Read Online Secretly Craving You by Nicole North - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nicole North
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problem." Nick headed toward the kitchen.
Following Tia up the stairs, Emily felt like a giddy teenager again, heading off with a friend to talk and giggle about boys. At twenty-six, she was too old for this, but she had to admit Nick did excite her on so many levels. Once inside her bedroom, she closed the door.
"Way to go, Emily," Tia whispered dramatically.
"What are you talking about? I have a stalker."
"No, I mean about Nick. He's so damned hot." Tia fanned herself.
"Well, yes, I know that, but—"
"No but, girlfriend."
"He's my ex's brother." Emily hoped that was a good excuse to keep her hands off, no matter how much she wanted to stroke Nick's delectably defined muscles.
"So? He doesn't look a thing like Jared. And I keep telling you that you need to get laid. Here's the perfect opportunity."
A renewed flush of scalding heat washed over Emily, because what Tia suggested was Emily's wildest and most forbidden fantasy. "That's not why he's here. He's a police officer, protecting me."
"I know! Isn't that sexy?"
"Had several glasses of wine today, have you?" Emily asked, trying her best to tamp down her own enthusiasm for Nick.
"No, none. You've got to forget about Jared and how he made you feel like shit. I know he's dead, and I'm sorry, but he was a bastard."
Emily nodded. "Nick might be, too."
"You've been with him for several hours. Is he?"
"Not so far. He's actually nice." And knows exactly how to touch me with those skilled hands. But who knew if he would change tomorrow or next week and become more like his brother?
"A gentleman?" Tia inquired with mock sophistication.
Emily shrugged. Was she already picking up Nick's body language? "As much as a bad boy can be, I suppose. He seems concerned about me, wants to keep me safe."
"God, that's hot. You've got to tell me what happens."
"With the stalker or with Nick?"
"Both. Besides, I'm not worried about the stalker with Nick around. He'll kick that lunatic's ass."
"I sure hope so. He has two guns and plenty of bullets." She'd seen the smaller second pistol when he'd strapped it to his ankle that morning.
"A man who can handle weapons is hot. I am so jealous right now." Tia had been going on a lot of first dates recently, trying to find Mr. Right or at least a man she was strongly attracted to, but wasn't having much luck.
"You'll find the right guy, Tia. Don't worry."
"Maybe." She gave a tiny, sharp shrug, a hint of sadness entering her usual upbeat expression. "Who knows? I at least want to experience a sizzling fling vicariously. I want to know every detail of what happens."
"Nothing interesting is going to happen." Emily definitely wasn't telling her that something interesting had already happened in bed that morning.
* * * *
"What do we know about this guy—the killer?" Nick asked.
Seated at the kitchen table in the breakfast nook overlooking historic Savannah, Emily and Nick ate dinner. Emily had asked Tia to join them, but she'd refused and left fifteen minutes earlier. Emily was relaxing, enjoying the soft, early evening light, fresh Caesar salad and cheesy lasagna—but most of all, Nick's company—until his cryptic words squashed her appetite.
"Not much." Emily put down her fork and poured a second glass of merlot for herself and topped off Nick's. She shouldn't drink another glass, but maybe the food would keep the alcohol from affecting her too much. Besides, she needed it for courage. And if she focused on the discussion of the killer stalking her, maybe she could ignore the electricity between her and Nick.
"Thanks." He took a sip. "My guess is he's someone who knew Jared. Maybe a business associate or someone he had contact with on occasion. Maybe a rival. They probably shared a common interest in antiquities. How else would he know about the object in question?"
"But why would he kill Jared over it? Why didn't he blackmail him instead? He should've known that if he killed Jared, he'd never get the object from him."
"I
Following Tia up the stairs, Emily felt like a giddy teenager again, heading off with a friend to talk and giggle about boys. At twenty-six, she was too old for this, but she had to admit Nick did excite her on so many levels. Once inside her bedroom, she closed the door.
"Way to go, Emily," Tia whispered dramatically.
"What are you talking about? I have a stalker."
"No, I mean about Nick. He's so damned hot." Tia fanned herself.
"Well, yes, I know that, but—"
"No but, girlfriend."
"He's my ex's brother." Emily hoped that was a good excuse to keep her hands off, no matter how much she wanted to stroke Nick's delectably defined muscles.
"So? He doesn't look a thing like Jared. And I keep telling you that you need to get laid. Here's the perfect opportunity."
A renewed flush of scalding heat washed over Emily, because what Tia suggested was Emily's wildest and most forbidden fantasy. "That's not why he's here. He's a police officer, protecting me."
"I know! Isn't that sexy?"
"Had several glasses of wine today, have you?" Emily asked, trying her best to tamp down her own enthusiasm for Nick.
"No, none. You've got to forget about Jared and how he made you feel like shit. I know he's dead, and I'm sorry, but he was a bastard."
Emily nodded. "Nick might be, too."
"You've been with him for several hours. Is he?"
"Not so far. He's actually nice." And knows exactly how to touch me with those skilled hands. But who knew if he would change tomorrow or next week and become more like his brother?
"A gentleman?" Tia inquired with mock sophistication.
Emily shrugged. Was she already picking up Nick's body language? "As much as a bad boy can be, I suppose. He seems concerned about me, wants to keep me safe."
"God, that's hot. You've got to tell me what happens."
"With the stalker or with Nick?"
"Both. Besides, I'm not worried about the stalker with Nick around. He'll kick that lunatic's ass."
"I sure hope so. He has two guns and plenty of bullets." She'd seen the smaller second pistol when he'd strapped it to his ankle that morning.
"A man who can handle weapons is hot. I am so jealous right now." Tia had been going on a lot of first dates recently, trying to find Mr. Right or at least a man she was strongly attracted to, but wasn't having much luck.
"You'll find the right guy, Tia. Don't worry."
"Maybe." She gave a tiny, sharp shrug, a hint of sadness entering her usual upbeat expression. "Who knows? I at least want to experience a sizzling fling vicariously. I want to know every detail of what happens."
"Nothing interesting is going to happen." Emily definitely wasn't telling her that something interesting had already happened in bed that morning.
* * * *
"What do we know about this guy—the killer?" Nick asked.
Seated at the kitchen table in the breakfast nook overlooking historic Savannah, Emily and Nick ate dinner. Emily had asked Tia to join them, but she'd refused and left fifteen minutes earlier. Emily was relaxing, enjoying the soft, early evening light, fresh Caesar salad and cheesy lasagna—but most of all, Nick's company—until his cryptic words squashed her appetite.
"Not much." Emily put down her fork and poured a second glass of merlot for herself and topped off Nick's. She shouldn't drink another glass, but maybe the food would keep the alcohol from affecting her too much. Besides, she needed it for courage. And if she focused on the discussion of the killer stalking her, maybe she could ignore the electricity between her and Nick.
"Thanks." He took a sip. "My guess is he's someone who knew Jared. Maybe a business associate or someone he had contact with on occasion. Maybe a rival. They probably shared a common interest in antiquities. How else would he know about the object in question?"
"But why would he kill Jared over it? Why didn't he blackmail him instead? He should've known that if he killed Jared, he'd never get the object from him."
"I
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