She went silent. For a long moment, they simply held each other in the silence of something he suspected left them both stunned. They’d made progress by leaps and bounds, and he didn’t know whom the closeness terrified more, her or him.
“For the record, when you caught me, I hadn’t left yet because I think I’d decided to stay.” Her soft voice drifted to him barely above a whisper, as if she shared a secret.
The uncertainty in her tone caught him. “You think?”
Her body tensed in his arms.
He stroked her back. “It’s okay. Say it.”
She lifted her head, peering down at him with watery eyes full of confusion and worry. Her brow furrowed. “I don’t know how to do this. I know survival.”
He stroked the soft, velvety skin of her back. She beat around the bush about it, but he was coming to understand what she tried to tell him. “When I told you I loved you … it scared you.”
She diverted her gaze to his chest, her voice lowering to a pain-filled murmur. “Yes.”
Nic drew a breath. He didn’t know if he wanted the answer, but he had to ask the question. “Because you feel it too? Or because you don’t and you didn’t want to face me?”
She didn’t answer, but instead pressed her mouth to his. Clearly a distraction, but for now, he’d let her. If she wasn’t ready to talk about this, he wouldn’t force her.
Despite the luscious fatigue of satiation, his desire flared again. He slid his hands down her back and over the curve of her behind, parting her thighs. Then he lifted his head and molded his mouth to hers, pouring his every need to protect her, to claim her heart as his, into his kiss.
Somehow, she seemed to understand. Hands braced on his chest, she pushed upright, rolled her hips, and slid onto him. A soft moan slipped from her lips, her eyes falling closed.
He groaned, his fingers digging into her hips as he held on. It wasn’t a slow lovemaking this time, but fast and desperate. Downstairs, making love to her against the front door like a damn Neanderthal, he’d staked his claim on her. He’d needed the connection to her, needed her to know she was his, and she’d given back everything he gave her. This time, she claimed him.
In a matter of what could only be minutes, her thighs began to tremble. She dropped her head back, dark hair spilling down her back in glorious waves, and cried out. Her silky heat tightened and loosened around him, pulling his own orgasm out of him with blinding speed.
When the spasms ended, she collapsed on his chest. They lay together in comfortable silence for several minutes, her head tucked against his damp neck.
Outside, the sky slowly began to lighten, filling the room around him with more light than shadow, and his heart grew heavy watching the morning come. It meant he’d have to let her go, and he had no idea happened next.
It didn’t help that Anna’s body once again stiffened against him. “He’s coming for me, Nic.”
He forced himself to focus on her and not the entirely too selfish relief that flooded him. “Let him. You’re not alone anymore, baby, and I’m not afraid.”
He meant it, but deep down, her words meant only one thing. Despite everything, Anna still waited for the strike to come. It told him better than words how precarious their relationship actually was. At any moment, she could decide to run. She still had doubts. He could feel them. They were in the metered silences; in the things she didn’t tell him.
The beep, beep, beep! of the alarm clock shattered the heavy silence. He reached over and slapped the top, ceasing the noise, and settled back, gathering her closer. “I need to check in at the restaurant. Care to shower with me?”
She braced her forearms against his chest, and stared for a moment. Her cheeks turned a beautiful shade of bright pink, and she bit down on the corner of her lower lip, a shy, coy smile lighting her eyes. “I’ve been thinking of you in the shower since the morning I walked in on you.”
“That’s funny. I’ve been dreaming about you in the shower, too.” Already anticipating her soapy, slippery curves against him, he leaned up and nipped her bottom lip. “Come on.”
She nodded and slid off him, sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed. She didn’t blush or attempt to cover herself this time as she left the bed, her hips swinging like a sexy siren. For a moment, all he could do was watch. When she reached the doorway, she stopped to look back at him, tossing him a shy little smile.
God, she was so damn beautiful. Since she’d arrived in town, she’d never once given him a look like that. To see it in her eyes stunned him.
But when he didn’t join her, that smile slid from her face. She folded her arms and dropped her gaze to the floor. “You are coming, right?”
He shook himself out of his stupor and hopped from the bed, striding across the room to her. As he reached her, he hooked her around the waist and tugged her against him. “Sorry, baby. I was enjoying the view. You’re very beautiful when you’re sure of yourself.”
A soft flush rose in her cheeks. Anna diverted her gaze to his chest. “You make me feel beautiful.”
“Good.” He leaned down, brushing his mouth over hers, then took her hand and led her down the hallway to the bathroom.
An hour later, clean and dry, they sat together at the table in the kitchen. He’d made eggs and bacon while she got the coffee going, but she’d been quiet. Too quiet.
Seated cattycorner from him, Anna sat pushing her eggs around her plate. She took the occasional bite but didn’t appear to eat much of anything. He didn’t know a lot of things this morning, but he knew one thing—he needed to see her again. But did her silence mean she was attempting to gather the courage to tell him she wanted to leave their exchange at one night?
Finally, unable to stand it, Nic needed to do something to relieve the standoff. "Hey, Ella told me a joke the other day. Want to hear it?"
She looked up from her plate, her expression unreadable. "Sure."
"Knock, knock."
The corners of her mouth twitched. "Who's there?"
"Dozen."
"Dozen who?"
He nudged her with an elbow. "Dozen anybody want to let me in?"
She let out a soft laugh that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her expression shifted, growing more serious. Her gaze darted over his face for a moment, then she drew a breath, released it, and straightened her shoulders.
“I can’t say those words back to you, Nic. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to that point. I … ” She gave a helpless shake of her head.
He reached across the table, holding out his hand, palm up. When she slid her hand into his, he closed his fingers around hers. “I meant it when I told you I loved you, Anna. But I’m not sure I should have said it. It’s obviously made you uncomfortable. You won’t get any pressure from me, sweetheart. It was a vulnerable moment, no more, no less.”
Her shoulders slumped, her relief palpable. She flashed a tender, grateful smile and squeezed his fingers. “Thank you for understanding.”
“I told you, I think we should take this slow. For both our sakes. I’m as lost as you are.” He turned her hand over, stroking his thumb along her wrist, unable to resist the call of her skin. “All I know right now is I need to see you again. I don’t know where this goes. I only know I need to follow it.”
“Me, too.” She glanced down at the table and sat twirling her fork through her eggs. Shy. Uncertain. Then she blew out a defeated breath and looked up. “You’re damn scary for me, Nic Rossi.”
He stood and moved around the table, the need to touch her too strong to deny any longer, then squatted beside her chair and took both her hands in his own.
“Ditto. You really aren’t alone in that feeling.” He twined her fingers with his, feeling too much like he set his heart in her hands. “So, Halloween’s in three weeks. The town throws a festival for everything. Memorial Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving. Halloween’s big around here. They decorate downtown, lots of stuff for the kids to do. The restaurant caters. Luc and Sam come up
with a creepy menu. I’ve taken Ella every year since she was born. I thought, if you don’t have any plans, you and Lacey might like to go.”
Anna offered him a soft smile that lit up her whole face and nodded. “I’d love to.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Why am I more nervous today than on our first date?” Anna glanced at Beth, standing behind her and visible in the bathroom mirror.
In the process of working Anna’s hair into a simple braid down her back, Beth smiled. “Because you care about him.”
Anna’s stomach had twisted itself inside out. Three weeks had passed since she’d woken in Nic’s bed, wrapped in his arms. The sexual tension between them at work had frayed her nerves. The heat in his eyes as they watched each other from across the crowded dining room. The stolen kisses in his office at the end of a long shift.
Every night he walked her home and left her on her apartment doorstep with a kiss that turned her insides to gelatin. Tonight would be their second official date.
Beth wrapped a rubber band around the end of the completed braid and met Anna’s gaze in the mirror. “And the rules have changed. Before, it was about ‘does he like me? Will he kiss me?’ Now you know he’s going to kiss you and the question becomes, ‘where is this going?’”
Beth was right. Anna blew out a defeated breath. “I think I’m falling in love with him.”
Beth smiled, soft and pleased, then looked down at her task again.
“Well, I’m pretty certain that feeling’s mutual. The hot looks he gives you at work?” She fanned herself and laughed. “Woo, honey. You two will burn that place down. I’d watch my back if I were you. You’re the envy of every woman in the place. Nic Rossi’s been taken off the market.” Beth grinned and winked.
Anna’s cheeks heated. She waved a dismissive hand and forced a teasing laugh to cover the uneasiness pulsing in her stomach. “Oh, pssh. I am not.”
Beth laughed. “Oh, honey, if looks could kill, you’d have been dead three days ago. You two are the talk of the town.”
As the realization sank over her, her stomach roiled. She hated being the talk of the town. Being in the public eye meant running the risk of drawing Tony here. If he found her again, if he came to this quiet little town …
Beth’s playful expression fell. She wrapped Anna in a bear hug from behind. “Hey. Nobody here knows you as anything other than Sarah Wheaton.”
“That’s how he found me, though. What if he finds me again?”
Beth took her by the shoulders and turned Anna to face her. “Then you have Nic. Judging by the way he looks at you, I can almost guarantee he’d put himself in front of you if he had to. You can’t live in fear, sweetie. I’ve done it far too much, let my fears rule my life. My relationship with Bobby made me afraid to live. Afraid he’d come back, afraid he’d find me again. Then afraid to trust anyone else. You can’t live like that. It’s just not healthy. And if you do, the jerk you were married to wins. Show him what you’re made of and take your life back.”
Anna’s eyes misted. “Thank you. What about you? How are you doing?”
Beth gave a wistful smile and shrugged then got back to work on the braid. “About like you, I guess, trying to take my life back. I refuse to let him make me afraid anymore, but … it’s hard. I haven’t managed to date yet, despite the multitude of invitations I’ve received, and it’s kind of lonely.”
Anna reached down, finding one of Beth’s hands, and gave it a squeeze. Beth’s head came up, and for a moment, they stared at each other in silence, connected in their pain, in quiet understanding. Just as suddenly, a soft smile bloomed in Beth’s face and she waved a dismissive hand.
“Forget the jerk. You’ve got a date with the most eligible bachelor in town.” Her gaze scanned Anna’s body then stopped. She adjusted the belt around Anna’s waist, then took her by the shoulders and turned her to face the mirror again, smiling at their reflections. “You look fantastic, and we didn’t even have to dress you like a harlot.”
Ella wanted to be a pirate for Halloween, and Anna and Nic had agreed they’d make it a theme. Nic insisted the entire town dressed up, and they ought to do the same. So, Beth had once again done the honors of dressing her.
Anna shook her head, turning from side to side as she eyed herself in the mirror. “You have a definite knack for this. I actually look like I have curves.”
Beth had found her a huge red peasant blouse. It fell to mid-thigh, with a wide, gathered neckline and long, poofy sleeves. The black leather corset around her middle pushed her non-existent breasts upward, making them look bigger. Beth completed the outfit with obnoxious knee-high leather boots Anna had to admit she adored. The black leggings and tri-cornered pirate hat completed the look. Having volunteered to help out with the food at the festival, Beth had dressed herself as a Renaissance serving wench. Her cute little blue dress accentuated the same color in her eyes.
She met Beth’s gaze in the mirror. “I feel almost pretty.”
Beth winked. “He won’t know what hit him.”
Lacey came to a stop in the bathroom doorway. Her smile lit up her whole face. “You look pretty, Mama.”
Anna turned to her daughter. Beth’s magic hand at costume design again showed success in Lacey’s pirate garb. She wore a red and white striped shirt, a handkerchief tied over her head, and a black eye patch covering her left eye. The gleeful glimmer on her daughter’s face made Anna’s heart swell. Lacey’s excited smile had been there since Anna first mentioned spending the evening with Nic and Ella three days ago.
Anna hugged Lacey to her. “And you look like a wonderful little pirate. You excited for the festival? I have no idea what’s going to happen or what’s going to be there.”
Beside her, Beth clapped her hands in glee. “Oh, it’s great fun. Everybody participates. They set up tables of all kinds. Luc and Sam take care of the food. They have a sort of haunted story time, where the kids get to feel certain things as the storyteller recites a creepy story. You know, pasta for entrails, peeled grapes for eyeballs, and whatnot. There’s face painting, a ton of games, and they decorate all of Main Street. You’ll have a great time.”
The doorbell sounded. Anna’s stomach flipped.
A smile bloomed in Lacey’s face, her eyes wide with excitement. “That’s Nic and Ella! Can I get it, Mama?”
The smile on her daughter’s face filled Anna with joy. Lacey was finally beginning to be a kid again, to come out of herself. But she hated that her daughter even had to ask the question. She’d taught her daughter never to answer the door without her; in the off chance Tony ever really did find them.
She’d taught her daughter to live in fear. Well, no more. Beth was right.
She smiled and jerked her head in the direction of the front door. “Go ahead. Go let ’em in.”
Lacey raced down the hallway and through the living room, her socked feet thumping the floor. Anna followed behind. She shot a wobbly smile at Beth walking quietly beside her. “My stomach has tied itself into knots. I haven’t done this in a really long time. I swore to myself once I never would again.”
Beth reached over to squeeze her hand. “Nic’s a good guy.”
They entered the living room in time for Lacey to yank open the front door. As expected, Nic and Ella stood on the other side. On top of her striped shirt and eye patch, Ella wore a pink tutu and carried a sword. Nic had an eye patch of his own, along with a red bandana tied around his head.
“You’re here!” Lacey squealed, and Anna stopped behind the couch, setting her hands along the back, warmth blooming in her stomach. She didn’t need to see her daughter’s face to know Lacey beamed like the summer sun. Her joy made every single one of Anna’s jagged nerves worth the effort. She had to admit it. Nic was good for her daughter.
Nic bent to Ella. “You remember what to say?”
Ella thrust her little sword high in the air. “Argh! Gibs me yer booty or … or … ” She faltered and turned an uncertain glance back at
Nic.
Nic whispered something in her ear.
Ella gleamed, once again thrusting out her sword. “Or you’ll walk da plank!”
A helpless giggle escaped Anna. Ella had to be the cutest little pirate she’d ever seen. The girl had personality by the bucket full.
Nic’s gaze snapped to her. He straightened, heat filling his eyes as his gaze raked over her, searing her from the inside out. “You look incredible.”
Her stomach wobbled again, sending tingles skittering across the surface of her skin and making her knees weak.
She let her gaze scan over him the way he’d done her, then smiled. Snug black pants encased his muscular thighs. A baggy white shirt hugged his shoulders and fell past his hips, and a black leather vest, like her corset, laced up the front. A pair of black leather boots completed the ensemble.
When she met his gaze again, she smiled. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
“Are you ready?” He held out his hand.
Anna nodded and went to him. As her fingers slid into his, the wobble in her stomach disappeared. In its place, a sense of safety and warmth settled around her. Being with him gave her the strongest sense of coming home.
An hour later, the four of them strolled through downtown. The degree of effort these people had gone to for the holiday was amazing. What seemed like the entire town roamed the streets. Downtown Angel Bay was little more than a small park situated in the center of Main Street, creating a roundabout of sorts. Stores lined either side for a couple of blocks, and every shop front had decorated their windows and doorways. Carved pumpkins, scarecrows, and bales of hay lined the sidewalks. Orange and white lanterns hung from the street lamps, strings of them running from post to post.
Around the park in the center, vendors lined the street. Face painting. Pumpkin carving. Apple bobbing. Games for kids. The restaurant had set up their buffet under the cover of a makeshift tent. Picnic tables decorated with orange tablecloths and small pumpkin candles surrounded the food tent.
She and Nic walked side by side in companionable silence. The girls scampered slightly ahead. Ella giggled and chatted incessantly, pulling Lacey here and there. Ella pulled Lacey to the face painting booth a few feet away. When the woman working it looked to Nic for approval, he nodded then turned to Anna, pulling her into his arms.
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