One Step Away (Hazel Green Book 2)

by Cindy Kirk

  Nell didn’t need to close her eyes to see the images of the firefighters doing CPR and giving oxygen to the Maltese.

  “The dog survived,” Dixon reminded her.

  “There was absolutely no reason for Gloria to set that fire.” Nell whirled. “The safe was fireproof. Even with the house reduced to ashes, the investigators still knew money and jewels were missing.”

  “Gloria didn’t set the fire.” Dixon’s tone turned mocking. “Remember?”

  Nell took a swig of wine. Her mother never admitted to herself, or anyone else, that she was in any way involved with any of the crimes she’d perpetrated. Somehow, Gloria was always the victim.

  “You had no choice but to leave. If you’d stayed, she’d have made you pay for not knowing the jewels in the safe were paste. Then, after punishing you, she’d have pulled you in so deep you’d never have gotten away.”

  “But you—”

  “Hey, I think I’ve done pretty well for myself.” Dixon held out his glass. “Enough about Gloria. Pour me some more wine and tell me what you’ve been up to all these years.”

  Chapter Six

  Nell paused in the doorway leading into the civic center ballroom, amazed by the transformation. Though Abby had initially said she’d be happy getting married at the courthouse, her future mother-in-law had seen past her weak protests. Over the past six months, she and Jonah’s sister had helped Abby plan the wedding of her dreams.

  The ceremony had gone off without a hitch. Nell wouldn’t have been surprised to see cherubs singing overhead when Abby, looking amazingly beautiful in an A-line lace and tulle dress, first spotted Jonah in his dark tux at the front of the church.

  The love in her eyes—and his—had brought tears to Nell’s eyes.

  Walking down the aisle with Leo had seemed surreal. Nell hadn’t been able to quit thinking about her brother’s comments the previous night.

  “It’s almost time to go in.” Abby’s voice shook as she clutched her daughter’s hand and exchanged an excited glance with her new husband.

  Eva Grace, fully recovered from last night’s fever, stood between her parents. Abby wanted her daughter to be involved in every part of today’s festivities. Jonah and Abby would spend tonight at the hotel before leaving on their honeymoon tomorrow. They had already arranged for his parents to stay with Eva Grace while they were gone.

  From where she stood, Nell could see the ballroom had been transformed. Large urns of flowers were everywhere, and the candles on the linen-clad tables added a golden glow to the room.

  In deference to Eva Grace and all the children in attendance, there was a designated kids zone. Instead of being topped with linen, tables in this area held sheets of paper with designs to color. The flowers and candles that centered the other tables had been replaced with containers holding a multitude of crayons.

  Children were already hard at work. Romantic piano music filled the air. When Nell turned her head, she discovered Dixon was at the grand piano.

  Nell frowned. “Surely he won’t be expected to play all night.”

  Leo’s eyes followed the direction of her gaze. “If I had to guess, I’d say through dinner. Once Jonah and Abby hit the dance floor, the band will take over.”

  “Once we can get away for a few minutes, we need to talk.” Nell kept her voice low and the words vague, just in case anyone overheard.

  “Is this about—?”

  There was no chance for him to say more, because suddenly they were being introduced and entering the ballroom to the cheers of the guests.

  It would be okay, Nell reassured herself. Leo would understand the parameters she would set.

  Or he wouldn’t.

  Leo didn’t have a chance to speak privately with Nell for several hours. At the head table, they were only inches away from the others. Even on the dance floor, there were so many people nearby that a private conversation couldn’t be guaranteed.

  Perhaps, before the conversation in his brother’s study, Leo would have taken the chance and urged Nell to tell him what had put that worried look in her eyes. But she was a stickler about privacy, and right now, with his father in the spotlight, that was a good thing.

  Setting aside his concerns, Leo let himself enjoy having her in his arms. “You’re more beautiful than the bride.”

  The blue dress that hugged her lean figure showed curves in all the right places. Curves he knew intimately. It seemed so long since they’d been together…

  We need to make sure not to do—or say—anything that could make this worse for Dad.

  Leo tightened his hand around hers.

  “Let’s take a walk.”

  Her words had his head jerking up.

  “I don’t mean leave the building.” She offered him an enticing smile. “We’ll be back before anyone notices we’ve left.”

  Leo nodded to a couple he recognized and began steering Nell toward the edge of the dance floor. It took another ten minutes of stopping to talk with friends and acquaintances before they were able to lift two flutes of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray and slip out of the ballroom.

  Nell started down the hall that led to the front doors, but turned before getting that far. “This way.”

  He wasn’t sure where she was taking him, but she’d spent as much time in the civic center as he had, so he had no doubt she knew her way.

  Along this corridor were groupings of chairs and sofas, all of them currently unoccupied. Nell stopped at one, dropped onto a love seat and slipped off her heels.

  Leo raised a brow.

  “Taking off the heels gives the impression I couldn’t walk another step and needed to stop and rest.”

  He took a seat in the adjacent chair, instead of beside her on the love seat.

  Her approving nod had his unease ratcheting up a notch.

  Leo assumed she’d launch right into whatever she needed to say, but her gaze swept the area, as if making sure they were indeed alone.

  She took a sip of champagne. Several tendrils of hair that had been pulled back into an elegant mass of curls now lay in loose ringlets around her face. “I’ve been thinking about your suggestion.”

  Leo didn’t like the suddenly serious look in her eyes. The we need to talk vibe put him instantly on alert.

  “Like you, I believe it’s time to make some changes.”

  Leo’s fingers tightened around the stem of the flute he still held. She was breaking it off. His heart pounded an irregular beat against his ribs.

  Outwardly, he remained calm, even taking a sip of champagne. Instead of asking for clarification, he lifted a questioning brow.

  For a second, Nell hesitated, and he caught a glimpse of shadows behind the calm blue of her eyes. “You never wanted a purely sexual relationship.”

  “I honestly don’t believe that was what you really wanted, either.” When she started to protest, he lifted a hand. “Oh, it was what you said. The fact was, you didn’t know if you could trust me.”

  “I went to bed with you,” she pointed out, as if that negated his argument.

  “You trusted me with your body, but not with your heart. Having a sex-only relationship was your way of keeping distance between us.”

  “That was probably part of it,” she admitted. “Not all, but part anyway. I never knew my father. I don’t even know his name. My mother had a series of boyfriends, and not one of those relationships was healthy.”

  “I’m sorry.” His gaze searched her face. “That must have been difficult.”

  Nell lifted a shoulder and let it drop, her expression giving nothing away. “My mother ran hot and cold. I learned early the importance of not caring too much, of not expecting too much.”

  “I can’t promise I’ll never hurt you, because relationships always have that potential. I can promise I won’t lie to you.” Because his gaze was firmly fixed on her face, Leo saw the barely perceptible fluttering of her lashes. Obviously, lying was a hot button. “I hope by now you know that you can tr
ust me and my word is good.”

  He lifted a hand, his fingers forming the Boy Scout salute.

  A smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

  Emboldened by the response, he moved to sit beside her. His hand cupped her cheek. “You can trust me, Nell.”

  “I know I can.” The breath she expelled held a slight tremor. She took his hand and began making circles with her finger in his palm. “You realize if we suddenly show up as a couple, our friends will be shocked. Right now, they think we’re social acquaintances, nothing more.”

  His heart gave a leap. It sounded as if she was agreeing to date him.

  “I think they already suspect we’re more than friends.” Leo kept his tone even. “If we do start dating, I believe they’ll be happy for us.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “I am right.”

  “And you’re trustworthy.”

  “Don’t forget sexy.”

  The smile she flashed arrowed straight to his heart. Then her expression sobered.

  “Abby has a man who loves her. Her relationship with Jonah is solid. They don’t play games.” Nell met his gaze. “I don’t want to play games with you.”

  “Are you saying you want to date me?”

  “Yes.”

  He kept his tone as offhand as hers. “What changed your mind?”

  “I realized that maybe, if I was open to the possibility, I could have more. It’s a bit frightening.” Her eyes took on a distant look before her gaze turned steady. “Now that I’ve made the decision, I’m excited.”

  He took her hand, finding her fingers ice cold. Regardless of how much she was trying to downplay her decision, he knew it was huge. “I’m excited, too.”

  “We should celebrate.” She stood abruptly and slipped on her shoes. “You know, seal the deal and all that.”

  “There’s lots of champagne in the ballroom.” Leo slowly rose, his gaze settling on her mouth. “Or we could go to my place?”

  Nell didn’t hesitate. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her face for a kiss. “I pick door number two.”

  “I thought we’d never get out of there.” Nell cursed the breathlessness that crept into her voice while she waited for Leo to unlock his front door.

  Mentioning her mother and alluding to the chaos in her childhood had been a first step toward total honesty. It hadn’t been as difficult as she’d feared. Probably because Leo was someone she already trusted. At least, as much as she trusted anyone.

  Baby steps, she told herself.

  The door swung open, and he stepped inside, flicking on the lights.

  Nell was once again struck by the beauty of his home. “I love the simplicity of the furnishings.”

  She didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud until Leo turned and grinned. “That’s good to know. If I can’t wow you with my intellect or sexual prowess, I’ve got the house in my back pocket.”

  “You don’t need the house.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the laughter in his eyes and the warmth of his touch. “You’ve got it all, mister. You’re the total package.”

  “Funny.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “That’s what I think every time I’m with you.”

  Nell resisted the sudden insane urge to giggle. Giggle. She hadn’t been that kind of girl even as a young teen. But then, her mother had always been lurking in the background.

  As if sensing her sudden tenseness, Leo tightened his hold. “Thanks for telling me about your childhood. I’m sorry you had to go through it. I wished it had been different.”

  Nell sighed. “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Right?”

  He laughed. A low, pleasant rumbling sound that pushed aside the coldness that wanted to take hold. “That’s one way of looking at it. I prefer to think that those times make us who we are. Who you are is someone I like very much.”

  When his gaze met hers, Nell realized she wouldn’t let the shadows of what had happened so long ago interfere tonight.

  She twined her fingers into his hair, grazed her lips along his jaw. “I happen to like you, too.”

  The tenderness in his blue eyes told Nell that he was as happy as she was about this change in their relationship. A wave of longing rose up, nearly swamping her.

  Had her brother been right? Could she recapture those dreams she’d discarded so long ago? Could she really have it all?

  Leo flashed a smile that held a hint of devilment. “Now that we’ve established our mutual liking for each other, want to go to bed with me?”

  No more game playing, Nell promised herself.

  She would give this relationship her best effort.

  “Yes.”

  The simple answer appeared to take him by surprise, but he quickly rallied. When they reached his bedroom, Leo pulled her to him. A second later, warm lips closed over hers for a long kiss that sent blood flowing like warm honey through her veins.

  When the kiss ended, Leo leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m glad you said yes.”

  They both knew he wasn’t talking about sex.

  “I’m glad, too.”

  Nell undressed slowly, watching him as he did the same. Her skin prickled. Though they’d made love many times before, she couldn’t recall ever feeling closer to him than she did now.

  With those few sentences about her childhood, Nell had cracked open a door that had been firmly closed for as far back as she could remember. Only her brother had been privy to her hopes and fears.

  Now, she had let in Leo.

  His gaze traveled slowly over her. He studied her for several seconds, his steady gaze shooting tingles down her spine. “You look at me like you’ve never seen me before.”

  Nell closed the short distance between them. The citrus scent of his cologne wrapped around her senses as she gazed up at him through lowered lashes. “Just admiring my boyfriend.”

  “Boyfriend, eh?” The corner of his mouth twitched. “I like the sound of that.”

  Her cheeks heated with stinging color.

  His hand cupped her cheek, his voice deep with reassurance. “I like it very much.”

  The look in his eyes had her heart stumbling. She saw her own desire reflected in Leo’s dark blue depths.

  Nell could feel her heart somersaulting as his gaze moved from her mouth to her breasts, then back up again.

  Before she had a chance to breathe, his hands were everywhere and his mouth was voracious on hers. Hot riffs of sensations shot up her spine, sending Nell’s world spinning out of control.

  Need erupted.

  The room shrank until it was only him. And her.

  Giving herself up to the moment, Nell embraced the desire racing through her veins. No words were necessary. By her touch, by her kisses, by her response, she showed him just how much she cared.

  When the world began to quake and the orgasm hit with breathtaking speed, Nell didn’t hold back. She gave in to the shock waves of feeling coursing through her body and let herself fall, knowing she could trust Leo to catch her.

  Chapter Seven

  Nell couldn’t believe it had been a week since Abby’s wedding, which meant it had been seven days since she’d seen Leo.

  They texted every day and had spoken on the phone one evening for nearly an hour, but this would be the first time she’d seen him. Work was crazy busy for her. And apparently for him as well.

  She tried to hide her eagerness when the elevator door opened and she spotted Leo in the lobby.

  Only the fact that Anthony watched from behind the desk kept her from flying into his arms for a welcoming kiss. They could easily have met at the park for the Shakespeare on the Green performance. For her, it was a short walk.

  But when she’d offered the option, he’d told her this was a date and he would pick her up.

  She held out both hands in greeting.

  He took them, then leaned close to brush a kiss across her lips. “Beautiful, as always.”

  She thought she looked
perfectly ordinary in white capris topped with a periwinkle-blue shirt and jazzed up by a pair of strappy sandals decorated with glittery gemstones.

  Charcoal-colored chinos and a white shirt open at the collar appeared to be his idea of casual. He looked positively yummy.

  Last week’s lovemaking suddenly felt like a dinner eaten too long ago to still satisfy.

  “You smell terrific,” he murmured, his gaze never leaving her face.

  “Thank you.” She patted the bag slung over her shoulder. “I have a blanket in here, so we won’t have to sit on the grass.”

  “Let me carry that.” Before she could protest, he lifted the satchel from her shoulder.

  Anthony was on his feet and at the door, holding it open by the time they reached it. “Enjoy the beautiful day.”

  “You, too.” Nell looped her arm through Leo’s as they stepped out into the sunshine.

  “I like the red lipstick.” He took her hand as they started down the sidewalk.

  She smiled and let him swing their hands between them. How long had it been since she’d allowed herself the simple pleasure of walking down the sidewalk holding a man’s hand?

  “You had a busy week.”

  Nell thought about everything that had gone on and nodded.

  “Anything you can talk about?”

  She was used to keeping everything to herself, but weren’t relationships about give-and-take? Nell decided there was no harm in discussing a couple of her cases as long as she kept the details general. “Two pro bono cases took most of my time. One is a child seeking emancipation.”

  “How old is this child?”

  “Seventeen.” Nell decided she was glad they were walking slowly, because when they came to a series of rosebushes beside the path, she took a moment to bend close and inhale the sweet scent. “Some of the varieties you get from floral shops look pretty, but have little to no scent.”

  “I take it you prefer the scented variety.”