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 expose 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.
