Bid Me Now

by Rebecca Gilise

  “Miri.”

  His deep, instantly recognizable voice caught her just as she lowered her drink. But even then, she couldn’t quite believe it was him. He couldn’t possibly be so tactless as to introduce his girlfriend. Her first instinct was to pretend she hadn’t heard him. But when Miri looked to her left, Bree was gaping at Nick like one of those sideshow clowns that people throw balls into, and on her other side, Abe and Alan were staring, wide-eyed. For a moment, Miri considered sliding off her stool and walking away so he would have no choice but to leave. But attempting a straight walk on one too many strawberry margaritas was too much to ask.

  She turned.

  Oh, God, he looked good. Under the bar’s shaded lights, the hard planes of his handsome face were lost in shadow, his eyes dark pools. A woman could drown in those eyes.

  She had.

  She worked up a fake smile. “Hey, Nick. You havin’ a good night?”

  Nick dipped his head in an easy nod. “Yeah.” His eyes coasted down her body, and Miri felt it in a heartbeat. The familiar ache of desire. This was the last thing she needed. Drunk and horny for Nick.

  “We’re just on our way out,” Nick continued, watching her with an unidentifiable expression.

  Miri shrugged and turned back to face the bar. “Well, don’t let us hold you up.”

  Alan cleared his throat. “Hi, I’m Alan Petersen from the Chronicle. Aren’t you the guy who bought the old mill? And now there’s an injunction on pulling it down?”

  “Yeah, that’s me. Except the injunction was lifted two hours ago.”

  Miri swung round, nearly tipping off her stool. Grabbing Bree’s arm for support, she blinked her vision into focus. “Well, thanks for that news. Now you can get back to your date. I hear your hotel suite is a good place to take dates,” she snickered, staring straight ahead at the metal buttons on his denim shirt.

  Nick shook his head in confusion. “Date? She’s not… ”

  Miri wasn’t about to give him time to introduce his girlfriend. How rude. She leaned forward and finger-stabbed him in the middle of his chest. “No need to explain. You know what you are? You’re a rat. A big rat with a nice ass. And I don’t give a rat’s ass for you.” She giggled at her joke. “Don’t you have buildings to pull down? Time’s a-wasting, ya know.”

  Nick’s face cleared in comprehension. “You’re drunk!”

  Miri shook her head so hard the room spun. “I am not!” Holding on to Bree’s arm again, she leaned back on her stool. “We’re just having a couple of cocktails, aren’t we, Bree?”

  “Absolutely,” confirmed Bree with a loud hiccup. “Nick, you need to understand something here. This is the enemy camp, and you’re in it!”

  “How are you going to get these two home?” he asked, turning to Abe.

  Miri burped. “That’s none of your business, Rat Nick.”

  Abe sighed and shook his head apologetically. “Under the circumstances, Nick, you’d better go. We’ll be fine.”

  “These two don’t look fine.”

  How dare the rat assume she wasn’t fine. She was terrific. She just needed another drink. Focusing on Jerry, Miri tried to wink at him, but her eyelids seemed drunk. “Two berries, Jerry…” She paused to organize her words, determined to have another drink even if it meant climbing over the bar and helping herself. “Two pink…. You know what I mean, don’t you? Would you be my boyfriend, Jerry?”

  “You’ve both had enough,” growled Abe from behind her.

  “Abe’s being all caveman tonight,” giggled Bree, standing to wrap her arms around his neck. “Oh, but he’s so cute when he’s mad. Abe, take me home for some caveman sex!”

  Abe pulled her arms down and stepped back. “Damn it, we’re leaving before you get even more embarrassing.” He turned to Jerry. “Can you call us a cab?”

  Alan cleared his throat again. “No need — I’ll drive you folks home. Being the duty reporter means no alcohol.”

  Miri looked up at Alan’s kind face. “Thanks, Alan, You’re a real gent, not like the rat here.

  She turned to glare resentfully at Nick, hating herself for her embarrassment and hating him for her jealousy. He’d ruined everything. Her pre-Nick life hadn’t added up to much romantically, but then, how could she miss what she’d never had? Her art had filled her days. Now she couldn’t even claim to be back to square one. She was so far before square one, she’d never catch up.

  She felt the first pricks of tears. “Go away.”

  “Nick, is everything all right?” Nick’s girlfriend stepped forward, and Miri’s eyes darted to her round belly. She had to be close to six months.

  “Everything’s fine, Cate. Meet Miri, Bree, Abe, and Alan. This is my sister Catherine. She’s staying in Charmford for a few days.”

  In the face of Catherine’s charming smile, Miri’s brain and body froze, except for her mouth, which she could feel opening and closing like an aquarium fish. Focusing with difficulty on Cate, she could see the resemblance. The woman was obviously genetically blessed like her brother. Tall, runway-model cheekbones, dark hair in a short glossy bob. And sober.

  Catherine smiled. “Yes, Charmford is lovely. I envy you living in such a beautiful town.” She turned and gave Miri a warm smile. “I saw your Sins exhibition in New York, Miri. Wonderful work.”

  “Thank you.” Miri tried to get her eyes to focus on Nick to read his reaction, but she couldn’t interpret his flinty stare through her haze. What was he thinking? That she was one big embarrassing screw-up, no doubt.

  Fat tears came out in sympathy with her self-pity. Slipping off the stool and praying for stability, she only just managed to avoid falling as she groped for her bag and turned to Abe with wet, pleading eyes. Please can we go? she mouthed at him.

  Abe was clearly pissed as he paid the tab, and for a moment Miri thought he was going to walk out and leave her and Bree standing there. But he put an arm around her waist and, encircling Bree’s waist with his other arm, he started for the door. “Alan,” he said grimly, “lead the way.”

  Alan grabbed his jacket. “Right. Ah, well, Nick, I can’t say I approve of your actions in suing the paper.”

  “So noted. Take it easy, you guys.”

  Miri kept her head down as Abe escorted them through the crowd. Never in her short life had she been so pleased to hear the chirrup of a car’s electronic unlocking system. Crawling gratefully into the back seat alongside Bree, she thought longingly of her bed. The whole evening had started out so fine. Great music. Dancing with Marcus. Strawberry margaritas.

  “You girls better not throw up in Alan’s car,” warned Abe from the front passenger seat.

  Bree hiccuped. “Nah, we’re fine. Mademoiselle here has gone to sleep.”

  Miri stirred briefly, closed her eyes again, and thought about Nick’s ass all the way home.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “Hangover Hotel.”

  “Abe?”

  “Yeah. Oh, Nick. You’ll be wanting to talk to Miri.”

  “How’s her head?”

  “She’s holding it, so I guess it’s hurting. I’ll put her on.”

  Nick heard the phone being put down, and then Miri’s sleepy voice in the background. “Who is it?”

  “You know who it is.”

  “I don’t want to talk to him.”

  “Then tell him.”

  “You tell him. Pleeease.”

  “No.”

  “I’ll get you for this, Abe Bryant. Hello,” came Miri’s grumpy voice into the phone.

  “It’s the rat.”

  “Yes.”

  “How are you feeling?”

  “What do you want?”

  That was snappish. “I want you to meet me today.”

  “I’m busy.”

  “Chicken busy?”

  “No! There’s nothing to talk about!”

  Nick sighed, picturing her sitting at her kitchen table with her sore head and running hot on morning-after embarrassment. “I’m flyi
ng to London tomorrow. I want to talk to you before I leave.”

  Silence, then Bree’s loud voice in the background. “Any acetaminophen left? Are you talking to Marcus about last night?”

  “Shh, look in the drawer over there. Why can’t you tell me now?”

  A hot stab of jealousy caught Nick hard in his gut. Of course, she would go for a night out. Why wouldn’t she? But he hadn’t expected Marcus Carter. The guy must have been called away on some emergency.

  Nick knew his voice had turned to gravel when he answered. “It’s best that I tell you in person.”

  “Why?”

  For once, Nick was almost grateful for her pain-in-the-ass behavior. At least it took his mind off Carter. “Meet me and find out.”

  “No.” Silence again, then, “Well, I guess if it’s important. But it will have to be late this afternoon.”

  At last some progress. “Where would you like to meet?”

  “The mill.”

  “Are you sure? What about somewhere more comfortable like the Round Bean?”

  “No. The mill.”

  “Okay. Can I pick you up at…say, four o’clock?”

  “No need. I’ll meet you there,” came the curt response.

  “Right, well, I’ll see you at four.”

  Nick put his cell phone down and stared into his cold coffee. He shouldn’t be surprised by anything Miri said or did, but Margarita Miri definitely exceeded anything even he could have imagined. That and calling him a rat. Quaint. He’d been called a heartless bastard a few times, but never a rat. If the situation hadn’t been so damned difficult and his need to see her so great, it would have been funny. Okay, maybe not funny. He wanted her like hell, and there was nothing funny in that. Besides, Miri wouldn’t be doing much laughing today. She’d be fiery. Hung over. Hell, she’d probably hit him again with her little fist. He was beginning to wonder what was wrong with him in persisting with a woman who was so much work. Well, he’d known she’d be work all along, and it hadn’t stopped him. Now he couldn’t stop.

  “Good morning, brother. Mind if I join you for breakfast?”

  Nick looked up to see Cate standing by his table. “Sure. I thought you intended to rest this morning.”

  “I’m going to spend the day checking out Charmford’s antique stores. Would you like to come along, or are you planning on sitting in the Endeavour’s restaurant all day? That coffee looks stewed.”

  Nick grimaced at the thought of antiquing. “No, sorry, I can’t. Full day.”

  Cate signaled the waiter, slid into the chair opposite Nick, and ordered tea. “Charmford is beautiful. It’s no wonder you’ve stayed on.” She gave him an inquisitive look. “Or is it something else?”

  “Yeah, the sailing.”

  “But you haven’t been sailing. I still can’t believe you know Miri Jamieson. She called you a rat. How cute. Why?”

  “Just something to do with me being the biggest bastard on the planet,” he answered dryly.

  Cate eyes danced with merriment. “But you’re used to that, surely? What rattish thing did you do to her?”

  Nick waited while the waiter served Cate’s tea. “Nothing much. I prevented her from buying a building.”

  “Oh, is that all?” She laughed. “I can see she’s got to you. Something you want to talk about?”

  Nick watched her stirring her tea, her face bright with anticipation. She was in one of her nosy moods. Nick had long since made it a rule not to discuss women with his sister, but that never stopped her probing in the vain hope that he would let slip a few details.

  He rolled a shoulder to dismiss her question. “Nothing to talk about, except it’s a mess.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, suddenly serious. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  He wasn’t falling for that one. “Not a thing. Anyway, I’m driving to New York tomorrow morning to catch a flight to London. Will you be staying on?”

  “Another day to check out the galleries along the coast. The whole area is an art lover’s dream. No wonder your Miri lives here.”

  Nick ignored the bait and stood, dropping a kiss on the top of his sister’s head. “Well, enjoy your day. I’ll see you tonight for dinner.”

  Cate smiled warmly up at him and squeezed his arm. “I will. If you’ve made up with the lovely Miri by then, bring her along. I’d like to talk to her.”

  “So would I.”

  But somehow Nick doubted Miri would be up for sensible talking.

  • • •

  Miri parked her Volkswagen next to Nick’s BMW right at four o’clock, now wishing she’d met him at the Round Bean. The mill had seemed less personal than her favorite café, but now with the façade gone, it was as personal as it got.

  She fought back the sadness, and resolved to give him ten minutes and not a second more.

  Her cell phone buzzed just as she locked the car. Marcus’ ID glowed on the screen. A dinner invitation, she guessed, shoving the phone back into her bag unanswered.

  Flicking back her hair, Miri walked up the steps. Nick wasn’t in his office. The place appeared to be deserted, but then she heard a faint noise coming from the end of the hallway.

  She found him in the cafeteria, standing at the bench and filling a French press with boiling water.

  “Want coffee?” he asked without looking around.

  “Um…okay.”

  “Have a seat,” he said, turning to sweep a casual look over her pink floral sundress and blue flip-flops. “You look nice.”

  “Thanks.”

  She flicked a resentful gaze back at him. As usual, he looked good enough to eat. Faded jeans and a casual baby-blue shirt that set off his tan to perfection. Why did her half-witted body have to make such a fuss when it came within ten feet of him? It was all his fault.

  She slung her bag on the floor and sat down at the only upright table in the room. Except for the table and two chairs, the rest of the furniture was neatly stacked along one wall.

  Nick sat in the chair opposite and pushed a mug of coffee toward her. “You’ll need this.”

  “No, I don’t,” she argued. “I was only a little tipsy.”

  He grinned. “Tipsy? You were hammered. Who’d have thought you’d be the jealous type?”

  Cocky jerk. “Don’t flatter yourself. Anyway, what do you want to talk about? Whatever it is, please get on with it. I have things to do.” Okay, she wasn’t at her most gracious, and if he kicked her out, it would be a good thing. She was all hot and bothered, and not in a convenient way.

  Nick shook his head patiently. “The injunction was lifted because we weren’t involved. If someone had the other bids in advance, it wasn’t us. I wanted you to hear it from me.”

  “Oh.” Miri paused, her thoughts turning to Alex. Alex had texted her with the news this morning and mentioned a Plan B, whatever that was. Miri hoped there’d be no Plan B. Plan A had been a spectacular failure.

  “Alex will be fine,” she muttered to herself. When it came down to it, the woman had a higher measure of hardness than one of her ten-carat diamonds.

  She looked up to see Nick staring at her as if she’d suddenly grown an extra limb. “Fine? I’m not worried about her bloody health.”

  Miri sat herself straight. “I was just thinking out loud, that’s all. Are you still going to sue her?”

  “Damned right I am.”

  “You should reconsider. After all, it’s over and done with, and you won.”

  Nick’s brow lifted in astonishment. “Like hell it’s over. Don’t you understand the implications of any of this for my company? You just don’t get it, do you?”

  “Don’t talk to me like that! Everything’s your fault anyway.” What she meant by that she didn’t know, but she couldn’t think straight with him glaring at her.

  When his eyes flashed with annoyance, she braced herself for his next insult. “You still don’t believe me, do you? God, woman, you’re so stubborn!”

  “It’s you who’s
stubborn!” Miri snapped, then flushed at her silly retort. She bent down and pulled her keys from her bag. It didn’t help that her headache was back. “Anyway, I’ve had enough of this. I’m leaving!”

  “Typical! Flounce off in a fucking temper.”

  Dizziness swept her as she sat up with a jerk. “You…you prat!” She expected him to laugh, but he just sat there, his face like stone.

  “Come here, Marisa.”

  She blinked at his command. “No.”

  “Come here, or I’ll come and get you.”

  Something in his tone told her he meant it, yet something in her body told her to call his bluff. To make him come and get her and…

  Miri turned her head to hide her scarlet face.

  “What are you so scared of, Miri?” His voice softened a fraction, but still held the hardness that had her aching for him. “Now come here.”

  Miri told herself she didn’t want him, and he could go straight to hell. But somehow she found herself on her feet, walking obediently around the table to stand in front of him, her knees bumping against his. Her pulse sparked at the contact.

  “Well, I’m here,” she snapped like a sulky teenager.

  “I should have known why you wanted to meet here.”

  Surprise popped her mouth open, her red face forgotten. “What? I thought meeting here would be…”

  “Private?” he finished for her, his expression so severe she actually trembled with worry. “Hell, if you wanted to be alone with me, why didn’t you just say so? All this stupid pretense.”

  She gaped at him. What on earth was he talking about? “No…I didn’t…I don’t want to be alone with you,” she argued, knowing that he didn’t believe her. Why would he, when her whole body ached with so much need she could barely stand up?

  When Nick pulled her forward between his knees and gripped the backs of her thighs, she moaned against the instant prick of lust between her legs.

  “Oh, I think you do.” His eyes bored into hers, and Miri knew she was lost.