Solving For Nic (10 page)

“As long as you don’t change your mind.”

He was surprised when she met him downstairs. He took her carryall bag in one hand and her arm in his other. She let him lead her outside to the rental waiting in valet parking and within minutes they were headed south.

She was so quiet Nic expected to see her sleeping when he darted a quick glance at her. She surprised him when she smiled. What was it about her that set his blood on fire? He’d dated some of the most beautiful women in the world but none had had him in a state of constant frustration. His whole body ached. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel again and he tried to focus on driving.

She wasn’t his type. Nic preferred tall, elegant women who knew the score. Despite the streaks of mascara at the end, he'd done no real damage to them. They recovered. They all did.

Would Lizzie recover if he let himself get too close to her? Would he break her if he took what he wanted until he didn’t want it anymore?

Yes. He knew it as sure as he was breathing. There was a vulnerability there she went to great lengths to hide. He suspected most people never spotted it but he could see it clearly. It sang to him like a damned siren, firing up some primitive protective instinct in him. He hated to admit it but he understood why she’d taken off.

He groaned in protest as the source of his anger melted away along with his excuse to do what he wanted next. He should have called her. No, he should have gone after her instead of letting jaded assumptions ruin one of the best experiences of his life. Now he had a second chance to get this clawing hunger out of his system. He’d take things slower this time. No need to rush. This time he wouldn’t scare her away.

Lizzie opened her eyes, unsure where she was at first. She was lying on her stomach against incredibly soft sheets that smelled like the ocean. She could hear the ocean too, and the air smelled like salt. There was a bell sounding in the distance.

The Keys.

She was in the Florida Keys. With Nic.

Lizzie straightened and pushed her hair off her face. She vaguely remembered arriving last night. He'd carried her inside, unzipped her dress and pulled it over her head. When she’d expected him to kiss her, he’d put her in bed, the soft sheets seductively cool against her hot skin. She didn’t remember much after that.

Paper fluttered behind a glass of orange juice on the bedside table.
Welcome to Paradise
was scrawled carelessly across it in sharp black strokes. She dragged her hand down her face. What the hell had she been thinking? Or drinking?

Sheer white curtains billowed in the warm breeze let in by the open doors. She took a deep breath, knowing there wasn’t an escape route this time. She swallowed down the panic. The curtains danced. Seagulls echoed in the distance.

Maybe it was paradise.

Lizzie grabbed the orange juice and the two painkillers sitting next to the glass. He thought of everything.

She found her dress draped over a chair, with her shoes and carry all next to it. She stared at it for a minute, a tendril of concern floating through her murky brain. Something was missing. She sipped the juice and sighed. She’d figure it out later. She finished the juice as she walked into an open kitchen that would make Jen sob.

When he’d said he had a house in the Keys, she’d pictured a charming cottage painted bright yellow with a thatched roof. She glanced around the open floor plan. The furniture could have been recovered from a British Colonial tree house. She stepped towards the long bank of glass doors along the back wall. Outside, a swimming pool masqueraded as a rain forest lake with a waterfall splashing at one end.

Beyond the pool, a long pier stretched out into the blue-green water. Nic jumped down from the huge fishing boat floating at the end of the pier. Dressed in a faded pair of cargo shorts that rode dangerously low on lean hips, he had a handful of fishing rods. She couldn’t decide which was more scandalous. Nic fishing or Nic in shorts and a faded denim button-up shirt that he hadn’t bothered to button up. She forgot the question when he stripped off his shirt and she got a good look at all those long lean muscles. The dark hair covering his spectacular chest made Lizzie’s palms itch.

He was, in a word, perfect.

Fascinated, she watched him bait the hooks and cast lines out into the water. He dropped down to sit on an ice chest. Lizzie’s head tilted to the side as she watched him. He didn’t move other than to make small adjustments on the fishing line.

Nic Maretti.

Fishing?

Not what she expected at all.

She turned away from the window and headed back to the lavish master bedroom. She quickly made up the bed then walked through to the bathroom. The huge whirlpool tub beckoned but she pushed away the urge for a long hot bubble bath. Maybe later.

She dropped her carryall on the vanity and dug out her tooth brush and lime green bikini. While brushing her teeth, she spotted a stack of beach towels with another bathing suit on top. Holding the toothbrush in her mouth with her teeth, she moved across the room to examine the suit. The black suit was her size and looked vaguely familiar. It wouldn’t hurt to try it on.

The bikini fit perfectly. Déjà vu teased at the corners of her mind as she picked up the matching sarong and scarf. She loved the tiny shells and charms dangling from the gauzy fabric. She knotted the sarong around her waist. The shells and metal charms jingled as she moved.

She’d seen this bathing suit before. She’d pinned it on one of her Pinterest boards when she’d been snowed in last winter and dreaming of the beach. She went to get her phone to check her Pinterest app then realized what was missing. The beaded bag that had her cell phone, her ID, ATM card and pretty much her whole life in it was not there.

The jingle of metal alerted Nic to Lizzie’s approach. Relief swept over him as he realized he’d been holding his breath to see if she’d wear the bikini Pam had had delivered to the house. If she put it on, it meant she wasn’t regretting coming with him.

He turned when she called his name and tried to keep his jaw from slamming into the dock. The cute was all gone, replaced by a siren with creamy skin shimmering with sunscreen. The sarong revealed one shapely leg. Her toenails were painted a cherry red and Nic loved cherries. His mouth went dry and his hand clenched the fishing rod so he wouldn’t throw it down, then throw her down on the dock and see if she tasted as good as she looked.

Her tentative expression stopped him. She wasn’t blushing but she was definitely not meeting his eyes. He could tell she had about a million things she wanted to say but didn’t know where to start. A shy siren? That made Nic burn hotter.

“Good morning.”

Her tentative smile brightened. “Hey.”

“You ready for some breakfast?”

She shrugged. “You mean lunch?”

“Brunch. Do you like eggs?” He pushed to his feet and set the rod and reel aside.

“Yeah.” Her answer was too breathy and her eyes still dazed. “But there’s something you should know.”

He stopped in front of her, having every intention of walking her back up to the house. “Sounds dire?”

Color brushed her cheek. “I’m hopeless in the kitchen. I burn water.”

A curl broke loose from the scarf she’d wrapped around her hair. Nic pushed the curl back without thinking. She stretched on her tiptoes, her hands pressing into his chest. The skin at the small of her back was like satin, still slick from the sunscreen. He kissed her without thinking. She tasted faintly of cinnamon and he couldn’t get enough. When he could drag his mouth away, her eyes flickered open. “Good morning.”

He fought another smile, but slowly lost the battle. “I did promise you kissing,” he reminded her, pleased as her face dissolved into laughter at his mock-serious tone.

“You always keep your promises?”

“I’m terrible at promises, Lizzie, but I’m not expecting any trouble keeping this one.”

His hand curved around her waist, turning her to walk back up the pier. She leaned into him but he resisted the urge to sweep her off her feet and carry her back to bed. Instead, he stopped at the pool knowing if she went inside with him, he’d never get brunch started.

“Get some sun. I’ll make breakfast.” He steered her toward the lounge chairs.

“Oh, but you said I owed you breakfast.”

“I meant staying for breakfast,” he amended. Proving again his lizard brain was in full command, Nic turned her away from him and untied the string bow at the back of her neck.

“Nic.” His name trembled in protest on her breath as she covered herself to stop the bikini top from falling away.

“The patio is protected.” His fingers slid down the soft sides of her breasts left exposed by her hands, down her rib cage then back up. She swayed in his arms and he felt her tremble again. Her response was more intoxicating than his favorite scotch. “No one can see.”

He held his breath as he untied the string across her back. “Can I have this?” He whispered against her neck, pressing his mouth to the hot skin below her ear. Her head tilted slightly to the side, giving him better access to the vulnerable curve of her neck.

“Please?” His throat tightened as her hands fell away taking the bikini top with them.

For a moment, he couldn’t move. Her breath caught and it was the only sound he could hear as they dipped into the place where the world couldn’t touch them. He eased her back, his hands going around her sides, sliding under and up her breasts. She leaned into his touch. His thumbs brushed across the stiff peaks and fire raced through him, burning away what little sense he had left. She was so soft. How was he supposed to resist?

Her head fell forward, sighing in pleasure as he shaped the silky flesh. It wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He wanted her under him, quivering and crying again. He wanted his name on her last breath before she went over the edge. This time with him so deep inside her he would never find his way back and she wouldn’t be able to leave.

Her arms came back up, her hand moving over his. His body turned to steel when he realized she wasn’t trying to stop him. She wanted him to touch her but she also needed to hang on before her legs gave way. It wasn’t a conscious thought that had him leaning down to slide his arm under her knees. He lifted her easily, then took three steps toward the lounge chair and laid her down against the blue-and-white striped pillows.

Shock sent hot color racing all over her and her jaw gave way so she could drag in more air. Her lungs stopped working altogether when he sat down next to her on the lounge chair. Her eyes never left him as he undid the scarf and her hair spiraled down around her shoulders. She watched, fascinated as he let her curls loop around his fingers as he arranged them. The half-smile was deceptive because the concentration on his face was intense. He eased back, gold eyes burning into her skin. Dizzy and exposed, her eyes started to water because she couldn't seem to blink.

Her hands eased up of their own accord. Instinct told her to cover herself.

“Keep them down.” Her eyes widened at the gentle but firm request. There was an edge to his voice that set off a different kind of fire inside her and the ache between her legs deepened into a painful throb.