�I have to agree, Pierre,� Sunshine said.
�Just a couple more and then we�re down,� Pierre promised.
�Whatever,� Sunshine said, doing some different poses for him, as he continued with the photographing.
They continued a few more minutes then Pierre said, �That�s a wrap.�
�That was fun,� Sunshine said, as she walked over to Pierre. �So, Pierre, honestly how was I?�
�Sexy, baby,� Pierre said. �Absolutely sexy. You know how to make love to the camera and that�s sexy.�
�Why thank you,� Sunshine said, as they laughed and he kissed her cheek. �Can I keep this outfit? Hey, Cait, see if I can keep this outfit. I like it. I like it a lot.�
�Whatever you want, Sunshine,� Caitlin said.
�So that�s a yes then?� Sunshine said and they laughed.
�Miss Robinson, you have a visitor,� Pierre�s assistant said.
�Who?� Sunshine asked turning around and she saw Nickolas. �Oh.� She just looked at him and he walked over to her.
�Hey,� Nickolas said.
�Hey,� Sunshine said. �What are you doing here?�
�Well I was in the neighborhood so I thought I�d stop by and see you.� He smiled.
�Right; this is L.A., Carter, and not Orlando.� He just looked at her. �Why are you here?�
�Do I really need a reason to see you?� She looked at him. �I was hoping we could talk.�
�Talk?� He nodded. �About what?�
�Us.�
�There is no us.�
�Do you always have to rub that in my face?�
�Hey, I gave you a chance for there to be an us and you brushed me off.�
�I didn�t brush you off.�
�Oh wait you said no. I didn�t know there was a difference.�
�May we please talk?�
�Talk or fuck?�
He looked at her. �Talk.�
�Why don�t you go back to the hotel with your girlfriend?�
�She�s in Florida.�
�Then go home to her.�
�Not until we talk.�
�What�s to talk about?�
�Can we do this someplace else?� She looked at him, as he just looked at her with that look she loved.
She didn�t want to give into the weakness, but she did. �Let me change.�
�Thank you.�
�Don�t thank me yet.� She walked away and Nickolas watched her. He waited a few minutes and she came from the dressing room in jeans and a tank top this time. �Caitlin, I�m going to head back to the hotel.�
�Alright, Sweetie,� Caitlin said and Sunshine looked at Nickolas.
�C�mon,� Sunshine said and Nickolas followed her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�So talk,� Sunshine ordered, as she shut her hotel room door. �And you better make it good.�
Nickolas smiled and said, �I love you.� Sunshine just shook her head and threw her stuff on the bed.
�You flew, like, 3000 miles just to tell me you love me?� Sunshine said. �Something I already know.� He grinned and Sunshine shook her head again.
�What?� Nickolas asked. �Am I not allowed to love you?�
�I didn�t say that.�
�Well that�s the impression I�m getting.�
�Then that�s your problem and not mine.�
�What the hell has been your problem lately? You�re so moody and bitchy.�
�And it pisses you the hell off.�
�Yes it does.�
�Then that�s your problem too.� She went to walk away, but Nickolas grabbed her. �What?�
�I am trying my damnedest here to make things work between us and right.�
�You�re doing some job, Carter. You�re fucking my roommate; my slutty best girl friend.� Her voice was a little louder and Nickolas looked at her shocked.
�I am not�� He stopped to control his voice. �I am not sleeping with Josephine or anyone else for that matter. I love you and only you and that�s not going to change.�
�Spare me please.�
�What do I have to do then? Tell me what I have to do to make you believe I love you and want to be with you.�
�You had your chance in Europe. I am tired of being your secret lover and just wish you would leave me the hell alone.� Nickolas looked at her shocked not knowing what to say. She pulled herself from his hold and walked from him.
Neither of them said anything for a moment then Nickolas said, �You did not just say that.� She looked at him. �I�m sure you don�t mean it.�
�Why can�t I? It was so easy for you to turn me down and not have any second thoughts about it. You didn�t even care how I felt.�
�Yes I did, Sweets, and it wasn�t easy for me to turn you down.�
�But you did it anyway.�
�And I�m sorry.� They looked at each other. Because I want to do it the right way, he thought. I want to be the one that proposes to you. I want to be the one that sees the sparkle and excitement in your eye when I get down on that one knee. He wanted to tell her this, but he couldn�t. Not right now anyway. When the time comes I will. I�ll explain everything to you, Sweets, I promise.
�Why don�t you just get out of here?�
�I didn�t fly all this way just to be kicked out of your hotel room.�
�Then why did you fly out here?�
�Because I wanted to spend some time with you�and talk.�
She sighed. �I don�t know what we could possibly talk about, Nick.�
�Probably a lot if we actually thought about it and sat down to talk about it.� She looked at him. �Come sit with me, Sweets.� He sat on the edge of the bed and held out his hand for her. She waited a moment then slowly walked over and put her hand in his, as she sat down. �I know you�re upset about that night at the condo with me and Jo and I wanted to apologize. I�m sorry for being disrespectful towards you and it�ll never happen again.� She looked at him. �Unless it�s with you of course.� He smiled, but she stayed serious.
�I don�t know what to think. You both were disrespectful to me in my home and it seemed like neither of you cared.�
�And I�m sorry. I didn�t mean to hurt you.� She just looked at him then at their hands. She entwined their fingers and looked at him again. �I love you and would never hurt you purposely.�
�But you did.�
�I know and I�ll never do it again.� He tightened his grip on her hand then brought their hands up and kissed hers, as she continued to look at him.
�Promise?�
�Promise.� She grinned.
�So what�d you tell Josephine?�
�I had some business to take care of.�
�And she bought it?�
�For the most part.� They laughed. �She wanted to come with, but I told her I was going to be really busy and we wouldn�t have anytime together. Then she said about just hanging with you and I reminded her of your schedule the next couple days.�
�You planned ahead.�
�Yes I did.�
�What do you think is going to happen here?�
�I was hoping we could reconnect, ya know.�
�Right.�
�Don�t you want to reconnect?�
�I�d like to, but I don�t see how we can do it while you�re still with Josephine.�
He sighed. �Can we just forget about that right now and concentrate on what needs to be concentrated on�us.� She looked at him. �I love you, ya know, and want us to get back on track, ya know. Like we once were; in the beginning. What do ya say?�
�It�d be nice.�
�So let�s do it then.� She just looked at him some more and he touched her face with his free hand. She leaned into it and he touched her face with his other hand then kissed her. She kissed him in return a second then pulled away and got up. �What?�
�You can�t keep doing this, Nick.�
�Doing what?�
�This; every time you want something you come to me. It confuses me. You want to sleep with me yet you don�t want to be with me.�
�I do want to be with you.� He got up and joined her at the window. He went to embrace her, but she quickly walked away. He looked at her and she flopped down on the bed. �Sunnie.� She looked at him and he walked over to her. He sat next to her and they looked at each other. So much passion in their eyes for the other and so much love there too. �What do you want?�
�Do you really have to ask, Nick? Ain�t it obvious what I want?� He didn�t say anything and continued looking at her. �I left you know what I wanted when I got back from Australia.�
�And then you left.�
�Because I got scared. I�ve been continuing to let you know what I want, but you refuse to do anything about it. You insist on staying with Josephine.�
�If this is a fight then I�m out of here.�
�I don�t want to fight.� Nickolas looked at her and those lyrics from that Westlife song, Sunshine would listen to, echoed in his brain: I don�t wanna fight no more/I forgot what we were fighting for/And this loneliness that�s in my heart/won�t let me be apart from you/I don�t want to have to try/Girl, to live without you in my life/so I�m hoping we can start tonight/�cause I don�t wanna fight no more. �Why don�t you just make it easier on the both of us and just leave.�
�Are you serious? Do you honestly want me to go?� She looked at him. �Alright.� He got up and she watched him walk to the door. �I�ll see ya around.� She watched him go out and sat there a moment. She got up to go after him when her cell rang.
She turned it on saying, �Hello?�
She waited for a response then heard singing, �How can I leave, when everything that I adore/and everything I�m living for, girl, it�s in you/I can�t dream, sleepless nights have got me bad/the only dream I ever had is being with you/I know that we can make it right/it�s gonna take a little time/let�s not leave ourselves with no way out/lets not cross that line/remember that I made a vow/that I would never let you go/I meant it then I mean it now/and I want to tell you so/I don�t wanna fight no more/I forgot what we were fighting for/and this loneliness that�s in my heart/won�t let me be apart from you/I don�t want to have to try/Girl, to live without you in my life/so I�m hoping we can start tonight/�cause I don�t wanna fight no more��
�Nick�� She walked over and opened the door and saw Nickolas standing there. They looked at each other and she pulled him inside; kissing him.
CHAPTER 16
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