Live. Love.

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Chapter 3 New Mornings

“Aunty Nic!” Remy’s war cry echoed in Nicky’s cotton filled brain moment before her tiny body landed on-top of her with a solid thud. Nicky let out an oof. Cracking an eye open slowly she came eye to eye with Remy. She was so close their lashes touched.

“Are you awake?” Remy asked in a stage whisper, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I’m totally awake.” Nicky said her voice heavy with sleep.

She was in fact hungover as fuck. Her eyes felt like they were filled with sand. Her brain was being squeezed in a vise. They never should have opened that third bottle of wine.

“Do you want to walk to school with me?” Remy whispered, pushing the hair out of Nicky’s face with the palm of her damp hand. Why was her hand damp?

“Absolutely.” Nicky said, grunting when Remy bounced on-top of her in excitement. The seven-year-old leapt off the bed running from the room as fast as she’d entered. Nicky rolled out of bed stretching her arms high above her head with a yawn.

“Damn girl.” Gage said appreciatively with a low whistle from the open doorway.

Nicky looked damn good first thing in the morning. Her hair messily hanging down her back, face wiped free of any makeup, her cheeks pink from sleep. She wore pajama pants with pictures of what could have been hamsters all over them and a tank top that was barely decent without a bra.

“Oh please.” Nicky rolled her eyes dropping her arms, her palms slapping against her thighs. She felt like she’d been hit by a truck. Grabbing a hoodie she padded barefoot to him.

“Looks like shopping went well.” Gage snickered looking around the room.

Shopping had gone well. Putting her new clothes away…well…there had been wine. Nicky vaguely remembered a fashion show. They’d managed to take every article of clothing and shoe out of the bags and boxes. Apparently throwing them like confetti, with the haphazard way they were strewn around the room.

“There was so much wine.” Nicky whimpered, fisting her hand in his shirt she dropped her forehead onto his chest heavily.

Chuckling Gage ran a hand over her head tangling his fingers into her hair to rub her scalp soothingly. A small sigh escaped her and she relaxed against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She was warm and soft and his body responded. Muscles tensing, hardening with arousal. Fuck.

What was he doing? He couldn’t be this close to her. So close he could smell her hair. Looking to the ceiling he cursed silently. He wanted to push her back into her room. Lay her out on the bed and work out her hangover in a way that would benefit them both.

He was saved by Remy. She burst back into the hallway from her room, body slamming their legs. Wrapping her arms around them both in a group hug. Beeping up at them energy radiated off of her, her feet prancing unable to stay still.

“Aunty Nic, are you ready?” Remy asked.

“Oh my god I’m so ready.” Nicky said dramatically. She let Remy drag her down the hall by the hand. Gage pushed his hands through his hair looking up to the ceiling. What the actual fuck.

Nicky followed Remy to the kitchen. Grimacing at the bright lights. Brad was already at the counter making coffee. The warm rich scent filling the air deliciously. Cia sat at the bar, laid out over the counter looking just a miserable as Nicky felt. Yesterdays makeup smudged under her eyes, last nights ponytail crooked and half falling out.

“Mom!” Remy groaned in a mix of exasperation and embarrassment, climbing onto the stool next to her.

“I’m awake.” Cia groaned mumbled not moving. Remy rolled her eyes pulling her bowl of cereal closer.

Nicky shuffled over to where Brad held a steaming cup out for her. Wrapping both hands around the mug she took a grateful sip. Leaning against the counter next to him she held the cup close to her mouth eyes closed. Breathing in the scent while she waited for the caffeine to kick in.

“Did you guys' sleep?” Brad asked with a smirk tugging the ends of her hair gently. Nicky just grunted maintaining her prayer position to the coffee gods.

“You guys look like death.” Remy announced her voice full of judgement and fruit loops. Cia shifted her head giving her little girl the side eye.

“I feel like death.” Nicky murmured into her cup.

“You could at least brush your hair.” Remy said haughtily. “I can’t be seen with such messes. I have a reputation to keep you know.” Remy tossed her hair over her shoulder in a sassy move.

“What kind of reputation could you have. You’re seven.” Cia grumbled eyeing her.

“One that doesn’t include going to school with homeless people.” Remy shot back. Brad and Nicky snickered quietly. Brad rolled his lips between his teeth to stop his chuckle when Cia shot them a look.

“Oh really.” Cia said, a dangerous tone in her voice.

“Yup.” Remy chirped, “and you two look like you slept on the sidewalk.” Cia’s mouth dropped open in shock at the amount of attitude she exuded.

“Oh Kay!” Brad drew out stepping forward pulling Cia’s scowl from their daughter to pin him in place. “Rem, go grab your bag it’s almost time for you guys to go.”

“Ok Daddy!” Remy chimed, hopping down from the stool she ran from the room.

“I blame you for the sassiness.” Cia scowled, pointing at him.

“Babe come on. Did you look in a mirror?” Brad said dryly giving her a smile. Cia slowly rose from her stool and left the room with her nose in the air.

“So, you don’t want any more sex, like ever?” Nicky snickered into her coffee cup. Brad scrunched his face at her mimicking her with unintelligible noises shoving her shoulder lightly.

“What are you doing today?” He asked.

“I gotta go into the studio and audition today.” Nicky answered grumpily. She couldn’t believe she was having to audition.

“They’re making you audition?” He asked surprised.

Nicky had spent the last five years in New York building her professional dance career. Graduated from Juilliard with a Bachelors of Fine Arts, the top ten of her class. Then training under Coach Randal at the Ailey Dance School preparing her employment interview at a professional dance company. She should have had her choice of dance schools in Denver.

“There’s some kind of rivalry between Coach Randal and Coach Hannah.” Nicky sighed. Taking another sip of coffee she rolled her shoulders glancing over when Gage came in. He looked tense, his jaw tight, hazel eyes clouded.

“Do you get to do your own prepared piece like you did for Juilliard?” Brad asked eyeing Gage curiously. He stalked across the room, eyes fixed on Nicky like she were the only one in the room. His shoulders were tense, head tilted back making him look taller than his 6’3”. He looked her over slowly as he approached, predatory.

“Sadly, no.” Nicky sighed unaware she was being stalked. “She’s going to give me the fastest instructions on a dance I’ve never done before and then see if I fall on my face.” Nicky said rolling her eyes. She straightened when Gage stopped infront of her, crowding her space. Nicky tilted her head back to look up at him suspiciously. What was he doing?

Gage’s hand went to her hip when he reached behind her for a mug. He was so close he brushed against her when he moved. His eyes locked on hers intensely, the green and brown warring for dominance. Nicky couldn’t breath for the heat that washed through her. His hand on her hip felt like a hot coal. Searing it’s print into her skin. Goosebumps prickled across her skin making her shiver.

“Can you handle that?” Gage asked, his voice low and suggestive enough that Nicky wasn’t sure he meant the audition…or him.

She was entranced by the arousal filling his eyes. His gaze moved over her face pausing when they reached her mouth. They dialated his tongue running the length of his upper lip absently before he met her eyes again. He rubbed his thumb over the bare skin above the elastic waist of her pajama pants. Slow and sensual.

Her breath caught, her mouth falling open. His lips curved into a masculine smile. Cocky and satisfied. Dousing her arousal with irritation. The soft glazed look on her face hardening into a scowl.

“I can handle anything.” Nicky reminded. Pretending like she didn’t hear the husky tone of her voice she punched him in the stomach.

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