by Joanne Rock
“You haven’t seen anything yet, Slick.” She wrenched a small silver flask from the depths of her purse and extended it to him as a peace offering. “Care to share a swig with me someplace more quiet? I traded the bourbon for one of Summer’s organic health-food shakes, though I can’t say that it tastes great. But I’ve got an even bigger plan for making the best of a difficult situation and I thought you’d want to be the first to know.”
Nico glanced at the flask and then back to the crowded shore. “No thanks on anything resembling health food. And I don’t think we’re going to find too much privacy out here. The cops will want to talk to you before they leave.”
She took a swig of her new, healthy concoction, ready to share a few things with Nico. She didn’t need her shot of Kentucky courage to face life today. Not with her love for Nico proving a far headier intoxicant.
“Actually, I’m not too concerned with appearances today. How about you?” She tucked away the flask.
Eyes widening, Nico drew her farther down the beach to ensure their voices wouldn’t be overheard. “You know I’m never concerned about appearances. I’m all about laying it all out there, even when it gets me in trouble.”
Lainie took a seat on a vacant lounger bearing the logo from the hotel next door to Club Paradise. Nico lowered himself to sit beside her, his big, beautiful body so strong and solid when she felt vulnerable.
But for the first time, she vowed to use the same drive and determination she’d always applied to her professional life to steer her personal goals. Right now, her main personal goal was the sexy superstud sitting beside her.
“After much consideration, I’ve realized that I want to take a page from your book about saying what I feel.” Deep breaths. Don’t think about possibly looking foolish. Or needy. Or desperate. Just say it.
Nico remained silent, leaving the floor open for her to simply put herself out there.
Deep breaths.
“And I wondered if you would go house hunting with me.” Crap. That’s not what she’d meant to say. She hadn’t even been thinking about house hunting, had she?
Nico looked equally taken aback, but his dark forehead furrowed. “I don’t know, Lainie. Now that the police have caught Paul, you don’t need to put up with my round-the-clock presence anymore.”
Panic streaked through her at the thought of Nico cutting and running now because she couldn’t seem to unglue her tongue.
“That came out wrong,” she blurted. “My thoughts got kind of twisted because I was thinking about how to tell you I love you, and my brain was already leapfrogging ahead to how we could make it work if we tried to be together. I thought since I live at the hotel now, and I really need a home of my own, maybe you’d want to help me pick it out. Because I’m going to try very hard to make you see that I am the right woman for you after all so that one day you’ll want to move in with me. Permanently.”
Double crap. Had she actually said what she’d meant to say somewhere in there?
“That is, I realized today—while Paul was threatening to blow up the hotel and everyone in it—that I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you because I love you.”
There. Her moment of satisfaction at having pushed the words free fizzled as fear took its place. What if he still told her that he had to leave? That he couldn’t be with a woman who needed a shot of bourbon and a death threat to make her see what had been staring her in the face all along?
But then Nico’s hands were on her, pulling her closer. He stroked his thumbs over her cheeks as he gazed into her eyes, his beautiful crooked nose reminding her how sometimes people’s imperfections could be their most endearing qualities. She only hoped he felt the same way since she was a walking mass of imperfections.
“I love you, Lainie.”
The certainty in his voice relieved all those fears and insecurities, chasing away her worries and filling her with hope.
A shadow crossed his face. “I thought I’d lose my mind when I turned around during the filming and you weren’t there. I tried to stick so close to you and the one second I took my eyes off you, you were gone.”
The haunted look in his eyes told her he’d been every bit as worried about her as she’d been about him.
“You told me right from the start I should have left the hotel. If I’d listened to you and let somebody else take charge, none of this would have happened.” After a year of relentless work to make the resort a success, she needed to loosen the reins. “Maybe I should take a little time off this fall. Focus on my personal life for a change.”
Nico’s hand curled around the base of her neck, tilting her head so that she stared up at him. “You mean focus on me, right?”
“I don’t know…” Smiling, she drummed her bright red nails along his shoulder. “Can you think of how we could spend a few free days?” She certainly had some ideas in mind.
“A few days? Try weeks. And yeah, I’ve got a few ideas.” He slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her breathless.
Skin tingling with the need to be touched, the hunger to be held, Lainie drew him down on the lounger with her, their bodies entwined. “Care to give me a sneak preview of those ideas for incentive? A few weeks is a lot of time off, you know.”
His hand slipped underneath her jacket to cup her lace-covered breast. “First, we’re going to work our way through your top five favorite fantasy theme rooms at Club Paradise.”
Desire smoldered through her, chasing away any lingering fears and insecurities. Nico loved her. And now that she’d stopped running from what that meant, she only needed to sit still and enjoy it.
A very heady thought.
“An excellent start to my time off,” she agreed, already thinking which suites she’d want to test out with him. “But what would we do the rest of the time?”
“Well, it’ll take us a little while to find a house. And then it will take us even longer to practice making those babies we both want one day, remember?”
Her heart nearly burst as he circled his hand low over her belly. She had so much to look forward to with this man.
Happy tears filled her eyes and she didn’t even try to hide them. She wanted Nico to know exactly how much he touched her heart.
“Then I think I’ll need a month off at least.” She kissed him with all the love in her heart and all the desire in her body, until she knew they couldn’t possibly continue this on a public beach. “What do you say we start practicing tonight?”
He pulled away from her, an arrogant grin on his face. “My willingness to practice hard won me a place in the NHL. It’s a task I take very seriously.”
Lainie’s heart skipped a beat just looking at him and thinking about the future ahead of them. “One of many reasons I admire you, Slick.”
He straightened her jacket as they sat up on the lounger, careful not to tip over the chair. “You know, I hear a cold day in hell is predicted in the near future.”
Frowning, she tried to figure out what on earth he was talking about. “How do you figure?”
“Because sooner or later, you’re going to have to marry me.” He smoothed a stray hair from her eyes. “I hope you know that.”
Marriage? Funny how the notion didn’t ruffle her feathers anymore. In fact, the thought of Nico standing at the other end of a church aisle from her felt one hundred percent perfect.
“Definitely. Just think, we could have it at the hotel, with a big lobsterfest on the beach afterward.” She tapped her chin as if in deep thought, knowing exactly how to pull his chain. “It could be a wedding and a big publicity event.”
“Maybe I’ll want to use it as a chance to unveil my new hockey camp. I’ve been taking notes about growing a successful business, you know.” He pulled her to her feet and into his arms as the twilight fell around them, the filming down at the beach wrapping up for the day while the police finished their work in the hotel.
“You know what I think?”
“Hmm?” He kissed her neck w
hile they walked back to join the Hollywood crowd cranking up the party on the beach.
“I think we’re going to go down in the record books as a winning team.”
Epilogue
One Month Later…
“GIRLFRIEND, YOU’RE LIVING the high life.” Summer Farnsworth sat in the newly restored Club Paradise kitchen and peered down at the photos of the house Lainie and Nico had purchased earlier that day. “This place is gorgeous.”
Lainie popped the bottle of champagne she and Nico bought after the closing on their house on Palm Island, just off the Miami coast. Nico had needed to make a detour to his downtown hockey rink after the closing, but he’d encouraged her to go celebrate by spending some time at the resort with her girlfriends even though she was still enjoying her month-long leave from Club Paradise.
She and Nico had their own celebration planned for later out on the balcony off the master bedroom.
“Nico likes to swim and boat and do all that water stuff, so he thought a house on one of the islands would be perfect.” Lainie handed the champagne bottle to Brianne while she searched the stemware cart for long-stemmed flutes, her huge diamond solitaire engagement ring winking back at her.
Nico said he chose it because it looked like a fat block of ice. Lainie adored it because its heavy weight was a constant reminder of all the ways he made her feel loved.
Brianne filled the glasses while Lainie passed them to her. “I take it you’re convinced the outlook for Club Paradise is pretty rosy if you’re investing in a property like this one. It’s spectacular, Lainie.”
“Thank you.” When the third glass had been filled, the co-owners of South Beach’s soon-to-be featured-in-a-full-length-film resort raised their glasses. “To a rosy future!”
And as they drank their top-shelf champagne Lainie let herself enjoy the friendship and success achieved without worrying about what tomorrow would bring.
“I anticipate great profits from the resort now that we are up and running at full capacity since The Diva Penthouse has been revamped into a rentable suite.” The look had changed, but the name remained. The updated Diva Penthouse offered specialty, made-to-order amenities, including green-only M&M’s if that’s what a guest requested. “But I never would have gone for this house if Nico hadn’t surprised me by chunking down a big part of the down payment. He had a house on one of the other islands up for sale ever since his hockey contract fell through and he finally sold it.”
Nico sprung the news on her by handing her the paperwork for a bank account with both their names on it—an account with a hefty balance already in place. She didn’t need the financial boost now that Club Paradise was doing so well, but it had been a welcome gesture after the way Robert had taken her every last cent.
But then, every day she discovered new ways Nico was ten times the man her ex could have ever dreamed of being.
“Well, I’ve got something else we might want to toast.” Summer withdrew a yellow envelope from her woven handbag, which was decorated with purple leather fringe. “I got a letter from Giselle today and she asked me to share it with both of you.”
Lainie had a sneaking suspicion what the news would be since she’d talked to Nico’s sister on the phone the night before. It amazed her that the woman who’d once been her sworn enemy—the woman she’d blamed for the dissolution of a crappy marriage—would one day be her sister-in-law. Even more amazing, Lainie felt really happy about that connection. Giselle squealed like a schoolgirl at the news that Nico and Lainie were buying a house together, her reaction as honest and unguarded as Nico’s always were.
Lainie had learned to love that trait in Giselle as much as she adored it in her brother.
Brianne swiped the note from Summer and cast a suspicious look Lainie’s way. “Am I the last to hear good news?”
Summer giggled. “You just need to get out more. The way Aidan keeps you all to himself, people might think you’re one of his personal undercover missions.”
Brianne raised a haughty eyebrow before poking Summer in the ribs. “And that’s a bad thing?”
“That’s a very good thing,” Lainie reminded them, having found out the hard way how rare it was to find true, lasting love. “Considering how hellish the dating world is, I think we’re all very lucky to have found the real deal.”
The kind Brianne had with her unconventional FBI agent. The kind Summer enjoyed with her straitlaced politician. The kind Giselle had discovered with her idealistic journalist.
And, finally, the kind Lainie had managed to unearth for herself with a sexy jock who helped her see there was more to life than appearances.
“Spoken like a newly engaged woman.” Brianne smiled, lifting her glass in Lainie’s direction before she unfolded the note. Scanning Giselle’s letter, she grinned even wider and then read aloud,
“So I haven’t sent out the invitations yet, but I wanted you all to be the first to know that Hugh and I are coming home to South Beach for our wedding.”
They all screamed. Laughed. Poured more champagne and celebrated the news of a wedding, made all the more fun because every last one of them was head over heels in love.
“What’s all the commotion in here?” Nico’s voice boomed through the echoing kitchen, the swinging door closing behind him as he entered. “You all make more racket than my peewee league.”
Lainie smiled, her happiness automatic at the sight of the man who believed in ’til-death-do-us-part as much as her. “You finished up early at the hockey rink.”
“You can afford to do that when you’re the boss.” He flexed that arrogant male chest that appeared to be as much bluster as muscle. “I’ve been trying to tell you that. You ladies work too hard when you should be having a good time.”
“Speaking of good times, have you two set a date yet?” Summer asked, finding a champagne flute for Nico. “Do you have more good news to share with us?”
Nico accepted the drink as he slid an arm around Lainie’s waist. Planted a kiss on her lips. “Not yet, but I’m working on it. Lainie says she needs at least six months to plan a wedding. Who needs six months? I told her I’d get some flowers, round up some friends and—” He stopped as he took in the grinning faces all around him. “Why? Who else has good news?”
Lainie pointed to the note Brianne still held. “Apparently Hugh proposed to your sister.”
A whoop of joy filled the kitchen and resonated off the bare walls as he slapped the countertop so hard their glass flutes rattled. “I told him he needed to make an honest woman out of her. Damn straight they’re getting married.”
Summer crumpled up her cocktail napkin and threw it at him while Brianne folded her arms and shook her head in disgust. “An honest woman?”
Lainie gave him just enough of the diva death stare to make him realize he’d put his foot in his mouth. But she couldn’t put much heat into her glower since Nico’s habit of speaking his mind amused her far more often than it created trouble. She’d never have to wonder where she stood with a man who couldn’t help but share his every thought.
And thankfully, she’d never have to worry about her ex-husband again. Even though his trial hadn’t come up yet, her attorney friends all agreed he wouldn’t be getting away with anything less than life imprisonment after bombing her kitchen and planting two other explosives in the resort, which the police had quickly deactivated.
Paul would be serving time, too, as well as his girlfriend who’d been working in the coffee shop. The local college girl had been Daisy’s roommate one night at the hotel and she’d admitted to stealing a peek at the note Daisy had written about creating an explosive situation at the Club. She’d urged Paul to use a bomb as his scare tactic of choice and then tipped off the police about the list in an effort to finger her friend.
Some friend.
“This was the wrong crowd for that kind of comment, wasn’t it?” Nico pretended to mop up sweat on his forehead. “You know what? Just for that sexist remark I’m going to personall
y see to it that Giselle has her whole extended family around her on her big day. I’ll fly all the Italian relatives over to cheer her on when she says the vows that she doesn’t need to say to make her an honest woman.”
Summer shrugged. “Well, that’s nice and all, but I think you should have to follow her around on her wedding day and make sure her train doesn’t get stepped on.”
“And you need to let her take you on a complete tour of Club Paradise to tell her how proud you are of her contribution to a successful resort,” Brianne added.
Nico’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. But I draw the line at going into the Fun & Games Chamber with my sister. Not going to happen in this lifetime.”
Lainie kissed him, her hands missing him already. “Good enough. Let’s drink to at least one wedding in our future.”
Nico gazed down into her eyes, just long enough to send a shiver of anticipation through her before he lifted his glass. “To the wedding.”
“And to true love,” Summer added, her voice laced with amusement.
Lainie imagined her friend’s giggle was at her expense since Lainie couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from Nico. The man she’d just bought a house with. And, regardless of whether or not they had a wedding planned, he was the man she’d be spending the rest of her life with.
“To true love,” she echoed, sipping her champagne with relish.
Surrounded by her friends and the promise of Nico’s love reflected in his dark eyes, Lainie was convinced the bubbly concoction had never tasted so sweet. But even though sipping champagne with Nico was fun, she couldn’t help but think how cool it would be to share an occasional swig of her grandfather’s homemade Kentucky bourbon with him, too. Possibly while they shared pretzels in bed.
