Читать книгу I Do? I Don't? - Christine Scott - Страница 10

At ten o’clock that evening, Jack paced the flagstone patio in the backyard of his parent’s home, waiting for Niki to return home from her date.

The night was quiet. The neighborhood at peace, bringing back memories of an idyllic past. Webster Groves was still a small town, a town whose older homes were as unique as the people living in them. A place where the people were still friendly, and where kids could still be kids.

Jack gave a wry smile. Even Beaver Cleaver couldn’t have had a more perfect childhood. As an only child, he’d had the singular attention of doting parents. He’d never wanted for a thing, except perhaps a brother or two. The house had always been too quiet to suit his taste. But then again, with Niki living next door, life never was too tranquil.

Niki.

His smile faded as once again he was reminded of the task that lay ahead. He was waiting for Niki for a specific reason. To talk her out of a wedding.

He assured himself his decision to take matters into his own hands had nothing to do with his mother or her matchmaking tactics. Niki’s marrying Greg Lawton would be a catastrophic mistake. It wasn’t in his nature to allow any wrong to go unrighted.

He’d been watching out for Niki for the better part of twenty-three years. They might have spent the last few years in separate cities, but that hadn’t lessened his sense of obligation toward her. She needed a firm hand to guide her to a happy future.

He had that firm hand.

The purr of an approaching engine drew his attention. He watched as Niki pulled her car into the Adamses’ garage. He caught up with her as soon as she opened her door.

She turned, gasping. “You scared me half to death! What are you still doing here, Jack?”

Jack frowned. It wasn’t exactly the welcome he’d hoped for, but he wasn’t going to let her show of bad humor discourage him. “I wanted to talk to you.” He raised a questioning brow. “You got a minute?”

She bit her lip, looking uncertain. “Sure, come on inside.”

He hesitated, knowing Niki’s mother was bound to be underfoot. The conversation he intended to broach with Niki was of a private nature, one that promised to be difficult. He didn’t need an audience. “It’s too nice of an evening. What do you say we stay outside?”

She shrugged. “How about the gazebo?”

The gazebo had been a favorite meeting place of theirs when they were kids. Resting in a corner of Niki’s backyard, it was far enough away from the prying ears of overly protective parents, yet close enough for them to feel secure if the need arose for a little extra attention. Its white, Victorian-styled trim gave it a whimsical feel, making it a perfect playhouse.

Moonlight and a few strategically placed outdoor lights marked their way through the night-darkened yard. Jack followed her at a discreet distance, feeling unsettled by the fact that he was noticing the curving length of her legs and the saucy swing of her hips. He forced his thoughts to safer ground, remembering Niki as a kid.

His earliest memory of Niki was when he was five. It had been Christmas and the Adamses had brought home this crying, fidgeting little bundle. He’d peered at the baby everyone was cooing over and saw a bright, pink face and fluffy tufts of hair that were the color of a ripe pumpkin. One look at the kid and he knew she would be trouble. His parents had told him her name was Nicole, and that she was a very special Christmas present. Jack had liked the Adamses. He thought they’d deserved something better.

From that day onward their lives had become entwined. Niki was the little sister he’d never had. Now he couldn’t help but feel guilty, as though there were something illicit in the fact he was noticing her as a beautiful, sexy woman.

“How’s the new job?” she asked, drawing him out of his pensive mood.

“The job’s fine,” he said, wincing at the strained sound of his voice. “It’s keeping me busy.”

“So I’ve heard.”

He moaned. “Now, don’t you start lecturing me, too.”

For the first time that evening, she laughed as she settled herself in the white wicker love seat. He watched as she kicked off her pumps and tucked her long legs beneath her. She looked relaxed, comfortable and—yes, dammit—irresistible. “I wouldn’t think of it. I know better than to try to give advice to anyone. Besides, I’ve got enough to think about on my own.”

He resisted the urge to join her on the love seat. Instead, he leaned a shoulder against one of the ornately decorated poles, deciding it best to keep a safe distance between him and Niki. Roses vined upward over the trellised porch, teasing the air with their sweet scent. A gentle breeze felt soft and warm, as though fall were just a distant promise. For a moment he wished they were kids again. That they were young and carefree, without the encumbrances of adulthood.

But he wasn’t a kid. Neither was Niki, as he was shocked to learn. They had an adult-size problem to deal with and the sooner he brought it up, the better.

He cleared his throat. “Niki, the last thing I want to do is to be a wet blanket and give you a lecture…but I feel I’ve got to say this.” He took a deep breath, then blurted out, “What’s all this nonsense about you marrying Greg Lawton?”

“Nonsense?” The smile faded. A frown marred her beautiful face. “What do you mean, ‘nonsense’?”

“I mean, this whole idea—your marrying Greg—it’s crazy.”

“Crazy?” The single word echoed across the gazebo, like a warning shot fired across an open field. She stared at him. Even in the muted light of the moon, he saw the agitation sparkling in her green eyes. Her shoulders were tensed and ready for an argument. “Now look, Jack. Just because you don’t like Greg—”

“My personal feelings toward Greg Lawton have nothing to do with this,” he lied.

“Ha! You’ve never liked Greg. As a matter of fact, you’ve never liked any man I’ve ever dated.”

“That’s not true.” He searched his mind for someone, anyone to support his denial. “What about that guy who used to hang around here all the time during your senior year in high school? You know the one—tall kid, glasses, on the thin side?”

“Martin Skinner?” she asked, giving a disgusted look. “I never dated Martin. He was my lab partner in chemistry. He was tutoring me. If it wasn’t for him, I’d never have gotten through the class.”

“He seemed nice enough to me.” Jack shrugged. “So what was wrong with good ol’ Martin?”

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “Nothing…that is, if you wanted to date a nerd.”

Which was probably why he’d trusted him so much, Jack acknowledged silently. No wonder it hadn’t bothered him to see the gangly kid hanging around the Adamses’ house. Martin Skinner couldn’t have hurt a flea, much less been a threat to Niki’s well-being.

Jack pushed the troubling thought from his mind. He had more important things to consider than the pros and cons of dating Martin Skinner…things like Niki’s future. “Niki, all I’m trying to say is that you should slow down, give yourself time to get to know Greg before you start considering something as important as marriage.”

“I do know Greg. I’ve known him almost as long as I’ve known you,” she stated, an edge to her deceptively calm voice. He had no doubt Niki’s temper was on a short fuse. “We’ve been dating for over six months.”

Six months? Jack felt stunned. Even to his own ears, six months sounded like a long time. Had he really let that much time pass without knowing what was happening in her life?

He ignored the tiny fists of guilt jabbing away at his conscience. “Okay, so you think you know Greg. But you’re still young. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. What’s your rush? Why tie yourself down to marriage?”

“You’re wrong, Jack. The one thing I do know is that life’s too short,” she said. Her smile was bittersweet. “My father’s death taught me that much.”

“Niki, I—”

He stared at her, uncertain what to say. He wanted to disagree with her. But in his heart, he knew she was right. Her father’s fatal heart attack at the age of fifty-eight had been a shock to everyone, including Jack.

At the mention of her father’s death, he found himself wrestling with his own personal demons of guilt. It was just one more reminder that he’d been remiss. That he hadn’t been there at a time when she needed him most.

Niki continued, drawing him out of his guilty musings, “My mother thought she and Dad had a lifetime to share. Only sometimes a lifetime isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Time is too precious. I’m not going to waste a moment of it watching life pass me by.” Softly, she added, “I want a family, Jack. A home of my own before it’s too late.”

His chest tightened at the tremulous sound of her voice, making it hard to breathe. They’d been friends for too long. He felt her pain as though it were his own.

But just because he understood her hurry to be wed, it didn’t mean he condoned her reasoning. If anything, it made him all the more certain she was making a mistake. A mistake she might spend the rest of her life regretting.

“And you’re sure Greg Lawton is the man you want to spend the rest of your life with?”

She hesitated. “Greg’s the man who’s asked me.”

He released a frustrated breath. “That’s not love, Niki. That’s desperation.”

“Since when are you such an expert on love, Jack?” Emotion flashed in her eyes. “I don’t see you taking any steps toward the altar. If you ask me, I’d say you’re the last person who should be giving me marital advice.”

“Somebody has to give you advice, Niki,” he hollered, as an irrational anger welled up inside him. “It’s obvious you’re not capable of making a rational decision on your own.”

Jack regretted the words almost as soon as he spoke them. The last thing he’d intended was to lose his temper. He was in big trouble now.

She didn’t answer. In fact, she didn’t even look at him. Her seemingly quiet acceptance of his angry outburst unnerved him more than if she’d stood up and spit in his eye. Niki never did anything quietly.

She untucked her legs, slid her feet back into the discarded pumps, then stood. Pulling herself to her full fivefoot-seven height, she faced him. “I want to thank you, Jack.”

“Thank me?” He winced as his voice broke. He swallowed hard. His throat felt dry, as though it were about to close up on him.

“Yes, I’m very grateful to you.” She crossed her arms at her waist and hugged herself tightly. Emotion—anger mixed with pain?—glimmered in her eyes. “You’ve cleared up a lot of my doubts.”

“I have?”

“Yes, you have,” she said, chuckling softly as though remembering a private joke. The hollow-sounding laughter left him feeling cold inside. “You’ve opened my eyes to a lot of things. Things that should have been obvious years ago.”

Jack frowned, his discomfort growing. He didn’t understand what was going on here. But he had no doubt she was talking about more than his giving a little friendly advice. “Niki—”

She held up a quieting hand. “Let me finish. I want you to understand something, Jack. I am not a child. I am a clear-thinking, rational woman who is more than capable of making life’s important decisions.”

“Niki, listen. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you were immature—”

“Of course, you did,” she snapped, her temper finally kicking in. “You’ve been implying it since you walked onto this gazebo.”

He couldn’t help himself. He pointed a finger at her nose. “You know, Niki, losing your temper isn’t a sign of maturity. It’s just one more example to support of my theory that you aren’t ready for marriage.”

She growled her frustration. “Get this through your thick head, Jack. Butt out of my life. I’m not the little kid who used to follow you around. I’ve got a life of my own. A life that doesn’t involve you anymore.”

The words had a stinging affect. The thought of her not needing him hurt more than any physical blow possibly could.

“You don’t mean, that,” he said slowly.

“Yes, I do.” Tears filled her eyes. Niki looked as upset as he felt. She blinked hard, then held up her left hand. A diamond the size of a small boulder glittered in the moonlight. “For your information, this entire conversation has been pointless. I’ve, already accepted Greg’s marriage proposal. Now, if I can’t count on your support, then I suggest you stay the hell out of my way.”

With that she stormed off the gazebo, leaving him reeling in the wake of her unfounded anger. His intentions had been good. He’d never expected her to be so upset. Didn’t she understand? He cared about her. He wanted to protect her. But all he seemed to have done was to offend her.

A dull pain throbbed in his chest. Niki had walked away from him. She said to stay out of her life. Thanks to him and his big mouth he might have destroyed their friendship.

The dull pain grew into a pounding ache. Losing Niki, he felt as though he’d lost a part of himself.

The next morning, the phone rang.

Martha Sinclair hurried to answer the insistent peal. “Hello,” she trilled in a pleasant singsong voice.

“Martha, what in the Sam Hill is the matter with that boy of yours?”

Martha recognized the caller. It was her good friend and next-door neighbor, Helen Adams. All traces of Helen’s usual friendly demeanor were gone. Her obvious agitation proved contagious. Martha drew in a sharp breath. “What’s wrong, Helen?”

“Niki just told me she’s decided to marry Greg Lawton!”

“What?” Martha gasped, though the news didn’t surprise her. When Jack had stayed late last night to talk to Niki, she’d taken it as a good sign. But it didn’t take a genius to figure out the meeting hadn’t gone as she and Helen had hoped. The conversation had lasted only a few minutes, ending with Niki storming into her house and slamming the door behind her, and Jack slinging himself into his car and careening out of the driveway. The scowl he wore on his face could have stopped a bear in his tracks.

Martha sighed. “Oh, Helen, this is terrible.”

“Now, don’t get me wrong. Greg is a nice enough boy. I’m sure he’ll make some girl a wonderful husband. But he’s not the right man for Niki.” Helen’s voice grew wistful. “When I see them together there’s no spark, no passion…Niki just isn’t acting like someone who’s truly in love.” Her tone changed abruptly, becoming sharp, almost accusing. “I thought you were going to light a firecracker under that boy of yours. Get him to talk her out of this wedding.”

Martha gave her head a miserable shake. “I tried, Helen. I really did try.”

A strained silence filled the phone line.

“Well, I’m not giving up,” Helen said finally.

“Neither am I,” Martha agreed.

“Looks like these children of ours are going to need a little push to get them headed in the right direction.”

Martha smiled for the first time. “Being pushy is a mother’s God-given right.”

Helen chuckled. “Between the two of us, they won’t know what hit them.”

“At least, not until they’re married and have given us a couple of grandchildren.”

“Amen,” Martha seconded.

“Niki, the caterer’s looking for you,” Cassie Andrews, a tall, leggy blonde, informed her. “Something about cheese puffs that won’t puff.”

Her friend’s announcement sounded like a death knell for a party that was headed for a certain demise. Niki closed her eyes and counted to ten, trying to shut out the din made by fifty guests. The party, like her engagement, seemed ill-fated from the start.

Nothing was going right.

First, the caterers arrived an hour late, swearing they’d been given the wrong time. Niki didn’t understand the mix-up. Her mother had been in charge of ordering the food. It wasn’t like her to allow such a mistake. Then, moments before the party was to begin, the heavens opened up and let loose with a torrent of rain. Guests were arriving soaked to the skin, shaking off the raindrops like puppies emerging from an unwanted bath. To add to the chaos, Greg was called out on an emergency, making him late for his own engagement party.

But that wasn’t the worst of her troubles.

Her biggest problem stood not two feet away, looking smug and irritatingly cheerful. Niki opened her eyes and gave a silent growl of frustration. Life wasn’t fair. Her fiancé was pulling a no-show, but Jack Sinclair had the nerve to show up for her engagement party.

“Something wrong, Niki?” Cassie, her best friend and soon-to-be maid of honor, shot her a concerned look.

“Nothing a good housecleaning wouldn’t solve,” Niki muttered to herself. She stole a glance in Jack’s direction. His thick, chestnut brown hair was neatly combed. His dark good looks stood out against a crisp white shirt, contrasting nicely with his navy jacket and charcoal gray pants. He was cool, confident and a fraud. Tonight, he stood in her living room, along with dozens of her closest family and friends, waiting to toast the formal announcement of her and Greg’s engagement. Knowing full well that less than two weeks ago he’d tried to talk her out of this very marriage.

The man had no shame. He feigned support on one hand while back-stabbing a friend with the other. Niki chewed on her lower lip. Not that she could really consider Jack and Greg to be friends.

The feud between the two men seemed to have gone on forever, its roots stretching back into childhood. For some reason, they brought out the worst in each other. They were two grown, intelligent men who acted like children whenever the other was near.

A new wave of anger washed over her. Because of this silly feud, Jack had ruined what should have been the happiest day of her life. He’d objected to her choice of husband solely on the basis of an adolescent rivalry.

Did he stop and consider her feelings? Her wants? No. He’d expected her to drop all of her wedding plans, simply because he didn’t like the groom.

He’d treated her like a child.

He’d wounded her pride…and her heart.

He’d also opened her eyes to some hard, but long overdue truths. The schoolgirl crush she’d had on Jack was a sweet but impossible dream. She understood that now. But the hardest truth, the one that held the most sting, was that they’d seemed to have outgrown their childhood friendship. A friendship she thought they’d never lose.

“Niki?”

Niki blinked, forcing her attention back to Cassie. “Hmm?”

“Are you all right?” Worry shadowed the blonde’s face. “You were a million miles away.”

Niki grimaced. “I swear, Cassie. If one more thing goes wrong tonight, I’m going to scream.”

Cassie’s face relaxed around a smile. Mischief danced in her blue eyes. “Believe me. If I were marrying Greg Lawton, I’d be screaming, also.”

“Not you, too,” Niki moaned.

“Me too, what?”

Niki shook her head. “Cassie, you’re my maid of honor. You’re supposed to support me during my engagement.”

“I am supporting you. I just can’t help it if I think you’re crazy.”

“Crazy?” The single word rang out loud and clear. Remembering her guests, she lowered her voice. “What do you mean crazy?”

Cassie struggled with a sober expression. “I mean…jeez, Niki, Greg Lawton of all people.”

Niki felt her temper kick in. “What’s the matter with Greg?” she demanded, struggling for control.

“Nothing, really.” Cassie bit her lip to hide a smile. “It’s just…being around Greg is like watching a rerun of Dr. Kildare. He’s so cool, so collected—so perfect. Whenever I see him, I want to run up to him and muss his hair or something.”

Niki sighed. Her maid of honor, it appeared, appreciated Greg almost as much asJack did. She attributed the animosity between Cassie and Greg to their being opposites.

Perfection wasn’t something she could pin on her friend. At twenty-four, Cassie was still trying to find herself. Smart and savvy, she just couldn’t seem to settle down to any one man or occupation. Greg, on the other hand, was born responsible. He simply didn’t understand Cassie’s lack of commitment.

Cassie shrugged. “Look, I’m sorry, Niki. I’m not the one who’s marrying Greg—thank God. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that counts.” She glanced at Niki sharply. “You are madly in love with him, aren’t you?”

The question took her aback. Of course, she loved Greg. She wouldn’t be marrying him if she didn’t. But madly in love? The term conjured up emotions that were unpredictable, out of control. Her feelings for Greg were more of a steady nature.

“What a silly question,” Niki said, laughing to hide her uncertainty. She ignored her friend’s curious gaze. “I think it’s time I talked to the caterer.”

Cassie draped an arm around Niki’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll join you. Thanks to my mother and her socializing ways, if there’s one thing I know, it’s how to throw a good party. I’ll show you how to handle a temperamental caterer.”

As they fought their way through the crowded living room, Niki felt the weight of Jack’s gaze. She resisted the urge to glance back at him. No need to flirt with danger, she told herself. She was in no mood for another confrontation.

Guests were everywhere. They stood huddled in groups, scattered about the Oriental rug in tight knots of human congestion. Her mother’s card party had taken up a boisterous residence in the middle of the room. They were comfortably settled on the couch and wing back chairs. She caught her mother’s eye and conveyed a silent message of Help! Relief poured through her as she watched her mother rise to her feet to follow.

The party spilled out into the entranceway. A group of Greg and Jack’s classmates from high school were balancing plates of food on their knees and sipping champagne as they sat on the foyer’s gracefully curved staircase. Niki flashed them a smile and a wave as she and Cassie strode down the hall and ducked into the kitchen.

Compared to the blare of the party, the bustling noises of the catering staff seemed like heaven. Cassie took a seat on a bar stool at the kitchen’s center island. Niki leaned against the door and gave herself a moment to calm her frazzled nerves.

Her moment of peace, however, was short-lived.

“Miss Adams?”

The caterer appeared before her. He was big man with dark hair and the build of a former football player going slowly to seed. He wore a look of concern. “You okay, Miss Adams?”

She forced a smile. “I’m fine. Were you looking for me?”

His thick brows knitted into a frown. “There’s too much humidity tonight. What with the rain and the heat from the crowd, the miniature cheese soufflés are falling flat as soon as they hit the air.”

Niki sighed. “There’s so much food out there already—”

She didn’t have a chance to finish. The kitchen door swung open, whacking Niki on her backside. Her mother had arrived. Worry shadowed her green eyes. She looked as frazzled as Niki felt.

“Niki, what in the world has happened to Greg?” she demanded.

Cassie chuckled from her perch at the island.

The caterer didn’t appreciate the interruption. “Miss Adams, about the cheese souffles—”

Her mother glanced sharply at the caterer. “Soufflés? Who cares about the souffles? There’s enough food out there to feed an army. I’m worried about the champagne.”

“The champagne?” Niki and Cassie chorused.

Her mother thumbed their attention toward the party. “The waiters are serving glasses of champagne as though they were sparkling water. At twenty bucks a pop, let’s slow down the flow, okay?”

“But Mrs. Adams, how can I…”

The voices faded as the dizziness grew. Too many voices. Too many demands. Niki felt as though she were on a merry-go-round, only the sound was distorted and the action slowed. She rubbed her throbbing temples. The room felt uncomfortably warm. Just as she felt as though she might scream or faint, the door opened, once again whacking her on the backside.

This time Jack stood before her.

One look into his eyes and Niki wanted to scream. She could see the big-brotherly concern etched across his face. She struggled to gather her scattered aplomb. The last thing she wanted was for Jack to see her ruffled. He’d never let her live it down if she fell apart now.

“Niki, are you okay?” His deep voice brought her senses back into sharp focus.

“Why does everyone keep asking me if I’m okay?” Niki snapped.

“Probably because you look like death warmed over,” Cassie offered.

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” she lied, as she fought a new wave of dizziness. “It’s just warm in here, that’s all.”

“Warm, my eye,” her mother said. “It’s all this rushing about you’ve been doing.” She shook her head, sending the corkscrew curls bouncing. “Why you and Greg decided on such a short engagement is beyond me. Three months isn’t long enough to make plans for a wedding. No wonder you’re feeling peaked.” Determination crossed her plump face. “Jack, take her outside. Get her some fresh air.”

“No, Mom,” Niki said quickly. “I’ll be fine—”

“Niki, I think you’d better listen to your mother,” Cassie said, slipping off the bar stool. “You really do look pale. Helen and I will take care of the food. You go on outside for few minutes.”

Before she could make another protest, a strong hand was pressed against the small of her back, pushing her gently toward the door. Trepidation shimmied along her spine. A cool, damp breeze caressed her flushed skin as she stepped outside. She lifted her face to the heavens and a fat drop of rain plopped onto her nose.

“It’s raining,” she said, turning back, glad for an excuse to go inside.

Jack didn’t give her a chance to escape.

“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and started running. His skin felt warm against hers, his grip firm. She had no choice but to follow. Deftly skirting the raindrops and puddles, he led her to the gazebo.

Niki gave a silent moan. Being alone with Jack was bad enough. But returning to the gazebo felt as though she were returning to the scene of’the crime. For this was where he’d stolen her youthful fantasies.

As soon as their footsteps thudded against the wooden floor, Niki snatched her hand away from Jack’s grasp. She strode to the far end of the gazebo, as far away from him as possible. He lingered at the gazebo’s arched entranceway, blocking the exit. Short of hopping over the railing in her green silk dress, there would be no escaping him.

Neither of them spoke. An eternity passed as they listened to the rain drum against the gazebo’s roof. A damp chill turned their ragged breaths into foggy plumes. The night pressed against them, dark and forboding.

Jack shattered the silence. “Do you plan to stay mad at me forever?”

She heard a shade of the old Jack in his tone. The teasing, confident boy who could sweet-talk his way out of any argument. Steeling herself against his charm, she refused to look at him. “Mad doesn’t even begin to describe the way I feel.”

“Niki, I didn’t come out here to argue with you—”

“Then why did you come?”

“To reason with you.” A hint of exasperation edged his voice. “Obviously, that was a mistake.”

She glanced at him. Beyond the reaches of the light, he looked dark and elusive, like a shadow in the night. “Why? Because you can’t reason with a child?”

He released a slow, impatient breath. “I never said you were a child.”

“No, but you implied it.”

“All I said was that you were too young—”

“I’m old enough,” she insisted.

He continued, undaunted. “That you were too young and too impulsive—”

“I am not impulsive.”

“Right. That’s why you’re marrying Greg in three months.” He stepped closer, emerging from the shadows. His voice came like a whisper out of the dark. “What’s your hurry, Niki? Afraid you might change your mind?”

Niki flinched, as his taunt struck a hidden nerve. She stared at him. Even in the rain-darkened light, he looked handsome, sexy and irresistible. Noticing his physical attributes only stoked her anger. “I’d rather be impulsive than be a hypocrite. How dare you come to my engagement party, when you don’t even approve of my marriage?”

He shrugged. “Greg and I were classmates. I’m a friend of the family. I may not approve of the wedding, but I have no choice but to accept it.”

A new surge of anger rose up inside her. “I never asked for your approval.” She held her arms out at her sides. “Look at me, Jack. I’m a big girl now. I’m all grown up. I can make my own decisions.”

Impatience lined his face. “For the last time, I don’t think of you as a child.”

“No, you just treat me like one.”

“If you want to be treated like an adult, then start acting like one.”

She threw her hands up in defeat. “I give up. Talking to you is impossible.” With a determined step, she moved to slip past him.

Jack stopped her. Placing both hands upon her shoulders, he spun her around to face her. “This conversation isn’t finished.”

“Yes, it is. Let go of me, Jack.”

He didn’t listen. He held her firm.

She felt the warmth of his hands through the silky fabric of her dress. She saw the rise and fall of his chest with each breath he drew. She inhaled the scent of his cologne, the same brand of cologne she’d given him three years ago for Christmas. Anger still pumped through her veins, but with it came a new emotion. Awareness prickled her senses.

He was too close…too tempting. She had to leave. Now.

Only, she couldn’t move.

She couldn’t say a word.

“Niki, I…” he began, his voice thick, as though he were having a difficult time forming the words. He stopped. Stared at her. Then, releasing a harsh breath, he pulled her close.

Before she could protest, he kissed her.