They got so much closer, the next four nights, along with the documentary I chose (which, frankly, was not nearly as fascinating), we watched the rest of the season.

Plans for nuclear obliteration of London, Tokyo, Rome, New York and Sydney were thwarted.

And I had to admit, when they were safe, I was relieved.

Not only that they were safe.

But that the program had been picked up for a second season.

* * * * *

11:54 – Friday Night

I planted my chin smack in the middle of Nick’s pecs and lifted my eyes to his.

He had his head propped on several pillows, his neck bent and his eyes were already on me.

“Did they have casualties?” I asked.

I watched his head give a slight jerk as his brows inched together.

“What?” he asked back.

“The…your…” I felt funny but for some reason persevered. “Your boys. You were talking to one at the club the week before last. You spoke of casualties. Was…were…” I wanted to trail off and let it go, but like before, I couldn’t stop myself from pushing forward. “Did it all come out okay?”

His lips hitched up.

“Is Olivia Shade asking me a question, sharing concern about my business and my boys so, by extension, doing the same about me?” he teased.

I looked away as I shifted to get my hands to the bed to push up, murmuring, “My mistake. Time to leave.”

I didn’t push up.

My back hit the bed and I couldn’t move because Nick was covering me at the same time grinning down at me.

“No casualties,” he declared. “The reinforcements got there on time. The bad guys showed, saw they were fucked, didn’t try for the girl and instead retreated after my boys engaged. They were probably waiting for their own reinforcements. When they retreated, my team moved her out and put her in a different safe house. We found out her brother has a big mouth and that’s how her first location was discovered. Now the job’s done, she’s safe and I got paid,” he shared.

“I’m glad,” I returned snappishly.

He didn’t stop grinning, in fact, he started quietly laughing as he replied, “You sound it.”

“Though, your story over, it’s now really time for me to leave.”

He stopped grinning and laughing.

“Get off me, Sebring,” I ordered.

He studied me.

In the middle of doing it, he lifted a hand and trailed a finger down my hairline as I held my breath because that, like most everything from Nick, felt nice.

After that, without another word, he got off me.

We dressed.

He walked me to my Evoque.

We kissed hard and rough at my driver’s side door.

I got in my car.

And in my rearview mirror I watched him jog up the steps to his place as I drove away.

Chapter Thirteen

Beauty Bound

Olivia

3:48 – Thursday Afternoon

“Just text the ingredients, Olivia,” Nick said into my ear as I drove to the warehouse.

“I’ll bring them,” I returned.

“Babe, I’m goin’ to the grocery store before I hit home.”

“And I have to drive to your place before I hit your home so I can stop by the grocery store.”

“No need for us both to go.”

This was true.

“You’re always feeding me,” I pointed out.

“Yeah, that’s the rule. Your ass is in my house, I feed you.”

I made a turn, muttering, “You have a lot of rules.”

“My ass is in your house, you make the rules.”

It was only the second time in our time together he’d mentioned being at my house.

I felt a thrill at the very thought.

Then it felt like I hit a wall with a painful thud when I remembered that’d never happen.

“Maybe we should chat about that later,” I murmured before saying louder, “But I’m making dessert tonight and I’m buying the ingredients for the dessert I’m making.”

“Fuck, got another call comin’ in that I gotta take so I can’t continue this stupid fuckin’ argument with you,” he replied semi-distractedly.

“Which means I’m bringing dessert.”

“Whatever. Six?”

“Six, Sebring. See you then.”

“Later, Olivia.”

We hung up.

I saw the warehouse and felt my stomach go from warm and happy at talking with Nick to roiling with sick.

It was the first time I’d been back since the whole thing went down with David. This was because it was easier doing David’s job at his office in the Denver Technical Center, known by locals such as myself as DTC. It was also because I hated the warehouse and I hated my father, who only had one office, that being in the warehouse. Therefore working elsewhere I could avoid him a lot easier.

I was parking in the spot that had my name on it when my phone rang again.

I looked to it in hopes Nick was done with his other call and had called me back so we could continue our ridiculous fucking argument about dessert.

It wasn’t Nick.

It was Dustin, the fixup my mother perpetrated.

I sighed.

Dustin and I had spoken, just enough for him not to share with his mother (who would share with my mother) that I was blowing him off, not enough for me to actually fix a date with him.

However, this was something he was pushing more for as the days went by, our conversations became longer, his interest in seeing me again was more firmly communicated and I was beginning to run out of excuses.