You Never Know

40. What do You Want

(Nicole’s POV)

I woke up with the worst pounding in my head, or maybe it was the person pounding on my door. I groaned and rolled over; the clock said 6 a.m. I was going to throttle whoever was waking us up this early. Sidney shifted next to me and Pascal lifted his head in annoyance.

“Merde, what idiot is up this early?” Pascal groaned when he saw the clock.
“I’ll see who it is,” I offered as I untangled myself from Sidney’s arms.
“Tell them we don’t leave for another three hours,” Sidney mumbled.

I walked to the door and peeped through the eye hole; it was Max of all people. I groaned again as I fumbled with the locks of the door. I swung the door open as he went to knock again, nearly hitting me in the face.

“What do you want Max? Do you know what time it is?” I snapped.
He took a step back, “Can I talk to you?”

I stared at the Frenchman like he had grown a second head. He looked like he hadn’t gotten any sleep; his eyes were blood shot and his hair was a mess.

“What could be so important that you had to wake me up this early?”
Max continued to stare at me, his eyes shifted over my shoulder for a second before coming back to my face, “It’s really important. Please Nic?”

I felt arms wrap around my waist.

“What’s wrong Max?” Sidney asked over my shoulder.
“I need to talk to Nic,” clearly we weren’t going to get a better explanation.
I sighed, “Fine. Let me change and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

I closed the door without allowing him to say another word.

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(Max’s POV)

I couldn’t sleep. The picture of Jordan pressing Nicole against her door was seared into my brain. How could that have happened? Has Nic been running around on Sidney the whole time they’ve been together?

I tossed and shifted all night; I even read a book Flower had been working on but nothing could calm my racing thoughts. I wondered where Sidney was and why he hadn’t been out with them. It was easy to see the guy was head over heels for her.

I decided to go down to the hotel gym; I thought maybe I could work some of the tension out. It didn’t work. After getting back to my shared room I hopped in the shower to clean the sweat off. I needed to talk to Nicole.

When I got out I saw that it was 6 in the morning; we don’t leave for several hours still but I couldn’t wait. I walked down the hall to room 613.

After knocking several times Nicole finally opened the door.

“What do you want Max? Do you know what time it is?” Nicole snapped at me.
I took a step back, “Can I talk to you?”

She stared at me like I had grown a second head. I know I looked rough after getting no sleep that night. My eyes were a definite deep shade of red and my hair was a mess after the shower.

“What could be so important that you had to wake me up this early?” Nicole asked me again.
I continued to stare at her, my eyes shifted over her shoulder for a second before moving back to her face, “It’s really important. Please Nic?”

I couldn’t believe Sidney was in her room. She had practically been humping Jordan against the door while her boyfriend, Jordan’s friend and our Captain had been asleep on the other side.

“What’s wrong Max?” Sidney asked over her shoulder.
“I need to talk to Nic,” I wasn’t going to answer the question any further; it wasn’t my place to tell him.
Nicole let out a sigh, “Fine. Let me change and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

She closed the door without allowing me to say another word.

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(Nicole and Max POV)

Nicole walked out of the elevator and scanned the room for Max. He was waiting for her near the doors. As she approached Max’s eyes landed on her but they quickly cut away from her.

“What’s up Max?” Nicole asked.
“Walk with me,” Max motioned out the door.

The two fell in step as they made their way down the sidewalk. Both were quiet, Nicole still had a slight pounding behind her eyes and Max was in deep thought.

Nicole broke the silence, “Will you please just say what’s on your mind so I can go back to bed?”
“Why? So you can lay with your unsuspecting boyfriend?”

Max’s words caught Nicole off guard causing her to stumble; Max automatically grabbed her arm to keep her steady.

“What are you talking about?” Nicole’s brow creased in confusion as she looked at her teammate.
“Save the innocent act Nic. I saw you and Jordan last night,” Max’s words had an edge to them; one that Nicole had never heard before.

“Max, let me explain….”

“Explain what?! I saw you both! His tongue was shoved down your throat and you were wrapped around him!”

“It wasn’t…..”

“Then you went to bed, no, shared a bed, with your boyfriend after! Do you know what this is going to do to Sidney when he finds out? What this is going to do to the team?! You broke my heart for the doing the same thing! But with strangers! This is one of Sidney’s closest friends Nicole!” Max was trying not to yell; he didn’t want to draw attention to them and have their conversation posted to some blog.

“You can’t tell him Max,” Nicole didn’t even try to defend herself.
“I’m not going to him, but you need too Nic. He deserved to know. And before he finds out from someone else,” Max gave her a pointed look.
“Jordan won’t tell him; will he?” Nicole’s eyes widened in panic as the possibility suddenly crossed her mind.

“I don’t know.”

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(Jordan’s POV)

I woke up before the alarm for once in my life. There was a dull throb behind my skull but I was able to ignore it as I rummaged around for clothes. I wanted to see if Nicole wanted to go to breakfast. Last night had been amazing. I could still feel her lips pressed against mine. I was grinning like an idiot when I finally found the sweatshirt I had been searching for.

I made my way across the hall and knocked on the door. Duper opened the door.

“Nic’s a hot commodity this morning,” Duper joked.
“What?” I was confused as I entered the shared room.

“Sidney came looking for her last night after you guys left and Max pulled her away early this morning. I’m assuming you’re looking for her too. No one ever comes to see the old man anymore,” Duper lets out a laugh at his own joke.

“Sidney was here last night?” That’s the first thing I focus on.
“Yeah. He stayed and hung out. Ended up falling asleep in here,” Pascal was packing the last of his stuff so he didn’t see me lose about four shades of color.

“Where is Nic now?” I ask as I fight the bile that had risen back down into my stomach.

“She and Max went somewhere. She should be back soon if you want to wait here. I’m starving though,” Duper moved to the door but stopped to look back at me.

“I’ll wait here. Thanks man,” I say to his unasked question.

He gives a small salute before leaving the room.

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(Nicole POV)

I walk back into the hotel with Max by my side. I was honest with him and told him that I would talk to Sidney. I would accept whatever he decided to do and move from there. But first I wanted to talk to Gronk.

I hear my name and look up to see Pascal walking toward me.

“There you are! Jordan came by looking for you,” Duper said.
“Where is he?” I ask as nonchalantly as I can.
“Our room,” Duper answers as his phone rings. He looks at the screen and smiles before answering and walking away.

I look at Max who looks at me and walks away. Clearly I’m in this alone.

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(Regular POV Jordan and Nicole)

Nicole made her way back to her room. She passed several of the guys but was able to scamper away when she told them she hadn’t packed yet. She paused in front of the door; the memories flooding back.

Jordan had kissed her, pushed against the door, and basically had his way with her on a PG level. But she had kissed him back. She should have pushed him away but, if she was completely honest with herself, she had like kissing him.

Nicole put her card key in the slot and pushed the door open. She walked the short hall and saw Jordan’s large frame sprawled across her bed. He jumped when he saw her; a smile spreading across his handsome features.

“Hi Jordan,” the words came out softly almost shyly.

Jordan climbed off the bed and stood in front of Nicole. He brushed a hand gently over her cheek. Her deep brown eyes lifted to meet his crystal blue ones. Jordan leaned down and brushed his lips across Nicole’s slowly before pulling back.

“Hi,” He gave her a dazzling smile.

Nicole pulled herself out of his arms and sank onto the bed; she ran a hand through her windblown hair.

“Jay, we need to talk about last night.”

Jordan’s smile falters as he sits next to her.

“What about it?” Jordan inquired.
“Why did you do it?” Nicole tried, and failed, to look at him.
“Do what? Kiss you?”
“Yes.”

“I like you, in a more than friends way Nicole,” Jordan reached across the small distance between them and took her hand, “Do you….Do you feel the same?” He asked; for the first time in years Jordan was unsure of himself.

“I don’t know,” Nicole answered; Jordan’s heart squeezed.
“You kissed me back,” Jordan felt the need to point this fact out, not that Nicole needed him too.
“I know. I shouldn’t have.”
“Why not?”
“Because Jordan! I’m with Sidney!” Nicole snatched her hand away and jumped off the bed; she needed to put some distance between them.

Jordan wasn’t about to give her that space though. He was right behind her. He grabbed her by the waist and forced her to turn and meet his steady gaze. His eyes flicked down to her lips.

“What do you want, Nic?” he ran his hands over her cheek again, “What are you thinking?” a hand moved to the back of her head, “What are you feeling?” He slowly lowered his mouth, “What…do…you…want?” He paused just before their lips would meet to give her the choice. A chance to pull away; to say to leave and never speak to her again.

Nicole closed the distance.

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(Regular POV)

Nicole watched Jordan walk out of the room with a smile on his face. She had a storm of emotions swirling away on the inside as she pulled out her phone. Nicole scrolled her contacts twice before she saw the one person she needed to talk too at that moment. She hit dial.

"Hey.....Tazer........."