by Mimi Barbour
“You mean you need to talk to her. She won’t have anything to do with the likes of me. I’m missing one very important body part that just might get her to cooperate.”
Grinning, visibly delighted with her dry response, Nik swung her past the rowdy dancers crowding them, using it as an excuse to mold her tightly against his hardened body.
As soon as she noticed his condition, not only did she rub herself against the protrusion, she looked him in the eye, invitation plain. She wanted him, too.
***
That did it! He licked her neck, couldn’t stop the action, didn’t want to. Her moan of pleasure spurred him on to taking even more liberties. With his chest glued to hers, their lower halves moving together as if joined, he kissed the soft skin under her ears and along the slope of her sweetly perfumed shoulder. Loving that her arms lifted to curl around his neck, their bodies now as close as possible, he lost himself in her taste and the smell of her arousal.
Intimately, hot and heavy, their breathing quickened. Abandoning control, his hands moved from her waist to travel lower, gliding along the silken protrusion of the sweetest ass he’d…
“Hey, guys and gals, can you all give a big welcome to Nik Baudin. Let’s get him up here on the stage to sing his rendition of an old Clint Black favorite—Killing Time. This man can really make sweet music, so put your hands together and show him some love.” Gail’s voice rang out with false heartiness.
His name being called over the mic instantly brought Nik back to his senses. Between the catcalls, whistles, and foot-stomping, he had no choice but to lead a puzzled, unhappy Maya back to their table and head up the stairs. Once on stage, he took the guitar that Bob held out, and his dazzling grin, along with the first strum on the instrument, quieted the rowdiness. Waiting to see if they would love him or boo, the silence built.
Chapter 31
Maya couldn’t believe the raspy velvet tones of pure country that settled the crowd in an instant to slavish adoration. In no time at all, the dancers were back on the floor, passing the stage with their thumbs up and smiles of pure pleasure. This make-believe cowboy of hers could sing.
She couldn’t take her eyes off the big man who hugged his guitar, playing it with the ease of a seasoned entertainer. Not too comfortable revealing her wide-eyed adoration, she stared down at her clasped hands, clamping down on the titillation that raised her already overheated enthusiasm to catastrophic levels.
While Nik flaunted his talent, playing to the crowd, a bolt of shock hit her hard, making her reel. She knew nothing about this man she so badly wanted in her bed. He was virtually a stranger even though he seemed familiar because of his likeness to her partner.
So why had Nik appeared in the picture now that Max was gone? She needed to know more. Like where he came from? And what he was really doing in New Orleans? Was he truly with the Special Forces, and if so, why wasn’t he on duty?
Her stomach roiled in anxiety and triggered a headache. As much as she hated to admit her blunder in turning a blind eye, it was past time for the rose-colored-glasses to be taken off while she dug out the truth. What was she thinking? What had happened to her need-to-know-everything gene?
As Charlie used to say, hell and damnation! She was an FBI agent with a whole lot of talented people and equipment at her disposal. If requested, they could find out anything she wanted to know within a few minutes of digging.
Except… that might well throw up some red flags. People could ask why she wanted this particular info. It would tie the two brothers together, even though their last names weren’t the same. Uncover Nik’s true identity and her part in the switch. Best she hold off on an official search and just ask the man himself.
The crowd’s shouting caught her attention and she realized they didn’t want Nik to stop. They were screaming for more.
Waiting to see if they would talk him into another song, she glanced around the room and spotted Sadie looking enthralled. Ah! If Nik played her right, he might get something from his adoring admirer. As though he knew what was going through Maya’s mind, he began promising to perform the rendition of a song she’d never heard before. Not a fan of country, until now, her lack of knowledge about the music hadn’t been an issue.
“If ya’ all settle down, I’ll sing one more song for you lovers out there. It’s a favorite of mine by Johnny Reid.”
Suddenly, the chorus line of his next tune caught her attention. “A Woman Like You” had every hot-blooded female wriggling in her seat and wiping the heat from her flushed face. The fact that he sent his dimpled smiles Maya’s way during most of the song gave her incredible pleasure. Oh, baby!Screw the questions.We’re going to party tonight!
Calling for a break after the tune ended to boot-stomping admiration, the band left the stage. Handshakes and back pats for Nik were shared before they split in different directions, some moving to the bar and others out back for a cigarette. Gail aimed for the table where Nik was headed. When she saw Maya stand and gesture to the back door, she shrugged, scooped her purse from the side of the table and turned in the direction of the restroom.
Taking him by the hand, Maya stopped and looked at him from under her lashes. “We need to talk.”
“About?”
“You. I just realized I know next to nothing about you.”
“What do you want to know? That I have the hots for you so badly, I can’t think of anything else but getting you home and undressed.” His smile dazzled her and almost made her forget the reason she’d pulled him away from the others.
“Hold that thought. First we talk and then… ” She pulled her eyes from his knowing gaze and nodded her head toward the bar. “Sadie is smitten with you. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when you were singing. A little schmoozing and you might be able to get some information. You up for it?”
“Are you kidding? Another play on words?”
The fact that he looked uncomfortable, even crabby, about performing went a long way to settling her upset stomach and pounding temples. She laughed and shook her head. “Wasn’t thinking. Sorry.”
He shook his head, his dimple clearly visible. “Yeah! Whatever! If it finds us Julian, I guess it’ll be worth it.”
Maya watched as he sauntered over to the end of the bar where Sadie waited for a tray of drinks the bartender was preparing. When the woman saw him approach, she beamed a welcome and sidled closer. Nik wrapped his arm around her shoulder and began talking in her ear.
Not wanting to be caught glaring and staring, Maya headed for the lady’s room to see if she could pump Gail. Sounded like her and Nik went back years. Hell, anything she could learn about the guy would help her understand what drove him and why he would put himself in the dangerous position he’d taken on.
Chapter 32
Sitting in the car in front of Maya’s house, Nik finally broke the silence. “Maya, you haven’t said two words all the way home. I’m really sorry I couldn’t get more out of Sadie. She knew Julian Freed, said he’d danced there a few times, not as an entertainer in the way he’d led us to believe, but as a customer. He’d befriended the bar girls and paid for a lot of free drinks. Since I’d described him as gay, she wasn’t even sure it was the same person. She only knew him as a regular guy who called himself Julian, not Juli.”
“It’s not that. I’m under no illusions that you got all that you could from her. I guess I’m still trying to digest what Gail had to say about you.”
“Why am I not surprised? I saw you follow her to the ladies’ room. Wondered if you’d question her? You do have a way.”
“It’s my job. Except, she was more forthcoming than most of the perps I have to interrogate. Darn woman wouldn’t stop talking about you. She told me about you as a teenager, how you’d hooked up with them, sneaking into the bars as an adult and supported yourself through college before disappearing.”
“Yeah, so?”
“She said you were pretty wild.”
“I was.”
&nbs
p; “Mentioned that your father had been a mean bastard and came to drag you out of the joints they played in sometimes. That you never stopped him.”
“That happened when I was still fifteen. He was a big man. Not much I could do.” Nik’s voice had hardened and he looked away from her, the smile long gone.
“Then you left, never said a word. Just disappeared.”
“Uh, huh.”
“Didn’t you ever retaliate? Get your own back?”
“Not till I was sixteen. Scared the shit out of me so badly that I left. As a kid, I was always terrified that I might have inherited his mean streak. That if I ever started with him, I might not be able to stop. Hell, the only way I could make sure it never surfaced again was to learn control. The Navy taught me that and a hell of a lot more.”
“Nellie told me why didn’t you grow up with her and Max. About how they left you behind when they moved to New Orleans. It must have devastated you to learn about a family you never knew existed
“It did, until I accepted that the total blame belonged to my ol’ man, the cagey prick who wanted someone around to fetch and carry for him. I can’t understand any other reason he’d keep me.”
“Maybe as a way to pay back your mom for leaving.”
“Could be. Wouldn’t put it past him. You know, as a youngster, I’d have weird feelings of being abandoned, but they never made sense. I put them down to missing a dead mother and stopped letting them get to me years ago.”
“Dead? Your father told you Nellie had died?”
“Yeah! They left when I was a two-year-old child and I believed everything he said…had no reason not to. All I cared about in those days was getting as far away from the Bastard as I could.”
“Is he still alive?”
“No. Why?”
“Cause I wanted to find him and shoot the son-of-a-bitch.”
Nik’s laughter surprised them both. He slid his hand along her shoulder and squeezed gently “Look, don’t feel sorry for me. I did odd jobs; some singing here and there, got to college and finally joined the armed forces. I found a family there.”
“That’s sad, Nik.”
“It is what it is. I don’t like thinking about this other stuff. I’m gonna scram. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Nik knew he was being harsh, but he hated talking about his past. Every time he thought about the pigpen he’d called home, the drunken abuse, and the torment of living alone with a deranged scumbag, the bile in his stomach swirled.
A headache loomed, promising retribution. Clenching his muscles to stop from reaching for her, using her body to assuage the pain in his soul, he fought off the anger, but the rotten mood wouldn’t leave. Enough! Time for him to head home, take his medication and hope that tonight he’d be able to sleep.
After seeing her to the door, delivering a peck on the cheek as thanks for putting up with his grumpiness, he pulled away from her driveway and headed in the direction of Max’s apartment.
He noticed a flashy black car catch up to him too darn fast as he traveled along Rampart Street, crowding him, the headlights appearing closer than any idiot’s should be. Shit, if he stepped on the brakes, the other vehicle would crawl right up his ass.
Fuck!
The car drove into his back end, making him swerve and have to fight for control. Not a stunt driver like Maya, nevertheless, he could handle any four-wheeled vehicle easily. He floored the gas. So did the tailgater. Only it wasn’t happy to stay behind him, it tried to pull up alongside.
Not gonna happen, asshole! Nik veered into its lane and then s-turned, taking up both. The move was one he hadn’t tried since the days when he was a randy youth high on pot and life. Silently thanking Max for loving big engines, he figured his controlled U-turn would make any movie director clap his hands like a two-year-old.
Fighting to control the car, he floored it again and checked the side mirror. With the street almost empty, they had also managed to turn and were following again, just not so close.
A memory of a day wandering the city intruded. He remembered a side street he’d found nearby where the back lane wasn’t noticeable unless one knew about it. Hoping his followers would pass on by, he spun around the corner, zigzagging through the streets until he came close to the turnoff. Flipping off his lights, he pulled into the lane by intuition and God’s mercy. Once they flew past, he left his lights off and backed out, turning in the direction he’d come.
Continually glancing in his rear-view mirror, he realized he’d lost them for now. But, they were on to him, or at least Max’s car. Probably wasn’t a good idea to hang out at his brother’s apartment tonight either. Instead, he drove in the direction of his hotel where he could leave the car behind an empty house a few blocks away and walk to his destination.
An hour later, he was still pacing his room. Since there wasn’t much to report, calling Max on the burner phone they’d set up took no time at all. He didn’t mention the car chase. Why rile up his twin who was paranoid enough about this undercover role? Nor did he have much to share in the way of their case, or news about the Mosleys. He did notice budding excitement on Max’s part when he described the Smith & Sons operation. Max insisted, in fact made Nik promise, that he’d report everything the old man said if he appeared at the office the next day for questioning.
“Keep your eyes open, bro. Those guys play for keeps.”
“Gotcha! Got to sleep now. I’ll call you again tomorrow. Oh, yeah, tell Linda thanks for not blowing it today when Maya and I appeared at the restaurant. Turns out, Maya loves the po’ boys in there.”
“I know. Who do you think introduced her to them? Night dude. Be careful.”
Nik grabbed water from the mini-fridge and took another cold, three-minute shower. Every time he thought about his sexy partner in that green dress, he called himself all kinds of names. How could you walk away from those needy arms, man? She wanted you. You’re one dumb shit!
Lying naked on top of the white comforter, he thought about the evening. It was the first time he’d ever dedicated a particular song to anyone. At first, it felt kind of cheesy. But once he’d listened to the words that Johnny Reid had made famous, he knew they suited his growing attraction for Maya. It had felt like heaven when she’d wrapped her arms around him.
Shit! He slammed his hand down on the night table and reached for his phone. Trepidation rode him hard, almost made him give up after the second ring until he heard her husky, welcoming voice and his whole body reacted.
Smiles changed his face from grim to pleased. Lightness filled his soul—and the opposite engorged his body.
Chapter 33
Maya reached for the phone, her hand shaking when she saw Max’s number. “Nik! You called.” Could he hear her excitement, her pleasure? She hadn’t tried to hide it.
“You told me to. Said we could keep each other company when we couldn’t sleep. Did I wake you?”
“Kind of.”
“Kind of?”
Maya giggled, amused by the instant worry in his tone. “Okay, not really! My body isn’t settling down like it should. Seems to think it missed out on something exceptional tonight.”
“Mine too. Damn shame.”
“You can say that again. I hope you know it was you who blew it.”
“I do know. And I can’t tell you how much I’m mourning my stupidity. We were going to make out tonight, weren’t we?”
Maya knew her chuckle sounded regretful, but she was damned if she could help herself. The guy tickled her into acting silly. “I like a man who comes straight to the point.”
“Quit hedging. You didn’t answer my question. We were, weren’t we?”
“Sure looked that way, cowboy.”
“You liked my song?”
“Which one?”
“‘A Woman Like You.’ The second one.”
“Bet you sang that to a lot of girls before.” Maya held her breath for his answer. Dammit…it mattered too much!
“Nope! Didn’
t even know it existed in the days I played the honky-tonks. But the moment I heard it, I knew I had to sing it to… to someone special one day.”
Was that hesitation she’d heard? Okay, those words, spoken in the rough tones of a sincere man, were starting to unravel the thick rope she’d tied her heart up with years ago. Merde, this surprisingly sensitive guy was getting to her. The silence dragged on while she thought of how to answer without giving away too much trust. Yet at the same time, being careful she didn’t make him feel like he’d overstepped. Fuck! I’m no good at this romance stuff.
“Maya?” Damn straight there was uncertainty. She sensed him backing away and knew she’d have to share fast if she wanted to save the moment. “Yeah, Nik. I really liked the song. Made me want to stand up so that everyone in the place knew you were singing it for me.” Did I go too far? Shit, shit… shit. I stink at this lovey-dovey talk.
He groaned, and she knew it was a good sound. He liked what she’d said. That came through the line clearly. She breathed a sigh of relief.
“I want you! Dammit, woman, I should be there with you now… ”
He broke off his word with a faint exclamation and she heard a rustling movement. “What, Nik? What’s going on?”
His whisper could barely be heard. “Someone’s paying a visit. I’m fine. Don’t worry.” When he ended the call, the click sounded like a loud bang.
Instant fear shot straight to her adrenal glands, charging them like a detonator on a bomb. The sickening rush that followed effectively shook her to the core, making it impossible to think straight. Something she prided herself on—not getting rattled—wasn’t working for her now. She ignored the churning in her stomach and tried to think. Her fists pressed hard against her mouth, stopping the building sobs from escaping.