Nick drove them back home after leaving his parents' house. The ride home was quiet as they both kept their thoughts to themselves.
"Home sweet home . . . for now." Nick laughed as he opened the door for her.
She smiled as she took off her coat. "Thank you for tonight, it was amazing."
Nick sat down on the couch and looked up at her. "You're welcome."
Melissa joined him and snuggled up next to him. "But there is one place you forgot on our trip down memory lane."
"And where is that?
"Here..."
"My dad brought this place a couple months ago." Nick replied as he opened the door to the house. "He said if I help him fix it up that I could live here when I go to college."
"That would be great Nick; I would love my own place." Melissa looked around the large spacious room. "Freedom to do what you want, when you want."
"Yeah, it is going to be so nice. I have already talked to Brian about him being my roommate. We are going to have so much fun here."
"And what about me?" Melissa turned to face him with her hands on her hips.
Nick smiled as he approached and wrapped his arms around her. "You are more than welcome here; after all you are my girl."
Melissa smiled and kissed his lips softly. "I love you."
"I love you." Nick felt her shiver and he rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "Are you cold?"
"Yeah, it is really drafty in here."
"I can fix that." In a matter of minutes, Nick started a fire. The whole room glowed from the flames. "These should help too." He laid down some blankets on the wood floor.
Melissa and Nick sat down on the blanket in front to the roaring fire. He wrapped the last blanket around the both of them.
"Is that better?"
"Much." The two of them sat there, watching the flames rise.
"Being here with you, right now, it just feels right." He replied wrapping an arm around her.
"Like we are meant to be here . . . "
"Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but it does."
"No, it doesn't. I feel it too. I know I'm supposed to be with you."
Nick caressed her cheek with his hand. She closed her eyes, just enjoying his touch and warmth.
He just watched her, thinking to himself how beautiful she was.
Melissa opened her eyes, feeling his gaze. He pulled her to him and kissed her longingly.
She felt the wanted and love of the kiss as she laid down on the blanket covered floor.
Nick pulled away and looked into her eyes, he felt need of the kiss also. He looked into her auburn eyes, searching for any doubts, but saw none.
"Mel?"
She didn't response; she just pulled him to her and kissed him again.
"I will never forget that day." Nick smiled to himself.
"Neither will I that was a big step in our relationship."
"You don't regret, do you?" Nick turned to face her.
"No, I don't regret it. My first time was with someone I loved and trusted."
Nick brushed back her hair and touched her cheek. "I don't know why, but that seems so long ago."
"It feels like it has been longer." Melissa lowered her head, trying to avoid eye contact with him.
"Hey." Nick touched her chin, making her look at him. "What's going on inside that head of yours?"
"I'm just thinking about how long it took me to finally get here, all the time I wasted. It just . . . " She stood up and walked over to the window.
Nick got up and walked over to her. "It just what?"
"It makes me sad and angry. All that time I wasted, I could have spent with my dad before he . . . " She couldn't finish the sentence.
"Don't do that to yourself. You know that your dad is watching over you and he is happy that you are finally home." Nick pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. "Hold onto that and hold onto the good memories you have of him."
Melissa felt safe and contented in his arms, she had missed this feeling. She could hear his heart beating; it was the most beautiful song she ever heard. His long fingers brushed through her hair, over and over again. His words, his touch, his heart, all of them soothed her. She could feel herself going back into time to the night they spend together, in this very room, those years ago when they made love for the first time.
"I rather hold onto you."
Nick looked down at her, but before he could say anything Melissa had captured his lips in a kiss. This kiss was different from any other they had shared that night. This kiss held passion, need, want.
"Mel." He asked breathlessly once they parted.
"I don't want to waste anymore time, Nick. I want to live my life. I want to be with you."
"Mel, you have no idea how much I wanted to hear that. Years, I have been waiting to hear those words, but . . . "
"No buts, do you love me?"
"Yes, I love you. You are it for me."
"I love you, Nick. I want to be with you, I need to be with you."
He didn't need to hear anything else. He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her hungrily. He slowly picked her up and carried her into his room, shutting the bedroom door behind him. She started to unbutton her shirt, but Nick put his hands over hers, stopping her. She looked up at him and she felt her heart skip a beat. The way he was looking at her with such passion, made it hard to breathe.
He gradually undid each button on her blouse, his eyes never leaving hers. The shirt laid on the edge of the bed as he looked at the beauty in front of him. The woman he had loved for years and knew he would always love. He placed a kiss on her shoulder. She closed her eyes, just feeling Nick's lips touch her body.
Melissa pulled on the helm of his shirt and he pulled away long enough for her to remove it. Nick watched her as she did it. She touched his expose skin, running her hands over his chest. Softly she placed kisses over the path her hands had been. He pulled her close to him, loving the feeling of her skin against his. Once again, he picked her up and laid her gently on the bed.
Finding her lips again, he lowered her down onto the bed. Melissa placed her hands firmly on his back, needing to have him close to her. Nick lowered the strap of her black lace bra and kissed her shoulder. His lips made the way up to her neck, causing Melissa to throw her head back.
He could feel her hands work at the button on his jeans. But he kept up with his assault on her neck. Finally Nick stood up and removed his jeans and helped her out of hers. At that moment, he stopped and looked at her.
He had remembered everything about the night they first made love. The way she looked, the way it felt holding her all night, the way he felt being so close to her, and right now looking at her, that all seemed to disappear. They were so young then, but now things were different. They were different.
Nick crawled back onto the bed, covering her body with his. Gently, he kissed her lips and then softly brushed her hair back.
"Love you." Nick looked into her eyes.
Melissa looked into his eyes and saw something. The old Nick she grew up with, the one who stood up for her when a bully at school picked on her, the one who was her first kiss, the one she tried so hard to forget, but couldn't.
"Love you."
Nick lowered his body onto her as her hands dug into his hair. His lips caressed hers passionately as his hands explored her body. Her body was on fire with every touch of his hands. She moved them so she was on top, Nick looked up at her. She leaned down and kissed his lips, but quickly sat up. She looked at him, wanting to remember every second of this night. Slowly her hands when to her back and unclasped her bra. She let the lacey material fall to the ground.
"You are so beautiful." He stated taking her all in.
Once again she lowered her body over his and his arms were ready to embrace her. After losing the last of their clothing, they were both naked, only covered by a sheet as their bodies embraced.
Nick flipped them so he was covering her. He couldn't wait anymore and slowly entered her, he need to feel her completely. He loved the feeling of their naked bodies touching and by her moans, Melissa loved it too. Their bodies slowly moved together, becoming one. With one last kiss, their bodies were rushed over with ecstasy.
The sunlight slipped through the curtains, landing on Nick's eyes. Slowly he opened his eyes, allowing them to focus. His eyes settled on the sleeping form in front of him. Her dark brown hair was fanned out on the pillow and the white sheet was pulled up over her chest. His arm was draped over her tiny waist, as she faced away from him. A smile came to Nick's face when he remembered the night before.
He snuggled closer to Melissa and kissed her bare shoulder. She started to stir and turned to face him.
"Morning." She smiled.
"Morning." He kissed her lips. "How did you sleep?"
"Perfectly, you?"
"Me too." He kissed her again; he couldn't get enough of her. "Are you hungry?"
"I'm starving."
"Stay here, I'll bring breakfast to you." Nick put on his jeans and entered the kitchen.
Melissa sat up holding the sheet close to her body and looked for something to wear. She reached for Nick's shirt and put it on. Getting up from the bed, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She ran her hand through her hair and smiled. She looked happy and most importantly, she was happy. She saw the sunlight hitting the mirror and an idea came to her.
"Nick."
