by Leslie North
While Amanda was concentrating on the peacock, Nick snuck another kiss. Haley smiled against his lips. This, right here. This was the sort of thing that was hard to walk away from.
“You two are a mighty cute couple,” Clara drawled. “And your daughter is as cute as sin.”
Haley straightened, laughing politely, but Nick could tell it was hollow. She ran a thumb over her lip, as if erasing the mark of Nick’s kiss.
“She’s not wrong about those things,” Nick murmured into her ear.
Haley shook her head, studying the distance for a moment. She stepped away from him, putting a few feet between them. When she finally looked back at him, she took a deep breath.
“I didn’t tell you the big news,” she said, a bright smile on her face. But Nick could see through it. He knew what was coming.
“What news?”
“I found you a match.”
He kept himself from groaning. He’d had enough of these matches. Besides, he was looking at his best match right now. “Okay. Is this after the tweaks?”
Haley gave him a rundown of the changes she’d made to his profile and how they had affected his pool and the ensuing results. And out of all the new, potentially lifelong mates at his disposal, Haley had found the perfect one.
“Her name is Anna,” Haley went on as they strolled along the post and rail fence. Amanda traipsed ahead, pausing occasionally to check out cool rocks. “Do you want to see a picture of her?”
His stomach knotted. Maybe he needed to make himself clearer. The only way he could care about Anna was if she changed her name to Haley. And her body to Haley’s. And her personality… “Uh…not really.”
Haley’s face fell. “Why not?”
Nick stopped walking and shoved his hands into his pants pockets. Admitting that he wanted Haley for more than either of them had ever bargained for felt wrong, somehow. Especially with the work dynamic thrown in. He needed to be tactful.
“Haley, I…” He squinted into the distance, noting the burnt orange hues creeping into the horizon. Sunset. “I like hanging out with you.”
Her face hardened. “Yeah. I get it. I mean, I’m having fun with you. But this…” She pointed to the space between them. “This isn’t a thing. You know that, right?”
He didn’t. But she barreled on.
“Besides, I need this app to work. I will match you off if it’s the last thing I do. You probably can’t understand, but…being a woman in tech—” She stopped suddenly, cleared her throat, and then said, “Sorry, as a woman in tech who has taken maternity leave, my career has tanked. It’s not fair, and it’s not right, but that’s the way it is. If this app takes off, I will finally have a foothold in the industry.” She moved away a piece of hair that had blown over her forehead. Her serious gaze collided with his. “I need to succeed. For myself, and for Amanda.”
Nick worked his jaw back and forth as he mulled over her words. He looked for the little girl whose future rested so heavily on Haley’s shoulders. Clara was leading Amanda back to the mini cow, which Amanda was particularly in love with. How could he tell Haley he wasn’t interested in Anna, no matter how pretty she was, after hearing that?
Haley’s gaze bored a hole through him. And with how intently she waited for a reaction from him, he hesitated to push the issue of them much further. This was clearly a do-or-die move for her. One that Nick’s gut told him not to interfere with.
“Well, let’s see Anna then,” he finally said, his voice sticking to his throat. Haley’s whole posture relaxed. Relief radiated off her.
“I promise, you’ll love her!” Haley brought out her phone and swiped through some screens. Nick took the pause to look her over. The glossy black hair pulled back into a braid. The sexy pout of her mouth as she focused on her phone. He wanted her so badly his fingers twitched with the urge to stop her from tracking down Anna.
“Here she is.” Haley swept her eager gaze up to his, and she stopped cold. “Why do you look so upset?”
Her observation startled him. He hadn’t realized he’d been frowning. “I’m not upset. I’m just thinking.”
“Okay.” Haley sent him a look. “So here she is. Check her out. I’ll take your congratulations later, in the form of group emails, a pay raise, and a very large trophy.”
Nick grinned, but it faded as he looked over Anna’s profile. A beautiful blonde smiled back at him—picture perfect, all white teeth and high cheekbones. While he skimmed the profile, Amanda shrieked with laughter and called for her mother. Haley scurried to greet her daughter over by the cow, whose moo sounded more like a donkey.
Dog lover. Rescue Center Philanthropist. Old-timey romantic. Easy-going gal with a big heart.
The more he read about Anna, the deeper his frown went. He saw why Haley thought Anna would be perfect for him. Didn’t mean he wanted to meet her.
Nick looked up. Amanda’s shrieks of happiness wafted through the air as she stuck out a finger for the cow to lick. Haley’s grin was ear to ear, even as she looked back at Nick.
His chest tightened. Those two right there…they could become his everything.
But Haley had drawn the line in the sand.
He forced a smile, trotting over to join them. He handed Haley her phone, and she watched him hopefully.
“Yeah,” he said, ignoring the sinking stone in his stomach. “Set it up.”
12
Somehow, he’d done it again.
Nick had coaxed her out to his house under the pretense of work, and she’d taken the bait like the silly, imbecile fish she was.
Haley whistled to herself as she strutted through the halls of Nick’s house on her way back from the bathroom. This evening, they were hanging out in the sunroom. She’d stay away from his attic lounge at all costs. She knew where things would lead up there. But here? The sunroom, overlooking the rolling yard and lined with very sensible bookshelves, seemed like a wise choice.
“You have great bathrooms,” Haley commented, sitting on the couch facing him. She’d always been herself around him, but even more now that she knew he was about to be married off. She didn’t have to impress him. She hadn’t even shaved in advance of this visit. “Have I ever told you that?”
Nick snorted, crossing his ankles on the ottoman. “Thanks. You’re the first woman to notice my impeccable taste in toilets.”
“A good bathroom really makes or breaks a home. Even your downstairs, throwaway bathroom has lighted mirrors. Now that’s classy.”
He feigned indignation. “How dare you call it ‘throwaway.’”
Haley tossed a throw pillow at him. “All right, Nick. Let’s get down to business. I only have a couple hours before I need to pick up Amanda…and you leave for your date.”
“Right.” Nick sighed, setting aside the tablet he’d been playing around on. “Well, I need to change. First thing is outfit approval, right?”
“Sure thing.”
Nick stood and walked toward the hallway, then paused, turning back toward her. “Are you going to come see or not?”
“Um…” Already, this felt like a trap. “Just come down here and model when you’re ready.”
Nick blinked. “I have a five-thousand-square-foot house. Sit in my bedroom and look when I come out of the walk-in. It’ll be much easier that way.”
She sighed, pushing to standing. “Fine. But no funny business. I can’t wake up at five a.m. in your attic, again, okay?”
Nick sent a dashing smile over his shoulder as he led the way to his bedroom. “Only if you ask nicely.”
Haley clomped up the wooden staircase behind him and smiled to herself. Part of her couldn’t stop fantasizing about the idea of waking up in his attic again at five a.m.—that would be ideal, really—but she silenced that side of her harshly. Nick was hours away from meeting his dream girl. She needed to shut up and accept her fate until the throb of losing Nick wore off. He could never be hers. He would never be hers.
Nick’s bedroom was pure bachelor pa
d. A low king-size bed sat pushed up against one wall. A dark gray comforter covered the bed, which was flanked by black end tables and faced a black dresser. Nick kicked off his work shoes as he headed for the closet, then sent her a severe look.
“No peeking,” he said, then disappeared into the walk-in.
Haley sat back on his bed, trying not to notice how damn comfortable it was. The mattress itself could have been made of angel wings. She sighed, trailing her fingertips over the impossibly smooth comforter.
It sure would be nice to spend a night here…
The door to the walk-in snapped open a moment later. Nick’s head poked out.
“That was fast,” Haley mused.
He opened the closet door completely. A toned, tanned chest shone out at her, the six pack of his abs snagging her attention first. The bulge in his briefs was next. Then the sprinkling of dark hair cascading down his legs.
“Should I wear brown pants or black?”
She wilted, unable to look away from him. Damn him and his tactics. “Nick. You said you were going to be good.”
He scoffed, throwing his arms out to his sides. “I am! I’m just standing here.”
“But you’re almost naked,” she whined.
He smirked. “This is my body. I won’t hide it.”
“Well, you should.” She crossed her arms, finally mustering the strength to look away.
“It’s not like you haven’t seen it before,” he added in a lower voice.
“Yeah. Trying to forget about that, as a matter of fact.”
She jumped when he grabbed her arm a moment later. She gasped, looking up at him. How had he gotten so close so quickly?
“Haley.” His gaze had sharpened to a point. It could practically draw blood. “Let’s quit dancing around the subject.”
She swallowed. “I wasn’t…dancing…”
“I’m half-naked in front of you right now.” As if she needed to be reminded. “Do you want this or not?”
“Yes.” The answer had flown out of her mouth before she could form a thought. She swore internally. “I mean, no. We shouldn’t. You’re about to go on your date!”
He smirked as if she was speaking nonsense. As if she was being as ridiculous as she knew she was.
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” Nick said, stepping forward so that his legs brushed the bed. She had nowhere to go now. All she could do was flop backward and stare at the ceiling, like a petulant teenager. Which she wasn’t above doing. “This is our last chance. If it works out with this woman…” He didn’t need to finish his sentence. She knew what he was getting at.
Haley pinched her eyes shut, making a quick calculation. Fucking her boss moments before he went on hopefully the last date of his bachelorhood was not how she’d planned this evening, but hell. Maybe she needed to run with it. Besides, ignoring her body’s very real reaction to this man for the past week edged closer to torture than anything else.
Maybe one more time would help ease the tension.
That way it could be two-and-done.
“Okay.” Her breath whooshed out of her, and before she could even blink Nick was tugging at her shirt, urging her to nakedness.
“You have to admit,” he murmured, lifting her shirt over her head. “We have chemistry.”
“Yeah.” She hated that she couldn’t even lie to him, much less insert some doubt into her response. “We really do.”
“How do you measure for that on the app?” He jerked her black slacks down, grunting when they popped over her hips.
“You can’t,” she admitted, head lolling back as he skipped kisses up her thighs. “I mean, nobody can predict how two people will just…click. Or not.”
“Mm-hmm.” He tugged at her panty line with his teeth. “I’d say we clicked.”
She rolled her lips inward, fighting the second yeah that threatened to pop from her lips. Nick nuzzled the damp crotch of her panties, and she arched. But she couldn’t fight it. It was true.
“Yeah,” she finally conceded as his hot breath crept beneath the fabric. His soft lips made contact with the tight tip of her clit. A long exhale escaped her. “We definitely clicked.”
Nick tugged her panties down and rolled them off along with her pants. Tossing those aside, he dove back between her legs, taking long, greedy pulls at her clit. A strangled moan wafted past her lips, something strange and unearthly. Desire coiled tight inside her, threatening to burst her cork already.
She’d been desperate for Nick since their last night together, and though she couldn’t say it with words, her body betrayed the sentiment. She was a trembling, dripping mess, tense and expectant and tightly drawn, waiting for more and more and more of him. Nick moaned as he ravished her pussy, slipping two fingers in and out of her impossibly slowly. Just as she teetered on the edge, he pulled back, his mouth glossy.
“Why—” she began.
“Get on your knees.”
She did as she was told, tearing off her bra in the process. Totally nude and ready for him, she rocked back and forth a little on her hands and knees, watching over her shoulder as Nick slid his briefs over his monster cock. Before he joined her, he rummaged for something in his night stand, pulling out a condom.
“I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight,” he murmured, urging her forward on the bed. She complied, and then he was kneeling behind her, the warmth of his abs pressed against ass cheeks, the hot steel of his cock already nudging for entrance.
“Oh my god,” she moaned, resting her forehead against the comforter. “I already can’t take this.”
“I’m that good, huh?” The package tore open. “All I have to do is just sit here and stare at your ass.”
She laughed weakly, gripping the comforter, gathering her strength. He was going to drill into her, and it would be lovely, and she’d come in an instant.
“I won’t last long,” she warned.
“That’s fine.” He rolled the condom over his cock, then dug his fingers into the fleshy mounds of her ass. “I’ll just have to fuck you long enough that you come twice.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but all thoughts disappeared once he popped his fat cockhead inside her. She moaned low as he eased the length of himself inside of her. He filled her slowly. Completely. Exquisitely. She shuddered as he found the last inch of space inside her.
Nick grunted softly, sliding his hands up and down the sides of her thighs, over her ass, up to her hips. Heat prickled through her—the warning signal. He braced her by the hips and drew himself out, then pushed back inside of her. He groaned low and long, as if the act was an extreme effort. And maybe it was—this union felt too good. Too real. It was hard not to unravel instantly.
“Jesus, Nick,” she breathed when he wriggled himself back into her. She tightened her grip on the bedding.
“Yeah,” he said, agreeing with her, though she hadn’t really said anything. The sentiment hung in the air. This feels amazing.
He pulled back and then drilled into her, much more forcefully this time, so hard that a soft oomph escaped her. Nick stilled, buried to the hilt, and when he drew back the next time, he started an intense rhythm. One that immediately brought her to the edge. She white-knuckled the blanket, pinching her eyes shut.
“Fuuuuck,” she said as the pleasure mounted inside her. She hadn’t been lying. Just looking at him pushed her to the edge.
Nick’s breaths came out in short spurts as he rocked against her, his big hands holding her steady at the hips. All she could do was take him in…over and over again…until the orgasm claimed her.
Nick squeezed her ass cheek in one hand, groaning low. It was all she could do to hold on. To draw out the pleasure just a few seconds longer. Nick’s warm lips kissed a damp trail up the knobs of her spine. He stilled, pushing his palms up along her belly until he cupped her heavy breasts.
“I want to come with you,” he whispered into her shoulder. She laughed weakly.
“Then you better hurry.”
Her pussy throbbed with the unmet need. “Because I’ve got about thirty seconds left.”
He pushed himself into her again, resuming a pummeling pace. She moaned, bracing herself as much as she could against the force. It took less than thirty seconds. Suddenly the orgasm was there, thick and hot and spreading, bursting out and over and filling every crevice of her body.
She screamed—literally screamed—and crumpled as the pleasure wracked her body. Nick held her up by the hips, driving into her until his breath turned into a gruff shout, and then he was still, his hips spasming against her.
The two of them collapsed onto the bed. Nick gathered her into his arms, placing lazy kisses along her hairline. She couldn’t even open her eyes.
“Nnnn,” she managed.
“Mm-hmm,” Nick agreed.
She smiled. “Nngh.”
Nick snorted.
A few moments drifted by in sweet silence. Some of her energy came back to her. She opened one eye, peering at him.
“We just had a complete conversation without using any words,” she said.
“Correct.”
She burrowed into his chest. Loving the smell of him, the warmth of his slick skin, the reassuring presence of his biceps wrapped around her. She could never move from this spot, and it would be okay.
More pleasant silence drifted by. When Nick’s phone buzzed from the night stand, he groaned, launching an arm to get it. His breathing stilled as he read it. Something had changed in him—she could feel it.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, looking up at him.
Nick hesitated. “It’s my date.”
Shit, Haley. What are you doing? Emotions stormed through her, regret mixed with sadness, frothing over into embarrassment. She pushed onto her elbows, suddenly wishing she could cover herself up.
“Is everything okay?”
