I cast a tortured look his way, wondering if he knew just how close to the truth he was. “Could we just drop this, please?”
He shook his head, his grin growing, as impossible as that seemed. “Nope, not until you admit you like me.”
“Like you?” I repeated. “Are you kidding me? What are you, like ten?”
He chuckled. “Dear Trish—do you like me? Check yes or no.”
“Oh, my God,” I groaned, rolling my eyes. “This is ludicrous.”
“Then stop avoiding the question,” he prompted with a laugh.
I punched him in the shoulder, which served only to make him laugh harder. “Would you shut up?”
“Just say it.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and lifted my chin a notch. “I’m not saying it. You can just sit there and stew in curiosity.”
“Why won’t you say it?”
“Why should I?” I countered.
“Why shouldn’t you?” he shot back. “You really can’t deny I’m irresistible, doll. Charming, funny . . . devilishly handsome, too. Oh, and humble.”
“Oh, yes, humble,” I mocked. “We can’t forget that one.”
Nicky sent an expectant glance my way. “So . . . ?”
“Good Lord,” I huffed. “Fine! Yes, Nicky, I’ve had a crush on you for ages.”
He grunted, but was still grinning. “Good.” And that was it. No more questions. No more discussion. He dropped it just like that.
Which was totally infuriating.
Good? Good? What the hell did he mean by that? Was it just his male ego strutting around, metaphorical chest puffed out, because he could hold it over the other guy’s head? Or was he actually glad that I’d been dreaming about him? If so, why didn’t he ask me more? Why didn’t he ask me what I’d been dreaming about? If I’d dreamed about him often? He didn’t even ask me how long I’d had a crush on him, for crying out loud. Criminy!
I sat in the passenger’s seat torturing myself the rest of the way to Nicky’s, trying to analyze the inflection in his voice in that one simple word, the expression on his face. But when he pulled through the gates, I still hadn’t reached a satisfactory conclusion. I was scowling so intently that when I didn’t immediately get out of the Escalade, Nicky came around and opened my door.
“Trish?” he said softly, the levity we’d shared gone now. “We’re here, doll.”
I turned my scowl on him, but the tender look in his eyes dissipated my irritation in an instant. “Sorry,” I muttered. “Lost in thought.”
He took my hand and helped me out, then led me up the steps, my hand still clutched tightly in his. I expected him to turn me loose once we were inside, especially in light of what his teasing had goaded me into admitting, but instead of releasing my hand, his fingers shifted, twining with mine more securely than ever. Without a word, he led me into the kitchen and only then did he release my hand so that he could help me out of my coat. Then he pulled out one of the chairs at the island bar and handed me up before turning away and busying himself at the stove.
I propped my chin on my hand, watching him open and close cabinet doors and rummage through the pantry until he found everything he was looking for. Twenty minutes later, he set a steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of me along with a plate of herbed cheeses, crackers, and an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Sorry it’s not more,” he said with a shrug of apology. “I’m not exactly a gourmet.”
I offered him a grateful smile. “This is perfect. Thank you.”
I took a sip of the hot chocolate, loving the path of warmth it left as it traveled down my throat and into my stomach. But that heat was nothing to what lanced through me when Nicky scooted the other bar stool close to mine and took a seat next me, silently sipping at his own mug, his elbow touching mine, his fingertips occasionally brushing against my own when we happened to reach for the same strawberry or slice of cheese. And when the food was gone and our mugs were empty, we remained there in companionable silence, elbow to elbow, shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee. At some point, I leaned my head against his shoulder, and I heard him sigh before he dipped his head to press a lingering kiss to my curls.
It was a perfect moment. One of the few in my life up to that point. I wish I could’ve frozen that moment in time, kept it from ever moving on, but eventually I heaved a sigh of my own and lifted my head.
“Nicky,” I whispered, not sure what I planned to say next. I think I honestly just wanted to hear his name on my lips. But when I caught a glimpse of his dark frown, I knew our moment was over.
“I need to go out for a while,” he announced suddenly, gathering up the dishes and carrying them to the sink. “Will you be okay here by yourself?”
“Where are you going?” I replied, ignoring his question.
He shrugged evasively. “Just out. I have some things to take care of.”
The edge of his voice told me what he had in mind. “You’re going hunting,” I guessed. “You’re going out looking for Dracula.”
He glanced my way and I could tell he was about to lie to me, deny what he was planning, but he must’ve thought better of it. “Yeah. But the first thing I want to do is pay a visit to Happy Endings and find out how the hell Aloysius knew to take off from Halloran’s before the Agency showed up.”
“Maybe it was just a coincidence,” I suggested.
“Maybe,” Nicky agreed. “But I plan to ask him anyway. And I don’t plan on asking nicely.”
I hopped down from the bar. “Then I’m going with you.”
“No way,” he shot back. “You’re staying here where it’s safe.”
“You have no idea if it’s safer here than anywhere else,” I countered. “I was attacked in my apartment—up until then, I’d thought it was pretty safe, too.”
“This is different,” he mumbled, rinsing out our mugs. “You have no idea what I’ve seen when hunting.”
“Don’t I?” I said, coming over to stand at his elbow. “You don’t think I’ve seen some pretty freaky shit over the years?”
“It’s not open for discussion,” he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. Too bad I wasn’t listening.
“This is my job, Nicky,” I reminded him. “I’m supposed to help bring down the bad guys. You don’t think the crime scenes I visit have the potential for danger? It’s what I’m trained to deal with. If anyone should be staying at home, it’s you! You need to stay out of it and leave things to the professionals.”
At this his eyes went wide. “The professionals? Because you guys are doing such a bang-up job bringing Drac down?”
I pressed my lips together, trying to bite back my angry retort.
I counted to five as he went around me to grab his jacket, then
said between clenched teeth, “You are going to get yourself killed.”
“I’m not the one I’m worried about getting killed!” he retorted, his voice so loud it echoed in the enormous kitchen. “I’m not letting you come with me. It’s too dangerous!”
I slapped my hands on my hips. “You can’t be serious!”
“Serious as a heart attack.” He shrugged into his jacket. “You’re staying here and that’s final.”
“Goddamn it!” I yelled, slamming my palm down on the counter. “Stop treating me like a child!”
He jerked back a little at my accusation. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not treating you like a child.”
“The hell you aren’t!” I stomped toward him, hands back on my hips. “What with the whole crush thing in the car. Crush, Nicky? I’m not a little schoolgirl who has crushes, okay? And you’re always ‘doll’ this and ‘honey’ that! Then there’s the tugging on my ringlets. I know they look ridiculous, okay?” My hands were flailing around now in frustration. “I know I look like a naive little girl because of the freaking ringlets, but I’m a grown woman, Nicky. In case you hadn’t noticed, I have boobs and everything. Oh, and by the way—they’re really nice ones!”
My chest was heaving from my angry—and somewhat incoherent—outburst as I stared at him, waiting for him to respond. But he just returned my gaze, his expression blank. Then his lips twitched at the corners and his eyes twinkled. “I’ve noticed,” he said finally.
I frowned. “What have you noticed?”
He sauntered toward me, his lips curving into a full-blown grin now. When his body was just inches from mine, he slipped his arm around me and pulled me closer. “I’ve noticed you’re a grown woman,” he said, his voice low. His gaze flicked down to my chest, which was heaving now for another reason. “That you’re all woman.”
“Yeah?” I managed to choke out. “In spite of my ringlets?”
“I like your ringlets.”
“You do?”
He nodded and dipped his head until his lips were near my ear. “But you’re still not going with me.” He chuckled and abruptly released me, no doubt planning to leave me all gaspy and breathless, but two could play this game.
Before he could walk away, my hand shot out and I grabbed the front of his shirt, jerking him back to me. His eyes went wide as I leaned into him, pressing my body into his. “Nicky,” I whispered, my mouth close to his. God, it was torture not to lean all the way in and steal the searing kiss that was smoldering in the air between us. But that wasn’t part of the game. “You need me.”
His powerful body shuddered a little as he swallowed hard and ground out, “Yeah?”
“Mmm-hmm,” I replied as I slid my hand into the pocket of his jeans, eliciting a hissed curse from him. “You just don’t realize how badly.”
His voice was shot to hell when he said, “Oh, I think I know, doll.”
“Good.” My fingers closed around his car keys and jerked them out of his pocket at the same moment I pushed him away and snatched my coat off the back of the bar stool. “It’s settled then. I’m going with you.”
I slung my coat over my shoulder and sashayed from the kitchen, swinging my hips in triumph. And when I cast a glance over my shoulder, I watched Nicky’s dumbfounded look change into one of bemusement and then amusement as that smile I adored broke over his face.
“Holy hell,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “I guess you are.”
Chapter Ten
As we stood in the shadowy parking lot of the deserted office building across from Happy Endings, I turned up the collar of my jacket, unable to shake the feeling we were being watched. Nicky must’ve felt it, too, because I saw him scan the darkness with his sharp gaze, searching for any indication of who might be lurking in the shadows. But apparently satisfied that we weren’t in any immediate danger, he opened the back of the Escalade and lifted away the spare tire cover in the floor to reveal a veritable arsenal.
“What do you want?” he asked, stowing a pair of wicked-looking knives in a holster he’d slipped on over his T-shirt. He loaded a fresh magazine into his Glock, then tucked it in the back of his pants. He pegged me with an expectant look as he slipped back into his leather jacket. “See anything you like?”
Aside from those sexy biceps and rockin’ pecs?
I forced myself to focus. “You want me to carry a gun?”
He shrugged. “Gun, knife . . . makes no difference to me. But if you’re going, you’re going armed.”
I cocked my head to one side. “We’re going into a brothel, Nicky. What could possibly happen?”
“Let’s just say not everyone there will be happy to see me.” He turned back to his arsenal and selected a pistol from one of the foam inserts and quickly jammed a magazine into it, then slipped his arms inside my unbuttoned coat and around my waist to tuck the gun into the back of my jeans. His hands lingered for just a moment against the small of my back. “Stay close to me, doll.”
I nodded, my hands drifting up to rest against his chest. “I think I can manage that.”
The slow smile that curved his lips ended on a wink, but then he abruptly released me and slammed the door. “All right then, let’s do this.” He grabbed my hand as we climbed the steps to Happy Endings’ red door, giving the valet a sharp nod. The kid ducked his head and turned away, obviously knowing better than to question Nicky. We stood on the top step for a moment while Nicky blew out a breath and rolled his neck. Then he pressed the doorbell and loosened his shoulders while we waited.
I frowned a little watching him. Good Lord. Was he seriously limbering up? What exactly did he expect to happen? Luckily, I didn’t have much of a chance to think about it before the door swung open to reveal one of the seven dwarves who helped run the place.
“Hey there, Pete,” Nicky said with forced politeness. “Ted have the night off?”
The little man with a long blond braided beard and bushy unibrow gave Nicky and me the once-over before grumping, “What the hell are you doing here, Nicky? You’ve got one helluva lot of nerve showing your face around this place.”
“I wanna see Snow,” Nicky told him.
Pete grunted. “She’s not here.” He tried to slam the door shut in our faces, but Nicky caught the edge of it and shoved, sending the man stumbling back several feet.
“Bullshit. I know she’s here.” Nicky pulled me inside with him and strode down a short hall to the waiting room. He glanced around quickly, then headed for a door of reinforced steel across the room. “Buzz us in.”