Be a good girl Nina

“Easy!” I assisted Nina into the house. We went out as agreed and ate outside. Lydia insisted we go to the club.

By the time we were done, it was late already.

When we arrived home, the lights were off, and it was dark. Lydia was unable to carry herself up the stairs, so I assisted her.

After I had helped Lydia with her dress and put her in bed, and a hot shower had washed away the remainder of the night from myself, I lay on my bed, trying to find the will to go to sleep.

Too much had happened over the past few weeks. My mind still reeled from my breakup with Lincoln my ex boyfriend, but I also couldn't stop thinking about Mr Taylor.

Mr Miguel was different. Not only was he incredibly attractive, with his perfect look I wanted to be around him for days, but he was old school. He seemed like the kind of man who knew how to wine and dine a girl. Treat her special, and never cheat on her with some mystery girl like Lincoln did to me.

I didn't know Mr Taylor that way, but my mind constantly wondered. I wondered how he would treat me and about all the wonderful things he could do to me. I didn't understand the rush of emotions he brought over me. I wasn't the bad girl type, and yet everything about him wanted to make me just be around him.

I'm an unreasonable person to think a man like Miguel Taylor would be interested in me though.

Lydia mom, is beautiful and classy. She has taste and is sophisticated… I can never be her.

Lydia had plenty of male friends in this city, and even though I didn't want another relationship, I couldn't help but wonder if one of them would want to be with me.

Picking up my phone, I scrolled through social media and took in the various photos of Lincoln and I that were posted on my account. I hadn't had the courage to get rid of them yet, and looking back at it now, I felt even more pathetic.

With a push of a few buttons and much-needed courage, I deleted the history of my relationship with Lincoln. I welcomed the hollow feeling when I was finished, but at the same time, it hurt.

“God, why can't I sleep," I groaned as I looked at the clock, realizing I had spent two hours lying awake instead of sleeping.

Slipping from bed, I padded my way out of my room and towards the stairs. The idea of hot tea and a snack to settle my mind seemed more enjoyable with every step I took.

Through the darkness, I made my way to the kitchen. The dim light over the stove was enough for me to see what I was doing, and yet, not disturb anyone in the home. Not that anyone would likely wake. It was 3:00 in the morning, and normal people slept at this hour.

As I moved around the kitchen setting the kettle, I hummed a tune from earlier in the night that had gotten stuck in my head.

“Having fun?" a voice called from behind me, causing a small scream to leave my throat as I spun around, coming face to face with Mr Taylor himself. His dark, brooding eyes stared at me with amusement.

As much as I wanted to form a coherent sentence at that moment, my thoughts were lost in the realization that Mr Taylor, my best friend's father, was standing before me.

Oh, sweet baby Jesus. “Uh-oh, hey. Sorry, just making tea."

I said nervously.

“I see that," he hummed with amusement.

“Couldn't sleep either?"he asked.

Shaking my head, I shrugged my shoulders. “Not lately. Plus, after all the excitement tonight, I had to wind down."

There was a moment of awkward silence that fell between us as he stood by the counter, simply staring at me.

Clearing my throat, I turned back towards the kettle that was now hissing and poured the hot water over the tea bag so it could steep. Motion out of the corner of my eye made me freeze as I realized he had taken two steps towards me.

“You really have changed over the years… haven't you, Nina?" he whispered softly, causing me to turn around and notice only a few feet between us.

My heart raced with anticipation of what was happening. Was this what I hoped it was? But I couldn't do that to Lydia, could I?

“Yeah," I replied uncomfortably, “I guess I have. I'm not really the dorky girl I was the last time I was here. Then again, I could say you have changed as well."

He had changed. He had gotten older, obviously, but he didn't seem as sad as he once had. Instead, he seemed satisfied with his life. As if he finally found his calling after leaving his ex-wife.

“Interesting." His eyes took me in once more as he casually leaned against the counter. “So, did your boyfriend decide to join you this summer as well?"

My eyes kept drifting down on him. His figure was hard to ignore. I tried not to look, but I couldn't help it when he stood so willingly in front of me.

“Uh, no." I shrugged, trying to remain calm. “I don't have one. We broke up a few weeks ago."

Intrigue seemed to get to him as I responded. As if that had been the answer he was hoping for.

“Is that right? Was it mutual then?"

Glancing down, I shook my head. “No, not exactly."

No matter how innocent his question had been, the wound of Lincoln betrayal was still fresh. So for him to bring it up was like pouring salt on an open wound.

“I'm sorry if I upset you, Nina. That wasn't my intention." He explained and I nodded.

“No, no. Its fine," I replied as my eyes met his again. “Just, bad things happened, and it wasn't the most joyous moment in my life. Nothing I won't get over with in time, though."

There was an unmistakable fire that crossed his gaze for a moment at my words. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was almost as if he was angry, but pleased at the same time.

“He was not smart enough for letting a beautiful woman like you go."

He said and my eyes widened.

Did he just called me beautiful?

Oh gosh, he just called me beautiful. The compliment caused my cheeks to redden with embarrassment as I tried to hold myself and quickly turned back to my tea.

I wasn't sure why his remark surprised me like it did. Men from his generation were notorious for being this way, or at least, that was the assumption I had with most men I knew his age. My professors and even my dad's friends were from a generation of class. So why was it that his words caused me to react like this? Trying to wrap my head around what he was saying, I cleared my throat and straightened my shoulders.

“Thank you for your compliment. But I am not as pretty as other women. Plus, I am driven when it comes to my career. So I wasn't giving him the attention he wanted."

Excuses. They were all excuses, but at the same time, these excuses were what allowed me to get past the pain I felt over Lincoln’s betrayal. The excuses I made were ones I gave for his actions towards me. No matter how horrible they were.

“He didn't deserve you. Traits like that I think are attractive in a woman," he replied moving next to me, causing my breath to catch in my throat. I was highly aware of the distance between us in the kitchen. The fact that we were being alone made me excited, and I hoped he couldn't tell how much I felt.

Slowly turning around, I faced him. In the time I hadn't been paying attention, he had got himself there near me, and the distance between us caused my heart to race.

I wasn't trying to be bad, but the smell of him wrapping around me made me want to do all kinds of bad things. “Perhaps, someday, someone will show me what it is I deserve."

My words came off more suggestive than I'd meant them to be, and he must have noticed, because his response was to look at me gently as he moved toward me. Being near him did not help me with my imagination to be just with him. I wanted it so bad to happen, but at the same time, there was no way a man like Mr. Taylor wanted me. Not to mention, you ungrateful girl, that is your best friend's dad.

As he pulled back, setting his cup on the counter, I tried to clear my mind. There was a boundary I didn't need to cross, and with the teasing moments around us, I was dangerously close to crossing.

“Are you okay?" he whispered, causing me to slowly look up at him to see the amusement dancing within his eyes.

“Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I shifted uncomfortably. “Are you?"

As his eyes drifted down, I felt the stir within me once more.

“Oh, I'm more than alright, Nina." He grinned and his eyes met mine again. It took me a moment to process what he meant, and as I glanced down, I saw my little reaction.

“Oh, I'm so sorry," I stammered, wrapping my arms. “It's a bit cold."

“No, it isn't." He chuckled as he grabbed his glass and went to the fridge to pour a drink. He may have been right, but the arrogant response made me surprise.

“Yes, it is. It's a bit chilly, and well, yeah—"

As the door to the fridge closed, he turned to face me, sipping from his cup. The movement of his Adam's apple as he drank down the liquid caught my eye. I had never seen something as simple as that look so attractive before.

“I know what you want, Nina," he said, grasping my attention once more.

“I don't want anything," I replied, trying to play the moment off.

“Enough." Setting his cup down, he quickly cleared the space between us once more.

“Mr. Taylor—"

“I told you to call me Miguel, Nina." His firm reply flipped the switch on the situation and instantly made me want to behave.

“I can see that you get excited, but I can promise you I'm not what you want. The things I would do… well, they would be too much for you."

Oh gees. “Y-you have no idea what I can handle. You don't know me like that."

My stuttered response showed clearly how uneasy I was with this situation, and yet I wanted it.

“Be a good girl, Nina. You need to go upstairs and go to bed," he whispered as he inhaled deeply and pushed himself back from where we stood.

The distance he was placing between us gave me a chance to breathe once more. Without a moment of hesitation, my feet pushed me towards the stairs, only he stopped me again.

“Remember what I said," he said but growled in an amazing way that had frozen me.

Turning to face him, I tried to push him away. But the realization hit me that he was within my reach made everything worse. Snapping out of my daydream, I quickly freed myself from his grasp. He was there and he stared at me, making everything harder.

“Goodnight, Mr. Taylor ," I stuttered, forcing my gaze from his before I turned and fled from the kitchen, quickly running up the stairs.

Mr Taylor was a mysterious man, and there was no telling what he truly meant by what he'd said. Perhaps he was dangerous, but perhaps I would like it.