Doing that now brought her gaze from the tattoo on his arm right down to an area of his body that seemed to have this hyper-awareness of her. I thought you were the pizza, he said, the metal-on-metal glide of his zipper seeming extraordinarily loud, echoing between them.
Uh Nicole jerked her head up and stared into his eyes with a blank expression, as if she couldnt remember what she was doing there.
Christ, that was arousing.
And confusing as hell, because this woman, and this woman alone, seemed to be able to mess with his head.
She thrust out a set of plans. From Taylor. She slapped a file against his chest as well. Youve got the job, Mr. Architect. And she turned away.
Nicole.
She was careful not to turn back to look at him. Yes?
What had he been going to say? Something. Anything. Igot the job?
I just said so, didnt I?
Ah, his sweet, sweet Nicole. Well, then. We need to celebrate.
She pivoted back to face him. Celebrate?
Mmm-hmm. Oh yes, he was enjoying that spark of temper and heat in her eyes immensely, as it happened to match his.
You know that Irish accent you pretend not to have? She put a hand on her hip. It was there when you first called out, before you knew it was me. And you know what else? You didnt look in the mood to celebrate. You looked mad. She peered around him at the computer. At that?
Nope. Setting down the plans and file, he reached down to sleep his screen, but hit Enter by mistake, sending the reply to the mystery e-mailer.
Furious at himself, he stared at the screen and uttered one concise oath.
What?
Nothing. And it would be nothing, hed see to it. Turning away from the computer, he forced a deep breath before leaning back against the wall to properly soak up the sight of Nicole. She wore hip-hugging black jeans and a plain black tank top that didnt quite meet the jeans. The peek-a-boo hints of bare, smooth skin decorated by a diamond twinkling from her belly button made his mouth water. She hadnt done much to her hair other than plow her fingers through it, and the only makeup she wore was a glittery lipgloss. She was attitude personified, and yet he suddenly, viciously, wanted to devour her. Needed to devour her. What does it matter what mood I was in then? Im in the mood to celebrate now.
Well, Im not.
Indeed. She seemed tempered and unguarded, and very undoctor-like. Something hed have realized from the very first if lust hadnt slapped him in the face. He could see the strain in her eyes now, the unhappiness in the set of her mouth. Whats the matter with you?
Lifting a shoulder, she looked away.
Nicole? Shocking how much he wanted to pull her close and cuddle. He, a man whod never cuddled, or been cuddled, a day in his life. Bad day at work?
Another negligent shrug.
She was going to make him drag it out of her. Fine. He suddenly wanted to know badly enough to do so. Did youlose a patient?
A sigh much too weighted for such a little thing escaped her. Not today. Thankfully.
Someone threaten to sue you?
Her mouth curved. Not today. Thankfully.
Hmm. A sense of humor under all that armor. He liked that. Did you get an e-mail giving you a very unwelcome blast from your past?
She studied him for a long moment, while he kicked himself for letting her slip past his guard enough that his mouth had run away with his good sense.
Is that what happened to you? she finally asked.
We were talking about you.
I dont want to talk about me. To prove it, she crossed her arms.
Ah. Youre a hoarder.
We were talking about you.
I dont want to talk about me. To prove it, she crossed her arms.
Ah. Youre a hoarder.
A what?
You hoard your emotions. I appreciate that in a woman, as I do the same.
Thats not exactly something to be proud of.
No kidding. If I had a dime for every time a woman tried to get me to open up and cry all over her His mouth curved. Well, lets just say Id be one wealthy man. So He cocked his head. Were both in a mood, full of temper and restless energy. Might as well pool our resources, darlin.
Her brows came together. The earrings up her ear glittered as she cocked her head. Let me guess. We could pool resources in the way of, sayhaving wild animal sex, maybe up against that wall?
God, she was something all riled up. Not to mention what image her words had just put in his head. Well
Youre thinking about it, arent you?
Oh, yeah, I am.
Cynicism hit her gaze now, and he had to be quick to reach out and grab her wrist when she would have whirled away. Im thinking about it, Nicole, because you said it. Im a guy, were visual creatures, and you just gave me one amazing visual.
There it is again, she accused. Your accent. It comes out with temper or
Or?
When youre
When Im what? Turned on?
She crossed her arms over her chest. You should know, I agreed to bring you the plans so I could tell you Im not going to act on my attraction to you.
He felt heat spear him. Youre admitting to an attraction?
The look on her face was priceless. Oh, just forget it. She upped the ante by putting her hands on his chest. Staring down at her own fingers, she spread them wide, as if she wanted to touch as much of him as he could.
What are you doing? he asked a bit hoarsely.
Pushing you away.
But she wasnt pushing.
Because he needed a grip and she wasnt providing one, he put his hands over hers, entwined their fingers.
She let out a slow breath, and he did the same. Then their gazes met.
We should have just talked about our day, she said shakily.
Mine sucked, he offered.
Mine too.
I got that blast from my past and I didnt like it.
I got hit on by my boss.
What blast- she said, at the same time that he said, What? What do you mean hit on by your boss?
Never mind- They both started, then halted, stared at each other and let out a breath.
Then, inexplicably, Nicoles lips twitched.
His did too, and beneath his fingers, hers relaxed. Her smile, which came slow and surprisingly sweet, warmed him in a way he hadnt expected.
How about we dont talk at all, she whispered, and leaned forward a very tiny fraction of an inch so that their mouths were lined up.
Lined up but not quite touching.
Ty ached to remedy that, but there was the matter of what had happened to her at work, something he found he couldnt let go. Nicole, about your boss-
No talking, she said firmly.
But-
She put her fingers to his lips, which brought him back to the animal-sex thing.
With a little sigh, she leaned into his throat. Damn it, you smell good. Whod have thought you could smell good?
She smelled good, too, so good he nearly took a bite out of her. Why wouldnt you have thought so?
Because I really dont want to like you. Her eyes clouded. You have no idea how much I dont want to like you.
But you do.
She said nothing, and he smiled, pulling back far enough to look down at her. Sunlight sliced across half her face, illuminating her expressive eyes. Listen up, darlin, because my accent is about to make a return.
With that he bent his head, slid his jaw to hers, then put his mouth at the sensitive spot beneath her ear. I dont want to like you either. So damn much, I dont. Having said that, he let out a slow breath to steady himself, and she shivered against him. But its too late. I already do. His fingers untangled from hers, so they could move up her back. So lets use that to our advantage. Lets forget today. He plowed his fingers through her short, silky hair, holding her head in his palms.
Her eyes, hard and cynical only a few moments before, were wide as saucers as he tipped up her face. Lowering his, he repeated, Forget today. Forget the stress.
She licked her lips. Swallowed hard.
And shot a hot ball of lust into his belly. Hell, he said grimly. Lets go for broke and forget our own names, what do you say?
She sucked in her breath. I never forget my name.
Thats because youre too logical. He was loving the way his touch seemed to interfere with her breathing. Through her tank top he could feel the outline of her nipples, tight and straining against the material of her shirt, dying for some attention. He was dying to give that attention. Sometimes, Nicole, you just have to go with the flow.
Going with the flow is not a strong suit of mine, she said a bit shakily.
Im beginning to see that.
She fisted her hand on his chest. I dont like complications in my personal life, Ty.
Complications can be a good thing. Temporary complications, of course. His voice lowered a fraction. Are you ready?
Looking a little wild, a little panicky, she chewed on her lower lip.
Stared at his mouth.
Arched her body just a little, just enough to drive him nearly right out of his living mind.
Nicole? Are you ready?
Just do it.
Do what? he asked huskily, teasingly.
Kiss me!
She looked so frustrated he nearly laughed. Nearly. Because there was nothing funny about how turned on he was, about how much he wanted her. As you wish.
Brushing his mouth over hers, he slid the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips in tune to their twin moans.
And kept his promise as he made them both forget their names.
4
NICOLES HEART pounded in her chest as pleasure swept through her. She didnt know how she could be attracted to this man in this way, when he was the last person she figured she should want to feel such aching desire for.
They were polar opposites, for Gods sake. She was tense, an overachiever, dedicated to her work over and beyond all else.
He was laid-back. Easygoing. Not exactly forthcoming with his real self.
Okay, so maybe they shared that last trait.
But what was it Taylor had said about himhe was willing to let life take him where it would. Here. There. Anywhere. Not her, she knew exactly where she wanted life to take her. Shed always known.
And where she wanted life to take her had nothing to do with a man. With sex. With feeling.
She wanted life to take her right along the same path shed been going. She wanted to be a great doctor. She wanted to try new and innovative surgeries, and be successful at them. She wanted to save peoples lives.
And not think about her own.
Yet there was no denying, he did something to her, something to her insides. He made her yearn and burn for human contact. Physical contact.
And that was something she rarely allowed herself because it made her open. Vulnerable.