“The rumor is that you don't believe you can continue with this project, either.”
Malcolm kept his expression neutral. “Do you believe that rumor?”
“No, I don't.” Leo shook his head. “I have confidence in you. Ty had confidence in you. You need to show the industry that you have confidence in yourself.”
“What would you suggest I do?”
“First, you need to stop the bad press. This movie is going to be another Celestial Productions success. I can feel it. Make them feel it, too.”
Malcolm thought of the vendetta Nathan Rutherford had for him. “I think that's easier said than done.”
“If there's any way I can help you, let me know. Although, Frank won't be pleased.” Leo gave a tight smile.
Malcolm was surprised. “Why not?”
The older man leaned back in his chair. “He thinks the movie will hurt the
InterDimensions
series.”
Malcolm recalled the cocktail party. “Does he think Nicole is more interested in getting paid than in protecting her story?”
“I think that's part of it. He also doesn't trust Hollywood.”
Malcolm arched a brow. “You're a successful film producer. Does he consider you âHollywood'?”
Leo sighed. “I'm afraid so. And now with the
InterDimensions
movie going into production, he resents me more than ever.”
Malcolm frowned. “But you don't have anything to do with this project.”
Leo shook his head, then lifted a hand to smooth locks of graying hair off his forehead. “That doesn't matter. He puts us all in the same category.”
Leo was silent for a while, lost in thought, before he continued. “I didn't spend a lot of time with my family when we were younger. I was too busy climbing the corporate ladder so I could get them thingsâa bigger house, fancy cars, whatever they may have wanted.”
Malcolm thought of the times during his marriage when he'd told Nicole how much he regretted not being able to buy her expensive things.
You're all I need,
she had replied. But she hadn't seemed to need him after the miscarriage. She had turned to her family and shut him out. Malcolm put those memories behind him as Leo continued his story.
“Then one day, I woke up and realized I didn't know my wife and son anymore. They had developed a bond between them that shut me out of their lives. I'm still trying to find my way back in. But it's strange. I think Ava resents my efforts. She even threatened to leave me.”
“Ava was going to leave you?” Malcolm found that idea hard to believe. The older couple always seemed so affectionate toward each other whenever he saw them together.
Malcolm could sense Leo's pain beneath his smiles.
“Oh, yes,” his mentor said. “I was so wrapped up in my work, I hadn't realized how bad the situation had become. Ava said she and Frank had been managing just fine on their own all these years. That I was just an interference.”
Malcolm winced. “That must have hurt.”
“Those words hurt enough to sink in. I had to find a way to connect with my son. That's when I started reading for pleasure again. Frank really loves to read. And he loves Nicole's
InterDimensions
series.”
“They're great stories.”
Leo's brows rose. “I'd forgotten you've read her series.”
“Yes. And her other titles.” Malcolm almost groaned when his comment brought the twinkle back to Leo's eyes.
“Nicole is a very attractive woman.”
“Yes, she is.”
Leo watched Malcolm intently. “Much more attractive than her book jacket leads one to believe.”
“I agree. But before you start getting any ideas, I want you to know our relationship is strictly business.”
Leo laughed. “Ah, Mal, my friend. Your best years aren't behind you until the pretty ladies stop noticing you. And this one is definitely noticing you.”
“Oh?”
“Definitely. She was checking you out.” Leo struggled with a grin.
Malcolm frowned. He was glad to see Leo's spirits lifting, but he wished it wasn't at his expense.
“Strictly business, Leo,” he reminded his friend.
“All work and no play makes for a very dull and lonely life, Mal. Take it from someone who knows.”
“Do you have any other clichés for me?”
Leo threw back his head and roared with laughter. “Is there anything I can do to help you with the
InterDimensions
movie project?” he asked when he regained his composure.
Malcolm's reflexive reaction was to deny any need for help. It was hard to go against the do-it-yourself attitude with which he had grown up. But, with an effort, he choked back his refusal and took a moment to consider Leo's offer.
“Perhaps there's something you can do.”
Â
Later, Malcolm sat alone in his office. He missed Tyrone. He needed to speak with him about his plan to move forward with the project and ignore his critics' doubts. He closed his eyes and concentrated. In the stillness, he imagined he could hear Tyrone's voice: “The company's in good hands, Mal. Your love life needs help.”
Startled, Malcolm's eyes flew open. That wasn't the response he'd expected. But he'd heard Tyrone's voice as clearly as though his friend stood right next to him.
Malcolm picked up his telephone and dialed Nicole's number before he could reconsider his decision.
“Hello.”
Malcolm ignored her sharp greeting. “Have dinner with me tonight.”
“Mal?” she asked after a brief pause.
“Who else would it be?”
“Did you call me a second ago?”
“No. Why?”
“Someone called and just breathed into the phone. I thought perhaps it was you and we had a bad connection.”
Concerned, Malcolm sat straighter in his chair. “You sound upset. Are you sure the caller didn't say anything?”
“There were no sounds on the other end of the line except breathing. I think that's what unnerved me. That and the note I received the other day.”
Malcolm frowned. “Do you think they're connected?”
“I don't know. All I know is, they were both disturbing.”
Malcolm glanced at his watch. It was after five o'clock. “Do you want me to come over?”
“I'll be okay in a minute. How did your day go?”
Malcolm reluctantly accepted the change of subject. Maybe he was overreacting. Perhaps it was just a nuisance call and nothing more. “I'll tell you all about it over dinner tonight.”
“Just tell me now.”
He smiled at her impatience. “No. Over dinner.”
“Don't keep me in suspense. That's mean. At least tell me if it went well.”
“It went very well.”
“Oh, Mal, I'm so pleased.”
He heard the smile in her voice. “Great. Have dinner with me.”
“Mal, I don't like going out to eat.”
“I'm getting that impression. I'll cook.” He leaned back in his chair, swinging it from side to side.
Nicole's silence hummed with disbelief. “This ought to be interesting.”
He sat up again, offended. “I can cook.”
She chuckled. “Since when?”
He ignored her disbelieving snort. “I'll pick you up at seven o'clock.”
“I can find my way to your house.”
“I'll pick you up, and I'll feed you,” he insisted.
“Mal, I'm going to drive to your house,” Nicole repeated with a laugh. “There's no point in your picking me up just to drive us back to your house.”
Malcolm gave in. He didn't want to argue with Nicole before asking for her help. “I'll see you at seven, then.”
Malcolm replaced the receiver. He vowed to cook her a meal that would have her taste buds singing for months and would win her cooperation for the plan he and Leo had decided on. He knew Nicole was going to be annoyed, to put it mildly. He'd have to do some fast talking to convince her to work with him on this plan.
C
HAPTER
E
IGHT
Nicole hoped she'd misunderstood Malcolm. “I'm sorry. What did you say?”
“You heard me. Leo offered to host a dinner party for the
InterDimensions
project,” he repeated.
Nicole sensed Malcolm's tension. He seemed to be bracing himself for a fight. She couldn't blame him after her reaction to the last
InterDimensions
social event. She looked down at the remains of the deliciously spicy pasta dish he'd served for dinner. The man had told the truth, she thought with a sigh. He really could cook. She wondered if he'd intended the meal to make her more amenable to his plan. She smothered a smile at that idea.
She returned her attention to Malcolm, keeping her gaze above his chest-sculpting black sweater. “How would the dinner party help us?”
“Leo is a well-respected veteran of the film industry. He has a lot of clout. By hosting the dinner party, he'll be showing his support for the project. It would go a long way toward countering the bad press I've been receiving.”
“
We've
been receiving,” Nicole corrected.
Malcolm nodded absently. “After Ty's death, the project stalled. But now we're regrouping, and the party will help give us positive exposure. Publicists, trade press, and agents will be there.”
Nicole sipped her fruit punch, considering the strategy. “It sounds like a good idea.”
Malcolm's brows shot toward his hairline. Then a cautious look entered his eyes. Nicole felt her lips curve in amusement.
“It would really help to have you there to show a united front,” he said. “Everyone knows how important you are to this project.”
“I agree.” She smiled as Malcolm's eyes narrowed in suspicion. “You seem surprised,” she teased.
He shared her smile. “I am. We had to practically drag you to the last cocktail party. And you started asking when you could leave almost as soon as we arrived.”
“I'm not comfortable at social events.”
“You used to enjoy parties and socializing. What happened?”
Tension gathered in Nicole's shoulders. Her gaze dropped from his. “Over the years, I seem to have lost my self-confidence.”
“Nickyâ”
Nicole looked up into Malcolm's stricken expression. “Mal, I'm not telling you this to upset you. I'm giving you the answer to a question you keep asking. I'm sure the miscarriage and divorce weren't easy for you, either. Don't worry, I'm dealing with it. And I'll have you there to help me through it, friend,” she added, forcing a smile.
Malcolm still looked concerned, but he managed to return her smile. “I'll do my best. But I'd better warn you. Leo's son isn't happy about this project.”
Nicole winced. “I got that feeling during the cocktail party. Do you think he'll be there?”
“Probably.” Understanding softened Malcolm's gaze.
“Well, I survived my last encounter with him.”
“You handled him very well.”
“Mal, you don't have to sweet-talk me. I've already agreed to go. When will it be?”
“Leo needs to talk with his wife, Ava. But we were planning on the first or second Saturday in April. We want to do it as soon as possible so we can move forward with the production. We've had the auditions and site surveys on hold long enough.”
“A Saturday evening?” Nicole was incredulous.
“Yes. Why?”
“Well, the NBA play-offs are going on now. Suppose the Knicks are playing?”
Malcolm looked amused. “Can't you tape the game and watch it later?”
Nicole squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. Her eyes popped open. “You've never liked the Knicks,” she accused.
“I don't dislike the Knicks,” he prevaricated.
“You have âLos Angeles Lakers fan' written all over you.”
“Which is convenient, since I live in L.A.” Malcolm stood to clear the table.
She laughed. “You're from Michigan. You should support the Detroit Pistons.”
“They suck this season.” Malcolm waved a hand dismissively.
Nicole smiled at Malcolm's snort of disgust. “True.” She rose to help clear the table. “Fine. I'll tape the game.”
“Thank you, Nicky. I appreciate the sacrifice.”
“You'd better,” she warned teasingly.
“Don't worry. I'll make a few for you in return.”
Malcolm grinned, and in a flash, the atmosphere between them changed as a new element entered the room. Sexual hunger. She saw it in his eyes and felt it in her gut. She took a step back, even as she realized there wasn't enough distance in the world to ease her need to touch him.
“I don't need you to make sacrifices for me, Mal.” She turned and stacked her dishes in the dishwasher, then started from the room. “I think it's time for me to go home.”
“What
did
you need me for, Nicky?”
She turned and frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You didn't need me for money. You had your own. You didn't even need me to help you through the miscarriage. You had your family for that.” He stepped toward her with each accusation, but she refused to give ground. They ended up with barely an arm's length between them. “So, what
did
you need me for?”
“I did need you to help me through our baby's death. You're the one who didn't need me.” She forced the words past the air clogging her throat.
“Yes, I did.”
“Then why did you keep pushing me away?”
“I'm not pushing you away now.” He gripped her forearms and pulled her against him. His lips locked over hers, and the need that had been stoked and restrained several times in the past weeks was resurrected with a growl that reverberated in her core. The desire had been building since he'd kissed her the day she'd returned to Los Angeles. Now, reawakened, it was so much more than a need. It was a hunger. A wild thing clawing its way out of her to mate with him.
He slanted his lipsâhis warm, firm lipsâacross hers and deepened the kiss, adding a dimension that melted her bones and made her muscles quiver. Her arms, which had pressed against his chest, slid over his shoulders and linked behind his neck. A warning voice buzzed in her ear, but the hunger slapped it away and urged her to press her body along the length of his. He groaned and she shivered.
“I want you,” he growled into her mouth.
“I know. I want you, too,” she breathed back.
“Thank God.”
She gasped as her feet left the ground, and he carried her up the stairs to his bedroom.
“I'mâ” Her words caught in her throat when his lips returned to pull her back into the vortex of need. Her pulse pounded in her ears; her body trembled and burned.
She felt Malcolm lower her body against his until her feet touched the ground. His large, firm hands slid under her sweater. His fingertips stroked against her ribs, all the while scrambling her mind with a kiss so deep and dark it pulled at the wild thing straining within her.
Nicole dragged her hands over his form-fitting sweater before pulling it up and off him. His skin was smooth, firm, and hot. Her hands curved over his pectorals. She pulled her lips away from his and dipped her head to lick his collarbone. He shivered beneath her hands, tempting her to further explore his bare skin with her tongue and fingertips. But as she dipped her head toward his nipple, he held her back, stripped off her sweater, and fell with her onto the bed.
“Later,” Malcolm murmured. “We'll play later. I need you now.”
They continued to undress each other. When their clothes were piled on the floor, he ran both hands over her from heel to head, then eased his body onto her. He caressed and licked and nipped her until she was writhing beneath him.
“Take me. Take me now, dammit, before I go insane,” Nicole panted.
“Yes, baby. I'll take you now. Now and forever.”
Malcolm pressed into her long and hard. Nicole gasped as her body adjusted to the long-missed pleasure of having him inside her. His hot breath blew into her neck, adding to her arousal. The pressure built, and she bit her lip to keep from screaming in ecstasy.
She dug her fingertips into his broad back as he moved above her. Tighter and tighter the coil pulled within her, the ache building until she thought she'd snap. Until she did snap. Wave after wave of pounding pleasure rushed through her. She felt his body stiffen, and the force of his release intensified her own. It was too much. She threw her head back and screamed.
Â
Nicole's body purred. She felt ... languid. Yes. That was a good word to describe it. She hadn't felt so languid in years. Now why would that be?
Her eyes snapped open with total recall. She squinted against the morning light, and her gaze locked with Malcolm's. Her body tensed, and the feeling disappeared without a trace. His gaze was watchful, shuttered. She resisted the urge to squirm. The silence held long after they took each other's measure.
“I'll make coffee,” he finally said before rolling naked out of bed. He took a pair of sweatpants from his closet, pulled them on, and walked out the door.
Now temper joined Nicole's tension and unease. She'd had mind-blowing sex with the man. They'd spent the night naked in each other's arms, but he couldn't even say to her, “Good morning.” She threw off the sheet and bedspread, snatched up her clothes and underwear, and marched with stiff, irritated movements into the adjoining master bathroom.
The shower called to her. She just couldn't stomach the idea of putting her clothes back on without washing first. Nicole cracked open the bathroom door. After making sure Malcolm hadn't returned, she moved quickly but stealthily out of the bedroom and toward the linen closet at the end of the hall. She crossed her arms over her breasts to minimize the bounce. She'd almost reached the closet when Malcolm climbed the stairs next to it.
They froze. Nicole saw a slow simmer begin in his hot-cocoa gaze as it caressed her face, then lower to the arms clasped over her breasts and across her quivering abdomen. When his gaze lingered between her legs, she lowered her left arm to cover her breasts and used her right hand to shield her privacy. His attention didn't move immediately. She felt herself grow warmer, and moisture gathered between her thighs. Still, she couldn't move or speak to break this spell. She wasn't certain she wanted to.
“What are you doing?” Malcolm's voice was a husky whisper. She felt a pulse begin to beat within her.
“I ... I wanted ... I came to get a towel. To shower.”
Malcolm's gaze lifted slowly to her face. Then, as though in a daze, he turned, pulled a towel from the closet, and handed it to her. Nicole hesitated, reluctant to move her arms and bare herself. But, with no other choice, she reached for the towel and stepped back to wrap it around her body. As she walked away on her spaghetti legs, she thought she heard a muffled groan.
Nicole locked the bathroom door, dropped onto the rim of the combination shower/bathtub, and waited for her muscles to stop shaking.
Distance.
She needed to put some distance between this situation and herself.
You never needed me for anything,
Malcolm had said to her. Nicole frowned. He'd said that before. What made him think that? She'd needed him for everything. And then he'd left. She'd thought perhaps he'd blamed her for losing the baby. But maybe that wasn't true.
She turned on the water and adjusted the temperature, then stepped under the shower spray. Flashes of the previous night seduced her as she lathered herself with Malcolm's no-nonsense soap. The things he'd done to her. The sounds he'd made. The way he'd made her feel. The way he'd made her scream. After the thunderous release she'd had last night, she thought her hunger would be sated. But a new hunger built as the heated water and Malcolm's soap worked to stir memories. And not just the new memories from last night, but memories of a young Nicole being loved by a young Malcolm who had pledged to stay with her forever.
This was wrong, her mind screamed, even as her body ached. Malcolm may be a caring, fulfilling lover who pleased her as she knew no one else ever could, but they weren't compatible for a long-term relationship. She'd learned that years ago. She was a nurturer. She needed to take care of people. He needed to stand on his own. She couldn't go against her nature, and she wouldn't ask him to change his.
Nicole quickly dressed, opting not to put on her underpants and cringing as she pulled on her socks. She couldn't find her hairpins, so she braided her hair and secured the end with a rubber band she found in the medicine cabinet.