Telling himself he did this only to save her butt, Nick undressed and stepped in the shower with the beautiful witch. “You don’t play fair, Shel.” He chuckled, reaching for the shower gel and a sponge. “Stand still and we’ll play carwash.”
Engrossed in his job of shampooing her hair and gently washing her face, Nick almost jumped out of his skin when she gripped his cock in her soapy hand.
“Shel.” He couldn’t help his wimpy plea. “Don’t do that if you don’t mean it.”
“I almost fell.”
He groaned and checked out her smile twice, suspicious she wasn’t quite as dopey as she acted. “Well, I have news for you, lady. That isn’t a safety bar.”
She squealed in protest when he switched the water to cold. He laughed and held her tight, soaking in her sweet warmth and the lush tender curves of her body. He liked the way her arms clung to his waist and the way she mouthed his nipple like a kitten bent on a good meal. “Lord have mercy.”
Her next move shot him to the moon. He shuddered helplessly while her hands slithered like two velvet mittens over his butt, fingers pressing and pinching. “Having fun, Shel?” His voice deepened an octave for every degree hotter he became. She didn’t answer, but sucked harder on his nipple. “Okay. Enough.”
He snagged a towel that hung over the shower door and wrapped her in it. Her dreamy gaze flicked over him as if she didn’t give a frig who dried her juicy little body. Damn. He was jealous of himself. His chuckle earned him a soft glance from his houseguest. “Innocent as a lamb,” he grumbled, looking at her with an agonized groan.
“Nick. Are you staying all night?”
“Damn straight, lady.” He made a turban from a towel for her wet hair and patted her rear. “Why? You want me to leave?”
“No. Not until we make love.”
A soft sigh combined with her husky laugh slid from her mouth, over his pounding heart, past the knots of tension in his belly and jumped down to grip his balls.
“You’re not being a nice girl anymore.” He buried his face in the fragrant curve of her neck and nibbled her earlobe. “I’m going to stick your cute ass into bed and get the hell out of your way. Okay?”
She sighed and ran her hand down the crack between his butt cheeks. “I love your big hard rump, Nick. Do you like mine?”
“My rump isn’t the only thing hard right now.”
She had the nerve to laugh.
“I know.”
It was all too much for him to digest. His dick would probably fall off his body in frustration and there she laid it out on a silver platter. No, he wouldn’t screw a woman that didn’t know how much he enjoyed it.
“Get your fine ass into the bedroom, Shel. I’m serious.”
She pouted, and then chortled in her teasing way. “Oh goody, the mean old man is pissed. Bet he wouldn’t give you sex even if he could.” She skipped off to his room and flopped on the bed, spreading her legs like Cleopatra entertaining Anthony. Her hair spread over his pillows like something wild and mysterious. She bent her leg and stroked the creamy length of her inner thigh, working her hand down to touch the delicious looking pale blonde curls between her legs.
Nick stood in the doorway, mentally licking his way up her lovely limbs and gorging on her flower nectar. The beauty on his bed drew him like a magnet, holding him captive.
“Nick.” The queen beckoned her slave. “Lie down with me and I’ll let you touch me.”
His limit of self-denial had been reached. She sighed and crooked her finger, lifting her hips in invitation. Hell with celibacy. He didn’t much like it and his woman waited, warm, wet and…. He leaned over the bed and stared at her flat stomach. It had taken him a while to pinpoint the thing that had changed, but it finally hit him between the eyes.
“Where’s the patch?”
She laughed and flung her arms about his neck, forcing him to fall on top of her. “Forget the patch, my stallion. I need it now.” Her legs twined with his and she fused her mouth to his, plunging her tongue into his mouth, sucking his lips until he caught her face in his hands and managed a rational comment.
“Either you’ve stopped using the patch or you’re on your period.” He couldn’t resist and covered her parted lips in a deep kiss, tasting the sweet perfume of her mouth, and hearing her soft breaths in his ear. She arched her hips up against his convulsing hard-on and smiled at him.
“Neither. It probably washed off in the shower.” Her small hand snaked down to close around his cock and slid back and forth until he captured her wrist.
“Mind if I go check the shower?”
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
He looked into her eyes and hated the lingering signs of sedative that tinted her eyes a spectacular lavender color. She touched him, but drifted light years away in her mind. A knot of emotions churned in his gut, sending a charge of fiery need to every cell of his body, demanding he have sex with the hot number sprawled under him. Nothing in his life had prepared him for the pain of trying to quiet the rage in his balls. But, he wouldn’t take the risk she had stopped using birth control. He pressed his hand to her curly nest and whispered against her lips.
“Lie back, baby, and I’ll give you Nick’s special.”
“Don’t you want sex with me?”
“Sure I do, but you look so damn good, I have to dip my tongue in your honey jar first.”
The temptress opened her legs with no hesitation, locked her fingers in his hair and drew his seeking mouth to her. He tasted the first drop of Shangri-La, the mist that waited for his tongue. The quivering of her thighs pleased Nick, urging him to take what the sweet-tasting beauty wanted to give him. Her exotic scent went straight to his crotch, putting a tremble in his hands as he opened her to expose her blooming clit. He closed his mouth over the delicacy in an erotic kiss.
She arched her back and pumped her hips against his face, gripping his hair in her passion. The pain was worth it to Nick when her moans became gasping demands for more. Catching her butt in his hands to hold her still, he made quick swirls over her throbbing center until she tried to sit up.
“Damn you, Nick. You know how I like it.”
He raised his head to flash a wolfish smile before slowly licking the outside of her pussy. “As you wish, baby.” He knew what she wanted and did her bidding, sliding his tongue over her and deep inside before catching her in his teeth to bite playfully then sucking her into his mouth. He nibbled and nursed while she moved her hips sensuously and laughed with pleasure. Her climax came on a wave of gasping laughs and moans of extreme delight while she clasped her thighs to his face. Her final burst of passion erupted in a laughing sob and dissipated with heavy sighs. For long moments he held her fast to lick the last tremors into his mouth and swallow the pleasure she allowed to spill over to him.
The sound of her sweet sigh and her relaxed pose let him know she had been sated and ready for a nap. He moved off the bed and stood looking down at the lush sexpot that tormented him. She stretched and rolled onto her side, sighing a couple times before her soft snoring took over.
Well, he could be proud of his woman pleasing skills, but his cock stood at attention. He dragged the sheet and comforter up from the foot of the bed and covered her legs. What a fool. Hard as rock when she would have been willing to go at it all night. He’d worried about pleasing the little crook lying on his bed. Why did he worry about getting her pregnant when she obviously didn’t care? What did it matter whether she knew it was him that made her come?
She made a sound of discontent and kicked the comforter away from her feet. Nick couldn’t resist leaning over to kiss her cheek and brush her wild-child hair from her face.
He groaned under the weight of a fresh load of guilt over the lump on her forehead. Sure, it wasn’t huge, but something like that didn’t belong on her sweet little mug. His gut tightened when he got a look at the darkening smudge under her eye. “Jesus. A real mouse.”
Maybe if he didn’t mention it, she wo
uldn’t raise hell. Nick chuckled and shook his head. No matter what he said or did, she would see it differently. Stranger yet the burning desire to cuddle her close and tell her how deeply he loved her. The lonely days and nights that set in the moment their relationship ended hadn’t surprised him. He had expected the unbearable longing to talk with her and sleep with her. And, it didn’t show any signs of going away. He was a miserable man without her, but that couldn’t be changed. In time, somewhere down the road, he would forget her.
“Like hell you will, you pitiful bastard.” He had to get control of his emotions before he found himself on his knees kissing her ass. Moving away from temptation, he worked at not waking her, going so far as to drag a pair of lounge pants from the laundry bag instead of opening the closet to get a fresh pair or turning on another light. A rustling on the bed made him turn his head to look at her. Big mistake. Whether by design or accident, she had pulled a pillow under her hips and her fine ass was elevated up as if it dared him to start something.
He groaned and yanked the comforter from the bed, leaving her the sheet. Christ. He had to be an idiot of the highest order. Still crazy for the woman he had become her eunuch. He should leave her naked as a jaybird, not cover her up. Or made her sleep on the couch.
Sure. Big talk. But, first he had to quit worrying about her and accept the fact they were through. Damn it to hell. No more soft and fuzzy moments with her. It was getting too easy and she had the ability to make him act like a hen-pecked clown. Oh yeah, the sex would have been out-of-this-world hot, but he had his pride. She had zonked out anyway.
* * * *
The sound she had heard hundreds of times, deep melodic tones came from the grandfather clock in the entry hall. Seven in the morning and she lay in Nick’s bed. Alone. The ache in her ribs jolted her memory back to the collision with Nick. She sat up and winced after touching her forehead. Her fingertips pressed against a lump that felt as large as a golf ball.
Where the hell were her clothes? Instinctively, she felt between her legs for telltale signs of having had sex. Nothing more than the usual moist feeling. She was confused. What had she done in those hours that were a blank? “Nick?”
She crawled out of bed and narrowed her eyes against the sunlight pouring in through the balcony doors. A Kimono style bathrobe had been draped over the side chair and she grabbed it to wrap around herself.
She found him in the bathroom, just finishing his shave and looking sensational even through her squinting eyes. He wore a pair of fresh Levi’s and a light blue cotton shirt, which he hadn’t buttoned yet. As usual, he smelled divine. “Nick.”
“Shel.”
Now why did he have that snarl in his voice and a detached expression in his eyes? A sniggle of a memory involving messing around played enticingly in her head. Of course. He had probably wanted sex and she had refused. Being drugged had its advantages at times. She hadn’t humiliated herself evidently. When his gaze finally met hers, she offered a show of gratitude.
“Listen. I want to thank you for…taking care of me.” She reached for his brush and swiped at her storm lashed hair.
“No problem. I had the choice of bringing you here, or let you run wild in the streets.”
Her smug feeling of self-confidence slunk away. “And, what does that mean?”
“Nothing.” He slapped aftershave on his face and eyed her briefly. “Nothing except you were too eager to please and couldn’t be on your own.”
Blood heated by rage pounded in her ears. “You had sex with me? While I slept?”
“Pshaw. You’re the only one that had sex and you sure as hell weren’t asleep.”
“Pervert. I suppose you took pictures, too.”
He flashed a smile. “Sure. Lots of them.”
“I can’t think of a name low enough to call you.”
He touched his fingertip to her shoulder. “How about stopping the show of indignation. Nothing happened that you didn’t want.”
“How about you going to hell?” She held her hand out. “I’ll take the car keys now.”
“You’ll wait until I’m ready to drive you home.” He flicked the sleeve of the robe she wore. “Put my stuff back where you found it.”
She whipped the robe off her shoulders and glared at him. “Gladly, if it gets me away from you any faster.”
She stalked off to his bedroom. Several minutes passed before she yelled at him again.
“I have a black eye!” She stared at her reflection, the puffy eye half closed and startling. He wasn’t going to tell her. How could she have been fool enough to think he cared about her? She yelled at him again. “Where are my clothes?”
“I burned them.”
He seemed to be taking devilish delight in harassing her. That came to an end when she began tossing his neatly placed shoes against the wall.
“Your things are hanging in the wardrobe, your highness.”
His shirt had been buttoned and his pants zipped when he came into the bedroom to watch her pillage the place. He propped himself against the door frame and followed her angry movements. “How fitting. Sunday morning with the little ball and chain. Count your blessings, man. This would be served every day if you had married her.”
“Nick.”
“Yes, dear.”
“I’m ready, smart-ass.”
“Of course, dear.”
She counted to ten and took control of her blazing anger. “What is all the mumbling about?”
“Just testing the waters of the state of bliss called matrimony.”
“Don’t bother.” She was in no mood for his brand of humor. “You’ll never marry. No woman can compete with the love affair you have going on with yourself.”
He nodded in agreement and smiled at her. “Cup of coffee before we go?”
“No thanks.” Why must he stare at her? Oh Lord. Of course he found her disheveled appearance amusing. “If you have any decency left, take me home. That’s all I want from you.”
He looked down at her muddy sneakers and mumbled. “That’s not what you said last night.”
His grin, no matter how fetching, infuriated her. “What did you say?” He made it plain there had been sex. Of what nature she wasn’t sure. Not remembering added fuel to the self-doubt in her mind. “I’m calling a cab. Give me money for the fare.”
He smacked her upturned palm as if she wanted to high five him. “Not on your life. Wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of playing the injured martyr.”
Conversation during the short drive to her apartment had been sparse. Nick insisted she wear a pair of his sunglasses. After catching his grin of amusement, she looked in the mirror and saw her owlish reflection. She whipped the oversized glasses off and stuffed them in the glove box.
The saying there’s no place like home had never been more true for Shelby when he drove into the apartment garage and parked beside her car. She clenched her teeth in resentment when he ran to help her from the car.
“Don’t be a jackass, Nick.” She swung her hand to and fro to avoid him taking it in his. “You can leave now.”
He didn’t answer, apparently interested in her car as he walked slowly around the sporty model. He ran his hand over the trunk and shook his head over the scratches around the door lock.
“How long those been there?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just noticed them yesterday.”
He grabbed her hand and guided her closer to the car. “See, those deep marks had to be made by someone wanting in real bad. Not just a kid with a beer opener.”
She wasn’t expecting his loud reaction. “It could have been that guy I saw in the garage the other night.”
“What guy?” Nick’s booming voice and piercing stare startled her.
She wasn’t expecting his loud reaction. “How do I know? I’m not even sure it was a guy.”
“Did you tell anyone? The police? Alfred, if nobody else for Christ’s sake?”
“Nick.” She wrestled her hand fr
om his grip. “I don’t know that the scratching thing happened here. I do go other places.”
He thumped the window and gave her a sardonic glance. “Yeah, I guess you do go where you want to.” He took her arm despite her scowl. “Come on. You’re supposed to stay out of the sun and rest for a couple days.”
Shelby huffed in retaliation to his forcibly walking her to the elevator. “I know the way to the lobby and Alfred will have a key to let me in.”
Nick snorted over a laugh. “Maybe old Alfred’s the one working your car over. Ever think about that?”
They stepped in the elevator and Nick still held onto her arm. In the warm, close interior of the car, Shelby became intensely aware of his presence, his height and scent. His dark gaze had to be traveling over her at a leisurely pace. Nothing else could have caused the little trail of fire skittering over her breasts and cheeks.
“Shel.” He pulled her close to rock her gently for a moment, then let her go. “I meant it when I apologized about the eye. Okay?”
She wanted to lean against him and bury herself in his embrace, but she wouldn’t. “I accept that, but not the innuendos of consensual sex.”
“What?”
The elevator doors opened. The familiar scene of home rushed in to greet Shelby, and a glance at Nick the determining factor that made her grateful for her own space. He smiled while eyeing her battle-scarred face.
He draped his arm over her shoulders and walked her out of the elevator. “It wasn’t consensual at all. You wanted it, I didn’t.”
“I don’t suppose I’ll ever know the truth.” She shrugged and gasped when pain shot from her waist to her ribcage. She had forgotten her attempt at playing baseball.
Nick turned her away from the curious stare of a woman leading a yapping poodle through the lobby. “Take it easy.” He rubbed her back and offered a final observation to spark her anger. “You’ll just have to wait until those pictures come back from Ditzy Developing.”
Getting the key to her apartment posed yet another ordeal, one Shelby attributed to Nick.
Hot For Nick Page 8
