Not the opening he expected. “What’s that?”
In the semidarkness of the room, the light from a streetlamp coming in the window made her eyes shine with a luminescent quality as she stared at him. She licked her lips and looked away. “Boy, I didn’t expect this to be so hard to admit.”
He smoothed her hair back from her forehead. “It’s okay. You can tell me anything. I promise to understand.”
“Okay.” She puffed out some air, and her hand trembled against his chest. “It’s been a long time since I counted on someone else, but I count on you. Whether we fight or have misunderstandings, I like thinking you might be around for a long time. I really care a lot about you, Nick, maybe even...”
She shook her head and leaned into him. All the oxygen seemed to suck out of the room when her lips touched his. Nick’s head swam with dizziness and he tightened his arms, clinging to her as his hold on reality.
How can I be in love with her? It’ll never work out. But I am. Damn, I love her and I can’t just make that go away.
Nick tried to put all the passion he felt into the kiss, hoping she understood.
Carlie pulled away after a timeless eternity, watching him as though gauging his reaction.
He knew he couldn’t lie. And he didn’t want to. “I feel the same way about you.”
Chapter Twenty
Carlie scrubbed vigorously at the lasagna pan, anxious for the party to end. Out in the dining room, the birthday girl, Julie, and a group of giggling teenage girls murdered all the modern music loaded onto the karaoke machine. They belted off-key into the microphones, but everyone seemed to be having a good time.
Having served a variety of foods including chicken and beef sliders, lasagna, spaghetti, and also her signature soup in bread bowls, the guests all found something to satisfy them. Mrs. Flair had been much happier the last time Carlie spoke with her, and even the father showing up with his new girlfriend hadn’t ruined things.
The presents were opened, the cupcakes gone, and many of the guests had left. A few just didn’t want to give up. They’d played all sorts of games over the past few hours, but the girls apparently wanted to sing more.
Shelley came back with another batch of dirty dishes, setting them on the counter. “Looks like it was a success.”
“Yep.” Carlie gave her friend a tired smile. “That’s a lot of expense for the parents for a birthday party, but I’m happy to take their money.”
“Me too,” she agreed. “I’ve had my eye on a new dress, and now I can afford it.”
Carlie sighed, not remembering the last time she bought a new dress. “I’m going to be able to pay the power company this month.”
“Well...priorities, you know.” Shelley shrugged. “I’ll take a new dress over heat any day.”
At least Shelley was predictable. Her search for Mr. Right never stopped, and looking her best was necessary for that mission. Carlie hadn’t told her yet about the conversation with Nick last night. She wasn’t sure what Shelley’s reaction would be. Her friend might think she was stupid to have nearly confessed her love after only a week of dating, but Nick had said he felt the same way. Did he mean he loved her, or just that he counted on her?
The rest of the night had gone well, but Nick still seemed upset today. Not wanting to stress him out further, when Muhammad stopped by the shop Carlie told him she couldn’t bake for the soup kitchen tomorrow. She felt bad about that, but it obviously made Nick uneasy, worrying about the FBI agent. Although she knew Muhammad would never help a terrorist organization, she didn’t want Nick thrown into the middle of something that could land him in jail.
“Earth to Carlie.” Shelley waved her hand in front of Carlie’s face. “What are you thinking about?”
“I’m sorry. Did you say something?”
“I said that your super hunk told me he’s ready to take the stage down. When are you going to kick the partiers out?”
Carlie rinsed her hands in clear water and wiped them on a towel. “I’ll talk to Mrs. Flair and see how much longer they’re going to be.”
“Good idea.” Shelley scooped some food off a plate into the garbage can. “I’ll keep working back here.”
Carlie stepped out of the kitchen into the small hallway, nearly colliding with Nick. She gripped his shoulders to keep from falling. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. “I was coming to see if you still wanted me to take your deposit over to the bank so it’s not sitting in the store all day tomorrow.”
She’d forgotten Nick offered to do that. Usually the armored car picked up the deposits in the mornings. The amount of money the shop made today was more than usual and there was no pickup on Sundays. That worried her.
“I’m on my way to talk to Mrs. Flair,” she said. “The key to the drop box at the bank and the bag of money are all in the safe.”
“Could you come get it out for me?”
“It’s past time to get those guys out of here. Why don’t I tell you the code so you can get it? I’ll talk to Mrs. Flair.”
Nick raised an eyebrow. “You trust me with the code?”
Laughing, Carlie shook her head at him. “I’m sending the money with you anyway. If you plan to steal it, you’d be able to then. Besides, I’ve trusted you with a lot more than money. You’re living in my house.”
“Good point.”
Carlie leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Thirteen, forty-five, eleven.”
“Got it.” Nick continued down the hallway to her office and she went the opposite way to the dining room.
Mrs. Flair leaned against the cash register counter, talking to an attractive man who looked to be about the same age. The girls stood on the mini stage Nick built, starting up a new song. A few other people sat in small groups, talking or singing along with the music.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Flair. I hate to interrupt, but...”
The woman turned, a happy smile on her face. “I bet you’re wondering when we’ll leave.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to rush you, but it’s getting late.”
“You saved the day for me, Carlie.” Mrs. Flair looked much better than she had yesterday. It was amazing what a little hope could do to change a person’s outlook. “Thank you.”
“I’m just glad everything worked out,” Carlie said. “Did Julie have a good birthday?”
“The best. I can’t thank you enough.” Mrs. Flair smiled. “I’ll tell the girls to wrap things up, and we’ll be out of here soon.”
“Thanks for understanding. I’m so happy everything worked out.”
Carlie walked back to the hall, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Not only did she save Julie’s party and turned a good profit from it, the Flairs were sure to tell everyone in town. That kind of publicity was good for the shop.
Everything else looked better too. Since Nick and Shelley threatened Stephen earlier in the week, Carlie hadn’t had the feeling of being watched like she normally did. She didn’t want to jinx anything, but maybe the assassins would give up. They had to be afraid of what Nick could do, and so far he hadn’t left her side. If she had her way, he’d stay with her for a very long time. If they could avoid any future misunderstandings, that was.
Thinking of Nick, she realized he never came out with the bank bag. Maybe he was having a hard time getting into the safe. She walked down the hallway and pushed open the door to her office. “Nick, do you need help?”
Nick’s head jerked up at her words. He sat on the floor in front of the safe, its contents piled around him.
“What are you doing?”
“Ummm... I’m looking for...for—”
She dropped down onto the floor beside him. “Did you drop something?”
Nick nodded. “I think a paper slid back when I grabbed the money. I didn’t want to lose something you needed.”
“Hmmm.” She crawled toward the safe and looked around, but nothing remained inside. “There’s nothing t
here. I can’t think of anything important that could have fallen anyway.”
He looked a bit disappointed or upset, which confused Carlie, but he nodded. “You’re right. There’s nothing here.”
***
Nick watched Carlie carefully, looking for any sort of reaction. She seemed completely unconcerned about him rummaging around the safe. Even if he hadn’t already decided it for himself, her reaction confirmed it—there was nothing hidden there. At least she didn’t seem to suspect him of purposefully searching her belongings.
He helped her put everything away and she locked the safe, handing him the bank bag and the key to the deposit drop.
“Thanks again for doing this.” She leaned into him and gave him a kiss, heating his blood when her tongue traced across his lip. “Mrs. Flair is rounding people up, so when you get back we can take the stage down.”
“You focus on cleaning. I’ll do the heavy lifting.”
“Oh, you big, strong man, you.” Her tone was sarcastic. “Don’t want the little woman to break a nail? I should stick to cleaning, like a good girl?”
“Carlie!” he protested. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Give me a kiss, and all is forgiven.” A mischievous smile played across her lips, and he kissed her lightly, not daring for more passion. He had to keep his mind on business. She held him close and cuddled against his shoulder, her breath tickling his neck. “You know, I’ve always had this fantasy about work and a desktop and...well, we could, you know...act it out.”
He wondered how much that cost her to say, since Carlie wasn’t terribly forward about sex or what she wanted. Nick looked down at her, and the blush spreading across her face didn’t surprise him.
Stroking his hand down the length of her back, he smiled when her breath quickened. It was difficult to think about nothing except his job when she was so damn sexy. “Get rid of your guests and Shelley, and maybe I can fulfill your fantasy tonight.”
Carlie bit her lip, running her fingers across his temple and through his hair. “You already do. All of them.”
Nick sighed and stepped away. How much more of this could he take? Caring about her but still investigating her was difficult. At some point, something was going to break, and it just might be his mind.
He held up the bank bag. “I better get this over there.”
“Hurry back?”
“With the image you put in my mind?” He looked at the desk and raised an eyebrow. “Would we just sweep everything onto the floor in our mad desire for each other?”
“Sometimes it happens that way in my fantasy,” she agreed. “Sometimes, you just set me on the edge and have your way with me.”
Nick groaned as need for her flooded through him. “Everyone better be gone before I get back.”
Her soft titter followed him from the room, but he really did hope she managed to clear the place. After all, he searched for the damn bracelet. It wasn’t in the safe. Now, they both deserved a reward.
***
Carlie relaxed her legs, allowing them to slip down Nick’s thighs and hang off the edge of the desk. Her heart pounded and she struggled to slow her breathing. “That was...wow!”
“As good as you dreamed?” A devilish grin lit Nick’s face as he once again attacked her neck, nibbling lightly, causing her to tremor with excitement.
“Better,” she assured him. “I’m glad everyone left by the time you finished that stage. Watching you get all hot and sweaty. Mmmmm mmmm. Sexy.”
He laughed. “I thought you had a problem with me playing macho man.”
“Well, in theory it sounded bad.” She shrugged and hopped off the edge of the desk, retrieving her shirt from the floor and slipping it over her head. “In practice, it made me think we should always stick to more traditional roles.”
Nick pulled on his pants and shook his head. “I don’t know. You’d look pretty sexy with a tool belt on.” He winked. “And nothing else.”
“Oh! I see someone has fantasies of his own. We’ll have to explore that.”
Three high-pitched beeps sounded and Nick pulled his phone from his pocket. He frowned after staring at the screen for a few seconds. “Carlie, something’s come up. I have some business to take care of tonight.”
“Why? Who was that?” She asked the questions before even thinking. She wondered if Nick would take offense at her curiosity. “You don’t have to tell me if it’s private.”
“Not at all. Just restaurant troubles,” he said. “I have to take care of this tonight, though.”
It pleased her that he answered. “We can just stop by there on our way home,” she said. “That’s no problem.”
Nick shook his head. “This is going to take a while. I’ll drive you home, check to make sure the house is safe, and then go back out.”
“It’s not a big deal, Nick. I’ll wait however long it takes you.”
“I said I don’t want you to wait.”
He sounded hostile and Carlie swallowed down her surprise. “Fine. Whatever you need.”
She turned away and buttoned her slacks, fighting back tears. After arguing with him yesterday, she didn’t want to start up anything like that again. They couldn’t talk without fighting lately. Making love in her office had seemed so perfect—as though Nick had been made for her and she for him. Whatever problems they had, it didn’t hinder them there, but Carlie had hoped they were back on the same page with regards to their relationship.
Obviously, Nick still wasn’t ready to be one-hundred percent open and honest, even though they agreed they would be. She let him in on all of her secrets, and yet he still held back even the simplest things from her. What could he possibly be doing at a Chinese restaurant that she couldn’t see?
Sighing, she smoothed down her hair and faced him. “I’m ready to go.”
Nick scowled down at his phone as he typed a message. “Damn it.”
She wanted to ask what was wrong, but held her tongue. One more rejection from him might be more than she could handle.
Somehow, she had to find a way to get through to him. She didn’t want to repeat the mistakes of her past. Trusting Ryan even though she knew he kept secrets had been her first big mistake. Foolishly giving her heart to a man who didn’t love her back had been the second.
Nick said all the right things when confronted. His body told her a million ways over that he desired her. However, his hot and cold attitude had to stop. While he took care of his business, Carlie needed to make some decisions. The first one being how long she could go on if he wouldn’t trust her.
Chapter Twenty-One
Nick paced the sitting room at his hotel. Carlie had barely said anything on the way to her house and didn’t give him a kiss goodbye when he left. What could he say, though?
Oh, yeah, sweetheart. Well, the boss of the secret agency I work for summoned me for an immediate phone call. We’ll probably be talking about you, so you can’t come along.
Sure, that’d go over well. He checked his phone again, frustrated that Paul hadn’t phoned yet. One of the first rules the agency lived by was that Paul never contacted agents unexpectedly and demanded immediate reports. He was supposed to wait for them to make contact at safe times. Nervousness tightened his stomach into a hard knot. Something big must have happened to make Paul break protocol.
Then again, S.A.T.O. killed agents they no longer needed. Maybe protocol wasn’t such a big deal anymore.
His phone finally beeped and Nick swiped the screen. “Yes?”
“All hell broke loose yesterday,” Paul said. “There was a hit against the Vice President last night. He’s in the hospital, but stable. We’ve told the public he’s suffering from pneumonia.”
Nick heard on the news this morning that the VP was ill, but he’d been so busy with Carlie, he hadn’t given it much thought. An attempt on his life? That was a problem. “Shit.”
“More than shit, Nick. S.A.T.O. is on high alert. The board members don’t want to wait around for y
ou to schmooze with the target. They want her bracelet accounted for and that entire organization taken down. Immediately.”
Nothing less than he expected. Still, Nick had to try to insert a bit of reason into the conversation. “Sir, I’ve searched everywhere and she doesn’t have a bracelet. We even got in a fight about Muhammad, and she told me he runs the soup kitchen because he’s trying to create good will for his family after the embarrassment his uncle caused.”
“Of course she’d say that. She’s lying to you. You don’t realize that?”
Nick breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing pulse. He was out of time. Whatever Carlie’s secret was, he had to figure it out fast. “What if she isn’t a terrorist? The evidence pointing to her is circumstantial. I know she’s lying about who she is, but what if it’s for some other reason?”
“Such as?” Paul’s voice was completely level.
Nick wasn’t sure if the man would actually listen to his theories, but he had to try. “Maybe she had something to do with Prince Rayhan and Princess Stephanie’s deaths. Carlie is obviously running from some mistakes in her past, but I don’t think she’s trying to hurt the American people.”
Paul cleared his throat, but was otherwise silent for several long minutes while Nick resumed pacing the room.
“Do I need to pull you from the case?” Paul finally asked.
“What? No!” Nick wiped sweat from his brow, desperately searching his mind for something that might convince Paul to give him more time. “Sir, I had a very good conversation with the target last night. When I implied I was in sympathy with terrorists and thought they had a point, she wanted to throw me out of her house, even though I know she’s falling for me. She was disgusted. Whatever her secrets are, I don’t believe it’s that.”
“Have you even searched for the bracelet, or are you letting your penis make the decisions?”
“I’m searching.” Damn. This wasn’t going well. “She didn’t flinch when she caught me in her safe today with everything pulled out of it. Even though the bracelet wasn’t there, if she were hiding one, don’t you think she’d freak out at me searching her stuff?”
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