Free Nico's Cruse by Jennifer Kacey

the
woman told you she wanted? Something finite?”
    “Yes. But it’s not something I can give her.” He watched her
then shook his head. “I couldn’t do it. Thought I could but after I met you I
know I can’t.”
    “What is it? Maybe I can get it for you?” Had she lost her
mind too? What the fuck was she thinking?
    “Nothing, Rose. I’d give almost anything to be free but I
can’t give her what she wants. The trade she wants isn’t fair. I’ve never told
anyone any of this. Don’t know why I’m telling you now. You can’t fix it, can’t
change it.”
    “Tell me what she wants. Maybe it is something I can get. I
don’t know if I believe you. The story is completely farfetched but if it’s
something I could—” Miss Priss jumped into Rose’s lap and he jumped when he
caught sight of her white tail. He stiffened.
    “What? Don’t like cats?”
    “Not particularly. Especially white ones. I’m sure you can
understand why.” He ran his palm over his hair.
    The cat hissed, running out of the room in a flash. “Sheesh.
She’s never acted like that before.”
    “Time’s almost up. Tomorrow’s the last day of my week for
another year.”
    Tears threatened out of nowhere but she swallowed the
emotion. “But we’ve only been together for a few days, not a week.”
    “Your profile didn’t come through at the beginning.”
    “Didn’t you have others to choose from?”
    “Yes.”
    “But you waited.”
    “They just weren’t right. Something told me to wait, so I
waited. The nights with you? They made me feel free. I’ll never be able to say
thank you enough for that. Not like you’d even want to see me again, which I
get, but, umm…thank you.”
    His story didn’t make sense. It was completely ridiculous
and she didn’t believe it. Not really. But the dreams felt real and she wanted
to see him again. What harm would it cause, falling asleep talking to him one
more time?
    She snuggled down in bed. “I can’t wait to see you.”
    His eyebrows made a vee. “You still want to see me?”
    He sounded so young there for a minute she wanted to kiss
him, to stroke his face. “Yes is quite an understatement. You make me feel more
alive than I have in years. In the dreams, or the reality, whatever it is, the
way you look at me, touch me, there’s something there I’m not ready to let go
of. So just hurry and get here before I change my mind.”
    “I’ll be there soon, baby. Close your eyes. Think of me.”
    “I haven’t been able to think of anything else since I met
you.” He smiled his same half-smile that Rose had fallen for their very first
day.
    “Ditto.”
    She scooted the laptop over to the opposite corner of the
bed to give him plenty of room to get through. “I’ve lost my mind,” she mumbled
to herself as she tried to relax.
    A beautiful melody tickled the ivories along with Rose’s
ears. “Nico, who is that? Who’s playing?” When the song continued and he didn’t
answer she glanced at the screen.
    He sat behind the baby grand playing a song with no sheet
music on the stand. Her heart filled near to bursting, watching him play with
such emotion. Time alone could be a blessing or a curse.
    She truly relaxed, breathing deep, thinking of him.
    The music slowly grew softer and softer and she thought she
heard him say something right before she fell asleep.
    “I’ve lost my heart. Now what the fuck am I going to do when
I have to say goodbye?”
    She wanted to talk to him, answer him but her mind wouldn’t
cooperate. She slipped into unconsciousness picturing his rugged face moving
toward the screen.
    His lips on her shoulder as he stripped off her shirt woke
her up. “You came,” she whispered with a smile.
    “Well not yet but I’m hoping to before the night is over.”
    His low rumble of a laugh warmed her insides and she decided
to let all of her doubt go. She didn’t want to waste a minute of their time
together if it truly was their last night.
    He pulled her out of