Good Girl Gone Wild
When Lust Turns to Passion...
Dominica Dark
Platinum Publishing
Copyright © 2012 Dominica Dark
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Other books by this author on Amazon:
Good and Wild Series
Book II: Taming the Wild
Book III: All Good Things…
Friends then Lovers (Book I of Friends and Lovers)
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Prologue
Present Day
Christine looked up from her coffee, her slow smile spreading as she spied Nick at the foyer of the restaurant. She raised her hand, and he saw her at once. He nodded to the woman at reception and made his way to her table.
She had something new to show him that day, something she had read in a very interesting book. She couldn’t wait to try if it worked as well as they said it did. Her smile turned impish at the thought.
He was about ten feet away when something in his expression caused Christine’s smile to fade. He was looking grim and anxious at the same time. She suddenly knew today was not going to be a good day.
“Hi,” she said, raising her face for his kiss. He did so, but it was a lingering one, quite unlike the usual kiss they reserved for public places. Her forehead puckered as he took his seat.
“Sorry I’m late,” Nick said, signaling a passing waiter for another coffee.
Christine shook her head slightly, indicating it was okay. The waiter came with the coffee, and it was then she noticed that Nick was avoiding direct eye contact. She gazed at him for a moment before saying, “What’s wrong, Nick?”
Nick took his time answering, stirring his coffee and taking a sip. Christine’s sense of foreboding increased. Finally, he looked up, and Christine knew what he was going to say a beat before he said it.
“I can’t see you anymore, Christine.”
Chapter One
Eight months ago
That Friday afternoon began much as usual. Christine was deep into research for an article that was due Monday, and she was completely in the zone. She had no idea that today would change her life forever.
Nick St. Claire had very little doubt that he would regret giving in to Kate’s pleas to come with her to a wedding. The only reason she wanted him along was because she needed a date, and she had just broken off with her long-time boyfriend.
“Please, Nicky,” Kate said in a wheedling tone. “I can’t show up without a date.”
Nick gave his cousin a considering look. She was a beautiful girl, with long auburn hair and a curvy figure that went well with the body-hugging clothes she preferred. She also had green eyes that could flash daggers when she’s mad, or twinkle engagingly when she’s amused. At that moment, she was wearing her pleading look, and Nick felt trapped by cousinly affection. Nevertheless, he tried to wiggle a little harder.
“C’mon, Kate, you can’t seriously expect me to believe you can’t get a date!”
She waggled her fingers in a dismissing gesture, “Oh, sure, but I’m healing right now, and I need family around me,” Kate put dramatic emphasis on these key points, wholly ignoring the rolling-eye exasperation of her favorite cousin, who had been her playmate since they were out of Pampers. She knew she had him; she just needed to push a little bit more. “I’ll owe you,” she offered solemnly.
Nick sighed, and Kate immediately recognized it as assent, causing her to squeal with delight and plant a smacking kiss on his cheek, much to the amusement of the people around them. Nick grunted by way of reply and resigned himself to his fate.
Nick and Kate made an attractive couple, she vibrantly bright, he darkly handsome. There was no indication that they were in any way related, and there had been more than one envious glance thrown Kate’s way among the many women in the café.
It was no wonder. Nick was nearly six feet, and had a great body that was imperfectly concealed by a white sports shirt and straight-cut jeans. He had dark wavy hair that just brushed his collar, an errant lock that he constantly swept from his brow which drew attention to his expressive, dark brown eyes framed by long eyelashes. He had a straight nose and the firm mouth that hinted at a determined disposition largely tempered by good humor. A mouth like that was more apt to smile than frown, but it wasn’t a good idea to cross its owner unnecessarily.
More than one woman had sneaked a peek at his left hand, which was ringless, but that was small comfort what with the red-haired beauty keeping him company. Most had sighed with disappointment and moved on.
Someone who had neither sighed nor moved on was the woman tucked away in a secluded corner of the café, masked from the rest of the patrons by an open laptop and a very large coffee flanking one side as well as the sides of the booth she was in. She did neither because she hadn’t noticed Nick at all.
Very few things caught the attention of the woman tapping lightly but efficiently at her keyboard when she was working. Christine had the ability to filter out all outside stimuli when she was in the zone, save for an absent smile of thanks when the waitress came to replace the empty mug with a new one, and she was deep into it on that particular afternoon. She was a regular at that particular café, and had a running arrangement with the crew to keep her well-supplied with coffee whether she asked for it or not. She had been coming there for two years, ever since she moved into the apartment building next door with her sister Lisa, and the waitresses pretty much knew to check when the mug was getting low on the brew. At the end of the day, she paid up what they told her she’d been served without a murmur.
Nobody thought to ask the attractive twenty-something why she had made the café her ad hoc home office, but the fact was the apartment she lived in was small, and Lisa baked pastries for various coffee shops for a living. One wall was lined with an industrial sized oven and cooler, and by late morning the apartment was very hot, even with all the windows open and she escaped to the café when it became unbearable. Lisa’s business had picked up considerably in the last 6 months and she had started taking in orders for specialty cakes, which meant that at times she would bring in a couple of assistants to help out. Christine found herself leaving the apartment earlier and earlier to escape the mayhem.
Christine also worked from home but as a freelance writer, so her migration to the café was an ideal situation. She had all the coffee she would ever need, with the occasional sandwich thrown in, and relative peace and quiet. But even in her absorbed state, she couldn’t ignore it when Jody, her regular waitress, dumped a very large mugful of hot coffee almost directly onto her laptop.
Christine shrieked, hardly noticing the scalding she got as she scrambled to keep the liquid from frying her lapto
p. She lifted it and turned it upside down, praying fervently as liquid dripped down that she had caught it in time. She vaguely heard Jody saying “Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” while the waitress rapidly pulled a handful of napkins from the dispenser to help mop up the mess. She was also vaguely aware that a man was standing by Jody, seemingly frozen in place. She looked up quickly, not really registering a face but a presence that could have no bearing whatsoever in her life. How wrong she was.
It was otherwise for Nick. An unlucky slick patch of floor tile where a careless patron had spilled some water had caused him to stagger slightly as he came from the bathroom, bumping a passing waitress who was about to deposit a large mug on the farthest alcove hard enough to make her spill most of the coffee. His hand shot out to keep the waitress from falling headlong, but the damage had been done. The resulting shriek brought heads around to the commotion, but after his initial concern, Nick was immediately riveted to the face of the woman who was frantically working to save her laptop from electronic heaven.
He stared, his heart beat seeming to slow down as he took in the smooth brow now slightly puckered in concentration, the delicately arched eyebrows that framed eyes that were hidden by a sweep of ridiculously long eyelashes, the small, straight nose with no hint of freckles, and full lips that were now bowed downwards in anguish. The woman looked up briefly and met his eyes, and his breath caught in his throat. Eyes to drown in, was his first thought, big limpid pools of brown with flecks of gold that seemed to fill his mind.
The whole incident took less than five seconds, but to Nick it seemed to last much longer. With some effort, he pulled himself back from what seemed to be an abyss of possibilities, and interrupted Jody’s flow of profuse apologies to which the woman was nodding in response, saying in a distracted voice that it was okay, the laptop seemed to be okay.
“Excuse me,” Nick said, and both women looked at him. But he had eyes only for the woman in the booth. “I think I’m the one who should be apologizing.” He was amazed at how even his voice was, considering his heart was now thudding hard in his chest.
Christine, her initial concerns allayed as her laptop good-humoredly continued to function normally as she saved her work, found herself looking up at a very handsome man. He looked apologetic, and as he spoke, her eyes dropped to his lips, and found herself wondering what they felt like. Her lips parted slightly in reaction, and her eyes dropped in confusion. What the hell? She asked herself.
“I bumped into the lady here, that’s why she spilled the coffee,” Nick explained, smiling a little at a flustered Jody. “Please, I’ll gladly pay for the damage.”
“What’s happening here?” Teddy, the crew chief, asked, and Jody immediately launched into an explanation. Christine barely heard, absently wiping coffee from her arms and jeans, refusing to look up again as she felt the man’s eyes on her. Look away, please, she pleaded, acutely aware of her carelessly knotted hair, face devoid of makeup and probably shining, and her coffee-stained shirt that had seen better days. She was horrifyingly certain it had a hole in one armpit.
Nick was equally inattentive of the new arrival, watching her slim fingers lightly rubbing her slightly red forearms with table napkins. There was a drop of coffee glistening like an amber bead on one cheek. He thought about licking it off, and felt himself stirring with some wonder.
“Are you okay, Christine?” Teddy asked, and Christine finally looked up, smiling reassuringly. Nick took note, thinking Christine was a beautiful name.
“I’m fine, Ted, it was an accident. No big deal,” she told Jody, risking a quick glance at the man who still stood there. “Don’t worry about it.” She shut down her laptop, and stood up. “I guess I’d better go home and change,” she added ruefully.
“At least let me drive you home,” Nick said, making no attempt to move as she exited the alcove so that Christine found herself wedged between him and the bolted down table, her laptop clutched tightly to her chest. She looked up as she was about 6 inches shorter, and he was so close she had to lean back a little. Christine could smell the aftershave he used and the warmth of his body through her slightly damp jeans, and she noted that his eyes were very dark, almost black. She felt herself wanting to press closer, but resisted the impulse furiously. What are you doing?” she screamed in her head.
She opened her mouth to tell him there was no need, she just lived next door, when Kate came up to them, green eyes agog with curiosity. “Everything okay?”
Christine took one look at the beauty, and her heart sank. Well, so much for that. She eased herself out, and gave Kate a slight smile. “Yes, just a little spilled coffee, that’s all. Don’t worry about it,” she repeated as she made her way to the counter.
Nick had completely forgotten about Kate, who had been waiting for him to get back from the bathroom. He had a whiff of Christine’s flower-scented hair which seemed to have just a hint of cinnamon, and he was savoring the warmth of their near-contact when Kate spoke. He looked around quickly, allowing Christine to sidle past. Damn! he thought, watching her.
“No bill for you today, Christine,” Teddy said, and as she protested, he waved it off like a pesky fly. “The least we can do. See you tomorrow?”
Christine nodded, grinning impishly. She waved to Jody and walked quickly away, gingerly holding her shirt away from her body. She didn’t look back, although she could feel the man’s eyes on her retreating back. She smiled a little sadly as she slipped into her apartment building.
Kate was darting quick glances between Nick and the girl, and a sneaking suspicion entered her mind. She snapped her fingers directly in front of Nick’s nose, and he started.
“Huh?”
“Let’s go,” she said, tugging at his arm. “She was very pretty,” Kate said conversationally, as they stepped out of the café and turned right. Nick nodded his thoughts far away. “Did you get her name?”
“Christine.”
“Did you get her number?” Kate persisted, and this finally snapped Nick out of his reverie.
“How was I supposed to do that?” he asked with unaccustomed asperity. “It wasn’t exactly an auspicious meeting.”
Kate tut-tutted, linking her arm through his. “You’re slipping,” she teased. “The Nick I know could squeeze water from a rock.”
He looked down at his impudent cousin, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Idiot.”
Christine looked down from her third floor apartment, wistfully noting the linked arms, before turning slowly away.
Chapter Two
Lisa hadn’t even noticed the disheveled state of her sister when she walked into the apartment. There was no sign of her assistants today and she was concentrating on piping eighteen cupcakes for a cake tower. But she finished an hour later, and when the cake was safely packed and handed over for delivery, she flopped thankfully on their old sofa and spared a thought for her sibling, who was now curled up in a familiar position in the old armchair nearest the living room window.
“You’re back early,” she observed.
Christine looked up from her book, and shrugged. “I lost momentum,” she said, turning a page. Lisa looked at her speculatively for a while, and then shrugged, stating she was going to take a very loooong shower.
She wasn’t really reading, but Lisa could always tell when something was off, and she didn’t want to talk about him.
She wasn’t sure why it was such a big deal; she wasn’t likely to see him again, and he was clearly taken. But for some reason she wanted to keep this little adventure to herself.
The two Foster sisters were incredibly close, and looked enough alike to be mistaken for twins. Lisa was older by a year, but she was much more gung-ho than Christine, so Christine took on the big sister role. She would often caution Lisa when her impulsiveness threatened to plunge her into trouble, and would often provide a shoulder to cry on when any of Lisa’s many relationships broke down badly, usually about a month after she was sure he was the one.
Her caut
ious and introverted nature kept Christine from meeting people, and the only romantic relationship she had had was in high school, and it wasn’t a happy experience. The boy was nice enough, but inexperienced, and her deflowering was predictably a disaster. It was prom night, and his car was tiny. After some struggle, they managed to get halfway horizontal. He had come very quickly when he finally penetrated her, leaving her feeling dissatisfied, and wondering what all the fuss was about.
The relationship did not survive graduation, and in college where she majored in English literature, she steered clear of the dating scene. It wasn’t that she was averse to intimate relationships; she had gleaned enough information from her friends that with a more knowledgeable (and restrained) partner it could be very pleasant. She just didn’t want any distractions because she was anxious to graduate, and no one came along to tempt her to stray from her course. She and Lisa had a plan to find a place of their own and find work, something their parents supported wholeheartedly.
It went as planned, and Lisa immediately plied her skills as a baker to the neighborhood restaurants and coffee shops. Christine tried teaching for a semester, but found it too stressful. Thanks to the Internet, she found work as a freelance writer and settled happily into a routine.
Lisa lost no time in becoming very socially active, and Christine only had to suffer through single bars and clubs for the first month they were on their own before retiring gracefully in the background. Lisa badgered her relentlessly about going out, but Christine usually managed to get her way and stay home.
That night, Lisa was at her again.
“Aw, come on, Chrissy, I hear this club is really swinging!” Lisa declared wriggling into a tight mini-skirt before donning a silvery halter top and matching high heels. In figure, Christine had fuller breasts and wider hips, but they had the same tiny waist and shapely legs. Christine could wear Lisa’s outfits at a pinch, but seldom did. She wasn’t a prude, but she thought her arms were too flabby and her chest too big for the slinky numbers her sister favored. She also preferred her comfortable flat-heeled slip-ons to the horrors her sister slipped on her dainty feet when she went out.
Good Girl Gone Wild: When Lust Turns to Passion... (Good and Wild) Page 1
