Chapter fourty three

It had been three days since Crystal left her house. And each day was proving to be easier than the last. She didn't at all feel nearly as miserable as she had expected to. And she had even persuaded Nick to go out with her.
It wasn't a date, nor was it a romantic picnic in a park. And it also wasn't some magical walk by the beach.
It was simply them, walking hand in hand on the streets on a rather sunny day.
On occasion she would see something that caught her eye and she would drag him into a store to get a closer look. At the moment they were in an antique store, looking at what he assumed was a mid-century vase.
It was mint green with golden designs of delicate curves and floral like dots.
He absolutely hated it!!
But then he paid attention to the twinkle in her eyes as she admired it. At the smile she wore when she ran her fingers along its side. And all he could think about was getting it for her. She would most likely find a spot for it in his apartment the moment they got back. And he would have to spend the rest of his life just staring at it. But for her it was worth it.
" How much? " he asked the salesperson. Gesturing to the vase. Crystal looked up at him with a beaming smile. He didn't return it because he was too busy sternly staring at the sales guy, but her smile didn't alter. She had over a million of them saved entirely for him.
" two fifty, " the guy said and Crystal frowned.
" For a vase? Don't you think that's a little much? "
" It's an antique, and that's actually a pretty good offer, "
" Yeah, I think we'll pass - "
" We'll take it. " Nick said. Eyeing the sales guy with an unreadable look, it was somewhere between intimidating and fierce. But then he turned to Crystal and his features softened a tremendous amount.
" No Nick! I don't think you should waste so much money on such silly things! " Crystal tried reasoning with him. Her voice hushed but stern. He ignored her, taking out his wallet he handed over the pay and took the wrapped vase.
" It's not silly, I like it. "
" Really now, " crossing her arms, she arched her brows at him. Shifting her weight on one foot. He sighed as he handed it to her, then he placed his hand on her lower back to lead her out of there before she saw something else that she liked.
" No, I think it's hideous. But you like it... so you'll have it. "
It's not like he was scared of being broke. He still had money from previous contracts that he hadn't cashed in yet. Being one of the best assassins in the state had its benefits. And there was also the emergency cash he and Matt kept stored in the bank. And the pay he received before his career went south. It was currently stashed under a floor board in his apartment where it would remain until he found something to do with it.
Needless to say, money wasn't a problem for him. He had enough to buy Crystal as many ugly vases as she wanted.
" I'm going to put this by the door, and then I'll fill it with the prettiest flowers - " she gasped excitedly, then turned to him and squeezed his hand with that mischevious look that he had come to be accustomed to.
" We should buy some flowers! " she exclaimed, already looking around, possibly for a flower shop.
" I'm thinking white roses, or red.... or maybe even both! Yes, they'll go great with the new carpet, "
" We don't have a new carpet. "
" We will by the end of today. "
" What did I get myself into? " he sounded honestly troubled as he squeezed his eyes shut with the tips of his thumb and forefinger.
She laughed as she pulled him along. She had almost forgotten how much she loved to shop, ever since she got back it had all been about work. And the only time she had gone out to but things, it had been boring and uneventful.
But today was different. She had so many plans, and she felt happy in a way she hadn't been for a long time. True, Nick wasn't the most enthusiastic shopper, he basically just stood and looked around with his hands tucked into the pockets of his overcoat. And she had seen him almost wince and grimace when his eyes landed on something he dreaded. But those little reactions made it all the more fun.
They, for some reason, attracted attention wherever they went. She could see people staring, and at first she had been self-conscious and insecure. That old feeling of wondering exactly what they were thinking threatened to come back. But Nick had found a way to not only make her feel better, but also lighten the mood with his acquired sense of humor.
" Stop worrying, .." he had said, "...they're looking at me, not you. I just happen to have that effect on people. "
He had been serious when telling her, his attention on his phone. But he had seen her smile from the corner of his eye. And from then onwards, she had resolved to not worry about anyone apart from the man next to her.
Several stores after, she decided that they had done enough shopping for a day. She wanted to fill their home with all kinds of lovely and beautiful things. And knowing that he had been there when she selected them only made it all the more special. And when she spotted a food truck on their way back, she had stopped on her tracks and slowly looked up at him expectantly.
Raking a hand through his hair, Nick huffed out a breath and run a hand over his face. Asking himself why he had parked so far away.
" Fine! But we're not staying for long, "
" That's for my appetite to decide, now let's go! "
Throughout the entire time, which was longer than he had bargained for, Crystal had told him about her desire to open up an art studio. But that would only happen once she saved enough cash, she didn't plan on using anything that belonged to her dad. It's why she had left all her credit cards back at home. If she was going to start a fresh then she would do it entirely by her own means.
And in his head, Nick was already planning how he would make her dream come true much sooner than she planned for.
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Crystal poured two mugs of coffee and carried them over to the couch where Nick was seated. They were watching a movie, not something he ever did. But she had assured him that he was going to love it.
Something that was proving hard to believe. Movies were not his thing, let alone romcoms that were too stacked up with emotions. He had looked at her oddly whenever she clutched her hand to her chest. Or when a tear rolled down her cheek simply because whoever was on the damn screen felt sad and was also crying. He had been worried at first and had asked her what was wrong. But then she had just pointed to the screen and sniffled back a cry.
But he wasn't going to deny it, he liked how open she was. He liked how she was affected by the simplest things. How every flicker of her expression was enough to tell him exactly what was going through her mind. She was like an open book that he was obsessed with reading. And he spent more time looking at her than at the screen since he found her reactions quite entertaining. He even chuckled a few times.
Taking the coffee from her, he let her settle back down. Snuggled against him just like she had been. His hand automatically went around her shoulder, and she swung her feet up to rest on his lap before she placed his coat over them. She wanted him high on caffeine so that he would stay up late with her. As if he needed an excuse to do that.
But then he had become accustomed to this over the past three days , she would drift off to sleep eventually. And he would switch off the TV and carry her to the bed they shared. Tucking her in before lying next to her to watch her sleep before he fell asleep himself. Then he would wake up to her smiling face. Or it would be like the previous day when she had settled herself on top of him and disturbed him till he woke.
And for the past three days, the first words always heard whenever he woke up were, " I love you, " . The sincerity with which she said them was overwhelming. He had never known that it was possible to care for someone so deeply. Before her he had been a broken shell, a form that only existed because he had been born and had to live. With her though, everything was different, he felt....... that was it. With her, he actually felt.
He thought it was perfect.
She was perfect.
Everything about her turned him on and moved something inside him. He liked how nice she smelt in the morning, how childish she was at times and how she always looked up at him when she talked. Straight in his eyes, like she was making sure that he was listening to every word she said.
The only thing he feared was that he might be too emotionally involved with her to keep her safe. But It didn't matter, because when it came down to it, he was more than willing to lay his life down for her.