by Selena Kitt
“Wasn’t my intention to eavesdrop,” Nick Vitale said with a careless shrug, still not looking at her. “There I was, sitting in the corner, when you both came to occupy the other couch. I really couldn’t block out the conversation now could I? But the fact remains that I really did hate to see a decent guy trampled in the dust by the woman he loves – the woman who, unfortunately, doesn’t even deserve him.”
“Oh really?”Keyonna breathed, hand on her hip as she glared sideways at him. She dearly wanted to smack that judgmental look off his gorgeous face! Where did he get off speaking to her in such a manner?
“Yes, really,” he said mocking, finally turning to face her fully. Keyonna felt a clap of thunder hit her chest as he speared her with his penetratingly dark gaze. Damn but he was one fine, sexy bastard, Keyonna thought, glaring into his sinfully handsome face and wondering how it was she could detest a man so much and still find him hellishly attractive at the same time.
She must have her hormonal wires crossed or something because Nick Vitale was everything she loved to hate in a man: egotistical, too handsome and rich for his own good. Keyonna told herself she could feel his disdain and aversion for her coming through in waves.
“I mean, that poor guy must have really been living in delusion all that time he was away, thinking he had a devoted lover waiting patiently for his return from the field. He was right; you couldn’t wait, could you? Girls like you never can,” he drawled.
Keyonna’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Girls like me?”
Nick Vitale actually laughed with derision at her tone. “You know; the cold, manipulating kind. Beautiful, but heartless. We’ve only had to connect a few times, Ms. Hayes, but I’ve been able to figure out a lot about you.”
Keyonna was so shocked and outraged she was struck with silence as he continued in that chilling voice of his.
“I pity the man dumb enough to actually fall for you. In fact, women like you repel me. You lead a guy on, and then break him up into tiny pieces when you realize you don’t want to play the game anymore.”
His words of condemnation really hit her hard but Keyonna was nothing if not matured and confident in her own worth. Growing up in a large family, surrounded by positive influences as well as her own personal development over the years from a shy young female to an accomplished professional woman gave her a strength not so easily shaken.
She was almost too furious to form words but she managed to let out angrily, “How dare you make such conclusions about me? You know nothing about what’s going on, least of all about the kind of woman I truly am.”
He merely huffed and Keyonna would have clubbed him then. She’d honestly never been spoken to in such a manner that smacked of disrespect; especially not from a stranger who didn’t know a damn thing about her. Why Nick Vitale’s opinion even mattered was lost on her, but it hurt all the same that he thought so negatively of her. She really, really wished she could punch him in the face for saying the things he had.
But before she could react with physical violence as she so longed to do, Keyonna’s eyes shifted to beyond Nick Vitale’s shoulder and saw that Mark was making his way back. She could see him approaching the balcony as he weaved through the crowded room beyond the bay windows close to where she stood, heading straight for where she stood with Nick Vitale, both of them glaring at each other.
And then out of nowhere came the craziest, wildest idea. Keyonna was almost snickering with glee as she thought of it.
Her mind racing, Keyonna turned to Nick Vitale with a calculating, half-hooded look that had his dark brows furrowing with instant suspicion. But she merely smiled sultrily.
“Mmmm…and what game am I playing now, Mr. Judge and Jury?” Keyonna purred, leaning close and wrapping her arms around his neck.
She felt his solidly built frame go rigid with shock, right before she inched upwards on tiptoe and locked her lips firmly with his.
His mouth stayed pursed beneath hers and still they felt as soft as silk yet deliciously manly. Keyonna’s heart pounded with excitement as she shut her eyes to the dazed look on his face, tightening her hold around his neck. She was faintly conscious of Mark now standing in the open entrance of the balcony where she heard him come to an abrupt stop.
Meanwhile, Keyonna continued to kiss Nick Vitale with all the passion she could fake.
Fake? Well…maybe she wasn’t being totally honest. Because just at that moment, he’d let his lips finally thaw against hers, opening up his moist heat to her probing tongue which he now incited with his while his hands clamped heavily on her waist.
Keyonna kept chanting to herself that this was just a ploy; to put this damnably arrogant man in his place – as well as to show Mark that she truly, honestly did not love him anymore.
And yet all of a sudden, the tables turned and Keyonna realized she wasn’t proving anything – not to Mark. Maybe to herself though.
Because now she knew that all those smoldering tingles she felt whenever she was near this handsome, undeniably sexy man called Nick Vitale wasn’t dislike as she’d believed, but an earth-shattering attraction she could no longer deny.
Chapter Three
At the same time Keyonna came to that startling revelation, Nick Vitale seemed to suddenly return to his senses and gripped her shoulders, wrenching her from him.
His expression was glazed with a mixture of desire, shock and fury. “What the hell…?”
“Nick!”
They both turned round at the sound of that shrill voice, and Keyonna noticed for the first time that it wasn’t just Mark who’d appeared on the balcony. Behind the staring Mark stood a young and beautiful woman, her skin glowing with a rich deep tone much like Nick Vitale’s own. She was very slim, her model-like figure sheathed in a fabulous white floor-length dress.
Keyonna’s eyes widened, struck by how lovely the woman was, though she looked no more than twenty three. She had dark blue eyes and long blonde hair falling straight from her perfectly curved face. Her red-coated lips were hanging open, her expression a mirror of Mark’s who at last found his voice.
“Keyonna! How could you even…?”
Keyonna face creased in a grimace at Mark’s blustering tone, just as Nick Vitale shoved her aside, going quickly to the sexy looking beauty.
“Rachel, I can explain,” he began, but the young woman was already turning to stomp away.
“Spare me,” the blonde said coldly, her back to him as she stalked off, throwing over her shoulder, “Just you wait until I tell Daddy about this.”
Nick Vitale made to go after her, but Keyonna saw him stop in his tracks as he heard Mark say accusingly to Keyonna, “So this is the other guy, Keyonna. I just knew you were lying.”
Before Keyonna could even think of a reply, Nick Vitale turned his gaze on Mark and said calmly, “No, I definitely am not the “other guy”. But a word of advice my friend; give it up. She’s obviously more than you can handle. Trust me I know what I’m saying.”
And with that, he disappeared through the French doors after the woman he’d called Rachel.
Mark stared dazedly after the departed Nick Vitale before facing Keyonna once more.
“Don’t say another word,” Keyonna cut in swiftly, holding up a palm the second his lips parted. “If I still haven’t managed to convince you that it’s over between us, then there’s nothing else I can do or say. I’m leaving.”
He didn’t try to stop her, thankfully, and Keyonna brushed past him into the crowded ballroom where the party was still in full swing, people filling the dance floor while the lively band played popular tunes. Keyonna felt some relief in the fact that everyone else was blissfully oblivious to the little drama that had taken place just outside on the balcony. Glad too that neither Nick Vitale nor his woman friend were anywhere to be seen, Keyonna hustled for the exit.
She was still shuddering as her mind played over the whole cringe-worthy evening. Finding her purse and coat she headed straight out of the house. Once in
the cool night air, she heaved a deep sigh of relief and swore that this would be the last time she’d venture into the walls of the Tucker home.
And hopefully, the last time she set eyes on that tempting devil, Nick Vitale…
Keyonna made her way out of the open wrought iron gates and began to stride quickly down the tree-lined sidewalk while trying to punch out a number for a cab on her cellphone. She suddenly became conscious of a sleek automobile grinding to halt next to her.
Nick Vitale was behind the wheel. He pushed open the passenger door for her. Keyonna stopped dead, staring at him.
“Get in,” he ordered curtly, leaning across the front passenger seat so she could look into his cold, dark eyes. “Right now.”
“You must be out of your mind,” she told him coldly, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she continued walking. She refused to look his way even as the powerfully sleek car began to slowly roll along after her.
“Don’t make me come out and bodily make you, Keyonna,” he said gruffly, and at the sound of her name on his lips, Keyonna paused in her stride and then swiveled to face him.
“I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that I’m not afraid of you, Mr. Nick Vitale,” she bit out with a scornful smile while meeting his icy glare. And then she sighed deeply. “You know, I’m getting more and more surprised at you. I mean, haven’t I embarrassed you – and myself, enough for one night?”
“Keyonna…”
Throwing her hands up at the growl in his tone, Keyonna finally let out a sound of capitulation. Not like anything worse could happen. For what it was worth, Keyonna actually felt a deep remorse. What she did had been unthinkable – uncalled for and downright stupid. One way or another, he may deserve some sort of apology. So okay, he’d been an annoying, interfering beast, but she really should have thought it through before kissing him. She’d never, ever done something so reckless in her life and now that the high had crashed down, she felt like a total idiot.
Without a word, she stepped into the luxurious confines of what happened to be a state-of-the-art Audi. The windows closed, sealing them within an atmosphere that both chilled her blood and warmed her toes. She felt Nick Vitale’s gaze sweep over her for a few moments in silence but she looked straight ahead. She let out a shaky breath as he then turned back to focus on his driving, shooting them off with a squeal of tires.
* * * *
“Address?” Nick Vitale quipped the moment they were out of the private road.
Keyonna pushed her fingers through her hair in exasperation. “Look, there’s absolutely no cause for you to drop me home. I much prefer to get a cab…”
“Save my time and your effort,” the infernal man said calmly yet with that hint of steel in his tone. His hand was poised over the GPS.
Quelling the urge to bestow him with her most catty eye roll, she blurted out her home address and then said a silent prayer that she could keep her cool the short drive to her place. Thankfully she didn’t live that far away and was virtually counting down the minutes until she would be free from Nicholas Vitale’s disturbing presence.
He drove smoothly and with total precision, and as the silence drew on Keyonna couldn’t help stealing a glance at his profile. She couldn’t read a thing from that darkly brooding face; he looked as forbidding as he always did. But soon, Keyonna felt the need to break the ominous silence so she took the bold step.
“Okay, Nick, why don’t you let it all out,” she said calmly, taking the liberty of calling him by his first name since he’d done the same with her. “Go on; tell me what else you think of me after that little stunt I pulled back there. I’ve come to discover you’re hardly the type to mince words.”
Was it her imagination, or was there an upward quirk to his tantalizing lush mouth? Keyonna wanted to kick herself for noticing how nicely curved his lips were for a man and how it had tasted damn good to kiss him. She could still feel the texture of those warm, lightly savoury lips with just a hint of bourbon.
“You’re a brave woman, Keyonna,” Nick told her somewhat thoughtfully. He spared her a narrow glance before facing the road again. “A little crazy, but I can see you’ve got guts. Unfortunately, all that does nothing to lessen the feelings of utter rage I have for you right now.”
Uh oh. Keyonna swallowed inaudibly. She should have known that underneath his cool exterior, the man was fuming. Hiding a flinch, she turned to view him as he continued to speak in that deceptively conversational tone.
“And do you know I’m engaged? No; I doubt that you do. You see, you’ve just managed to ruin my engagement to Rachel Conte. She definitely will not marry me now.”
Keyonna shrugged. “Too bad,” she said without any attempt to sound sorry for him. She’d forgotten nothing about the things he’d said to her and in fact, his accusations were drawing up her wounded feelings all over again. He was mean, hard and appalling and deserved whatever was coming for him.
“Yes; too bad for you,” he told her with a dark, stern tone. “Because I’ve decided that if she will not agree to go ahead with the planned wedding, you will have to do.”
Keyonna twisted right round to look at him after those bluntly delivered words.
Her mouth was slack as she told herself she had to have misunderstood him. “Are you being serious?”
“I’m certainly not joking,” he told her calmly, his eyes still on the road ahead, his grip on the steering wheel firm and sure. “I don’t know why you put on that performance, arresting though it was.”
He paused to cock an eyebrow at her, and she could tell he was being sarcastic. Her eyes narrowed though she didn’t interrupt as he continued, “But what I do know is that it has inconveniently landed me without a fiancée and therefore, no bride. This is a big problem for me. A billion dollar problem.”
His matter-of-fact tone made her sit up, her attention now fully grabbed as she tried to make sense of it all. He really wasn’t bluffing, she realized, staring at him. “Hold on…she hasn’t exactly broken up with you, has she?”
Nick’s well-cut lips twisted at her question. “Rachel has as good as done so. You saw me go after her. Well, I did my best to reason with her, but she told me it was best if I didn’t try to see her again. Ever.” He glanced Keyonna’s way, his gaze chilly. “Rachel is a proud, spoiled brat. Catching me in the arms of such a beautiful and delectable woman like you must have been a hard sight to stomach.”
Keyonna swallowed drily. It wasn’t the first time he’d called her beautiful tonight but she still felt that sheer drop in her belly. Now he called her both beautiful and delectable. Well he had a funny way of showing he regarded her as such, she thought even as she told herself she shouldn’t be sure he meant her to feel flattered by his comments.
Eyeing him speculatively, she murmured, “It seems there’s no love lost between the two of you.” She could hardly keep the curiosity from her tone as she awaited his reply.
“If you mean, do we love each other?” he began, slanting a cynical glance her way, “Then no. I’ve never considered love as a criterion for a good marriage. Mutual respect, physical compatibility, yes. But not love. Unlike you, I believe?”
Keyonna found herself glaring at him with defiance. “I guess you’re indirectly asking me if I’d marry a man I didn’t love. I believe you know the answer to that.”
Now he huffed skeptically. “Ah sure; and the reason you turned Mark down was because you didn’t love him. Yeah, right. You never did strike me as the sentimental type – so I’d rather go with: you don’t want to marry him because he just isn’t rich enough for you.”
He sent her one of his sardonic looks even as she bristled speechlessly.
“After all, Mark Tucker is simply the nephew to Marilyn Tucker who actually holds the reins of whatever wealth the family owns. Mark’s father wasn’t the one who amassed all that Tucker money – Marilyn did. Mark is probably going to have to at least work his way up the ladder within the family’s holdings and see where that gets hi
m. But it’s really up to his aunt how far he goes and once he’s through with his military career, she just might start him at the bottom. My point? He’s no trust fund baby and he relies too much on his family name which only goes so far as the whims of his doting aunt. Which makes him far from loaded – certainly not rolling in enough dough to impress you, I’m certain.”
Keyonna was gasping, unable to piece a proper sentence together while she felt so totally slayed by his unfair comments. Where the hell was all this coming from? He had no right – no freaking right – to say these things to her and she marveled at how much thought he put into his opinions of her. And much as she hated to admit it to herself, it really, really hurt.
“You’re such a jerk,” she managed to choke out at last. “First you call me cold and heartless – and now you’re implying I’m a gold-digger. What the hell?”
He pinned her with a quelling glance, before looking carelessly away again. “Like I said earlier, I’m simply making conclusions. Whether they’re accurate or not remains to be seen. One thing I know for sure…you’re far from cold.”
From the look he sent her in that moment, Keyonna felt her face flush as she knew he was referring to that brief, steamy kiss on the balcony.
Well truth be told she’d put her all into that kiss. She could recall probing inside his hot, moistly sweet mouth and feeling the flashing heat of his tongue against hers.
Keyonna squirmed just thinking how damned good that had felt. She’d never forget that faint waft of his cologne; so masculine, expensive and thrilling. A man's kiss had never tasted so good and feeling his hands grip her waist had been so erotic and had made her just want to melt against him, into him. He was one sexy son of a bitch and she detested herself for wanting him as badly as she knew she did deep inside.