Her hand rose to rest on her chest. Seeing the emptiness where the dog tags had lain for the last five years left an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. Had she done the right thing? She’d broken her vow for Nic, a man who didn’t trust her fully. And if he didn’t trust her, could she trust him?
Hearing Nic enter the room, she turned away from the mirror. The sight of him stopped her mid-step. It was incredibly bad manners to stare, but she did it anyways. The impeccably tailored black tuxedo molded his chest and broad shoulders, while the white dress shirt contrasted beautifully with his dark hair and tanned complexion. A gray silk waistcoat and matching bow tie completed the outfit, adding a fashionable twist. This was definitely not her father’s tux. Closing her eyes, she pictured herself smoothing her hands over his chest, the feel of the expensive material, the hardness of his muscles….
“Lauren.” Nic cleared his throat. “Why’d you close your eyes? Do I look that bad?”
Her eyes popped open. Was he frickin’ kidding? His lopsided smile answered her question. But then she had a question of her own. Why imagine, when Nic was standing right in front of her? With a slow sway to her hips, she approached him and let her hands run wild.
His heart pounded rapidly and his chest muscles bunched beneath her palms. Relieved, she smiled. He might be upset with her for pushing him about Rachel, but at least he wasn’t turning away from her.
He gripped her wrists. “Uh-uh-uh.” Her heart plummeted. Maybe she’d been wrong after all. But then he grinned and his eyes held a promise. “There’ll be time for that later.”
Still grinning, he tugged on her wrist and positioned himself behind her in front of the mirror. “I have something for you. Close your eyes.” His words whispered against her skin, making her shiver. She squeezed her lids tight as he draped something warm around her neck. “You can look now.”
“Oh my God,” she breathed, her hand instantly going to the necklace of beautiful pink and orange crystals. “It’s beautiful.” Having worn only stainless steel for so long, she’d forgotten what it was like to wear actual jewelry. Her cheeks flushed when she saw her reflection in the mirror. “I feel like a princess.”
“And you look like one, chérie. But something’s missing.” His hands reached up and an earring appeared at each ear. He smiled. “Do you think these will match?”
Her eyes rounded until she feared they might actually pop out of her head. Then they welled up. “They’re perfect,” she whispered past the lump in her throat. Tears spilled over onto her cheeks as she put the earrings on. Thank God she’d bought waterproof make-up.
When she was done, he turned her around and kissed away the tears, and brushed his mouth across hers. “Not nearly as perfect as you are.” Taking advantage of her parted lips, he deepened the kiss. Her heart overflowing with emotion, she leaned into him and sighed. God, how she loved this man. Maybe she’d been in love with him since the eleventh grade. Maybe she’d been in love with him always.
All too soon, he pulled back. “I could kiss you forever,” he said, and she knew exactly how he felt. “But we’ve got to get going. I’ll wait for you downstairs.” Then, seeming unable to resist, he cupped her cheeks and gave her one last kiss before leaving.
As soon as he was out of the room, her knees gave way. Grasping the dresser, she sucked air deep into her lungs, trying to slow the thundering in her chest. Did it mean something that Nic had given her the beautiful necklace and earrings? Or was he dressing her up so she wouldn’t embarrass him at the gala? She ran the tip of her finger along the polished stones and shook her head. He’d called her chérie, and the heat in his eyes, the emotion in his voice…. No, it meant something to him, too.
Straightening, she dried her wet cheeks, grabbed her glittery handbag, and started for the door. The handbag began to vibrate. Pulling her phone out, she checked the caller ID. “Hi Dad.”
“Hey, Baby Girl. I’ve got some news for you.”
Thinking she might need to sit down for this, she perched on the edge of the bed, careful not to wrinkle her gown. “Okay, shoot.”
“Joe, you remember Joe, right?”
“He was on your squad.”
“That’s right. He confirmed your friend and his younger sister were involved in a car accident when you were in the eleventh grade.”
“Was she injured?”
“Actually, that’s why I was able to get the info so quickly. Joe was working the night of the accident. He said he’ll never forget the girl. He kept referring to her as the little broken angel.”
Lauren’s palms went damp. “Any idea why?”
“The whole time the team was working to free her from the wreck, she kept encouraging them, telling them everything would be all right. He says that by the time they finished, there wasn’t a dry eye to be found.”
Her breath hitched. This didn’t sound good at all. If Rachel had brought hardened rescue workers to tears, she could only imagine how a seventeen-year-old Nic would have felt. “Was Nic driving?”
Her father tsked. “Lauren, that’s his story to tell.”
“He’s so close-mouthed where his sister’s concerned.”
“Give him time. If you mean something to him, he’ll open up.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“Then he isn’t the one for you.” Hearing her father spell things out so bluntly made her chest ache. He was right, even if she didn’t want to admit it.
But was she expecting too much too soon? After all, Nic had admitted having a sister today and that she was paralyzed. He’d taken a very big step, a leap of faith even, in telling her. If she gave him enough time, maybe he’d tell her about the accident, too. But how long was enough?
She couldn’t stand to be shut out forever. It would be just like with Todd, all over again. Her heart wouldn’t survive another round.
As they exited the highway, Nic draped his arm across Lauren’s shoulders. He’d always thought her beautiful, but tonight she was stunning. The sight of her exposed neck made him crazy. Every time he caught a whiff of her apple-blossom perfume, he wanted to bury his nose behind her ear and stay there. If he lived to be a hundred, he’d still never get enough of her.
Kaden turned the limo into the California Science Center, and the roar of the amassed crowd grew louder the closer they got to the red carpet. Some enterprising young girls ran along the row of limos, trying to peek in at the occupants. When they cupped their eyes, hoping to see past the darkened window, he tapped on the glass and rolled it down a bit. “Good evening, ladies.”
The ensuing shrieks almost pierced his eardrums, and he felt Lauren jerk beside him. He turned to reassure her they were safe. Fans often lined up outside these events to greet him. But instead of laughing it off, she gasped and shielded her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh God! I hope I was never that out of control.”
Nic frowned, knowing full well she was exactly that out of control every time they made love. What was her problem? “They’re just a little excited.”
“No,” she said, laughing now, but her hands still firmly covered her eyes. “Turn around and look.”
He did, and had to smother the laugh bubbling in his chest. The girls had all lifted their shirts, baring their breasts like a scene from Girls Gone Wild. As they danced, they called out lyrics from his unofficial theme song. He cringed, hearing them sing about the man that made them moist and wet.
Forcing himself to act the way Nic The Lover would, he winked at the girls. “I’d love to invite you all into my caravan of love, but I’m already spoken for tonight.”
He closed the window, but their encouraging shouts for him to keep his woman rocking continued to filter into the car. Nic leaned against the seat and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus Christ, Lauren. I’m really sorry.”
Lauren peered at him between her open fingers. As she let her hands fall, he saw her mouth curve into a big grin, and she laughed. “So, Mr. Lover, are you going to keep me rockin
’?”
He stared at her, incredulous. She thought it was funny. Laughter erupted from the front of the limo. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one. He let out a relieved breath. “Believe me, that’s never happened before.”
“Uh-huh,” she said, her tone full of disbelief. When he didn’t join in the laughter, she laid her hand on his thigh. “You’re not responsible for what your fans do.”
“Let’s just hope there’s no more breast-baring inside,” he muttered.
“Speak for yourself,” Kaden said, stopping the limo in front of the entrance.
While waiting for Kaden to come around and open the door, Nic smiled at Lauren and took her hand. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
They walked inside. Nic was pleased to see that the reception area was already filling up. He placed his hand at the small of Lauren’s back to escort her through the crowd. When his flesh met hers, electricity tingled across his fingertips.
Oblivious to the people surrounding them, he pulled her close and kissed the sweet spot where Lauren’s neck met her shoulder as his hand skimmed her bare skin. Her face flushed and she flashed him a knowing smile. If it weren’t for the kids, he’d throw her over his shoulder and whisk her away for a little rockin’.
After traversing the room and stopping many times to shake hands and make introductions, Nic grabbed two champagne glasses from a passing waiter and handed one to Lauren. She smiled and took a sip, holding his gaze. Her wet lips glistened, and all he could think of was kissing away the champagne. But children were present. They needed to keep things PG.
“Nic, darling,” Vivian called as she approached. “My, don’t you look wonderful. Ralph Lauren always looks good on you.” She glanced at Lauren and her eyebrows shot up. “You bought her Harry Winston jewelry?”
Shit. His teeth clamped so tightly his molars ached. “Vivian.”
“Oh, dear. Did I say something wrong?”
Couldn’t she have kept her mouth shut for once? His eyes shot to Lauren, and seeing the dismay on her pretty face, he groaned. Oh, yeah. She knew all about Harry Winston. She gave him a tight smile, then turned to speak with Kaden, the surrounding chatter drowning out their words.
Nic grabbed Vivian’s elbow and pulled her aside. “What’s your problem?”
“I was just surprised, darling. Lorna doesn’t seem the type to wear diamonds and padparadscha sapphires.” She chuckled. “I bet the poor girl thought they were crystals.”
Nic fingers clamped around the stem of his glass, almost snapping it. If Vivian insulted Lauren one more time or even said her name wrong, he was going to strangle the woman.
“Why can’t a guy buy jewelry for his girlfriend without everyone second-guessing him?” he snapped.
“Girlfriend?” she sputtered.
“That’s right.” The urge to get in her face was strong, but as his mother always told him, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. He brightened his fake smile. “Can you be nice to her tonight, please? It would mean a lot to me.”
“Of course. You’re celebrating,” she said, her lips pursed.
His brow arched. “Celebrating?” What was she getting at now?
“Didn’t she tell you? Vanity Fair called. They like her photos.”
Instantly, her smug tone put him on alert. He had no idea what she was talking about, but if he played along, maybe she’d go away. He’d ask Lauren about it later. “Yes, we’re celebrating Lauren’s good news. So don’t ruin it.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” She patted his arm and disappeared into the crowd.
Nic downed the rest of his champagne and let out a long breath. Christ. The evening had barely started and already he was exhausted.
Kaden sidled up to him. “Everything okay, sir?”
“Yeah. I’m just wondering what else can go wrong tonight.” Several feet away, Lauren chatted with a group of women. She looked up and smiled at him, melting away the growing tension in his gut.
Moments later, she returned to his side. “This place is great. The children must be having a blast.”
“Speaking of kids, let’s go find them. They’re more interesting than the adults anyways.”
Threading his fingers through hers, he kissed their joined knuckles and led her to the Ecosystems exhibit, where the younger attendees and several of the older ones were being entertained.
Nic paused as they entered the gallery, taking in the sight of the children—all in varying stages of illness. Lauren turned so that his body shielded her and rummaged through her handbag, pulling out a tissue. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice tear-stained. “Give me a minute to pull myself together.”
Nic rubbed her back. The same bittersweet emotions were twisting his own heart. But this night wasn’t about him. It was about the children, whether they were in wheelchairs pushed by parents or on crutches, whether they were weak and balding, or whether they were dependent on an oxygen tank. All these children had one thing in common tonight—joy, expressed in a multitude of ways, ranging from shouts of laughter to a sparkle in a bright eye.
Pulling her close, he whispered, “It’s all right, chérie. It’s difficult to watch but even harder to live it. We need to be strong, be happy for them. Tonight, many are seeing their dreams come true.”
She nodded, then wiped her eyes and gave him a shaky smile. After kissing her lips softly, he took her hand, and they strolled through the exhibit. They spoke to each child and their parents, welcoming them to the gala.
Too soon, it was time for everyone to move to the banquet hall for the dinner and speeches. Nic gave piggyback rides to some of the children, depositing them in their seats, while Lauren walked with some of the younger children, holding hands.
When everyone was seated, Lauren turned to Nic, her eyes bright. “You’re a good man, Nic.” He looked around the table, then at the other two tables filled with children and their families. Conversation flowed and everyone seemed happy. He wasn’t the man he wanted to be, but he was trying.
As Nic was finishing his meal, the president of the organizing committee, Fred Sanders, walked up to the mike and began the formal part of the evening. Ten minutes later, Nic stepped onto the stage, the audience clapping and cheering. At the podium, he pulled the notes for his speech out of an inner pocket of his jacket, careful not to flash his gun.
His eyes searched the audience. Summer or NicsBitch, whoever the stalker was, could be here right now. He shot a quick glance in Lauren’s direction to make sure Kaden was seated beside her.
Satisfied that Lauren was safe, he began speaking. “Ladies and gentlemen, the children, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and I thank you for joining us this evening. With your generosity, the Foundation grants wishes to thousands of sick children each year, allowing them for a short time to push aside their struggles and enjoy simply being children.”
He explained how the donations were managed, how wish recipients were selected, and how wish grantors were found. In the end, he thanked everyone for the honor of being Wish Ambassador and host of the gala. “We have some wonderful entertainment coming up and the exhibits will be open throughout the rest of the night. Enjoy the evening,” he concluded.
As he went to step off the stage, Fred stopped him and whispered, “I hate to spring this on you at the last minute, but one of the children has taken a turn for the worse and we’ve had to move her up the list. We can grant her wish tonight, if you agree. It involves you.”
“Of course.”
At Fred’s signal, a young girl was wheeled onto the stage followed by a man and woman. “Nic,” Fred said, introducing them. “This is Claire and her parents, Jim and Linda.”
Based on her face, Claire appeared to be about twelve, but her body was so frail and emaciated, she looked much younger. Although she was in the final stages of a terminal illness, her eyes glowed with an inner peace and confidence that was humbling. She smiled up at him.
Nic crouched in front of her so she woul
dn’t have to crane her neck to talk to him. “What’s your wish, sweetheart?”
“I want to dance with you. To the Luv Me Luv Me song.”
Nic looked up at Fred and the girl’s parents and arched a brow. Shaggy’s lyrics were better suited to a night club than a gala.
Fred grinned. “We have a cleaned-up version.”
Nic met Claire’s eyes and smiled. “Do you want to dance in your chair?”
She shook her head. “In your arms.”
Bracing himself, he slid one hand under her knees and another behind her back, lifted her out of the chair and cradled her against his chest. Christ, he barely felt her weight in his arms. Swallowing hard, he asked, “All right like this?”
“Perfect,” she whispered, looping her thin arms around his neck.
The first notes of the song started and he began to swing his hips in time with the beat. This was not going to be the same dance he’d danced last week at Taylors. Was it only last week? Felt like a lifetime ago.
“Sing it, please,” Claire said. He focused on her face. Although she was a little out of breath, her eyes sparkled. This was her wish, her moment. All she wanted was a dance with him. He’d make it the best dance of her life, and his.
For her ears only, he began singing the lyrics. With each twirl and dip, her face became more animated and her shrieks louder. God, he couldn’t believe he was making her so happy. This girl, in the too-big dress that drowned her shrinking body.
As the song neared its end, her laughter started to fade and her breathing became labored. He slowed his steps, turning his back to the audience. “Is everything okay? Should I stop now?”
Her eyes widened. “No!” she breathed, and although he could barely hear her, the desperation in her eyes told him she’d meant to scream it. Panting raggedly, she whispered, “I don’t want this dance to ever end.” Tears pooled in her eyes. As he watched, a single drop escaped and slipped down her cheek. He couldn’t breathe. His chest ached and his heart broke. If keeping her in his arms would save her life, he’d do it. He’d hold this little girl forever.
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