Strictly Business

by Lisa Eugene

  Wade stared at Nina’s jutted chin and squared shoulders. He saw the determination in her eyes and knew there was nothing he could say to dissuade her continued involvement. Right now though she looked like she was about to topple over from exhaustion.

  “Let me show you where the bathroom is and where you’ll be staying.”

  Wade turned from the fireplace, and Nina regretfully uncoiled her sluggish body from the luxurious comfort of the couch. She followed him down a long corridor off the living room that led directly to a large marble bathroom. She explored his solid back as she followed him down the hall. His suit was perfectly fitted to his big body, and his broad shoulders tapered athletically to a narrow waist. Nina’s eyes lingered appreciatively on his firm butt, and she blamed her fatigue for her inability to curb her brazen perusal of him.

  Light streamed brilliantly through a large side window in the bathroom, but what caught her attention was the enormous Jacuzzi tub that occupied one corner of the room. Double sinks with chunky silver facets that looked newly polished were on the other side of the room next to a glass shower stall that you could throw a party in, and a thick dark rug covered a third of the floor. She itched to sink her toes into the soft fibers.

  He took her next door to an adjoining room. It was a room he obviously used as a study, but a queen-size bed abutted the wall. There were large neat stacks of text books and newspapers against a wall. The room was decorated in the same modern style she’d seen in the living room.

  Wade turned around and she collided with his wide chest. He wrapped his arms around her, preventing her from teetering. Nina’s palms were flat against his chest, and she could feel his taut body beneath. She could also feel the unmistakable jut of his erection pressing against her pelvis, and her brain flooded with a myriad of sensual thoughts.

  “If you require assistance with your shower I’d be happy to offer my help.”

  His lips were warm against her temple and Nina took a rallying breath before forcing herself to step back. She knew he was teasing, but shook her head, not trusting her voice to speak. He favored her with a sexy lop-sided grin.

  “Sure? I can get to all those hard to reach places.”

  He waggled his dark brows mischievously, causing her to return his grin and shake her head in mock consternation.

  “I think I can manage. Thanks.”

  He paused as if he wanted to say something else, but decided against it. Instead he said, “Make yourself comfortable. I won’t be back until late. You can reach me on my cell if you need anything.” With those words he turned and left.

  She exhaled a long breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. It was strange being in his apartment, surrounded by his things. His very essence permeated the air and she found it unsettling. Fatigue worked its way into her neck and shoulders, and she realized that she wanted nothing more than to shower and sleep. Maybe she could forget the events of the morning. Maybe she could forget about the constant need that was vibrating low in her belly.

  She peeled off her clothes and folded them neatly on the bed then walked through the study to the bathroom. The slices of sunlight coming through the window warmed her naked skin, and she Nina took a look into the mirror above the sink. She let her toes sink into the thick fibers of the mat and felt like she was standing on a cloud.

  She grimaced when she saw her reflection. She had tied her hair back with a scrunchie before she’d gone to the gym. Somewhere along the way her unruly hair had sprung from its bond and curled in rusty spirals around her face. She yanked the tie loose and let the heavy waves fall on her shoulders. No wonder Wade had been staring. He probably thought she was a frightful mess! She reached to turn on the shower, but her gaze landed on the Jacuzzi bath and she couldn’t resist. Instead, she strolled to the massive structure and filled it with warm water.

  Yawning loudly, she stepped in and inched her body under the pulsating jets of heat. The vibrating water massaged every muscle of her body, melting the tension that had crystallized like a block of ice. The warm water dulled that sharp edginess she’d been feeling all day. She was lost in the sensation as she let the jet flow around her thighs and gently pump against the heated flesh between her thighs.

  She wondered briefly if Wade took baths or showers. She remembered the confession he’d made to her in his office. The thought of his hard sinewy body engulfed in the silky water with his fingers wrapped around the length of his manhood caused a soft moan to bubble from her lips. The feel of the persistent jets between her thighs sent shocks of pleasure darting through her. She imagined Wade’s hand and lips on her. She groaned and squirmed under the water. She rested her head back on the edge of the tub and her soapy hands traveled slowly up her body to massage the tension from her full breasts.

  She didn’t want to think; she’d done too much thinking over the last week. She just wanted to feel. She wanted to go to that magical place where Wade had taken her that evening on her couch. She raised her knees and parted her thighs, feeling the full force of the pulsations. She purred as her hand trailed a path down the curve of stomach and slipped between her thighs. She guessed it would take very little pressure to send her over the edge. Her hand stilled when she heard a slight rustle close by.

  Nina’s eyes popped open, and she turned to see Wade standing in the doorway. His eyes were deep and dark like royal midnight, his body stiff, and his hands fisted at his sides. He stared unblinkingly at her, and she thought she would dissolve into the heated bath as his smoldering gaze liquefied her insides. Oh God…How long had he been watching?

  “The—the door was left open.”

  She sank low into the tub and prayed that she was seeing an apparition. Had she been thinking about Wade so intensely that her mind actually conjured him up? The solid figure in front of her was so unmistakably flesh and blood that she hoped the steam from the tub hid the scarlet that spread over her entire body.

  “I must not have closed it. I’m sorry. I thought you had gone.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair, tousling the short waves into disorder and a tight muscle twitched in his jaw.

  “I had. I came back to leave you a key in case you wanted to go out.” His gaze was boldly absorbing what little he could see of her, and he made no attempt to move away. “Let Michael, the concierge, know if you’re leaving. And try not to wander too far, or away from crowds.”

  “Wade…” Nina started softly, but had no idea what she would say to him. She could still feel the burning ache between her thighs, and it was obvious he was struggling to discipline his own arousal.

  He exhaled slowly and pressed his eyelids tight. “I didn’t bring you here to take advantage of you. I want you to be comfortable. You went through a lot today and you’re tired and rattled. Our business arrangement was your idea, remember? When you’re truly ready to revise it let me know,” he said huskily then disappeared.

  Wade didn’t know where he’d found the strength to walk out of the bathroom. The sight of her lovely naked body, with her long legs spread and her fingers exploring in obvious ecstasy was enough to unhinge his control. He desired Nina more than he’d ever desired another woman. He knew she still didn’t trust him and that cut him deeply. He still saw traces of raw pain and betrayal in her eyes when she looked at him. He’d been only teasing her before she’d entered the bath, but seeing her beautiful form displayed before him had been a true test of his self control.

  If he’d acted on his desires back there in the bathroom, as he’d desperately wanted to, certainly he would have had her body and sated their potent lust for each other, but he would not have captured her heart. In the end she would distrust him even more and further warp his motives for being with her. He wanted her faith wholeheartedly and unconditionally.

  He paused momentarily, trying to understand why that meant so much to him. It did not take a great leap for him to realize that he was falling in love with her. Instead of the panic he thought he’d feel at this realization, slow wa
rmth spread through his chest. He had to protect her at all costs. Maybe it was time to get the police involved. He made a mental note to stop by the prescient on his way home from work to speak to the captain.

  Nina stretched under the cotton sheets, and her lashes flitted open as sleep loosened its hold on her. The enticing aroma of coffee tickled her nose, and she turned over in bed, remembering that she was in Wade’s apartment.

  She threw off the covers and patted her way barefoot down the hall, following the delicious scents. She crossed the living room and emerged into an enormous chef’s kitchen.

  This room was different from the rest of the apartment. It was a lot more homely and inviting. Mahogany wood cabinets lined the wall. The floor was a rustic ceramic tile, and a massive rectangular oak island dominated the middle of the room. She watched as Wade, clad in jeans and a tee shirt moved easily around the kitchen. He was now bent over in the refrigerator rummaging through a bottom drawer. Nina couldn’t help but take advantage of the view. Nice! His blue jeans molded perfectly to his narrow hips and flaunted a firm butt that tapered into thick muscular hamstrings.

  “You’re awake.” He turned and flashed a perfect white smile when he saw her, causing a summersault of emotion in her chest. He closed the refrigerator door with his hip and carried two large plastic bags to the sink. “How’d you sleep? I didn’t want to wake you. You’ve been out for a while.”

  “I slept well. Something smells good,” she said, coming up behind him and peeking into the sink.

  “Breakfast,” he announced.

  “Breakfast?” She looked around in search of a clock, but the brilliant yellow sunlight bouncing around the room told her it was sometime in the early morning.

  Wade laughed. “You’ve slept for almost twenty four hours.”

  “Wow. No wonder I’m starving.” She frowned, her confusion replaced by alarm. “What day is it?”

  “Wednesday.”

  Her shoulders sagged. “Good. I’m not due back at work for a few days. We do thirteen hour shifts, so it’s only a few days a week.”

  She noticed a shadow cross his face, but it was quickly replaced by a sexy grin as he directed her to sit at a nearby table and placed a steaming mug of coffee in front of her.

  “Are those blueberry pancakes?” she asked, eyeing the tall stack next to him on the counter. Her empty stomach immediately started to complain. “Humm…” She sniffed.

  “Home made,” he informed, bringing them over to the table.

  “I’m impressed.”

  “Don’t be,” he said and Nina’s gaze followed his to the empty take-out containers near the counter. Her jaw dropped in mock consternation, and he shrugged sheepishly.

  “Well, they were made in someone’s home. Just not mine.” He cracked a wide smile, his blue eyes dancing with amusement. “My Aunt Bev tried to teach me how to cook, but it never stuck. She’d say, ‘there’re two ways to win a woman’s heart’. Cooking was a necessary skill.”

  “What was the other thing?” she asked, digging into the stack.

  Wade chuckled. “She always claimed I was too young to know. Although I think I eventually figured it out.”

  She couldn’t help but shoot him a cheeky smile and roll her eyes. She knew he enjoyed teasing her. Seeing him move around his home, comfortably clad and aiming to please her softened a special part of her heart.

  “Omelets coming up.” He turned from the stove, nodding for her to start without him. “These I can handle.”

  “Can I help?”

  “Let’s see…” He took a small cutting board loaded with mushrooms and a knife and placed them next to her. “Think you can handle it?”

  She saluted him playfully and started cutting.

  “Be careful, that knife is sharp. I don’t want any fingers in my omelets.” He placed his palms on her shoulders and peered over her.

  “I’d have you know that I handle sharper instruments on a daily basis.”

  She looked up into his teasing azure gaze, and the tenderness she saw arrested her. He lean in and scrubbed his lips across her temple.

  “Well, remember that these are mushrooms you’re cutting up. Not gallbladders.”

  “Ha, ha,” she mocked, trying to settle the butterflies in her stomach. She studied him as he turned back to the counter.

  “What made you decide to become a malpractice attorney?” she asked spontaneously then realized she was very curious about his answer.

  He picked up his coffee and took a long sip, eyeing her over the rim of his mug. He was still for so long that Nina wasn’t sure he’d respond.

  “My Aunt Bev was misdiagnosed by her family physician. She had stomach cancer and it went undiagnosed for a long time. By the time they found it, it was too late, and she died a few months later. The end was unbearable. She suffered greatly. Death was a welcomed relief.”

  Nina stared across the table at him, “I’m sorry. That must have been very difficult for you and your family.”

  “It was. We were very close.”

  “How old were you?”

  “Eighteen. After that I decided that no one should suffer the way she did. I wanted to make physicians accountable for their actions.”

  She studied him. She finally understood some of the passion behind his work, the edge that was always present when he talked about justice and retribution. “You know, not all physicians are quacks,” she said finally.

  He held her gaze intently. “And not all lawyers are shysters.”

  They ate in a companionable silence. When they were done Nina helped him clean the dishes and tidy the kitchen. She couldn’t help but notice Wade’s lingering glances. She’d gone to bed in a tank top and sweat pants. The top, she noticed now, left a belt of exposed skin above the sweats riding her hips. Every inadvertent brush of skin, body bump, or shared smile had her resolve melting. She had to remind herself of his deceit, his pretense of caring for her, and his philandering which was really no concern of hers. She had to get a mental grip on her desire for him because her body didn’t seem to care a damn about those indiscretions.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The next morning Nina awoke early, showered and got dressed. She’d spent the entire night chasing sleep and having it evade her. The thought of Wade sleeping just across the hall sent her brain into a sensual frenzy. All night long she conjured images of his warm muscular body entwined between the sheets. He didn’t strike her as the flannel pajamas type; she wondered if he slept in boxers, briefs or just plain in the buff. Those thoughts worried her mind all night long and wreaked havoc with her senses. Finally she’d thrown off the covers, discarded her sweatpants, tank top, and damp panties and taken a long cold shower.

  She was sitting on the living room couch reading the paper when he ambled in.

  “What are you doing up so early?” he asked. He dropped his weight into a leather armchair.

  She placed the paper that was shielding her face on the couch and she had to stifle a groan. Wade was wearing a thick terry bathrobe that was tied loosely around his waist. He looked gorgeous with his sleep rumpled dark locks and a shadow of growth on his jaw. His legs were stretched out lazily in front of him, and the bathrobe was parted in a wide V at the top and at the bottom. The top V stopped just above the wide belt exposing a smooth brawny chest while the bottom opened and draped around a hairy muscular thigh.

  Nina chewed her bottom lip. She wondered if there was anything covering him underneath. Besides, the bathrobe looked like its careless knot was about to unravel—like her nerves! A pang of desire twisted deep inside her as he shifted in the seat and yawned lazily, causing the bottom slit to ride up a little higher on his thigh. She immediately snatched up the paper and positioned it so that it blocked her view of him.

  “What are you doing up?” he asked again when she didn’t answer him.

  “I had some trouble sleeping,” she answered truthfully.

  “Me too,” he said, and she thought she detected some teasing in
his voice.

  “You know, sleeping in a strange bed,” she clarified sharply.

  “Yeah, you can get pretty hot in that bed.”

  “Pa..pardon?” she asked from behind the paper.

  “The room. It can get pretty hot sometimes. Let me know if it’s not comfortable.”

  “Oh…the temperature was fine.”

  “What are you reading?” he asked, laughter tainting his voice.

  She looked up and groaned in frustration as she followed his gaze to the upside down paper clutched in her hands. Really? She folded it and was greeted by his tantalizing ear to ear grin.

  “Funny.”

  He shrugged and issued a deep rolling laugh. His gaze lingered on her puckered nipples. They were poking a hole through her tank top. “What’s the matter? You seem a little…tense.”

  “Nothing.” Nina shook her head, but she couldn’t stop her gaze from traveled to his bathrobe. Wade’s gaze followed hers and he laughed louder.

  “I guess you’re wondering what I’m wearing under here.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Humm…lets see.” He stood and looked genuinely perplexed. He grabbed the lapels of his bathrobe and pulled them away from his body, looking down inside the robe. “It was pretty hot last night. Shit, I think I forgot my jammies…and my undies!” he announced in mock horror.

  Nina felt butterflies fluttering in her belly and she tried to settle them. She was sure her cheeks were burnished red. Wade was obviously baiting her, testing her aplomb. He enjoyed getting a rise out of her and it was making her piqued.

  “Well,” he said puckishly, “I guess there’s only one way to be certain.”

  His long fingers moved to the loose knot on the belt of his bathrobe, and she gasped.

  “No!”

  Wade shot her a devilish grin and tugged on one end of the band, causing the knot to release and the front of the bathrobe to draw open like a curtain. She sucked in a deep breath. His thundering laughter filled the room as she stared open-mouth at the boxers covering his hips.

  She was so exasperated and annoyed by his prank and his laughter that she boiled with testy indignation. She’d show him! The only thought that seeded in her mind was one of retaliation. Impetuously she rose from the couch, marched over to him, grabbed a fist full of material on either side of his thighs and abruptly yanked the boxers down. She heard his sharp intake of breath and she smiled triumphantly.