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Authors: MacKenzie McKade
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eyes.
Jana glanced back at Nicolas. He was staring at her. “What?”
“Do you want me to tell you what I see in you?” From the hungry look on his face she would rather not.
“No.”
Again, he leaned back in the booth. That mischievous grin she remembered back when she used to watch him with his friends slipped across his face. “Scared?”
Hell yes she was scared. She had always wanted this man. The years hadn’t changed anything. “Not interested.” She played indifferent, reaching for her wine and taking a sip. Then she released a heavy sigh to drive the point home.
A light danced across his features as his grin grew. “Liar.”
“Whatever.” She brushed him off with a tilt of her head. But if she thought that her impassive behavior was going to stop him, she should have thought again as she took another drink of her wine.
“You are scared—scared of the attraction between us.”
When his foot slid up her leg, Jana choked on the alcohol that chose that moment to go down the wrong way. Air. She needed air as her windpipe closed.
Within a heartbeat, Nicolas was by her side. “Gentle breaths.” He patted her back. “One and then another.”
I’m dying . She wheezed in a breath that went nowhere. She inhaled again, making a rather unbecoming sound like a cross between a snore and an asthmatic attack. The whole time Nicolas was there, talking, touching her softly.
www.samhainpublishing.com 53
Mackenzie McKade
It took a moment, but finally Jana could breathe again. Her eyes were misty and nose running as she excused herself and hurried toward the bathroom.
What the fuck! She leaned against the counter and stared at herself in the mirror. It was no mistake that Nicolas was coming on to her. And there was no mistake that Lisa didn’t mind. How Jana wished she could deny that he made her body burn. She had fantasized about being with him since she was just a teenager. What would it be like to make love to Nicolas Marchetti?
She couldn’t—could she?
Nah … She shook her head. It would be weird. He was Lisa’s boyfriend. But the fact was, she needed to feel the touch of a man. She wanted to find someone to love.
Nicolas just wasn’t the man for her.
Jana grabbed a tissue, dabbed her eyes, then blew her nose with a loud snort.
She needed a plan to get through dinner and then go home alone.
Concerned, Nicolas watched the bathroom door, and was relieved once Jana exited. He stood as she approached. Her eyes were swollen, her adorable nose red. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” Sitting at one end of the crescent-shaped booth, she refused to scoot over, forcing him to sit at the other side. “The wine just went down the wrong pipe.” Picking up her glass, she hesitated then set it back down.
He slid clear around on the semi-circular seat until he was within touching distance from her. Her mouth went dry. She glanced at him, feeling her palms start to sweat.
The salad had arrived in her absence, and he busied himself tossing it, mixing the dressing and cheese, before placing a generous helping on her plate.
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Lisa’s Gift
When he attempted eye contact she glanced away. She had grown distant, not that she had previously been warm by a long shot. He was back at ground zero.
Serving himself a heap of salad, he picked up his fork. “Where were we? Ah… Yes. I was just about to tell you what I see in you.”
“I wish you wouldn’t,” she said, looking down into her plate as she stabbed at a piece of lettuce.
“Strength,” he offered the single word.
Her head shot up. “ Strength? ” Their eyes met and he felt her surprise.
Obviously she’d expected something superficial. Like how her eyes sparkled beneath the light like two crystals, or perhaps how silky her hair looked draped across her shoulders like a red curtain.
The salad was good, fresh and crisp, the dressing not too tart he noticed as he took a bite. He would have to remember to
Jana glanced back at Nicolas. He was staring at her. “What?”
“Do you want me to tell you what I see in you?” From the hungry look on his face she would rather not.
“No.”
Again, he leaned back in the booth. That mischievous grin she remembered back when she used to watch him with his friends slipped across his face. “Scared?”
Hell yes she was scared. She had always wanted this man. The years hadn’t changed anything. “Not interested.” She played indifferent, reaching for her wine and taking a sip. Then she released a heavy sigh to drive the point home.
A light danced across his features as his grin grew. “Liar.”
“Whatever.” She brushed him off with a tilt of her head. But if she thought that her impassive behavior was going to stop him, she should have thought again as she took another drink of her wine.
“You are scared—scared of the attraction between us.”
When his foot slid up her leg, Jana choked on the alcohol that chose that moment to go down the wrong way. Air. She needed air as her windpipe closed.
Within a heartbeat, Nicolas was by her side. “Gentle breaths.” He patted her back. “One and then another.”
I’m dying . She wheezed in a breath that went nowhere. She inhaled again, making a rather unbecoming sound like a cross between a snore and an asthmatic attack. The whole time Nicolas was there, talking, touching her softly.
www.samhainpublishing.com 53
Mackenzie McKade
It took a moment, but finally Jana could breathe again. Her eyes were misty and nose running as she excused herself and hurried toward the bathroom.
What the fuck! She leaned against the counter and stared at herself in the mirror. It was no mistake that Nicolas was coming on to her. And there was no mistake that Lisa didn’t mind. How Jana wished she could deny that he made her body burn. She had fantasized about being with him since she was just a teenager. What would it be like to make love to Nicolas Marchetti?
She couldn’t—could she?
Nah … She shook her head. It would be weird. He was Lisa’s boyfriend. But the fact was, she needed to feel the touch of a man. She wanted to find someone to love.
Nicolas just wasn’t the man for her.
Jana grabbed a tissue, dabbed her eyes, then blew her nose with a loud snort.
She needed a plan to get through dinner and then go home alone.
Concerned, Nicolas watched the bathroom door, and was relieved once Jana exited. He stood as she approached. Her eyes were swollen, her adorable nose red. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” Sitting at one end of the crescent-shaped booth, she refused to scoot over, forcing him to sit at the other side. “The wine just went down the wrong pipe.” Picking up her glass, she hesitated then set it back down.
He slid clear around on the semi-circular seat until he was within touching distance from her. Her mouth went dry. She glanced at him, feeling her palms start to sweat.
The salad had arrived in her absence, and he busied himself tossing it, mixing the dressing and cheese, before placing a generous helping on her plate.
54
www.samhainpublishing.com
Lisa’s Gift
When he attempted eye contact she glanced away. She had grown distant, not that she had previously been warm by a long shot. He was back at ground zero.
Serving himself a heap of salad, he picked up his fork. “Where were we? Ah… Yes. I was just about to tell you what I see in you.”
“I wish you wouldn’t,” she said, looking down into her plate as she stabbed at a piece of lettuce.
“Strength,” he offered the single word.
Her head shot up. “ Strength? ” Their eyes met and he felt her surprise.
Obviously she’d expected something superficial. Like how her eyes sparkled beneath the light like two crystals, or perhaps how silky her hair looked draped across her shoulders like a red curtain.
The salad was good, fresh and crisp, the dressing not too tart he noticed as he took a bite. He would have to remember to
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