For The Love Of Nick

9

NICK AWOKE IN THE DARK. From what he could gather with his few still-functioning senses, he was sprawled on his back, sideways across the bed. Given the breeze blowing across his lower parts he concluded the window was open. As for the restriction of air to his lungs, that was Danielle, who lay a deadweight on his chest.

She was also buck naked, which happened to agree with him.

Grinning, he slid her off, then settled himself between her legs. Murmuring something sleepily, she slipped her arms around him. “Nick?”

God, that voice. It did things to his insides, things he wasn’t ready to face, so he concentrated on what she did to him physically.

And physically, he wanted her again. “Yeah, it’s me. You’re so beautiful, Danielle.”

“It’s dark.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, Nick.”

“Open for me.”

Arching up, she wrapped her legs around his hips.

“Yeah, like that.” Tilting her face up for his kiss, he sank into her body and took her again. Took them both to a place he’d never been with anyone ever before.

THE NEXT TIME Nick woke up, morning light slanted in through the windows, making him squint as he reached out for…nobody.

Given that the pillow he’d shared with Danielle all night long felt cold, he sat straight up, his heart in his throat.

And came face to face with a monster, a huge monster with dark, red-rimmed eyes and incisors capable of gobbling him up in one bite.

With a shocked gasp, he jerked back.

The monster leapt back, too, and let out a sharp, surprised bark.

“Damn it.” Flat on his back in the middle of the bed, Nick blinked at the ceiling and tried to recover his pulse. “You’re giving me gray hair.”

The bed shifted as two heavy paws hit it.

Nick craned his neck to the side, eyeing Sadie cautiously. “I suppose you think that’s funny.”

Head cocked, a line of drool puddling on his sheets, the dog eyed him and licked her chops.

Hastily, Nick scrambled for the sheet. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m not edible.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Nick lifted his head as Danielle came back into the room. She was dressed in another pair of khaki shorts and a sleeveless blouse-red this time-looking sleek, beautiful and more than a little wary. Her backpack was on her shoulder, her laptop tucked under her arm. She was holding the developed photos he’d given her.

Not a good sign on his chances of coaxing her back into bed.

“I wanted to thank you again,” she said quietly, staying by the door.

Uh-oh. Definitely, he had some fast talking to do in order to get lucky. “You’re dressed.” Oh, smooth.

“I’ve got to go.”

Stall. Not because he couldn’t let her go. Hell, he could let anyone go. He wasn’t the attachment sort of guy, but…

Damn it, he couldn’t let her go. “Hold on.” Eyeing Sadie, he got out of the bed and carefully walked around the dog, feeling very naked. He grabbed a pair of jeans. “At least let me get you some breakfast.”

She shifted, trying not to stare around the held-up jeans, but she couldn’t seem to help herself, which did stroke his ego somewhat.

And of course, encouraged his morning hard-on.

“Nick…”

There was that voice again, the soft, breathy tone that made getting his jeans on nearly a detriment to his health.

Her gaze was glued to his hands as he attempted to get the buttons closed, and when he had to carefully tuck himself inside the denim, she made a sort of choked noise.

“I told you I would have to leave in the morning,” she said quickly, when he looked at her.

“Yeah, but that was before last night.” Before they’d made love. Now that they had, he’d figured she wouldn’t really be able to walk away.

Or maybe he was the only one feeling that way.

No. There was heat and desire in her gaze as it lingered over his body, but there was more, too. Angst and a reluctant affection. Very reluctant.

Ditto, sweetheart, and I’m no more thrilled than you. Then he pictured her walking out his front door, which made his stomach hurt. “What’s the rush?”

“You know what my rush is.”

“Just breakfast, Danielle. Not a marriage proposal.”

She flushed. “I don’t need either. I’ve called Emma. She’s the friend I borrowed the car from, and she needs it back today. She’s getting a ride over here, then she’ll take me to Donald, the art director I told you about.”

“Where you’ll show him Sadie’s pictures, he’ll pay you enough to buy another car and you’ll jump town to start a new life. Happily ever after, right?” He shook his head. “Tell me you’re not that gullible.”

“It could happen.”

“Yeah, but there’s sure a lot of things that could go wrong.” He stalked to his closet, hauled out a shirt and jammed his arms into it. “Too many things.”

A honk sounded outside from the street.

Danielle froze, stared at Nick. “There she is.”

When she turned to go, he grabbed her arm. “Wait.”

“I can’t, I-”

“Yeah, I know. You’ve got to go. But how well do you know this Emma? And Donald? Are they friends of yours? Good friends?”

“Well, of course.” But she didn’t look him in the eyes. “I know them because of the industry, of course, but-” Another honk sounded and she looked up at him entreatingly. “Please. Don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“Industry friends.” He followed her down the hall, eyes glued to the gentle sway of her hips. He’d be happy following her like a damn puppy dog every single morning.

She opened the front door and waved to Emma, who was standing by her car, then turned back to face him. “I’ve got to go, Nick.”

There were tears in her voice, which wrenched at him. Leaning past her, he stuck his head out the door and held up a finger to Emma, who crossed her arms and looked…uneasy?

A friend who rushed to the rescue, yet looked unhappy about it? Not reassuring.

“How did you meet her?” Nick asked Danielle, watching as Emma pulled out a cell phone.

Danielle fiddled with Sadie’s collar, looking busy.

He reached for both her arms and made her look at him. “How, Danielle?”

“I met her at a show, okay?” She shrugged free. “That was the one good thing that came out of being with Ted. He introduced me to some really great people.”

“Tell her I’ll take you to Donald’s.”

“Nick, we already worked this out. If I still need the car after seeing Donald, she’s going to let me keep it a little longer.”

“Just tell her.”

Emma clicked off the cell phone and looked right at Nick.

As a result, the hair stood up on his arms, as it always did when he was onto something in a story he was working on. “Do this for me,” he said to Danielle. And you.

“Nick-”

Striding past her, he walked right up to Emma. “Good morning,” he said politely. “So…where are you two headed?”

Emma glanced at Danielle, who had followed him.

“Emma,” she said. “This is Nick Cooper, and-”

“And you’re Emma.” Nick pinned her with his most intimidating stare. “So…?”

“I’ll take Danielle wherever she wants to go,” Emma said, smiling at Danielle. “Ready?”

“To the art director’s?” Nick pressed.

“Yes, right.” Avoiding Nick’s gaze entirely now, Emma took Danielle’s arm.

Nick grabbed the cell out of Emma’s hand and hit redial.

“Hey!”

With a grim smile, he held up the display to Danielle. “Recognize this number?”

Danielle looked at it and paled. “It’s Ted’s.” She turned to Emma. “You just called Ted?”

Emma’s smile crumbled, replaced by a fierce concern. “Don’t be upset with me, he told me how much you love him, how this is all one big misunderstanding. He truly loves you, too, Danielle. He’s devastated by this separation. When he came looking for you, he begged me to contact him the moment I heard anything, so I did. All he wants is to see you, talk to you.”

“You told him where I was? Even when I asked for your confidence?”

Emma reached out for her hand. “Danielle-”

“I trusted you. My God,” she said on a mirthless laugh, backing up. “When will I learn?” She pointed to Emma’s car. “You’d better go.”

“Danielle, listen. We’re friends.”

“Friends? Are you kidding? Sadie-”

“It’s not the dog I’m worried about,” Emma said beseechingly. “Ted said he just wants you back-”

“Wants me back?” Danielle nearly swallowed her tongue. “If he wants me back, Emma, why did he call the police?”

“Well-”

“Tell me you didn’t tell him where you were supposed to take me.”

“No, not yet-”

“Don’t tell him. If you care about me at all, then-”

“Of course I care about you!”

“Then don’t tell him.”

“Danielle-”

“Please go.”

“But-”

“Now, Emma.”

Nick watched Danielle watch her “friend” drive off. He watched her shoulders sag slightly. Watched while she rubbed her temples, looking defeated and exhausted.

Any moment now she’d catch her breath and momentum. Any moment she’d straighten those shoulders and give him a cool look, the one that would probably work on anyone else, and tell him she had to go, too.

Before she could, he took her hand, and-risking certain death-Sadie’s leash. “We’re outta here.”

“What?” She gave him that cool look he’d been expecting. “There’s no we.”

“There is now.”