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It's so hard to find good help (dominant_minded X Nurse_K)

He stopped when she called him babe, looking at her puzzled. She was already half asleep. He wasn't sure exactly what to make of it. It was probably a bit too much to hope for to think that she was just tired, but at the least, it seemed she didn't completely hate him. He clung to that and decided not to push her any further by trying to sleep with her. He left the doors between them open so he could hear her, then threw himself down on the master bed.

It was, of course, impossible to sleep well with this much weighing on his mind. He tossed and turned all night, waking at the slightest noise and getting up to check on her. She was evidently sleeping like a rock. At 2 A.M., he finally decided sleep wasn't going to hold long enough to get any rest, so he turned on his laptop and started answering emails. He sent one to Amy to reassure him that he wasn't dead and was no longer drunk. On email number 30 or so, he finally fell into something approaching a real sleep, nodding off mid sentence in the easy chair with his laptop in his lap.
 
Elsa slept through the night peacefully. Her body was too tired, too drained to plague her with anything. She woke when the sun poured into the living room through the grand bay window. She stretched and then winced, the pain hitting her. She sat up slowly and her eyes fluttered open. She had a headache. She reached for the bottle of Advil and swallowed some more before padding over to the bathroom. She leaned on the counter and looked at herself in the mirror. Wow. There was some damage done. She had a large red welt on her left cheek and her right eye was black and blue. She had cuts on her neck and wrists and her stomach was vaguely blue too from when he'd kneed her. She had a slight limp from all the times he'd tripped her or thrown her down and then pulled her along roughly.

She sighed and began to address all of her wounds. Once she thought she'd done as much for them as she could she went into the kitchen. She didn't have enough energy to do much, but she poured two bowls of cereal and two glasses of orange juice. She limped through the bathroom to the master bedroom and set Nick's stuff on the little table next to the easy chair and herself got up on the bed to eat.

"Babe," she said softly, "Nick. Wake up."
 
He slowly roused, running his fingers through his hair and trying to process what was going on. He heard Elsa's voice and it brought a smile to his face. He opened his eyes and looked at her, a warm loving smile spread across the face. The look faded quickly into something between remorse and illness as he noticed the bruises and the black eye. He looked in her eyes, but then looked away as if he had been burned. "Good grief," he said, just above a whisper.

Then he noticed the cereal bowl sitting next to him. He practically tossed the laptop aside and dropped his head into his hands. "Not that I would be surprised if you hadn't been able to drive away last night, Elsa, but the fact that you're bringing me breakfast this morning is a little beyond me," he said, speaking more or less to the floor. I absolutely love you for it and for still being here, though, he thought to himself, desperately hoping that she still felt that way about him. "How bad is it?" he asked after a pause, looking up into her face and forcing his eyes to meet hers.
 
"It's not bad, I promise." she said, lying only a little bit. She would be sore for a few days, sure, but all of her injuries would fade away quickly. He hadn't done any permanent damage, not even any semi-permanent damage. She was fine, really. It would just hurt for a few days. "I'll be fine by the end of the week." she stuck her foot out and poked his leg with her toes, "Eat your cereal before it gets soggy. I don't want my marvelous effort to be wasted," and then she laughed softly, she really hadn't put much effort into putting the cereal in the bowl and then pouring milk in it.

"Did you sleep okay? Why are you in the chair?" she gave him a puzzled look as if she couldn't understand why he was in the chair and not the bed. It didn't register for her that it might have been plagued by what he'd done to her and it had caused him to be unable to sleep.
 
Was she seriously worried that she had only fixed him cereal? Was she seriously worried about how he'd slept? She was crazy! He picked up the cereal and took a few bites, forcing a grin. His voice didn't exactly come out playful, but he said, "Well, let's just say I can sympathize with Dr. Jekyl after one of his nights out as Hyde. I started to answer email after it became apparent that the bed and I were not on friendly terms."

He looked her over, still worried despite her reassurances. He couldn't help it, it had been dominating his thoughts all evening and for this whole conversation. It just sort of came out of his mouth. "How bad was it, Elsa?" he asked softly.
 
When he asked her how bad it was again her eyes narrowed and her face darkened. She set her half empty bowl of cereal down in her lap and glared at him. "Nicholas, if you ask me that one more time, I am going to get up and leave you here. By yourself." she glowered at him for a moment longer, actually pissed that he would keep asking her. He was never a wuss, he was never a push over, why was he being that now? Sure he felt sorry, but he didn't need to be a pansy.

(Short, sorry!)
 
A grin did start to appear around the corners of his mouth this time. "You're completely crazy. You know that, Elsa?" he said, sounding a bit more like himself. He could believe that she didn't want to talk about what happened to her, but he couldn't believe she didn't want to beat him over the head with it, even a little bit. He stood up and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I love you, though," he said gently, "I don't know how I found you or what I did to deserve you, but don't ever let me drive you away, alright? Promise me you won't just grin and bear it."
 
She smiled when she saw his face change. He was back to his normal self now, or at least more than he had been a moment ago. Good. That was the way she liked him. She giggled softly when he rested his hands on her shoulders. She leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips, rubbing his shin with her foot lightly. Then she pulled her face away and shoveled the rest of her cereal in her mouth. She was hungry. "I promise, babe. And I think we should just hang out today. I don't feel like going out into the real world. I just want to be here with you."
 
He chuckled. "Well good, because, thanks to me, I don't think you quite look office appropriate," he smiled at her, that confident smile that he wore so often. "I do have to say this, at least once, but I promise I won't do it again unless you want me to," he held up his fingers in a 'scout's honor' sign, but his face changed to serious for a second, "I'm sorry I hurt you, babe. I'll be sorry every time, but I'll try not to mope."

Then he smiled again, "Now, you're going to have to give me about three hours to be your boss before I can just chill. I don't know if you noticed, but he's been out of the office for several days and I have a lot of phone calls to make or the world is going to collapse."
 
She laughed again when he said he needed three hours to be her boss. "Of course, babe. I'm going to take another nap anyway. I'm still exhausted." she scooted off of the bed and grabbed both of their bowls and padded to the kitchen. She cleaned them quickly and put them away, back in the master bedroom within five minutes. She tumbled onto the bed, wincing a little as she'd forgotten that she had bruises in so many places. She sprawled out on the bed and kicked herself under the light cotton covers and stuffed her face into the pillow.

"Wake me when you're done babe, okay? And I love you. A lot. A lot a lot a lot." she smiled again and then closed her eyes, heaving a great sigh.
 
It took longer than he had anticipated, mostly because he was horribly distracted. He kept catching himself daydreaming instead of reading reports or writing emails. He felt a little moronic, like a teenager with a crush, but he was so elated that he couldn't focus right. He was flying 10 feet off the ground. He couldn't believe how well she did that to him. He still didn't like that she was hurt, but she had actually made him accept that she could take it. When he was finally done being the dutiful CEO, he came back to the bed and gently woke her up by her shoulder.

"Hey babe," he said softly, "I've got something to ask you about." When she roused a little bit, he started his sales pitch. He was a tad concerned that he was moving too fast with this, but he was absolutely sure that he loved her. He knew he wasn't ever going feel this way about someone else, and after this morning, he felt like there was at least a chance that she might want him around for a long time. The idea had been natural progression, and he hadn't been able to come up with a good reason not to pitch it, except that it might be too soon. "I've been thinking a little... and even though I'm well aware you might be embarrassed to admit you're dating a Texan, I was wondering if you might consider introducing me to your family," he said teasingly.
 
She stretched and yawned when he tapped her and try to wake her. Her eyes fluttered open and she rolled onto her back, stretching again. She was still sore, but not nearly so bad as she had been before. The extra nap had done her a lot of good. She sat up and looked at him expectantly when he said there was something he wanted to talk about. Then he laid the bomb on her. He wanted to what? What? Meet her family? Her mouth dropped open for a moment but then she quickly shut it.

"Nick...I'm not embarrassed of you, not at all. But...I'm just...not sure you actually want to meet my family. They're not exactly the easiest to get along with. And they're true blue Bostoners...which makes them even harder to get along with. I don't think it's a good idea." she reached out and squeezed his hand gently, prepared to just dismiss the idea.
 
He smiled pleasantly at her as she argued with him, having fully expected an argument over this. He had a wonderful card to play, at least in his mind. He just needed to make sure it didn't sound like an accusation. He squeezed her hand back before answering her.

"Alright, then are you not planning to have any more contact with them... or what? Every time I try to convince you that you'd be better off without me, you seem to insist on sticking around. I don't know exactly where you think this is going, but if you've never wanted me to think we had a future together," he grinned teasingly, "you have a funny way of communicating that message."

He smiled and got ready to play his first ace, putting his free hand softly on her shoulder, squeezing her hand again with the other. "So, given that you seem to want to keep me around and assuming you would like to see your family at some point in the future, what you're really saying isn't 'you don't want to meet them, Nick'; it's 'I'm not ready for you to meet them, Nick'." He changed his tone of voice, letting it drop and become soft and velvety, "Now, I'd love to be patient and wonderful, but I'd also like to meet them under circumstances somewhere along the lines of 'hey guys, meet my successful, smart boyfriend', rather than 'hey guys, I'm pregnant and getting married to this guy in the next month'." He looked softly into her eyes and smiled, letting the smile fill his liquid blue eyes. Fairness wasn't something he was interested in trying right now.
 
She sighed and turned her head back to listen to him when he placed his hand on her shoulder. Of course she wanted to stay with him forever. She wanted to marry him and have his children for God's sake. But her family...was complicated. Her father had an ego the size of Russia, which just about matched Nick's. The two of them together would be like four nuclear bombs going off at the same time. She rolled her eyes at him and sighed dramatically when he switched his tone and gave her his slick velvety voice that he knew she had such a hard time refusing.

She flopped back against the bed just so that she wouldn't have to look into his captivating eyes. She took her hand away from him and covered her face with both of them and groaned in frustration. "Don't make it sound like that. You don't understand how they are. You met my brother at the cafe, isn't that enough?"
 
He sighed softly, but defiantly refused to get exasperated with her. "You mean the brother you pointed out from across the room rather than actually introducing me to?" he asked gently. He didn't let up for a moment with the soft note in his voice, even dropping his drawl into it now. "Come on, Darlin'. I'm sure I don't understand what they're like. I'm sure I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. And I'm absolutely sure I love their daughter so much that sooner or later, I'm going to have to learn to get along with them."

He smiled broadly at her and added playfully, "It can't be harder than courting you is proving. I mean I'm a true Texan, they're true Bostoners, so we both can't stand New Yorkers. At least we'll have something in common."
 
She laughed out loud and heartily when he said the thing about New Yorkers. If there was one thing her father hated more than Southerners it was New Yorkers. When she'd moved to New York he'd all but disowned her, and then she up and went to Texas. He thought she was messed up in the head or something for her ridiculous choices in living environment. Her father couldn't imagine a better place than Boston to live. She sighed again and moved her head to look at him.

"It's so far away though, babe. And we can't go for more than a weekend, you work, they work, I work. It's a long journey for just a weekend. A weekend that is going to be tension filled, I'm sure."
 
He smiled broadly as she laughed, but when she argued that it would be a long trip for just a weekend, he laughed heartily. She was almost making this too easy. He crawled along the bed and softly pulled her hands down to make sure she couldn't get away from his gaze. He smiled and spoke smoothly, "It's not that long of a journey when the company you work for can provide the jet they share a lease on. Especially when you consider the jet leaves whenever you feel like it, and your boss can give you the day off on any Friday we feel like leaving." He leaned down and softly kissed her lips. His eyes closed and he forgot for a moment that he had a purpose here, kissing her passionately. He broke it reluctantly and then looked into her eyes. "Well, babe?"
 
She struggled only a little when he pulled her hands down and slid along next to her. Her eyes widened as he caught her with his beautiful and handsome liquid blue eyes, feeling as if she could look in them for a thousand years and then some. When he kissed her her heart fluttered and then he caught her in a deep and passionate kiss. She closed her eyes too and she got lost in the kiss, actually whining softly when he pulled away. She opened her eyes again and remembered that she was supposed to be resisting a ridiculous trip to see her parents. But he'd melted almost all of her resolve and she was having great difficulty coming up with reasons to say no.

She groaned instead and pouted at him, "How come you always use your charm against me and make me forget my arguments?"
 
His smile twisted up into a toothy grin as he answered, "Because I'm brilliant. Plus, if I didn't I'm sure we'd hardly ever do anything fun, you sourpuss." He kissed her again, wrapping his arms around her and gently pulling her leg up onto his hip. He could feel her muscles tense at some of his movements, obviously still sore. He slowed down and made a concerted effort to be more gentle. He softly rubbed her back and lightly ran his tongue along her lips, asking for entry to her warm mouth. He groaned excitedly and started to make love to her mouth. His hands were in the back of her hair, fingers intertwining in the brunette locks before he stopped himself, breathless.

"Ahem," he said, actually coughing a little, "I'd better stop before I get too excited. I'm sure you're not in any shape for where my body thinks I'm heading." He smiled at her, "Speaking of which... Do you think you'll be up for our little family visit in say... a week?"
 
She growled at him in mock anger when he said that he was brilliant and that she was no fun. She opened her mouth and let him have unlimited access to her mouth. She bore the slight pain raising her leg gave her and wrapped it around his waist loosely, the robe sliding up her thigh and revealing her bruised skin. When he stopped she laid back regularly and fixed the bathrobe before he could see the bruises. She knew that would just depress him.

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when he gave his time. "A week!? Nick! I haven't even called my parents yet. They're going to want to arrange some giant dinner party thing, a week is not enough time!"
 
He tried very hard to keep his composure as she answered him. What was this about a 'giant dinner party thing'? He was only talking about flying out for the weekend to meet them. He briefly considered that perhaps he really didn't know what he was getting into here. He took a deep breath before answering her, letting his hand run over her shoulder and down her body. Feeling her curves seemed to make him feel a bit more confident. He fixed his most confident smile on his face and tried to sound determined, "Alright, you know them better than I. What would be the socially acceptable thing for us to do?"
 
"You've obviously never been to a New England cocktail party, Nick. They take months to prepare for. Handmade invitations have to be sent out, catering has to be arranged, bakeries have to be notified, gardeners have to be hired. Suits have to be tailored and gowns have to be measured and made. Oh, and I'm one hundred percent sure you don't have the appropriate clothing. We'd have to go shopping for the both of us, I got rid of most of my snooty New Englander garb when I moved down here." she huffed in frustration but reached up and petted his cheek softly anyway, "For them to not stress out any more than they're going to make themselves in terms of a party anyway, we'd need to give them at least three months notice." and there she laid down her own trump card.
 
He raised an eyebrow at her and tried to restrain himself. He wasn't sure if she was deliberately provoking him this time, or if she was really starting to think of him as a backwoods hick. He took a deep breath. "Elsa, I went to MIT, and I had blue blood school friends, you know. Not to mention I've spent a little time around Wall Street," he said softly. He tried to stop himself from uttering the next sentence, but couldn't hold it back, "And I might also add that for for the last several months I've been engaged to a woman who thinks she's the most interesting socialite on the whole island of Manhattan. I just didn't think your parents would seriously go through all of that just for a visit from you and a new boyfriend."
 
Her face twisted into some kind of weird disgusting look for a second, but then she quickly wiped it away. "Manhattan parties and New England parties are no where in the same ball park. Different people go, different food is served, different clothes are worn. New York is not part of New England." she wriggled out from underneath him now, a little more agitated that he would actually compare a Manhattan socialite to a Boston yacht bunny. "Besides, I've never cared enough about men to bring one home. And then tell them I'm going to marry you? Sheesh. It'll be like the fourth of July AND Christmas all at once."
 
Nick did let out an exasperated sigh this time. He even got up out of bed. He reminded himself that he had sort of provoked this out of her, but she was still being quite difficult. Plus, she had hit a nerve. He had had to put up with this crap in school. He'd had to put up with it from Jennifer and her moronic friends. 'Oh that's right, he's from the South. He wouldn't understand.'

"So sorry, Miss Reynolds, they don't teach us geography below the Mason-Dixon," he said sarcastically in his best redneck and stormed out of the room. Ok, so he was overreacting a little. He knew he was, but it still felt like he was fighting the Civil War all over again in his bedroom. Frat parties with guys that only called him now when they wanted an investor, a thousand veiled insults, and Charlie's damn voice telling him that they'd never really accept him were all suddenly coming back to mind with an annoying level of vividness. He made it to the kitchen before he found something suitably breakable. He didn't look at it long, but whatever it was, it was Waterford crystal and was suddenly pissing him off. It shattered quite satisfactorily against the opposite wall of the beach house. He folded his arms across his chest and concentrated on controlling his breathing. He stared at the mess it had created on the floor, feeling somehow... happy at the chaos of the thing's destroyed state.
 
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