Eventually, he shrugged and nodded.
“I’ve never seen an injured animal move so fast,” she said. “But the moment a rabbit popped out of a hole, he was right on it. I ran back inside and…”
“Woke me up,” Nick added, with a frown that made everyone laugh.
“Anyway, Nick took off after Fella, blowing a dog whistle.”
“I knew that whistle would come in handy!” Alison leaned over the table to Summer. “He always carries it,” she said in a stage whisper.
“I ran after them. The whistle caught Fella’s attention when he was at the riverbank. He turned, then he lost his footing and slid on the frosty bank, and slipped into the water.”
There was silence as everyone pictured the scene.
“The current was flowing really fast, and of course, the water was icy…then Nick stripped off his coat, pulled off his boots, and dived in after him.”
“Jeez, that’s crazy,” Evie breathed.
“That’s what I said.”
“Huh, I don’t remember you saying anything,” Nick pulled a face. “You screamed and shouted to wake the dead though.”
“I couldn’t believe it, that’s why.” Summer shook her head, remembering. “I thought for a moment that was the end of both of you. I must admit I was wondering how on earth I’d explain having lost both the patient and the vet.”
A ripple of laughter.
“I mean, can you imagine?”
“There would have been one hell of a call-out charge involved if you’d had to make that call,” Sean said.
“So, what happened next?” Evie was sitting on the edge of her seat.
“She wrapped her leg around a tree stump and pulled both of us out.” Nick held up his glass of wine. “To my savior. To Summer, everyone.”
Everyone lifted their glasses. “To Summer!”
“You must have been freezing,” Evie said. “I bet it was straight home to a hot bath—no, hang on, there was no power…” A smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “How did you warm up?”
Oh crap! She should have seen that one coming. Summer felt her face heat, and knew she must be as red as the marinara sauce on her pasta.
“I had to strip in the kitchen and Summer shoved me under a quilt on the sofa.” Nick smoothed over the next events with admirable aplomb. “Then it was hot tea, hot soup, hot water bottles…” Hot loving.
“Well, thank God you pulled him out,” Sean said. “Life would be very boring without Nick Logan in the world.”
“And you,” Evie reached around behind Summer to swat Nick on the shoulder. “We all know you’ve got an overdeveloped protective instinct when it comes to creatures in trouble,” to Summer, she confided, “he can’t resist helping animals that need him, never could.” Then she directed her attention to Nick again. “You need to put yourself first, boss. You matter too.”
“Damn right.” Sean thumped Nick on the back. “Now I understand why you’re adopting Fella, you’ve got a lot invested in that dog.”
Once the story was told, everyone started to talk amongst themselves. Summer sneaked a peek at Nick. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Thanks to my quick thinking,” he said in a whisper. “I thought I better rescue you when Evie asked how I got warmed up.” He smiled, but there was heat in his eyes, passion banked. “I think we should keep that to ourselves.”
“Oh, definitely.” She compressed her lips to stop smiling.
“I want to talk you into staying with me for a while.”
“You do?” She hadn’t seen that coming. “I don’t need to. Once the power’s back on, the house will be very comfortable.”
“Why be up there, alone, when you could be sharing air with me and Fella?” He leaned close enough so that no-one could overhear. “I’d like you to stay with me.” Close up, she could see the darker flecks of green in his eyes. “Unless Michael is joining you.”
She shook her head. “He isn’t. I just said that…I panicked.” Confessing felt good, felt right. “I didn’t want them to be worried—didn’t want them to know it was over. I’ll tell them in January.”
“So you will be alone.” Everyone was packed so tightly around the table, Nick’s thigh brushed against hers. “I don’t want you to be alone. You don’t even have any decorations up. Or a tree. A house needs a tree.”
“You don’t have a tree either.” She tried to not be so aware of him, but it was impossible. He was so close she could feel the heat radiating from his body. If she leaned sideways a little, her arm would brush against his…
“We could get one tomorrow.” His smile would melt chocolate. It was certainly melting her. “Although bringing a tree into the apartment and persuading Fella not to pee on it might be a challenge.”
She could say no. Stay up in her parents’ house, worried about the future or she could accept his offer. It was a no-brainer. “Okay.” She bit her bottom lip. “Let’s do it.”
*****
Everything between them had changed. Nick felt schizophrenic—outer him was talking, laughing, sharing stories and paying attention to the chatter around the table, while inner him was focused on Summer. His ears were attuned to every sound that she made, every word, every laugh. When she brushed against him reaching for the wine bottle, a sizzle of sensation raced up his arm. He imagined he could pick out her scent above the aromas of Italian food. He tried not to look at her, but kept finding he was.
Because tonight she was coming home with him. In hours, they would be alone. And he didn’t care if she wanted to keep secrets, wouldn’t believe her if she said it was just sex again. He had time to change her mind. Had time to show her different.
She was talking—weaving Summer magic—and the people he worked with every day were captivated. She fitted into his life as easily as Cinderella’s foot fitted into the glass slipper. She didn’t want to tell him anything more about what was happening in her life—didn’t want to talk about Michael or the restaurant, and the compulsion to know had evaporated like flaming brandy over a Christmas pudding.
He could wait.
She’d tell him when she wanted to.
When the meal was over, the group headed out of the restaurant, and in to the club next door.
“We won’t stay long,” Nick told Summer. He wanted nothing more than to take her home—for them to be alone. But the Christmas party was far from over yet, there’d be more drinking, some dancing, before they could call it a night.
“Are you a good dancer?” She grinned. “I don’t remember ever seeing you dance before.”
“In that case, you have probably never seen me dance. I’ve been told my moves are unforgettable.”
“I’d believe that.” Her voice was husky. She glanced at his mouth quickly, then looked away. “I’ve found your moves unforgettable so far.”
He took her arm, and ushered her to their table. The meal had gone on for a couple of hours, and as it was Friday night, there were many people in the club already. The air was warm and stuffy, and the bass of the music thudded through his chest. Everywhere, couples were dancing.
The moment Evie reached the table, she threw down her bag. “Sean. Dance?” Before he had a chance to respond, she’d grabbed his hand and pulled him up to standing.
Sean was no better a dancer than Nick, but he gave it his best shot, waving his arms around doing a half-jog on the spot, a half-shimmy that was impossible not to smile at. Better wait for a slow one.
“Will we?” Summer’s eyes held a trace of mischief.
“Let’s have a drink first.” He handed her the list of cocktails, and waved over a waitress. He’d parked his car at the rear of the restaurant, but had decided on his second glass of red wine, to leave it there overnight and take a cab home.
The waitress took their orders and brought them a couple of cocktails. A creamy concoction—brandy alexander—for her, and a martini for him.
“I really like the people you work with.” She sipped her drink, leaving a
trace of cream on her top lip that he wanted to lick off. “They’re all very open and honest.”
“Yes, they’ll get more honest and open as the evening progresses. Last year, Susan told me all about her marriage problems.” He winced. “In detail. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to listen if I can help, but when it comes to discussing erectile dysfunction...well, I wish she hadn’t shared. Luckily, she’d forgotten all about it by the next day.”
Summer’s mouth stretched in a grimace.
“And Sean told us all about the crush he had on Evie. The crush he spends the rest of the year pretending isn’t there.” He glanced over. The music had shifted to a slow number, and Evie was in Sean’s arms. He probably didn’t even realize he was stroking his hand down her back. Or that once again he was staring into her eyes as if she was the only woman in the world.
“Why?” Summer’s forehead creased. “If he has a crush on her, why doesn’t he ask her out? She obviously likes him.” She stared at the couple slowly rotating on the dance floor. “Look at that smile. She looks as though she’s died and gone to heaven.”
“I don’t know.” He’d suggested to Sean more than once that he take Evie out on a date, but Sean had always brushed off the suggestion. Maybe it was because they only seemed to flirt when they’d both had a few drinks. He’d said he kept his distance because she worked for them, and it wouldn’t be right to date a member of staff, but the real reason… “I think he worries that she might say no.”
“That’s crazy.” Summer sipped her drink. “If he likes her, he should just go for it. I mean, you never know till you try, do you?”
“I guess.” Watching them dance, so right for each other if only one of them would realize it and take it further brought his and Summer’s situation into sharp focus. He too, had hidden his feelings—had spent years waiting on the sidelines for the right moment. And had been too late—she’d moved in with Michael.
He reached for her hand. “Let’s dance.”
Chapter Twelve
They cut in through the crowd of dancers, first swirling around the periphery, then advancing in ever decreasing circles to the center of the dance floor.
The music was loud, too loud to talk easily, so Summer didn’t even try, instead just enjoying the feel of his arms around her, his hand at the curve of her spine. Up close against him, she rested her head against his shoulder and breathed in his familiar scent.
The freedom of being taken at face value was exhilarating. None of Nick’s friends cared if she’d had a relationship fail, none of them cared about the restaurant. They took her as she was—just Summer—conversation had been easy.
They had no expectations—and she didn’t have expectations of them, so there’d been the opportunity to connect one to one, not have to share the things that made her spirits sink, or her gut to roil with worry.
They all had one thing in common—Nick.
And it seemed everyone had a story to share.
She smoothed her hand over his shoulder. His arm tightened in response, Peeking up, she caught his gaze and smiled.
He swirled her around as much as was possible in the tight confines of the space available.
The vet, Alison, had shared a story of the previous winter, when Nick and Sean had trekked out to a farm on the far side of Brookbridge, intent on digging out a number of sheep buried in the deep snow.
Evie told how he’d nursed a half dead chicken back to life after a particularly brutal moult—refusing to give up on the bird, the pet of a friend.
His colleagues admired and liked him. Not because of his achievements, because of who he was inside.
She wrapped her arms tighter around his waist, looked up at him. “Nick?”
He brought his face down close so he could hear. If she angled her head, her mouth could brush across his cheek. If he turned to her at the same moment, their mouths could meet. Warmth bloomed in her chest, spreading outwards.
“How long before we can leave?”
“Do you want to leave?” Awareness was in his eyes. “Are you not having a good time?”
“I’m having a great time.” She gave in to the impulse to press her mouth against his jaw. “I...I just want to be alone with you.”
He moved against her in time to the music, his hipbones pressing against hers. “If we rush off too soon, everyone will know exactly why we’re leaving.” His mouth curved in a smile. “I don’t care if there’s talk, but you might.”
Right now, she couldn’t care if everyone in Brookbridge knew she intended to spend the night in Nick Logan’s arms.
He was hard against her. She pressed her chest into him, feeling her nipples tight inside the material of her bra. “I guess we should wait a while then.”
“An hour should do it.” He smoothed a hand down her back. “If we can wait that long.”
“I guess kissing on the dance floor is out of the question.” Her mood dipped.
His mouth tightened. “If I start to kiss you in full view of everyone, I won’t stop.” In the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by people, it was as if they were alone on an island. Marooned together in a sea of people. “And it would be just my luck for the music to change. I can’t step away from you right now without scandalizing everyone.” He rotated his hips to make his point.
“Maybe we could get some air?” She glanced to the door at the back of the club. As there was no smoking inside, a makeshift area had been set up outside, with outdoor heaters and shelter for the nicotine addicted.
“Good idea.” He danced her to the edge of the dance floor, took her hand, and pushed open the door.
A couple of people sat on chairs, smoking. Nick tugged her to a secluded area at the periphery. The temperature was chilled, but the two large heaters cast out enough heat to stop them from freezing. And her internal temperature was boiling anyway. No-one even glanced in their direction.
“Here.” Nick opened his jacket wide and she snuggled close. He wrapped it around her and brought his mouth to hers.
His kiss was tender—the way his tongue probed her mouth so perfect she couldn’t hold back a sigh. His hands held her face, and something about the way he did that made her heart twist. He kissed her as though he’d wanted to do so for hours. As though it was the most natural thing to do in the world.
No-one had ever kissed her like that before, as though kissing was as vital as breathing. When they pulled apart, her heart was racing and both of them were breathing heavily.
Nick rested his forehead against hers. “There’s no way I can wait an hour.”
She felt the same way. “We’ll have to go back to the table, make our excuses.”
“Give me a minute.” He stepped out into the chill of the tiny yard, away from the heat of the burners. “Stay there. I’ll think about being in the river instead of being in you; that should cool me down.”
He walked across the tiny yard, examining the large planks that formed the back wall of the enclosure. Summer moved closer to the outside heaters, held her hands in a pretense of warming them. The other people there stubbed out their cigarette butts, and the sound of music filled the air as they opened the door to the club.
Nick turned, and walked to her. “Okay, we’re good.” He took her hand. “Let’s make our excuses and get out of here.”
*****
Disadvantages of being a dog owner? Having to put them out when you want to do something else entirely. The moment they entered the flat, Fella was there, limping toward them and wagging his tail. “I better put him out,” Nick said.
“I’ll just freshen up.” With a shy smile, Summer walked off in the direction of the bathroom.
Nick opened the back door, and let the dog into the garden. His breath puffed out in white puffs of vapor in the cold air. The temperature was falling again and the threat of more snow was in the air. They should go back to Summer’s parents’ house in the morning, check that the electricity was back on. Gather up more of her things. She’d only intende
d to stay the night, but he’d promised Declan that she would stay with him until Michael arrived. And as Michael arriving was a fantasy, she would stay with him through Christmas.
He liked being alone—had never felt the need to invite someone to live with him, even short-term, but Summer was different. He liked having her around.
Fella limped back. “Okay, come on in.” He checked that Fella had water. Then the dog settled down in the basket they’d brought from the house on the mountain. The basket that had now become Fella’s. Nick turned off the light, closed the kitchen door, and went in search of Summer.
She wasn’t in the sitting room— and the bathroom door was open, with the light off. He pushed open the door to his bedroom.
She had changed, and was in his bed. The entire scene had domesticity written all over it. For a moment, his insides rioted at the thought, but then she spoke.
“I thought I could be coy, could wait for you in the sitting room, or I could be brazen and just climb in here. This is where I want to be, so I decided to just go for it.” She chewed her bottom lip, and there was indecision in her eyes, nerves. As if he might have changed his mind in the moments standing outside, might have come to his senses.
No chance.
Nick stripped off his clothes. Then walked to the bed, pulled back the cover and slipped between the sheets. “Come here.”
She scooted over. “What’s this?” He examined the overlong tee-shirt she was wearing, her legs bare under it. A large picture of a skull and crossbones graced the front.
“A Christmas present from my brother last year.” She shrugged. “He thinks I still have a thing for pirates.”
The mention of her brother made him hesitate for a microsecond. There would be no going back from tonight. No way he could pretend that nothing had happened between him and his best friend’s sister. They weren’t kids any longer and Declan would have to accept that. He imagined himself in Declan’s shoes, discovering that Declan and his sister Amy had slept together. He wouldn’t be delighted about it, but he’d have to accept it. As long has Declan hadn’t taken advantage of her, as long as it meant more than sex.
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