by Caro LaFever
Still, instead of acting like an asshole, he was going to handle this calmly.
Swiveling around, he met her frank stare. “We’re not going to go to bed anymore.”
“No?” Her brown brows arched, her expression not losing any amusement. “Who says?”
“Me. I say.”
She moved then, in her usual, lazy way, and it hit him for the first time. She had on the damn T-shirt again, the one that made him think about what she wore underneath.
Or didn’t wear.
Before he could scuttle away, she sashayed to his side. She didn’t touch, yet he felt her surrounding him. The rich scent of her, so homey and wild at the same time. The dusk of her eyes holding him in their spell. The way her lips opened, showing her red tongue.
Every muscle in his body tightened.
“Now, now,” she murmured. Her hand reached up to pull off the topknot in her hair, letting the strands fall to her shoulders. “You know we both want to.”
“I hurt you last night,” he blurted, bewilderment and lust racing through him. “You should still be mad.”
“Should I?” Her eyes widened. “You apologized.”
“But I—”
“Oh!” Her hand landed on his chest once more, turning his lust into frantic need. “I didn’t say I forgive you.”
Trying to resist, he shuffled away.
Except her hand didn’t fall and the woman followed him, her face glowing. “I forgive you, Luc.”
The words fell into him with a solid thud. The words he’d thought about and cursed. The words the dead could not say to him. “Don’t.”
Her brows arched again. “Don’t forgive you?”
He hadn’t apologized to be forgiven. He’d done it so she wouldn’t hurt. But he’d thought she’d do what Genia or his mami would do. Sulk for days. Extract more punishment. Demand he do things for them. Forgiveness would come slowly, like a trickle of a creek in the heat of the summer.
Not like a sudden wave of mercy and grace.
“Hey.” With a swiftness which shocked him, she moved right into him. Another wave, this time human. “Don’t look like that.”
Look like what? A confused, bewildered man who’d lost his way years ago, and was sure this woman wasn’t his way back? Look like that?
Her cotton-covered breasts brushed his cotton-covered chest. Her scent swirled around him, with musky, womanly want. The answer to his question popped into his head. She wore nothing under this damn T-shirt. Nothing at all.
Her hands slid onto his stubbled cheeks. “Let’s kiss and make up.”
“No,” he croaked, yanking her away from him. “It’s not going to happen again.”
Sighing, she stepped away to his relief. She crossed her arms, impatience twisted her lips. “Tell me what is rolling through that male mind of yours.”
“We shouldn’t.” It was the only thing he could articulate.
“Shouldn’t.” Her eyes grew keen. “An interesting word, saleau.”
“No nicknames.”
She ignored his attempt at deflection, her gaze never leaving his face. “Why shouldn’t we give each other pleasure, when we both enjoy it and we both want it?”
The stark simplicity of her statement and her logic shook through him like the long tail of a rattlesnake. She made it sound incredibly easy, as if climbing into bed wasn’t any big deal.
Which was correct. For her, apparently.
But not for him. He’d been too damaged by his past and too anchored in his heritage to take anything lightly—especially sex. He couldn’t admit that to her, though. He’d be more of a fool than even Genia had made him.
“Listen.” Grabbing her shoulders in a tight grip, he pushed her two steps back. “I have no interest in being your rebound guy.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Is that what you think you are?”
“That’s what I know I am.” He dropped his hands because the warmth of her seemed to scald his skin. “And I’m not interested.”
“You were pretty interested last night.” The edge of her mouth curled in a provocative quirk. “I’d say, very interested.”
“That was a mistake.” Luc glanced behind him at his bedroom door, wishing he could stop this conversation. Yet, he wanted to make his stand clear so there’d be no more bold advances from this woman who excelled at bold advances.
“It wasn’t a mistake. Not in the slightest.” The woman’s voice went husky. “I loved making love to you.”
Making love.
Meirda.
He swung back to address that particular sacrilege with a scowl.
Miss Nina smiled at him, another lure. Her body was alluring, as well: the pointed tips of her nipples rubbing against the cotton, those long legs he’d become obsessed with in such a short time, the drift of her hip angled up, as if issuing an invitation to his cock.
What he had to do was distract her. Do something or say something that would take her off the scent of sex.
But what?
“You do frown quite a lot, cher,” she drawled. “Why not laugh and smile, instead? We can do all of that in bed together.”
An idea popped into his mind—a godsend. Granted, he didn’t want to do it, except it would throw her off, and he needed that right now more than his determined desire to stay apart. “The festival.”
“What?” She paused, her gaze growing alert. “What about the festival?”
“I’ll do it with you.”
With you.
The two words bounced between them like an out-of-control boomerang. Which was exactly how his heart felt. His brain felt. His body felt. Bouncing and boomeranging and out-of-control. Still, if he could distract her with this, he’d buy himself time to find her another place to live. He’d endure the festival, and then his life would settle in, back to normal.
Her face flooded with another wave of ecstatic joy and once again, his heart flipped over. “You’d do that for me?”
“Sure.” He took a step toward his bedroom. “We can talk about it tomorrow.”
Clasping her hands in front of her, she blasted him with a rapturous smile. The same one he’d seen last night, as he eased his aching cock into her welcoming warmth.
Don’t think about that.
“I’m so happy,” she whispered. “You won’t regret it.”
He already did, but once he made a commitment, he didn’t renege. In the past, this trait had caused him quite a bit of pain. It was the man he was, though, and he understood this about himself more than any other thing.
He’d committed to Nina Blanchard.
But only for the festival. Nothing else.
“Tomorrow,” he growled, before pacing off into safety.
“Tomorrow, and day after day from there,” she called at him, her words following him into the bedroom.
Luc slammed the door and took in a deep breath. Unlike what he hoped, she resided in here, as well. Her scent still wafted around him. Her words still echoed in his ears. Her smoky eyes and long legs and perky breasts still swam in his imagination.
Meirda.
Nina might not have had a chance to talk with Luc this morning because she had to open the shop, but it was only a matter of time before she did. And he’d promised. She knew him well enough now to know—if he promised, he’d follow through.
So all in all, it wasn’t something she could keep back from her sisters.
“He agreed to be a part of the festival?” Jeanie’s hands flew into the air. “Really? Just like that?”
“It couldn’t be just like that.” Heni’s expression turned curious and her long body canted across the counter, obviously eager to hear more. “You had to have done something more than give him a charm to make him agree.”
The need to confide overwhelmed her. Knowing the grouchy saleau, he wouldn’t want the reality to be shared, but she’d talked with her sisters all her life. Plus, this piece of news was too important not to share. This new relationship would change her life forever.
>
Although Luc didn’t know it yet.
No sex. Was the man crazy? He might think of himself as a rebound guy, except she knew, right to the center of her soul, he was not.
He was hers.
Fate had whispered, and then nudged, and finally, slammed into her like a hurricane. But she’d definitely gotten the message.
Luc Miró was hers.
She only had to convince him of that. And since they’d be working together day and night to make this festival a success, she’d have plenty of chances.
“Mais?” Heni’s brows rose. “What did you do?”
“I slept with him.” She grinned at both of her sisters. “I love him.”
“So fast, Boo?” Her older sister’s brows furrowed with concern. “So soon after Javier?”
“Do not worry about that horrid man,” Lilith intoned from her velveteen chair. “He is of no consequence to Nina.”
“He isn’t, Jeanie. Really.” She walked over to her sister, and grabbed her hand to squeeze. “He was all wrong.”
“And le prince de la forêt rue is perfectly right for you,” the older woman said. “You have done well, mon enfant.”
“I’m not a baby.” A prickle of irritation ran through her happiness.
“You are not anymore.” Lilith nodded from her perch, her face serene. “You have found your destiny man.”
Her Fate.
Her destiny man.
Clutching her hands in front of her, she could barely keep the joy inside. There were problems, of course. Problems like her guy didn’t think he wanted sex. Problems like his grouchy behavior and the fact he was still a saleau. Problems like she didn’t know if he’d mind her plans to travel across the country and the world for her shop.
But there was so much to hope for—the festival, she lived in his home, the look in his eyes last night when he stumbled back from her touch. And perhaps he’d travel with her. He could explore new restaurants and discover new recipes.
He wanted her. She’d seen the look in his eyes last night.
He needed her. Even more.
Nina was never one to hold on to past hurts. As soon as he’d apologized, his nasty words had left her head and heart like a wisp of vapor, never to be thought of again. The genuineness of his plea had hit her straight in her soul, and her forgiveness had been immediate. If she stopped to think about his reasoning about no sex, she supposed she could see his point.
Except his point was logical.
And love wasn’t.
Love, she understood now, came at a woman like a wild storm, and all she could do was hold on for the ride. All she had to do was make Luc understand what they were riding. Then, everything would be right and true.
“Mais, I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, no matter how Nina managed to get him to agree,” Heni said, her eyes gleaming with opportunity. “This festival is going to put us on the map, and that’s what we’ve needed since we opened.”
“It will, won’t it?” Her other sister’s frown dropped from her face to be replaced with pure exhilaration. “We’re going to be a success.”
“We’re going to show Papa he was wrong!” Nina crowed.
“We’re going to be rich.” Heni’s smug expression made both of her sisters laugh.
“More than anything, mes filles,” Lilith joined in, her black eyes glittering. “Nina has found her man.”
Bear so hairy, Bear so alarming, Change into a prince handsome and charming.
El Principe Oso
Chapter 20
“We can put the food platters on tables at the side of the restaurant.” Lali peered at the wide sheet of graph paper laid out on the restaurant’s steel counter. The long, white sheet was the blueprint of a street festival that was going to rock New Orleans, if Nina had anything to say about it.
And she did.
She was in charge of the whole thing.
Luc Miró had attended one meeting with the rest of the street’s shop owners, only one. However, he had given the festival his blessing as well as announcing she was in charge.
It was something, she guessed. Not enough. But something.
“Luc will want to serve boiled crawfish, and possibly, his BBQ ribs as well.”
Nina’s head shot up. “He cooks BBQ?”
That didn’t fit her image of Chef Miró, with his fancy French sauces, and condescending attitude about her Cajun roots.
“Once he did.” The other woman’s voice turned pensive. “He used to serve it all the time at the club.”
“The club?” She looked around the El Porras kitchen. Since it was Monday, the restaurant was closed for the day, and Lali had agreed it would be a good place to talk about the upcoming festival. Yet, she detected no hints of clubs, only the usual fine dining and cooking paraphernalia.
The shrewd saleau had announced his sous-chef would be Nina’s primary contact about all things regarding the festival. She’d known what it was the moment he told her.
Deflection. Avoidance.
She had to admit, it had mostly worked. It had been almost two weeks since he’d agreed to the festival, and disagreed about having sex. The only time she spotted him was if she lay in wait in the morning. But the man could move fast if he wanted. Before she could barely say a word, he’d shower, grumble while he made his coffee and her café au lait, and then stride out of his house to do errands.
Errands. The man must have more errands to do than God.
She puffed out a breath of exasperation. Didn’t the man know he couldn’t avoid his Fate? At least, he hadn’t brought up getting her another apartment. At least she had that to be encouraged about.
“Luc used to have a jazz club.” Lali waved a long-fingered hand toward the terrace. “Club Del Oso.”
“He did?” Hopping off the stool, she raced to the back door. “Where?”
A chuckle floated from behind her. “Excited, much?”
“Show me.” She yanked open the restaurant’s door and peered at the empty brick terrace. “I had no idea…oh!”
“Oui. Oh.” Lali shifted to her side and looked across the backyard. “Such a waste.”
Before, when she’d sauntered to the back door of the restaurant to bother its owner, she’d only seen the potential of the terrace, never the small, stone structure stuck way in the rear. She could be forgiven for missing it. Verdant green ferns billowed around the building, while masses of arrowhead and goosefoot vines climbed the old stones.
Now she saw it.
In all its dark, dreary glory. “What happened?”
“Genia happened.”
Glancing over, she caught a look of disgust crossing the woman’s face before her usual serene expression returned.
“His wife.” It was a guess, but not really. The vague murmurings and rumors she’d heard during the last couple of months fluttered in her head. “She died?”
“Oui.”
The quiet word drifted between them. Usually, Nina would have boldly asked the questions swirling in her head, except something about that one, short word, stopped her.
There was fury and sorrow in that one word.
“Will you show me the club?” she finally ventured. She had to know something, had to explore something about this man who was her Fate.
Sighing, Lali crossed her arms. “He won’t want me to.”
“He’s not here, right?” She gave the woman a coaxing smile. “Remember? He said he had to run some errands.”
Deep-brown eyes started to sparkle. “When you arrived, he ran out the back door like a grenade had landed in the front of the house.”
“Yeah,” she drawled, her heart hurting, while amusement curled in her as well. “He does that a lot around me.”
She got a soft pat on her shoulder for that. “Give him some time.”
Shrugging, she looked back at the abandoned club. “But meanwhile, he’s not here and that means you can show me this piece of his past.”
“Interested in his past,
huh?” The sparkle in Lali’s eyes turned into a smile. “I’m glad.”
“I’m interested in everything about him,” she admitted.
“Excellent news.” Hands dropping to her side, the other woman grinned. “You are just what he needs.”
“Tell him that, would you?”
A laugh was her response. “Come on.” The sous-chef grabbed a set of keys hooked on a sharp spike by the side of the door. “Let me show you Luc’s club.”
The building had two stories, with wide, arched windows on the top, and boarded-up windows on the bottom. Made of the same brick as the terrace, the walls spoke of stout age and sturdy attachment to this city and this place. The green vines twirled up and up, covering one side of the building and encroaching on anther side. A beleaguered carved sign flapped in the wind, thudding against the stone like a drum.
Lali stepped across the short wooden porch to slip the iron key into the lock of one of the double doors. She glanced back and waved at Nina. “You first.”
When the lights above flashed on, she took in a breath. She could tell, even through the dust and dirt, this place had been loved. Attention to detail was apparent in the way the bar curled around one corner. In the way the lights drew a person’s gaze toward the small stage. The way the chairs and tables meshed together in a pleasing, eye-catching manner.
“He loved this club.”
She turned to look at his friend. Lali’s expression was still serene, but there was sorrow in her eyes once more. “Did he?”
“Yeah. A whole hell of a lot.”
“Then why…?” Swiveling around to stare at the tragedy of neglect, she frowned.
“Why did he abandon it?” A whisper of a sigh echoed in the room. “I’m going to let him tell you.”
Frustration filled her inside. “That’s doubtful. He barely says a thing to me.”
“Like I said, give him time.” Lali walked to the bar and slumped onto a stool. “He’s coming around.”
Doubt followed frustration. “Are you sure?”
The woman nodded, her corkscrew curls bobbing. “I’m sure.”