by Marie Tuhart
“Don’t swear at me.” She crossed her arms over her stomach. “You’re the one who started it.”
“Yes, I did.” He glared at her. His stomach muscles were tight. “And I’m going to finish it, too.”
But he’d do it the right way. He turned and left the trailer before he did something stupid.
The trailer door banged shut, and Nicki slid down onto the floor. Oh God, she’d let him do it again. She’d let him past her defenses, and he’d kissed her. Her lips still tingled and her heart pounded. It was hard to resist Adam when her body responded to him so powerfully.
She had wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms, she’d resisted his dominance. Her fingers traced her mouth. Yep, they were swollen. And she wanted more. More of his kisses. To be in his arms, in his bed. She’d fought against her natural desire for her husband and won. A hollow victory.
Until they worked out what went wrong with their marriage, she didn’t want to move back into a relationship with Adam. There were so many things to discuss—his job, her job, the loss of their child, and his jealousy.
Her stomach clenched at the amount of work. She wasn’t afraid of hard work, but clawing her way up a snow-covered mountain was never in her plans. And that’s what confronting their history was like.
This was all Chris’ fault. She reached up and grabbed her cell phone from the counter, punching in a number. “Chris, you got me into this mess. Get me out!”
****
An hour later, Nicki punched the end button on her cell with a hard push. Chris wouldn’t let her out of her contract no matter how much she begged or pleaded. He told her she was perfect for the part, and to deal with Adam. It wasn’t something she wanted to hear. She wanted Chris to say he’d come up, keep an eye on her, and take care of Adam. But he hadn’t. Chris had thrown the ball back into her court.
The problem was, he was right. She had to find a middle ground with Adam. They could work together. They just had to figure out how. Flopping down on the sofa, she drew her knees up and rested her chin on them.
What had happened to the couple who spent their nights in front of the fire, sharing the events of their latest projects? Holding hands while walking in the park? Quiet intimate dinners? Making love with some kink?
There was more to their relationship than just sex. And even though she’d told herself she only wanted this job for the opportunity, a strictly professional relationship wasn’t in the cards. A connection bound them to each other.
Adam had touched a part of her heart she’d locked away a long time ago. They’d both changed after the loss of their baby. Her heart clenched at the painful memory. Losing their child had changed her entire life, her outlook on any chance of happiness.
After several months of soul-searching, her priorities had changed. The first step to living any other way than a life dominated by old pain was to face the past. Adam and she had never really talked about what happened with the baby, and it was a barrier between them. Also, it was a barrier to her own future. Regardless of whether they could find their way back to each other, they needed to talk about the baby.
But there was more than the loss of their baby. Adam’s jealousy had become a brick wall, separating them. While his jealousy had always been there, now it was a living, breathing entity. There were subtle nuances when they were married. A sullen look on his face, constant clenching of teeth, or pulling her to his side like a possession rather than in affection.
Even with Michael, Adam’s jealousy was there. It was apparent to her, but didn’t seem to be to anyone else. After the love scene today, Adam’s clenched fists told her a lot. He probably wasn’t even aware he did it. So that was another hurtle to get past.
Her stomach somersaulted when she thought of confronting Adam, but it had to be done. Things had changed. Being near Adam had unlocked a chest full of issues and she could no longer pretend even to herself that this was just a job
Tomorrow, she’d talk to him. Maybe they could work something out, because they couldn’t go on as they were.
****
Nicki shivered in the cool morning air as she walked from her trailer to the main house. She paused to stare at the magnificent structure. When she had walked away from Adam six months ago, the house had been just a frame. Now, the green paint of the sleek modern lines gleamed in the morning light. Classic touches warmed the contemporary and made it a home.
She maneuvered her way up the stone walkway to the front entry. Her breath caught in her throat. The stained glass windows were the same ones she’d picked out. What else had Adam kept? Her gaze went to the second level of the house where the master suite would be. A grin formed. The architect had given her a funny look when she’d told him she wanted a seven-foot, double-wide tub. Adam couldn’t help but join her in the tub, and unless they wanted to flood the bathroom, a large tub was a necessity.
A sigh escaped. Why did she keep dwelling on the past? Hadn’t the counselor told her to look to the future instead? She’d been doing just that until this movie. Now, all she could do was think of the past.
Nicki’s took a deep breath. She’d only gone to see the counselor because her best friend, Helen, had insisted. But something must have sunk in, because she was stopping to think about what she was doing rather than rushing in without a plan. She gazed up at the house. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. She turned to leave.
The front door opened.
“Nicki.” Adam’s voice held surprise.
“Good morning.” She faced him, taking in his tousled dark hair, dark blue shirt, and black slacks. “The house looks nice.”
“I paid a fortune to get the house and studios done on time so we could film here in Oregon.” He strode down the steps and held his hand out to her. “Come in and look around.”
The spider said to the fly. The old cliché was fitting. “No, I just…” Why torture her already bruised heart by walking through the house she’d so lovingly planned with him?
“Please.” His soft voice forced her to look at him. Really look. Dark shadows caressed his eyes. But he’d said please. Something he hadn’t done in a very long time.
The one little word melted her resolve. “All right.”
“Great.” A grin transformed his features, chasing away the shadows. He took her hand and led her inside.
The entryway was as she pictured it. The stained glass allowed lots of light, so no dark and gloomy spots. She turned around in a circle when Adam released her hand. The walls were painted in an off-white color and the watercolor paintings…wait a second.
Nicki walked up to the first painting. They’d found these paintings on Venice Beach where the artist would set up there every week, selling his paintings.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Not half as much as you are.” Adam’s hands cupped her shoulders. “Do you remember when we bought the paintings?”
A small laugh escaped her lips. “How could I forget? You haggled with the guy for twenty minutes.”
“Yes.” His breath brushed her hair, and a shiver made its way up her spine. “But it was my beautiful wife, oohing and ahhing over the paintings, that got him to come down in price.”
“Are you trying to flirt with me?”
“Yes.”
His honesty unnerved her. Not that Adam wasn’t honest, but these were the types of conversations they’d never had in their marriage. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“It is.” Adam placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head back until it rested on his shoulder.
“Adam.” She turned her head, and her gaze landed on his scar running from his ear to the side of his cheek. Without thought, she kissed it. He stiffened, but didn’t pull away as he once would have. He’d learned to shut his emotions off at an early age. Was there still hope for them? She didn’t know.
Confusion swamped her. “It’s situations like this that I’ve come to talk to you about.” She lifted her head from his shoulder and her
heart protested.
“I see.” His tone went glacial. “Let’s go into the living room.” He stepped away from her, and Nicki shivered.
“This discussion won’t take long.” She followed him. The room was painted in a nice shade of cocoa, making her feel cozy. Several sofas and chairs were scattered around the room, and a colorful area rug covered the hardwood floor.
“We might as well be comfortable.” He sat down on the sofa and patted the cushion next to him.
Nicki sat in the chair across from him instead. “There’s no reason we can’t get this film finished without us both tearing our hair out.”
“I agree. What do you propose?” He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees.
“I think we should limit our contact outside filming.” She squirmed in the chair. Even with the space between them, the heat from him called out to her.
“Not an option.”
“Adam, it is for the best.”
“When we’re on the set together, I’ll be professional, but don’t imagine for one second that once filming is done for the day I won’t seek you out.”
“Why do you have to make this so difficult?” She wanted to deny the warmth filling her heart at his words.
“If things were easy, we wouldn’t fight for them.” He leaned closer to her. Unable to help herself, Nicki shrank back.
His gaze narrowed. “I want to give our marriage another chance.”
She froze. A reconciliation? Her heart pounded at the thought of having Adam back in her life and giving their marriage another chance. But her stomach clenched in fear. Fear of him walking out on her again. Fear of his unreasonable jealousy. The fear was stronger than her desire for this man.
“I’m not ready to give up on our marriage,” Adam said when she didn’t speak.
“You want to work on our marriage? You walked out on me six months ago.” When she’d needed him the most, needed his comfort and love as she lay in the hospital bed, condemning herself for losing their child.
Her bitterness must have come through in her voice. Adam winced but met her gaze head on. “I let you down, and there’s no excuse for what I did. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get you back into my life.”
“Even if I don’t want you back?” Liar.
“I’ve never let that stop me before. Remember our first date?”
“Oh, God.” Nicki sagged back against the chair.
He’d been persistent from the first date until the day they married. He’d dogged her day after day until she agreed to the first date. Even after, he’d call, send her texts and emails. She’d been under siege from his attention.
“I’m asking for honesty here, Nicki.” He went to his knees in front of her. “Do you want our marriage to work?”
“Yes.” She wouldn’t hesitate. She wanted her marriage to work out. She was already a failure as a mother and didn’t want to fail at her marriage as well.
“Then give me a chance.” He took her hands in his. His skin was cold.
“I don’t know if I can survive if you walk out again.” There was the core issue. If he did walk again, he’d destroy her heart for good. “I need to think.” She pulled her hands from his.
Adam stood, and Nicki rose from the chair. She made it to the doorway before he said, “Don’t run from me.”
“I’m not the one who ran.” She took a deep breath when she stepped outside the house. She turned toward the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The morning was still cool but not freezing. A walk would clear her head, along with the cool breeze. She needed to make a decision and live with the consequences of that decision.
****
“Damn it.” Adam’s voice vibrated through the living room a second after Nicki walked out. He wanted Nicki to talk to him. He had thought if he challenged her, she’d fight with him. At least argue. She’d never backed down from a challenge as she had today.
Had she given up on him? Their marriage? No, he wouldn’t think that way. It was time for him to face his own truths. His marriage meant a lot to him, and so did Nicki. He’d made mistakes in the past, but that was the past. It was time for them to move forward.
Yes, he had walked out on her after the death of their child. He shook his head. At the time, he hadn’t been able to accept his role in the loss. He should have stayed with her. He had failed her when she’d needed him the most. Not very Dom like of him. Instead, he had closed himself off as he always did. He wasn’t proud of it. He wanted to make it up to her; he just had to find a way.
He strode down the hall into his office and picked up the phone. He wasn’t going to let her run. Time to put plan B into action. He’d won her heart the first time by being persistent, and he’d do it again. Failure wasn’t an option.
He wanted his wife back.
Chapter Three
Later that evening, Adam knocked on Nicki’s trailer door. After their short discussion this morning, she arrived on set with a smile. He was hopeful they could talk more tonight without fighting.
He knocked harder. Still no answer. He frowned. They’d finished filming over two hours ago. Was she hiding from him?
Well, he wouldn’t allow it, not for long anyway. Sue in wardrobe had called him earlier, so he might as well go see her then find out where Nicki was hiding.
He turned and sauntered to the large building he had built just for the film. The structure was perfect for filming, a mixture of wood and steel construction. He made his way through several spacious rooms to the back where wardrobe was.
He spied Michael pacing in small circles just outside the changing area of wardrobe.
“Come on, Nicki,” Michael said.
So this was where she was hiding. He should have guessed this is where she’d be. Nicki had a talent for costume designing, and there was nothing more she liked than being around the racks of clothes and bolts of cloth.
“Just a second,” she called out.
What were Michael and Nicki doing together? He kept to the shadows but had a clear view of Michael. His breath caught in his throat when she stepped out from behind the changing screen in a stunning, emerald-green dress. The bare skin on her shoulders and chest made his fingers itch to touch her.
“Can you do up the zipper?” Her back was turned to Michael.
“Sure.” Michael touched the small of her back to hold the bottom in place as he zipped her up.
The little green-eyed monster hit Adam square in the solar plexus. Someone other than him was touching his wife.
“Thanks. What do you think?” She whirled around, causing the skirt to flare. A smile was on her face.
“Fantastic. But I don’t understand why you wanted to try it on.”
She let out a husky laugh, and Adam’s gut clenched tighter. “It’s one of my designs. I never got a chance to see it.”
“Damn, you’re a talented woman.” Michael’s hands rested on her shoulders, and Adam couldn’t hold still any longer.
“You look incredible.” He stepped out of the shadows. His gaze scanned her from head to toe. Her cheeks were pink. “You should have been cast as Mariah instead of Samantha Collins.” Was that his hoarse voice?
His wife was so beautiful, and he meant every word he said. Samantha Collins had nothing on Nicki except she’d sleep her way to any part. Something he knew Nicki would never do.
“Adam…” She took a step back from Michael. “Thank you.” Her breathing was rapid, her eyes wide and bright.
“Actually, you’re gorgeous.” His gaze went from Michael to his wife. Would he take the hint to leave?
“I…I have to go call Kelsey.” Michael leaned over. “He’s all yours, sweetheart.” He brushed a kiss over her forehead before turning and leaving.
Adam’s hands curled into fists, but he held his spot until Michael walked away, then he marched over to Nicki. God, his wife was beautiful. His hands framed her waist, and a tiny shiver shook her body. He frowned. Had she lost weight? He hadn’t realized how small her waist wa
s now.
“Where’s Sue?” Her voice was somewhat breathless, and he liked the idea he could steal it with his touch.
His erection grew in the confines of his jeans. It had been a long six months, and he wanted to end the dry spell, but only with his wife.
She gazed up at him with those deep, deep blue eyes of hers. Eyes he could drown in, eyes he didn’t want to look away from. Her hands rested against his forearms, creating a fire to flare within him. She voluntarily touched him. His heart swelled. His dominant side raged at him for not taking better care of her.
“I have no idea.” He needed to taste her lips, so he pulled her closer.
“I’d better change.” She tried to pull out of his embrace.
“No.” His hold tightened. He couldn’t let her go, not yet. Not until he tasted those soft, pink lips.
“I shouldn’t have…”
“Shh.” He lowered his head.
She opened her mouth, but any protest was lost against the pressure of his mouth on hers. His tongue traced her lips before plunging inside. Her tongue touched his, and anticipation flowed through his veins. She was responding to him, kissing him back.
Adam deepened the kiss as their tongues began dueling with each other. Satisfaction flowed through his veins when her arms curled around his neck, pulling him down to her. He enfolded her into his embrace, his palms cupping her ass. His arousal, hot and hard, pressed against her soft stomach.
This was his wife. This was the woman he wanted more than life itself. He needed her to see it.
“Nicki.” Sue’s voice shattered the warm cocoon surrounding them. Nicki tore her lips from his.
“Please, let me go.” Passion flared in her eyes. She wouldn’t want anyone to find them in a compromising position, but he didn’t care. She was his wife.
His fingers skimmed up her back, to her shoulders, down her arms until he could capture her hands in his. “It’s not over between us.” His voice low and seductive.
“Oh, don’t you look fantastic,” Sue said, walking over to them, not at all fazed by seeing Nicki in his arms.
While the crew was aware of their marriage, they also were aware he kept his private life separate from his professional life. But maybe it was time for a change. He was proud of Nicki, both as his wife and an actress, and maybe it was time he let the world know it.
