CHAPTER SIX
WITHOUT EFFORT, Nick lifted her to the top of the counter. Josie felt his fingers on the hem of her T-shirt, tugging it upward, and she shivered. This was insane, outrageous, but she didn’t stop him, didn’t change her mind.
“Nick?”
“Finally.” A rough groan escaped him and he squeezed her tight. “You don’t how bad I hated being called another man’s name.” His mouth closed over her nipple through her bra and she dropped her head back, gasping. The gentle pull of his mouth could be felt everywhere, but especially low in her belly. When he pushed her bra aside, she knew she had to stop him before she was beyond the point of caring.
Panting, she managed to say, “I have a stipulation.”
He surprised her by saying, “All right.” Then he added, “But tell me quick. I’m dying here.”
He lifted his head to look at her and she saw that the tops of his cheekbones were darkly flushed, his eyes slumberous but bright with heat. He looked so incredibly sexy, she almost forgot what she wanted to say. But it was important. He had lied to her and made a fool of her. When she thought of how she’d gone on and on about his partner, Nick, she wanted to crawl away into a dark hole. And he’d let her discuss him as if he hadn’t been sitting right beside her. He’d let her make a fool of herself.
She’d tried bluffing her way out of the embarrassment by claiming a determination to experiment, to experience life—and men—to the fullest. Only, he’d called her on it and made a counteroffer she couldn’t possibly refuse. She knew how easily he could fulfill his end of the bargain, and knowing made her want him all the more. When he left, it would hurt; she didn’t fool herself about that. But now, for at least a little while, she could have everything she’d ever dreamed of—all the excitement and whirling thrills. If she didn’t grab this opportunity for herself, she’d regret it for the rest of her life.
But if she was going to play his game, then she had to have control, to make certain he would never again be in a position to deceive her. She’d take what he freely offered—but on her terms, not his.
Nick toyed with the snap on her jeans. “Is this your idea of foreplay, honey? Making me wait until I lose my mind? Believe me, with the way I feel right now, the wait won’t be too long. After what I’ve been through today, insanity is just around the bend.”
His teasing words brought her out of her stupor. “I have to be in charge.”
He lifted one dark brow and his fingers stilled. “In charge of what?”
What kind of question was that? She tried to keep her chin raised, to maintain eye contact, but his slow grin did much to shake her resolve. “Things. What we’re doing.”
“So then this—” he dragged his knuckles from the snap of her jeans, along the fly and beyond until finally he cupped her boldly with his palm “—is what you would be in charge of? You want to control our relationship, what we do and don’t do, where we do it…how we do it?”
She gulped, words escaping her. The man was every bit the scoundrel her sister accused him of being. Too blatant, too outrageous, too incredibly sure of himself and of his effect on her, probably on all women. She could feel his palm, so hot and firm against her, not moving, just holding her and making her nerve endings tingle in anticipation. And that tingling had become concentrated in one ultrasensitive spot.
“No? Did I misunderstand?” His gaze searched her face and she could see the humor in his dark eyes, the slight tilt of his sensual mouth. With his free hand, he took hers and kissed her fingers—then pressed her hand against his erection. He no longer smiled, and his expression seemed entirely too intent. “You want to control me like this, Josie?”
He felt huge and hard and alive. Instinctively she curled her fingers around him through the soft material of his khaki slacks.
“Women have been trying to control men since the beginning of time. This is the most tried-and-true method.”
Her fingers tightened in reaction to his harsh words. She felt the lurch, the straining of his penis into her palm, and heat pounded beneath her skin, curled and uncurled until she felt wound too tight, ready to explode.
In a voice low and gravelly, he asked, “Is that what you want, sweetheart?” His breath came fast and low. “Because in this instance, I have no objections. Just lead the way.”
Frozen, Josie could do no more than stare down at her hand where she held him. She licked her lips, trying to think of what to do, trying to remember her original intent in this awkward game.
“Josie?”
“I…” She shook her head, then carefully, slowly stroked him. His eyes closed as he groaned his encouragement. “I concede to your experience.”
The sound he made was half laugh, half moan.
“But I want to do everything there is to do.”
“Damn.” His fingers flexed, teasing her. “I want that, too. Sounds to me like we’re in agreement.”
She shook her head. “You called what we have a…a relationship. But that’s not what I’d consider it.”
His answering gaze was frighteningly direct. “No?”
She looked away. “I’d call it a…a fling. With no strings attached.” When he got tired of her and walked away, she wanted him to know it was with her blessing. She was out of her league with Nick, coasting on dangerous ground. It was too tempting not to play, but she was too prudent not to take precautions.
She drew an unsteady breath. “I want—need—to be free to come and go as I please. No ties at all.” He was the only person she’d ever felt tempted to do this with, but the same wasn’t true of him. He’d been with many women, and he’d be with many more. She’d be a fool to expect anything else. “I can’t agree to this exclusive stuff,” she said. “I need to know you won’t object if I decide to explore…elsewhere.”
“Oh, but I do object. In fact, I refuse.” His mouth smothered any comeback she might have made, not that she could think of any. The nature of his seduction suddenly became much more determined, almost ruthless. He lifted her off the counter and skimmed her shirt over her head.
“Nick…”
“I like hearing you say my name. Especially the way you say it.” Her bra straps slipped down her arms when he unhooked it, then clasped her nipple with his hot and hungry mouth, sucking hard.
Her knees locked and her entire body jerked in reaction. “Nick…”
He switched to the other breast while undoing her jeans, and he hurriedly pushed them down to her knees. “Tell me you want me, Josie.”
She made a sound of agreement, coherent words beyond her.
He dropped to one knee and kissed her through her panties—small, nipping kisses that had her gasping. Her legs went taut to support her, her fingers tangled in his dark silky hair. With a growl, he pulled her panties down and spread her with his thumbs, then treated her to the same delicious sucking he’d used on her nipple, only gentler, and with greater effect.
It was too much, but not quite enough, and she sobbed, pressing closer, her eyes squeezed shut. His tongue rasped and she arched her body, tight and still, then suddenly climaxed with blinding force when he slid one long finger deep inside her.
The sharp edge of the counter dug into her back as she started to slide down to the floor. She needed to sit, to lie down; her limbs trembled, her vision was still fuzzy. Nick caught her against him and pressed a damp kiss to her temple. “Damn, that was good, Josie.” His voice shook, low and sexy. “So damn good. For a virgin, you never cease to amaze me.”
“I’m not a virgin anymore.” The words sighed out of her, laced with her contentment.
His chuckle vibrated against her skin. “Ex-virgin, then.”
Limp, she let him hold her for a few seconds, until he gently turned her to face the counter. She didn’t understand what he was doing. Looking at him over her shoulder, she saw him smile. He took her hands and planted them wide on the countertop.
“Open your legs for me, Josie. As wide as your pants will allow.”
The rush of heat to her face almost made her dizzy. He was looking at her behind, his hands touching, exploring, exposing, urging her legs even wider. She struggled with her embarrassment and the restriction of her jeans.
He made an approving sound. “That’s nice. Now don’t move.” After laying his wallet out, he unsnapped his pants and shoved them down his hips. Josie stared at his erection, her pulse pounding. “You’ve seen me before, honey. But I don’t mind you looking. In fact, I like it.”
He clasped her hips and brushed the tip of his penis against her buttocks, dipping along her cleft. He held her tight and pressed his cheek against her shoulder. “I like it a lot. Too damn much.”
With a groan, he pulled a condom out of his wallet and slipped it on. Fascinated, Josie concentrated on holding herself upright, despite the shaking in her knees, and watched him closely so she didn’t miss a thing.
But with his first, solid thrust into her body, she forgot about watching and closed her eyes against the too-intense pleasure of it.
“Ah. So wet and hot. You do want me, don’t you, sweetheart? Just me.”
She rested her cheek on the cool countertop and curled her fingers over the edge, steadying herself. Nick’s hand slid beneath her, then smoothed over her belly before dipping between her thighs.
“No…” She gasped, the pleasure too sharp after her recent orgasm, but he wouldn’t relent. He continued to touch her in delicate little brushes, taunting her, forcing her to accept the acute sensations until her hips began to move with him.
He groaned with pleasure. “That’s it. Relax, Josie. Trust me.” He moved with purpose now in smooth determined strokes that rocked her body to a tantalizing rhythm. His forearm protected her hip bones from hard contact with the counter while his fingertips continued to drive her closer to the edge. Suddenly he stilled, his body rock hard, his breathing suspended. Josie could feel the heat pouring off him, the expectation of release.
He wrapped around her, his chest to her back and he hugged her tight. His heart pounded frantically and she felt it inside herself, reverberating with her own wild heartbeat. “Josie,” he said on a whispered groan. And she knew he was coming, his thrusts more sporadic, deeper, and incredibly, she came with him, crying out her surprise.
Long minutes passed and neither of them moved. Josie was content. His body, his indescribable scent, surrounded her in gentle waves of pleasure. She could feel the calming of his heartbeat, his gentle, uneven breaths against her skin.
“Woman, you’re something else.”
She wondered how he could talk, even though his words had sounded weak and breathless. She relished his weight on her body, the soft kisses he pressed to her shoulders and nape and ear. He made a soft sound and said, “I could stay like this forever.”
Mustering her strength, she managed to whisper, “That’s because you’re not the one being squashed into the cold counter.”
He chuckled as he straightened and carefully stepped away. “Hey, you were the one in charge. You should have said something if you didn’t like it.”
Her sigh sounded entirely too much like satisfaction. “I liked it.”
“I know.”
She smiled at his teasing and forced herself to stand. “This is a downright ignominious position to find myself in.”
She heard him zipping his pants, but couldn’t quite find the courage to face him. Her fingers shook as she struggled with her panties, which seemed to be twisted around her knees.
“I think you look damn cute. And enticing.” He patted her bare bottom with his large hand, then assisted her in straightening her clothes. “Are you okay?”
That brought her gaze to his face. “I’m…fine.” She could feel the hot blush creeping up to her hairline. After all, she was still bare-breasted, and her hair was more down than up. She started to cross her arms over her chest, but hesitated when he covered them himself with his hot palms.
“I wish I had planned this better. But I only had the one condom with me.”
“Oh.” Her blushing face seemed to pulse, making her very aware of how obvious her embarrassment must be. He was so cavalier about it all, like making love in the kitchen was something he’d done dozens of times. And maybe it was, she admitted to herself, not liking the idea one bit.
Nick grinned, enjoying himself at her expense. “Of course, I could give you more pleasure, if that’s what you want. I’m stoic and brave and all those other manly things. And we did have an agreement. I’ll sacrifice my needs for yours if you’re still feeling greedy. If you’re in the mood for a little more fun.”
She didn’t quite know how to deal with him. He was all the things Susan claimed—arrogant and cocky, used to female adoration. She pulled away and slipped into her bra and T-shirt, then turned to the sink. As she ran water into the coffeepot, she could feel his gaze on her back, moving over her like a warm touch.
She drew a steadying breath and glanced back at him. “I think I can manage to be as stoic as you. But since you’re here, we might as well get a few things straight.”
His smile disappeared. “What things?”
“Our agreement, of course.”
Disbelief spread over his face. “Little witch.”
She ignored his muttered insult and measured out the coffee grains. Mustering her courage, she blurted, “Did you laugh at me after we made love on the boat?”
“As I remember, I was too busy trying to devise ways to keep from tripping myself up to find any humor in the situation.”
Josie considered that. “You know, now that I think about it, a lot of things make sense. The way you kept insisting I not call you by name, your hesitance to take me to your house. Your surprise that I was willing to go with you at all.”
“I thought you’d back down. Bob had repeated Susan’s description of you—and you didn’t look a damn thing like what I expected. It’s for certain you didn’t act the way I thought you would.”
Knowing Susan, it wasn’t difficult to imagine the picture she’d painted. “I thought you would be the way my sister described Bob. I expected you to run in the opposite direction when you saw what a wild woman I was.”
He came to stand directly in front of her, and his large hot hand settled on her hip, his long fingers spread to caress her bottom. “A million ideas went through my mind when I first saw you, and running wasn’t one of them.” He leaned down and kissed her, gently, teasing. “Are we done talking now? I can think of better things we could be doing.”
She faltered at his direct manner and provocative touch, but had the remaining wits to mention an irrefutable fact. “You said you were out of condoms.”
He spoke in a low rumble against her lips. “I also said there were other things we could do, other ways for me to pleasure you without needing protection.” His eyes met hers, bright and hot. “Right now, I’m more than willing to show you all of them. Tasting you, touching you, is incredibly sweet. Giving you pleasure gives me pleasure. And I love the way you moan, the way your belly tightens and your nipples—”
A soft moan escaped before she managed to turn her face away. “Nick.”
With a huge, regretful sigh, he looped his arms around her and held her loosely. “All right, what were you saying?”
She gave him a disgruntled frown. “I don’t remember.”
“Oh, yeah. You thought I was Bob. And he probably would have been horrified to see you. Horrified and frightened half to death.”
“That’s what I figured.”
“He’s hung up on your sister, you know.”
Having Nick so close made it difficult to carry on the casual conversation. But he seemed to have no problem with it, so she forged ahead; they really did need to get things straightened out. “He’s the one who sent Susan the chocolates?”
“Yup.”
“And he’s probably the one who told her he didn’t approve of my job.”
“That’d be Bob. But I doubt he really cares one way or the other what you do. He’s just willing to say anything to agree with Susan.”
“Susan likes him, too. She was so pleased with his gift. When it arrived, she was all but jumping up and down.”
Nick touched her hair, winding one long curl around his finger. “And what did you do?”
She wasn’t about to tell him how hurt and betrayed she’d felt. That wouldn’t have been in keeping with her new image. “I wasn’t sure what to do, except that I knew I couldn’t see you again.”
“Hmm.” He kissed her quickly and stepped away. “Finish the coffee and let’s go sit in the other room. I don’t trust these tiny kitchen chairs you have. I’m afraid they might collapse under me.”
Josie eyed the delicate chairs and silently agreed.
It took an entire pot of coffee and a lot of explaining before they sorted out the whole confusing mess. By the end of the explanations, Nick had Josie mostly in his lap on the short love seat and he’d removed the pins from her hair so that he could play with it. In one way or another, he touched her constantly, his hands busy, his mouth hungry.
“I want to see you tomorrow, Josie. Will you go to the movies with me?”
She shook her head. As soon as she’d left Susan’s shop, she’d accepted an invitation from one of her clients. She could have cancelled if she’d wanted to, but with everything she’d just learned, including his deception and her volatile reaction to him, she didn’t trust herself to be with him again so soon. He was playing games while she was falling hard. She needed time to think, to regroup. “I already made other plans, Nick.”
Through narrowed eyes, he studied her face a long moment, his gaze probing, then looked down at her clasped hands. “What about Monday?”
She shrugged helplessly. “I can’t. Mondays are late nights for me.”
He seemed disgruntled by her answer. Josie had the feeling few women ever turned him down. She almost relented; seeing the disappointment in his sensual gaze made her feel the same. But she had a responsibility to her patients, and as tempting as he was, her responsibilities took precedence over her newfound pleasure.
“How late?”
“It depends on who needs what done. But I can’t rush my visits. For many of my clients, I’m the only company they get on a regular basis.”
He sighed, obviously frustrated but willing to concede. He cupped her cheek and stared down at her. “You’re pretty incredible. Do you know that?”
“It’s not so much. I enjoy their company, and they enjoy mine.”
“Does it involve much traveling?”
“Some. A lot of the people I work with now or worked with in the past live in this complex, which is one reason I bought here. It’s easier to keep an eye on things.”
“You know, I did wonder about that. I had all these old folks staring me down, looking at me like I was an interloper. I didn’t understand it at first.”
“Young people in the complex are always a curiosity. I’m surprised Mrs. Wiley didn’t come out and question you.”
“She didn’t need to. I went to her to find out which condo you lived in.” He pulled the rolled catalog from his back pocket. “She gave me this and I promised to try to come up with some kind of inexpensive advertising promotion for her.”
Josie stared down blankly at the Golden Goodies catalog, which had fallen open to show pictures of various-size candles and love-inspired board games. She couldn’t quite manage to pull her fascinated gaze away, even though she’d seen the thing dozens of times. The difference now, of course, was that she wondered if Nick would enjoy playing any of the inventive games, winning prizes that varied from kisses to “winner’s choice.” She had a feeling she knew what his choice would be.
Josie cleared her throat. “A supplier gives her the catalogs and fills the orders, then the selling is up to her. And she’s pretty good at it. But I suppose she does need a wider audience than the complex allows.”
Nick turned the page, perusing the items for sale. He looked surprised. “Why, that old fraud. This stuff isn’t X-rated. The way she carried on, I thought she was selling something really hot.”
Tilting her head, Josie asked, “Like what?”
He opened his mouth, then faltered. “Never mind.”
She smiled. “For most older folks, scented lotions and feather boas are pretty risqué. They love Mrs. Wiley’s parties. It makes them feel young again, and daring.”
“Have you ever been to one?”
Without looking at him, Josie flipped to another page, studying the variety of handheld fans and flavored lipsticks. “Once or twice.” She cleared her throat. “There was a party here the night we met. I think I mentioned it—remember? That was one of Mrs. Wiley’s.”
“Ah. So that’s the reason you didn’t want to come back here.”
Josie didn’t correct him. But the truth was, she hadn’t wanted to return because she hadn’t wanted to see his disappointment when he realized what a domestic homebody she really was. She’d talked her way around that, but the risk was still there, because she knew from Susan’s dire predictions that no man would tolerate her demanding schedule for long—certainly not a man used to female adoration, like Nick. Hopefully, before he grew tired of her harried schedule, she’d be able to glut herself on his unique charms and be sated. For a while.
Nick brought her out of her reverie with a gentle nudge. “Have you ever bought anything from her?”
“A few things.”
His eyes glittered at her. “Show me.”
“No.”
He laughed at her cowardice. “Before we’re through, I’ll get you over your shyness.” His taunting voice was low and sensual, and then he kissed her deeply.
Before we’re through… Josie wondered how much or how little time she’d actually have with Nick. When he lifted his mouth from hers, it took her several moments to get her eyes to open. When she finally succeeded, he smiled.
“Sometime, if it’s okay, I’d like to go with you to visit your friends.”
That took her by surprise. In a way, his interest pleased her, but it wouldn’t be a good idea to introduce him to too many people. The more he invaded her life, the harder it would be when he left, which would be sooner than later. Sounding as noncommittal as possible, she murmured, “We’ll see.”
He nodded. “Good. Now, what about the rest of the week? When will you be free?”
“What do you have in mind?”
“We could go back to the boat, and this time I promise to show you the river at night. It’s beautiful to look at all the lights on the water, to smell the moisture in the air and hear the sounds.” He put his mouth to her ear and spoke in a rough whisper. “We could make love on the deck, Josie, under the stars. Mist rises off the river and everything gets covered in dew. Your skin would be slippery and…”
She shivered before she could stop herself, then remembered how he’d told her his parents were dead. Annoyance came back, but not quite as strong this time. Not with him so close. “Is it your boat?”
“I’m making love to you and you want to know who the damn boat belongs to?”
His feigned affront didn’t deter her. “I’m just trying to figure out what’s true and what you made up.”
With an expression that showed his annoyance, Nick gave the shortest possible explanation. “It still legally belongs to my father. But when my parents divorced, it more or less became mine to use.”
The sarcasm couldn’t be missed, and Josie felt stung. Nick didn’t want her to delve into his past, into his personal life. Their time together would center only on the physical. It was what she’d claimed to want, but now she felt uncomfortable. She started to rise, but before she could move an inch, Nick’s arms tightened around her.
“Damn it, Josie, do we really need to discuss this?”
She blinked, surprised by his outburst. “Of course not. I didn’t mean to pry.”
He reached for her hand and held it. “You’re not prying. It’s just… Your parents died when you were fifteen, and mine divorced. The effects were damn similar. They fought for years over everything material, and eventually, the boat was bestowed on me for lack of a better solution. Mother didn’t want my father to have it, because then he might have shared it with Myra, the woman he married three months after the divorce became final. And my father didn’t want my mother to have it because he was still too angry over her foisting me off on him.”
“What…what do you mean?”
Nick sighed, then leaned his head back, his eyes closed. Josie realized he was shutting her out to some extent, but still he answered her question. “My mother thought it would be a cute trick to saddle my dad with me while he was trying to start a new life with his new wife. He saw through her, knew what she was doing and pretty much resented us both. He tried to send me home, but Mom wouldn’t let him.”
Josie stared, speechless. She couldn’t imagine him being treated like an unwelcome intruder by the very people who should have loved him most. For her, it had been just the opposite, and she suddenly wanted to tell Susan again how much she appreciated all she’d done. Careful to hide her sympathy, she asked, “That must have been pretty rough.”
He shrugged, still not looking at her. “Naw. The only really tough part was putting up with Myra. For the most part, my mom and dad ignored me once everything was settled. But for some ridiculous reason, Myra saw me as competition. And she hated everything about me. She tried to change my friends, my clothes, even the school I attended. And she tried to make certain I stayed too busy to visit my grandfather.”
“Why? What did it matter to her?”
“My grandfather had no use for her. And it bugged her. I used to spend two weeks every summer with him. But after Myra married my father, she convinced Dad that I needed some added responsibility and insisted I take on a summer job. It wasn’t that I minded working, only that I missed Granddad.”
“She sounds like a bitch.”
He laughed with real humor, then opened his eyes and smiled down at her. “Myra wasn’t unique. I haven’t met a woman yet who didn’t think she could improve me in one way or another.”
Josie stiffened. “I like you just the way you are.”
He didn’t look as though he believed her. “I fought with Myra a lot, and likely made her more miserable than she made me. Graduation didn’t come quick enough to suit either of us. The summer before my first year of college I moved out on my own. That’s when I met Bob and we roomed together to share expenses. He got a job as an assistant to an accountant, and I got a job with the college newspaper. I did the layout on all the ads.” He flashed her a grin, his pensive mood lifting. “And as your sister can attest, I’m damn good at what I do now.”
It took her a moment, and then the words sank in. “Susan said Bob was the talented one. That he’s solely responsible for making your business so successful.”
Rather than looking insulted, he grinned. “Yeah, well, Susan refused to work with me. If she’d known I was handling her file, she wouldn’t have given us her business.”
Josie gasped. “You’ve lied to her, too! Oh my God, when Susan finds out you did her ads, she’ll be furious. We’ll all be running for cover.”
Nick winced, though his grin was still in place. “Is it truly necessary to tell her, do you think? I mean, right now, she likes Bob, and he likes her. I wouldn’t want to cause them any trouble.”
Josie gave him a knowing look. “You just don’t want Susan biting your face off. You’re not fooling me.”
“Your sister is enough to instill fright in even the stoutest of men.” He kissed her, but it was a tickling kiss because he couldn’t stop smiling. “She already despises me, Josie. If she knows I talked Bob into tricking her, she’ll run me out of town. Is that what you want?”
As he asked it, his large hot hand smoothed over her abdomen and Josie inhaled. “No.”
“Good. Then let’s make a pact. We’ll do all we can to get your sister and Bob together—before we drop any truthful bombshells on her. Okay?”
Since he was still stroking her, she nodded her agreement. Besides, if Susan knew the full truth, she would do her best to talk Josie out of spending time with Nick. That decided her more than anything else. “I don’t suppose it will hurt to wait. As long as you eventually come clean. But Nick, you have to know, when she finds out Bob isn’t all that’s perfection, she won’t be happy.”
“Why don’t we let Bob worry about that? Besides, he may not be perfect, but he is perfect for her. At least that’s what he keeps assuring me.”
“I hope he’s right, because I don’t want to see her hurt.”
“Everything will work out as it should in the end.” He smoothed the hair from her forehead, kissed her brow. “Now tell me about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything. Yesterday we didn’t exactly get around to talking all that much. I think we should get to know each other a little better, don’t you?”
Josie blushed. Yesterday, words hadn’t seemed all that important. “Do you really think it’s necessary? I mean, for the purposes of a fling, do we need to know personal stuff?”
His expression darkened. “I don’t like that word—fling.” She started to reply to that, but he raised a hand. “Come on, Josie. Fair’s fair. I confided in you.”
She supposed he was right. But her story differed so much from his, she hesitated to tell it. She started slowly, trying to keep the focus on Susan’s generosity, rather than her own grief. “After my parents died, Susan wouldn’t even consider me getting a job. She sold our house so we’d have enough money for me to continue my education. It was a big, old-fashioned place with pillars in the front. It used to be our great-aunt’s before she died and left it to my mother when we were just kids. We both still miss it, though Susan won’t admit it. She doesn’t want me to know how much it meant to her, or how hard it was for her to let it go.”
With a thoughtful expression, Nick nodded his approval. “Susan did what any good big sister would do.”
And Josie thought, I had Susan. But who did you have? Rather than say it, she touched his cheek and smiled. “Do you ever see your family now?”
He pretended a preoccupation with her fingertips, kissing each one. “Not often. Mother is always busy, which is a blessing since she’s not an easy person to be around. And Myra still despises me, which makes it difficult for my father and me to get together.” He sucked the tip of one finger between his teeth.
Feeling her stomach flutter, Josie wondered if she’d ever get used to all the erotic touching and kissing. She hoped not. “I imagine you must resent her a lot.”
“Not really. If it hadn’t been for Myra, I might never have hooked up with Bob, and he’s great as both a friend and a partner. He’s the one who suggested we go into business together. In fact, he’s the one who got things started.”
He deliberately lightened the mood, so Josie did the same. “Ah. So, Bob really is the brains of the operation?”
He bit the tip of her finger, making her jump and pull away. Josie glared at him.
He grinned. “Sorry. But I hear enough of that derision from your sister.”
“No doubt you’ll hear a lot more of it from her when she finds out we’re seeing each other.”
He made a sour face. “Couldn’t we skip telling her that, too?”
“You must not know my sister very well if you think I could keep it from her. She’s like a mother hen, always checking up on me.”
“Well, as I said, I’m stoic. I can put up with anything if the end result is rewarding enough.” His thumb smoothed over her lips. “And you’re definitely enough. Now, can you find any spare time this week to go to the boat with me?”
When Josie thought of all the women he must have taken there over the years, she couldn’t quite stifle a touch of jealousy. She looked away, wondering how many women had observed the stars from the deck, the moisture rising from the water.
“Josie.” As if he’d read her thoughts, he hugged her close again. His hand cuddled her breast possessively, and rather than meet her curious gaze, he stayed focused on the movement of his fingers over her body.
“Do you remember me telling you on the boat that I never take women there?”
“You took me there.”
“And you’re the only one. That wasn’t a lie.”
She wanted to believe him, but it seemed so unlikely.
Before she could decide what to say, Nick shook his head and continued. “I’m not claiming to have been a monk—far from it. I’ve always used the boat when I wanted to be alone. There’s something peaceful about water, something calming, and I never wanted to share that with anyone, especially not a woman. With all the fighting that damn boat caused between my parents, it has a lot of memories attached to it, and most of them aren’t very pleasant. I’ve never found it particularly conducive to romance.” He made the admission reluctantly, his voice sounding a bit strained. He raised his eyes until he could look at her and that look started her heart racing. “Until I met you. Now I don’t think I’ll be able to see it any other way.”
Emotion swelled, threatening to burst. Susan was wrong. Nick wasn’t a self-centered womanizer. He wasn’t a man without a care who would tromp on people’s feelings. The special fondness he felt for his grandfather was easy to hear when Nick spoke of him. And his dedication to Bob went above and beyond the call of duty to a partner, to the point of silently accepting Susan’s contempt. She’d accused him of having no talent; he was the talent. Nick had even agreed to work out an ad campaign for Mrs. Wiley, despite his reservations about her business. Though his adolescence had obviously been bereft of love and guidance, he was still a kind and generous man.
It would be all too easy to care about him.
“What are you thinking?” Nick smoothed the frown from her forehead.
“I’m thinking that you’re a most remarkable man, Nick Harris.”
He made a scoffing sound and started to kiss her, but Josie was familiar with that tactic now. Whenever he wanted to avoid a subject, he distracted her physically.
Teasing, he said, “I’m a scoundrel and a man of few principles. Just ask your sister.”
“But Susan doesn’t really know you, does she?” His gaze swept up to lock with hers. Josie lifted a hand to sift through his hair. “She’s given me all these dire predictions, but I don’t think you’re nearly as reckless and wild as she’d like to think.”
His expression froze for a heartbeat, then hardened. Before Josie could decipher his mood, he had her T-shirt pulled over her head and caught at her elbows, pinning her arms together, leaving her helpless. He studied her breasts with heated, deliberate intensity. When he spoke, his words were barely above a whisper.
“Don’t, Josie. Don’t think that because I had a few family problems, I’m this overly sensitive guy waiting to be saved by the right woman.” His hand flattened on her belly and she trembled. “I want all the same things you want, honey. Fun, freedom, a little excitement. With no ties and no commitments. It’ll be the perfect relationship between us, I promise you that. You won’t be disappointed.”
She wanted to yell that she was already disappointed. No, she hadn’t ever considered a lasting relationship. But then, she hadn’t met Nick. All by himself he was more excitement than most women could handle. And despite what she’d claimed, she wanted more out of life than a few thrills. So much more. But Nick had read her thoughts, and corrected them without hesitation. She’d dug a hole for herself with her own lies and deceptions, and she wasn’t quite sure how to get out of it. She couldn’t press him without chasing him away—and that was the very last thing she wanted to do.
Nick bent, treating one sensitive nipple to the hot, moist pressure of his mouth, and she decided any decisions could wait until later. He seemed determined now to show her all the ways he could enjoy her without the need for precautions, and at the moment, she didn’t have the will to tell him no.
Minutes later, she didn’t have the strength, either.
NICK WHISTLED as he entered the offices. He hadn’t felt this good in a long time, though he wasn’t sure exactly why he felt so content, and wasn’t inclined to worry about it. Right now, he had better things to occupy his mind—like the coming night and the fact that he’d be alone with Josie again. His entire body tightened in anticipation of what he’d do with her and her sensual acceptance of him. It had been too long.
She hadn’t been able to see him Tuesday, as he’d expected, because that, too, was a late night for her, and the needs of her patients came first—a fact that nettled since he wasn’t used to playing second fiddle. So even though he’d had other plans for the night, he’d canceled them. Again. Josie didn’t know he’d changed his plans for her, and he didn’t intend to tell her. She might get it into her head that she could call all the shots, and he liked things better just the way they were.
Josie wanted to use him for sex, wanted him to be a sizzling male fantasy come to life, and if that wasn’t worth a little compromise, he didn’t know what was. It sure beat the hell out of anything he could think of.
Besides, she had given him a request, and it was to assist her in exploring the depths of herself as a woman, not to skim the surface with mere quickies. He could be patient until her time was freed up. He wanted to sleep with her again, to hold her small soft body close to his all night, to wake her up with warm wet kisses and the gentle slide of his body into hers. He shuddered at his own mental image.
As he entered the building, the sound of arguing interrupted his erotic thoughts. It was coming from Bob’s office, and he started in that direction but drew up short in the doorway when he recognized Susan’s virulent tones.
Since he enjoyed pricking her temper, and had from the moment he met her, he asked pleasantly, “Am I interrupting?”
Two pairs of eyes swung in his direction. “Nick,” was said in relief at the same time “You!” was muttered with huge accusation.
Ignoring Bob for the moment, he directed his attention to Susan. “Miss Jackson. How are you today?”
“How am I?” She advanced on him and Bob rushed around his desk to keep pace with her. Nick had the feeling Bob intended to protect him. The idea almost made him smile.
“I was fine, that is until Bob confessed the rotten trick you played on my sister.”
Turning his consideration to Bob, who looked slightly ill, Nick asked, “Had a baring of the soul, did you?”
“Actually,” Susan said, staring up at him with a frown, “he did his best to cover for you after I forced him to confirm that you’re seeing Josie. He’s been explaining to me that you’re a reformed womanizer, that you truly care for my sister. Not that I’m believing it.” She pointed a rigid finger at his chest. “I know your kind. You’re still a die-hard bachelor just out for some fun, and that’s not what Josie needs in her life right now.”
“You make fun sound like a dirty word,” Nick muttered, but there was no heat in his comment. He was too distracted for heat. Did Bob really see him as reformed? The idea was totally repellent. For most of his life, certainly since Bob had known him, he’d avoided any attempts at serious relationships. Not because he was still troubled over his parents’ divorce, or his father’s re-marriage. And not because his psyche had been damaged by his mother’s rejection. Mostly he’d avoided attachments because he hadn’t met a woman yet who didn’t want to change everything about him. They’d profess unconditional love, then go about trying to get him to alter his life. His stepmother had been the queen of control, but at least she hadn’t ever tried to hide her inclinations behind false caring.
No, he’d had enough of controlling females, and his life was as he wanted it to be. He didn’t intend to change it for anyone. But he did want Josie, and he’d have her—on his terms, not Susan’s.
Not about to explain himself to the sister, he halfheartedly addressed Susan’s sputtering outrage, going on the offense. “You don’t really understand Josie at all, do you?”
“She’s my sister!”
“Yeah, but you would have hooked her up with Bob.” He warmed to the subject, seeing Susan’s face go red while Bob blustered in the background. He’d been coaching Bob for the better part of a week, getting him to send cards, to make phone calls late at night. To whisper the little romantic things women liked to hear. Susan appeared to be melting faster than an iceberg in the tropics. Though she hadn’t as yet admitted it. According to Bob, all her considerable focus was still aimed at getting Josie settled. Damn irritating female. Josie didn’t want to settle, and that suited Nick to perfection.
He grinned, feeling smug over the way both Susan and Bob glanced at each other. “I’m sure you realize now what a mistake that might have been, for both Josie and Bob.”
Susan thrust her chin into the air. “So she and Bob wouldn’t have worked out. That doesn’t mean I want her seeing you.”
Softly he said, “But that’s what Josie wants.”
Susan bristled. “Josie is just going through a phase.”
Damn right, he thought. A sensational stage of discovering her own sexuality, and he’d been lucky enough to be there when she’d decided to expand her horizons. He kept his expression serious. “She’s discussed that with me, Miss Jackson. Josie and I understand each other, so you have no reason to worry.” Nick not only understood, he encouraged her.
Agitated, Susan paced away. When she faced Nick again, her look was more serious than aggressive. “You think you understand, but you can’t know what Josie’s been through. When our parents died, everything changed. We lost our house, our car. There was never enough money for her to do the things most girls her age were doing. She didn’t shop with her friends for trendy clothes, attend dances or school parties or date. At first she just became withdrawn. It scared me something fierce. But then she started college, and she put everything she had not just into succeeding but excelling. She’s worked very hard at shutting out life, and now that she’s ready to live again, she deserves the best.”
“And to you, that means someone other than me?”
“Josie needs someone sensitive, someone who’s stable and reliable.”
His chest felt tight and his temples pounded. Susan was determined to replace him, but he wouldn’t let her. For now, Josie wanted him, and that was all that mattered. “I won’t hurt her. I promise.”
“Coming from you, I am not reassured!”
Surely he wasn’t bad for Josie, he thought with a frown. He was an experienced man, capable of giving her everything she wanted, and right now that meant freedom and excitement and fun, not love everlasting. He wasn’t prudish and he wasn’t selfish; he hadn’t lied when he said he enjoyed giving her pleasure.
Susan assumed she knew what Josie needed, but Josie claimed the opposite. She’d made it clear she didn’t want attachments, so he’d assured her there would be none. That had been her stipulation, but he’d gone along with the idea, even emphasized it, to keep her from backing out. Josie wanted a walk on the wild side, and he was more than prepared to indulge her. Especially if it kept her from seeking out other men, a notion he couldn’t tolerate.
Susan was still glaring at him, and he sighed. “I’m really not so bad, Miss Jackson. Just ask Bob.”
Bob nodded vigorously, but Susan ignored him. “Bob is sincere in what he does. His intentions are always honorable. But I’m finding he can be rather biased where you’re concerned.”
At that particular moment, Nick wanted nothing more than to escape Susan’s scrutiny. But he had no intention of walking out on Josie now, so gaining her sister’s approval might not be a bad thing. He sifted through all the readily available remarks to Susan’s statement, none of them overly ingratiating, then settled on saying, “Bob is the most ethical and straightforward man I know.”
Susan made the attempt, but couldn’t come up with a response other than a suspicious nod of agreement.
“And yet he keeps me as his partner and his closest friend. Can you imagine that? Surely it says something for my character that Bob trusts me? Or is it that you think Bob is an idiot?” He waited while Susan narrowed her eyes—eyes just like Josie’s, only at the moment they were filled with rancor rather than good humor. Bob sputtered in the background.
Through clenched teeth, Susan replied, “It might show that Bob is too trusting for his own good.”
Nick almost laughed. Susan wasn’t a woman to give up a bone once she got her sharp little teeth into it. Finally she sighed. “Though I don’t think you’re at all right for Josie, I’ll concede the possibility that you might have a few redeeming qualities, Mr. Harris.”
He gave her a wry nod. “I’m overwhelmed by your praise.” Truth was, Susan had him worried. If she decided to harp on his shortcomings, would Josie think twice about seeing him? And if Susan kept marching marriage-minded men in front of Josie, would she one day surrender? He knew Susan had some influence on her—after all, Josie had been a twenty-five-year-old virgin!
He was distracted from his thoughts of being replaced, which enraged him, when Susan cleared her throat.
“Before I leave, Mr. Harris, I do have one last question for you.”
He noted that Bob had begun to tug at his collar. Nick raised a brow, then flinched when Susan produced the damn catalog Josie’s neighbor had given him.
She held it out by two fingers, as if reluctant to even touch it, and thrust it at his face. Her foot tapped the floor and she stared down her nose at him. “If you’re truly as reformed as you claim, why do you have this floating around the office?”
She looked triumphant, as if she’d caught him with a girly magazine. Obviously she hadn’t looked at the catalog or she’d have realized how innocent it was.
For a single heartbeat, Nick thought he would laugh. But he glanced at Bob and saw how red his face had turned. He grinned. “Bob’s birthday is next month, you know. I was trying to find him something special. If you need any ideas on what to get him, feel free to look through the thing. I believe he might have dog-eared a few pages.”
Susan stared at the catalog, stared at Bob, then amazingly, she flipped to the first bent page. Nick knew what she would find. After all, he was the one who had cornered the pages while searching for a hook on an ad campaign.
There was nothing even slightly offensive displayed on the pages, but Susan’s eyes widened and she dropped the catalog on Bob’s desk. “I…uh, hmm.”
“Find anything interesting?” Nick asked with false curiosity.
Susan made a small humming sound. “Ah…possibly.”
With a weak smile and a hasty goodbye, she made an unsteady exit.
“I’m going to kill you.”
Nick slapped Bob on the shoulder. “Did you see her face? Sheer excitement, Bud. Take my word for it. She’ll think about that damn catalog, and your romantic tendencies all night. It’ll drive her wild.”
Bob picked up the catalog and peered at the page Susan had turned to. He groaned. “Leopard-print silk boxers?”
Nick raised his eyebrows, chuckling. “Real silk, by the way. I was thinking of buying a pair.” He turned to go into his own office. “But they’ll look much cuter on you.”
He barely ducked the catalog as it came flying past his head. Seconds later, he heard Bob cross the floor to pick it up again.
It seemed his efforts to bring Susan and Bob together were finally paying off. Maybe Bob could distract Susan from her campaign to marry off Josie. He didn’t want Josie married. He didn’t want her exploring elsewhere, either.
He decided he needed to ensure his position, and he could do that by driving her crazy with pleasure. After he finished, marriage and other men would be the furthest things from her mind.