Cherish Hard (Hard Play #1)

by Nalini Singh

  He was grinning by the time she got to his ears.

  Finally separating several minutes later, they took turns using the bathroom before dressing in their wrinkled clothes from the previous day. As tidy as they could be, they crept out into the kitchen. It was now five forty-five, and the birds were tweeting up a storm outside the windows.

  Tiptoeing around, they checked out the fridge and pantry.

  “Want blueberry pancakes?” Sailor whispered to Ísa. “I saw fresh blueberries in the fridge.”

  Bright eyes. “Do you know how to make them?”

  “I’m an expert,” he bragged. “There’s bacon too. Why don’t you fry some while I whip up the batter?”

  They had the pancakes going and the bacon sizzling when the light came on in Catie’s room. The teenager stumbled out a minute later, her hair sticking up like a baby’s and her prosthetics nowhere to be seen.

  “Is that bacon?” she whispered, as if she’d smelled ambrosia from heaven.

  “Bacon and pancakes.” Ísa pointed a spatula at the teenager, her volume low in deference to the sleeping Martha. “You know your doctors don’t like you doing the knee-walking.”

  “I know, I know.” Catie turned back around, hustling as fast as possible. “Give me time to put on my legs, then I’m coming out to eat all the food.”

  “Why not the wheelchair we used last night?” Sailor asked after the teen disappeared back into her room. “Wouldn’t that be faster since she’s obviously hungry?”

  “Catie hates using the wheelchair. Obstinate runs in the Rain line.” It was an affectionate statement. “She got very good at walking on her knees for a while, until her physiotherapist drummed it into her head that she might cause flexion contractures.” Ísa bent her knee to demonstrate. “It’s where the muscles kind of lock and the knee won’t straighten out fully.”

  “Got it. Bad for a runner.”

  Ísa nodded. “She only forgets now and then, not enough to harm her.” A quick grin. “But she ordered us all to tell her off when she does.”

  Catie returned as Ísa was pouring her a glass of orange juice. The teen had washed her face and brushed her hair back into a ponytail but remained in her pink pajamas dotted with tiny blue stars, the pants short and the top long sleeved with buttons down the front.

  Thumping her fists lightly on the counter after scrambling up onto a stool, she whispered, “Where’s my food, minions?”

  A mini-spitfire, Sailor thought, taking in those dancing eyes. “Here you are, Your Majesty.”

  Already stuffing her face, Catie nodded at the fridge, mumbling something that had Ísa opening the fridge and searching within. “Got it.” She put a pressurized can of whipped cream next to the syrup she’d already found, and Catie went to town with it, smothering her pancakes in the white goop.

  Sailor was more of a purist while Ísa stuck with syrup.

  “You guys are going back today, right?” Catie said sometime later, her plate bearing evidence of a pancake massacre.

  “There’s no rush.” Ísa took a sip of her coffee. “I can stay as long as you want.”

  “The Dragon will eat you.”

  “Apparently I’m indigestible. She keeps spitting me back out.”

  “It’s okay,” Catie said with a laugh she muffled behind one hand. “I really am fine. I was just being a baby last night, that’s all.”

  Ísa ran her hand down Catie’s back. “Hey, as far as I’m concerned, you are a baby. I remember changing your diaper five minutes ago.”

  “Ugh, total embarrassment!” Despite the outraged statement, Catie leaned over to kiss Ísa on the cheek, the two sisters sitting side by side on the breakfast stools with Sailor next to Ísa.

  “Thanks for coming, Issie.”

  “Always, Catiebug.”

  The love between the two was a banner, their relationship clearly as tight as Sailor’s with his brothers. A point of commonality he’d highlight to Ísa at the first opportunity. He had a feeling she wasn’t yet convinced about the wisdom of this relationship, that if he wasn’t careful, his skittish redhead might yet run.

  Hell if he’d let that happen.

  Catie ate another pancake before saying, “I think you should go. I’m feeling okay now, and I’ll be busy with the training I have coming up.” A gulp of orange juice. “Plus I think Harlow really needs you. He was texting me last night—he’s freaked out about the job. More than he shows.”

  Ísa’s brow furrowed. “He’s only just started. What’s freaking him out?”

  “He heard a rumor that the other interns all had sit-downs with Jacqueline every day. He’s worried that Jacqueline doesn’t like something he’s done and he’s already been sidelined.”

  Ísa rubbed her face. “None of that is true. Why is he acting crazy?”

  “It’s the Dragon—you know how he wants to be her mini-me. Any sign of trouble and he turns emo-Harlow.” Catie shook her head at Sailor. “Normally he’s smart, sane Harlow, but the Dragon scrambles his brain cells.”

  “What about his parents?” Sailor asked, intensely curious about the dynamics of Ísa’s family.

  “Losers from Loserville,” Catie said before Ísa could answer. “They both got married again and totally did the happy new families thing like Harlow’s not even there.” A curl of her lip. “Good thing he has me and Issie and his nutso crush on the Dragon, or he’d probably get bad friends, turn to drugs, and have greasy hair.”

  Yes, definitely a mini-spitfire. One who knew how to love as fiercely as the woman who haunted Sailor’s dreams. Even when he slept, he dreamed of his Ísalind. Nope, no way was Sailor letting her go. Not this time.

  * * *

  THE DRIVE BACK TO AUCKLAND was surprisingly easy once Ísa managed to leave Catie. She’d waited until Martha was up and able to confirm that Catie had a busy schedule that wouldn’t be impacted by her minor injuries.

  Catie had given her a crushing hug before she left. “I love you, Issie.”

  The sleepless nights, the sheer terror, that made it all worth it.

  A brush of knuckles against her cheek. “You still worrying about Catie?”

  Not fighting the urge to rub up against those knuckles before Sailor had to return his hand to the steering wheel, Ísa said, “No. I know her independence is important to her.” More important than most girls her age. “She can be militant about it sometimes, but it didn’t feel like it today.”

  “Kid’s crazy about you.”

  Ísa looked at Sailor’s profile and thought, Yes, like I’m crazy about you. But she couldn’t say those terrifying words. “At least she hasn’t turned to drugs, taken up with bad friends, and started going in for greasy hair.”

  Sailor’s chuckle was a warm caress, the glance he shot her just as caressing.

  Scared and happy and breathless, Ísa settled back to enjoy the early-morning drive, shoving thoughts of the future out of her mind. Those thoughts, those fears, would still be waiting in the shadows when she was ready to face them again. Ísa wasn’t willing to give in to them and ruin this gorgeous morning.

  The direction of her thoughts had her frowning and realizing that Nayna hadn’t messaged her the previous night. Her best friend always gave Ísa the lowdown on her marriage dates, and given her panic over this latest one, Ísa would’ve reached out herself if she hadn’t been so stressed out over Catie. Either something had gone wrong, or Nayna hadn’t been able to find privacy to make the call until it was too late.

  Ísa made a mental note to touch base with her friend once she was back in Auckland.

  It was a half hour of comfortable silence later that Sailor nodded at a sign for an upcoming rest stop that had one of those little full-service cafés. “You want to fill up on coffee?” he asked. “It’s been at least an hour since our last one.”

  Ísa laughed, wanting desperately to kiss him. “I didn’t know you were a coffee hound.”

  * * *

  SAILOR DECIDED HE COULD VERY easily come to live for
that laugh. First, however, he’d have to convince her that he planned to cherish her as she deserved. It was dead clear to him that his redhead was used to giving and giving.

  Sailor planned to care for her in turn, so she’d smile, so she’d laugh, so she’d play with him. But he knew it wouldn’t be easy. Not with the demons that howled at him to achieve his ambitions, be something better than the man who’d sired him had ever been. Those demons threatened to possess him body and soul.

  No, he vowed. That bastard doesn’t get to steal Ísa from me.

  “Coffee is nectar from the gods,” he said on the heels of that mental promise. “I try to keep it to two cups a day, but sometimes I crack under the pressure of its siren call.”

  Ísa laughed again. “In that case, we’d better pull in.”

  Jumping out at the coffee stop before he could, she said, “You’re driving, so I’ll be the assistant. What kind of coffee do you want?”

  “Plain black.” Sailor took in the delight in those pretty gray-green eyes and barely resisted the urge to tug her back into the vehicle and into his lap. “I like coffee that puts hair on my chest—though I prefer yours hairless, just in case you were getting ideas.”

  She blew him a kiss before turning to walk to the café, the scarlet of her hair brilliant in the morning light and the smile she threw him over her shoulder a sucker punch to the gut.

  Ísa Rain was perilously closer to owning his heart.

  Now all he had to do was figure out how to convince her that he could be trusted with hers.

  26

  A Little Industrial Espionage to Spice Things Up

  AUCKLAND’S URBAN SPRAWL APPEARED FAR too soon, the highway splitting off into many more lanes, the traffic intense, the bridges that arched over the roads steel constructions that shone in the sunlight.

  Usually Ísa loved her city, but today she wished it was a little farther away.

  At least she and Sailor had managed to finalize the financial changes to the Fast Organic project during the drive. It was important to her that Sailor not be hamstrung in what he could achieve because of her own family crisis.

  Sailor took her to his place so she could pick up her car; she’d called Jacqueline from the his truck and updated her on what was happening. As usual when it came to her youngest daughter, the Dragon hadn’t said much, but Ísa knew Jacqueline wouldn’t breathe fire at Ísa about being late.

  “Hey.” Sailor’s hands on her hips, his body pinning her to the side of the truck. “Were you going to run off without a kiss?”

  Last night was already beginning to feel like a dream, a sensual, astonishing dream. But when Ísa rose on tiptoe and touched her mouth to his, the dream became hot, raw reality. Fisting one hand in her hair, Sailor cupped her face with his other as he kissed her, and Ísa felt both utterly cherished… and totally devoured.

  Her fingers curled into his chest, her breasts aching. “What kind of kiss was that?” she said severely when they broke for a breath. “I’m meant to be in a state to go to work.”

  A wicked grin, the hard wall of his chest crushing her against the warm metal of the truck. “Just so you don’t forget me.” He took another kiss, sucking on her lower lip before releasing her. “I don’t want you to think of me as just a one-night stand.”

  Though his tone was light, she caught the seriousness in his eyes and realized suddenly that she held the power to hurt him. “I don’t do one-night stands,” she said, because the idea of hurting this man who treated her as if she was a beautiful, perfect, precious creature was simply not something she could do.

  Sailor Bishop would soon break her heart into a million pieces, but he wouldn’t hurt her in the interim. And she couldn’t hurt him.

  “I’ll call you.”

  A heavy scowl on his features. “Oh, you mean how you were going to call me about our cookie-bar date?”

  She poked at his chest. “That was one time!”

  Snorting, he kissed her again, the hard warmth of him so delicious that she could stay in his arms forever. “I’ll be waiting to hear from you,” he said, his tone dark. “And in case you lose my number, I know where you work.” He began to twirl an invisible mustache like some B-movie villain.

  Ísa laughed, pushed at his chest, once again feeling younger than she had in forever. “Shoo, you demon.” She got into her car. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Bring cookies,” he ordered.

  * * *

  AFTER DRIVING HOME, SHE DID a rapid change into a full-skirted dress in a vivid yellow that picked up the golden threads in her hair, that hair twisted up into a neat bun, before sliding her feet into black kitten heels with a thin ankle strap. A simple turquoise necklace finished off the outfit.

  She felt as sunshiny as her dress as she caught the elevator down.

  Once in her car, she activated the hands-free phone system. It was one Harlow had found on sale a couple of years back; her brother had even hooked it up for her.

  Calling Nayna as she drove out of the garage, she said, “Can you talk?”

  “Let me shut my office door.” Nayna was back on the line a few seconds later. “I know, I know. I should’ve called you, but I was—still am—kind of weirded out.”

  Ísa frowned at her best friend’s discombobulated tone. “Why?” she asked. “Was the guy that awful?” She couldn’t imagine Mr. and Mrs. Sharma choosing someone truly unsuitable for their girl.

  “He wasn’t an accountant,” Nayna said. “He wasn’t a doctor. Or a lawyer. Not an engineer. Not an IT guy. Not a CEO or COO or any fricking O!”

  Diverted from her own problems, Ísa only just stopped herself from driving straight to Nayna’s office so they could dish in person. “Unemployed?” she asked, stunned.

  “No.” The single word came out a moan. “It was him.”

  “Who?” Ísa asked before her eyes widened. “Nooooo. Not the hunky guy from the party? What was his name? Raj?”

  “Yes. Raj. The man I told to shut up because I didn’t want his brain.” Nayna sounded like she was smashing her head against the top of her desk.

  “Hey, hold on! What’s he doing going out to meet prospective wives while he’s picking up women at parties?” Ísa was outraged on her best friend’s behalf.

  “Er, Ísa, there were two of us tangoing at that party,” Nayna pointed out. “But he’s not a slime. He convinced my parents to give us a couple of minutes alone at the start. When I walked in, he had his back to me and said that he was sorry. His parents had set up this meet last minute, before he could tell them he was pulling out of the whole arranged-marriage thing because…”

  Ísa was on the edge of her seat. “Because?”

  “He never finished telling me why! He turned around as he was speaking and saw me standing there and, well, the nightmare of awkwardness began.”

  “Oh God.”

  “He scowled at me the entire time.”

  Ísa winced. “Did he say anything?”

  “Oh yes, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Quiet had plenty to say once our parents joined us. He asked me if I enjoyed going to parties.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I didn’t have to say anything. My parents jumped in, laughing and saying he didn’t have to worry about my being a party girl.” Nayna ground her teeth together. “Meanwhile, Raj sits back and says, ‘Oh’ in a certain tone.”

  “Tell me you got back at him.”

  “Are you kidding? I smiled like the perfect Indian princess, asked him one sugar or two and put in seven. You should’ve seen his face when he had to choke it down or risk insulting my entire family.” Total evil satisfaction in her tone.

  Grinning and delighted for her friend, Ísa said, “You know there’s one good side to this—you’ve found a man you’re madly attracted to and your family approves of him.”

  Nayna’s return words were a growl. “I can’t be attracted to a guy my parents introduced me to—that goes against all my principles now that I’ve decided to break free.” />
  “I actually understand that nonsensical statement.” Ísa stopped at a traffic light. “But principles aside, do you think it might work?”

  “I don’t know,” Nayna muttered. “All we have between us is that stupid scene at the party where I basically told him to keep his mouth shut, I was only interested in his body.” More head slamming. “And honestly, that was probably a one-night type of attraction on his part. I don’t know what my parents were thinking matching us—he’s the kind of man who could walk into a bar and have his pick of the women there.”

  Ísa didn’t tell Nayna she was beautiful. Her friend had grown up with an astonishingly stunning sister who was always the center of attention; Nayna had certain hang-ups even a best friend couldn’t erase. “So have you responded? Or have they responded?”

  “He texted me this morning,” Nayna confessed. “Said we should go out for lunch and have a proper talk. That there was no point trying to make a decision about the rest of our lives when we just had a few minutes together.” A pause. “He also added that, of course, that was only if I was interested in his brain now.”

  Ísa winced again, but she was actually starting to like Raj. He was the first one of Nayna’s suitors who’d taken the initiative and was actually attempting to get to know the woman behind Nayna’s lovely face. “Are you going to go?”

  “My parents would find it shocking,” Nayna said, “but since I’m being a rebel now, what do I care? I want to know what the hell Raj thinks he’s doing coming to my house for an arranged-marriage meeting when he’s so clearly not the kind of guy who would be happy in an arranged anything!”

  “Um, Nayna,” Ísa murmured, “you went along with your family too.”

  “That doesn’t count.” Nayna huffed, completely illogical for such a logical woman. “I guess I’ll find out what he’s up to at lunch today.”

  “Call me as soon as it’s over.”

  “I will. Anyway, enough about me. Did you get up to anything interesting last night? Maybe with the hot gardener?”