The Things I Do for You (The Alexanders) (6 page)

“No, I don’t think you’d ever want to see her hurt,” Ridley whispered, a strangely tender look in her eyes. “I think you feel a lot more for my sister than you want anyone to know.” She narrowed her eyes, then leaned forward and spoke in a hushed tone.

“Her engagement is over. He’s going back to his ex-wife. Which is devastating to her for more than just the obvious reasons.”

Nick leaned closer so that no one else around them could hear. “Does this have anything to do with that brochure?”

“Remember what you offered us when you found it? Well, we’re not the ones that need the offer.”

Nick’s head spun as the implication of what she was saying hit him.
Raina needs a sperm donor?
He opened his mouth to say something else but Ridley put her hand over his mouth.
 

“I can’t tell you anything else, Nick. She’ll kill me if she finds out I said this much. But I will say that after all this time of chasing Raina, it looks like you finally have something my sister wants.”

She turned around and was immediately enfolded in Jackson’s arms. His thoughts were spinning in a million different directions. It was almost unbelievable, but it seemed that Ridley was on his side if she was telling him that Raina’s desire to have a baby might be his key to getting through to her. He snorted under his breath. He finally had something she wanted, indeed.
 

“Is it true, Raina?”

“Who’s the lucky guy?”

“Is there any truth to the rumor that you’re dating a married man? Is that why you won’t discuss your personal life?”

Nick looked up sharply at the question. Raina looked like she was on the verge of running off the stage. He’d only seen her look like that once before. Nick looked back at Ridley.
 

She nodded at him. He wasn’t sure what she was telling him, but he suddenly knew what he wanted to do. He pushed through the crowd until he got to the stage. The big, beefy guy standing there narrowed his eyes at him.
 

“Sam, right?” Nick held out his hand. The other guy stared at it before shaking it, reluctantly. “I’m Nick Alexander—”

“I know who you are,” the big guy said, interrupting him. “I hope you have a plan. Because this is getting ugly.”

Nick sighed. “I have a plan, but Raina probably isn’t going to like it.”

Sam moved aside. “Anything is better than this.”

Nick walked across the stage until he stood next to Raina. “Okay, folks. Sorry I’m late.”
 

He was glad he’d come straight from work. If he was going to be photographed, at least he knew he looked good.
 

Armani didn’t have a bad side.

The crowd quieted for a moment, then flashbulbs started popping again. Nick wasn’t famous like Jackson, but he was well-known in Virginia as both a businessman and a philanthropist. He’d been named as one of the
Virginia Chronicle
’s most eligible bachelors for the past three years in a row.
 

“Mr. Alexander! Mr. Alexander! Is your family going to be involved in the reality show now that your siblings are engaged?”

“Nick. What are you doing up here?” Raina whispered. Her voice came out husky. Nick couldn’t help comparing it to the last time it had sounded like that. The night they’d spent together was as fresh in his mind as if it had happened yesterday instead of months ago. She’d cried out his name so many times she’d gone hoarse. Her voice had sounded much as it did now.
 

He straightened his tie and flashed the crowd a grin. “Whatever I say in the next few minutes, just go with it,” he whispered back.

Raina tensed when he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. He turned to the photographer who’d yelled the question.
 

“Actually, I’m just here to support Raina. You kept asking her about her fiancé, so I figured we might as well not try to hide it any longer. Right, baby?”

As flashbulbs exploded around them, Nick could hear people calling out questions but it was all a blur. All he could see was Raina’s confused expression as he dipped his head to whisper in her ear.
 

“We might as well give them something to talk about.”

Then he yanked her against him and covered her lips with his.
 

*
 
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*

“WHAT THE HELL was that?”

As soon as they were in his car, Raina whipped around in her seat to face him. Nick didn’t even look disturbed, just put the car in gear and pulled away from the restaurant.
 

“
Thank you, Nick, for saving my pretty ass back there. That was such a selfless and kind thing for you to do
,
” Nick parroted in a high, feminine voice.

“Thank you? You want me to thank you for lying to everyone that we’re engaged?”

“Ridley told me what happened. That crowd wanted a story and they were going to keep digging until they got one. I figured if we just gave them what they wanted, maybe they wouldn’t keep pushing. Although I’m not entirely sure it worked.”

“Ridley told you what happened?”

“Well, she only told me that you were having a rough time. And that your engagement is off.”

“I can’t believe she did that. I told her that in confidence.” Incensed, Raina couldn’t even think of anything else to say. She’d never held anything back from her sister. It wouldn’t even occur to her not to tell Ridley something. But she’d never had to worry about her sister blabbing her business before.
 

It felt like she’d been slugged in the stomach.

“Don’t look like that. She didn’t mean to. I found one of those brochures for the sperm bank and I thought it was hers and Jackson’s. After an incredibly awkward conversation in which I offered to be their sperm donor, she might have let a few things slip. Although, you can’t really blame her. She was probably just flustered. I think I’m permanently scarred by that conversation, too.”

Raina tried not to smile. She was still pissed at him and was determined not to let him joke his way out of it. “Oh, well. Good. I mean, it’s really none of your business.”

“You’re right. It isn’t. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still want to know if you’re okay.”

Raina didn’t answer, just looked out the window as they raced along the streets and then pulled out onto the highway.

“Wait, where are you going? Town is the other way.”

“I’m not taking you back to town. I’m taking you to my place in Virginia Beach. Just hang tight—we’ll be there in about thirty minutes.”

“Are you crazy? First you take over my press conference. Now you’re kidnapping me?”

“You want to go back to your house right now with all those vultures watching?”

“I have to at least let Sam know where I am.”

Nick frowned. “Oh yes, you can’t make a move without letting your loyal watchdog know where you are. Will he be jealous?”

“Don’t be an ass. It isn’t like that with us. I’m his boss.”

 
“Hey, I’ll let you be on top if that’s the way you like it.”

“Ugh, you are such a pig.” She turned her back to him and typed out a text to Sam. He immediately replied.
 

- - - Where the hell are you? Tell Alexander I’m going to kick his ass.

Raina rolled her eyes. She was surrounded by machismo. Although, she figured Sam did have a point. His livelihood was keeping her safe and she paid him very well to make sure that nothing happened to her. Jumping in a car with a guy she wasn’t even sure she liked probably wasn’t the best move.

 
“Nick, you really have to take me back. This isn’t cool.”

“Tell your watchdog that he can meet you at my place tomorrow morning. My building has twenty-four-hour security on site. You’re going to be the headline in tomorrow’s gossip rags no matter what you do, Raina. But you can control whether it’s good press or bad press. Which would you rather be, the scorned ex-girlfriend or the happy, future bride?”

“Okay, fine. But Sam is coming to get me first thing.”

They raced over the darkened highways until they reached the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. The radio signal shut out as soon as they entered and the car filled with the sounds of static. She reached for the knob to turn the sound down. Her fingers collided with Nick’s and she yanked her hand back. “Sorry.”

She could feel his eyes on her as they drove, but he didn’t say anything else. After about fifteen minutes they pulled off the highway. Raina sat up as they turned off the main strip. The casual vibe of the tourist area changed into a more modern look with rows of white stucco buildings. They drove up to a gate and Nick leaned out the window and handed his key tag to the man in the security booth.
 

“I’ve never been to this part of Virginia Beach before. I had no idea you lived here.” Raina bit her lip. She hadn’t actually meant to speak the thought aloud.

“I’ve lived here for almost two years now. I like the privacy and it has a great view. I’ll show you.”
 

He turned onto the next street and eased his car into one of the numbered spaces in front of his building. She got out of the car and followed him hesitantly.

The last time they’d been alone together, she’d ended up pinned beneath him on her couch. Goose bumps rose on her skin and she rubbed her arms briskly.
 

I am not going to sleep with him. I am not going to sleep with him.

She could spend time behind closed doors with Nick without anything happening. Especially now that she knew how dangerous he really was. She’d escaped with her heart intact last time, barely.
 

But if she let him back into her bed or her heart, she wasn’t so sure she’d be able to do it again.

*
 
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THEY RODE THE elevator with another couple that Nick didn’t recognize. When the car stopped on the fourth floor, Nick motioned for her to precede him. Raina stepped out into the plushly carpeted hallway.
 

“This is a really nice building.”

He led her to the second door on the left. She followed him into the quiet, dark interior. He’d left the light on in the kitchen but the rest of the place was dark. He moved around the room, switching on lamps and kicking the pair of gym sneakers he’d left in the middle of the floor to the side. He wasn’t a neat freak by any means but the things that normally didn’t bother him suddenly looked really sloppy.
 

He finally realized that he was moving around at hyperspeed while Raina stood uncertainly in the middle of the room. Damn, he hadn’t even offered her a seat.

Being nervous was a completely alien feeling.
 

“Please, sit. Can I offer you a drink?” He gestured to the kitchen. “I have iced tea, some type of white wine, and beer.”
 

“You know, it doesn’t matter. Surprise me.”

As he moved around his kitchen pulling down glasses and pouring their drinks, he thought of the incredibly well-stocked bar he’d seen at her house on their long-ago disaster of a date. She was probably used to colorful mixed drinks and parties every weekend. Ever since he’d started the foundation’s youth project, he hadn’t had much time for partying. Or friends.
 

Which suddenly seemed really lonely and pathetic.

“No, I actually haven’t done this in ages.” When she spoke, he realized he’d spoken his thoughts aloud.
 

She sat down in one of the plush armchairs by the window. “I did more bookings than ever this year so I could take time off after the wedding. I haven’t taken the time to sit and relax with a drink in a really long time. Not since before my mom’s death.”

He sat in the chair across from her and set their drinks carefully on the glass coffee table. He leaned over and took one of her hands. Her skin was warm and smooth. “I’m sorry you lost her so young. You must miss her.”
 

Raina didn’t answer for a moment. When she did, her eyes were sad. “You’re going to think I’m awful, but I really don’t. It’s hard to miss what you never had. My mother never had much use for me. Ridley was her favorite. That really isn’t saying a lot, though. She never had a kind word to say to either of us, really.” She laughed, the sound harsh. “I think I miss the
idea
of her. Which is worse.”

“I’m really sorry, Raina. I can’t even imagine.”

“Of course you can’t. Your family is like an episode of
The Cosby Show
.
I’m sure your mom helped you with your homework and had cookies and milk ready when you got home from school.”
 

She took her hand back and tucked it in her lap. Nick had to resist the urge to reach out for her again. Touching her was becoming too easy, a habit he couldn’t afford to adopt just yet. He had a feeling that if he approached her with too much emotion at once she would do what she did best. Leave him behind. If he had any chance at getting to her, he had to do it slow. Easy.
 

No sudden movements.
 

“That wouldn’t be far off the mark,” he admitted. “We were heathens growing up, I’m sure, but my parents managed to corral us somehow. I’m sure there were days they wondered what the hell they’d gotten themselves into.”

“I can’t imagine what that must have been like.” She glanced at him and then snickered. “I can’t believe there are four of you.”

She took another sip of her iced tea and sat back. Nick took it as a cue to keep talking.

 
“I was the second to youngest, so I had to learn to talk fast. There was always a lot of chaos in our house. I don’t really remember the years before Jackson came along. We’re only two years apart, so it feels like he’s always been a part of my life.”
 

“I always kind of wished we’d had more siblings. But I’m lucky I had at least Ri. If it had been just me…”

Nick leaned forward. “Is that why having a baby is so important to you?”