“Nic?” His gaze searched her face.
“How?” she blurted out. “And I’m not talking about what happened between us. How can we be friends? You’re a de Vincent. My parents are your house staff.”
The corners of his lips turned down. “So? That has never been a problem before.”
“Well, I was also an annoying little girl that you felt bad for.”
His frown increased. “I didn’t feel bad for you.”
She snorted. “Whatever. What I’m trying to say is that we have nothing in common anymore.” She lifted the smoothie. “I know how to swim now, Gabe.”
“I don’t care if you don’t need me for swimming lessons.” He reached over, taking the smoothie from her. Her mouth dropped open.
He took her smoothie!
There was still at least two good slurps left. Ugh.
“And I think we have a lot in common,” he continued.
“Like what?”
“We both know how to take a plain block of wood and turn it into something amazing.”
Not anymore, but Nikki didn’t say that.
“And well, we both can legally drink now,” he quipped.
Her brows lifted. “That’s literally the best you can come up with?”
He grinned as he lifted the smoothie. “I was kidding.”
She was struck speechless as he folded those wonderful lips over the straw and finished off her drink—using the straw she’d just been drinking out of.
Okay.
Friends did that. They shared drinks and stuff.
But why were her lady bits suddenly very much awake?
She ignored those idiotic parts of her. “I work for your family now, Gabe. Your brother is my employer.”
He snorted. “If that was truly the case, you wouldn’t have mouthed off at me and told me to clean my own rooms.”
“Well, you should be cleaning your own apartment. I mean, come on. You aren’t that busy that you can’t clean up after yourself or actually serve your own ass food.”
A deep laugh rumbled out of him, and her chest seized at the sound. That laugh. Damn it. “See,” he said, leaning over and placing the empty smoothie on the nearby iron bistro-style table. “If you truly thought of yourself as an employee, those words would never come out of your mouth. You’d think them, but you wouldn’t say them.”
“Whatever,” she muttered, keeping her arms tight to her sides, so she wasn’t accidentally touching him.
“And by the way, I normally don’t have my dinners served.”
“What?” Her head swung toward him.
He was close, so close that she could see those faint lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there four years ago. “I usually get my own food unless it’s some kind of special occasion. I’ve never allowed your parents to serve me.”
“You had me serving you!” she exclaimed. “You had me getting you so much water I worried you had a kidney infection.”
Gabe let out another loud laugh. “I was being a dick.”
“Yes, you were!” Without thinking, she slapped his arm hard enough that her palm actually stung.
“Hey.” He was still chuckling. “Now you’re hitting me, so you’re just proving my point.”
Her eyes narrowed and then she asked probably the most important question. “Why do you want to be friends with me? I mean, I appreciate you apologizing and clearing the air. Trust me. You will never understand how much that—” Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. She wasn’t going to let him see how much that did mean. “I needed that, but we could just be . . . cool with one another. You know, not be mean to each other. We don’t have to be friends.”
His gaze found its way back to hers. “But what if that’s what I want?”
A tremor danced between her shoulder blades. Their gazes collided again and held. “Why?” she whispered. “Why would you want that?”
His gaze dropped and for a stuttered heartbeat, she thought he was looking at her mouth, but that made no sense whatsoever. Then his gaze was fastened to hers again. “Honest?”
“Honest.”
“I . . . I don’t know,” he said, and his lashes lowered. “I just know what I want.”
Nikki really had no response to that.
That half grin returned. “And you might as well agree to it.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m a de Vincent,” he said. “And we always get what we want.”
She stared at him, unsure of what to make of any of what he was saying. “Is that so?”
“So.”
Her lips twitched as she looked away. She honestly didn’t know what to say to him. Wasn’t it just last night when she was saying to Rosie that she wanted things to go back to the way they were before that night? Gabe was offering that to her, but how he’d treated her since she’d been back had hurt and Gabe wasn’t the same guy she remembered. Neither was—crap! She shot out of the swing. “What time is it?”
“Don’t know.” He leaned back, pulling his cellphone out of his pocket. “It’s almost ten—”
“Damn it. I’m going to be late.”
“Late for what? It’s Sunday.”
“I know what day it is.” She hurried toward the back door. “I have to go.”
“Nic.” Gabe rose.
She yanked open the storm door. “We’ll have to pick up this conversation later.”
Or maybe never.
Never sounded good.
“What are you doing?” Nikki demanded as she drew up short, her car keys in one hand and purse in the other.
Gabe blocked her access to the driver’s door of her car. He was leaning against it actually, his arms folded across his chest, ankles crossed. He had donned a pair of silver aviator-style sunglasses, and as much as she hated to admit it, he looked good in them.
Real good.
A little under an hour had passed since she’d left Gabe on the back porch, having just enough time to shower, halfway blow-dry her hair, and pull it up in a bun. She’d figured he’d left, and honestly, she didn’t even have time to think about their conversation.
“Waiting,” he answered. “For you.”
Stepping around a little garden gnome her mom had by the sidewalk, she walked over to him. “I really don’t have time. I’m going to—”
“The shelter to walk the dogs,” he cut in. “I know. Your mother told me while I visited her.”
Nikki hadn’t even seen her mom this morning and Gabe had? Something was wrong with that. “Then you know I have to go.”
“Yep.” He pushed away from her car. “And I’m driving.”
“What?” She lowered her keys.
“I’m going to go with you.” He stepped in front of her, blocking out the early morning sun. “Quality friend time.”
Nikki’s brows furrowed together. “I know I’ve already asked you this, but I’m going to ask you again. Are you high?”
His laugh startled her again, because it was another real laugh. He moved and before she could figure out what he was doing, he snatched the keys out from between her fingers and took her hand. Stunned, she let him lead her over to his much newer and much nicer car.
A Porsche.
Which kind, she had no idea, but she knew she could probably lease an apartment for several years for the cost of one. A really nice apartment. He only let go of her hand to open the passenger door for her. She didn’t get in. “What are you doing, Gabe?”
“Pretty sure we just had that conversation. You’re going to the shelter, the one out on Jefferson Highway?”
“Yes, but—”
“I’m going to go with you.”
“Why would—”
“They always need volunteers, right?”
“Yes, but you haven’t filled out any of their applications.”
“They would turn me away?” A half grin appeared as he gestured at the front seat. “A de Vincent?”
They most definitely wouldn’t turn away a de Vincent, b
ut that wasn’t the point. “Look, I get you want to prove we’re going to be friends forever, but this isn’t necessary.”
“With the way the sarcasm dripped from your voice, this is necessary,” Gabe replied, and she rolled her eyes. “And I honestly don’t have anything else to do. I’m up. Want to feel helpful and shit, and the longer you stand here and argue with me, the later you’re going to be.”
A thousand retorts rose onto the tip of her tongue, but he was right. The longer she took here, the longer those dogs would have to wait before they got out of their kennels.
She couldn’t help but think he was up to something, but she figured the moment he realized he had to clean up after the dogs, he was probably going to regret this choice.
So, Nikki smiled brightly and then slipped past him, sliding into the front seat of the car. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Honest to God, Gabe had no idea why he was going with her to the shelter. He figured there were easier, less involved ways for him to prove he was serious about wanting to make amends, but he guessed when he really thought about it, it had been the doubt and wariness in her voice and eyes.
Nikki hadn’t believed him, and he really couldn’t blame her for that. So, he was a little surprised that she relented. He half expected her to gut punch him, take her keys, and run off to her car. Something she would’ve done when she was younger.
Her accepting his presence rather easily and her silence left him a little unnerved, but there was something he still wanted to talk to her about.
As he pulled away from the curb, he glanced over at her. She was pulling a pair of sunglasses out of her purse. “Lucian’s home,” he said. “You haven’t had a chance to meet Julia yet.”
“No.” She slipped her sunglasses on.
“You’ll like her.”
Nic glanced over at him. A moment passed. “Have to admit, I was shocked when I heard he was in a serious relationship. I was not expecting that.”
Gabe chuckled as he slowed at the stoplight. “Pretty sure no one was expecting that, but he really lucked out with Julia. She’s a good woman.”
“Nothing like Sabrina?” she asked.
He snorted. “Leagues above her.”
Nic smiled at that. “That’s a relief.”
The light turned green. “So Lucian and I were talking last night and he told me something that happened when you were younger. He said he walked in on you and Parker in the pool house?”
“What?” She drew back, pressing against the leather seat. “He did, but I—”
“I know.” Gabe thought he probably could’ve broached this subject better. “Lucian didn’t insinuate that you were welcoming of anything.” He paused, asking what he knew he needed to even if he wasn’t sure how he’d handle the answer. “Did Parker . . . try something with you?”
Nic was quiet for so long, he glanced over at her. She was staring down at her hands. They were balled into tight fists.
His stomach clenched. “Nic?”
She lifted her chin. “He walked in on me when I was getting changed and he got . . . friendly.”
Muscles locked up along his spine as he focused on the road. Another red light. “Friendly?”
“He grabbed me and tried—” She cut herself off.
“Tried what?” he prodded softly, the steering wheel creaking under his grip.
Nic twisted in the seat toward him. “Is that why you came over this morning? Because Lucian told you about Parker?”
“No.” He didn’t hesitate. “I came over to apologize for being a dick.”
“And?”
His jaw locked as he stared at the light. They’d only made it about two blocks from her house. “And yeah, I wanted to ask you about Parker. Just so you know, those two things are not mutually exclusive.”
She didn’t respond as she straightened in her seat.
Gabe sighed. “Are you going to tell me what happened, Nic?”
“He was being a creep like usual,” she said finally, her voice tight. “Telling me I was really becoming pretty and hitting on me. It was weird and gross, and . . .”
“And what?”
“Nothing else. Lucian walked in.”
Gabe wasn’t sure if he believed her or not. “I’m sorry that happened. Wish you would’ve said something. I would’ve taken care of it. Made sure he never looked in your direction once. Nic, I—”
It sounded like a gunshot, cutting Gabe off. Nic shrieked as Gabe’s gaze snapped to the passenger window. A crack splintered and then glass exploded.
Chapter 12
Nikki threw her hands up, shielding her face, but she was too late. Tiny shards of glass smacked off her cheeks and sunglasses, raining down on her.
“Christ!” Gabe jerked the steering wheel to the right, and Nikki threw out her hands, pulling them back a half a second before slamming them on the glass-covered dashboard. “What the hell?” he thundered as the car jerked to a halt. “Nic!”
Heart pounding, she slowly opened her eyes. “Holy shit,” she whispered.
The passenger window was gone, like the Hulk got all Hulk-smash and punched his fist through it. Hands shaking, she started to lower her arms, but locked up when she saw her lap was covered in glass. How . . . how was this possible?
“Are you okay?” he demanded again.
“Yeah,” she whispered, pretty sure she was okay even though she had no idea how.
“Don’t move,” Gabe ordered, and he didn’t need to tell her that twice. She was frozen. Having managed to stop the car in the one open spot along the narrow street, he threw open the door and was out.
She had no idea what had happened. They were just driving along and then bam! Glass shooting everywhere! Obviously someone had to have thrown something but she didn’t see anyone running.
Kids throwing rocks at cars happened. Hell, sometimes they stood on overpasses and dropped them, but her parents’ neighborhood was quiet. Things like this didn’t happen.
The passenger door yanked open, and suddenly, there Gabe was, kneeling beside her. The sunglasses were shoved up. Concern was etched into his striking face. “You sure you’re okay?” he repeated himself. “Nic?”
Was she? She swallowed. “Yeah. I think so? I mean, I don’t feel any pain.”
“That’s good—that’s real good.” Relief colored his tone as he gently took ahold of her sunglasses, pulling them off. His gaze crawled over her face as he placed her sunglasses on the ground. “Jesus, Nic.” His voice rough. “I have no idea how you’re not even scratched.”
She didn’t either.
“You’re covered in glass, so I just want you to sit still while I unbuckle you, all right?”
“All right,” she repeated, too shocked to argue. She swallowed hard as she willed her heart to slow down. “What happened?”
“Something hit the fucking window,” he bit out as he carefully reached around her. His hand brushed her hip. Glass tinkled as he found the seatbelt. “I have no idea what it was,” he said, craning his neck. With the side of his hand, he brushed off the glass on her thighs. “Shit. Okay. Move your leg out, but careful you don’t slide it along the seat. There’s glass everywhere. Are you sure you’re fine?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t see how. Fucking miracle,” he growled. “Get that leg up.”
Nikki lifted her leg, biting down on her lip when he curled his hand under her knee to help her. Then his other hand went under her arm. Gabe all but lifted her out of the vehicle, then planted her on her feet.
Glass fell, clinking off the asphalt. Looking down, she could see pieces stuck to the front of her shirt. She started to brush the pieces off, but Gabe caught her wrists, drawing her gaze to his. “Let me.”
There was no chance to protest, because he dropped her wrists and then his hands were moving over her stomach, the swell of her chest. Air hitched in her throat. His movements were clinical and methodical, not at all romantic, but an acute heaviness filled her chest with each quick brush.
She was totally blaming the exploding window.
“Damn it,” he gritted. “You’ve got glass everywhere—in your hair.” He looked over his shoulder. “I don’t see a damn person.”
That much was true. No one had even come out of the houses here to check on them. “The window didn’t just explode, right? Unless that’s a new feature with Porsches?”
He stopped with his hands hovering over her shoulders and looked down at her. A harsh laugh burst out of him. “No, Nic. Not that I know of.”
She turned slightly, wincing as glass crunched under her sneakers. “I need to get my purse and call the shelter.”
“Let me get it. Probably covered in glass.”
“The last time I checked, you also have skin that can be pierced by glass,” she pointed out.
“Yeah, but my skin is thicker, and before you say anything, that’s actually true. Science.” He started to touch her but stopped. “What the fuck?”
“What?” Her eyes widened, half expecting something to come winging at them.
“There’s something on the floor.” He bent over, reaching inside the car. He picked something up off the floor. It looked like a white rock. A rather small rock, one Nikki couldn’t fathom being responsible for breaking the glass. “The hell? It’s a piece of ceramic.”
Lucian let out a low whistle as he stared at the passenger side window of Gabe’s car. “Damn. Took out the entire window?”
“Yep. One tiny thing did that.”
Gabe was doing his best to keep his anger under wraps at the moment. Between the broken window and the fact Nic could’ve been hurt because of some dumbass person out there.
“Is that normal for this type of car?” Julia asked, frowning from where she stood next to Lucian. “I mean, I would think with a Porsche, they’d have better windows.”
“They have tempered glass, but it’s not infallible.” Irritated, Gabe tossed the keys onto the bench at the back of the garage. “It’ll be fixed by tomorrow. I’m just glad Nic wasn’t hurt.”
Moonlight Seduction: A de Vincent Novel (de Vincent series) Page 12
