Into The Night

Chapter Eleven

The first thing Nicole did when they arrived back at Nathan’s apartment was head into her bathroom and take a long, hot shower. She washed her hair and scrubbed her skin with body wash, as if by doing so she could cleanse herself of all the perversion she’d witnessed at Sloane’s private nightclub.

When the water turned cool, she got out and dressed in a pair of soft, loose sweatpants and a T-shirt, then ran a comb through her hair to let it air-dry. Still feeling restless, she headed into the living room. Across the way, she noticed that Nathan had left his bedroom door open in a silent invitation, but after everything she’d endured tonight she needed time alone to unwind and sort out her thoughts.

Preferring the cloak of darkness, she switched off the table lamps and sat down on the floor behind one of the couches in the living room facing the windows overlooking the Las Vegas Strip. In every direction, bright neon lit up the city like a never-ending light parade, and while she was normally awed by the amazing sight, tonight she found it difficult to enjoy the spectacular view.

She felt raw inside, and she couldn’t get Holly out of her head. The despondent look in her eyes and how she was assuaging her inner pain and feelings with drugs and alcohol and barely functioning on her own. Then there was Holly’s adoration and devotion to a man who had no qualms about using her-emotionally and physically.

It was such a horrible, grievous situation, and Nicole couldn’t begin to imagine what had happened in Holly’s life to make the young girl travel down this particular path-one that would undoubtedly end in heartbreak. Sloane had already stolen her youth and destroyed her innocence, and by the time he was done with Holly there was little doubt in Nicole’s mind that there would be nothing left to salvage of the guileless girl she’d once been.

A mixture of anger and sorrow tightened her chest. But as upset as Holly’s situation made Nicole, she understood all too well how easy it was to be swayed by a charismatic smile, to fall for a man who knew exactly the right words to make a girl believe she was the center of his universe.

Nicole, too, had been lured in by pretty lies and compliments that had gone straight to her head and made her think she was in love, to the point that she’d compromised her principles to keep her man happy.

The situation with Holly was worse than Nicole had endured. Nicole had been young and naive, definitely, but she’d been an adult at eighteen, not an innocent girl who had no one to turn to, and nowhere to go.

But it was the other similarities that ate at Nicole. The need to please a man so overwhelming that she’d succumbed to his perverse desires. The increasing dependence on some kind of relaxant to do the demoralizing, humiliating things Mark had asked of her. And how he’d shredded a little piece of her soul every time she’d allowed him to use her for his own twisted pleasures.

Mark had taken a once-outgoing, confident girl and destroyed her self-esteem. With his practiced manipulation, he’d made Nicole weak and insecure. He’d taken advantage of her vulnerability and emotions, until he’d grown tired of her and moved on to another young protégée, leaving her devastated and unable to focus on her college classes, exams, and the grades she needed.

It had been a dark time for her, a cruel life lesson that could have sent her spiraling down a much different path, and nearly had. Only with the help of a counselor had she managed to get her head back on straight and finish college with her degree in journalism, along with the drive to succeed.

But the whole sordid experience had left her determined to never allow a man that kind of control over her again. And to never let a man come before anything else in her life that mattered.

So far, so good.

Unfortunately, once Sloane was done with Holly she’d just remain broken, unless someone stepped in to save her. Even then, Nicole was certain a part of the girl would never be the same.

“Hey, what are you doing sitting out here in the dark all by yourself?” Nathan asked, startling her out of her deep reflection on the evening’s events, and her own past. “Are you okay?”

She’d been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn’t even heard him approach. He stood next to where she was sitting on the floor, his feet bare, and she just didn’t have the energy to glance all the way up to his face. “I can’t stop thinking about Holly.” She’d told him about the girl on the drive home, and he’d been sympathetic and understanding.

“I know,” he said softly, and sat down beside her. “It’s not easy to witness what we did tonight and walk away unaffected. That’s a large part of the reason why I quit the force. It’s even more difficult to watch those girls sell their souls to the devil himself.”

“And for what?” Nicole met his gaze in the shadowed darkness, feeling tortured from the inside out. “Jewelry? Crumbs of affection? A pretty room that Holly doesn’t have to share with anyone else?” She shook her head in disgust, wishing she could make sense of it all. “What makes those girls living with Sloane believe that trading sex for expensive material things is a great life?”

Leaning against the back of the couch behind them, Nathan stretched his legs out and splayed his hands on his thighs, settling in to talk to her. “In my experience, I learned a lot of the girls are runaways. Either they come from a bad home to begin with, or they believe there’s something better waiting for them outside their parents’ rules.”

“And sleazy guys like Sloane offer them just enough privileges and extravagant gifts to hook them in,” she said, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice.

“Exactly.” Nathan sighed, as if he, too, despised everything that Preston Sloane stood for. “They’re young and impressionable, and they get caught up in the promises, the draw of what they perceive to be a glamorous life. It’s unlike anything they’ve ever experienced, and he makes it exciting and irresistible to them.”

Her lips pursed in anger. “Then comes the alcohol and the drugs, and then they’re addicted to more than just Sloane.”

“Unfortunately, that’s the way men like Sloane operate.” His tone was far more reasonable than hers, and she chalked it up to the fact that he was much more seasoned in dealing with the harsh realities of predatory men who took advantage of underage girls.

“You know, tonight I met Holly, who was so willing to do whatever it took to please Sloane. It’s just a matter of time before he discards her, if he hasn’t already.” Her throat felt raw, and her stomach churned with a multitude of emotions-mingling her own personal history with tonight’s events. “And while a part of me is infuriated that she allowed herself to get involved in such a degrading situation, another part of me completely understands how it can happen.”

He tipped his head curiously. “How so?”

“It’s a long story.” And one she wasn’t certain she wanted to share.

He smiled, the sentiment gentle and caring. “As far as I’m concerned, we have the entire night to talk if you need to.”

The compassion in his eyes unraveled her guard, as did the knowledge that he was willing to listen. After everything she’d seen tonight, and recognizing a piece of herself in Holly, the urge to talk about her emotional connection to the girl was strong. Everything was sitting so heavily on her chest, and her own humiliating past clawed with the need to be released and set free.

Except for a college mental health counselor, she’d never confessed to anyone about her relationship with her English professor. She’d been so ashamed that she’d let someone she trusted take advantage of her, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to even tell her parents the truth about why she’d fallen into a short bout of depression after her first term at Columbia University. Instead, upon returning to college for her sophomore year, she’d buried all the anguish and grief away and poured all her time and energy into graduating and then building a career as a journalist.

She’d believed that particular part of her life was all behind her, that she’d resolved those issues and moved on. But tonight’s exposure to Holly had unearthed those agonizing memories and pushed them right up to the surface, making her feel emotionally stripped bare.

She glanced at Nathan, who was waiting patiently for her to say something, and she debated on how much to reveal, if anything at all. In the past few days she’d learned enough about him to know he was an honorable man, that he’d be the last person to judge her for the bad choices she’d made in her past. Sitting next to him in the dark, she felt safe and secure, and she couldn’t remember ever feeling that way with any other man.

She trusted her instincts. And she was about to trust Nathan with her deepest, darkest secrets.

“When I left my small town in Iowa to attend Columbia University in New York, it was the most exciting time of my life. I was eighteen and felt so grown-up and mature being on my own for the first time ever.” Looking back, it was easy to see just how young and vulnerable she’d been, ignorant even. A small-town girl with stars in her eyes and big dreams in her heart.

“I was nervous, a little scared, and at times felt lonely. But I was determined to study hard, get good grades, and most especially impress my English professor, since journalism was my major and I was at CU on a full scholarship based on my writing ability and my solid grade point average in high school.”

“Very impressive,” Nathan said, sounding sincere.

“Thanks,” she said, and smiled for a moment before getting back to her story. “My freshman English professor, Mark Reeves, was a really good-looking guy and had a charming personality to go with it. He was thirty-seven, but he looked exceptionally young, and it was well known that most of the girls in his classes had a huge crush on him.”

“Including you?” Nathan guessed quietly.

She nodded. “Yeah, including me. And it was very exciting when he started paying extra attention to me. Out of all the other girls he had as students, he took me under his wing and really made me feel special as a writer, and as a woman. He lavished me with praise, gave me all A’s on my essays and tests even when I felt they weren’t my absolute best, and he flirted with me in a way that made me feel sexy and attractive. He told me that he saw something special in me and my writing ability, and I honestly believed him.”

“You trusted him.”

Nathan understood, which was why it was so easy for her to open up and talk to him. “I had no reason not to trust him up to this point. He was perfect, as far as I was concerned,” she said, and didn’t miss the cynical note in her voice now that she was older and wiser. “I was so infatuated with Mark, and when he invited me over to his apartment to help me with a big writing project, I was not only flattered, but excited to be completely alone with him. He made me dinner and we talked about my current essay and what I could do to make it stronger and better, and then he kissed me and told me how much he wanted me.”

She remembered that night all too well. The flurry of butterflies in her stomach as his lips touched hers. The surge of exhilaration that someone like Mark Reeves, an older, sophisticated man, could desire her. His sole attention, along with the seductive, romantic way he treated her, had been like an aphrodisiac, feeding a part of her that felt alone in a new city away from family and friends.

“After that night, the relationship quickly turned intimate, and for me, very emotional, especially after giving him my virginity. The sex was hot, and being with Mark was quite an eye-opener. I was more than eager to learn what pleased him the most because I honestly believed that I was in love with him.” She felt the warm rush of old humiliation sweep across her cheeks, but a glance at Nathan told her that she had no reason to be ashamed. That it wasn’t her fault Mark Reeves had taken advantage of her youth and innocence.

“A little over a month after we had sex for the first time, Mark started pressuring me to… expand our sexual repertoire. At first, I didn’t understand what he meant, but I trusted him enough to go along with what he wanted. Some things were… interesting, and other things he asked me to do made me uncomfortable.”

She dragged her fingers through her hair and exhaled a deep breath before continuing. “I didn’t mind when he asked me to dress like a stripper, or we watched porn together, and some of the toys he used were kind of fun,” she admitted. “But then those sexual stimulants weren’t enough for him, and he started introducing things that made me feel uneasy, like bondage, exhibitionism, and even some S and M.”

“Did you tell him you weren’t interested?” Nathan asked gruffly.

She nodded. “Yes, and that’s when he insisted that I just needed to relax and I’d enjoy it as much as he did. He started giving me these little white pills that calmed my anxiety, and he assured me it was perfectly safe. Whatever it was, the drug definitely lowered my inhibitions, to the point that I let him do things that I normally wouldn’t.”

Nathan’s jaw clenched with a glimpse of fury. “The guy was a real asshole, wasn’t he?”

A choppy laugh escaped her. Nathan’s question was a rhetorical one that didn’t need a verbal reply because the answer was obvious. “About two months later, he started talking about the two of us indulging in a ménage à trois. He told me his greatest desire was to watch me with another man, to share me…”

She shook her head, revolted anew at the thought. “I didn’t want to do it, but he stepped up the pressure. He told me I was special, that watching me with another man, sharing me, would only heighten what we had together.”

Nathan cursed under his breath. “What happened?” he asked gently.

“Because I was afraid of losing him, I gave in and agreed.” Her stomach roiled at the memory. “This time, going into the threesome, I asked him for one of those little white pills, because I knew I couldn’t do it otherwise.” Just like Holly had needed drugs and alcohol tonight to get through whatever sexual favors Sloane’s men expected of her. Nicole knew exactly what that felt like.

“So, Mark gave me just enough that I was aware of what was going on during the threesome, but I was too lethargic to do anything about it.” Her voice grew hoarse. “I thought taking something to relax me would make it easier to let two men take advantage of me, to use me sexually, but it was the worst experience of my life. I felt so helpless, so mortified and degraded-during and afterward.”

“I’m sorry,” Nathan said softly, compassionately.

She glanced at him, appreciating his comforting presence. “Me, too. About a week after the threesome, the semester ended and a fresh crop of young freshman girls started a new term in his class. It didn’t take Mark long to replace me.”

Feeling a slight chill, Nicole drew her legs up and wrapped her arms protectively around them. “He ended things with me abruptly and coldly, and as I watched him work his charm on one of the new girls, I literally got sick to my stomach because I realized that I’d essentially traded my virginity, perverse sex, and the use of my body for good grades in his class.”

She swallowed hard to push back the knot tightening in her throat. “It all felt so sleazy, and I was devastated emotionally. But while I was in the relationship, it never occurred to me how wrong it all was, not when he was telling me how much he loved me, and how much I meant to him.” After the fact, she’d realized that his interest and affection had all been a sham to feed his ego, and she blamed herself for being so stupid and naive and falling for his lies and deceit.

Nathan reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, as if sensing how tough this conversation was for her. “Reeves never should have gotten involved with a student, let alone tried to push his sexual advances on a young girl, but it sounds as though this was a pattern for him.”

“You’re right. I wasn’t the first, and I know for a fact that I wasn’t the last.” She dragged her fingers through her still-damp hair, unable to quell the regrets that remained with her to this day. “I should have reported him, but I was eighteen and the sex was consensual. And I was so afraid of my family finding out what I’d done, and how shocked and disappointed they’d be in me, that I decided to bury the whole incident like it never happened.”

“That’s never a good thing,” Nathan said, his tone quiet, but wise.

“I know,” she agreed, recalling how all those suppressed feelings had sucked her into a black hole of nothingness and had threatened to consume her. “The weeks after Mark broke things off with me, the shame of what I’d done, and almost did, ate at me, and I fell apart emotionally. I couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed in the morning to attend my classes, and my grades started to drop to the point that the university issued a warning that I was going to lose my scholarship if I didn’t raise my grades again. That was my wake-up call, and I finally went to a college counselor to help me work through my depression.”

She exhaled a deep breath, found Nathan watching her with quiet patience and genuine interest, and finished her tale. “Once I got my head on straight again, I was able to focus on what was most important to me-finishing school and getting my degree. I was determined not to let my experience with Mark ruin my life and future. After that I kept my head down and focused on my grades and graduating.”

But she knew that despite the counseling and her outward fortitude, she still harbored unresolved issues and insecurities that affected her relationships with men. After Mark, separating sex and emotion had become crucial for her, because she refused to let herself be that vulnerable ever again.

She still enjoyed sex, but knowing how badly an emotionally based relationship could skew her judgment, it was all about physical pleasure for her. She no longer trusted her instincts when it came to men, and found it much easier to keep things casual, fun, and undemanding. This way she wouldn’t risk shifting her focus away from what mattered to her in favor of what a man demanded. Her strategy kept her in control, and her emotions safe and guarded.

Beside her, Nathan shifted and moved as he braced his back more comfortably against the sofa behind him, then he patted his lap. “Come here,” he said softly.

The deep rumble of his voice spread through her like a balm, and the offer of comfort was too much for her to resist after the night she’d endured and everything she’d just revealed. She settled on his hard thighs, and his arms immediately slid around her, holding her with a gentle strength that made her relax against his chest and rest her head on his broad shoulder. He smelled good, clean and fresh and all male, and he felt even better. Solid, warm, and reliable.

After a moment of silence, he spoke, his lips moving against the top of her head. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

The empathy in his voice was real, and while it had been difficult to share her past with him, she was glad she had. “Now maybe you can understand why I feel so passionate about this story and nailing Sloane. No girl or woman should ever be used by any man, emotionally or physically. It’s despicable.”

She sighed as he rubbed a large hand up and down her back, then kneaded the taut muscles at the nape of her neck. “I survived, and I count myself as very lucky when I think about those girls at Sloane’s. They’re so young, and the whole situation is reprehensible. Once Sloane is done with them, most of the girls are going to be broken beyond repair.” She’d already witnessed the emotional damage with Holly, and she was certain that visions of the young girl were going to haunt her dreams tonight when she finally fell asleep.

“I know,” he said, his voice gruff with his own quiet outrage. “I saw this shit all the time during my last undercover assignment when I was a vice cop. It’s heartbreaking to watch these girls destroy their innocence and their futures because they get sucked into a life filled with sex and drugs. And as much as I hated seeing so many exploited young girls at Sloane’s nightclub tonight, unfortunately we can’t save them all.”

She lifted her head from his shoulder and stared up at him, catching sight of something dark and haunted in his expression that she couldn’t fully grasp. “Why not?” she asked, even knowing how unreasonable she was being.

“Because it just doesn’t work that way,” he replied, his gaze filled with regret. “We’re just two people against a very powerful, well-connected man, and it’s up to the feds to bring Sloane down, along with gathering the evidence they need to back up his arrest so the charges stick. You and I have a job to do, and that’s to rescue Angela. Even by doing that, we’re putting a lot of lives in danger.”

She couldn’t argue with Nathan’s logic, but her head and her heart were torn between her promise to help rescue Angela, and her need to save anyone else she could from such a bleak and lonely existence. Like Holly, who deserved a better future than the grim one she was quickly heading toward.

Nathan caressed the back of his fingers along her cheek, the touch tender and caring and teeming with concern. “This assignment is going to get a lot worse before we’re through, and I’m certain you’re going to see a lot more of what we witnessed at Bliss tonight. Are you sure you can handle the emotional aspects of this case?”

She knew what he was saying was true and not an attempt to scare her. After her sensitive reaction to the harsh realities of Sloane’s world, he was worried about her frame of mind going forward. But no matter how difficult it was to be a part of something so vile, this case had turned personal for Nicole, and she wasn’t about to back out now.

“Tonight was tougher than I’d anticipated,” she admitted. “But now that I know what to expect, I’ll be able to get the job done without falling apart.”

“Okay,” he said, trusting her to know her own limitations. “But if at any time things get too intense for you and you want out, just say the word and it’s done.”

She shook her head. “Not a chance. At least we’ll be able to give one girl a happy ending.”

“That’s what keeps me motivated.”

A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth, but didn’t diminish those shadows still lingering in his gaze. She had her reasons for pursuing this story, and she suspected that Nathan had his that went beyond his obligation to The Reliance Group. But asking for details wasn’t her place. If he ever wanted to share, she’d listen, just as he’d done for her tonight. She understood how personal and sacred some things could be for a person.

The night’s tension had eased from her body, and she wrapped her arms around Nathan’s back and curled up closer to his chest. He tightened his hold, his warm hands stroking along her arms as he enveloped her in the kind of intimacy that was more about respect and affection than the passion and sex she was used to with him.

It marked a slight shift in their relationship for Nicole, one that should have made her panic and retreat. But at the moment she felt protected and secure, and peaceful in a way that had eluded her for years. She couldn’t deny that Nathan’s embrace calmed her. It was exactly what she needed after digging deep into her soul and telling him about her past.

Knowing the solace was temporary, that soon enough life would intrude and with it the reality of their situation, she decided that for tonight she’d selfishly indulge in any of the tenderness Nathan was willing to offer.

Sunday morning dawned bright and warm with the sun streaming cheerfully through the living room windows. If the newspaper forecast was to believed, it was going to be a scorcher of a day. A normal occurrence for Las Vegas in the summer, and according to Nathan’s earlier conversation with his boss, Caleb, a perfect afternoon for the Fourth of July poolside barbecue he planned every year for the TRG crew.

After spending a good half hour discussing last night’s events and what Nicole had discovered about Angela, Caleb had asked Nathan if he was coming to the party, and had even extended an invitation for him to bring Nicole if he wanted to. Unsure of how Nicole might be feeling this morning, Nathan hadn’t committed to anything and decided to play things by ear.

During breakfast, and even now as he perused the sports section of the Sunday paper in the armchair across from where she was curled up on the couch with her laptop, he glanced her way every once in a while to try and gauge her mood. Ever since waking up, she’d been quiet and subdued. He understood why and tried to respect that personal space she seemed to need this morning.

Last night had been emotionally draining for her-first as a result of her disturbing encounter with Holly, then later, when she’d told him what had happened to her in college. As difficult as it had been for her to open up to him, he appreciated the trust she’d offered. The insight into her past gave him a better understanding of what drove her to write an exposé on Sloane.

But nailing Sloane wasn’t their objective. Rescuing Angela was. And he hoped he’d made that clear to her last night.

Hearing her soft sigh, he shifted his gaze from an article on the next big UFC match, scheduled to play out at Mandalay Bay, to Nicole. She looked completely engrossed in whatever she was doing on her computer, but it was the crease lines furrowing her brow that told him there was a lot more going on in that head of hers than she was letting on.

After last night, it was difficult not to see her in a whole different light. He had to admit that he had a newfound admiration for Nicole. Up until this point, he’d only seen her outward strength and confidence, but now he knew that deep inside she was soft and vulnerable. Human. Fallible. A woman with scars and flaws and insecurities.

The two of them weren’t that different, especially in the way their tragic pasts now propelled their actions in the present. For different reasons, they both felt the need to make up for old mistakes and set things right, giving them a common objective when it came to Sloane and saving Angela.

Because of all that, he felt connected to Nicole, an emotional bond that went beyond their physical relationship. Holding her in his arms and comforting her had felt good and right-a surprise, but not an unwelcome one.

For the first time in years, he’d allowed himself to feel something for a woman that had nothing to do with sex, and everything to do with tenderness and caring. A scary realization, but it was there nonetheless, and he couldn’t ignore the awareness slowly making itself known.

In a very short time, Nicole had gotten under his skin-with her vivacious personality, her sensual nature, and most especially with the way she’d trusted him with her secrets and fears. There was so much more he wanted to learn about Nicole, and he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, once this ordeal was over with, she’d reconsider her friends-with-benefits arrangement and see if there was something more between them worth pursuing.

But for now, for today, he decided to keep things light, casual, and fun, and the best way to accomplish that goal was to get them out of the apartment for the afternoon. He was certain nothing important would happen today, and being cooped up for hours would only make them both restless and anxious. He really had no desire to watch Nicole in her own little world as she conversed with men online for her latest article on dating trends. If she was going to give anyone her attention, he wanted it to be him.

They needed to clear their heads and regroup, and he honestly couldn’t think of a better way to accomplish that than to be surrounded by the people he’d come to think of as his second family-Caleb, and the rest of The Reliance Group team.

He folded the newspaper, set it on the coffee table in front of his chair, then glanced across the way at Nicole, watching as her fingers moved fast and furious over her laptop’s keyboard. “Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked, wanting her complete attention before issuing his invitation.

“Sure. Just a sec.” She finished whatever she’d been typing, then glanced at him curiously. “What’s up?”

Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his thighs and smiled at her. “Did you happen to bring a swimsuit with you?”

“Actually, I did.” She shut down her laptop, set it on the coffee table, then lifted her arms above her head and stretched her limbs. “I figured a place like Turnberry Towers has an amazing pool and spa that I might want to use.”

“It does,” he managed to say, even though his mouth had gone dry at the sight of her bare breasts pressing so enticingly against her thin tank top.

They’d slept in the same bed all night long, with her snuggled up to his side, her warm, lush body half draped over his and her hand resting low on his abdomen. It had been a long, excruciatingly platonic night for him, and while he had no regrets about giving her the emotional comfort she so obviously needed, he couldn’t deny that even in the light of day his desire for her was as sharp as ever.

And for a brief, crazy moment, he thought about staying indoors and spending the day making love to her in every position imaginable, until they both collapsed from sheer sexual exhaustion. Oh, yeah, his unruly body was totally on board with the lusty idea, but his mind knew that today they both could use some fresh air and a reprieve from the confinement of the apartment.

“Are we going swimming today?” Her eyes lit up, as if the mention of a pool had rejuvenated her, which was exactly what he’d wanted.

“If you want, but not here.” She frowned in confusion, and he explained what he had in mind. “Every year on the Fourth of July weekend, my boss has a barbecue at his place in Henderson. I thought it might be a good distraction. And this way you can meet some of the people I work with.”

She bit her bottom lip, a quick flash of uncertainty passing across her expression before it was gone again. “You don’t have to feel obligated to invite me. You go and I’ll be fine on my own right here in this cushy apartment,” she insisted. “Besides, I have some hot online dates to hook up with.”

She grinned, and while he knew she was teasing, he couldn’t deny the spark of jealousy flaring in the pit of his belly. He knew her online dating was all about research for her article, but damned if he didn’t hate the idea of her “hooking up” with another guy, even if it was in an Internet chat room and all business for her.

“I want you to come with me,” he said, and meant it. Standing, he walked over to where she was sitting on the couch and splayed his hands on the cushions on either side of her shoulders. He dipped his head close to hers, looked into her eyes, and smiled. “In fact, I’m not taking no for an answer,” he said, giving her his best macho-man impersonation.

She blinked at him, all innocent-like-that fun, flirtatious personality that he loved so much finally emerging. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice slightly breathless with anticipation. “I think it’s going to take more than just your say-so to convince me.”

Accepting her irresistible dare, he tucked his hands beneath her arms and hauled her up from the sofa and against his chest. Sliding his hands around her back, he fused his mouth against her softer-than-soft lips. When she sighed her pleasure he delved deeper, doing his best to seduce her and melt her so-called resolve. It was all a sexy game, he knew, but it was one he thoroughly enjoyed playing with her.

Before the kiss could get any hotter, before he lost the ability to stop, and forgot all about his good intentions for the day, he forced himself to pull back-even as his aroused body protested.

When he could focus on Nicole’s face again, the laughter he saw in her eyes mocked him, as did the mischievous smile curving her kiss-swollen lips. “Oh, come on, Nathan, is that the best you can do to sway me?”

He could think of a dozen other ways to persuade her to say yes, all of them including getting naked and teasing her to the brink of release and not giving in until she agreed. Yeah, the idea definitely had merit, but he’d much rather let the sexual tension build for the day… and reap the benefits of all that heat and awareness between them when they got back home tonight.

With that settled, he decided to handle her so-called reluctance with a more barbaric attitude, all feigned, of course. “I’m thinking brute force ought to do the trick.”

Before she realized his intent, he bent his knees, wrapped an arm around her thighs, and hefted her over his shoulder like a sack of grain. She gasped in surprise, but quickly caught her breath.

“Ohhh, I just love it when you get all rough and uncivilized with me.” Flipped upside down, she was in the perfect position to reach down and pinch his butt, which she did with relish.

Unfazed, he chuckled and playfully smacked her ass in return, causing her to inhale sharply and squirm against his shoulder like a slippery fish. “You’d better behave,” he said as he headed toward her bedroom so she could change. “Because there’s a whole lot more where that spanking came from.”

“Promises, promises,” she taunted, but she was laughing, her mood exuberant and the painful memories of last night dissipating as a result of their amusing, sensually charged banter.

And for today, a mental break from the case was exactly what they both needed.