Touching Lace: Vaughn Series

by Anne Rainey

  “What’s wrong with me that men find it so easy to dump all over me?” Lacey’s question surprised him. She dropped her spoon in her bowl where it made a loud clang then crossed her arms over her chest and continued her angry outburst. “Why can’t I seem to hold a guy’s attention for more than a few pathetic months?”

  First, Nick wanted to shout with glee because she hadn’t loved the idiot. Second, he wanted badly to shake her and rattle some sense into her. She’d damn well held his attention for a lot longer than a few meager months. But he’d only scare her away.

  “You’re not to examine yourself over this guy, Lace.” He dropped his own spoon, pulled her arms apart and entwined their fingers. “There isn’t a damn thing wrong with you. It’s the men you date. They aren’t worth the air you breathe, baby.”

  Lacey only shook her head in denial. “No, Nick, that’s not true. They can’t all be losers.” She gave him a half-smile. “Though I appreciate your undying loyalty.”

  “It’s not loyalty.” She didn’t look convinced, so he changed tactics. “You say it’s you, right?” She shrugged, neither confirming nor denying. “Then explain to me what it is you think is wrong with you.”

  Nick began to stroke his thumb over her wrist and he could feel the quickening of her pulse as it jumped wildly. As if uncomfortable, Lacey took back one of her hands, and he very nearly groaned aloud.

  “It’s a little complicated.”

  Nick frowned. She was keeping something from him. He could always tell. Lacey was never very good at deceit. She gave herself away every time by looking down toward the ground. “Uncomplicate it for me then.”

  She tilted her head. “Is that even a word?”

  “Don’t change the subject. Explain why you think every man you date ends up bored.”

  A pretty bloom of pink filled Lacey’s cheeks at his personal question. Even as close as they were, he was still a guy, thus making such a conversation uncomfortable. This time he wasn’t going to let it slide. Nick wouldn’t allow her to bury her head. Lacey knew him like no one else, which meant she knew deep, meaningful conversations didn’t scare him off the way they did most men. Hell, with Lacey, going deep was a damned pleasure.

  “I don’t think I’m very good in bed. There, is that plain enough for you?”

  Lacey’s words were so rushed Nick would have missed half of what she said if he wasn’t so attuned to her. Luckily, Lacey couldn’t lose an eyelash without him taking notice.

  Of all the reasons for her sudden lack of confidence, that had never once crossed his mind. Now he knew for sure she was picking the wrong men. Lacey’s feisty attitude and easy sensuality would make her nothing short of explosive in bed. Hell, a man would have to be blind not to see the passion and fire that simmered just beneath the surface. It would take years for a man to get bored with a woman like her. Nick suspected she didn’t have a single problem, but how could he prove it to her?

  It was true a sensual and uninhibited woman like Lacey could intimidate someone like Evan. Even cause him to turn to a woman like the overblown and too obvious Christy. The loser probably needed to be in control to stoke his ego. Yep, the guys Lacey chose were clearly wusses. Otherwise, they’d know what to do with the dark-haired beauty who fairly shouted flaming hot sex!

  Her sexual confidence had been shaken and it pissed him off enough to want to pay a little visit to Evan the Dickhead. And that’s when a plan began to form.

  She didn’t think she could heat up the sheets worth a damn. Well, who better to teach her how completely wrong she was than a man she already cared for and trusted? He mentally squashed the little voice in his head, which vigorously shouted to him just how wrong this plan of his could go. Now to convince the stubborn and hardheaded Lacey Vaughn that her good buddy always knew best.

  “Lace, look at me.” He waited for her eyes to meet his. “I think I know how to get you over your silly insecurities.”

  “Believe me, I’m all for any advice you can give me. It’s pretty clear I need help.”

  He pretended to consider her problem then he leaned in closer until he was a mere breath away. He could smell her clean scent; she wasn’t all perfumed like most women he dated. It seemed he never got enough of Lacey’s fresh femininity.

  Very softly, so as not to spook her, he said, “What you need is a healthy dose of sexual confidence.”

  She looked ready to bolt. Oh, Lacey wasn’t shy, not with two rowdy older brothers to learn from, but neither was she comfortable discussing sex so openly.

  “You said yourself you aren’t very…adept at mattress calisthenics,” he said.

  She covered her mouth, chuckling at his description. He loved the way her face lit up just for him. At least he liked to think it was just for him. “What would you say to me giving you a few private lessons?”

  In a rather strangled voice, Lacey asked, “Are you saying what I think you’re saying, Nick?”

  He sighed, beyond frustrated, and growled out, “I don’t think I quite like the skeptical look on your pretty face. Hell, most women find me rather handsome. Even sexy and charming. Yet you look right through me as if I’m sexless. Damn it, Lace. I want you to see me as a man. A man you can’t resist.”

  He pushed their long forgotten cappuccinos aside, grabbed her arms and pulled her until she was half lying on the little table between them then kissed her. It wasn’t a gentle, friendly peck, either, like the kind he usually gave her. This kiss was hard, demanding. A searing meeting of lips meant to drive his point home in the most basic way possible.

  He hadn’t known she would taste so good. He hadn’t been prepared for her. Her mouth was deliciously addicting. This was what he’d been missing in every single one of his other relationships. This was the woman he’d been aching to have.

  Take it slow, he reminded himself. He drew back a little, enjoying Lacey’s moan, but smothered it quickly with another kiss. They were in a coffee shop, and he definitely didn’t want an audience when he gave Lacey a taste of real passion for the first time.

  “Is that clear enough for you?” he asked.

  She couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. Her heart pounded out of her chest and her blood raced through her veins. In the theater, she’d thought it her imagination that Nick might be showing her something besides friendship. She’d stroked his thigh, and he’d groaned. Lacey thought she’d been reading too much into the simple touch, but now she was beginning to see Nick might truly want her. His demanding and possessive kiss had made that crystal clear.

  Lacey met Nick’s stare. He still waited for her answer. “Uh, yeah, I think you made your point.”

  Was that her husky voice? Lacey touched her lips and felt Nick’s warmth lingering there still. Oh my, what would it be like to have him naked? Nick on top of her. Underneath her. Inside her. It was all starting to sound rather exciting. She had a feeling he’d be magnificent. And he did have a point, she did need lessons. But what would happen to their friendship?

  He reached over and took her chin in the palm of his hand. “I’d never hurt you, baby. We could take it as slow and easy as you want. I promise you can trust me, Lacey.” His whisper turned her knees into a weak imitation of Jell-O.

  He sounded so sure, so convincing, but she needed to know where his sudden desire for her was coming from. She sat back, forcing him to drop his hand. “Nick, why do you want to do this? What do you get out of these lessons?”

  It sounded strange, arranging to have private sex lessons with her best friend. Weirder still, not as strange as it should. She was still burning from the kiss. The thought of going further, deeper, was wildly intriguing. He was her friend, and friends didn’t have sex together. It wasn’t to be considered.

  So, why was she so excited?

  Nick looked startled, as if she’d just asked him to stand on his head in the middle of Main Street. Then, with a look that singed her eyelashes and in a voice ripe with lust, he growled out, “Are you kidding me? Damn, Lace, what I get is
you. Haven’t you figured out yet that I want you?”

  As her mind absorbed his shocking words, her body snapped to attention. He’d never given her any indication he was even remotely attracted to her. As she stared at the shape of his mouth and then the hotter than hot look in his anxious eyes, she realized he was well beyond ready to take her home and have his way with her.

  “Yeah, baby, I want you. And you’d better start getting used to the idea, because I want you gloriously naked and all mine. In every way I can think of and for as long as possible.”

  Oh, God. It was all too much. Lacey blinked, dazed and even a little bit afraid, if she was being totally honest. She hadn’t expected to feel anticipation uncurling in the pit of her stomach, but oddly enough she liked the idea of getting down and dirty with Nick. She’d wondered a couple of times, when they’d double dated, what it would be like to have all that feral masculinity focused her way. To have his strong hands touching and stroking her body. His eyes staring at her with dark promise.

  She’d wondered, but it never occurred to her he might have wondered, too. “Nick, what if things don’t turn out so well? I would die if anything hurt our friendship. I care about you too much to let sex ruin that.”

  Nick’s predatory smile sent a shiver of awareness up her spine. “We are two intelligent adults. We can handle this.” Her indecision must have shown on her face because he pushed a little harder. “I want to see you naked. I want to touch you, to taste you…all over.” He lifted his fingers to her neck and stroked her erratic pulse with his thumb. “Christ, just the thought of having my cock inside you, tight and wet, makes me so hard I hurt,” he said gruffly. “Please tell me I’m not the only one feeling this way, baby.”

  Lacey couldn’t think, couldn’t move. A few heated words from Nick and she was on fire. Ready and aching for everything he could give her. Eager to meet his every demand. It had never been this way for her before. Then again, Nick wasn’t just any man. She swallowed convulsively and whispered, “No, you’re not the only one.”

  Nick’s gaze roamed over her, a slow caress. Lacey burned from the inside out. His eyes touched on her breasts. Her breathing grew rapid. Her chest rose and fell. As she sat there, her nipples hardened just for him. A blatant enticement beneath the fabric of her t-shirt.

  “Are you wet for me right now, Lacey?” His tone was gentle.

  “Nick! We shouldn’t be talking like this in public.”

  ’His jaw went rigid. “No more restraints, that’s lesson number one. Let go of your embarrassment. With me, nothing is taboo.”

  She gave that a quick thought then took the plunge. “Yes, Nick, I am wet. And…” she said huskily, “and I want desperately to be alone with you right now.”

  He started to rise from the table, and suddenly her fear of losing him as a friend caused her to reach out and grasp his forearm, just barely stopping him from dragging her out of the diner.

  “But I’m not ready for this. Not so soon. I need some time to consider the ramifications of what you’re proposing. Please understand.”

  Nick plopped back down in the seat, as if defeated. Lacey simply couldn’t take the look of raw need on his face.

  “I’m not saying no. Just…not yet,” she pleaded, gently willing him to understand he was moving too fast.

  For long seconds Nick only stared at her, not saying a word as the tension between them grew. She feared she’d made a grave mistake, but she couldn’t let him overpower her. He had a way of pushing and prodding until he got his way. This time, however, she couldn’t let him win.

  “Okay. I’ll take you home.”

  “Thank you.” Lacey let out a long breath, not entirely sure if she was happy or sad that he’d given in to her wishes. Then he reached over and cupped her chin, forcing her to look up and into his warm brown eyes.

  “I’m not giving up. I’m only giving you some time to get used to the idea.”

  Lacey smiled, a genuine smile of understanding for the man who had been her best friend for the past five years. “I’ve never known you to give up.”

  He winked, and his face turned from serious to fun loving, giving her a glimpse of the man she’d gotten to know in a way she didn’t know another living soul.

  “And just so we’re straight, for the time being you and I are exclusive. That means I’m the only man you’ll call if you feel all hot and horny in the middle of the night.”

  A laugh bubbled up and she felt herself slipping back into the comfort zone she’d grown accustomed to. “You are way too arrogant for your own good, Nick Stone.”

  “Arrogance has nothing to do with it, baby. It’s all about confidence.” ’His voice came out as an erotic whisper. “And I’m confident I’ll win you over. It’s just a matter of time. The clock is already ticking.”

  Nick rose from the table, tossed a few bills down to pay for their drinks and cobbler then held out his hand for Lacey. She looked at it, unsure and even a little bit afraid.

  “Come on, I’ll take you home…so you can think about what I’ve said.”

  Very slowly, Lacey pressed her fingers into his much larger ones, twining them together then smiled up at him. He looked so sweet, so ruggedly handsome, and she became acutely aware of their size difference.

  Lacey had never given it a thought before, but now that their relationship was trekking into new territory and she was so close to being in his bed, it was all she could think of. Would he be so big and hard all over? Would he be a gentle lover, or demanding and wild? Or, even better, both.

  Lacey only hoped she could maintain her distance until she had more time to think. Good God, she was already imagining having sex with him, and she hadn’t even agreed to anything yet. What was wrong with her?

  As he walked ahead of her, pulling her out to his SUV, giving her an enticing glimpse of his perfectly sculpted ass, she knew exactly where her mind had gone. She reminded herself to think over his proposition.

  Chapter Three

  Once they were on their way in Nick’s Black SUV, Lacey took her time looking her fill. She knew what she had always seen when they were friends, but now, seeing Nick as a potential lover, showed her things she had never known were there.

  The hard angles of his face, now cast in the blue light from the dashboard, made him look sinful. His dark hair was in need of a trim as small tendrils kept dropping down onto his forehead. It looked sexily mussed, and Lacey could easily picture him the morning after a long and pleasurable night of loving. She wiggled around in her seat, attempting to squelch her body’s enthusiasm to the carnal image.

  Nick’s skin was darkly tanned from all the time he spent outdoors. He was heavily into sports of all kinds. He and her brother, Merrick, did a lot together on the weekends. He also worked out at her gym. His ripped six-foot two frame was proof that good eating habits and plenty of exercise did indeed do a body good.

  He had perfect, sculpted muscles—not huge, but fit. Her gaze landed on the fly of his jeans and Lacey nearly whimpered.

  He was aroused. Splendidly aroused. God, she hadn’t known he was so big. Even through his jeans, she could tell he was larger than any man she’d ever known. Right under her nose all this time. It made a lady’s heart flutter in awe.

  He turned toward her and she was struck by the primitive grin on his face—as if he could read her every thought. Her face heated furiously.

  “Look all you want, baby,” he whispered dangerously, “but sometime, hopefully soon, it’ll be my turn to look.”

  Dispel the tension, Lacey chanted to herself. They both needed to get things under control or they would be pulling over and having at it on the side of the road. She really wasn’t into voyeurism.

  “Nick, do you believe in magic?” She hadn’t a clue as to where in the world that thought came from. Since the question was out there, though, Lacey had to admit she was a little curious as to what sort of things ran through Nick’s mind. What was he into? What turned him on?

  He cocked h
is head, but never took his eyes off the road. “What, like David Copperfield?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Not smoke and mirrors, but real, everyday magic.” He looked at her and arched a brow as if to say, “Huh?” So, she explained. “For instance, last week when you helped the woman at the grocery get her car started, that was magic.” Nick was such a gentleman, and privately she’d always thought of him as a white knight.

  He scoffed. “No, that was a piece of shit battery.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  Nick frowned. “Then what do you think it was?”

  “I think it was magic. The fact that you were there to help her. She had four kids, what was she going to do?”

  He shrugged, as if not entirely comfortable with the conversation. “I believe in what I can see. You know I have to see it to believe it, Lace.”

  “Yeah? Then what about love? You can’t see it, but you believe in it don’t you?” She knew he did, because he’d once told her he wanted to get married and have kids. He didn’t like the idea of being a bachelor when he was old and gray. Now that she thought about it, she could easily picture Nick with a couple of little squirts running around. He’d make a wonderful father.

  Very softly, he answered, “I believe in love. I’m just not sure what magic has to do with it.”

  “Nick, I’m surprised at you.” She turned in her seat to see him better. “Love is magic in its rawest form.” She lowered her voice, speaking in a near whisper. “A touch that sends your pulse racing, or a look that goes straight to your soul. Those aren’t things you can explain away with chemistry and science. Its magic.”

  Okay, so she was into mystical mumbo-jumbo. He could work that to his advantage.

  And damn she had a sexy voice.

  He took his eyes off the road for a moment and glanced at Lacey. A small part of him believed in what she said. He really wanted to admit the truth. Hell, yes, he believed in love. He’d been in love with her from practically the beginning of their relationship. But Nick knew she wasn’t ready to hear that. The fact she hadn’t yet agreed to his plan was reason enough to hold back on his real feelings. One thing was obvious. Lacey was wound up and excited by the idea of being intimate with him. Nick knew a sense of primal pleasure when he saw the eager delight in the depths of her baby-blues. All her attention was on him tonight. It was enough to send his heart soaring to the heavens.