by Dahlia Rose
“Hello, Nina.”
The way he said her name made her shiver. Damn it! He sounded too sexy with that accent, which could be described as smooth as an aged barrel of rum.
“Mac, stop sending flowers to my place of work,” she said firmly.
“Not until you accept my apology,” Mac answered.
“I won’t be doing that,” she replied.
“Why not?”
She pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it incredulously for a moment before placing it back against her ear and continuing. “You cannot be that daft. You act the fool in public and now want me to forgive you by using text and flowers? No sir, you want to apologize, you do it in person or not at all.”
“Luckily, I’m right here to do exactly that,” he said as he sat down beside her.
She made a small sound of surprise. “Christ Almighty, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
Mac smiled. “You said apologize in person.”
“And I assumed you were nowhere near here,” she pointed out. “What are you doing here, by the way?”
“I was coming to see you when you called,” Mac explained. “I get it. I was a complete ass, and I am sorry. I came to throw myself on my sword at the nursing desk. Then as I lay on the ground with my heart in my hand as an offering, I was then going to ask you to allow me to be your escort to Zeva’s and Jasper’s holiday gala tomorrow night at the manor.”
“First, that sounds morbid and dramatic; second, I accept your heartfelt apology,” Nina brushed a piece of lint of the lapel of his tweed double-breasted jacket. “Third, I would love you to escort me, and lastly, don’t ever do anything you said on my ward or I’ll have you carted off to the psych ward.”
A rich, deep laugh escaped him, and she was delighted at the sound. “Well then, let’s keep me of out a straightjacket, shall we?”
“Sounds good to me,” she answered. “I need to get back to work, so I’ll see you tomorrow night?”
“How about a kiss then to seal the deal?” Mac said with a wicked grin.
She shook her head. “What did I say about my place of work? No saucy stuff.”
“No, you said not to send flowers,” he pointed out. “A small kiss, or I feel the urge to fall on my sword again.”
Nina rolled her eyes and put her hand on his chest before leaning over to press her lips against his. She could feel the texture of his dark blue jacket under her fingers as she gave him a second kiss—well, just because.
“There, are you happy now?” she asked huskily.
“Not by a long shot, but it will have to do.” His eyes were intense with desire. “Get on back to work before I go into cardiac arrest from wanting you.”
“That’s not how that works,” she teased.
“Off with you, woman.” He pointed at the stairs leading up to the wards.
With a laugh she got up and impulsively bent over to place a quick peck on his lips once more before running up the stairs. She looked back to see him watching her, and with a small wave he walked out the door. The mood of her day definitely improved after that; she hummed Christmas tunes while she worked with her patients and that in turn caused her to smile. By the end of the day, she'd even decided to take a few of the potted poinsettia and candy cane plants home to her own small apartment.
It was while she pushed her a small cart with her plants home that evening that she met a person who made her uncomfortable. On the streets it was getting darker as time ticked by. Nina walked home with plans to drop off her bags and packages before heading back out to find a dress. Of course, she had been invited by Zeva; the elegant invitation had been delivered by courier that week. But now that she was being escorted by Mac, a new dress was in order rather than using something in her closet. Being budget-conscious she had a little reserve cash she could splurge with. The lights of a car behind her illuminated the concrete path in front of her.
Expecting it to go by, she didn’t change her pace until it slowed, and she heard the sound of an automatic window being rolled down. Turning her head, Nina spied a man in the back seat who made her heart lurch in her chest. If there was anyone who could be considered a predator by features alone, it would be this man. His thick neck and thuggish face had a cold brutality to it even as he smiled. His white teeth were akin to a shark before it attacked, and his face had been in one too many fights. Under the light of the streetlamp, her assessment was proving correct. She could see a purplish bruise on his face that was in the process of healing.
“Why, hello there—fancy a ride?” His voice was smooth, but as her mother always pointed out, so was the belly of a snake.
“I don’t make it a habit of taking rides from strangers,” Nina answered firmly and continued to walk.
“I’m a friend of Mackie or as you call him Mac, so we know each other by default,” he said and held his hand out the window as his driver moved slowly to match her pace. “I’m Trevor Bouchey.”
She didn’t extend her hand and kept her cool. “Since I hardly know either of you, I guess you are still a stranger.”
“You are a saucy bit,” he laughed.
Nina sighed. “What do you want?”
“Just being friendly,” he answered. “It would be wise for you to do the same; you may need friends like me when Mackie jets back to the United States.”
“I think I’ll manage just fine,” she replied but quickened her steps.
“Where is old Mackie anyway? Out with the Duke and his Lordship while you walk home alone?” His tone began to display a deadly edge. “That could be dangerous; I could have accidentally swerved and hit you on the sidewalk and no one would know a thing.”
“Then it'd be a hit-and-run, and you’d be in jail,” Nina refused to show fear even as her insides trembled. “Let’s wrap this up, shall we? I don’t want your friendship, no earthly idea where your Mackie is, I can walk home alone, and if you try veiled threats with me one more time, I will start screaming so shrilly even dogs will hear me clear across this town. Now run along Mr. Bouchey. I just got off work, and I have no time or inclination to do this with you. Have a good evening.”
“I like you a lot, saucy bit,” Bouchey inclined his head. “G’night, Nurse Nina.”
She watched as the window rolled up and his car pulled away slowly before merging right and going around a corner. It was only then that Nina blew off the breath of fear to inhale a deep, cleansing gulp of air. That man scared her, and it was obvious he was no friend of Mac's. The last person she'd heard call him Mackie had gotten boxed upside the head a few nights ago. She wondered if she should tell Mac or Haile and decided to keep the incident to herself. She understood better now why Mac was the way he was, why the instinct to fight was his first reaction. If he grew up with people like that, then he'd fought for every step he'd taken. Mac had needed to revert to his primal instincts to survive men like Trevor Bouchey. God, she hoped she never had to interact with the man again.
* * * *
Nina preferred to wait for Mac outside of the pub even though it was chilly. It wasn’t like it was open because many people from the town and regulars had been invited to the manor house for the party. There were heated tents set up outside, and one was a fully catered buffet hall—or at least that was the gossip she'd heard. Having Mac in her tiny flat made her a little nervous, not because she was scared of him, but because she didn’t think they would leave. She'd had a fierce attraction to the man and if the fantasy-like dreams were anything like reality, then being alone in close quarters would leave her hot, sweaty, and begging for more.
Nina fanned herself just thinking about the sex dream she'd had the night before. Mac’s rental car came slowly around the corner and up the cobbled street that was one of the features of the historic part of Northumberland where the pub was situated. The street went from asphalt to stone, and you could hear the change in the texture under the wheels as Mac came to a stop.
When he stepped from the car, Nina had to stop
her mouth from falling open, then from licking her lips. Mac looked simply delicious in the black tux he wore. The bow tie was black with gold stripes in the fabric that matched the cuff links that caught the reflection of the streetlight when he lifted his hand. His shoes were polished until they caught the reflection of the streetlight, and his broad shoulders only seemed to enhance the cut and fit of his suit.
“You look amazing in red,” he said in approval.
Nina went with an elegant, red long-sleeve dress that ended in a fishtail ruffle just below her knee. The back was cut low, showing off a large expanse of chocolate skin, and she’d pinned her hair up, leaving two thick tendrils to frame her face. There was a simple gold locket on a thin chain at her neck and studded earrings in her pierced ears. The look in Mac’s eyes told her that he appreciated how the dress hugged her curves and her overall look.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she replied. “I think I’ve only seen you in a dark T-shirt, jeans, and that rough tweed jacket.”
“Are you speaking ill of my favorite piece of clothing?” Mac teased.
“By no means.” She laughed. “You cleaned up well, Mackenzie Black, really well.”
“Glad you approve,” Mack leaned to whisper in her ear as he opened the passenger door. His breath on her ear made Nina shiver.
Their drive to the manor house was done with him holding her hand. As Mac parked, she focused on and was delighted by the amazing job Zeva had done for her gala. Angel lights hung from bare tree limbs and were twined through bushes and shrubs. There was a canopy leading to the front door of the manor that was made of garland, bells, and lights. Holiday music was being played by a live band on an outdoor stage that graced one corner of the landscaped front yard. Heaters and a metal fire pit were set up so guests could stay warm, and the outside fireplace that Jasper and Haile had built that summer was lit merrily while stockings were hung on the brick mantelpiece. Jasper and Zeva greeted their guests under the canopy.
Zeva smiled and held out her hands to Nina. “You look gorgeous; I would kill for curves like that.
Nina looked at her statuesque friend who was dressed in a champagne-colored dress. Over her shoulder Zeva wore the tartan of Jasper’s family name, McTavish, while her husband wore the elegant Scottish dinner coat and kilt ensemble of his family. Nina thought they looked utterly fantastic.
“If you want to give me a few inches in height, we could trade,” Nina kissed her cheek and then gave Jasper a hug. “You two put everyone here to shame.”
“Hey now, we don’t look too shabby either,” Mac protested.
“Mari and I are rather dapper, if I do say so myself,” Haile’s voice came from behind them.
Nina turned, and he was in his own tux that had his family coat of arms embroidered on the lapel. Mari wore a turquoise cocktail dress that matched the colors in Haile’s family crest. She was pale but smiled brightly being around her friends.
“Let’s just call it and say we are three dashing couples,” Mari said. “I almost didn’t come tonight, but some hot tea and a few ginger snaps settled this evening's morning sickness. Which is the biggest oxymoron ever.”
“I’m sorry, mine was a blessed few short weeks of hell,” Zeva rubbed her shoulder sympathetically. “I’m glad you came, but whenever this becomes too much, we won’t be offended if you go home early. There’s always upstairs if you need to lie down.”
“We’re playing it by ear,” Haile said and kissed his wife’s hand.
Nina took Mari's hand and placed her fingers at her wrist to check her pulse. It was strong and sometimes it had a little miss in step, which in nursing and alternative medicines was called a slippery pulse—common to pregnant women. Nina could only describe it as rolling marbles around in a saucer using your fingertips. It reflects the abundance of blood now that Mari was pregnant, and her body was now the life source for two.
“Nice and strong,” Nina said with a smile. “But if this intense nausea keeps up, I need you to come in and see your doctor for medication. You don’t have to suffer and be miserable. It won’t take all the nausea away, but it will help until you hit the second trimester.”
“Thank you, I will definitely be doing that on Monday,” Mari said gratefully.
“Hey mate, I’m sorry about the festival,” Mac said to Haile and held out his hand.
Haile ignored it and grabbed him in a hug before thumping him on the back a little harder than expected. “Already forgotten, we’re brothers . . . all three of us.”
“Aren’t they sweet,” Zeva teased.
“All they need is those school uniforms with the shorts and the knee-high socks. . . .” Mari picked up where Zeva left off.
“They’ll probably be playing marbles and talking about football or cricket next,” Nina finished.
The three men looked at them for a second before walking away together. On purpose they hooked hands and did a little choreographed kick that had the women laughing. It set the tone for a night filled with fun and laughter. Between the food and the various people around, including kids waiting for gifts and to sit on Santa’s lap, it was one of the best nights Nina had ever spent away from Barbados. The sense of community was almost the same except they had the beaches and the warmth.
But people came together with tourists to dance and enjoy the holidays with food and music until the sun went down across the Caribbean Sea and well into the night. Nina found herself swaying lightly next to one of the warmers as a slower Christmas song played. Couples danced, and she laughed out loud when one of the young men put mistletoe on his hand so he could steal a kiss from the teen girl he was dancing with. Of course, she obliged until her mother dragged her away. That didn’t deter her from waving at who Nina would assume was her new beau by the looks of it.
“Care to dance?” Mac came up behind her and put his hands on her hips.
Nina leaned against him and began to sway before tilting her head at an angle to look up at him. “Isn’t that what we’re doing now?”
“Ah,” he ran his hand along her midsection and pulled her closer. “Who knew I had the soul of a dancer all this time?”
“I think that may be a bit of a stretch,” she laughed.
Mac kissed the bare skin at the nape of her neck. “You take away my dream—and at the holidays to boot.”
Nina shivered, and her voice was husky. “I think your ego will survive.”
“I don’t know, it feels bruised, so you may need to kiss it and make it better,” Mac said in a sorrowful tone.
Nina laughed and turned in his arms. “Did that work with the ladies?”
He shrugged. “Is it working on you?”
She shook her head. “Not in the least, but I could be persuaded.”
“How?” A slow grin spread across his face, and her breath caught in her throat. If the man knew how damn gorgeous he was when he smiled, it could be dangerous.
“Snag a bottle of champagne and show me where you’re staying,” Nina said. “I’d like a tour, please. Maybe there is some exotic art I could see.”
Mac laughed huskily. “Aren’t I the one that is supposed to be trying to lure you to my house not the other way around?”
“Are you saying no?” Nina asked with her hands on her hips.
He pressed a hard kiss on her lips. “Hell no, don’t move, I’ll be back in the blink of an eye.”
He actually took off in a jog across the lawn, and she had a wide smile on her face as she watched him. He wasn’t hard to spot as he casually walked over to the bar and, with the stealth of a man who knew his way around, pilfered food. He had a bottle of champagne and glasses in one hand, but on impulse he took a tray of dessert canapes in the other and made his way back to her.
“In case we get hungry,” he explained. “Follow me.”
Nina did so without hesitation to the back of the manor where the noise of the party had lessened. She walked gingerly in her heels across the stone path that led to the cottage and took the tray as
he pressed the code on the door to unlock it. Nina stepped inside in front of him, and he turned on a small lamp on an accent table to reveal an expertly decorated cottage that gave off a welcoming feeling even with contemporary furniture.
“I have never been in here before,” Nina said. “Zeva has an eye for decorating.”
“Thank God Jasper changed around that manor house when he first became Duke—and Zeva just enhanced it,” Mac said. “When we were young, walking in there felt like walking into the past, with old thick, dusty drapes and out-of-date large pieces of furniture. It used to give me the willies.”
She gave him a teasing look. “The willies?”
“You know, the icky feeling like something is going to jump out and eat your face off,” Mac took off his jacket and threw it over the back of a high-backed chair.
“Well, I do know what you mean and that visual was a bit extreme. I think we should never watch scary movies together,” Nina kicked off her heels. “Oh, that feels good to get those off my feet.”
“Well, blast it all—here I was fantasizing about you wearing those with nothing else on,” he murmured as he poured a glass of bubbly and passed it to her.
“You want me standing around naked in red and gold heels?” Nina asked before taking a sip from her glass.
“Trust me, you wouldn’t be standing for long,” his voice was laced with desire.
“Where do you sleep?” Nina asked as her heart raced in her chest.
“Through there.” He inclined his head to the doorway of a darkened room.
Nina walked in that direction, but at the doorway she looked back over her shoulder. “Are you coming, or do you want me to start without you?”
“I don’t know which I want, for you to start and I walk in or to be a part of it from the very beginning,” Mac moved toward her, pulling his tie loose with one hand.
“Grab the bottle, I may want to lick champagne off you,” Nina explained.
His chest was against her back as they moved into the room together. Mac only put on a small light to change the darkness to a sensual dim glow.
