Nickels (17 page)

Turning her attention back to the code, she put her
headphones back on and went to work.  An hour and a half later she caught
herself yawning.  Eight o’clock.  She should head home.  She could pack up a
few things and stay at a hotel tomorrow and for the next week.  That way she’d
not lose the two hours commuting back and forth each day.  And she could work
as late as she needed to.

When she packed up her things, she saw all the other cubes
were empty.  The other guys must have left already.  She waved goodbye to the
security guard as she walked out to her car.

About a mile down the freeway, her phone rang.  It was a
number she didn’t recognize.

“Hello.”

“Niki?  Hi, it’s Trevor.”

“Hey,” she said, glad he called.  “I hate to do this to you,
but I’m gonna have to cancel for Saturday.  This big project at work just
shifted into overdrive this morning.  I’m just now headed home.”

A few seconds of silence.  Maybe she should suggest they
meet after the big deadline.

“No problem.”  His tone of voice didn’t make it sound like
it was no problem.

“Look, I still want to go out.  I’m just gonna be tied up
for the next week and a half.”

He sighed.  “I’ve been thinking about you all day.  I don’t
want to wait that long to see you.”

So much for no problem.

“Can you meet me for a coffee tonight?” Trevor suggested.

“It’s kinda late, don’t you think?”

“It’s just after eight.  They’re open until eleven.”

Niki thought for a minute.  It would be nice to vent about
this awful day to a fellow engineer—a sympathetic soul.

“Come on.  I really want to see you.”

“Alright.  Though, I’m warning you, I might not be the best
company.”

“No worries.  When will you be home, so I can pick you up?”

She told him how much longer she thought she’d be before
hanging up.  Trevor seemed like a nice guy and she hated to cancel on him, so
it looked like it would all work out in the end.  Though, she had to admit she
hadn’t thought of him even once since—was the BBQ really only yesterday?

When she pulled into the driveway, Trevor was already there
waiting.  She hit the button for the garage door and pulled in.  When she shut
off her car, he opened her door for her.

“Ready?” he asked.

She pointed to the house.  “Just let me change real quick.”

“You already look great.  Come on.”

She hesitated.  “At least let me drop off my laptop in the
house.  I don’t want to leave it in the heat.”

“Okay.  I’ll be out here waiting.”

In less than a minute, she unloaded her stuff onto the
counter and hurried back outside.  It was nice having someone’s attention, she
thought as a smile spread across her lips.

As she got in his car, Trevor asked, “So what’s going on at
work?”

She started the tale of her day, keeping it vague, on the
way to the coffee shop.  She didn’t finish until they were seated sipping their
iced coffees.

“Sorry to go on so long,” she said.

“No problem.  I get it.  Besides, I could listen to you all
night.”  He gave her a heart stopping smile.

She smiled back.  It was so nice to feel like someone wanted
to be around her.

When they finished their coffees, they talked for another
half hour or so.  Sensing the hour growing late, she suggested they leave.

Trevor drove her back to her house.  She was surprised when
he stopped the car.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I thought I would escort you to the door.  Isn’t that what
gentlemen do?”  His voice sounded offended.

Had she just ruined the first good date she’d been on since
college?

At the front door, she stood there a minute, not sure how to
end the date.  She thought about a hug.  Or maybe “I had a nice time.” 
Undecided, she turned to unlock the door.

Trevor turned her back towards him and rested his hands on
her waist.

“I had a good time,” he said, letting his gaze fall to her
lips.

Subconsciously, she wet her lips with her tongue.  In the
soft glow of the porch light, his hazel eyes grew heavy with desire.  He dipped
his head slightly, moving his lips to consume hers.

At first the kiss seemed tentative.  She felt awkward.  It
had been a long time since she’d been kissed.  Then he pressed her closer,
allowing his hands to roam across her back.  As he deepened the kiss, a fire
ignited in her.  She responded with fervor.

Frightened by her own desires, she pulled back.  She
struggled to regulate her heart and breath.

“I need to go,” she said.

“Niki,” he said, his lips nuzzling her ear.  “I don’t want
to go yet.”

Her heart beat rapidly within her chest.  It had been a
really, really long time since she’d been kissed like that.  She didn’t want
him to leave either.

“Can I come in?”

Her brain told her she should say no, but her desire
overruled.  She unlocked the security door and then the inner door and led
Trevor inside to the great room.

The dark house added to the secluded feeling.

Niki dropped her keys on the counter.  When she turned
around, Trevor was inches from her.  He pulled her to him, kissing her
heatedly.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, enjoying
the heady feeling.  As he started to explore her body with his hands, she
stepped back, falling over the edge of the couch.  She landed with a
thud
,
unintentionally pulling him with her.

“Trevor…” her voice died on her lips as he began kissing her
neck.

A little groan escaped her lips giving him courage.  She
directed his lips back to hers.  As he started to unbutton her blouse, reality
hit her.  This was going way too fast.  Her eyes flew open just as the light
flashed on.

As she looked over Trevor’s shoulder, she saw the one face
she least expected.  And it boiled her blood in a far different way than what
Trevor’s kisses had.

“Kyle!” she screeched.  What was he doing here?  In her
house?

As she scrambled to sit up, Trevor seemed undeterred—until
Kyle spoke.

“Niki, Trevor,” he said, standing still.  He looked from her
to her companion.

As Trevor sat up, Kyle’s eyes traced a path down her neck to
her gaping blouse.  Niki quickly clutched the two sides together.

Trevor’s voice was angry when he spoke.  “What’s he doing
here?”

She shook her head.  Crossing her arms over her chest, she
asked, “Just what are you doing here, Kyle?”

“Apparently, chaperoning the two of you.”

The nerve!  Niki swore.

“What is your deal?  I’m a grown woman and this is my
house.  If I want to make out with a man, I sure as—I don’t need your
permission.”

Standing to her feet, she marched toward him.  “Do whatever
it was you came to do and get OUT!”

Trevor came up behind her and looped his arms around her
waist.

Kyle turned up one lip in a disgusted frown.  “I can’t.”

Niki went from livid to whatever was beyond that.  “Why
not?”

“You’re blocking me in.  I need you to move your car.”

“What are you talking about?  Trevor parked in the street.”

Kyle frowned.  “Not him.  You.”

“Did you find them?” Marcy asked as she opened the door from
the garage.  “Oh!” she gasped as she saw the scene before her.

“I’m here to pick up my bike,” Kyle said.  His glare bored
holes through Niki.

She reached around Kyle to where her keys lay on the
counter.  She picked them up and tossed them to Marcy.  “Can you oblige your brother?”

When Marcy and Kyle returned to the garage, Niki turned her
attention back to her date.

“What’s with you two?” Trevor said as a frown formed on his
face.

This date was going downhill fast, and for once it was her
fault.

“Nothing.  He’s my roommate’s brother.  And I happen to work
with him.  That’s all.”

Trevor snorted.  “Really?  You two fight like a married
couple.”  Then he turned on his heel and stormed out the front door.

The sound of Trevor’s car starting was quickly followed by
the loud rumble of Kyle’s Harley.  Of course he would pick tonight to finally
get the blasted thing out of her garage. 

Niki locked the security door and front door.  Leaning
against it, she closed her eyes trying to figure out what just happened.  A
perfectly good date, turned into passionate bliss, only to be ripped out from
under her.  Could her life get any more complicated?

“You okay?” Marcy asked softly.

She let out a long breath.  “Not really.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Not really,” she said pushing off from the door.  She
walked down the hall to her room, with Marcy following.  She pulled her
suitcase from her closet and began packing a few items.

“Please tell me you’re not moving out of your own house?”

“No.  I’ll be staying up in Scottsdale for the next week or
so.  I’m going to be pulling some major hours and it’ll just be easier to be
close by.”

“Probably a good idea.  Kyle said you had a rough day.”

She stiffened at the mention of Kyle’s name.  “That’s
putting it mildly,” she muttered under her breath.

“I’m going to hit the sack,” Niki said as she finished
packing.  “If you’re not up when I leave, I’ll see you a week from Saturday.”

“Okay.  Don’t overdo it, Niki.  No project is worth it,
okay?”

“I won’t.”

“I know you.  You probably will.”

Niki threw a pillow her direction.  “Thanks, Ma.”

The sound of Marcy’s laughter lingered after she shut the
door to her own room.

She flopped into bed, heart still racing.  Maybe Kyle hadn’t
changed.  It seemed he was still finding ways to ruin her life.

Chapter 16

“Can I get your phone number?” Niki asked before Kyle left
her cube.

“Why, looking for a date?”

“I don’t date cl—”

“Clients.  I know.  But won’t Trevor get upset if you have
my number?” Kyle said wryly.

Why did he insist on getting under her skin?

“I doubt it, seeing as you ran him off.”

Kyle smiled, obviously pleased by that bit of news.  “You
can thank me later,” he said, reaching for a sticky note and pen.

“Put both your home and cell on there.”

“Pushy, aren’t we?” Then he flashed her a charming
smile—that one she’d like to knock off his face.

After working all weekend long, she was in no mood for Kyle
Jacobs.  She was still mad at him for the whole Trevor thing.  And, they lost
some good time this weekend when she couldn’t get in touch with him for a few
questions.  Though he answered them first thing this morning, she wasn’t taking
any more chances.

He handed her the note and pen.  “Try not to abuse it.”

“Don’t count on it, Jacobs.”  She turned her attention back
to her laptop.

“You’re cute when you’re mad.”

She jumped up from her chair and looked him in the eye. 
“You haven’t seen mad yet.”

“You’re not still mad at me for the Trevor thing are you?”

“Trevor
thing
?  That was the first decent date I’ve
had in years.  And thanks to your big brother antics, it’ll probably be the
last.”  Narrowing her eyes, she said, “Don’t you have some work to do?”

“Chill.  I’m just teasing.”

The lack of sleep and long hours were getting to her.  She
had no patience left to deal with him.  She pointed to her cube entrance until
he left.

Sitting back in her chair, Niki turned her anger towards the
code.  Earphones in, she attacked the keyboard, knocking out an amazing volume
of code before lunch.  Taking but a few minutes to eat in the break room, she
returned to work.

Around seven in the evening, she stopped long enough to
order pizza for the team.  After munching on two slices, she worked until her
eyes were too bleary to work any longer—sometime around one in the morning. 
She drove the mile to her hotel.  She trudged down the hall to her room.  Once
inside, she set the hotel alarm and her phone’s alarm for five in the morning. 
Then she fell into bed.