“I meant I’m sorry for what you’re going through. It can’t be easy when Patrick and his family are friends.”
Rubbing his hands across his eyes, Sam’s control slipped, revealing the hurt and pain of Patrick’s betrayal. “It was all lies. Our friendship was based on what he could get out of the company. Out of me. He thought I wouldn’t contact the police. Every family dinner, being godfather to his two youngest kids, even the rounds of golf on a Saturday morning were all staged. It was his way of fooling me into thinking he was more of a friend than he actually was. He told me I was his rainy day insurance policy.” Leaning forward, he sank his head into his hands.
Nicky moved around his desk. She wanted to tell him that it would be okay. But it wouldn’t. No fancy wrapping could cover up what Patrick had done. She rested her hand on his shoulder and felt him relax, drawing strength from the small amount of comfort she was offering. “He’s a sick man. I doubt he’s got any idea of what he’s destroyed.”
A deep sigh filled the silence in the room.
Nicky handed him a box of tissues sitting on a shelf behind his desk.
“Thanks. I feel like a complete idiot crying over a scumbag friend.”
She smiled at the watery grin peeping out of his face. “Think nothing of it. I’ve known a few scumbags in my life, too.”
He glanced up, a real smile slipping through the sadness.
Nicky grinned, leaning on the edge of his desk. “Present company excluded, of course.”
“I’ve been known to be a bit of a scumbag from time to time, but never intentionally.”
The smile slipped from her face. “I should hope not,” she said softly. One of the reasons she hadn’t told him about her pregnancy was that she didn’t know how he would have reacted. Over the last few weeks she’d seen something in his character that she hadn’t appreciated before. If he’d known about the baby he would have looked after her as much as she would have let him. If Sam had known what she’d gone through after she’d lost her baby, he’d be devastated.
She cleared her throat, forcing a lightness into her voice that she didn’t feel. “So what have you got planned for dinner tonight?”
“Nothing much,” he frowned. “The way I feel at the moment, the quieter the better.” Raising his eyebrows, he stared at her. “You’re not asking me out on a date by any chance?”
“Good grief, no. But I could share a meal with you at my place.”
“So this is dinner, with food?” he asked.
Heat scorched Nicky’s cheeks. Her body tingled remembering what had happened last time they’d had dinner. “Food only.”
“Don’t I even get a sympathy date out of this mess?”
“Nope.” Nicky tried to keep the smile off her face, but Sam’s hopeful expression was her undoing. “No, no, and triple no.”
Sam grinned. “Is that a maybe I hear?”
Shaking her head, Nicky laughed. “You would have to be the most persistent man I’ve ever met, Sam Delaney. And just in case you missed it the first hundred times, the answer’s still no.”
“A man’s got to try. Are you sure you know what you’re letting yourself in for?”
“Yep. Tomato soup from a can, a loaf of garlic bread and a green salad. If you behave yourself I’ll even treat you to an ice cream cone.”
“You’ve got me hooked with the mention of ice cream.” With a cheeky grin he asked, “What time do you want me?”
“Don’t get your hopes up.” Nicky rolled her eyes. “That goofy grin isn’t helping matters. Six thirty will be fine.”
Sam held onto her hand as she started to move away. Turning her fingers in his, he gently kissed her knuckles. “You’re a good person. Thank you.”
Her cheeks warmed under his caress. “Don’t speak too soon. You haven’t tasted my canned soup.”
***
“Anyone home?” Sam yelled from the doorway.
“I’m in the kitchen.”
Sam moved through the apartment, sniffing the air. He could smell the rich tang of tomatoes and herbs. Canned food didn’t generally come with masses of flavor and enough punch to get saliva glands drooling. “You’ve got more than soup heating up in there.”
Nicky looked over her shoulder, smiling as she stirred a sauce simmering on the stove. The black skirt and knit top she’d worn to work had been replaced with a pale yellow sundress and bare feet.
“Spaghetti with a tomato, bacon and basil sauce.”
“I’m impressed.”
Nicky laughed, loosening the knot deep in his chest.
“You shouldn’t be. The sauce is from a jar, with a few slices of bacon thrown in from the deli.” Looking back at the stove, she said, “I can be a little creative when I need to be. Just don’t ask me to make the sauce from scratch.”
“One of these days you’re going to get some cooking lessons from me. And by the way, it doesn’t pay to leave your door open; anyone could have walked into your apartment.”
Nicky drained the noodles. “I knew you were arriving soon, so I didn’t bother closing the door. I’m perfectly safe up here.”
If she knew how unsafe she was, she never would have invited him over for dinner. Sam’s gaze traveled down her body as she poured hot sauce over the spaghetti on their plates. The summer sun had tanned her shoulders to a light brown and streaked her blonde hair with golden highlights. The dress she wore hugged her waist, falling in soft folds around her bare legs.
Legs that had taken him to heaven and back. “Promise me you’ll lock your door next time?”
Nicky gave him a level stare. “Okay, boss. I’ll be a good girl and keep the door locked. Are you happy now?”
“Getting there. Do you want a glass of wine?” He held up the chardonnay he’d brought with him.
“Sounds like a fine idea to me. The cork screw’s in the top drawer on the right hand side of the kitchen.”
Nicky took their dinner across to the table, while he hunted in the drawers.
The doorbell rang. Sam frowned as his hand found what he was looking for.
“I’ll get it,” Nicky said.
He moved into the living room as Nicky opened the door.
“Emily, come in.”
“I thought you could use some company after the day…Sam?” her voice ended on a confused squeak. Staring across the room, he had the distinct impression she was shocked to see him.
“In the flesh,” he said dryly.
Emily’s gaze flicked between Nicky and Sam.
Nicky frowned at her sister. “Don’t get that ‘what on earth are you up to’ look on your face. Sam’s having dinner with me. It was a pretty rough day at the office. Do you want to join us?”
Sam’s hand stopped winding the corkscrew out of the bottle. He looked at Emily, hoping she had something else planned.
His brain screeched to a roaring halt. Where on earth had that thought come from? He hadn’t come here for a night of grand seduction. He hadn’t come here for any form of seduction. He’d come here to try and forget about a crap friend who’d played him for eighty-five thousand dollars. And if a little bit of something other than friendship sneaked into the evening, he wouldn’t be too unhappy.
“You cooked?” Walking across to the table, Emily looked at the food steaming on the dinner plates. “Yum.”
Sam stared at Emily. That comment didn’t bode well for a quick exit.
“I’m shocked,” Emily said. “You’re actually cooking more than toast.”
Nicky folded her arms across her chest. “I can be civilized when I need to be.”
Sam’s entire body went on full alert, taunting his already stressed body. He didn’t want her to be civilized. Fast and loose suited him fine.
Emily gazed at Sam, a mischievous gleam in her eye. The little witch was going to stay, and more than that, she was going to stay late.
“I’ll have a glass too please, Sam.” Turning to Nicky, she asked, “Do you have enough for me?”
Nicky
laughed. “As it happens, I cooked enough for a family of ten. I didn’t get the portion sizes right.”
Emily followed her sister into the kitchen, laughter filling the apartment when she saw how much spaghetti and tomato sauce had been cooked.
Leaving the opened wine on the table, Sam headed back into the kitchen for another glass. If he thought one Scotson woman was a handful, then adding her sister to the mix spelled double trouble.
Tonight might not turn out how he thought it would, but he knew one thing. By the end of the evening he wouldn’t be thinking about work. Whenever Emily and Nicky were together you either went along for the ride or got squashed under their feet.
***
Dinner turned into one endless round of laughter and bad jokes. The weight sitting like a lead ball in the pit of Sam’s stomach slowly dissolved as they’d talked about everything except the mess at work. Emily left early to finish a dress for a friend, leaving them with the dishes and a whole pile of spaghetti sauce for the freezer.
After they’d cleaned up, he convinced Nicky to go for a walk into town. The warm evening air blew away the last of the stress flooding his body.
The gelato café was their last stop before heading back to their apartments. He watched Nicky drool over twenty different frozen flavors. “What’s it going to be? Gelato or sorbet?”
Nicky stared at the tubs of multicolored treats. “I don’t know. All those soft peaks of sorbet are glistening under the fluorescent lights. I think it’s a marketing ploy to get me to buy more than one scoop.”
“You won’t bankrupt me by having two scoops, so be frivolous and go for broke.”
“I’m buying dessert.”
“No, it’s my turn. You cooked dinner.”
Nicky looked like she was going to argue with him, then changed her mind. “Okay, I’ll give in gracefully. What flavor are you having?”
“One scoop of mars bar gelato, with a scoop of lemon sorbet on top.”
Nicky’s glance slid along the counter to the gelato, moving straight back to the cabinet in front of her. “No, I’m not going to be tempted by those flavors. I’ll go with my first choice; a scoop of lemon and a scoop of passion fruit sorbet.”
“Do you want to have it here or eat it on the way home?”
Nicky looked down at her watch. “Better make it to go.” With a smile she added, “We’ve got work tomorrow and I’m going to need all my wits about me to deal with my boss.”
“I’ve heard he’s one of the best.”
“Only when he puts his mind to it,” she grinned. Sam held her sorbet just out of reach. “Okay, he’s fantastic.” She laughed. “I couldn’t dream of having a better employer.”
“That’s better. It’s nice to know I’m appreciated.”
“Especially when there’s food involved.”
His breath caught in his throat as Nicky’s tongue licked the edge of her sorbet. Need whipped through his body. He wanted her tongue on him, in him. He took a step forward before he realized what he was doing.
Nicky stared at him, a wash of red staining her cheeks. “No.”
“No?”
“No.” Moving her cone away from her mouth she looked down at his hands. “Where’s your gelato?”
He didn’t want the gelato. He wanted the person standing in front of him.
He needed the pure madness their two bodies created. He wanted her gasping under him as he sank deep and fast into her tight body. If anyone could satisfy that kind of need with frozen gelato they’d be the richest person on the planet.
Stepping around him, she took his cone from the counter. “Here, eat this. They say food’s a good substitute for sex.”
“Not from where I’m standing,” he mumbled as she power-walked down the sidewalk. He ran to catch up with her long-legged stride. “Slow down. I’m losing my ice cream.”
Nicky stopped in the middle of the street, holding her hair with one hand as it flicked around her head in the breeze. “I’m not going to curl up on your lap and enjoy a repeat performance of our last meal together. If that’s where you think tonight’s heading then you’re going to be disappointed.”
“Okay, forget the lap,” he grinned. “I’m open to any other suggestions, though.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Nicky’s mouth. “A cold shower?”
Sam knew he’d try anything, as long as she was with him. “I’m willing if you are. But if we both end up with colds, we’ll be on the receiving end of one of Emily’s ferocious scowls.”
Nicky crunched into her cone, frowning at his laughing face. “Eat your gelato, Sam.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
They walked in silence along the street, listening to music floating out of restaurants and the sound of people enjoying the night. When they reached the Village, Sam looked at the Loft apartments, appreciating the clean lines of the beautifully designed building.
He was proud of every building Scotson Construction had created. Some of their projects pushed the boundaries of architecture to the limits, creating bold statements that stood out from their bland neighbors. Others melted in with their environment, giving the owners exactly what they needed.
Blotting the landscape with concrete towers with no personality wasn’t why his company was in business. He wanted every owner to feel the same level of appreciation that he did when they stepped into their new building.
They walked through the landscaped gardens and into the foyer of their apartments. Cool air-conditioned air slipped along Sam’s skin, doing absolutely nothing to dampen the heat burning in his body for the woman beside him. Their footsteps echoed on the wooden floor as they walked toward the elevator.
He felt as tongue tied as a teenager on his first date. He watched Nicky’s reflection in the elevator doors, not knowing what to say to ease the tension rolling between their bodies.
She walked out of the elevator, heading straight toward her apartment. “Well…umm…thanks for the ice cream, Sam. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He reached for her arm before she could disappear inside. His brain shut down when he looked into her blue eyes. Brushing the side of her face with a soft kiss, he tried to control the thud of his heart.
Nicky moved her head, capturing his mouth in a kiss that left him hungry for more. Turning her into his arms, he held the small of her back tight against his body. She moved against him, slowly and deliberately, until he was ready to explode. She nipped his bottom lip and he groaned when she showed him how creative her teeth could be.
“We have to stop,” she panted.
Sam backed her against the wall, changing the angle of friction between their bodies until stars swam in front of his eyes. Nicky moaned, pushing hard against his body.
“You first…” He sucked in a sharp breath when her hands connected with his hot skin. Pulling his shirt from his pants, her fingertips wandered over his ribcage, flooding his body with raw need. He moved back, groaning as her hands brushed his nipples. Every muscle in his body tightened, anticipating the gut wrenching release that was to come.
Nicky moved back, her breath ragged and fast. “I can’t, Sam.” Taking another step back, she stared at his chest. “This is a bad idea. I’m sorry.” She turned, slipped her security card into its slot, and nearly fell through the door as it opened.
Sam stood where he was, staring at the closed door. Breathing deeply, he braced his hands against the wall. He hung his head, imagining what could have been.
The problem with life was that it was full of bad ideas. The trick was learning which ones could turn into the best experiences of your life. And he knew for a fact that the taste and feel of Nicky’s body was an experience he’d always want to repeat.
Dropping his hands to his sides, he patted his pockets, searching for his key card.
There’d be no lap dancing on the menu tonight. No hot chocolate energy boosts, not one coffee bean in sight. He had a depressing feeling that cold showers and early nights were the only action
his body would see for a long time.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The quick tap on her office door pulled Nicky’s concentration off the report in front of her. Heat flooded her face as she gazed into warm brown eyes devouring every inch of her body.
Her eyes did a little roaming of their own. Sam’s charcoal gray suit looked like it had been molded to his wide shoulders and lean hips. A white shirt and electric blue tie completed the modern executive look, leaving Nicky’s heart rate thudding at his unexpected appearance.
“Wow. Nice suit.” Gripping her pen, she relaxed her face into a friendly smile, desperately hoping her voice didn’t give her overactive hormones away. “Have you got a hot date in the boardroom?”
“Not likely.” He smiled. “We’ve got the official handover of The Oasis development this morning. Amanda and I will be gone until lunchtime and I wanted to thank you for last night.”
Nicky almost melted on the spot. Last night had been a monster test of her willpower. Forcing herself not to drag Sam into her apartment and have her wicked way with him had taken every ounce of grit she possessed. She’d spent most of the night thinking about her dangerous obsession with everything about him. “Are you being serious or teasing me?”
“I mean it. I really enjoyed myself.”
A smile slipped across his face, warming Nicky from the inside out.
“If it hadn’t been for your dinner invitation, I would have spent last night feeling miserable. So, thank you. Next time I’ll cook dinner.”
Nicky knew that wasn’t a good idea. One night of dodging what her body craved was bad enough. Purposely putting herself in the firing line for a third time was plain stupidity.
Sam’s gaze moved down the corridor. “I’ve got to go, Amanda’s waiting for me. I’ll see you later this afternoon.”
***
The rest of the morning slipped away far too quickly. Meeting the finance team and another project manager took up most of her time. With a few tweaks the flowchart she’d been working on would stop the same issues with the tendering process happening again.
“Are you ready for lunch?”
Nicky blinked at the vision standing in front of her. She felt seriously underdressed. Emily’s red curls were caught in a fancy ponytail on top of her head. The soft aubergine fabric of her dress draped to mid-thigh, hugging her curves in all the right places. The plunging neckline almost matched the non-existent back. Strappy high heels the exact color of her golden tan completed an outfit made to be noticed.
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