by Jo McNally
“Yeah...so...that’s about it, I guess...for tonight...um...” Nick couldn’t believe his own voice. He was babbling. Nick West, tough cop, was babbling. And all because he’d touched Cassie’s warm, soft skin with the tips of his fingers.
Color flooded her cheeks as she blinked and looked away. “Yes. Of course. That gave me plenty to...um...think about... Thanks.” She turned and grabbed the small canvas bag she’d dropped by the door.
He regained some composure once she turned her back on him. “Hey, don’t forget about the elliptical in the morning.”
She looked over her shoulder, her hand on the door handle. “Tomorrow’s Friday.”
“Yeah? And? No excuses, girl.” He nodded toward the machine. “You need to make yourself stronger, Cass. Give yourself a fighting chance. You owe yourself that much.”
Chapter Six
Cassie stood outside the door to the Chalet for a long time. A really long time.
Amanda had been relentless about Cassie getting out more, threatening to drop off a dozen cats at the apartment to complete her transition into a little old crazy cat lady. Amanda knew why Cassie was leery of going out, getting attached to people, exposing herself. But Cassie knew she had a point. When Julie Brown invited her to the weekly gathering of resort employees at the local bar tonight, as she did almost every week, she’d surprised them both by agreeing.
Maybe it was Nick’s king-of-the-world attitude rubbing off on her. Her self-defense classes had morphed into strength and agility training over the past few weeks. He’d been horrified by her lack of conditioning and athleticism, which she’d never seen as a problem. But the time he forced... No, that wasn’t fair... The time he encouraged her to spend on the elliptical had proved his point. She’d had no stamina at all. She absently rubbed her lower back. She was paying the price with a host of sore muscles, but she was also starting to feel a little more confident. A little stronger, both physically and mentally. He was challenging her, and surprisingly, she liked it.
She could hear the band playing country rock, and the hoots and hollers of the patrons inside. Some of them were her coworkers. Julie. Tim. Brad. Josie from the restaurant. It was the innocent sound of people having a fun Friday night in a small town. Nothing to worry about. But she hadn’t thought there was anything to worry about in Milwaukee either, that night she went out to have fun with some coworkers and ended up in intensive care.
It was the anger of that memory that propelled her forward. This was not Milwaukee. She steeled herself and stepped inside. She could do this. She had to do this. She had to start living again.
Julie ran over, laughing in a high-pitched voice that suggested she’d already had more than a few drinks. “Cassie! Oh, my God, I’m so glad you came tonight! It’s turned into quite a party.” Julie waved her arm vaguely in the direction of the U-shaped bar. “It’s one of those nights when everyone invited actually showed up, even you!”
Cassie recognized most of the people gathered on one side of the bar. Mostly front desk staff. And one tall, dark-haired man at the corner of the bar, watching her with a wry smile over the rim of his beer glass. Nick West. What was he doing here? Trying to prove he was one of the guys? She frowned. That wasn’t fair. Maybe he was just trying to make friends in a new town.
Julie followed Cassie’s gaze and nudged her shoulder.
“I know, right? The girls have been practically killing each other to take that empty stool next to him, but he said he’s saving it for a friend. We’re all hoping that friend is as hot as Nick is, without the I’m-your-boss baggage.”
“He’s not my boss.” Cassie said the words to herself, but Julie managed to hear them in the noisy bar. Maybe Julie read lips.
“That’s right, you both report to Blake. Are you interested?”
“What?” Cassie forced herself to look away from Nick and met Julie’s speculative gaze. “Interested? I’m not interested in any man. Been there. Done that.”
Got the scars to show for it...
“One and done, huh? He must have been a doozy.” Julie linked her arm through Cassie’s. “Come on, let’s get us some drinks.”
Cassie did her best not to make eye contact with Nick when they walked past, but he made that impossible when he stood and greeted them.
“If you gals are looking for seats, you can have these two.” He gestured to the bar stool he’d just vacated and the one beside it.
“I thought you were saving it for someone.”
Nick looked directly at Cassie. “You’re someone.”
Julie looked back and forth between them with a grin. “Okay, then. Thanks!”
Having Nick here set her plans to slowly start a social life a little off balance. This was no longer a gathering of employees having fun. This was Nick West, and she was never on her best footing when he was around. For one thing, he made her snarkier than usual.
“Sitting at a bar seems a little tame for you, Mr. West. I’m surprised you’re not out climbing a mountain or hunting wild boar with your bare hands.”
His right brow arched high, making a direct hit on her heart. “And I’m surprised you’re not curled up in a bathrobe with a book of pretty poetry and cup of tea, Miss Smith.”
He had no idea how tempting that idea was. “That actually sounds lovely. You might want to try it sometime.”
He grinned. “Are you inviting me to a private poetry reading?”
She tried to picture the two of them sitting by the big windows in her loft, reading quietly and glancing at each other warmly as they sipped their tea. Her reaction to the vision was visceral, with her entire body heating and a shiver of some unknown emotion tracing down her spine. She forced herself to laugh lightly but wasn’t sure if it sounded genuine at all. This was a game she wasn’t used to playing.
“I think there’s as much chance of that happening as there is of the two of us going mountain climbing together.”
Julie chimed in, looking delighted. “Oh, my God, you two are adorable together!”
She and Nick both looked at her in surprise, speaking in unison.
“We’re not together!”
Julie waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever. You’re both so serious at work, but here you are being all teasing and flirty and it’s... It’s cute. That’s all.”
Nick glanced around, and it burned Cassie to realize he might be wondering if any other employees thought he was being “cute.” Probably not a trait the head of security wanted to be known for. And she’d started it all with her sarcastic comment.
“I’m...I’m sorry.” She closed her eyes, furious with herself for saying those two words so often. “I should probably...” She started to slide off her seat, but Nick stopped her with a hand on her hip. He moved his hand away as soon as she stopped, but she could still feel the warmth of it.
“No, don’t go. And stop with the damn apologizing.” His voice dropped for her ears only. “You do that way too much.” His gaze locked on hers, and she swallowed hard. Yes, she apologized too much. It was a survival tool she hadn’t managed to shake. His eyes softened. He leaned against the bar, his chest only inches from her back, his breath blowing across her neck as he spoke. “What’ll you have to drink, ladies?”
Julie held up her glass. “Chardonnay for me, thanks.”
Cassie managed to nod and speak without stuttering. “Sounds good. I’ll have the same.”
Nick caught the bartender’s attention and placed the order, chatting with the guy as he filled their glasses. That was Nick. Outgoing. Full of life and laughs. Her total and complete opposite. Their drinks were delivered, and Nick moved on down the bar to talk to Tim. Cassie was relieved. She didn’t want to be rude to the guy, but she also didn’t want to hang out at a bar with a man who made her body tingle in dangerous ways.
Everyone started to mingle back and forth, and within an hour, th
ere was a cluster of resort employees standing around Julie and her. People were laughing and jostling each other, and some even took to the dance floor when the music started. Cassie couldn’t relax completely, but she did her best, laughing along with everyone else at the stories being told. She didn’t have any funny stories of her own to share, but no one pressed her. Most gave her a quick look of surprise when they saw her, but no one made a big deal of her first outing with them.
Julie was telling a story about the woman who tried to tell her the rottweiler she had stuffed into her wheeled dog carrier was within the resort’s fifteen-pound limit for pets. Cassie excused herself for the ladies’ room, located beyond the dance floor and down a darkened hall. The back of her neck prickled as she stepped into the hall, and her hand automatically reached for her bag. Damn it. She’d left the bag, and her pepper spray, on her chair. She pulled her shoulders back and scolded herself for being paranoid. She couldn’t live the rest of her days afraid of being around people. As Nick said, there were ways of being smart that would keep her safe without needing weapons or an armed guard. She just had to focus on her surroundings and be prepared. She locked the bathroom door quickly.
She saw the man as soon as she stepped back out into the shadowy hall. He was behind her, near the men’s room. Waiting. He smiled when she glanced his way. She was in a small-town bar with friends. It wasn’t likely he was an actual threat. But being alone with him in this hall with the music blaring so loudly that no one would hear her scream was not a wise thing. And self-protection was all about acting wisely. Cassie straightened.
Never look like a victim.
Nick had repeated those words a dozen times in the past few weeks. If you look like a victim, you’re a temptation someone might not be able to resist. It wasn’t about dressing or looking a certain way. He was trying to make the point that a distracted, weak-looking woman was exactly what bad guys were looking for. A smart bad guy would think twice about approaching an alert woman with a bold stride and a don’t-mess-with-me expression, even if she was faking it. As Sun Tzu said, all warfare is based on deception.
She gave a quick, polite grin to let the man know she saw him and turned toward the dance floor, acting far more unconcerned than she felt. Then she felt his hand on her arm. She swallowed her panic and tried to pull away, but he didn’t release her.
“I saw you laughing with your friends at the bar. You’re pretty. Wanna dance?” His words rolled into each other just enough to tell her he was drunk. As much as her heart was screaming Danger! Danger! her brain told her there was no threat to his words. He wasn’t out to hurt her. He was a drunk guy on a Friday night looking for a dance. All the same, she curled her hand into a proper fist, just in case. She struggled to come up with an appropriately noncommittal smile.
“Thanks, but no. Now if you’ll excuse me...” She tried again to tug her arm away from him, but he wasn’t giving up. The booze had clearly given him a shot of confidence in his ability to woo a woman in the bathroom hallway. Damn it, please give up!
“Aw, come on, babe. Just one dance. And after that, you can walk away if you want...”
Her spine went rigid with defiance. She was so tired of being ordered around. Of being told what she could and could not do. There was no attempt to smile this time around.
“Actually, I can walk away from you right now, without dancing. And that’s what I’m going to do.” She planted her feet firmly, imagining herself lowering her center of gravity as Nick taught her to do. Then she pressed the heel of her hand against the guy’s chest and pushed, pulling her arm free. He stumbled back a step, eyes wide in surprise.
“Okay. Okay. You’re one of those independent women. I dig it. But, honey...”
He reached for her, but before she could decide how much pain this drunk deserved to feel, he was gone in a blur of dark color that came from behind her. She heard the thump of the guy’s back hitting the wall, and the whoosh of air that escaped him at impact.
“You want to walk out of here under your own power?” Nick West growled the words through clenched teeth as he leaned on his forearm, which was braced against the guy’s chest. “If so, I suggest you keep your grabby-ass hands in your pockets and find an exit now.”
The drunk nodded quickly, and Nick stepped back. The man scooted past Cassie without even glancing in her direction. Leaving Cassie alone in the dark hallway. With Nick. Which suddenly felt far more dangerous than before.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She was surprised at the edge of anger to her voice, and Nick seemed to be, too.
“I think I’m saving your ass from the drunk dude who just ran off.” Nick frowned. “Did he hurt you?”
“No! I didn’t need your help, Nick. I had it under control.”
“He had you by the arm. Out of sight in a dead-end hallway. I swear to God, woman, you seem determined to put yourself in harm’s way...”
“I freed my own damn arm, and he was just a drunk.” She lifted her chin. “And now I’m in that lonely hallway with you, so what’s the difference?”
“The difference is you know I’m not going to drag you into one of these closets and hurt you. You didn’t know that about him. But you’re right—you did free your own arm. Without me.” The corner of his mouth quirked up into a crooked grin. “Wonder where you learned that trick?”
He was fishing for compliments. When she didn’t answer right away, he rubbed the back of his neck, glancing over his shoulder at the crowded dance floor, where people were stomping along to a line dance. Her sense of fairness finally kicked in.
“Yes, I’m a good little student.” She looked around, chagrined to realize she hadn’t noticed the other doors in the hall, one labeled “office” and the other labeled for “employees only.” The drunk could have pulled her into one of those rooms and no one would have known. Except Nick, who’d apparently followed her. Looked out for her. She lost more of her anger. “Now you know why I stay home and read books. I don’t have to fight my way to and from the restroom when I’m home by myself.”
Nick stepped closer, and her back brushed the wall as she tried to retreat.
“Maybe not, but sitting around alone, doing nothing, is no way to live.” He shuddered. “I’d go stir-crazy.”
She couldn’t help smiling at the thought of always-restless Nick sitting in an easy chair with a book in his hand. “Maybe we both live the lives best suited for us. You charge after adventure, and I read about it.”
The timbre of his voice changed, lowering in volume and increasing in intensity.
“Maybe the proper balance is somewhere between our two extremes.”
She nodded. “You might be right. Maybe we could help each other out with that.”
There was something about this guy that made her blurt out her thoughts before she had a chance to digest them.
“What are you proposing?”
“What? Oh...um...nothing. It was just a random thought. An observation more than an invitation.”
She needed to get out of here. She wasn’t used to this type of banter with a man, and she wasn’t good at it. All this push and pull, advance and retreat, was a mysterious dance she’d never done before. After all, Don always made sure there were no obstacles to her being attracted to him. He’d paved the way and groomed her to rely on him. But Nick didn’t do that. Nick kept her guessing, left her wondering if he wanted to be around her or if she was nothing more than a pest. She started to turn away but stopped when Julie walked into the hallway, carrying Cassie’s purse.
“There you are! I thought you left and forgot this... Oh...” Julie noticed Nick’s presence and her eyes went wide. “What’s going on, guys?”
Nick moved a bit farther from Cassie, but his eyes never left hers. “We were just talking about helping each other out with a few things.”
Julie looked speculative. “Out with or out of a fe
w things?”
“Oh, my God, don’t be ridiculous!” Cassie felt her cheeks warming. “We just bumped into each other, and now I’m leaving.” She grabbed her bag from Julie. Nick took her arm.
“I’ll walk you to your car.” Of course he would, and it would be a waste of time to argue. Julie winked as they walked past her. Cassie and Nick would probably be gossip fodder at the resort Monday morning.
The employees were still at the bar, laughing and drinking. A few waved at them, and a few more watched with interest. Cassie didn’t like people talking. Too much talk was why she’d had to leave Cleveland. That’s how Don found her there. That’s why her last name was now Smith. Nick nodded good-night to the group, then opened the door and held it for her to go out.
“You can go join the guys, Nick. I’ll be...”
He looked down at her and continued to hold the door, his expression saying it all.
“Right. You’re going to walk me to my car whether I need it or not.”
“Now you’re getting it.” He followed her across the dark lot, and she tried to define the emotions swirling around inside her. It wasn’t fear—she knew what fear felt like. But the jolt of adrenaline wasn’t dissimilar. She was on edge. Anticipating, but anticipating what? That Nick would touch her again? Or that he wouldn’t?
She resolved that question when she almost walked right past her car. She stopped so quickly that Nick bumped against her back, his hand resting on her waist to steady them both. But she didn’t feel steady. He was usually quick to remove his hands from her, ever since that second training session when he let his fingers linger on her neck. But his hand wasn’t moving now. In fact, she could almost swear his grip tightened just a little. And damn if she didn’t lean into him.