The Radcliffes

by T. J. Kline

  Alex woke to the sound of metal clanging in her kitchen and the delicious aroma of bacon and coffee wafting into her room. Light poured in from her windows where the drapes had been opened wide, and her gaze fell on the view of the ocean. Usually it brought a sense of satisfaction to Alex, but this morning it made her entire body warm as memories of last night flooded her: Nico rising over her, burying himself within her for the first time. Later, pressing her against the wall between the windows as moonlight bathed the beautiful features of his face in soft light as they came together. Then, tucking her against his chest and tracing patterns over her spine while she fell asleep curled in his embrace.

  She’d never felt this way with a man before. In the past, she’d focused on the progress of the relationship, and she’d always been in charge, calling the shots and deciding how fast or slow the relationship would move.

  But Nico didn’t demand anything of her and didn’t even know who she really was. Instead, he offered her a choice and gave her as much as she wanted to take. Last night, her mind had succumbed to her body and heart. It wasn’t like her. It was as if she had been tossed into the ocean waves outside her window.

  “I hear you up in there. Breakfast will be ready in about five minutes,” he called, his voice husky, making her entire body throb with want again.

  She reached for her phone on the nightstand and realized she’d been too preoccupied last night to remember to take it out of her purse and charge it. Glancing at her clock, the numbers glared back at her, striking a chord of panic.

  She was already almost two hours late for work. Caitlyn must be frantic. She’d probably called the Missing Persons Unit by now. Alex jumped out of the bed and tugged a pair of lounge pants and a T-shirt from her dresser, throwing them on quickly. Hurrying into the living room, she jerked her phone from her purse and plugged it in. As soon as she turned it on, it vibrated wildly with text messages and missed calls.

  “Shit,” she muttered.

  “Trouble?” Nico left the kitchen and made his way to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and dragging her to him before covering her mouth with his.

  Alex melted against him, unable to resist the brush of his lips against hers, or the feel of his heartbeat, strong and steady, or relishing the warm skin beneath her palm. He smelled like sunshine and cinnamon. Her breath caught at the sudden elation she felt in his arms.

  Nico withdrew with a pleased growl, smiling against her lips. “Good morning.”

  Alex sighed happily. She could get used to this sort of start to her day.

  Again, her phone vibrated in her hand. She had to take it, even though she dreaded it. Normally, she ate, slept, and breathed her job, so the feeling was as foreign as the contentment wrapping itself around her heart when she thought about last night with Nico.

  “It’s work,” she murmured.

  “Take your call, but keep it short. Your French toast will be ready in just a minute.”

  Her mouth watered, both from the sweet smells coming from her kitchen and the sight of his bare back and tight rear as he walked away.

  Holy cow, I have to get my hormones under control!

  “Hi, Caitlyn,” she said.

  “Where have you been? I’ve had to cancel two meetings for you already this morning and you weren’t answering your phone. Were you in an accident? Please tell me you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine. I just forgot to plug in my phone when I got back home last night.”

  “Did you forget to come into work, too? Or to call your assistant so she could reschedule your appointments?” Alex pinched the bridge of her nose at Caitlyn’s admonishment.

  “I’m fine,” she repeated, sidestepping Caitlyn’s questions. She tried to ignore the dull thud pulsing behind her eyes. “What’s on the schedule for the rest of today?”

  “You were supposed to meet with your grandmother for lunch—I’m sure you know what she’ll want to talk about—and then you have a meeting with Mr. Barker later today to discuss the Eco-Tech deal and your progress with the clients from yesterday’s meeting.”

  She glanced at Nico in the kitchen as he held up a plate, indicating her breakfast was ready. Alex nodded her acknowledgment, wanting nothing more than to spend the rest of her day getting lost in this man again.

  Where in the world had that thought come from?

  She had work to do, meetings to take. Her business wouldn’t run itself. Spending the day in bed with a stranger—albeit a very sexy, talented stranger—just wasn’t on her schedule for today.

  “Tell my grandmother I’ll meet with her for lunch next week and push my meeting with Barker back until two. I’ll be in as soon as I shower.”

  “Wait, you haven’t even—”

  “Caitlyn, please.” Alex raised a hand to massage her temple. “I’ll be in soon, okay?”

  There was a slight cough on the other end of the line as Caitlyn cleared her throat. Alex knew she’d probably hurt the other woman’s feelings but she didn’t want to get into this now, not with Nico only a few feet away and watching her.

  “Okay. Call me when you’re on your way in. I’ll have them set up the conference room for you and Mr. Barker.”

  “Thank you. I’ll call when I’m leaving.”

  She disconnected the phone and listened to her messages before checking the texts. Then she dropped the phone onto the table. They could all wait. At least until she’d taken a couple aspirin for the raging headache she was quickly developing.

  “Emergency at work?” He slid into the seat next to her at the table.

  Alex shrugged. “No, I’m just late and should have called.” She sipped the coffee and moaned as it slid down her throat. “Did you use my coffee to make this? Because it doesn’t taste this good when I make it.”

  Nico chuckled. “No, I borrowed your car to run to the market a few streets over and grabbed a few things. You don’t cook much, do you?”

  Her stomach rumbled quietly as she cut into the French toast. “I’m never really here except to sleep, shower, and change before heading out again.”

  His brows arched but he refrained from commenting.

  She bit into the sweet bread. “Oh…oh, my! This is…” She closed her eyes, savoring the sugar and cinnamon as the vanilla flavor nearly burst in her mouth. “Amazing.”

  She heard the slight clatter of silverware and opened her eyes to see he’d dropped his fork and was staring at her, his eyes gleaming with hunger. It was the same look she’d seen last night, before he’d made love to her.

  “What?”

  “You’re killing me.”

  “What did I do?”

  Nico simply shook his head as he picked up his fork and went back to eating, leaving her to speculate.

  “You know,” she said, “you should just open your own restaurant and serve just breakfast all day.”

  “Just breakfast?”

  “Well, this is the second time I’ve eaten your breakfast and both meals have been incredible.”

  “You should taste my tiramisu.”

  “I love tiramisu.” She smiled over at him. “If it’s even half as good as this French toast, you’d be a millionaire in no time.”

  “Not sure being a millionaire is likely, but having my own place is the plan.”

  She looked up at him, wanting to know more about the subject he’d barely touched on last night. “Soon?”

  “I hope so. My grandfather owned an Italian place and I grew up cooking with him. I’d like to continue the family tradition but with my own style.”

  “The world will thank you.” She stabbed another bite with her fork, swirling the bread through the maple syrup.

  Nico nodded and grinned as he reached over to wipe a bead of syrup from her lip with his thumb. Alex instantly froze, his touch sending spirals of heat through her and making her clench her legs together to try and deny the desire he so easily woke. As if reading her thoughts, he brought the digit to his own mouth, sucking the sweetness from it, and she bi
t back a moan at the erotic sight.

  Their gazes locked, yearning rising between them, making her forget her breakfast. Her heart pounded in her chest, throat constricting, making it impossible to speak. Finally, Nico cleared his throat.

  “It’s a shame you have to go in to work today. I have a rare day off and I’m not sure I’m ready for this to end.”

  Alex’s breath caught at his admission. She wanted him to stay, to spend more time with her and continue this fantasy beyond one night. But it was time for reality to rear its head. This couldn’t be more than a one-night stand. As wonderful as Nico was, Alex didn’t have room in her life for a relationship and definitely not with a guy like him. She was being honest when she said she was never in her house. Every moment of every day was spent at work, thinking about work, or with her family, usually at one of their charity events.

  It was exhausting spending her every waking moment as a glorified dancing monkey—keeping up the show and making it look good. She had an image to portray, one her brother and sister had chosen to ignore, and Nico didn’t fit the perception people had for a Radcliffe.

  Sadness flooded her, nearly choking her as she rose from the table. “Thank you for breakfast.” Alex’s voice caught. “And for last night, but I have to get ready to go to work. I have meetings this afternoon.”

  Disappointment flashed across Nico’s handsome face as he rose and took both plates to the sink. “I understand. Maybe another time.”

  She stared at his back as he loaded the dishes into the washer and wiped down her granite counters. She reminded herself of all the things she needed to accomplish today, of the meeting she needed to have with Barker about the new investors and the plan for Eco-Tech.

  But her heart ached at the thought of Nico walking out of her house. Last night had been something she’d never done before, and it had been amazing.

  Fallon had been right. She’d spent too much time concentrating on business, and had let the joy in life—the relationships and bonds she’d formed—slip through her fingers in her pursuit to reach the top of the ladder. She might arrive there first, but she would be sitting at the top alone.

  Nico turned, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Mind if I use your shower before I go?”

  “Be my guest,” Alex whispered, wondering how he could still smile and look at her so tenderly in the face of her rejection.

  As Nico left the room, she made a decision. Would one day really hurt anything? Crossing to the table where her phone was charging, she punched in Caitlyn’s number.

  “The AR Group.”

  “Caitlyn, it’s Alex. Cancel all my appointments for today. I’m taking it off.” Alex disconnected the call before she could hear Caitlyn’s questions and second-guess her own decision. It was yet another foreign feeling, but since meeting Nico, she was beginning to like it.

  Chapter 13

  Nico was just about to turn off the shower when he felt two slim arms move around his waist. Alex pressed her cheek against the wall of his back and he felt her relax into him, her sigh reaching into his soul. Without a word, he turned, his hands instinctively reaching for her face, tipping it upward so he could taste her. Sweet like syrup and warm as the water sliding over their bodies.

  It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Not that he was complaining at having a beautiful woman like Alex want him. But it was supposed to be a one-night thing, not the strong connection he could feel building between them, weaving itself tighter with each moment they spent together. She was a woman who was dissatisfied with life, but he wasn’t even sure she realized it yet. He’d seen the misery in her face when she’d been on the phone. He’d seen it in her face when she’d mistaken him for Doug at Eco-Tech. She wasn’t happy.

  And while it shouldn’t, especially since he barely knew her, it made him feel empty to see her upset. He got the feeling that Alex wasn’t just a “poor little rich girl not getting her way.” She was complex and determined. She worked hard, harder than she should’ve had to, and she was still trying to prove something.

  Nico liked her, and even though he knew it would never go any farther than this morning, he wanted to see her smile and wanted to be the one who put that smile there.

  But he didn’t want to make her feel like she had to carry more weight than she already was. Maybe they could just have some fun.

  He slid his hands over her rear, lifting her and pressing her back against the tiled wall of the shower. Her body welcomed him as her legs wrapped around his torso. “I didn’t realize you were into water conservation.”

  Nico licked the water trailing down one side of her neck and she shivered against him. A sweet smile curved her lips and her eyes glinted mischievously. “Oh, it’s one of my favorite causes.”

  “Please tell me I don’t have to go all the way into your bedroom to get what we need.”

  “First drawer on the left side of the sink.” She leaned forward and bit his lower lip gently.

  Nico growled, lowering her as he stepped out of the shower momentarily. “Don’t get too comfortable standing.” He found the condoms and slid one over himself. “I liked you in that position.”

  He slid back into the shower, letting the spray of water pound against his back as he lifted her against the wall again. Alex let her head fall back against the tile, sighing as he buried himself into her.

  “Good, because I sort of like it, too.” Dropping her chin, her face level with his, she looked into his eyes, nearly piercing his soul. “I’m not going in to work today, after all.”

  Nico felt an odd sense of victory. “Then maybe I should slow down a little.”

  “Don’t you dare,” she warned.

  Nico withdrew before plunging into her again, eliciting a gasp. Her nails dug into his shoulders. Together, they chased their pleasure to the pinnacle before letting it crash around them in a shower of bliss.

  Chapter 14

  “So, what would you like to do today?”

  Alex laughed as she pointed at the clock, her chin resting on Nico’s chest. “The day is almost over. It’s nearly six.”

  He frowned slightly, and she understood the feeling. Soon, she would have to say good-bye to him and return to the real world, where she was a high-power executive and he worked for a caterer. Theoretically, their jobs shouldn’t matter, their positions in society shouldn’t come into play, but she knew better. She’d watched the struggles her siblings had faced with their significant others. She didn’t have time for that while she was balancing her career. She had a plan and, as the CEO of the AR Group, she couldn’t risk letting her heart go down a rabbit trail, no matter how great Nico might be.

  He might be The One.

  No, Alex refused to even entertain thoughts of falling that hard for a guy she’d just met. She didn’t believe in love at first sight, insta-attraction, or any other fantasy nonsense. She believed in facts, numbers, and science. Now, if only she could convince her lust-overloaded brain that this was nothing more than an intense physical attraction brought on by pheromones.

  Nico’s dark eyes focused on her face as he played with the tendrils of hair tickling her cheek. “We could do dinner.”

  Alex knew she needed to put a stop to whatever this was before she got any more deeply involved with Nico. The mere thought made her heart ache, squeezing her lungs as she felt the distinctive burn of tears welling. As it was, saying good-bye to him was going to hurt for some time. And the thought of dating anyone else left her feeling hollow. She was going to be searching for a long time to find anyone who could come close to measuring up to him.

  But she wanted more time. Just a few more hours wouldn’t hurt anyone. “We could go to the Mast.”

  She felt him tense beneath her. “Seriously? You do realize that place gets booked up months in advance, right? It has a three-star Michelin rating.”

  “I can get us in,” she assured him, shrugging her shoulder and searching his face. He frowned and she realized he must be worried about pa
ying. “I’ll take care of the bill, don’t worry.”

  Her comment only deepened the frown lines creasing his brow. She wondered what he was thinking, but didn’t ask. There was no reason to dig any deeper, to make letting go any harder. Just as quickly, his stern expression was gone.

  “I’ll tell you what. Come back to my place and let me make you dinner.” She could see the excitement blooming in his face, his eyes practically lighting with an inner flame. He was proud of his skills in the kitchen. “I want to do something special.”

  Logic pounded in her brain. Say no.

  The lust rushing through her, stronger than her own pulse, answered for her. “Okay.” She rose over him. “Show me something special.”

  Chapter 15

  Nico unlocked his front door and held it open for Alex to enter his apartment. It was minuscule when compared to her house. The entire space could have fit in her kitchen but he wasn’t about to apologize for not being as rich as she was. He was comfortable in his space and was saving for his future, and he could take pride in that. He had plans for himself and he was getting there, albeit slowly.

  “Make yourself at home. Would you like a glass of pinot grigio?”

  “Sure.” Alex looked around the room, moving toward the back door that led out to an enclosed block of cement that served as his patio. “How long have you lived here?”

  “A couple of years.” He headed into the kitchen, which was only a few feet away from where she stood. “I got lucky when I first moved here from Oakland.”

  Nico selected the wine and slid it into the freezer, then pulled chicken breasts out of the fridge. Moving easily around his kitchen, he pulled together the ingredients for chicken piccata, his grandfather’s specialty, and went to work. He finished prepping the chicken and pulled the wine out and poured a glass for each of them, stowing a second bottle into the fridge for the meal. He turned to take it to her only to find Alex standing in the doorway, watching him curiously.

  “You really enjoy your work, don’t you?”