ramblings of some country music station and the constant sensation of an open window flooded her senses. She squinted at the bright sunlight filtering through the glass beside her just like the memories were doing in her brain.
Someone had shot at her. Again. When would this end?
And where the hell were they? She shifted in her seat and looked around. The rear window had a hole with spider web cracks radiating off it where the bullet had entered the SUV. Her entire body shook. Way too close for comfort. Nothing outside the car seemed familiar. Two-lane highway, lots of open land, space for miles. Not like the businesses that crowded Highway 70 until her exit for home. Even then houses lined the road here and there.
How long had she been out? Her cheek burned when she swiped a hand over her face. For a moment, her heart pounded. With her fingertips, Nikki traced a fine, raised line across her left cheek.
Great. Just what she needed, another scar. Maybe they’d cancel each other out. Her fingers came away clean so it must only be a scratch. The fear dissipated, leaving behind a tremble in her hands.
Wiping her sweaty palm along her thigh, Nikki sighed and closed her eyes. Why did her brain feel like mush? Like the time she’d had too much to drink, or when she’d taken that painkiller…
“You drugged me.”
Eli whipped around, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Hey, Nikki-Raine—”
“Don’t you Nikki-Raine me, Eli.”
“I didn’t, I mean, Caelan did it,” he sputtered. Damn but it felt good to put him in his place. Eli pointed to his brother, a sheepish look on his face.
“Some man you are.” Nikki focused on the back of the driver’s seat and tried to get more comfortable. “You sound like a girl, you big baby.”
Caelan snorted a laugh. When Nikki looked back up, Eli’s eyes were narrowed.
“Don’t think I won’t be showing you just how much of a man I am, Nikki,” he said softly.
She dropped her gaze. Her belly quivered, and her nipples tightened to hard points beneath her T-shirt. Braless because of her shoulder, the tips brushed erotically against the cotton. Damn the man for making her feel like this now, in the midst of all this chaos. Especially now when she’d convinced herself he’d never like her after all the things that had happened to her. He was proving her wrong at every turn with his flat-out suggestions, glances, touches. And the kisses. Melt-her-into-the-ground, I’m-going-to-eat-you-up kisses. Who knew the man could kiss like that?
And suddenly she was jealous of all the other women who might know exactly how he could kiss.
“Look at me, Nikki-Raine.”
Her cheeks reddened. How could she? Thank God he wasn’t a mind reader. She crossed her arms over her chest so he couldn’t see the state of her breast’s arousal. Nikki had to stop thinking about him this way, lusting after him like a lovesick puppy. Sympathy. That’s what all this was about. He felt bad for her and the situation and was trying anything possible to get her mind off it. Right? What other reason would he have for acting this way after all the years they’d known each other?
“Nikki. Raine.” The sensual, steely command in his voice compelled her to look at him.
His eyes seemed to glow beneath the incredible eyelashes she’d always envied. Eli was, quite possibly, the most yummy man alive. More so even than his twin whom she’d only met a few times. There was something extra about Eli that made her want him in the most elemental way. No man had ever been able to fill the void like she knew he could. In the past, sex had simply been a way to distract her attention from the man more apt to give her a noogie than a mind-blowing orgasm.
Nikki’s clit tingled to the point she had to clench her thighs together. She silently damned him again. Lifting her chin, she hissed, “What?”
The bastard smiled. She itched to slap it off his face. He wasn’t allowed to be happy in light of her
Someone had shot at her. Again. When would this end?
And where the hell were they? She shifted in her seat and looked around. The rear window had a hole with spider web cracks radiating off it where the bullet had entered the SUV. Her entire body shook. Way too close for comfort. Nothing outside the car seemed familiar. Two-lane highway, lots of open land, space for miles. Not like the businesses that crowded Highway 70 until her exit for home. Even then houses lined the road here and there.
How long had she been out? Her cheek burned when she swiped a hand over her face. For a moment, her heart pounded. With her fingertips, Nikki traced a fine, raised line across her left cheek.
Great. Just what she needed, another scar. Maybe they’d cancel each other out. Her fingers came away clean so it must only be a scratch. The fear dissipated, leaving behind a tremble in her hands.
Wiping her sweaty palm along her thigh, Nikki sighed and closed her eyes. Why did her brain feel like mush? Like the time she’d had too much to drink, or when she’d taken that painkiller…
“You drugged me.”
Eli whipped around, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Hey, Nikki-Raine—”
“Don’t you Nikki-Raine me, Eli.”
“I didn’t, I mean, Caelan did it,” he sputtered. Damn but it felt good to put him in his place. Eli pointed to his brother, a sheepish look on his face.
“Some man you are.” Nikki focused on the back of the driver’s seat and tried to get more comfortable. “You sound like a girl, you big baby.”
Caelan snorted a laugh. When Nikki looked back up, Eli’s eyes were narrowed.
“Don’t think I won’t be showing you just how much of a man I am, Nikki,” he said softly.
She dropped her gaze. Her belly quivered, and her nipples tightened to hard points beneath her T-shirt. Braless because of her shoulder, the tips brushed erotically against the cotton. Damn the man for making her feel like this now, in the midst of all this chaos. Especially now when she’d convinced herself he’d never like her after all the things that had happened to her. He was proving her wrong at every turn with his flat-out suggestions, glances, touches. And the kisses. Melt-her-into-the-ground, I’m-going-to-eat-you-up kisses. Who knew the man could kiss like that?
And suddenly she was jealous of all the other women who might know exactly how he could kiss.
“Look at me, Nikki-Raine.”
Her cheeks reddened. How could she? Thank God he wasn’t a mind reader. She crossed her arms over her chest so he couldn’t see the state of her breast’s arousal. Nikki had to stop thinking about him this way, lusting after him like a lovesick puppy. Sympathy. That’s what all this was about. He felt bad for her and the situation and was trying anything possible to get her mind off it. Right? What other reason would he have for acting this way after all the years they’d known each other?
“Nikki. Raine.” The sensual, steely command in his voice compelled her to look at him.
His eyes seemed to glow beneath the incredible eyelashes she’d always envied. Eli was, quite possibly, the most yummy man alive. More so even than his twin whom she’d only met a few times. There was something extra about Eli that made her want him in the most elemental way. No man had ever been able to fill the void like she knew he could. In the past, sex had simply been a way to distract her attention from the man more apt to give her a noogie than a mind-blowing orgasm.
Nikki’s clit tingled to the point she had to clench her thighs together. She silently damned him again. Lifting her chin, she hissed, “What?”
The bastard smiled. She itched to slap it off his face. He wasn’t allowed to be happy in light of her
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