Before she could even start to step around him, his hand came back to press full against her upper abdomen. The only thing stopping her from jumping back was the fact that the heel of his hand was brushing the underside of her left breast. That sent heat zinging to her secret places and blood rushing from her head. Without thought she grabbed for his hand, fingers wrapping around his wrist. Absentmindedly she realised just how thick his wrist was, how long his fingers, how big his hand, and it had her blinking up at his back, making her aware suddenly of how big Nick was, how tall, how muscular.
She’d known it, noted it before, but having him there in front of her, protecting her from anything unpleasant, was a startling eye-opener to how much Nick was used to protecting people, was trained to do it, was capable enough to do it, and was determined to do it to her.
His low words were firm, his tone authorative. Ted’s reply was more muted.
Nick’s actions were sweet, really, but the blood flooded back to her head and her deliciously scattered thoughts scrambled back into order.
Sweet or not, this was her fight.
Releasing Nick’s hand, she stepped back out of his reach and shifted to his side, taking another step forward to place herself partially before him. The unspoken rebellion meant that Ted had to step back or be stepped on, and she felt a measure of satisfaction when the farmer took several steps back.
That showed him. Ted wasn’t talking to some shrinking violet that - the big hand on her shoulder, the heat of a big body behind her, was testament to the fact that Nick was still taking his duty as her protector seriously.
Not needed, not happening.
“Ted,” Bree stated firmly, “I have my beliefs, you have yours. I don’t influence anyone. I could stand and try to convince you all day-”
Ted’s gaze dropped from above her head down to her face. “Sorry, Bree. As Nick said, we all have our own beliefs.”
“Oh - uh…” Wind taken out of her sails, Bree stumbled to a halt before recovering quickly. “No worries. So, anyway, thank you for letting us onto your property.”
Ted waved her thanks away. “Just glad you got it sorted. That boy of mine has been going on about it since he saw…whatever he thinks he saw. This might shut him up now.”
“Maybe. These things have a tendency-” The light squeeze on her shoulder had her rethinking her comment. “Anyway, thanks, Ted.”
“Sure.” He stuck the greasy rag back into his pocket. “See you around, Bree.” He nodded to Nick.
“’Bye.” Before she could take a step on her own, Nick’s hand slid from her shoulder to her back, fingers spreading, and he steered her back to the van.
Holy crap, really? Annoyance crept in but never one to snap in public, Bree allowed him to steer her back to the van. He slid the passenger door back and waited for her to get in before unhooking the backpack from his shoulders, handing it to her, sliding the door closed and getting into the passenger seat.
Bree was secretly surprised he didn’t just toss her into the passenger seat and demand the van keys just so he could do the manly job of driving. He’d steered her well enough, she was sure he would do an awesome job of steering the van.
Lips pressed together, she started the van, waved to Ted who still stood watching them, and turned the van onto the track out of the property.
Nick sat in relaxed silence, one elbow on the windowsill, his other hand resting on his jean-clad thigh. He didn’t break the silence, his gaze on the road ahead as the van turned onto the main road.
He could at least say something, explain what the hell he’d been doing guiding her around like a little girl. Bree glanced at him, annoyance smouldering inside her, slowly licking into a low-humming anger.
Nick cut a glance at her, his expression revealing nothing of his thoughts, the bloody man looking so damned calm, so in control, that she had the sudden urge to flip him the bird, toss him out of the van on his handsome arse, and let him march back to town. Only he was too big for her to toss out the door and she’d never been one to act on violent urges. Shame, that.
Feeling his gaze still on her, she looked sideways at him and caught his slowly rising eyebrow.
Time to have this out.
Spotting the parking bay on the side of the road, Bree indicated and swung into it, pulling the van up, braking and turning off the engine. Ripping off the seat belt, she swung around in the seat to face him. “What the hell was all that?”
“All what?” he asked calmly, unclipping his own seatbelt and shifting to rest easily against the corner of the seat, enabling him to watch her without having to turn around.
“Pushing me behind you instead of letting me stand up for myself, warning me not to say anything further with this action,” she mimed a squeezing motion with her hands, “and then bundling me back to the van?”
“I didn’t bundle you.”
“Manoeuvre me, then.”
“I prefer the term ‘guide’.”
“Oh, really?”
“How about ‘polite’?”
“How about ‘controlling’?”
Nick rubbed his jaw musingly. “Hmm.”
“You can’t tell me what to do,” she said tightly. “Or make me do it.”
“I didn’t tell you anything.”
“You squeezed my shoulders. Tell me that wasn’t a warning.”
“That was a caution.” He angled his head slightly to one side as he studied her. “Caution was warranted with that particular conversation.”
Okay, he was right. Pointing out to Ted that his son might not change his mind about what he saw, whether it was a hoax or not, would not have appeased him. But still… “What about the steering me to the car and seeing me inside?”
Nick shrugged.
“Oh, don’t do that to me, mate. Shrugging is a sure way to get me fired up.”
“Really?” His eyes glinted.
Refusing to acknowledge how that glint had her heart stuttering just a little, Bree lifted her chin. “I am not a child to be guided by big brother’s hand.”
His gaze drifted slowly down her face, lingered on her lips and drifted back up again, this time with a definite gleam in the brilliant green depths. “I don’t think of you as a child, Bree. I certainly don’t regard you as a brother would.”
Oh boy, that opened up all kinds of half-baked ideas of which she didn’t want to contemplate. At least, not right now when she was mad at him. “Then explain.”
Reclining back against the corner, he contemplated her, his thick lashes lowering to hide some of his thoughts.
“Oh no, you don’t.” Leaning across the gap between the seats, Bree stabbed a finger in his direction. “Open your eyes and look fully at me, Nick. I want to know your thoughts.”
“I’m not sure you’re ready,” he replied quietly.
“Don’t give me that crap. Do it. Now.”
For a big man, he moved fast. In fact, he struck like the battle-trained soldier he was, snapping forward in one swift move, closing the gap between them, big hand slipping around to cup her nape, holding her in shocked immobility.
Face close to hers, Nick’s every breath was warm on her lips which had parted in surprise. His eyes were steady, a flame burning deep in the depths. “You sure?” His voice was low, deep, like dark velvet.
Hell no. Hell yes. Hell if she knew. Her heart hammered as she stared into his eyes from a mere few inches away. Her breathing fastened and she swallowed. Oh God, oh someone help her. She felt like his gaze was burning her, his hand hot at her nape, the heat from his body surrounding her, sucking her into his force field.
Holy crap, maybe Nick was the alien, because sure as God made green apples she’d never known a man like him, never felt anything like this. Never wanted to get burned, yet now she yearned to get burned by Nick. He was messing with her head, messing with her body so deliciously even though he was only touching her nape.
“Bree.” Her name was breathed warmly on her lips.
“Ye
s,” she whispered.
“Is that an answer or a question?” His thumb was doing a lazy circle on the side of her neck.
“I don’t know.”
Nick didn’t say anything further, just leaned a little forward, a little down, closing the last few inches between them. His lips brushed hers, a soft, tentative sweep, warm and dry, touching lightly.
It was like Heaven. No hurry, no harshness, just softness and warmth, light and almost sweet, yet there was control in his cradling of her nape, firmness in the lips that touched hers again, pressing lightly yet with resolve, a hint of warning in the slight tightening of his fingers, the pressure of his lips deepening steadily.
Closing her eyes, Bree gave herself up to his kiss.
Burn her? Nick almost reduced her to ashes.
As soon as she gave herself up, he took her. Immediately his kiss deepened, lips moulding to hers, their mouths meshing and sealing as he demanded entrance and entered, sweeping in to drink from her, taking everything she had and leaving his taste behind, clean and fresh, male and hot. He devoured her mouth, plundering deep, taking more than she could ever have believed.
Her heart was thundering when he broke the kiss, her blood thick and hot in her veins, rushing through her in aroused liquid heat. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring at the thick sweep of his lashes as he leaned his forehead against hers, his own breaths deeper and faster.
For several seconds they stayed that way, Nick with his eyes closed, Bree watching him in wonderment.
When his thick lashes lifted, the green of his eyes still hot, smouldering with carnal heat, his voice was even, steady. “Still don’t know?”
“Still don’t know what?” she whispered.
“Whether you’re ready or not?”
“For what?” she asked dreamily.
His smile was slow, his fingers easing on her nape to rub gently, massaging, making her feel like she could just slump forward and melt right into him. “To know my thoughts.”
“I think I know what they might be.”
“Do you?” His eyes crinkled engagingly at the corners.
“Mmmm.” She closed her eyes in bliss as he continued massaging.
“Well then, the question is what are you going to do about it?”
“I have absolutely no idea.”
“How about I tell you what I’m going to do?”
“Mmmm.”
His kiss this time was swift, deep, almost shocking in its intensity as he took her mouth hard and fast.
Need slammed low inside her, her thighs clenching at the deliciously torturous tingling deep inside her womanhood. The pit of her stomach trembled, threatening to drop away, and when he pulled back she followed him with a moan of protest.
Obviously more than willing to please her, Nick moved forward again, mouth just touching hers when a loud, heavy horn blasted the air, shattering the haze of desire.
Bree pulled back, Nick’s hand sliding from her nape as he straightened sharply, his gaze hardening as it jumped to the van window.
A truck roared past, the driver waving and grinning from ear to ear.
Her cheeks burned crimson. Oh lord, she’d been ready to tear Nick’s clothes off right there on the side of the road for everyone to see. With trembling fingers she smoothed her hair back, the sensation of his hand still on her neck making her roll her shoulders and inhale deep, exhale hard. Eyes forward, she stared at the road before dropping her head back against the seat and looking up at the ceiling.
“Bree?” Nick’s voice was steady.
Glancing sideways, she sighed. There he sat, all relaxed, gaze unfaltering, looking as cool as a cucumber while her vagina was almost spasming and her thighs squeezed tight together. How unfair was that? And he could actually look at her while she was having a hard time maintaining eye contact.
Scratch that, she couldn’t do it at all. Her gaze skidded from his to end up on the bush outside the front windscreen. “Yeah.” Cough. “I’m fine.” She started the van, put it into gear.
“Seat belt,” he said mildly.
“Right.” She fumbled it on, noting almost sourly that his hands were steady while he fastened his seatbelt. Did nothing faze the man?
Taking a deep breath, she checked the road in the side mirror and pulled out, heading towards home and safety.
Safety? Huh. Okay, a place she could shut the door and think about things. Think about things? How about change her panties, or maybe have a cold shower? Cool her heated skin? Or maybe have an ice cold drink to cool her heated insides. Or sit and marvel at a kiss that had almost burned her from the soles of her feet upwards?
Or wonder why he kissed her. That thought had her biting her lip, a lip that was still tender, still swollen with the force, the mastery, of his kiss. God, the man could kiss. He just took her mouth and plundered it like a pirate of old, taking what he wanted and enjoying it.
The memory had her hands gripping the steering wheel tighter.
But why? Why had Nick kissed her? There’d been nothing between them, nothing that had led to a kiss. Nothing which she could recall. Had she led him on? No, she wasn’t like that, wouldn’t do that, had never done that, it wasn’t in her nature, was something of which she didn’t approve.
So why had Nick kissed her? Was he messing with her head? Paying her back for teasing him?
The bottom of her stomach tightened, her grip white-knuckling the steering wheel. Had he just been amusing himself? Had he-
“You’re thinking too hard,” Nick drawled.
“Am I?” she replied tightly.
“Ah.”
That knowing ‘ah’ had her almost swerving back to the side of the road to demand an explanation, but she kept the van steady on the road. Just like her gaze. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop it.”
“How would you know what I’m thinking?”
“Honey, your face is like an open book. I can read every expression that’s flashing across it.”
“You wish.” She glanced at him to find the annoying, handsome sod watching the road, all calm and assured. Bugger him. “You’re just guessing.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it bloody is.”
“My, my, honey, you are in a snit.”
“Don’t call me honey. And I’m not in a snit.”
His laugh was low and so amused that she wanted to kick him in the shins. “Bree, you enjoyed that kiss.”
It wasn’t worth arguing that statement. “So what? Did tickling my tonsils make you a mind reader?”
“You enjoyed it and now you’re confused. You’re trying to make sense of it and coming to all the wrong conclusions. Doing that has made you defensive. Now you want to kick my arse out of the van and leave me on the side of the road.”
“My God, you are a mind reader. Any particular part of the road you fancy?”
“Your driveway, actually.”
“Huh.”
Watching the scenery pass, he continued to sit in pleasant silence. He stayed like that right up until she pulled the van to a stop beside his Landcruiser.
Turning off the engine, Bree sat staring out of the windscreen, waiting for him to get out of the van.
It was no real surprise when he simply unclipped his seatbelt and didn’t get out. It was a surprise when he was suddenly in her vision as he unclipped her seatbelt and leaned over to slide it securely into place on the wall. He was so damned warm near her, his male scent so damned yummy in her nose, and his profile so damned handsome to her eyes.
Talk about a virtual sensory feast. She could gorge herself quite happily on it.
His movements were calm and definite, just like the man himself. Turning his head to look down at her, he braced his hand on the headrest at the side of her head, his other hand against the windowsill of the door.
Too close. He could see too much. She swallowed.
“Talk to me,” he demanded softly.
“
Nothing to say,” she croaked.
“Try again.”
“Really. Nothing.”
“Try again.”
“Are you just going to keep repeating that phrase until I cave? Because I’m telling you right now, it’s not a good form of interrogation.”
Nick just kept looking at her.
“This is ridiculous,” she finally said.
“If something is troubling you, it’s not ridiculous.”
That warmed her a little, but still…
“Why is one kiss such a traumatic event for you?”
“It was two, actually. And it wasn’t traumatic.” Her cheeks flamed in memory. God, it had been awesome.
“Right now you’re acting like you resent me. What have I done to upset you so much? If it’s the kiss, I refuse to be sorry for it. I enjoyed it, I know you enjoyed it, I just don’t understand this whole resentment thing.”
Man, he really liked to get down to the nitty-gritty, didn’t he? Bree met his gaze, finding it as she expected, honest and forthright. “There’s no hiding anything from you, is there?”
His head angled just a little, the afternoon sun catching a couple of gold highlights in his fair hair. It was thick hair and she bet it was soft. If he hadn’t worn it military short, it would flop all over his eyebrows.
“Bree,” he said quietly. “Please talk to me.”
Sighing, she slumped back in the seat. “I’m not really that good at talking about my feelings.”
“You write great letters.” Unexpectedly, he took his hand from the headrest and stuck it out in front of her. “Hi, I’m Nick Mason. You’ve been keeping me smiling while I’ve been in Afghanistan, you’ve been keeping me company. I’ve really wanted to meet you, Bree.”
Holy crap. Bree stared at him, the sincerity in his eyes, the amusement, the patience, and the whole absurdity of the situation tickled her funny bone. A small smile quirked her lips and she took his hand, immediately felt his fingers close gently but firmly around hers. “Hi, Nick. I’m Bree Ford. I’ve enjoyed writing to you, enjoyed reading your replies. I have a feeling I’m not quite what you expected.”
His smile was sudden, strong, almost devastating in its brilliance. “You’re exactly like your letters, Bree.”
The Goodbye Girl Page 13