Chapter 5

Nick awoke a few hours later and turned toward the woman lying alongside him. He lightly kissed the bare skin of her shoulder and heard her mumble happily in her sleep. Then he glanced at the clock by his bed, and reached over her to turn off the alarm before it went off. Kissing her again, he carefully slipped out of bed and into the bath to take care of business. Knowing if he went back to bed now, he'd disturb her slumber, he put on a robe and made his way to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. As it brewed, he went to the bath farthest from his own room and showered. Then he heated another pot of water for tea, in case that was Lydia's preference.

He was on his second cup when he heard her softly call for him. "Coming, sweet Lydia," he called back softly, pouring her a cup of java and setting it on the serving tray beside the pot of water and paraphernalia for tea. He carried it to the bedroom and set it on the table he'd placed beside the bed for this purpose. "Tea, or coffee, my Lady?"

"Umm, breakfast in bed?" She teased. "Coffee please, light and sweet."

"I actually thought about it, but didn't know what you liked, or if you were a breakfast eater." He spooned some sugar into her mug and topped it with cream till she nodded in satisfaction at the color.

She sat up, and he placed her pillow between the headboard and her naked back. He'd expected her to cover herself modestly with the sheet, but she seemed content to let it pool around her waist as she drank deeply of the warm rejuvenating liquid. She quickly finished the coffee and set the mug on the tray. "That was good, but now I want my sweet Nicolas, and afterwards, you can feed me breakfast." With that, she tossed the sheet aside and sprawled back on the bed, looking deliciously wanton.

He untied his robe and she laughed out loud. "After breakfast, we're going shopping and buy you something other than tighty-whities! But right now, just get those things off and get over here!"

He smiled and shook his head, then stripped obediently and lay down beside her. "Now," she breathed softly, "make love to me again."

He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her sweetly, lingeringly, then began to caress her delightful body. His fingers raised goose bumps as they trailed against her exposed skin, and she shivered with anticipation. He brought her nipples to rigid points with his tongue and lips, then used his fingers to keep them that way as his lips sought a more exotic playground. Lydia was quickly breathing shallowly as her climax relentlessly washed over her.

"Oh god, enough, Nick! Slide that perfect cock into me again!" He kissed his way back up her body, then kissed her sweet lips lovingly as he slid inside her. She writhed under him, delighting in the sensations he offered her, then wrapped her legs around his thighs and nibbled his lips as he stroked her to another, mutual climax.

"Umm, what a wonderful way to start the day!" Lydia stretched languorously. "But I believe you also said something about breakfast?"

"I did." He got off the bed, and somewhat self-consciously dressed, starting with the reviled briefs, socks, a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. He left the shoes alone. Then he offered her his robe. "If you come back like I hope, I'll have a robe for you. Not that there is anything wrong with nudity..." He gave her a wicked grin.

She slugged him in the arm then tied the sash around her waist. "Feed me, Seymour!"

He laughed and took her hand, leading her to the kitchen. This room had been one of the deciding factors when he'd been looking for a house right after his windfall. It had a spacious work area for him to spread out in, two very large ovens, a restaurant style gas cook top, and pair of restaurant-sized refrigerators. There was also an upright freezer in the pantry. He poured her another cup of coffee, then had her sit at the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the dining area.

He opened one of the fridges and peered inside. "Ok, I have eggs and egg-beaters, bacon, sausage, ham. Or a steak, but they're frozen, and will take a while to cook. Or I can make up some pancakes or waffles."

"How about an omelet? And some of those muffins I see on the counter?" She replied.

"Sure," he said with a smile at her as he pulled his head out of cooler. "What do you want in it?"

"Ham and cheese? Maybe some mushrooms?" One thing she'd noticed in her time with him was that he avoided anything with pieces of peppers or large chunks of onion, although he did enjoy the onion blossoms or rings that were battered and deep-fried.

He pulled out the ham and a couple of bags of pre-shredded cheeses, then a cup of fresh mushrooms. When he reached in again, he stopped and looked at her. "Real eggs, or the other stuff?"

"Real eggs, please, and if you feel that way, why do you buy the other stuff?"

"It works fine for French toast or something like that, or scrambled eggs with lots of sharp cheddar. Plus, it makes Mom happy when she snoops and sees it in the fridge. Makes her think I'm eating better." He grinned at her again.

"Ahh, I understand." As she sat and watched him chop the mushrooms, she realized why he'd sat her where he did. It gave her a perfect viewpoint of him working, and made it very easy for him to converse with her as he did so. She also noted although he wasn't a skilled cook, he took pride in his efforts. The method he used sautéing the mushrooms she realized she'd seen the week before on a re-run of "Good Eats", but the omelet he split between them was delicious, and the blueberry muffins were nice and fresh. She thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

"You know," she said as she sipped her third cup of coffee, "you're welcome to cook for me anytime."

"Why thank you, M'Lady, 'twould be my pleasure!" He stood and gave her a bow that was only half-teasing. "Now, if you'd like to shower, I'll clean up here. There are extra towels in the linen closet, as well as most anything else you need."

She went to his bedroom and opened her handbag. "Thank goodness Momma always told me to have clean underwear handy." Then she went into his bath and looked around. Obviously a man's bath. Shaving cream can on the vanity, although his razor was put away. Comb and brush, anti-perspirant. Bottle of aftershave, but not the stuff he'd worn last night. She opened the linen closet. Four or five sets of towels, a couple of bath blankets. Oh! A new toothbrush. She decided to confiscate that, since she'd left hers home. At least she wouldn't need to borrow his razor this morning, she thought with a smile.

Twenty minutes and one orgasm later, she was dressed and kissably fresh. The only thing she regretted was that he didn't have a curling iron for her ringlets. She did find a bottle of good hair gel, though, so she'd done the spiky look again. Next time, and there were going to be next times, she was going to be better prepared, though.

When she came out he was reading the Sunday paper, eyeglasses perched on his nose. He looked up as she entered the room and gave her a dazzling smile. "I didn't know you wore glasses," she said. "You look good in them, though."

"Before I won, I had to wear them all the time. Then I had lasik done shortly after I had the money. That took care of my nearsightedness and astigmatism, but I still need reading glasses. Cyan helped me pick out this pair, though."

"Very nice. So, what are your plans for the rest of the day? Besides going with me to buy you new underwear" She said with a grin

"Well, after I reluctantly take you home," he grinned back and kissed the tip of her nose. "Do you know, I've wanted to do that since you opened the door that first night. It's every bit as fun as I thought it would be."

"I liked it," she admitted. "So, after reluctantly taking me home?"

"After reluctantly taking you home, I'll go to the gym and let Connie wear this poor old body out, then probably home and a good book. You?"

She was about to answer when her cell jingled. "Hello?"

"Lydia, I'm in a bind!" It was her roommate AnnaBeth. "Dr. Morris called, Rick had an accident at home and twisted up his knee, and can't pull his shift. Dan asked if I could come in and work six hours, then Andrea would relieve me. But Dierdra has left and won't answer her phone, and I can't find anyone to watch the girls! I know you're out with Nick, but could I beg you to come home? Please!!" she pleaded.

Lydia silently cursed Dierdra, not for the first time. "Ok, Anna, I'll have Nick bring me home now. Anything else I need to know?" The girls, Alicia and Dina, were sweet and generally well behaved. But they were also both born to addict mothers, and did have their occasional bad days. AnnaBeth did her best to warn her friends on those days.

"No, they are both doing fine this morning. Try to get them to nap this afternoon, and feed them some dinner. I'll be home to do baths and bed." Lydia voiced her agreement and broke the connection.

Turning to Nick, she explained what had happened. "Sorry, sweet Nicolas, we'll have to go shopping another time. Can you run me home?"

"Absolutely, and I'll take a rain check on the shopping." Doing his gentleman thing, he took her to the car then climbed behind the wheel. Fifteen minutes later, they were about to open the door when AnnaBeth beat them to it. "Lydia, you're a life-saver! Thank you!" She emphasized this with a solid kiss to her roommate's lips that raised Nick's eyebrows slightly and stirred his loins more than slightly. "And thank you for bringing her home so fast!" He was rewarded with a kiss that did nothing to quiet his loins. Then Dr. Lucen was running for her car.

Lydia had thoroughly enjoyed the last sixteen hours with Nick, and didn't really want to end the day. "Do you want to come in? Maybe meet Alicia and Dina?" What was she thinking? Alicia and Dina were not inclined to meet strangers well even with their foster-mother, let alone just Miss Lydia. But he was saying "Sure," and she was stuck.

They entered the house, and she led him down another hallway than the one leading to the living room. She knocked on the open door and waited for the girls to acknowledge her. That they did so quickly was another indication they were in a good mood.

"Alicia, Dina, this is my friend Nick. He brought me home so your Momma could go to work. Can you say hi?" She wasn't prepared for what happened next. The girls swarmed him, greeting him enthusiastically as they dragged him into the room. Both of them were the same age, about four years old. Dina had hair like pale straw down to her shoulder and a peaches and cream complexion. Alicia was a little Latin beauty with dark natural curls.

Then they spent the next two hours showing him their toys, involving both him and Lydia in their games and generally being on the best behavior Lydia had ever seen them display. They even went down for the hated nap without much more than token resistance.

"Ok, that was weird and unexpected. The girls don't like strangers. Not ever. AnnaBeth has to introduce her friends in very small doses, and they avoid people Dierdra and I bring over like mad dogs. They treat you like a favorite uncle or Santa Claus!" Lydia snuggled against him on the family room couch. "And I'm sorry, but I certainly don't expect 46 year old single men to get along with four year olds he's never met. So what gives?"