Love Lost Author: Eileen Thomson E-mail: indigotoast@yahoo.com Summary: New Nicfic. A love story Rating: R Authors Notes: Once again if I have gone down one way streets I'm sorry. Many thanks to Suzanne and Linda who keep me going. For all trivia lovers out there; Bridges: Allegheny County has more than 1,700 bridges and 720 are within the Pittsburgh city limits. --+-- Four weeks have passed since Amanda has last seen Nick. The Isaac Goldstein affair has been resolved successfully, and there seems no good reason for her to get in touch with him. Just the same, she misses him. She dreams about him, and some times she thinks about how, when joining the Club, she had made love with him on the desk in Burton Fallin's office. She sighs, gives herself a shake, and continues to type the letter on her lap top. This is the last thing she has to do before her work in Pittsburgh is over. She is moving to Baltimore. Sitting in a booth in the Incline, her mind wanders again to the people she has met and loved in this town. She is aware of someone slipping into the seat opposite. She feels her legs being trapped by the person across from her. She starts from her reverie and looks up to see Nick gazing at her. "You were miles away. I'll give you a penny for your thoughts." Amanda blushes furiously. "Trust me, they're not worth that." Nick runs his finger over her wrist and the hairs on her arm pop up. "Look at us, both with goose bumps. Do you think that our bodies are trying to tell us something?" He squeezes her legs with his. "I want to ask you a favor. I need to hang loose for a few days. Just get away from everything and everybody, but I don't want to be alone. I want to spend some time with you before you go. Come out with me." he pleads. "Lets do the bridges, we can criss-cross the city." He looks at her with lowered head peeking up through his eyelashes. He knows this is appealing; he is very smart about his good looks. Amanda has seen him out-wit many people who thought he was just another cute-looking light weight. "I am leaving Pittsburgh, Nick," she tells him quite firmly. "I know, but you don't start your new job for three weeks. Come on, we will take the bike, and take a day to look at our town together. Think about it -- just to stop when we feel like it! You can tell everyone in your new firm that your last deed in Pittsburgh was a boon for a friend." He laughs uproariously. "Come on, what else are you doing? It will only take a few hours, tops. Pretty please, Duchess." Early the next morning, Nick and Amanda are ready to set off for the first bridge. "How do we choose which bridges we want to see?" asks Amanda. "You choose the first one. Then we will take it from there." As he passes the helmet, he takes her hand, kisses her fingers and rubs them over his face. There is sadness in him today. "Beautiful lady," he murmurs as his tongue caresses the inside of her wrist. Amanda's heart leaps and starts pounding in her breast. She can see how this day will end, but is willing Nick to take her down that road anyway. "I don't know. I am too sad to think. Tell me what we should do. This is your plan." "Let's look at all the bridges we see everyday. We'll park the bike and walk the Smithfield Street Bridge, and visit The Hot Metal Bridge." Nick is animated now, Pittsburgh is his passion. "We will look at the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth Bridges. We're the only city in the world to have three identical bridges. We'll only go to the ones that cross the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River, the Veteran's Bridge and the Sixteenth Street Bridge. The Ft. Duquesne and the Ft. Pitt are almost identical. Did you know that the Ft Pitt Bridge is also known as the bridge to nowhere because of delays in construction which left the northern end in midair for years? There was a student who drove her car off the end and landed safely on the other side in 1964. From there we will walk in Point State Park. If you are really good, I will buy you ice cream. Then we will go to the Isabela for dinner, and then home. How does that sound?" "Nick! You had that all planned. You cheat." Nick holds her close. "I'm going to miss you. We have been through a lot, and I care for you so much. He hooks her hair round her small ear, stooping to kiss her tenderly on the forehead. "Put on your helmet." -*- Seeing all the beautiful bridges for what is most likely the last time has a traumatic effect on Amanda, but Nick is there with a touch, a kiss, and his arm ever present round her. They stand on the Sixth St. Bridge, one of the three identical `sister' bridges built along the Allegheny River. It is beautiful day and the yellow color of the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth glisten in the sun. Amanda's heart swings between intense pride and infinite sadness as she says good bye to her beloved Pittsburgh. She knows now that this is Nick's gift to her. She is the friend, and the boon is his. Early evening finds them at Isabela's on Grandview for dinner. Again Nick has chosen for effect. The Isabela sits on top of Mt Washington and commands a breathtaking view of the downtown skyline. The food is French, the company loving and attentive, and Amanda clasps every moment of this day to her heart and her mind. She knows these moments will be taken out and wrapped round her like a comforter whenever she is sad. -*- Nick drops Amanda in front of her apartment building. "I'll see you before you go, I promise." He kisses her again and she puts her hands into his jacket and runs them round the small of his back. He lays his head on top of hers and she chokes back the tears. He walks away quickly and does not look back. After midnight, Nick phones, "I feel I've left some things unfinished. I'm coming over. Is that all right?" She knew Nick would come tonight. There was too much left unsaid, too much emotion left sizzling in the air. Amanda knows she has chosen the nightdress well. Pure white and made of soft silk, it ties at the neck and is nipped just below her waist. The candles are lit and the room is bathed in a flickering, shimmering light. She goes into the bathroom to touch up her make- up, her heart is pounding in anticipation of the events about to unfold. When she hears the knock at the door, she jumps, her senses oscillating from fear to red hot desire in turn. Opening the door seems to take more mental effort than it should. Everything that is supposed to happen will happen, she thinks. Nick is leaning on the wall opposite. He says nothing, but waits until Amanda speaks. "I can think of a hundred reasons for keeping you out." "I can think of only two for you letting me in." "Tell me your two." Amanda motions him into the room and walks in, leaving him to close the door. She goes to stand at the bedroom window. Nick closes the door and comes to stands by her side. Lightly touching the front of her shoulder, he lets his hand drift gently down, taking in the contours of her body, until it is resting by her pubic bone. There he makes circles with his finger. "The first is *my* reason. I desperately want to be here, this is our goodbye and this is right for us. The second is yours. You want me to be here." Amanda leans back puts head on his chest. She imagines she can hear the drumming of his heart. It starts again the pulsing need in her. She slowly turns to face him. Nick places butterfly kisses on her cheek, enough to drive her insane with desire. He pulls the ties on the nightdress. It slides, falls to her waist, and stays there. The whole effect is dramatic and sexy. Nick touches her waist and bends to kiss her belly button. He nibbles on the inside of her breast and licks the hollow of her neck. His breath is uneven and hot on her skin and she shudders with the pent up need for him. Amanda pulls off Nick's shirt and stops to caress his bare chest before helping him unzip and remove the rest of his clothing. He slips the nightdress off and lets it fall to the floor. They stand naked, looking into each others eyes, basking in adoration and desire. Never before has anyone had this effect on her. She feels that love and lust are fighting for dominion over her soul. She allows Nick to lead her to the bed and lay her down. She closes her eyes, and lets the waves of passion wash over her. All things belong in this moment. She knows she will carry these memories with her for a lifetime. As Nick enters her, she looks at his face and sees the power of compassion and tenderness in the misty eyes of her lover. She asks for no more than to be with him for this one night. Together they make love long and slow. Driving each other to emotional heights neither had ever dreamed of. -*- Amanda wakes and disentangles herself from Nick's arms. She pads quietly to the bathroom and puts on the small light above the mirror. A tear slides down her face. It is done. Now it is time to move on. She will forever claim Pittsburgh as her home, her first love, and she will always love Nick with a rapture given to no other. She watches her reflection and tracks the tear as it falls to her chin. A noise brings her back and she looks over to the bed. Nick has wakened and, smiling, is holding the sheet open. An invitation to return to his side. `Time to move on… But not tonight." The End