Read Online Resisting Nick (Wicked in Wellington) by Kris Pearson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kris Pearson
Ads: Link
surprised?” she asked, trying for a tone of casual disinterest.
“He’s too busy for serious.” Tyler turned aside into a sunny family room and dropped her purse onto a small oak table. “He’s empire building. I never saw a guy so driven—not that I’m warning you off.” She lowered herself onto a chair and sighed with relief.
“Not that I need the warning,” Sammie countered, trying to rid herself of the feeling of something good passing her by. “Can I get you anything before I go? Tea? Coffee? Juice?”
“Nope, I’m fine thanks. I’ll visit the bathroom yet again,”—she gave another theatrical roll of her big eyes—“and then me and bubs will have a lie-down for a while. Enjoy your trip to the beach.”
“Without my bucket and spade, sadly. Look after yourself, or even better get Cam to.” She bent and gave Tyler a quick hug, waggled her fingers in a farewell wave, and pulled the front door closed behind her.
She hated to admit it, but Nick attracted her fiercely, had fascinated her as a child, and had fueled an intense crush when she was a teenager. He’d left a huge hole in her life by disappearing. With no goodbye, and no intimation she was anything but a silly little girl to play games with.
He’d lurked in her memory banks as someone darkly desirable and purely masculine ever since—spoiling any other boy’s chance of making much of an impression, and raising her expectations of sexual attraction to unattainable heights.
The growling car vibrated under her, almost as potently suggestive as Nick himself. Perhaps she should take its owner for a test-drive too? Abandon all her good intentions and enjoy him for the short unexpected time she’d been given? She drove back to BodyWork telling herself to be sensible—and countering every objection she produced. He was a player, and he’d said he wanted to play. Why shouldn’t she play along with him for the next couple of weeks?
Because I’m not that kind of girl.
But you could be?
Maybe I’m not brave enough to try.
You’ll never know unless you do.
I’ll probably disappoint him.
He’s only after sex—you can manage that.
But working for him as well?
It’s a temporary job. You can leave if you want to.
I might fall for him even harder, and then I’ll never get him out of my heart.
There was no guarantee with that last one.
By the time she arrived back at the fitness center, the sky was ninety percent blue. She ran up the stairs full of energy, pulse racing in time with the pounding music, hoping the trip to the beach house happened. More time in Nick’s company would test her resolve, and if she lost the battle, she’d have to suffer the inevitable heartbreak and wait it through until it ebbed away to a bearable level. Then she’d take her mind off him by traveling to wonderful places and meeting interesting new people.
She was no stranger to escapism. Hadn’t she had to escape from her parents’ death, and her grandmother’s? And then find distractions all through the long years caring for her grandfather? A quickie affair with one good-looking guy should be a cinch. Especially if she didn’t let it get serious.
She stowed her jacket and bag in her locker. Should she knock on Nick’s closed door? Maybe not—perhaps he had an important visitor or was on the international call he’d mentioned. Smiling, she returned to reception, opened the email program, and keyed in ‘Mother-to-be safely delivered. Also car.’
He replied almost instantly, ‘bring 2 coffees.’
She wrinkled her nose. He was back to his high-handed self.
‘You and who?’ she typed.
‘You and me.’
So no important visitor or overseas call. She returned to the staff-room and glared at her reflection in the mirror by the lockers while the coffeemaker did its thing. And couldn’t resist smudging on another drift of eye-shadow, spritzing a tiny spray of perfume into the air and leaning into it, and pulling the
“He’s too busy for serious.” Tyler turned aside into a sunny family room and dropped her purse onto a small oak table. “He’s empire building. I never saw a guy so driven—not that I’m warning you off.” She lowered herself onto a chair and sighed with relief.
“Not that I need the warning,” Sammie countered, trying to rid herself of the feeling of something good passing her by. “Can I get you anything before I go? Tea? Coffee? Juice?”
“Nope, I’m fine thanks. I’ll visit the bathroom yet again,”—she gave another theatrical roll of her big eyes—“and then me and bubs will have a lie-down for a while. Enjoy your trip to the beach.”
“Without my bucket and spade, sadly. Look after yourself, or even better get Cam to.” She bent and gave Tyler a quick hug, waggled her fingers in a farewell wave, and pulled the front door closed behind her.
She hated to admit it, but Nick attracted her fiercely, had fascinated her as a child, and had fueled an intense crush when she was a teenager. He’d left a huge hole in her life by disappearing. With no goodbye, and no intimation she was anything but a silly little girl to play games with.
He’d lurked in her memory banks as someone darkly desirable and purely masculine ever since—spoiling any other boy’s chance of making much of an impression, and raising her expectations of sexual attraction to unattainable heights.
The growling car vibrated under her, almost as potently suggestive as Nick himself. Perhaps she should take its owner for a test-drive too? Abandon all her good intentions and enjoy him for the short unexpected time she’d been given? She drove back to BodyWork telling herself to be sensible—and countering every objection she produced. He was a player, and he’d said he wanted to play. Why shouldn’t she play along with him for the next couple of weeks?
Because I’m not that kind of girl.
But you could be?
Maybe I’m not brave enough to try.
You’ll never know unless you do.
I’ll probably disappoint him.
He’s only after sex—you can manage that.
But working for him as well?
It’s a temporary job. You can leave if you want to.
I might fall for him even harder, and then I’ll never get him out of my heart.
There was no guarantee with that last one.
By the time she arrived back at the fitness center, the sky was ninety percent blue. She ran up the stairs full of energy, pulse racing in time with the pounding music, hoping the trip to the beach house happened. More time in Nick’s company would test her resolve, and if she lost the battle, she’d have to suffer the inevitable heartbreak and wait it through until it ebbed away to a bearable level. Then she’d take her mind off him by traveling to wonderful places and meeting interesting new people.
She was no stranger to escapism. Hadn’t she had to escape from her parents’ death, and her grandmother’s? And then find distractions all through the long years caring for her grandfather? A quickie affair with one good-looking guy should be a cinch. Especially if she didn’t let it get serious.
She stowed her jacket and bag in her locker. Should she knock on Nick’s closed door? Maybe not—perhaps he had an important visitor or was on the international call he’d mentioned. Smiling, she returned to reception, opened the email program, and keyed in ‘Mother-to-be safely delivered. Also car.’
He replied almost instantly, ‘bring 2 coffees.’
She wrinkled her nose. He was back to his high-handed self.
‘You and who?’ she typed.
‘You and me.’
So no important visitor or overseas call. She returned to the staff-room and glared at her reflection in the mirror by the lockers while the coffeemaker did its thing. And couldn’t resist smudging on another drift of eye-shadow, spritzing a tiny spray of perfume into the air and leaning into it, and pulling the
Similar Books
