Then again, maybe she did this to all men. Maybe it was as natural for her as breathing.
“We have to go back,” he told her. If they didn’t leave now he was going to kiss her all over again.
“Thanks.” She spoke softly, innocently, all traces of teasing replaced by sincerity. “For everything.”
Sawyer turned for the shore, ruthlessly switching his mind to his uncle’s dilemma and the dire price his family would pay if he failed. He couldn’t afford to lose focus. He couldn’t afford to let Niki get under his skin.
* * *
In the attic the next day, Niki was still trying to wrap her mind around the effect of Sawyer’s kiss. For her, it had been a mind-blowing, earth-shifting experience. The kind of kiss she hadn’t even known could exist. For him, apparently, she was just another pair of lips.
She’d struggled not to feel insulted by his cavalier attitude. Surely her ego couldn’t be that fragile. It wasn’t as if she was hopeless in the romance department. Okay, it was true that she hadn’t had a date since she’d left D.C. And her most recent college boyfriend had broken up with her a few months before that.
So, maybe it had been a dry spell.
In fact, she told herself, perhaps that’s why Sawyer’s kiss had made such an impact. It wasn’t the kiss itself, it was her pent up lust from so many months of being alone. Yes, that made a lot more sense.
“This is their wedding picture.” Katrina rose to carry a framed photograph to where Niki perched on the corner of the wooden crate, browsing through pieces of old, floral patterned china.
The attic was slightly dusty, but well-organized, each cardboard box labeled and stacked in a neat row. It was sultry warm, the air close from the midday heat. Streams of sunshine came through the paned windows, making geometric patterns on the worn, wood floor.
Niki accepted the picture, gazing down at a burly, stern-looking man dressed in a dark suit. Next to him was a small, slight woman, smiling in a full-length white dress. It was a simple, classic a-line with a scooped neck. Her bouquet looked as if it had been picked from the garden, and her veil was a single layer of gauze. But nothing could detract from the woman’s beauty.
“So this is Sasha?”
“Yes, it is.”
“She was gorgeous.”
“I don’t remember her very well. But I do remember thinking she was beautiful.”
“It’s hard to imagine she had a baby like Reed.” Niki caught herself. “I mean—”
But Katrina laughed. “You don’t think I’ve noticed my husband’s size?”
“I didn’t mean it to sound insulting.”
“It didn’t. Sasha was never even remotely robust. It’s funny, not ha-ha, but ironic. When we first met again as adults, Reed nearly killed himself trying to stay away from me, because he was afraid this way of life would kill me, too.”
Niki looked up at Katrina. “I thought he blamed his father.”
“He does.” Katrina’s tone was quiet. “This place just gave Wilton the means to do it.”
“Is that why Reed’s so protective of you?”
Katrina seemed surprised. “You think he’s protective?”
“Yes,” Niki drawled, adding a chuckle for good measure. “And hopelessly in love. I’d give a lot to have a guy watch over me the way Reed watches over you.”
Katrina’s cheeks were slightly red. “What about Sawyer?”
Niki stilled.
“It took him a while to pull you out of the river yesterday. And, when you came back to the water polo game, the two of you looked a little…” Katrina grinned as she waggled her brow.
“A little what?” Niki stalled.
“You know.” Katrina nudged her in the arm. “A little shell-shocked and in awe of each other. Come on. Tell me what happened in the bushes.”
“Nothing happened in the bushes,” Niki answered honestly, feigning an intense interest in the wedding photo.
“Ha,” Katrina crowed. “Then it happened in the river. What happened in the river?”
“Fine,” Niki huffed. Over the past few months, she’d learned it was safest to stick as close to the truth as possible. The fewer lies she told, the easier it was to keep her story straight. “He kissed me.”
Katrina’s grin widened with glee. “Like how?”
“Like, with his lips.”
“On your lips.”
“You are so nosey.”
“I’m the closest thing you have to a sister. Of course I’m nosey.”
“On the lips,” Niki admitted.
“Was it good?”
“It was great.” Niki couldn’t hold back an involuntary sigh.
“But?” Katrina prompted.
“I don’t think it was that great for him.”
Katrina settled next to Niki on the wooden crate. “Why on earth would you think that?”
“Because he said so.”
Katrina drew back. “He kissed you, and then he told you he didn’t like it?”
“He said it was, and I’m quoting here, ‘average.’”
“Wait a minute.” Katrina gave her head a little shake. “Walk me through that conversation.”
“In detail?” Niki was taken aback by the request.
“Yes, in detail. How else am I going to give you my best sisterly advice?”
“This can’t really be the way sisters talk.”
“Yes, it is. And I have two of them. So, I’m the expert.”
Niki was forced to concede that point. “Fine. He said pain and fear produce intense emotions, and that’s why I thought it was a great kiss. Then he said he thought it was an average kiss.”
Katrina’s shoulders drooped, and she looked slightly deflated. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Niki agreed. “I guess I’m not like you.”
“Not like me how?”
“Sexy. Stunningly gorgeous, charming and kind. The type of woman who produces intense, undying love in the man of your dreams.”
“You are, too,” Katrina put in staunchly.
But Niki shook her head.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with that Sawyer Smith. You are stunningly gorgeous.”
“And you’re also very sweet. Which only helps prove my point about you.”
Katrina scrutinized Niki’s face. “I can’t believe you don’t know you’re beautiful. People must have been telling you that all your life. Do you think they were lying?”
“I think they were seeing the clothes, the jewelry, the makeup and hair styling.”
Katrina scoffed, “That’s ridiculous.”
“My mom did okay for money,” said Niki, again sticking as close to the truth as she dared. “And she knew how to do glam. She went to a lot of expense to make me look pretty.”
“And now that you’re here? In your dusty blue jeans and your wrinkled T-shirt. What’s your excuse now?”
“I rest my case. Sawyer characterized my kiss as average. I’m nothing special without the makeover.”
“Let’s ask Reed.”
Niki burst out laughing. “He’s my brother. He’s your husband. What’s he supposed to say?”
“He’ll tell the truth.”
“Honestly, Katrina. You grew up in New York City, how can you not know that men will lie to humor the woman they love? Or that they want to sleep with? Or to avoid an argument? Or really for any old reason at all?”
“Reed better not be humoring me,” Katrina growled.
“He’s not. But with me, I guarantee he would be. He wouldn’t hurt my feelings for anything.”
“Okay, Caleb, then.”
“He’s still my brother. Honestly, Katrina, this really isn’t a big—”
“Travis.”
Niki stopped.
“Travis is single,” said Katrina. “And trust me, he’s been brutally honest with me my entire life.” She paused, her mind obviously speeding toward a conclusion.
“That’s it.” Katrina snapped her fingers. “Travis is single.”
“Oh, yes. It’s a brilliant idea. You and Travis.”
“You and your sister are married to my two brothers, and now you want to set me up with your brother? Bad plan, Katrina, very bad plan.” Not to mention mortifyingly embarrassing.
“You don’t need to worry about a thing,” said Katrina.
“He’s barely looked twice at me,” Niki pointed out.
“He hasn’t had a chance. We’re all going to town tomorrow, Nellie. This is rodeo weekend.”
“You like rodeo?”
“I hate rodeo. But I do like the Saturday-night dance. You and me?” Katrina pointed back and forth. “We’re going to town early, and we’re going shopping, and then we’re going dancing.”
“No.” Niki flat-out refused.
“We are going to make you so drop-dead gorgeous, he’ll never know what hit him.”
Four
Niki might be at the Springroad Mall under protest, but it seemed that certain life skills had been burned directly into her brain. She simply couldn’t help herself. She had quickly zeroed in on a sparkling gold cocktail dress in Blooms. She knew before she had it off the hanger that it would look terrific.
It needed a belt, black, to go with the black high-heeled shoes she’d spotted from thirty yards away. The low detailed neckline cried out for something chunky and shiny, and she knew she had just the right accessory with an onyx and crystal necklace, specked with gold dust. That it came with matching earrings and a bracelet was nothing but a bonus.
“You rock at this,” Katrina grinned, folding a red satin dress over her own arm. “I don’t need them, but I’m getting shoes, too.”
“Of course you need them,” Niki put in. “All women need shoes always.”
“These?” Katrina held up a pair of impossibly high rhinestone sandals.
“Yes! You’ve got such good balance,” said Niki. “Must be all that dance training.”
“I’m also short,” Katrina complained. “And Reed is very tall.”
“Reed is very tall,” Niki agreed. “And Caleb’s not far behind.” She wished she’d ended up with a little of her brothers’ height.
“Try it on,” Katrina prompted, pointing to the gold dress.
Niki easily agreed. Thinking about her serviceable bra and beige panties, she snagged a white, lacy set on the way past a display.
“Right back,” she told Katrina, her heart feeling light for the first time in months.
She snapped the heavy curtain closed and quickly kicked off her sneakers, stripping out of her jeans and T-shirt. She tossed aside her clothes and unzipped the glittery dress.
She couldn’t help regretting her brown hair as she shimmied into the sexy dress, which clung to her curves and accentuated her slim waist. The hemline showed plenty of leg, and she stepped into the black sandals, liking the way they elongated her calves. The necklace was perfect, and she turned one way and then the other in the long, oak-framed mirror.
“Show me,” Katrina called from outside the change room.
Niki ran her fingers through her hair, fluffing it up as best she could, before pulling back the curtain with a dramatic flourish.
“You’re gorgeous,” Katrina gasped. “Buy it. Buy everything.”
“You think?” asked Niki, catching a glimpse of herself in a distant mirror. She had to admit, she liked the look.
“But why didn’t you say something?”
“About what?”
“Your sense of style. You’re always wearing such plain clothes. You downplay everything.” Katrina studied her new appearance from head to toe. “Do you have contacts?”
“Somewhere,” Niki admitted, knowing she shouldn’t, but feeling incredibly tempted. If she was going to dress up, it was hard to go halfway. There had to be a spare pair of contacts squirreled away in her purse.
“Find them,” said Katrina. “We’re going for a makeover. Travis is going to eat his wor—” She shut her mouth, swallowing convulsively.
“Eat his what?” Niki couldn’t help but ask.
“His hat,” Katrina said brightly.
“You were going to say his words.”
The guilt all but radiated off Katrina.
“What were his words, Katrina?”
“Nothing important. That necklace is spectacular on you.”
“You have to tell me.”
“No, I don’t.”
“If you don’t tell me what he said, how am I going to know what I’m up against?”
“You’re not up against anything.” Katrina circled her, eyeing up the dress from every angle.
“Give,” Niki insisted.
Katrina frowned and drew a melodramatic breath. “He said you seemed like the tomboy type.”
Niki didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. In creating Nellie, she was going for the polar opposite of her real self, and it seemed as if she’d succeeded. “I’ve never been called that before.”
Then again, she’d never spent any time working on a construction crew, either. Her gaze was drawn back to the mirror. If not for the hair and glasses, she really would knock ’em dead in this outfit. The fabric was a viscose crepe, puckered to reflect the light, but tight enough to whet a man’s imagination. The short hemline and the high shoes gave the illusion her legs were long, and the neckline showed just enough cleavage to be interesting.
She reached up to touch her short locks.
“Madeline over at Lush Cuts can do wonders,” Katrina whispered.
“Do we have time for all that?” They’d barely started shopping, and it was after five already.
“Oh, honey,” Katrina ushered her back into the change room. “The men will wait.”
Three dresses, two pairs of shoes, and one hair trim later, Niki sat in a leather recliner, her feet soaking in a small tub of water.
“I told you Madeline would work wonders,” said Katrina from the chair beside her.
“She must have magic mousse,” Niki responded. She was amazed at how full and rich her hair looked. It seemed lighter in color, too, curling around her ears and along the base of her neck.
“You’re beautiful, Nellie,” said Katrina, squeezing her hand. “I don’t know why you hide it so hard.”
Niki’s chest suddenly went tight. She closed her eyes, and for several minutes, imagined she was a little girl again. Her mother was sitting next to her, sharing a pedicure, touching her hand, telling her she was beautiful. It was one of Niki’s earliest memories.
She felt her eyes tear up, and she blinked rapidly against the onslaught of emotion.
“Hey,” Katrina sing-songed. “What’s going on in there?”
“Thinking about my mother.” Niki lifted her lashes, noting the look of kindness in Katrina’s eyes. “She loved pedicures.”
Katrina nodded her understanding. “What was her favorite color?”
“Fire-engine red. She liked it in a lipstick, too.” A small tear escaped, trickling slowly down Niki’s cheek. “She used to tell me red got a man’s attention, and everything good in life started with a man’s attention.”
Katrina arched a brow. “Seriously? Was she that far behind the times?”
Niki couldn’t help but smile. “That’s a good way to put it. She loved glitz and glamour. I can easily see her with a long cigarette holder, huge false eyelashes and a flapper dress with a headband. She’d have made some gangster a serious moll.”
Katrina laughed. “My mother is as down to earth as they come. She’s a lot like Mandy. I don’t think she had the first clue of what to do with a daughter like me.”
The esthetician dried Niki’s feet and deftly rubbed in some lotion.
“I bet she baked cookies,” Niki guessed.
“She makes every kind imaginable, oatmeal, chocolate chip, peanut butter, and something called monster cookies that I swear have whipped cream in the middle.”
“We had standing reservations at—” Niki caught herself. She’d ne
arly named an iconic New York City restaurant. “Many fine restaurants,” she finished.
“You ate out a lot?”
“All the time. Mom didn’t cook.”
“Not at all?”
“Occasionally, she managed toast.”
“You had nothing but toast for breakfast? How did you concentrate at school?”
Niki couldn’t help but smile once more at the thought of school. “We traveled a lot,” she told Katrina. “Paris, Moscow, Rio. Technically, I was registered at the Melbourne Academy, but they’re pretty flexible. I mostly learned on my own, or from tutors. Luckily, I was a quick study. So I easily passed most exams.”
Katrina was looking at her oddly.
Sure, Niki knew it was a strange childhood. But Gabriella was restless. She hated to stay too long in one place. Every school year, she promised Niki it would be different. But if they made it through the end of September in their penthouse, it was a banner achievement.
“I thought the Melbourne Academy was in New York,” said Katrina.
Niki’s thoughts stumbled again. “There must be more than one of them.”
“Really?”
For a wild moment, Niki wanted to tell Katrina the whole truth, let the chips fall where they may and get rid of the lump that had lodged itself permanently in her stomach.
“Which color would you like?” the esthetician asked Niki. “Red, violet and copper are our most popular. Or you can choose from the Shimmer Collection or Premier.”
Niki looked to the young woman sitting near her feet.
Katrina jumped in. “She wants peach pulse, with gold glitter tips.”
“I do?”
“Trust me, you do.”
Niki pictured her open toed shoes, the dress, the jewelry. Katrina’s suggestion sounded fabulous.
“You’re very good at this,” she told her.
Katrina grinned. “Purple sky for me.” She cocked her head to Niki. “That’s Reed’s favorite.”
For a moment, Niki couldn’t help but feel envious of Katrina. She’d love to end this evening in the arms of a boyfriend, lounging together in bed, maybe in a bubble bath, sipping a final glass of champagne while streaks of dawn brightened the sky. It had been a long time since she’d had a truly romantic night out.
Millionaire in a Stetson Page 5