. With a groan I slid out from Nick's embrace. I didn't want the noise to wake him.

I scrambled to replace my phone under a pile of my clothes. I looked at the caller ID. It was Mom. I pulled Nick's shirt on. He was a broad-shouldered man with a well-muscled chest, but the shirt still strained against my breasts. I found my panties and slipped them on. It felt wrong to call my mom back while I was naked.

I padded out of his room and down the hall. The air was brisk, and I wished I had grabbed something more substantial for my legs. I sat at the top of the stairs and called Mom back. "Merry Christmas, Kayla!"

"Merry Christmas, Mom. What time is it? It's crazy early here."

"I'm already up and preparing for the brunch at church. I thought I'd give my little career girl a call. I'm sure you are going to be busy going to parties all day long."

I glanced back down the hall at Nick's room. I felt like I was being too loud. I scooted down the stairs and into the living room. I pulled a throw blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around my legs. It was cool inside in the early morning hours, the blanket welcomed warmth.

As I chatted with Mom about how Christmas looked different now that I was grown up and out of the house, I realized there wasn't a single Christmas decoration in the house. The kitchen didn't smell of cookies, there was no tree, there were no cards, no presents. "I don't have much planned," I said, Nick hadn't mentioned any parties. And Isaac had only mentioned having dinner together at Nick's. Other than that, I had expected to sit in my hotel room watching TV. But as I talked, I began formulating a plan that would keep me busy for a few hours and would change how I ended up spending my day. I hoped Nick would like it.

I let Mom tell me her plans for the day. I missed her, but I was enjoying the new freedom I had away from her control. "I love you Mom; it's really early I'm going to go back to bed. Have a good day."

It took a few more minutes to actually get her off the phone.

I hurried back to Nick's room and pulled on my clothes. Back downstairs I rummaged through his kitchen. The man clearly did not make cookies. From what I could tell, he didn't even cook.

After a quick internet search, I found a twenty-four-hour store that I thought would have everything that I needed. They were open. It was Christmas morning, and the store was open. Back home the only places that were open on Christmas day were restaurants and movie theaters, and those didn't open until the afternoon.

I guess, LA really was a different world from what I was used to. I called for a car using the application on my phone. As I waited outside for my ride, I hoped Nick stayed asleep for a few hours. I really wanted to surprise him.

"I'm sorry to call you out so early this morning," I said as I slid into the back seat of the car.

"Not all of us celebrate today, and some of us have been driving all night long."

"Right, sorry. I'm new here."

"What?" the driver sneered, "Planet earth?"

"More like reality. Sheltered youth, you could say." When the driver laughed in earnest, I knew I had redeemed myself from a serious faux pas.

I was shocked to see I wasn't the only one doing last minute Christmas shopping on Christmas morning. The decoration selection was well picked through, so I had to fake it. I did replace a pitiful two-foot-tall tree pre-wired with lights. In less than an hour I managed to fill a shopping cart with a handful of festive decorations and all the supplies I needed to make cookies, including a cookie baking sheet.

I bought supplies for more than just cookies. There were some foods I couldn't imagine not having today.

I had to call for a different driver to take me back. This one wasn't so cheerful, and they drove me back without much conversation. I carried everything in, hoping that Nick was still asleep. I put the bags down in the kitchen and headed back upstairs. I could hear his slight snoring as I peeked in and checked.

It was still ridiculously early, and typically, I would have been asleep. But Mom was an early bird, and California was three hours behind in time zones. If I didn't have this idea, I would have crawled back into bed with him.

Even asleep, he was ridiculously handsome.

I snuck back downstairs and began setting everything up. I hoped Nick was going to like my surprise. After last night, I really wanted to do something special for him.