by Faye Avalon
“What’s it to you?” Nathan straddled his chair and booted his laptop. “I’d think you’d be more interested in your own sex life than mine.”
As he pulled up his travel schedule, Nathan felt Tynan’s eyes boring into his back.
He drew in a long breath. Should he tell Tynan? Face the same scale of advice he’d received from Caleb? Which was to leave Erin the fuck alone.
The past few days had proven that he couldn’t walk away from her. When he left each morning, he never made plans with Erin. No promises to call, or to hook up again. But sure as hell he was knocking on her door when night fell, in the hope she’d let him in and they could pick up where they’d left off the night before.
What he really wanted was for her to come to his place. For her to spend the night in his bed. But she never showed any interest in doing that. In fact, come to think of it, she’d never once mentioned it.
Tynan scooted his chair until he was beside Nathan. “Something on your mind, bro?”
Nathan kept tapping away at the keyboard, unable to meet his friend’s gaze. He knew Tynan wouldn’t let him off the hook, which meant he’d have to feed the man something.
“Woman trouble,” he finally said. “Can’t figure out this particular female, and it’s pissing me the hell off.”
Tynan leaned an elbow on the desk, like he was settling in for a companionable chat. “That’s a first. Usually you don’t get far enough into a relationship for any trouble.” His tone softened. “This one got you hooked?”
Had she? Was the tight feeling in his chest due to the hook settling around his ribs?
He leaned back and stroked a hand over his jaw. “Kind of.”
He expected Tynan to laugh or slap him on the back, but instead his friend simply nodded. “Who is she?”
Shit. Showtime.
Nathan turned so he could look Tynan in the eye. “Erin.”
His friend’s eyebrows rose so high they almost touched the disheveled hair falling on his forehead. “As in Erin Howard? Naomi’s friend you escorted to the wedding?”
What exactly was so freaking amazing about that? Nathan thought, scowling. First Caleb, now Tynan. He wasn’t some lothario seducing an innocent.
“So?”
“Hell, man. Naomi’s going to fry your ass.”
“Yeah. So I hear. Caleb said much the same about Talia.”
Tynan smiled and shook his head. “If facing the wrath of those two females can’t scare you away, then I’m thinking there’s more than good sex taking you back for more.”
“There’s something about her.” And he felt like a drowning man grabbing for a lifeline. “She keeps me guessing. Doesn’t seem too bothered if I turn up or not. Maybe that pisses me off.”
“Some would say you’re getting a dose of your own medicine.”
“You included?”
“Nah. I hate seeing a man in pain, even if it is because of a female. Especially if it’s because of a female. What are you planning to do about it?”
“Not planning anything. Apparently, she’s not figuring to stay around that long anyway, so maybe I should just enjoy the sex which, by the way, is excellent, not just good.”
Tynan waggled his eyebrows.
“I want her in my bed.”
“So get her there.”
“Last time I asked, she didn’t turn up.”
“Then get her there by other means, outside the promise of that excellent sex. What’s she into?”
Nathan shrugged. “Wants to write a book. Local flowers, plants.”
“There you go. We’ve got rare specimens around here.”
“Yeah?”
Tynan laughed. “Who the fuck knows? I’m looking for a ruse here, man.”
Nathan wasn’t averse to getting a female under slightly false pretenses, but he didn’t feel right deceiving Erin that way. Yet Tynan did have a point about tempting her out to his place. If the promise of dinner and sex didn’t do it, maybe plants would.
Tynan slapped Nathan on the shoulder. “You’ll figure it out.”
Yeah, he would. He wanted her on his territory. On his terms.
He did a quick Internet search, made a mental note of a couple of names, then pushed away from his laptop and stood. “Got something to do.”
Tynan’s soft laughter followed Nathan to the door and received the flip of a middle finger while Nathan kept right on walking.
In the kitchen, he reached into his pocket for his cell. After several rings, during which he considered whether or not to leave a message, she picked up.
“So, Erin. Are you planning on coming out here to pay me a visit anytime soon?”
He was met with silence, during which he clenched his teeth together.
“I’d love to see your house,” she finally said in the manner of someone wanting anything but. “I hear it’s amazing. It’s just…”
“Thought you’d like to see some of the plants native to the moor.” The words rushed out, despite his attempts to hold them back. “We’ve got some specimens growing wild around here. It’d be good for your research.”
He waited, his fingers tapping on the counter. He wasn’t sure of his next move if she said no, except going over to her place, tossing her over his shoulder and bringing her here by force.
“You mean tonight?”
“Yeah.” He didn’t want to consider the option that she might be busy or, fuck it to hell, have another date. He thought of the moron from the coffee shop again, and that sense of possession scrambled through his center, fired into his stomach, and burned in his chest. He had to work to stop the growl from escaping.
“It’s not really possible tonight. I’m doing an extra shift at the coffee shop today, and Willa will have been on her own too long as it is.”
“Bring the dog with you. I’ve got private land where she can run.”
Silence stretched again, during which he reconsidered doing the caveman bit.
“What time?”
He sucked in a breath, smiled a little. “How about coming over late afternoon? It’ll still be light enough. I’ll give you the tour. Cook us dinner.” He waited a beat. “You bring dessert.”
He could almost hear her brain working overtime, searching for another reason to refuse. Then, with a resigned sigh in her voice, she said, “Okay.”
Biting back a grin, he gave her directions and hung up. It was hard to wipe the self-satisfied smile off his face, until he remembered that he’d be spending the afternoon out on the moor searching for rare freaking plants.
Shit.
* * * * *
Erin pulled into Nathan’s driveway, kept the car revving and simply stared at the house and grounds. It was stunning. Architecturally ultramodern, with sleek lines and copious glass windows and doors. She bet the inside was amazing. She’d soon find out.
Heck. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Hooking up with Nathan on her own territory was much simpler. There she felt safe. Here? She was way out of her depth.
He must have heard her car, because the iron gates she’d driven through closed behind her. Erin tamped down the shiver of panic. There really was nothing to concern herself about. If she wanted to leave, she knew that Nathan would let her do so. But it didn’t help the storm of nerves in her stomach.
Seconds later, Nathan strolled around the side of the house and out toward her. She watched him, took the time to admire that easy gait, his muscular lines, the sensual swagger.
She realized her juices were already flowing. Despite that she was panicked and jumpy, she was already wet for him. Erin took long, slow breaths in an effort to calm both her nerves and her hormones.
He opened her door, placed a hand on the top and leaned down. “Are you planning on sitting there all afternoon? Or are you coming in?”
She pursed her lips.
“I’m weighing up my options.”
He glanced toward the backseat. “The way Willa’s wriggling back there, I’d say someone needs a comfort break.” Looking back at Erin, he slipped her seat belt off. “Why don’t you come on in? I’ll even keep the gates open if you want. That way you can make a hasty escape if you feel the need.”
Erin drew in another breath. Had he read her mind?
On the drive over, she’d constantly talked to herself. Nathan wasn’t Justin. She’d mentally repeated that like a mantra, over and over. He didn’t make her feel the least bit threatened physically. While he was incredibly dominant in bed, and she’d done things with him she would never have believed she could do—like spanking, using a vibrator, and that incident with the ice cubes last night—Nathan always checked in with her to make sure she was okay.
She wasn’t in fear for Willa either. Despite his attempts to befriend Willa, Nathan seemed almost ambivalent toward her dog. Which suited Erin fine.
She turned off the engine, then accepted the hand Nathan offered. She got out of the car and went to step aside, but he pulled her in. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hiked her against him. “Hello, Erin.”
She smiled, gave in and slid her hands up his arms and around his neck. “Hello, Nathan.”
His kiss was hot, demanding, and in seconds, Erin was thinking about his bedroom. About being naked beside him, underneath him.
Willa’s excited bark brought them apart. Erin laughed. “I think you might be right about that comfort break.”
Nathan kissed her lightly, letting his hands slide down from her waist to cover her backside. He tilted her hips, pulling her gently against his erection. And grinned. “Willa’s not the only one.”
Extricating herself from Nathan’s hold was not an easy task, because Erin’s own system was rapidly hurtling way past her own comfort zone. “I thought you enticed me out here to look at plants?”
He slipped his hands in his pockets, and she knew he watched her every move while she opened the rear door and leaned in to release Willa’s harness. She might have stuck her backside in the air a little more than the occasion demanded, and she might have wiggled it unnecessarily, but Nathan’s unadulterated admiration always made her feel bold and a little reckless. And fed into her desire to become that brave and confident woman she’d promised herself she could be.
“Right now,” he said from behind her, “flora and fauna are pretty much the furthest things from my mind.”
His tone was husky and deep, which increased Erin’s sense of power. She wished she’d worn a short skirt rather than the jeans she’d chosen; then she might really have put on a show for him.
With the harness released, Willa tore out of the car and jumped up at Nathan, knocking him back a full step before he regained control. He grunted and shot his arms out toward Willa.
Erin froze. Everything inside her had grown icy cold. She was about to rush forward when Nathan laughed.
“Hey girl, glad to see you too.” He ruffled Willa’s ears. “That’s some welcome.”
“I’m sorry,” Erin said, shooing Willa down and away. “She doesn’t mean anything.”
She noticed Nathan had narrowed his eyes and was looking at her dog with a frown.
“No harm done. She probably remembers those treats I throw her way on a nightly basis.”
Erin wasn’t convinced that Nathan was okay with her dog jumping up on him, but she changed the subject and looked toward Nathan’s house as Willa ran off to explore the nearest bush. “It’s absolutely stunning,” she said, “the way it blends with the surroundings. And it’s a great location.”
Nathan joined her in her perusal of the exterior of his home. “Location was the most important thing to me.”
“I’ll bet.” Erin tried to keep things lighthearted, to shrug off her instant reaction to Willa jumping up like that. She wouldn’t take the memories through to their conclusion. She wouldn’t spoil this temporary thing she had going with Nathan. Every moment they spent together was somehow precious. Erin had never known anyone like him. Demanding and challenging, yet he could be surprisingly thoughtful and understanding. He was truly a conundrum of a man, and he intrigued her more than anyone else ever had.
“Why don’t I give you the tour?”
She glanced behind her, noticed that Willa was still absorbed in sniffing her surroundings, and turned back to Nathan. “Is she okay out here?”
“Sure. She’s okay inside the house too. Why don’t you stop worrying about her and come inside with me. Your dog can make her own decisions.”
Praying that Willa wouldn’t do anything untoward, she let Nathan lead her inside.
The inside of the house was just as breathtaking. All sleek lines and masculine appeal. The entrance hall had a kind of minimalist opulence, with its monochrome tiled floor and neutral painted walls. The only color came from the abstract paintings dotted here and there.
Every downstairs room was similar in decor. Smooth wood, polished floor tiles, a scattering of rugs and a handful of objets d’art. The kitchen was a cook’s dream. Modern, stainless-steel appliances juxtaposed with black-and-white units. The whole of the back wall was glass, and Erin drew in an appreciative breath. “You have a truly beautiful home, Nathan. It’s—”
Willa came hurtling into the kitchen, tail wagging and her nose and paws covered in dirt. “Oh my God. Willa.” Erin pointed to the door. “Out. Bad girl. Out.”
“Hey.” Nathan touched her arm. “It’s okay, Erin. It’s just dirt.”
“But your floors, your rugs, they’re filthy now. I’m so sorry, Nathan.”
Only when Nathan turned her to face him did Erin realize she was trembling. Her breath came in short, jerky movements. She stared at Nathan’s chest and willed the panic to subside. It had taken her unawares, and she should have been prepared.
“What is it, Erin? What’s wrong?”
His tone was so gentle, Erin felt the sting of tears. All she could do was shake her head. He tilted her chin, making her look him in the eye.
“It’s…nothing. Just that your house is really clean and…”
Saying nothing, he led her to the counter and pulled out a breakfast stool. “Sit down. I’ll get you a drink.”
While he went over to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of wine, Erin composed herself. She unclenched her hands and stretched out her fingers, swallowing past a throat so tight, it hurt with the effort. Closing her eyes, she drew in a steadying breath.
When she opened her eyes again, Nathan was moving back toward her, two filled glasses in his hand. He sat across from her and slid over her wine. Aware he watched her, she took a welcome sip. “I don’t know why I—”
“Don’t bullshit me, Erin,” Nathan said sharply. “If you don’t want to tell me what’s wrong, then I’ll deal with it. But don’t spin me any crap.”
“I’m…” She was about to issue a denial but pulled herself up short when she saw the warning look in his eye. She took another swig of wine, and settled the glass on the counter, staring at the rim. “The man I was with before, he didn’t take kindly to Willa doing things that she shouldn’t. It makes me a little stressed when she’s around other people, or in unfamiliar surroundings.”
Nathan looked over to the doorway between the hall and kitchen. “Since your dog is currently lying on her belly, looking like the weight of the world is on her shoulders, I’d say she’s picking up on your stress. Seems to me she’s just doing things that are natural enough for a dog to do. Sniffing dirt, trailing it indoors, jumping up greeting people.”
Before Erin could answer, Nathan walked over to a drawer and pulled out a bag. He turned, hunkered down and made a big play of opening the bag. “What’s in here, girl?”
Willa gave Erin a doe-eyed look that made her heart tug at having reprimanded her. After a few moments, during which W
illa eyed the bag Nathan held, the dog made her way cautiously toward him. She sat obediently while he retrieved the fat rawhide bone.
Willa’s head went up, her tail swishing the floor. “Here you go,” Nathan said. “That should keep you happy for a while.”
Erin stared at her ecstatic pooch, in doggie heaven as she began nibbling at her treat.
“That’s really kind of you,” she said when Nathan joined her at the counter again. Although she tried, she couldn’t quite stop her eyes from misting over.
“It’s just a bone, Erin.” But he took her hand gently in his. “Why don’t you spill and tell me what’s really got you so on edge.”
“It’s like I told you,” Erin began, comforted by the feel of his big hand around hers. “The man I was with didn’t treat Willa well. In fact, he did everything he could to make her life a misery.”
When she grabbed her wine with her free hand and took a really long swig, she felt his fingers tighten. Not sure she could hold it steady, she put down her glass. She wasn’t certain what else to tell Nathan, how far to go into her past with Justin. She didn’t want Nathan to think her a moron for staying with a man who had treated her so badly.
She stared at his hand on hers, and in deep contemplation she didn’t realize how long she’d remained silent until Nathan took her other hand.
“Did he hurt her?” he asked softly. “Willa?”
Erin looked at her girl chewing contentedly on her bone, then nodded and felt her eyes fill again. Perhaps it was the fact that the man opposite her, despite his seeming ambivalence toward her dog, wasn’t the slightest bit concerned about his dirt-strewn floor. And he’d taken the trouble to buy Willa a treat.
“Tell me, Erin.” There was little of the softness remaining in his tone. Now there was pure steel.
She looked up. Nathan’s gaze was equally tough. She drew one of her hands away from his and dabbed a finger to the corner of her eye. Knowing there was no longer any point hedging around her relationship with Justin, Erin took a breath and looked down at their hands.
“He brought Willa home when she was just eight weeks old. He didn’t want me to work anymore, so he thought taking care of a puppy would keep me occupied.”
