Solving For Nic (9 page)

There was something off in the way Rogan was smiling at her while they danced much too close together. He didn’t believe Rogan would get involved with Lizzie but he didn’t like the way she leaned into him. They were too close. Rogan’s knee went between Lizzie’s legs and Nic's central nervous system went haywire. A long dormant hunting instinct stirred inside him as he watched the two dance. Nic was putting a stop to their little show. Right now.

“Nic, are you listening to me?” Angie’s voice rose in alarm, he stepped forward.

“No.” The word seethed from between his teeth. Every muscle in his body was poised to spring. He turned back to his sister and tried to keep his voice calm. “Will it help if I distract her from your husband?”

Angie’s brittle smile wavered. “What are you thinking?”

Evisceration was what Nic was thinking. He grabbed two glasses of champagne instead and handed one to his sister.

“You let me worry about that. I’ll get her out of the way.”

“How?” Concern laced her words. “You can’t run off with her.”

Watch me. Nic thought, sipping his champagne. His hinges were coming loose but he didn’t care. Lizzie leaned into Rogan and his hand slipped too low on her hip. Evisceration might not be enough.

“I don’t know what Ben is thinking.”

Nic turned, blocking Angie's view. “You need to decide what you want. If you want him back, I'll remove her from the equation but if you do want a divorce, I’d rather not chew up and spit out such a pretty young thing for no good reason.” Well, at least not in front of everyone. One way or another, he was going to separate her from Rogan. What he did afterwards was up in the air. He knew what he wanted to do but the civilized part of his brain seemed to have rebooted and was now running on a backup generator.

“Ask her to dance so I can talk to him?”

“He’s your husband. You should walk down there and talk to him anyway.”

She sighed. “It’s not that simple.”

“It’s exactly that simple. Come on, I’ll show you.”

He slid his arm around her waist and started across the ballroom.

Lizzie watched Nic move through the crowd toward them. She eased into Rogan, no longer pretending to hang on him. “Nic’s here.”

Rogan spotted his wife. Lizzie felt his body grow tight as he held on to her. She didn’t mind, she needed the support. Nic was staring straight at her and a laser beam cutting her in half would have been less painful.

Okay, it was possible her plan had backfired.

It was like being circled by a shark. A hot shark and a dangerous predator Lizzie had no defense against. In fact, she wouldn’t mind being lunch or dinner. She wanted to fling herself at him and let him devour her. It was the reason she existed. Who was she to fight the universe?

Except as he approached, something cold trickled down her spine. He was all cool, elegance again. Not an emotion in sight.

She’d expected him to be angry. She couldn’t have been more wrong. Ice rained over her, freezing all her crazy emotions in place. An unexpected calm settled over her as bored brown eyes swept over her.

She hadn’t been a blip on his radar. He hadn’t tried to get in touch with her because he hadn’t thought twice about her. Her vertebrae froze solid and without warning, instead of bursting into tears she lit up like Christmas morning. Throwing her arms around Angie, she hugged the startled girl like a long lost best friend.

“Angie!” She gushed and bounced on her tip toes. Screw Nic and the horse he rode in on. Now she was so over him. He was history. “Rogan, here she is. He’s been trying to find you all night.” She hugged Angie again and pretended she didn’t notice the other girl pulled away from her. Lizzie continued her chatter, anger pumping adrenalin through her veins. “This party is fabulous and the hotel is amazing. I adore midcentury modern and I swear Roger Sterling is going to walk in any minute. Not Don Draper because he’s an ass. Nic, ask me to dance, it’s been ages.”

She purposely switched gears in mid-breath but she didn’t catch him off guard. His smile was slow and dead sexy as it spread across his gorgeous face.

“Great idea.”

Lizzie met his gaze head-on and set her party girl persona to stun. She held out her hand for him and went for it. She’d finally asked him to dance first. It would be the last time she indulged herself. She was not a damned blip on anyone’s radar, but after tonight, he would be one on hers.

The second his fingers curled around hers, she wavered. Electric shock sizzled down her hand to her arm and right straight through her. Panic slicked along her nerve endings and she hoped her vacant smile was in place. She couldn’t feel her skin so she wasn’t sure.

This might not have been the best idea.

Warmth radiated off him. Her bones softened as she leaned into him, letting him control their movements. The rest of the dancers faded away. A familiar lethargy pulled her into a strange slow motion. He smelled so good. Felt so familiar. An ache started deep inside her.

Definitely a mistake but how could anything that felt so wonderful be a mistake?

The slow song ended and the band broke into a much faster more modern song. He didn’t release her. Relieved, she let go and lost herself in the music, the beat, and the proximity to him. Now, as Nic's fingers slid over her, scorching her through the dress and keeping her in a constant state of motion, Lizzie forgot she had a plan. Everything slid right out of her mind. He spread through her system like pure alcohol. He spun her around and pulled her back. His hands flattened against her stomach tightening her hips against his. Lizzie stretched and swayed to the music. When his mouth brushed against her shoulder, tasting her, she nearly went supernova right in the middle of the dance floor.

They lasted two more songs before he clamped his hand around hers and walked her out of the crowd. He didn’t speak. Neither did she. There was nothing to say. He didn’t lead her to the open bar. Instead they walked straight out of the ballroom and down a few steps to a lounge where some grand opening guests had gathered for a more subdued atmosphere.

The cooler air in the lounge helped clear her head but she was floating from dancing, the loud music and being so close to him. The contact between their hands kept the combustion going and Lizzie was pretty sure she would have followed him straight into a volcano just to cool off. He found an empty booth in the back, ordered a bottle of wine, then turned his full attention back to her.

“What have you been up to lately?”

He was too close to her in the booth, making it difficult to breathe. She managed not to jump out of her skin when his arm went around her, resting against the back of the booth, but she couldn't look at him, not unless she wanted to asphyxiate. She laughed to cover her breathlessness. “Really?”

His eyebrows lifted. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Did he ask a question? She blinked, the weight of her head becoming harder and harder to sustain. There was something she was supposed to be doing, but she couldn’t remember what it was. Kissing him, maybe? No. It sounded like a great idea but she was pretty sure that wasn't her plan. “This and that.”

Nic had the most beautiful mouth she'd ever seen. Lizzie blinked and pretended she hadn't been staring. His thigh brushed against her as he eased around until he was almost in front of her. Her weight sank back against the booth and her bones started to melt again. He blocked out the rest of the world as she could barely keep her head up.

She forced herself to face him, then wished she hadn’t. The apex predator staring back at her wasn’t hungry. He was furious.

“Oh.” She swallowed hard. If he was a predator, she was prey. She was not as upset as she should’ve been. A wildly inappropriate sizzle started deep inside her.

“Yeah. Oh.” His smile was not nice. “You owe me breakfast.”

The tone of his voice didn’t reflect the anger rolling off him. He had it under control. She shivered, wondering how she would survive the anger she could feel rushing out of him. She was in way over her head. When the backs of his fingers stroked slowly down the inside of her arm, she didn't care anymore. It was such a simple touch, a light caress, but it felt like electricity scalding down her arm.

“Your skin is so soft.” The words were low and smoky, and sending her deeper into a drugged state she had no idea how to deal with. Not that she wanted to deal with it.

“Nic, I…”

Their wine arrived. He released her and waved off the server. He poured two glasses and handed her one. Cold and crisp, the wine was delicious.

“Not too sweet?” He set his glass aside, turning toward her in the booth.

“Perfect.” She sounded breathless and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. She drank the wine too quickly and almost dropped the wine glass when he tried to refill it.

“Relax.” His voice was husky and warm and tingling over her skin like static electricity.

“How?” She whimpered, wondering if she was going to come right out of her skin.

He was too close. She couldn’t think.

“Close your eyes,” he suggested.

“Not a chance.” She gasped out the last word when his hand moved over her knee and between her legs. His fingers burned the sensitive skin of her inner thighs as they pressed in, easing her legs apart.

His smile turned devastating then. “You’re burning up, aren’t you?”

She scooted back in the booth, making it easier for his palm to press against her inner thigh. His thumb teased over the damp lace. “Nic…wait…”

“Don’t move,” he whispered against her mouth before claiming it with his own.

Her head fell back as the kiss deepened. His taste rushed through her system, imprinting itself on every part of her. She couldn’t get enough. Never wanted it to end.

“You left me.” The words grazed across her lips, as his teeth nipped and pulled her bottom lip. “I should punish you.”

If what his fingers were doing was his idea of punishment, Lizzie decided she would be bad for the rest of her life. She gasped, no longer caring they were in a public place.

“I panicked.” She whimpered when his fingers pushed the lace aside and there was nothing stopping him from sliding deep inside her. He stopped when her words sank in. “I woke up and panicked. Kind of like I’m about to do right now.”

Something strange flickered in his eyes and his face softened into a more familiar version of him. He eased his hand back, his palm soothing down her thighs until her legs stopped shaking.

“I’m sorry.” She traced her fingers along his shadowed jawline. He leaned into the caress, his eyes fluttering shut as he ducked his chin. She felt him shudder, but he was covering her hand with his. “I didn’t know what to do.”

He cleared his throat, his voice raspy and not unaffected by what had almost happened. “I should have called you.” The words were low and filled with self-recriminations, not criticism for her.

She nodded. “I wanted you to call.”

She’d been devastated when he hadn’t and furious with herself for being devastated. That was not who Lizzie thought she was. She was logical not irrational. That night with Nic had been more than her first time, it had made her question everything about herself and all the things she told herself she wanted but for once logic and numbers were no help in understanding what was happening to her.

He topped off their wine glasses, emptying the bottle. “We can make it up to each other. I have a place in the Keys. Spend the week with me.”

“Seriously?” The invitation was the last thing she’d expected.

“There’s a boat and a pool and if it gets too quiet, I’ll take you shopping.”

Take her shopping?
Who did Nic think she was?

He kissed her again. His mouth moved slowly over hers, grazing tender flesh with his teeth then soothing her with his tongue. Long fingers wrapped around the back of her head and held her there. He lifted those golden, jungle animal eyes. “Spend a week with me and let Rogan and Angie have some time alone.” His hand stroked down her cheek until his thumb pressed along her bottom lip.

Oh, that’s who he thought she was. Maybe her performance had been too good. Now she was Angie’s problem and Nic wanted to get her out of the way. It stung, but she couldn’t blame him. Nic had never seen her in the real world. They’d met at parties and family functions.

She relaxed back in the booth, her eyes closing as he tasted the soft skin below her ear. Hot chills slid over her, shutting down her brain. Not thinking was perfect. Everything fell away. Hatton. School. Angie and Rogan.

She wanted to go with him. Wanted to spend more time with him. Wanted to forget all the pressure and problems and live in the now. What would a few days hurt?

“Will there be more kissing?” She flicked the tip of her tongue against his thumb.

He raised his head, eyes meeting hers. “Definitely. Lots of kissing.”

“And you have a boat?”

“Fishing trawler but plenty of places for you to tan. My house sits right out on the water. You’ll love it. Take a chance,
bella
. It’s paradise, I promise you.”

Paradise? Perfect. “Sounds like fun. Give me fifteen minutes to grab my stuff.”