She saw red. “That’s not the car you had when you drove me home from Ryan’s.”
“That was a loaner. I was having my car detailed.” He stretched his arms wide, clearly proud of the old piece of junk he called a classic. “What do you think?”
Shiloh wondered where his surfboard and wetsuit were.
“You don’t expect me to ride in that heap? My hair will be a disaster. I am not, I repeat, not, getting in that car.”
Ten minutes later, Shiloh slumped down in the passenger side, holding her head with her hands. Strands of loose hair blew around her and she fought to keep it plastered in place.
Nicholas sat behind the wheel, whistling a little tune, one she couldn’t quite place, but knew he hummed out of sheer enjoyment over her misery.
He glanced at her. “Okay, where are we going? Back to the igloo?”
Shiloh swung around and glared. “I’m your superior officer, Trent. So you’d better watch your mouth. Don’t think I don’t know what everyone is calling me at DNS, and who started it.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand, and held the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white from the grip.
“Fine. Do you want to go back to your apartment?” There was a hint of controlled anger in his words.
“No, I have to go out to Oak Haven.”
He kept his attention on the road. “Isn’t that a nursing facility?”
“Yes. My father’s there.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Is he elderly?”
Shiloh took in a ragged breath. “He’ll be sixty-four next month.”
“That’s awful young to be in a nursing home, isn’t it?”
“He has Alzheimer’s.”
He glanced her way. “Shit, I had no idea. I, ah—”
Shiloh saw the pity in his eyes, and she didn’t like it. “We don’t need your sympathy, Trent.”
He turned back to the road, the muscles in his jaw visibly jumping. He was furious.
Well good. She was sick of his arrogant attitude and didn’t plan to put up with it much longer. He was a subordinate, and he needed to start acting like one.
By the time they’d pulled into the parking area at Oak Haven, Nick’s jaw ached from clenching it. He’d like to give Shiloh a piece of his mind.
All he’d wanted to say was that he was sorry about her dad. At least now he knew why she had that research file in her trunk. But her father’s disease still didn’t give her the right to be so difficult, though he understood the kind of pressure she must be under with her stressful job and dealing with a sick parent. His mother had always been the picture of health, so it was hard for him to imagine what Shiloh must be feeling.
He parked the car and exited.
“You can wait in the lobby.” Shiloh raced for the front entrance.
Nick’s temper flared. He sprinted to catch up with her. He needed her to understand he was not going to leave her side. This was his job and if anything happened to her, it would be his ass on the line.
When he caught up, he grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. “Listen Miss I’m-the-Boss. I have my job to do and that means being with you every second. Understand?”
Her forehead creased. “I don’t need you to protect me. I can take care of myself.”
“Right, like you did in the parking garage? Oh, and just a tip… You really shouldn’t scrunch up your face like that. It causes wrinkles.”
She growled and stalked away.
Nick followed at a safe distance, whistling the Hall and Oates’ Maneater tune.
They rode the elevator up. Neither spoke. Shiloh’s shoulders were held so tightly he was sure she’d have a tension headache. Headache equals no sex. Keep telling yourself that. Good. To know she had a headache might help later tonight when he was trying to sleep.
Down the hall a dark-haired nurse sat at the station. She smiled as they arrived. Her hair reminded him of Kiley’s. He instantly shook that thought, knowing Vale would punch his lights out if he knew Nick was thinking about her.
Shiloh stopped abruptly in front of him. She took a deep breath then walked into the room. The vulnerability of that simple gesture touched him.
He followed her inside where an older nurse sat in a chair next to a gray-haired man in a railed bed. Nick was instantly taken aback. He appeared so much older than his age, with ruddy, wrinkled skin and sunken eyes. Strange as it was, he looked nothing like Shiloh. She must have taken after her mother.
The old guy’s eyes were open and he lay staring at the ceiling.
Nick’s throat constricted when he saw the pain in Shiloh’s eyes. This man meant everything to her and she was going to lose him. Her personal anguish tugged at his heart.
She walked to the bedside and picked up her father’s hand. “Daddy, it’s Shiloh.”
His face distorted with anger, which confused Nick. This was his daughter.
“Go away. I don’t want you here.”
“Daddy, please.” Shiloh sounded desperate and it worked on Nick’s emotions further.
The man’s attention diverted to Nick, his eyes instantly narrowing to slits. “Who is he?”
Shiloh touched her father’s shoulder, a gesture he instantly shrugged off. “He works with me, Daddy.”
Her father snorted and turned back to Shiloh. “You’re disgusting. Just like your mother. She liked them young, too.”
Tears clouded Shiloh’s eyes and Nick wanted to take her into his arms and comfort her, but he was sure she wouldn’t appreciate that. At least not from him. How could her own father say something so awful to his daughter? That remark had to be the Alzheimer talking, at least Nick hoped so.
Where was Shiloh’s mother? She’d never mentioned her. Hadn’t mentioned her father either. He shrugged. Maybe they were divorced, and her father was still bitter about it.
“He’s had a rough day, Miss Templar.” The nurse sitting in the chair patted Shiloh’s hand.
“He’s been cursing a lot and talking about deception. It’s the dementia, dear. That’s all.”
Shiloh nodded and wiped her eyes.
Nick felt sick inside. She had been dealing with this, then at work she had to put up with Nick and everyone else’s crap… and threats to her life. No wonder she was a little hard to get along with.
“Your mother couldn’t live with her betrayal,” the old man blurted out, then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
“Go home and get some rest, honey. He’ll sleep through the night now.” The nurse rose. “You look like you could use a few hours yourself.”
“Yes, I could. Thanks, Mrs. Craig. I really appreciate you taking such good care of him.”
The woman smiled and guided them to the door.
“You have my number. Call me if you need anything,” Shiloh said.
“I will, dear. Now go home and get some rest.” Mrs. Craig hugged her.
They left the same way they’d come. In silence.
Nick didn’t know what to say, though he was curious about what her father had meant about her mother not being able to live with her betrayal.
He may have to do a little digging to find out about Mrs. Templar. It might give him insight into Shiloh and why she was so cold and detached. Maybe then he could understand what made her tick, though why he cared anything about her, why he felt compelled to find out, was a mystery.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Shiloh held her head under the shower’s heavy stream, trying to wash away the painful words her father had flung at her earlier. He’d become excessively hateful the last few weeks. Which had to be the disease itself, because up until now, he’d been a decent, caring man.
When her mother died, he’d thrown himself into his work and had little time for her. At the time Shiloh knew it was his way to shut out the pain of her mother’s sudden heart attack. Karen Templar had been so young—so beautiful and vibrant. Her death had been a shock to everyone.
Shiloh still missed her.
<
br /> But her father’s hurtful words made her wonder about his love for her mother––and for her. But still, knowing how he used to be, she blamed her father’s illness for the changes in him.
Shiloh never once sensed trouble between her parents over the years. Had she been so wrapped up in her own problems at the time that she’d missed something?
As a teenager everything had been a crisis. She had just discovered boys and their charms, though the years had taught her their appeal was fleeting. Even up until now, she had believed sex was overrated, but when Nicholas entered her life, he’d shattered that illusion. She burned for him, and frankly that scared her.
She was constantly distracted, and no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts always drifted back to him. Whenever she pictured him in her mind, her body tingled, and it took on a life of its own when he was near. Her reactions to him were beyond her control.
Suddenly a thought occurred to her. Maybe if they’d just do it, she could get him out of her system. Hit the sack, then move on. Just one night of incredible sex.
Nicholas’ words from earlier that day came rushing back. ‘You need to keep things strictly professional.’ Did he mean it? Would he refuse her, or could she somehow change his mind? Just for one night. For that time at least, she could forget about everything else that was wrong in her life and finally satisfy this crazy desire her body had for him. Killing two birds with one sexual encounter, so to speak.
She turned off the water. A plan formulated in her mind as she stepped from the shower. She’d romance Nicholas. Wine him. Dine him… then go in for the kill. He wouldn’t know what hit him.
The more she thought about her scheme, the more excited she became.
Grabbing a towel from her bathroom cabinet, she practically skipped into her bedroom closet to find the perfect dress for the seduction of Agent Nicholas Trent.
Quickly, she sorted through her wardrobe. She chose an emerald-colored silk with a low-cut bodice. People had told her the green enhanced her eyes, making them look larger.
Now what to wear underneath.
She walked to her dresser and leafed through her lingerie drawers. She found a black lace bra and a silky thong to match. Perfect. He’d never be able to resist her in this.
Shiloh could imagine Nicholas’ expression when she walked out of the bedroom. She smiled smugly. She was going to get what she wanted from him, then walk away. Oh, yeah.
Once dressed, she picked up her favorite perfume and spritzed it on all the strategic points.
With that done, she called her favorite restaurant and ordered what she thought would be a romantic dinner, adding an order of oysters to start, and chocolate covered strawberries to end the meal.
There was a good bottle of wine in her refrigerator that would go well with the oysters.
Get him drunk, add an aphrodisiac, and meet him in bed. Not a bad idea. Though she’d have to make sure he didn’t drink so much he couldn’t perform—all night if she had her way. To heck with getting any sleep. She needed him awake and hungry for her.
Nick sat on the sofa. He flipped through the stations on the TV, looking for something interesting besides talk and game shows.
Shiloh had been holed up in her bedroom since they’d returned to her apartment. Not once had she even popped out to see if he was still there.
Good.
He didn’t want to see her anyway, though he felt sorry for her after their visit to Oak Haven. Her father was mean, or at least he had been then. Maybe Nick’s presence had riled him, made him say the things he had.
Nick changed the channel, ready to move on again, when a couple started making out on screen. He watched as the man stripped off the woman’s clothes.
His mind drifted back to being with Shiloh in her kitchen. The memory alone made his cock jump. He had to fight this.
Think barbed wire. Think chastity belt. Think chafing.
Better yet, think lush, silky red hair. Ivory skin as soft as the petals of a flower. Think long, sexy legs that could wrap a man in their embrace and keep him there for an eternity…
"What are you watching?" Shiloh asked from behind him.
“Ah…” Nick looked at the screen and saw the couple were now under the sheets, doing the missionary dance. “Sex, I think.” He felt his face heat with shame, and didn’t want to look at her—afraid of the disapproving stare he knew would be there.
“You think? You mean you don’t know?” Her tone was teasing.
Nick looked up and noted the amused sparkle in her eyes. “Well, yeah. I mean. I know… but I… Forget it.”
“I must say, Nicholas, you’re so articulate.”
“Right.” Nick shook his head and turned back to the set, swallowing when he saw the couple had switched positions. He’d always loved a woman that would take charge. Maybe that was why Shiloh fascinated him so much.
“Wine?” Shiloh handed him a glass of Cabernet.
Why was she being so nice to him? What did she want? And why had he been so distracted that he hadn’t even heard her in the kitchen? Uncorking a bottle of wine no less? “I really shouldn’t drink on the job.”
“One glass isn’t going to hurt you,” she said, handing it to him. "Oh, and I ordered dinner. It should be here in about half an hour.”
She came around and sat next to him, crossing her legs.
Nick’s gaze zoomed in on them. The thought of those legs wrapped around him came back, and to cool himself, he took a long swallow of wine. The liquid went down the wrong way and he choked, spraying wine all over his slacks.
She patted his back until the coughing jag quit.
“You all right?” Her face registered concern, which shocked him.
“I’m fine.” He noticed her appearance for the first time since she’d returned to the room. Her green dress was cut so low that the top of her voluptuous breasts practically spilled from the neckline. Her hair was down, flowing in waves around her face, and she’d taken off her glasses. An intoxicating mix of wild flowers and a light musky scent radiated from her body and stirred his to life. Yes, she was definitely up to something.
“What are we having for dinner?” He tried to look at anything other than Shiloh’s overexposed cleavage.
“I thought we’d have rack of lamb with baked potatoes and baby snow peas. Oh, and oysters for an appetizer. Then chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert.”
Nick knew then and there she was trying to seduce him––but why? She’d been fighting their attraction for weeks. Could it be because he’d told her he didn’t want anything but a professional relationship? Was that what brought about the sudden change in her? Was she one of those women who wanted what she couldn’t have? Or maybe she was going to turn him on again, and then go cold as ice.
“You don’t like lamb?” Her remark brought him out of his suspicions.
“No, that’s fine. I’m just wondering why you’re doing all this.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, the sexy dress, the oysters, and strawberries. Being nice when it’s so out of character. Are you trying to get me into bed or something?”
Her face flushed, and she lowered her gaze.
He reached out and tipped her chin up with his hand. “What’s going on, Shiloh?”
A single tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it away, then met his gaze. “I’m tired of being alone. Even an Ice Princess needs affection.”
Nick closed his eyes, feeling like a jerk. This was the first time she’d opened up to him and he didn’t know what to say. He was used to firing back barbs, not trying to comfort her. He’d never done well with emotional women.
Silence weighed heavy in the room, except for the moaning and groaning coming from the TV set. When he was about to say something, the doorbell buzzed.
Shiloh jumped up. “That’s dinner. I’ll get it.” She moved toward the door, grabbing her purse on the way.
He released a breath. What was he going to do? Sleep wi
th her? Wasn’t like he didn’t want to, but it would be going against what he’d promised himself. Strictly professional.
He looked at Shiloh as she paid for their meal. She had a great behind, accentuated by the delicate curves of her back. Exquisite.
He remembered the firmness of her breasts. The sweet taste of her mouth. The hot feel of her touch.
Damn. How was he going to get through this night without ending up in her bed? And then again, did he really want to keep things platonic between them? He was confused, and horny as hell.
Nick contemplated which body part would win out, his brain or his cock.
Turning off the TV, he rose and followed her to the table. He stood a moment behind her, a strong yearning washing over him. At that moment clarity hit him—he just wanted Shiloh.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
With trembling hands, Shiloh carried the food to the table and set several containers down. She couldn’t believe she’d as much as asked Nicholas to sleep with her. How desperate was that?
Well, to hell with him. She didn’t need a man, especially one who didn’t appear to want her.
“Here, let me help.” His voice came from behind her and she jumped back, colliding with his chest.
She was too embarrassed to face him. He was likely gloating. What must he think? She could only imagine. Hard up older woman seeking young buck for night of pity sex. Yeah, that’s about right.
“Do you want to eat now or later?” he whispered next to her ear, and sent a two-twenty jolt down the length of her body.
“Later?” she asked, unsure of what he meant. “After what?”
“After we’ve worked up an appetite.” His lips touched her earlobe, instantly frying a circuit inside her. His hands snaked around her waist and pulled her hard against his chest, igniting a bonfire in the pit of her stomach… one that quickly moved lower.
Shiloh wasn’t sure if this was real, or if she was dreaming. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like an oyster or two first?” she managed to ask with remarkable ease.
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