Under His Spell (6 page)

“Okay,” he said as he forked up a mouthful of meat loaf. “But we have to do it at my place. I can’t just hypnotize you here.”

She didn’t even flinch. “Yeah, I figured.”

“And order something more to eat. Everything makes more sense when your stomach isn’t in knots from hunger.”

She looked up at him sharply. “That’s exactly what you said to me prom night.”

Had he? He didn’t remember. “Well, it’s still good advice.” He was being gruff with her, trying to cut the tension in him with macho orders, but she didn’t seem to mind. And everything he said was good sense. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was stepping into something that was going to turn his life inside out. Looking up, he gestured to the waitress before turning back to Nicky. “Get a full meal including dessert. Then we’ll go back to my place and…we’ll see.”

“You’ll hypnotize me?”

He nodded. “I’ll do what I can, if you still want me to.”

She smiled and he saw relief in her eyes. “You’re still
Jimmy, even if you call yourself Jim. I know I’m safe with you.”

He didn’t respond to that because she was busy ordering dinner, but in his mind he felt a real sense of panic growing. He wasn’t geek Jimmy anymore, too afraid to go for what he wanted. Which meant she wasn’t even remotely safe with him if she descended into sex kitten mode again.

On the other hand, he was finally getting a real shot at Nicky Taylor, one where she knew exactly who he was and wanted to spend more time with him. Sure it was twisted up with hypnotism and fantasies, but he wasn’t one to question luck—good, bad or twisted. Besides, he had a few questions burning in his head, things that only an open, responsive Nicky would answer.

Which meant he was going to do it. He was going to hypnotize her, and once she was under, he was going to find out exactly what a man had to do to get Nicky in his life forever. That was the new plan. Everything would be fine just as long as he kept his libido under control.

N
ICKY FELT A TREMOR
of anxiety skate down her spine as she stepped into Jimmy—er, Jim’s home. She remembered waiting for him on his porch. She remembered stripping off her blouse and the way he pushed her inside. Right over there was where she flattened herself against the stair and grabbed hold of the railing. And where he…

She swallowed and forcibly turned away from the marks her shoes had made on his wall. But the only other place to look was at Jim, and he was watching her with a kind of predatory gleam that was so unlike the Jimmy in her memory.

He didn’t speak, just arched a brow at her. It was a rather dashing look, really, filled with magical mystery and daring. Add to that her memory of his lean, sculpted body and her insides went liquid. Good lord, it was already starting! She was already wet from just stepping into his home.

“Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” she murmured.

He shrugged, though there was a tightness in the
movement. “It’s completely up to you, Nicky. It always has been.”

She nodded and looked at the door. She’d driven her own car here so that she could leave whenever she wanted, but she didn’t move. Her legs actually trembled at the idea of leaving. She wanted to be here. She wanted to be with
him.
And that was crazy.

“I have to find out what’s going on. I just need to understand.”

He nodded slowly. “I swear I’ll try to help however I can. You won’t be under any compulsion to tell me your secret fantasies. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“Like climb your wall and experience a screaming orgasm on your tongue?” She’d meant to make a joke of last night, to bring the pink elephant out into the open and laugh at it. But the moment she said the words, she nearly bit off her tongue. The memories were too close to the surface, too real to make light of them. And bringing them up like that just made her want to run back to her car…or climb up the stairway railing again. “Um, sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just starting to panic, you know. I don’t know what I want and I don’t understand—”

“Take a breath, Nicky. You’re safe with me, remember?”

She did. She took a deep breath and then another. But the hunger still simmered just beneath her skin. She needed…something. “I’m staying,” she said firmly. “I know you won’t hurt me.”

He nodded as if that’s what he expected her to say. “If nothing else, we’ll get some more data on exactly what’s going on.”

She blinked, then felt her expression soften into
a smile. “That sounded just like high school Jimmy Ray.”

He grimaced as if that weren’t a compliment. “I’m not Jimmy anymore, Nicky. I’m a grown man—”

“Hey!” she said, holding up her hand. “I liked Jimmy. I was young and stupid and didn’t appreciate him, but that’s my fault. Don’t go dissing Jimmy. He was great.”

He jerked slightly, his head going back as if what she’d said surprised him. She didn’t know why; it was the truth. It was just weird because she wasn’t used to thinking of dorky Jimmy Ray as tall, dark and ripped. She’d come here to get some answers, but she was at serious risk of getting distracted by how very sexy he’d become. She’d spent half the time at the restaurant watching his mouth and remembering those amazing things he could do with those lips, that tongue. It wasn’t appropriate, given that she wanted to fix whatever was wrong with her and go back to her normal life—hell, it was rather depraved, but apparently her lust didn’t care. He was a good-looking guy, and he’d given her the best orgasm of her life. She wouldn’t be human if she didn’t think about what more they could do together.

Maybe she could give him a call later. Maybe once the threat of layoffs were over at work, she could invite him out for a drink. They could get to know each other as people. It was a good plan, a responsible plan—and a plan that couldn’t be implemented for months at least.

She grimaced. Her chest was tightening, and a sinking depression settled into the pit of her stomach. It was the same depression that came when she realized her vacation was months away. Was she ever going to catch a break? Why did the hottest guy she’d ever met have to come into her life at the absolute worst time?

“What are you thinking, Nicky? Your face has gone all tragic.”

She blinked, consciously smoothing out her expression. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking that I wish I’d been smarter in high school.”

He snorted, but the sound was kind. “You’re not the only one who has adolescent regrets. My brother tells me that I wasn’t that memorable back then.”

She paused, sensing an underlying issue. “That’s not true, you know. I remember Jimmy Ray quite clearly. I just…well, I would never have expected him to be onstage doing a hypnotism act. And certainly not looking as…uh…” Hot. Ripped. Studly. “Good as you do now.”

He arched a brow at her. “Is that a compliment, Ms. Taylor?”

“It is, Mr. Ray. Both to the boy you were and the man you’ve become.” She ventured a tentative smile. “And I, um, I like the way you’ve grown up.”

His expression lightened at her words, his face becoming more boyish and approachable. She felt herself start to relax, feeling safe again. In the back of her mind, she felt the silent beckoning of her tropical island paradise and the god who made it. But she also felt Jimmy, solid and dependable Jimmy Ray, right here beside her keeping her safe.

“Let’s step in here,” he said, gesturing into his living room. She nodded and followed as they stepped into a very tastefully decorated man’s playroom. The room was dominated by a flat-screen TV, complete with TiVo and Wii. Guitar Hero lay discarded next to speakers that went to the ceiling. And most appealing of all, he had a recliner sofa, tasteful chaise lounge and matching game seats, all in a stroke-able black velvetlike material. Very
soft, very guy. And with a touch on the remote control, the curtains closed, the lighting shifted to theater mode, and gothic wall sconces flickered to life with electric “fire.”

She stared at the wall sconces. “Modern-day meets Dracula?”

“It was a gift from a friend. She thought my life needed some character.”

Nicky noted the “she,” but didn’t comment. It shouldn’t bother her that he had a female friend who gave him wall sconces. She had no right to be jealous, he’d only just stepped back into her life, and yet she felt a tinge of annoyance despite all logic. Her island god was supposed to be hers alone.

“It’s very nice,” she forced herself to say as she sat down on the sofa. God, she just sank right into the cushions. She forcibly restrained herself from stroking the fabric. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

He laughed. The sound was sudden and startled her into opening her eyes. He stood right before her, his arms folded across his chest. His muscles bulged beneath his tee, and his eyes seemed to flicker as they reflected the wall sconce’s fake fire. “Wow, you have some bizarre ideas about hypnotism.”

He grabbed an ottoman, set it directly in front of her, then plopped down on it. This close, she could see forearm muscles as they flexed. She’d always thought him kind of soft in high school, but that had obviously changed. In fact, a lot of things about him had changed, she thought as she mentally tabulated the cost of his toys. As a kid, his family had struggled financially. His dad was an electrician who drank beer, she recalled. A
lot
of beer. And his mom…well, she didn’t remem
ber his mom doing much of anything. But obviously circumstances had changed.

She’d looked him up on the Internet this morning and had been stunned by what she discovered. He was more than a good engineer. He was a
brilliant
engineer and a millionaire because of it. Add that to the changes in his physique and the fact that he could now talk about things other than
Star Trek
and calculus and…well, he was one appealing package.

He interrupted her thoughts with a touch on her knee, one that brought her attention abruptly back to him. “First thing we have to do is get you to relax.”

He’d touched her skin only for a split second, but it brought her flesh to burning alertness. “That’s so unlike me,” she abruptly confessed.

He raised his eyebrows. “Composed, hyperaware of your surroundings, and a little skittish when nervous? You seem
exactly
like yourself to me,” he said softly.

She frowned. “Is that how I seem to you? Is that how I was in high school?” He nodded.

She shook her head. “I was on the top of the world in high school. Queen of my set, managed school and volleyball without a hitch.” She almost referred to her wrestling team boyfriend, but didn’t want to go there. She’d had
lousy
taste in guys in high school. After high school, too, for that matter. “Back then, I had everything under control. Or thought I did.”

“And now?”

“I am one careless mistake away from fired.”

“That can’t be true.” His gaze scanned her corporate persona, from the tight bun all the way through her gray suit and black pumps. She undoubtedly looked as if she had it all together.

“This is just a mirage,” she confessed. “Sure, I’m on the corporate fast track, but the better you perform, the more they expect of you. I’m the go-to girl for problems. I’m the go-to girl for—” she almost said layoffs, but stopped herself in time “—for restructuring. I’m the go-to girl for reports that make everything clear.”

He blinked. “Wow. You’re the go-to schlub. Never expected that.”

“What?”

“You know,
that
person. That smart, overachieving schlub that everyone dumps whatever they can on. And the schlub gets it done. Which is why the schlub gets promoted, but also gets—”

“The early heart attack—”

“Or panic attacks.”

“Touché. But not everyone can have a brilliant engineering idea, then sell it for zillions.” She leaned forward. “I looked you up. You made a fortune in just a few years.” He’d figured out some circuit board something that she didn’t even understand, but it was revolutionary. He’d built a company, then sold it eight months ago for an incredible amount of money. Now he did some consulting work and played amateur hypnotist on Thursday nights at his brother’s bar. “I always knew you were smart, but damn, Jimmy, you’ve done awesome.”

“I’m no stranger to pressure, Nicky,” he said softly. “One year ago, I was on the verge of meltdown myself. It’s why I sold my company. I couldn’t hack it alone and was spending all my time on management—which I hated—rather than R & D.”

She sighed, fighting envy. “I was a star in high school ’cause it was easy and I was pretty. In the real world, I have to work hard. And no, I’m not likely to be fired anytime soon, despite my fears. Plus I have enough in
the bank to cover a year’s mortgage. But that could all change in a minute, and you know it.”

He shook his head. “I think you undervalue yourself.”

She started to laugh, but it came out more as a choked sob. “You don’t know anything about me.”

He was silent a long time. Long enough that she brought her eyes back to his, then flickered away only to hop back again. Away and back, a couple times. But he never wavered. He was perfect in his silence and his steady regard, and in the end, she settled enough to hold his gaze.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and mesmerizing. “Let’s change that,” he said. “Let’s find out more about Nicky.”

“You said you were going to hypnotize me.”

“I said I’d help you figure out what happened and why.”

She swallowed. “We already know—”

“Hush,” he said with a tinge of impatience. “I’m the hypnotist. You’re the subject. Do you trust me? Can you relax your guard enough to answer my questions? Do as I ask?”

She swallowed, anxiety making her hands clench. “I think so.”

“Good. Now we’re going to pick a word. You can use that word whenever you want to end things. Just thinking that word will be enough to pull you out, but it’s better if you say it aloud.”

“A safety word.”

“Exactly. You’ll always be able to say it. You can stop things whenever you want. Just—”

“Think the word. I mean, say it aloud.”

He nodded. “So, any ideas what you want that word to be?”

“Pistachio.”

He tilted his head in surprise. “The nut?”

“The ice cream.” Then she shrugged. “It’s the ice cream I had—”

“Prom night. We went to the café and you ordered pistachio ice cream. I remember.”

She smiled. “It…tastes like safety to me. I know that’s stupid, but that taste…it’s safe.”

His expression softened. “That’s not stupid at all. In fact, I’m glad I made you feel safe that night.”

She flushed and looked away. This was already uncomfortably intimate, and now she’d just confessed something she’d never told anyone before. But then, she’d told Jimmy a ton of things that night that she’d never told anyone before. And the memory made her squirm with nostalgic longing. Everything was so much clearer back in high school.

“Um, can we get on with this?” she asked.

“Sure. But you have to look at me.”

She’d been gazing at the subtle texture in his gray carpet, but now her eyes pulled up to his chin. He had a firm chin with a shadow of a beard. It was kinda…rakish. Really sexy.

He touched her cheek. She hadn’t even seen his hand move, but she felt the caress all the way to her toes. And just like that, her gaze was locked with his.

“Just remember pistachio. Say it, and you’ll feel completely safe. You’ll
be
completely safe.”

“Pistachio,” she whispered, and damn if it didn’t work. Just saying the word brought back the warmth of the café, the vinyl seats of the booth, the smell of coffee and burgers in the air. Jimmy sat across from her, the
world was on the outside and everything was perfect in that one moment of perfection. And if that weren’t weird enough already, her perfect café was sitting right smack-dab in the middle of her island of lusty delight. She knew she was a split second away from sand, sun and hot oil abandon.

“Good,” he said, clearly oblivious to how totally turned on she’d suddenly gotten. “Let’s begin.” He reached behind her and clicked on a light. It was a lamp that he adjusted to form a spotlight onto his left arm. Then, before she could ask what he was doing, he sat back down and lifted a pocket watch. How totally traditional. She would have said the thought, but with a flick of his wrist, he set it spinning, reflecting the light like a strobe.