Crossing the Line

by Long, Samantha

  Victoria’s eyebrow rose again, but this time she assessed Stella. “Hmm. And I guess not everyone can dress like a whore.”

  Nora choked on her laughter.

  Stella’s eyes narrowed, and Nick knew that if he didn’t get between them, Stella would retaliate. She wasn’t above starting a catfight to draw attention to herself.

  “Stella, I think you should find someone else to sink your claws into. As you can see, I came with someone else. And even if I hadn’t, you’d be the last person I’d be interested in.”

  Stella flushed, her face matching her hair. She spun on her heels and stalked off. Nora couldn’t hold back her laughter.

  “Oh, my God, Victoria. You handled her so well. I can’t believe you called her a whore.” Nora snorted. “Stop making me laugh so hard; you’ll send me into labor.”

  “She deserved it. How can you dress like that and not expect people to think it?” Victoria shrugged.

  “Yeah, but you didn’t just think it. You said it. Out loud.” Colin grinned at Victoria. “Nick, you may just have to keep this one. She’s something else.”

  Nick laughed, but on the inside he’d frozen up. What exactly did he want from Victoria? Was it a one-night stand or something more? His mind and body were conflicted, and he’d never once felt this way. What was she doing to him?

  Chapter Twelve

  AFTER THE BEAUTIFUL first dance, where the bride and groom danced under the lights and the stars, Victoria started to get nervous. She’d already had a rise in blood pressure with Stella, but now it really spiked. If Nick asked her to dance, she’d need to get close to him. Could she do that without making a fool out of herself?

  Roger had never brought out this want in her before. Addie always went on about how hot her sex life was, how many orgasms she’d had, how she loved sex. Victoria had never understood that. Until Nick.

  Then the moment came. Nick stood and smiled when she placed her hand in his. Plenty of other couples filled the dance floor, so they had to find a spot on the outer rim. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her to him. “Put your arms around my neck.”

  His whisper sent tingles through her entire body. She bit her lip and did what he asked, her gaze leveled at the knot on his tie. Her body pressed to his, and with each turn, she felt the muscles in his abdomen and chest. His body heat soaked through her dress, making her nipples harden. Slowly his hands slid to her back, resting just above her butt.

  What would it be like to kiss him? Instinctively, she tilted her head back and looked at him. Her breath caught at the desire in his eyes. Was she brave enough to let this go further?

  He leaned forward, stopping when his lips almost touched hers. She could almost feel the softness of his lips, and her eyes fluttered closed. Want and need entwined in her chest.

  Something icy spilled down the back of her dress. She gasped in shock, and Nick glanced over her shoulder and frowned.

  “Oh, I didn’t see you there.” Stella’s voice rose above the music.

  Victoria spun around and narrowed her eyes. Stella watched her with a satisfied smile, a hand on her hip. The other hand held her now empty wineglass.

  Nick grabbed Victoria’s elbow and pulled her to him. He didn’t seem to care that the back of her dress wet the front of his shirt. “Stella, you have serious fucking issues.”

  Before Stella could snap out a reply, the bride appeared at their side. “Stella, you need to leave. You won’t ruin this night just because you weren’t woman enough to satisfy Nick. Now, get your skanky ass out of here. I don’t want to see you ever again.”

  “Nicola, you don’t understand. She bumped into me—”

  “Shut up.” Stella’s mouth snapped shut in surprise. “If you don’t leave right now, and I have to beat your ass in my wedding dress, not even the guys will be able to pull me off.” Nicola cocked her head to the side.

  Victoria saw Nicola’s lean and muscled arms. From the way she talked, Gerritt must’ve met her through the MMA circuit. Stella obviously knew this because she glared for a minute longer before leaving the reception.

  “Now, sweetie, come with me. I have a few extra dresses packed for my honeymoon. You can borrow one.” Nicola waved her hand to Victoria.

  “You don’t have to do that. I don’t want to put you through any trouble on your wedding night.”

  “There’s no use in arguing with her. Nicola is one of the most hardheaded women I’ve ever met.” Nick gently pushed Victoria in Nicola’s direction.

  Without another choice, Victoria followed the bride through the crowd. Nora waddled behind them. They walked into the bride’s dressing room. It was small but beautiful, decorated in whites and deep red. Nicola dug through the suitcase, and Nora settled into a chair and sighed.

  “I’m sorry about this,” Victoria told Nicola.

  Nicola held out a lavender sundress. “You have no reason to apologize. I don’t know why I invited her. Pity, I guess.”

  Victoria removed her wet dress and laid it on the back of a chair. She’d been a cheerleader in high school and had two sisters, so she wasn’t shy about undressing in front of other women.

  “So, I need the juicy details. How did you meet Nick?” Nora asked. “I’ve been married for two years. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but sometimes it’s nice to hear about the rush of first love.”

  Victoria let Nicola zip the back of the dress up. “There’s no story. No relationship.” She slipped her shoes back on. “He needed a date, and I was available.”

  Nora smiled. “You don’t see the way he looks at you.”

  “Yeah, I’ve never seen him look at a woman like that before.” Nicola led them back out to the crowd. “And he’s never, I mean never, dated a woman with kids. It’s like he has a phobia of them.”

  Victoria thought about what they said while she and Nora walked back to the table to meet the guys. Nick grinned and handed her a mixed drink. “Thought you could use one of these.”

  “Thanks.” She couldn’t resist smiling back, even with the worry about him and kids settling in her mind.

  “You look great,” Nick said sheepishly. “Bet that wasn’t what you had in mind for tonight.”

  “No, but it’ll make for a memorable one.” She wanted to hint to him that Stella hadn’t ruined the night, but would that make her seem easy or too enthusiastic?

  He didn’t leave her side for the rest of the night. When he fed her a piece of his cake from his fingertips, she wanted to suggest that they leave early. For once in her life, she wanted to throw caution to the wind and do something impulsive. Take him home and let him ravish her. But they didn’t leave early, waiting instead for Gerritt and Nicola to leave. She swapped numbers with Nora, making her promise to call if she had any questions, or if she just wanted to talk. Victoria had a feeling that she’d hear from Nora soon.

  On the way back to Sanctuary Bay, Nick was uncharacteristically silent. He looked deep in thought, tapping a thumb on the steering wheel periodically. She’d had so much fun that she just realized maybe she’d read all his signals wrong. Maybe he didn’t have any fun. Maybe Colin joking about Nick dating a woman with kids finally set in. Maybe he really wanted to leave with Stella and thought it would be rude to leave Victoria there.

  Her brain started to hurt from all the questions circling. Or maybe it was the alcohol. Addie told her all the time that she overanalyzed everything. Was she doing that now? She prayed that the drive would hurry and she could disappear into her house. Maybe if she didn’t have him near her she could forget this night even happened.

  Even as she thought that, she knew that even if he moved to another country, she’d never forget this night. Never forget how he’d made her feel, the craving he’d woken in her.

  He pulled into her driveway, still silent. His grip tightened on the steering wheel.

  She waited a second, won
dering if he was just going to leave.

  “Goodnight, Victoria.” He said it quietly, without looking over at her. He continued to stare out the windshield.

  She blinked. He was really going to do this? After all that, chasing her down to be his date, he was going to leave? Not even try for a goodnight kiss? She didn’t respond to him as she slid out of his truck, wet dress in hand. He wasted no time in reversing his truck and taking off down the street.

  For a minute she stood there. Her stomach clenched. She’d never felt so completely…rejected.

  Chapter Thirteen

  FOR THE NEXT WEEK Victoria avoided going near her office. She got updates from her dad, dodging his questions about why she wasn’t coming by. Seeing Nick right now would only make the rejection sting worse, and she’d had enough of that for a lifetime. She’d been so foolish to believe that Nick would be interested in her for more than one night.

  What hurt the most was that he’d acted like he’d wanted her. She could’ve sworn he also felt the tension and heat between them. But she hadn’t been good enough even for a one-night stand. That humiliation settled bitterly in her stomach. She could go a while without seeing him and be okay.

  That might be a good thing, considering Helena’s attitude had only darkened since her father dropped them off on Sunday. She couldn’t let what was going on with Nick distract her from her girls. After being married to Roger and buckling every time he thought she did something wrong, Victoria refused to break with whatever Nick had going on. It had been a week, for God’s sake; she just had to get the hell over it.

  “God, what did that counter do to you?”

  Victoria jumped, the sponge flying from her hand. “Jesus, Addie. What the hell?”

  Addie’s brows rose. “Whoa. Did Roger do something else to piss you off?”

  “Not everything is about Roger,” Victoria ground out. She picked up the sponge and attacked the stove. It’d been a while since she deep cleaned and she was in the mood now. The next thing she knew, Addie laid a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her around.

  “What’s the matter?” Addie took the sponge, steered Victoria to the bar, and forced her to sit. “You look like you need a good sister talk and some wine.”

  “Don’t you have a date?” Victoria watched as Addie moved deftly around the kitchen, getting the glasses and bottle of red.

  “Sure, but he’s an idiot. I’d rather figure out why you’re being such a bitch.” Addie shot her a grin to soften the words. “You haven’t been this keyed up in a long time.”

  Victoria hadn’t told either of her sisters about the date since it had ended so badly. “I went on a sort-of date with Nick.”

  Addie coughed and spit her wine out all over the counter. “You can’t just throw that bombshell out there. Does Halle know?”

  Victoria shook her head.

  “Then shut up. I’m calling her right now. Don’t say another word.” Addie held up a hand. “I mean it.”

  Halle made it there in record time. She rushed into the kitchen, still in her scrubs, her short bob a mess. “Did I miss anything? If I did, you better start this shit over. When was it?”

  “Last Saturday.”

  “What?” both of her sisters exclaimed.

  “You’re just now telling us?” Addie took the glass of wine from Victoria. “You don’t deserve this. What kind of bitch keeps this stuff from us?”

  Halle spied the lines of tension on Victoria’s face. “Give it back. It looks like she needs it.”

  Addie glanced harder at Victoria, noticed the faint hurt in her eyes. “What did he do? I’ll kill him. I’ll wait until he’s done with your office, but after that? His balls are mine.”

  Addie’s words shocked a laugh out of Victoria, although it shouldn’t have surprised her. Addie was fiercely protective of her older sisters and had the fire to follow up on the threat. Before Addie could make good, Victoria told them all about the date, from the call Friday night, to Stella, to the unsatisfying end of the night. “He just left.”

  “That doesn’t sound like normal Nick.” Addie cocked her head to the side. “He’s all about going inside, from what I hear.”

  Victoria finally gave voice to what gnawed at her. “Is there something wrong with me?”

  “Hell, no.” Addie shot Halle a worried glance. “Why would you think that?”

  “Roger left me to find himself, and Nick, the renowned womanizer, didn’t even want to come inside after the date.” Hot tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away. She didn’t want to cry over this.

  Halle rubbed Victoria’s arm. “From what you said, it sounded like he was really into you. Like his friends said, he’s never dated a woman with kids. Maybe he’s intimidated. You are a very independent woman.”

  “That’s ridiculous. How could I be intimidating? He’s a freakin’ ex-MMA fighter. He’s not scared of anything.” Victoria took a long sip of wine. “I’m just not what he’s looking for.”

  “There are ways to be intimidating that have nothing to do with that. You’re a woman. You may scare him because he wants more with you than he has with other women. Maybe you’re forcing him to reevaluate his life and it makes him uncomfortable?” Addie shrugged. “Text him right now. See what he says.”

  “I’m not texting him.” Victoria shook her head. “He can text me if he wants to talk. He’s obviously not interested.”

  Addie walked out of the kitchen. A second later, she returned with Victoria’s cell phone.

  Victoria tried to jump up from the stool, but Halle’s arms wrapped around her. Halle may be petite, but the woman had strong arms. She didn’t let Victoria move.

  Addie’s eyes lit up while she typed the message and hit send. “Ha! Whatcha’ gonna’ do about it?”

  Victoria didn’t know whether to be supremely pissed that Addie texted him or relieved that she didn’t have to go back and forth with herself about doing it. Halle released her and went back to her wine. “Addie. I didn’t want to text him. He rejected me, remember?”

  Addie set the phone down on the counter, and they stared at it. “You want answers, right? You want to know why he acted like he had a great time? Then ask him. Get him over here for a face-to-face and find out why he left you standing there. Don’t just roll over.”

  The phone vibrated, sliding across the surface and tapping into Victoria’s wineglass. Addie’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “See? I bet he was waiting on you to call him.”

  “That’s the point, Addie. It’s just a game to him.” Victoria’s hands shook, but she read the message.

  Nick: Hey, I was wondering if you were going to talk to me again.

  “See? I’m so right.” Addie nodded to the phone. “Don’t take everything so literally. Get him over here and make him explain. Text him back.”

  “What am I supposed to say? I don’t know what to say.”

  Halle laughed. “Ask him about the office, anything. You’re not proposing.”

  “Shut up. I’ve been out of this game for a long time.”

  “It doesn’t have to be a game.” Addie grinned when her sisters both shot her a look. “I know I’m the last person who should say that. But, it doesn’t. You can just talk to him like you’d talk to everyone else. Stop making it such a big deal and putting all that pressure on yourself.”

  Victoria blew out a breath. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be this nervous. He’s just a guy.”

  “Invite him over. I’ll pick the girls up from the movies, and you can see where it goes,” Halle said.

  That now familiar panic blossomed in her chest. “I can’t. The girls need me right now.”

  “No, they need their aunts right now.” Addie smiled at Victoria. “They haven’t spent time with us—without you—in forever. You deserve to have a night without work and kids. Just see how it goes.”


  Victoria knew from experience that when her sisters ganged up on her like this, nothing would change their minds. Besides, she wanted to know what he had to say for himself. “Fine.”

  “I’m going to pack the girls a bag.” Halle winked at her. “They’re staying the night.”

  “I hate when you gang up on me,” Victoria muttered. She stared down at the phone and quickly typed him a message before she lost her nerve.

  Victoria: Want to come watch a movie?

  Her heartbeat sped up as she waited for an answer. It didn’t take him long to respond.

  Nick: What time do you want me there? Have you eaten yet? I can pick up Chinese.

  Victoria: An hour and sure.

  “Wear something cute but casual,” Addie told her. “Don’t worry about cleaning up. Halle and I will do that while you’re in the shower. Go.” She shooed her out of the kitchen.

  When Victoria finished getting ready, she glanced around the house and saw that her sisters had lit the candles on her mantle and coffee table. Her face heated. What were they trying to do? She hurried to the first one and blew it out. She went to blow out the second, and the doorbell rang. “Crap!” She rushed, blowing the rest out before going to the door.

  “Hey.” Nick held out a single stargazer lily when she opened the door.

  Victoria bit her lip to keep her smile under control. “They’re my favorite. How’d you know?” He looked amazing.

  “Addie. She took my number from your phone and said that maybe it would soften you up.”

  “Oh.” Somehow that didn’t diminish her happiness over the flower. She had to remind herself that she invited him there for answers. He followed her inside, and she put the flower into a vase and then set it on the mantle. She prayed he wouldn’t notice the smoking candles. “Addie’s such a bitch.”

  “What happened to the candles?” Nick looked around. “Addie said she was lighting them for ambiance.”

  “Oh, God.” Victoria burst into laughter, and the last of her nerves dissipated. “I blew them out. I didn’t know she told you about them.”