nicholas gates

nicholas michael gates || charles michael davis 

thirty-five years old. pediatrician. born & raised in madison, ga

“Such a suffering, dealin’ with that face of yours all day.” She teased, but Nisa’s smile made it clear she felt just the opposite. Working with Nick was probably the second best part of her job, the first being helping children. “I don’t know, you sure do use that smile on me a whole lot.”

“Oh I know it is,” he teased, though the smile on his lips grew with each syllable of the word. “A damn, damn, shame,” He chuckled lowly, nudging Nisa with his arm. The man was thankful for this nurse’s sense of humor at the end of the day. Having to put up with him and all. “It’s my signature move, it works on just about everyone.”

Nicholas and Lou had been seeing  a lot of one another over the last few weeks. They had been hanging out at his place, her place, the bar. Wherever the night may have taken them. And yet, it wasn’t enough for the man. He wanted more with her and he hadn’t found the right way to approach it. It didn’t matter what he was doing, his mind rarely let up on thinking about Louella Dunn. It was baffling to him that he could think about someone so much, someone he hadn’t expected to think about in this manner. And it’s what brought him to inviting her over for dinner. Dinner was the next big step for him. They had meals at his place, take out mostly, but it was nothing that he had made and well, for Nick, this was going to gauge if she was going in the same direction as him. For a man with such charm and confidence, he was far too nervous to even ask her about their relationship. This was the easiest way to see how things were going. 

He had told her to come on into his home when she arrived, knowing that he might not hear her knock if he was wrapped up in cooking. “I hope you came hungry.” He called out, hearing the door open as he was pouring a glaze over the steaks he cooked. “Not that I couldn’t eat all of this myself,” he stepped back from the counter, wiping his hands on the towel before tossing it over the edge of the sink. “I’m glad you could finally come over and experience the cookin’ by my hands. You won’t regret it.”

Liam smiled a little as the other man spoke. “Just not your particular dream?” he guessed. Although personally he could easily see Nicholas running a store, he was so charming and personable. He laughed. “Thank you?” he said. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.” He chuckled. “I’m sure plenty of lawyers are perfectly good people, but I just don’t think I could do it. It’s just so much time at the office – not that teachers don’t bring their work home, but still.” 

“Not for me. Love the store, love my parents, but never really been my thing,” though it seemed as if none of the Gates children had really gone that particular direction. Cassandra was a lawyer and he was a doctor. “I get what you mean,” he nodded his head, “Cass drove on off to Chicago to become a lawyer and I saw and talked to her less than I ever have in my entire life.” He knew part of it was that she was running away from her problems in Madison, but a good part of it was her telling the truth about being stuck in the office, “I swear she was always there. She at least didn’t seem to mind it,” his shoulders lifted in a shrug, “gotta love what you do, right?”

Getting ready to ask Lou to be his girlfriend was as quite up to par with him asking Nicola to marry him. He hadn’t really been serious with anyone in about five years. Since he was left standing in his freshly pressed suit and a perfectly neat tie, in front of all of his friends and his family. Since he was humiliated in front of practically the whole town. He hadn’t seen Jack in quite some time but he figured it was high time and all that jazz to let his good friend know that he was sleeping with his sister. And well, that he was damn serious about the brunette. “Hey stranger,” he grinned, clasping he man on the shoulder a moment before he slid in to the barstool, “you get locked in a horse trailer for a month or somethin’? I haven’t seen you around at all.”

“Well, I’ll be sure to look into booking you for one. I’ll have to see if you’re in my budget.” She said with a little wink as she looked him over for a moment. Nicholas was a good looking man and she wasn’t opposed to seeing how his clothed looked like on her floor. However, she wasn’t going to waste her time or beg. By the sounds of it, he seemed to have similar ideas but she couldn’t be certain yet because everything they said was coated with a level of taunts and teases. “I think so. We’ll have to do a little pow wow and decide on what we should do.”

Nicholas’ lips curled into a grin, “I’m sure we can work somethin’ out, even if I’m not,” he full heartedly teased her. “I am a flexible man and willin’ to work with just about everyone,” he added in a playful tone, keeping the smile on his lips. “I like the way you think, you’ve always been a smart woman.” He compliment Sophia lightly, “Beauty and brains.” 

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Lou wasn’t sure that she’d actually thought he’d dive in so quickly. She was honestly disappointed in herself for doubting Nick. Sighing as her head fell back against the wall behind her. Lou’s eyes shut as she reached out to grab ahold of anything the wasn’t her own dress. Her hand wrapped around a metal bar as part of a shelving unit and she thanked God it was there. The feeling of his lips on her thighs had Lou breathing heavier with each passing second, and she couldn’t stop herself from lifting one of her legs and hooking it over Nick’s shoulder. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t, you know your way around pretty well by now, huh?”

-

“Must be nice,” Sadie playfully rolled her eyes. “I thought of buying a nice gown and wearing it to every event in Madison. But I think some of the older Belles might have something to say about that…” She laughed at herself with a shrug of her shoulders. “You know, next time Lou comes over for dinner, you’re welcome to join her. But you’d be subjected to Caleb’s cooking. He’s still learning.” Sadie hoped that her invitation wasn’t crossing a boundary – She wasn’t sure how serious he and Lou were, or if that would somehow be too intimate. Hopefully, he knew that Sadie was trustworthy, and that she wouldn’t go talking about their business.

“Yeah,” he nodded, chuckling slowly, “you go around and stealin’ their thunder and you might get some backlash for that.” He teased, knowing just how ruthless a group of belles could be. “Caleb’s learnin’ to cook, now?” He raised a brow and smiled over at Sadie, “You know I’d always be honored to come on over for dinner, maybe show Caleb some cookin’ tricks of my own. I don’t get all the ladies based on my good looks alone.” He teased her, knowing that a good meal was a perfectly good way to a woman’s heart. 

“That’s not fair, Nicholas. Shouldn’t we spread the word of such a majestic place? I mean, if I half as good as I think I am, they’ll take my word as fiction and only the truest believer would come here to chase the spark. At least that’s my hope for this little venture. As any great writer, you want people to believe in your words and let them try to find every day magic in their own lives.” Bennett hummed. The best part of what he did was the possibility of sparking that joy in another. “Tosh, lad. There’s not a better pair of ladies to be completely chuffed over. I’ve yet to meet Cassandra but I do hope I’ll get the chance soon. You’ve cocked up being the only man in the house. I understand that. My sisters got my knackered and haggard before they out of diapers.” 

“Oh no, nooo,” he laughed, shaking his head. “I want to keep this place all to myself and a few select others.” Nicholas teased, “You’re more than welcome to stay and write about it,” he chided the man with a growing grin, “I know you’re a damn good writer, but I’ll make sure to hide when the women come chasing to town when they hear about that hottest doctor in all of the lands.” Nicholas added, laughter keeping his lips into the smile that reached ear to ear. He continued to laugh, it growing softer with Bennett’s words, “With descriptions like that, you best watch out. The ladies will soon be over me and fawning over the mysterious new writer in town.” 

Lou felt something stir inside of her knowing that Nick had been thinking about this just as much as she had. “Oh yeah?” Lou winked up at the man before using his tie to pull him even closer so that her lips could find his earlobe. “Show me what you’ve been wantin’ to do to me, Nick,” she whispered into his ear while her other hand moved up to rest on his neck. “’Cause I have a feeling it’s probably real close to all the things I’ve been thinking about too.” Lou had spent countless hours searching for the perfect dress, and right now, all she could think about was how badly she wished she wasn’t wearing it anymore. There was plenty of time for that later, though. Right now, she would let Nicholas Gates work his magic.

The left corner of his lips was slowing rising, smirking at her words. He imagined that their minds were thinking the same things, or pretty damn close to it. “I certainly hope so.” Nicholas whispered, pulling back to look into her eyes. “I really certainly hope so.” The man didn’t break his gaze from Lou. He wasn’t letting her go this time around.

Soph nodded her head as dark hues moved over the attractive male. “That’s good to know.” She chimed, though it had nothing to do with her. Most people were shitty friends one time or another. Hell she’d been countless times. There was a lot of things she’d been shit at in the past and while she lived without regrets, she’d also accepted that sometimes she could be a shit human being. Her life hadn’t been easy and she made no excuse for how she dealt with that. “Always, baby.” The brunette winked and nodded her head at the rumours. “I’ve heard a few, though I do like to see for myself. Benefit of the doubt and all that shit.” She smirked as she pulled out a cigarette from her pack to place between her lips. “So, I’m supposed to like you because you’re good looking?” she asked him, moving forward. “or do you just want me to like you because you’re hoping I’ll let you be on top of me.”

Nicholas’ lips grew into a smile at her words, “I’m available for presentations any day.” He teased her in response, laughter nearly fumbling him over her accusations. There were few people that could take the man off guard. He was quick on his feet, used to the banter that came with a Sophia Kincaid. “Now, now, you know a man like myself never reveals his true intentions.” A lie on his behalf, though he was merely joking with her. In respect to all of his charming ways, Nicholas had always been someone was upfront when it came to his intentions with women. Though, that didn’t mean he couldn’t joke otherwise. “That’s up for us to decide on later, don’t you think?”

//

Dominic laughed. “Yeah, no kiddin’. You’d think thirteen years would have been plenty of time to let the tension roll over.” He arched an eyebrow, picking up a key word the male uttered before the name of his ex-fiance. “My Nicola?” He teased as he crossed his arms over his chest. “So, she came back to town? How are you handling all of that?” He shoved his hands into his pockets of his jeans as he nodded his head. “I get it, at least you’re makin’ the best of a sticky situation.” He told him as he tilted his head to the side a little. “Movin’ back… for good.”

“One would think,” he teased with Dominic’s laugh before nodding his head. “Yeah, Nicola.” The woman that he was supposed to marry after she walked down the aisle in that stunning white dress. The Nicola that he had spent years pining over only to have karma send his ass straight to hell the moment she said she didn’t think she loved him. “Well,” he shrugged his shoulders at the question, “I haven’t gone into hidin’,” not like he thought he wanted to. He ran into Nicola, thankfully for himself, after a more than pleasant encounter with Lou Dunn in the storage closet. “Wait,” he looked over at Dominic, “You’re movin’ back for good? I’m not goin’ deaf in my old age, am I?”

“A shit friend.” Soph said without shame as she looked him over. He was a good sight to look at on top of being wealthy — how someone hadn’t snagged him up was beyond her. Though, she had guessed that perhaps the male was enjoying his celibacy a little too much. Her eyes rolled and a laugh escaped as she looked him over. “Good catch.” She was good with her hands and there were countless of bikes to prove just that. Dragging her tongue across the front row of her teeth, she leaned against her bike slightly and contemplated just how he could cure her boredom. There were countless of ways and multiple different positions but she wasn’t going to tell him that just yet. No, he’d have to work a little bit harder for that. “I’ll keep that in mind. I’m sure you get pretty inventive when it comes to curing boredom, don’t you?”

Nicholas laughed, tipping his head back. “Exactly what I don’t want to be.” The pediatrician had been the shit friend before. More than the shit friend. It had destroy relationships he had in his life since he was a young kid. Losing Arlow as a friend was something he regretted, though, he wondered if he would regret it if Nicola hadn’t left him at the alter. Nicholas would like to think that he would have. Taking his best friend’s girl was not something that he was proud of and karma surely showed him who was boss. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” His brow raised, “I mean I’m sure there are rumors around town,” as if there weren’t rumors about everything, “but you can’t let Elaine’s hatred for good lookin’ men fool you.” He teased as he spoke of the elderly woman that had it out for him for years. She had never taken his side when Nicola left him at the alter. 

-

“Yes, I heard about the storage closet,” Sadie hinted with a big grin on her face. She was lucky that Lou told her some details, ‘cause now she could mess with her friend Nick. “Sounds like you and Lou made the best of it though.” 

“It was real good seeing everyone dressed up. Wish I could’ve kept the dress and worn it around the house. Get my money’s worth.”

Nicholas laughed, “Oh, so it seems people have not had anythin’ better to do since the ball,” he teased, figuring Lou told her and she didn’t find out from the run of the mill gossip ring that was run through town. And honestly, Nicholas didn’t care in the slightest. He’d shout it from the rooftops if it wouldn’t be so frowned upon. “We did make the best of it,” and he wished it hadn’t had to end. And he knew that he would get to do it again - though this time he hoped it wouldn’t be trapped in a storage closet. No, Louella Dunn deserved something far more magical than that. “You’ll have to make that the plan for next year,” he suggested with a smile, “S’pose that’s the perk of a suit. I’ll always be able to wear it.”

Lou truly felt like a giant weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Knowing he wouldn’t regret this, knowing that he wanted this with her of all people, made Lou’s heart do a couple backflips. She smiled into the kiss while she held herself close to his body. Kissing Nick was something that felt natural, like she’d been doing it all these years they’d known each other, but still exciting. One of her hands moved down to grab his tie as she pulled Nick’s body even closer to hers, poofy dress be damned. She nibbled at his bottom lip, letting Nick know that she was absolutely ready to use this mishap to their advantage. “You think you can handle this massive dress, Gates?” 

Nick couldn’t fight back a sigh as she pulled him closer by his tie, her teeth nibbling against his bottom lip. He hadn’t realized just how badly he wanted Lou and just how much he needed her. His lips grew, exposing his teeth at her question of him handling her dress. If there was one thing Nicholas Gates did not do, it was turn down a challenge. “You thing I’m goin’ to let a dress stop me from what I haven’t been able to stop thinking about?” His brow raised as his hands gathered some of the fabric in his hands. “There ain’t nothin’ about this dress that is going to stop what I’ve been wanting to do.” His tongue flicked against his lips as his knees quivered with the mere thought of finding himself underneath that dress. 

There was no hope for the woman, no chance at stopping the avalanche of relief that washed over her at his words. I could never regret this. It felt like a gate had been kicked open in her chest, all of the nerves inside spilling out like a bunch of wild mustangs. They took off, leaving nothing but relief in their wake. Lou’s grin only widened at everything else he said, believing it the moment he spoke it out loud. There was no further explanation needed, Louella Dunn was content with what Nick had said. “Good,” she whispered, lifting herself up onto her toes so that they were eye to eye. “I was avoiding you ‘cause I didn’t want you to regret this.” Her confession was barely above a whisper, but as her hands moved to wrap around his neck, Lou’s eyes shifted from merely excited to something a little more playful. “I’m goin’ to need you to make up for lost time now, Gates.” 

Nicholas could understand her reason to avoid him. Regret, well, it was not anything that someone wanted to feel. And the two of them had been friends for so long that if one night together ruined thirty years of friendship, he would be more than heartbroken about it all. With her hands now wrapped around his neck, her playful gaze was bringing a playful smile to his lips. The corners of his lips toyed with a smirk, “Your wish is my command,” Nicholas commented only briefly before moving his lips back up against her own where they so rightfully belonged. There was no place like the present and Nicholas was soaking up every second they were locked in this closet together. There would be no regret on his mind when it came to Lou. No, only hope that they could continue whatever this may be.