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georgiapeach30513 · 9 months

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That September Night, Part 1

Summary: Unlucky in love, you go against everything you have ever believed, and signed up for The Bachelor. You didn’t want to, but didn’t want to miss out on the experience. You didn’t expect the bachelor to be the ridiculously handsome Nick Vaughan. Didn’t expect an instant connection. But you also weren’t prepared for the drama, the anger, the hate, the worry, the constant cameras, or Nick’s need to steal you away from the cameras any chance he could.

Pairings: Nick Vaughan X Reader

Rating: fluff

Warnings: mild language, the start of gossip, 18+ ONLY

Word Count: 3.9K

Series Masterlist

*dividers created by @firefly-graphics

You smile as you look around the third location of The Bubble Bea Beanery. What started as a cute quaint coffee and tea shop had turned into something so much more. Growing beyond your expectations. The new site was coming along perfectly. You didn’t even have to tell your assistant what you wanted, she just knew. It had the same vibe as the other two locations, but each store had its own unique spin and personality.

Your cousin yells your name as she slings the door open,and you turn to greet her. Spinning around in the store with your arms spread wide and the biggest smile on your face. You were so proud, “So we need to talk,” Chelsea starts off, without even a short sweet hello.

“About what?” Chelsea was always up to something, and always getting you in trouble.

“You know I love you, and I love what you’re doing here. The Bubble Bean is adorable.”

“But?” There was always a but. Especially with the way she had approached this conversation.

“You don’t have anyone to share it with.”

“Ugh,” you scoff, rolling your eyes as you head towards the storage room. Chelsea follows you, wanting to start speaking, but you cut her off, “Do you not think I haven’t tired? You act as if I hole up alone every night in my apartment. I don’t. I just don’t think there’s anyone worth my time. I would rather be single than settle, and…why are you smiling?”

“I did something stupid, but it paid off,” you open your eyes wide as you hold out your arms, glaring at her. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You are smiling, and you said you did something stupid. I’m not doing speed dating nonsense.”

“I’m not asking you to. I…I can’t proceed down this path without your consent.”

“No.”

“You don’t even know what it is,” she counters. Following you as you walk further away. Starting to pack up bags of coffee beans. “I’m trying to help you.”

“No.”

“But I want to help you.”

“Absolutely no.”

“Please, just hear me out,” sighing, you stop your movements and give her your undivided attention. “It’s not the best timing. And before you say anything, just listen. I know you’ve got the third store opening, and there’s still so much to do, but I signed you up for something.”

You roll your eyes because it was always something she was wanting you to do. Cousins, but also best friends. She found love early, and had children early. Now she wanted to live vicariously through you as you navigated trying to find someone that was worth having more than three dates with. “You were approved to go on The Bachelor.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“The season you're on has a music producer named Nick Vaughan on it, and…”

“Shut up! The Bachelor? Like the show we have a FaceTime call every Monday night to watch?” Chelsea nods her head, and reaches into her pocket for her phone before she shows you a picture, “This is Nick?”

“Yep. And I know what you’re thinking…”

“He’s hot.”

“That is not at all what I thought you were thinking. But I’m going to shut up, you work it out in your head. Can I make a bubble tea?”

“No,” you groan, trying to think things through logically. What would it actually feel like to date a guy that was obviously dating twenty other women? To know that you weren’t the only person he was talking to. You wouldn’t be the only person he was spending time with. Was developing sincere feelings even possible? You enjoyed the show, but that didn’t mean you wanted to be on the show. That was a lot to think about.

“We’re on time crunch. There’s other girls that want to be on. And they chose you. I don’t know what the criteria is, and I’m not going to pretend to know, but The Bachelor with that hot guy. What do you have to lose?”

“I’m opening up a new store.”

“And Claudia has made all the decisions. You just told me that yesterday.”

“But it’s not open.”

“Claudia and you hired several new employees. Rick is going to test them on their coffee making skills. Babes, even though you’ve got a new store opening, you’ve got this down. It’s completely perfect. And you can do this. You can go on this stupid show and have fun. Maybe make out with a hot guy, and make your last boyfriend that lasted a total of three months, jealous. You could have that hot man make out with you on camera, and try and get it in. And every man that used the excuse that they weren’t in the right place in their life can swallow rocks while you fuck Nick.”

“You can’t do that. It’s what the fantasy suite is for,” it actually didn’t sound like a bad idea. It sounded fun. But could you trust everyone on your team to make this store happen?

“Okay, you get to travel, have fun, meet this incredibly hot guy, spend time with women exploring different locations, and then there’s this possibility of finding love. How bad could this be?”

“Why would you say that?” You ask, childishly stomping your foot. She knows how superstitious you are, and that was not necessary. “You have ruined everything now.”

“So does that mean you’re going to go?” Chelsea taps her knuckles on the cabinets three times before you ever nod your head yes. You were going to do it, but it was only to have fun.

Nick rubs his hand over his brows, scrunching his eyes. He is annoyed. “Why am I doing this again?”

“It’s good publicity,” Nick’s hand slaps down on the arm of the chair as he glares over at his manager. “You said you didn’t have time to date, and you weren’t into just sex. Here you go. You get to date twenty-six women at once.”

“Sounds exhausting.”

“And they all know that you’re dating all of them,” Nick rolls his eyes, settling back more into his chair. Dating around out in the open when you were the only male, and the women lived together, “Nick, it’s for a few weeks. What is the worst that could happen,” Nick’s eyes turn into saucers as he stares over at his manager, and Mickey taps his knuckles on the table beside him three times.

“Seriously? You know I hate sentences like that.”

“And I did your odd little ritual or knocking on wood three times. You signed the contract though. You’re doing it. Just have fun. Meet women. Enjoy yourself.”

Nick did not think he would enjoy himself. He thinks this show is going to be corny. The only thing he can hope for is maybe some fun. Maybe get to meet some attractive women. But he knows the drama is coming. He knows his normally private life is going to be exaggerated to make it look more exciting on television. Fake dates, and too many women; a lot could go wrong.

Nick looks out at the property of the mansion, shaking his head. The women are gorgeous. They seemed interesting, and first impressions aren't everything, but there was nobody he had met that he actually saw himself with. There could always be something more. But it was starting to feel monotonous.

Gorgeous women. And this was just speed dating. It is all it was. He says his hellos, nodding his head. He’s polite, and notices the camera. They all put on a show for him. They wanted him to remember them. And still they blurred together.

He looks over at the producers, giving them a curt nod as he sighs. “How long is this supposed to last?”

“You signed the contract,” a nameless, faceless producer reminds him.

“Right. Is that all of them?” He had been standing here for ages. When they shake their heads, he lets out a dramatic puff of air. “She’s late?”

“Yes. Her driver.”

Nick wants to fire the driver. “Is she the last one?” Another nod from the producer. This is what he didn’t like. Things weren’t in his control here when in real life they normally were. He was the director of things in the studio. He told other’s what to do. And now he was being controlled by people he didn’t know and a bunch of giggly women. He is already exhausted thinking about it.

“Finally,” Nick whispers as headlights shine on the damp pavement.

Pursing your lips, you exhale slowly as the car rolls into place. He looks annoyed. This was a terrible idea. He couldn’t even look at the car. The driver couldn’t find your location. You knew you were going to be the first to be sent home. You couldn’t even see his face. He was disinterested before even meeting you because of something beyond your control.

Grabbing onto the door handle, you pull the lever, and step out of the car. Nick’s head tips forward, and your eyes lock in with his crystal blue eyes. “Hey,” he says with a boyish grin.

“Hey,” you smile back. His pictures didn’t do him any justice. He is handsome, but it was so much more than that. There seemed to be a young mischievous quality about him. You give him your name, and he pulls up your hand up to his mouth, kissing over your knuckles.

“I’m Nick.”

“I know,” he hadn’t dropped your hand, and you had no intention of removing it. “I’m sorry. I’m nervous.”

“I was,” you clear your throat, looking down to the ground. It was too soon. You did not want to be the one saying you were in love the first night. “So…uh…what do you do?”

“I own a couple coffee shops. Putting up the third.”

“I love coffee. What’s it called?”

“The Bubble Bee Beanery,” Nick’s eyes somehow get brighter, and his smile widens. His thumb starts making shapes on the top of your hand, and you become even more nervous. Who was this man to get you to act like a school girl?

“You’re a New York girl?” Staring at him confused, you nod your head. “Upper East Side?”

“Yes,” your word drags out. Had he done some research on you ladies, and he just knew it was you.

“I love the Bubble Bee. My order is the Metropolitan. I don’t always get to go in there; my assistant gets it most of the time. I prefer the flagstone store. And…that’s yours? I’ll admit the bubble tea is not really my thing, but the coffee is top notch. Naming specialty drinks after parts of the city is cute. It’s just good coffee. Not too gimmicky. And you did this show for what reason?”

“To hopefully find love. Isn’t that why you signed up?” You couldn’t tear your eyes away from him, even if you wanted to. He still hadn’t quit touching you. His hand was steadily in your own.

“Yeah. Yeah, I did,” his eyes coast up and down your body, admiring every bit of your soft curves. You are surprising to him, in the best way possible. Not at all stuffy like the other girls. There was a playfulness. A soft quality. While everyone else was just trying to be sexy, you are being lighthearted.

“You should probably head in for cocktails.”

“Will I get to talk to you the rest of the night? Or are you going to mingle some more?”

“I have to mingle. But I definitely want to see you out in the garden. Just you and me. Bring a drink,” a producer beckons Nick over to him, and Nick runs his thumb and forefinger over his beard. Making you weak, and visioning sinful thoughts about him. Maybe this experience isn’t going to be too bad. And maybe you could at least have some fun. You did like what you were seeing.

It feels weird to be in a house of women that are looking at one guy. The same guy that you couldn’t keep your eyes off. The very man that you had to keep telling yourself that he was not locking eyes with you. He couldn’t be sitting on a couch with four other women, and his sight drifting to yours. That was most definitely not what was happening. Never.

Nick stands from the couch, giving each lady a nod before walking right over towards you, his hand going towards your free hand, “What are you drinking, bellissima?”

“Are you Italian?”

“Not that I’m aware of. But beautiful just seems a bit too cliche tonight. Bellissima has a spark. What’s in your cup?”

“It’s a whiskey sour.”

“Hmm,” he says with a grin, pulling your hand into his. “Follow me. Let’s get a bit of privacy.

Holding onto your hand, he leads you outside, and you hear whispers immediately. Could feel eyes stabbing in the back of your head. You were going to be talked about. You had seen the show enough that anytime a girl was pulled away from the group, everyone had something to say. You didn’t go to Nick, he came to you. Now you were a target.

He sits down, and pulls you right along with him. His arm wraps around you. “If we were here, I would have already taken you home.”

“What makes you think I would have followed you? I’m not that kind of girl, Nicholas.”

“Oh, she likes using the whole name when she’s calling me out. So, what kind of girl are you, Bella?” Your brow perks up, and you find yourself leaning slightly more into him. “I can’t go around calling you bellissima in front of the other ladies. They’ll get jealous. So, Bella, what kind of a girl are you?”

“Someone who wants a partner. I can do life by myself. I just want to enjoy life with someone. I don’t need a man, I want a man. Have our shared moments, create new memories, and have fun.”

“Well, this show is for marriage,” you’re not an idiot. You knew it was for marriage, and respond with a grin, and a slight nod. “Clearly, you want to be married, so that’s good.”

“And what about you? Is marriage something you’ve wanted?” There is something oddly liberating about not holding back with this line of questions. Both of you knew the end goal, and that was marriage. You didn’t have to go through months of dating only to realize he didn’t believe in marriage. Or waste your time because you were not the girl he wanted to marry, he had a different vision. It was always an excuse, but it was never you they wanted.

“I’ve always wanted marriage. I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic. I find women nowadays don’t align with what I want.”

“Oh,” he had to have a flaw. And here it was. He was going to tell you. He had a sick idea of a housewife that had no personality. Of course he had to have something wrong with him.

“I want…I think people see me as a way to meet celebrities. I want to be able to bring my girlfriend, or wife with me to parties, and events. I just don’t want her to run off with one of the artists I’m working with. They have the fame, and the adoration. I have the talent behind the scenes, why would they want me?”

“Why would they not?” He gives you a serene smile, but you know he’s been hurt. From the sounds of it more than once with a cheating girlfriend. “If someone is going to leave you like that, or cheat on you like that, they never loved you to begin with. It was a means to find someone else. I hate cheaters. I’ve never understood it. Just leave. Cheating hurts everyone involved, and nobody realizes that until it’s too late. Oh…”

You take a deep breath in as Nick’s nose touches your own. His cologne mixes with the beer he had been nursing, and it makes you dizzy. It isn’t until he pulls your drink out of your hand that you realize that your legs were laying over top of his. Things felt comfortable, and you had only met this man.

“I’d like to kiss you,” Nick’s lashes flutter on your cheek, and you want nothing more than to touch his lips with your own.

“You say that to all the girls here,” it was the first damn night, and every movement of your mouth has your lips brushing up against his.

“They’re boring. Let me kiss you,” you respond by puckering your lips and pulling him into you. You had told yourself that you wanted to have fun, and didn’t want to hold back. You didn’t believe you could find true love on this show, but getting to kiss a sexy man was worth it.

“She’s already kissing him,” Nicole says as she marches back to the other girls. “She’s going to be a problem. She’s a fast mover. She probably said something to him when they first met. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.”

“It’s the first night. She’s just trying to get a rose,” Holly sighs. Everyone was here for the same thing, and that was him. It sucks that she wasn’t the one to get a kiss, but she couldn’t fault you.

“No, they’re totally making out. It’s the first night.”

You have to pull away from Nick, gasping for air as you stare into those bright blue eyes. Noticing all the different shades that made up the color blue that was unique to him. “You felt it?” He whispers. “Don’t play games, Bells. I’m not. You’re getting the first impression rose. I’ve…I need some air.”

There was a difference with kissing him. Nothing had ever felt better. Nothing has ever even tasted better than his lips. His tongue. And there were cameras capturing it all. Even the tightness of his pants, and quick departure.

Jena grabs the card, squealing as she starts to open it, “Make sure you’re laser focused,” after she says your name with the other group of girls, you lose interest. You are going on a group date, with something that involves lasers, and you are getting to see Nick again.

“So is he a good kisser?”

“Hmm?” Looking up from your bland coffee, you stare at one of the nameless contestants. You couldn’t keep up. There were so many of them.

“You going to play innocent when Nicole saw you and Nick kissing. So was he any good?” You didn’t have to listen to this. You aren’t opposed to making friends, but the point of the show wasn’t them. It was him. “That bad or that good?”

“What do you want me to say? Nick and I kissed. I’ll admit to that, as to everything else it doesn’t matter. I’m going to get dressed for the date.”

“He left the cocktail hour. Barely talked to anyone. Maybe her kiss was the one that was so bad he couldn’t stand being around her.”

“She got a first impression rose. I don’t think it was a bad kiss.”

“And he still asked her for a group date.”

They weren’t slick, or quiet. No wonder there was always so much drama on here. You could hear everything. And you learned quickly that if you didn’t hear it someone would tell you what you missed. A constant trying to pit everyone against each other. It was going to be a long seven weeks. If you made it that far.

Laser tag. Of course that’s what the date card meant. And of course you being caught making out with Nick had everyone immediately wanting to go up against you. Not all could. You had to be put into teams. Your team got lucky, you’re an excellent shot.

“Oof!” You choke out as someone pulls you into a hidden alcove of the arena. Back slamming against the wall, and then the softest touch of his fingertips run down your side, “Nick, we can’t…”

“I had to see you. There’s never enough time with you. There’s no cameras here. And I can’t stay away. You feel it right?” Biting at your lip, you nod your head. Trembling as his hands grips to your hip. Fingers digging into your skin, while his thumb makes shapes on your stomach so tenderly. His hand rests on the wall beside your head, and you suddenly understand all those romance novels. This is the perfect angle for him.

“You’re getting a rose,” he informs you, biting at his lip. Unsure of whether this was part of the show or not, but you liked it.

“I don’t need you to tell me that.”

“I want to be open and honest with you about what I’m thinking. You’re getting a rose. You’re not going anywhere, and from how I feel right now, you’re not going anywhere anytime soon. I need you to stay and see where this goes. Kiss me.”

Shaking your head no, you pull him closer. Your hand drops the laser gun and you run you shaking fingers up his back, “You better kiss me, or I’ll make sure Nicole gets a good shot at you.”

“This is too fast,” was it the show or getting caught up in the feelings that made people fall so fast. When you watched the show you laughed at these women. Now you understand. You could see it happening, and feel it right before your eyes. It didn’t even feel free.

“So? This is not a normal way of dating. This is entertainment for millions, and this kiss is just for us. Kiss me like you wanted to last night. No cameras. No bullshit. Just…” your hand coasts to his neck, and you pull him into you. Slotting your lips on his, and the hand beside your head moves to the back of your neck, and he presses his weight into you.

Breathless isn’t even the word. It’s shocking. Lightning sparks through your veins when his tongue licks over your lips, and you grant him access. Whimpering in his mouth, and clinging to him so tightly. This wasn’t a normal first kiss. This was just the beginning of passion. Had this alcove had more room, you would have been pulling him to the floor.

Nick starts ghosting his lips down your jaw, settling on your neck, and gives you a tiny little nip. Rolling his hips into your body, “Nick, we can’t.”

“I want to.”

“I want to, too, but,” your words drown out as his mouth dips even lower on your body. “Nick, please.”

“I love that word coming out of your mouth,” you mewl as he kisses down your chest. Fingers weaving through his hair. “My god, Bella…”

“Stop. Stop stop,” he stands up immediately, staring at your kiss bruised lips. “They already hate me.”

“I saw the footage. It seems to just be a couple that hate you.”

“I watch the show. I know how girls can be. Just…I like this, but we have a contract. And not all of us want to buy ourselves out of it. This was fun.”

“Maybe, we’ll do it again?”

It was cruel. Having to follow someone else’s rules, and not just your own. They weren’t even Nick’s rules, but the studios. “You know where to find me,” you playfully answer, and his eyes drift down your body as you begin to leave.

“I’ve got a rose just for you,” and let the games begin.

Masterlist

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