For The Love Of Nick

Nick put a hand on her arm. “How did you meet Donald?”

“Uh…” Tired of having made poor choice after poor choice, she hesitated to tell him. “Emma. We were at a show, but I really don’t think she’d…”

“Don’t you?”

“No,” she said firmly, meeting his fathomless gaze. “She thought she was doing the right thing. She really did. She won’t interfere again.”

Or would she?

Truth was, this industry was small, incestuous in that they all knew one another. It could come out in simple conversation.

“Just be prepared,” he said grimly.

They entered the building together. Danielle looked up at the tall, silent, almost unbearably sexy man at her side and marveled that he was there at all. With her.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, putting his hand on the small of her back as if touching her was the most natural thing in the world.

What was she thinking? Only that she’d like him to touch her like that always. “Nothing.”

“Uh-huh.”

She looked up into a smile that made her stumble.

He tightened his grip until she caught her step. “Thanks,” she whispered, squeezing his hand. “But, Nick? Someday I want to be there when you need me.”

Surprise lit in his eyes, as if no one had ever offered that before. After a long beat he said, “I just might hold you to that.”

DONALD WAS STANDING at the receptionist’s desk when they walked in. The art director took a look at Sadie, definitely not shocked to see her, then looked up at Danielle.

He was a small, compact man, fit and tanned, wearing an expression tuned to not happy. “Danielle…what a surprise.”

But it hadn’t been a surprise at all, she thought, taking his proffered hand. “I made an appointment.”

“Yes, I was just looking over my schedule.” He glanced at his receptionist. “Your name registered when I saw Sadie.”

He wasn’t thrilled to see her. Uncomfortable now, she glanced at Nick, who was watching Donald carefully. For a woman who prided herself on her newly-found independence, she didn’t question her relief at having him with her. “The last time I saw you,” she said, “you mentioned a possible commercial endorsement for Sadie.”

“Yes I did.” Donald leaned down and roughed up the top of the dog’s head, while Sadie glared at him. “But that was before.”

“Before?”

Donald looked at Nick, then back to Danielle. “Where’s Ted?”

“I don’t know,” she answered politely, then gestured to the man at her side. “This is Nick Cooper.” She watched the two shake hands, sizing each other up. “What did you mean before?”

“I don’t want to get in the middle.”

“The middle?”

“Between you and Ted.”

“There is no middle,” Danielle said carefully. “This is about Sadie. And me.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Donald, just tell me. Yes or no. Are you interested in working with Sadie?”

“Let’s talk in here,” he said, and ushered them into his large, still mostly packed office, holding the door open for them. But as Sadie crossed the threshold, he stopped her. “People only,” he said pleasantly, reaching for her leash, smiling at Danielle. “She’ll be perfectly comfortable out here with Linda, my receptionist.”

Before either Danielle or Nick could reply, he’d shut the door, leaving them in the office. Alone.

Danielle bit her lip and looked at the door. “No, that’s not right. Something’s off.”

“I’ll say,” Nick said, reaching for the handle. “We keep Sadie with us, at all times.”

But Sadie wasn’t at the reception desk, and neither was Donald.

They were hurrying down a hallway as he punched numbers on his cell phone.

Nick whistled sharply, and unbelievably, Sadie halted in her tracks, craning her neck to look at him.

As her leash tightened, Donald jerked to a stop, the cell phone tumbling from his fingers, bouncing on the tile floor.

His smile was utterly forced, but before he could say a word, Nick scooped up the cell phone. With a look of thorough disgust, he turned to Danielle. “Take a wild guess.”

“Same number Emma was calling?”

“Bingo.” Nick grabbed Sadie’s leash and handed it to Danielle. “Here’s your prize. One dog, free for life. Or until she kills you, whichever comes first.”

THE PHONE RANG and Ted held it tight, certain it was the call. The one that would bring Danielle back to him.

“I didn’t want to get in the middle of this,” came Donald’s voice. “How did I get in the damn middle, Ted?”

“Money. It changed your mind quick enough. Now what’s up?”

“She’s with a Nick Cooper. I realize you wanted to know, but I feel funny telling you. As if I’m spying on Danielle.”

Yeah, yeah.

“They had the dog with them,” Donald continued reluctantly. “Look, Ted, I-”

“Thank you,” Ted said politely and hung up. Fury blinded him.

She’d left him, she’d really left him.

But it would be okay. He knew where Danielle would go next. She’d want the records only Sadie’s breeder could give her. The records that would possibly clear her.

Still, the cold rage ignited, flamed. She wouldn’t need clearing if she’d only come back. To him. He was tired of losing things. His house. His wealth.

Respect.

And with that thought, he pitched the phone across the room.

DANIELLE AND NICK DROVE back to the hotel in grim silence. Nick’s hands gripped the wheel with force, his expression edgy and dangerous.

No doubt, Danielle figured, he felt good and stuck with her.

What was she going to do? The only thing she knew was dogs, and while she was the best of the best of dog handlers, it didn’t matter. Even if she was somehow cleared of theft, the damage had been done. No one in their right mind would hire her now.

And how she’d managed to wrap up the most amazing, most gorgeous, most sexy man in the world in this mess with her was beyond her. She’d barged into his life, let him help her, protect her. Take care of her.

So much for self-sufficiency.

That was going to change.

“I’m turning myself in,” she said quietly as he pulled into the hotel and shut off the engine.

“Over my dead body,” he said, so gently, so kindly, it didn’t sink in at first.

“It’s my decision, Nick. This can’t go on.”

Pulling out the keys, he turned to her, his eyes shockingly full of protectiveness, belying that easygoing, almost lazy voice. “You’re right,” he said. “It can’t go on. Do you have a plan?”

“Not yet,” she admitted, hating that she didn’t. “But I can-”

“We can. Whatever it is, we can.”

Her heart stuttered. She wasn’t ready to accept a “we,” but having him there at her side had made her feel safe, secure. Two things sorely missing in her life. “You have your own life to get back to. You can’t keep doing this with me forever.”

“No one can do this forever.”