Read Online For the Love of Nick by Jill Shalvis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jill Shalvis
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sleep,” she whispered, then knelt by his shoulder.
As he’d already discovered, the reality of her was far more potent than any fantasy. She indeed wore his sweats, but because they were big, the waist sagged low on her hips. She’d tied the T-shirt in a knot above her belly button, so there was a gap between the shirt and pants, leaving a good four inches of bare, silky skin.
Right in front of his waiting mouth.
“I wanted to thank you again,” she whispered.
He forced his gaze up, up, up, past that bare, tantalizing belly, past the curved globes of her breasts, past her slender throat to her eyes. “Thank me?”
“Because of you, I can let my guard down, if only for tonight.”
No. Bad idea. Don’t let your guard down.
“You took me in without mentioning how foolish I am to get myself into this situation.”
“I don’t think you’re foolish.”
“Thank you for that, too,” she said very softly. “You gave me food and shelter, and—” Her voice cracked. Her eyes misty, she gave him a watery smile.
Ah, hell.
“Nick…”
He wanted to tell her not to say his name that way, that quiet, warm way that stabbed through all his protective layers. He had lots of those layers, had built them for a young, rather geeky kid, then more for his worldly travels to prevent what he saw and reported on from touching him too much. Layers so that no one person had ever had a grip on his heart.
“I’ll leave in the morning,” she said softly, in that voice that reminded him they did have a past, no matter how tenuous it was. “But I want what we should have had all those years ago. I want this night, with you. Make love to me, Nick. Please?”
D ANIELLE WAITED with bated breath for his answer. Ted had always hated it when she’d made the first move, but she was making it now.
Did she have it right?
Lying in bed, alone, worrying, obsessing, had done her no good. The only thing that had workedwas thinking about Nick. He’d been there for her in a way no one else ever had, and she wanted to give him something in return.
But wanting him to make love to her wasn’t all altruistic. No way, not when her breath stuttered whenever she so much as looked at him. She wanted to give him more than her gratitude, she wanted to get a taste of what she should have allowed herself all those years ago. She wanted to be held in those strong hard arms, wanted to lose herself in quick, selfish, mind-blowing passion.
And then, when it was over, when night turned to dawn, she’d get up and walk away, holding those memories tight forever.
“Please?” she whispered, tugging at the light blanket he’d thrown over himself.
Beneath it, Lord, beneath it his body was beautiful; long and muscular, showing the strength of a man who used it and often. To her regret, he wasn’t completely naked. He wore a pair of dark gray knit boxers, which snugly clung to his muscled thighs and…other interesting parts.
She couldn’t tear her eyes away.
“Danielle.”
She looked into his eyes as he touched her jaw, startled by all she saw there, so much so that sheclosed her own eyes, turning her face into his light touch.
But she wanted more, so much more. He could give her that something more. He represented warmth and strength and an end to being alone, if only for tonight. So she ran her fingers along the light stubble on his hard jawline, over the mouth she wanted to feel on hers. “Nick…love me.”
“You’re confusing comfort with sex,” he said in a rough whisper. “Take it from someone who’s done the same often enough to know. I can’t let you—”
“Nick.” She watched his eyes darken at the sound of his name on her lips, and she whispered it again. And then again, when his hand drifted down her neck onto her shoulder, then glided lightly over her arm down to her fingers, which he entwined with his.
Something shivered through her at the sweet, romantic gesture, and she told herself it was desire, not something
As he’d already discovered, the reality of her was far more potent than any fantasy. She indeed wore his sweats, but because they were big, the waist sagged low on her hips. She’d tied the T-shirt in a knot above her belly button, so there was a gap between the shirt and pants, leaving a good four inches of bare, silky skin.
Right in front of his waiting mouth.
“I wanted to thank you again,” she whispered.
He forced his gaze up, up, up, past that bare, tantalizing belly, past the curved globes of her breasts, past her slender throat to her eyes. “Thank me?”
“Because of you, I can let my guard down, if only for tonight.”
No. Bad idea. Don’t let your guard down.
“You took me in without mentioning how foolish I am to get myself into this situation.”
“I don’t think you’re foolish.”
“Thank you for that, too,” she said very softly. “You gave me food and shelter, and—” Her voice cracked. Her eyes misty, she gave him a watery smile.
Ah, hell.
“Nick…”
He wanted to tell her not to say his name that way, that quiet, warm way that stabbed through all his protective layers. He had lots of those layers, had built them for a young, rather geeky kid, then more for his worldly travels to prevent what he saw and reported on from touching him too much. Layers so that no one person had ever had a grip on his heart.
“I’ll leave in the morning,” she said softly, in that voice that reminded him they did have a past, no matter how tenuous it was. “But I want what we should have had all those years ago. I want this night, with you. Make love to me, Nick. Please?”
D ANIELLE WAITED with bated breath for his answer. Ted had always hated it when she’d made the first move, but she was making it now.
Did she have it right?
Lying in bed, alone, worrying, obsessing, had done her no good. The only thing that had workedwas thinking about Nick. He’d been there for her in a way no one else ever had, and she wanted to give him something in return.
But wanting him to make love to her wasn’t all altruistic. No way, not when her breath stuttered whenever she so much as looked at him. She wanted to give him more than her gratitude, she wanted to get a taste of what she should have allowed herself all those years ago. She wanted to be held in those strong hard arms, wanted to lose herself in quick, selfish, mind-blowing passion.
And then, when it was over, when night turned to dawn, she’d get up and walk away, holding those memories tight forever.
“Please?” she whispered, tugging at the light blanket he’d thrown over himself.
Beneath it, Lord, beneath it his body was beautiful; long and muscular, showing the strength of a man who used it and often. To her regret, he wasn’t completely naked. He wore a pair of dark gray knit boxers, which snugly clung to his muscled thighs and…other interesting parts.
She couldn’t tear her eyes away.
“Danielle.”
She looked into his eyes as he touched her jaw, startled by all she saw there, so much so that sheclosed her own eyes, turning her face into his light touch.
But she wanted more, so much more. He could give her that something more. He represented warmth and strength and an end to being alone, if only for tonight. So she ran her fingers along the light stubble on his hard jawline, over the mouth she wanted to feel on hers. “Nick…love me.”
“You’re confusing comfort with sex,” he said in a rough whisper. “Take it from someone who’s done the same often enough to know. I can’t let you—”
“Nick.” She watched his eyes darken at the sound of his name on her lips, and she whispered it again. And then again, when his hand drifted down her neck onto her shoulder, then glided lightly over her arm down to her fingers, which he entwined with his.
Something shivered through her at the sweet, romantic gesture, and she told herself it was desire, not something
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