About That Kiss (4 page)

Joy settled herself into one of the two wooden chairs in front of the desk while Nick took the chair behind the desk. He leaned forward.

Joy swallowed. “I can’t believe you’ve bought the paper. But, anyway, everyone loved your ideas.”

“Did you?” He was studying her closely.

“Absolutely.” Her eyes became bright with the excitement he’d engendered with his comments before Joy dropped them to look at her lap.

Nick watched her pull the hem of her skirt down some. It still didn’t get any nearer to her knees.

Joy swallowed again. “I was going to give Earl three weeks’ notice this morning. It seems that you’re the one that I’m going to have to give my notice to now.” There was no way she could stay and work with him, not feeling the way she did about him. Just thinking about it was torture.

Nick felt like he’d just had his lights punched out. He picked up a pen from the desk and fiddled with it. How was he supposed to court her with her taking off? “You have three more months to run on your contract here.”

“I know that.” Joy’s focus was on the pen he was holding, not his eyes.

“Would you mind telling me what brought you to this decision?”

“I’ve been offered an assignment with
New World
magazine. They’re going to be sending reporters out to a number of South American countries to do stories on daily life. I’m slated to go to Bolivia. There’s still some reservation on their part, but they’re giving me a shot.” It was her chance to, if nothing else, have a stimulating career for herself.

“There shouldn’t be any reservations on their part. They don’t deserve you if they haven’t figured out how talented you are.”

Joy’s gray-green eyes came up to find sincerity written on his face. She felt all aglow at his praise.

This time it was Nick who broke eye contact. “I’m not letting you out of your contract.”

Joy blinked. “That’s ridiculous. In three weeks’ time you’ll find a hundred reporters to take my place.”

“I want you,” Nick said tersely, his eyes back on her.

“I can’t stay, Nick,” Joy said just as succinctly while their gazes locked.

Nick dropped the pen to the desk. “I don’t see that you have any choice but to work out your contract. I am not accepting your notice.”

“I have a choice. I can break my contract,” Joy returned rigidly.

“Try it and I’ll sue you,” Nick said, bluffing.

Joy tipped up her unsteady chin. She didn’t know if she wanted to cry or throw something at him. “You’d actually sue me?”

He didn’t answer, just continued to look at her.

Joy no longer felt the threat of tears. What she felt was frustration and anger. “What made you decide to buy this paper, anyway?”

“I decided it was time for me to settle down in one place and build roots.”

Joy thought about his answer for a long moment.

“I get it,” she said, pushing back her chair and standing. Of course, she got it. He was showing Diana that he’d settled down. It was his traveling that had broken them up.

“What do you get?” Nick asked, reaching her as she got to the door.

Joy turned around to give him a withering glance. “We both know why you picked now to settle down.”

Nick couldn’t hold back a grin. She looked so cute with her eyes blazing at him. “I really don’t think you have a clue.”

“Oh, I have a clue. I have more than a clue,” Joy retorted.

“Forget what you think you know.” Nick put his palms to the door on either side of her, pinning her in place. “How about we talk about a compromise?”

“What kind of compromise?” Joy asked, partly steaming, partly intoxicated by his proximity. More intoxicated than steaming. And thrilled. Being praised by someone of his professional stature was exhilarating.

“You work out the rest of your contract without being angry at me, and if you still want to leave then I’ll see that you get an assignment from someone who will appreciate you. It’s obvious you haven’t met with the right people.”

Joy narrowed her eyes at him. “Is this a snow job?” Even if it was, Joy realized, what choice did she have? She couldn’t imagine any editor hiring a journalist who had been sued for breach of contract.

“No.”

“Can I go to my desk now?” How in heaven’s name was she going to get through three months of being around him?

“Are you still mad at me?” Nick angled his head.

“Yes.” She didn’t get all that much conviction in her tone. It was impossible for her to disassociate herself from his sexiness.

“How about if I buy you pizza with anchovies for lunch?” Nick asked lazily.

“Are you planning to eat at the same table?” Remembering how he had balked the night before about her topping choice Joy did her utmost to keep a straight face. His playfulness was irresistible.

“Is that a smile you’re trying to hide?”

“No!” Joy pushed firmly at his shoulders.

Nick easily maintained his position. “Are you going to have lunch with me?”

“Anchovies?” Joy asked.

“Anchovies,” Nick responded with a laugh.

“And you have to taste a slice.”

“Okay.” Nick put his hands up in the air as if she was holding a gun on him. “You’ve got me at your mercy.”

Joy let him see her smile as she made a backward reach for the doorknob. There wasn’t any way that she could stay mad at him;

“God, you really are hard on a guy,” Nick said with a grin and stepped back to let her go.

“W
hat have you been up to all day?” Diana asked, addressing Nick as soon as he and Joy stepped into the parlor that evening.

“I’ve been running a newspaper.” Nick winked at Joy. “Trying to, anyway. I might have done better if your sister hadn’t forced me to eat anchovies at lunch.”

Joy’s smile was forced. She’d been happily keyed up since they’d had lunch together, but now that he was about to tell Diana that he’d finally settled down, Joy’s spirits flattened right out.

“A newspaper?” Diana questioned, confused.

“The
East End Journal,
“ Nick responded, giving a glance to the fourth party in the room. There was a young man standing on a stepladder closing a paint can. Nick didn’t think Joy was picking up on it, but
the painter was giving her a thorough once-over. Every fiber of Nick’s body went on alert.

“Formerly the
Greenport News,”
Joy said.

“I don’t get it,” Diana said, as the painter got down from the ladder.

“Hey, Joy,” he said, flashing her a look—a look that Nick was clearly reading as predatory. He wasn’t liking this one bit!

“Hey, yourself, Eddie,” Joy said while Nick watched her smile at the painter. To Nick that smile seemed to have come to her easier than the smile she’d given him moments ago.

“I still don’t get it,” Diana said again.

“I haven’t seen you dress this way for a day at the slave den before,” Eddie said, giving Joy a provokingly sexy grin, then a low whistle.

Nick ground his teeth almost to the point of needing emergency dental treatment.

“Yeah…well,” was Joy’s lackadaisical response while she tried not comparing herself to Diana. Even in humdrum textured slacks and a plain white shirt rolled to her elbows, Diana was a knockout. Joy wouldn’t have traded Diana for any other sister in the entire world. But the three inches of height Diana had over her was aggravating Joy right now. Couldn’t Diana have at least one shortcoming?

Forcing her thoughts away from her sister, Joy asked Eddie. “How’s the rock and roll business?”

“Happening, babe. Happening.”

Nick watched “Mr. Happening” drop his eyes to briefly explore, for a second time, the fit of Joy’s turtleneck top across her pert breasts.

Joy finally turned to Nick. “Oh, Nick…this is Eddie DeMarco. Painter by day. Rock and roll singer by night. Eddie, this is Nick Tremain. My new boss and Kevin’s brother.”

“Your new boss?” Diana asked, still bewildered.

Eddie raised a paint-covered palm toward Nick’s face. “I’d shake hands with you, but—”

“No problem.” Nick ground out a casual smile, taking adversarial note of Eddie DeMarco’s cocky physical characteristics. What did Joy know of Eddie DeMarco’s nights? Did she go for guys with ponytails?

“Will someone please answer me?” Diana looked from Nick to Joy, then back to Nick.

Just then Emily Mackey pushed open the door from the kitchen. “Dinner is ready. Hurry up. All of you. There’s nothing worse than a lukewarm roast. Eddie, haven’t you changed and washed up yet?”

“I’m going right now, ‘Mom,’” Eddie bantered.

“I’m just going to change my clothes,” Joy said.

“Need any help?” Eddie teased Joy as Mrs. Mackey stepped back into the kitchen.

“No, thanks,” Joy answered sassily.

Eddie’s advances toward Joy had Nick steaming as he started out behind the two of them. Nick got to the front hall and was about to go upstairs to change out of his suit when Diana waylaid him.

“Nick Tremain, you tell me what is going on.” Diana placed her hands firmly on Nick’s shoulders after moving in front of him.

“I bought the
Greenport News
,” Nick answered distractedly, his blue eyes following Joy as she went up the stairs with Eddie DeMarco at her side. Nick could
tell Eddie was saying something to her, but he couldn’t hear what it was. Whatever it was, it brought another smile to Joy’s lips. Nick ground his teeth again.

“You bought Joy’s newspaper!” Diana exclaimed. “Does that mean you’ve given up being a vagabond?”

Nick inattentively nodded his head while he continued eyeing Eddie and Joy. He’d been congratulating himself since this morning at getting her to stay at the paper. He hadn’t factored in any romantic competition into the picture.

“This is going to be good for you, Nick. I just know it is.” Diana looped her arms around Nick’s neck to give him a hug.

It was that embrace that Joy saw as she turned at the top of the stairs and glanced over the railing.

“See you in five,” Eddie said.

Joy forced her eyes off Diana and Nick down below and waved distractedly to Eddie. Heavyhearted, Joy walked to her bedroom.

“Have you told Kevin?” Diana asked as Nick released himself from her embrace.

“Not yet,” Nick answered, doing some more wrestling with his stupidity. Hell, it wasn’t like Joy had given him any sign of interest since he’d returned.

“Kevin is going to be very relieved,” Diana was saying. “He worries a lot about his baby brother.”

“I worry about him. It’s been just the two of us for years now.” Nick didn’t allow himself to dwell on the car accident that had robbed them of their parents eight years ago. Instead, he pushed as he always did to remember the rich, full happy life his parents had enjoyed
together. It was that kind of happy marriage he wanted one day for himself.

“You don’t have to worry about Kevin,” Diana said. “You’d better hurry up and change if you’re changing. Mom does hate serving a roast lukewarm.”

Nick started for the stairs, then stopped and turned back. His hand came down from the tie he’d just started to loosen. “Does Eddie DeMarco have dinner here often?”

“Pretty often. Mom’s sort of adopted him since he’s been working here. I’ve been using him for over a year now with all my clients. He’s got a truly artistic eye for color. I’ve never seen anyone paint the way he paints. He just about makes love to the wall.”

Nick gave the knot of his tie a further pull. “Has he got something going with Joy?”

“Do you mean are they involved?” Diana made a twirling motion with one hand.

Nick nodded his head tightly.

“Joy’s gone out with him. He is great looking, but it’s hard to tell with Joy. Since the guy she went with in college she hasn’t dated anyone more than three times. If I’m counting correctly, Eddie’s had his allotment.”

“Is she carrying a torch for the guy she went with in college?” Nick disquietingly picked out what seemed to be the most salient point.

“If Joy’s still in love with Paul Reeves, she’d tell me. We tell each other everything,” Diana answered. “Now, you’d better hurry up if you’re going to change.”

Up in her bedroom Joy replaced her panty hose with white athletic socks and her skirt with a pair of body-hugging
jeans. And she’d left her clingy white-ribbed turtleneck on.

Joy glowered at herself in a full-length mirror after tying her sneakers.

“Idiot!” she scolded her reflection. She’d already shown off her meager attributes to Nick all day long. Diana beat her out there, too, by inches.

Though she’d had a head start, Nick was already in the kitchen when Joy came through the door. She was the last one down. Eddie was kiddingly pestering her mother by making faces into a steamer pot of broccoli. He’d changed from his painting clothes to clean jeans and a T-shirt under a tan flannel shirt that he’d left hanging out and unbuttoned.

Joy’s eyes skidded past Eddie to Nick as he stood involved in a conversation with Diana. He’d swapped his suit and dress shoes for jeans, a navy pullover sweater and boots. He looked loose, casually hip and incredibly sexy. He was sexy no matter what he wore. Or didn’t wear—like last night in the kitchen when he’d been lethally nude from the waist up.

Joy’s mind went to dreamland, where having Nick fall in love with her was wholly achievable. She even added a few inches to her measurements while she was at it.

“You’ve got enough to deal with right now,” Nick was saying to Diana, while meeting Joy’s gaze for a fraction of a second before she turned her head away. He’d been aware of her the instant she’d walked into the room.

“If I concentrate any more on the wedding, I’m going to make myself crazy,” Diana responded. “Let me scout for you. I know your taste.”

Emily Mackey put the roast on a platter. “Everyone to the table.”

Eddie was already seated and waiting.

“Let me get that,” Nick said, moving from Diana to lift the roast off the counter. “I can’t say I haven’t yearned for home cooking, but I wish you hadn’t fussed. My staying here is making extra work for you.”

Joy took in the truly appreciative look on Nick’s face. It was the sweetest look she’d ever seen on a guy.

“I am not fussing. I love having a houseful.” Emily Mackey earnestly dismissed Nick’s concern as she ladled the broccoli into a serving dish. “You could do something for me, though. You could do the carving.”

“Sure,” Nick replied and brought the roast to the table while Joy spooned mashed potatoes from a pot to a bowl and Diana went to the refrigerator for the salad that was already cut up.

Standing, Nick began carving as Joy, Diana and Mrs. Mackey took their seats with all the fixings for dinner on the table.

“What are you going to scout around for?” Joy asked Diana.

“A house for Nick. One he can lease with an option to buy.” Diana looked up at Nick. “Something modern, right?”

“No.” Nick shook his head. “I’m not into modern at all.”

“Something old and with character,” Joy said, reflecting her own taste.

“Exactly,” Nick responded with a smile. He was surprised, but not shocked that they thought alike.

“Do you have any plans for tonight?” Eddie asked Joy, bringing Nick out of his reverie.

“No,” Joy answered listlessly.

“How about coming with me to Gillie’s in Westhampton? I’m going to be singing there for a week starting tomorrow night.”

“Well…”

“Come on,” Eddie coaxed. “I could use your help checking out the acoustics.”

Joy considered the evening ahead, being in the company of Nick and Diana as they talked about houses. “All right,” Joy answered carelessly.

Nick clenched his jaw.
What had happened to her three strikes and you’re out?

With a white-knuckled grip on the carving knife, Nick hacked at the next slice of meat.

“I think we have enough meat to start with,” Emily said to Nick.

“Do you have any plans for tonight?” Nick asked Diana as he took his seat. He wasn’t about to be stymied.

“No.” Diana shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t get to see Kevin at all during the week.”

“How about we join Joy and Eddie?” There was one thing Nick was sure about. Eddie DeMarco was all wrong for her.

Joy held her breath. God, he was smooth. Nick was going to have Diana dating him again with barely a crook of his finger. He had innocence down to a science.

Eddie made an unsuccessful attempt not to look vexed at being aced out of his plan to be alone with
Joy. Nick had no trouble at all noting Eddie’s irritation.

“Sounds like fun,” Diana replied.

Joy turned to her mother. “Mom, how about coming along?”

“I have my evening all planned out. There’s a movie on TV that I want to see. Besides, I don’t go to places named Gillie’s. You all go along and have fun.”

Fun? Joy thought. Not likely.

The music was blasting as they entered Gillie’s, compliments of a platinum blond female singer with a tinny voice, accompanied by a bass player, synthesizer and guitarist. Nick couldn’t imagine acoustics being any concern. Gillie’s took up no more than two small storefronts in the strip center where it was located. Then again, Nick didn’t think for one minute that acoustics had been on Eddie’s mind when he’d asked Joy out for the night.

They walked to an area of tables set around a stampsized dance floor where a few couples grooved to the beat. Almost all of the tables were empty. The action was at the bar, which took up most of the space.

After everyone had removed their coats Eddie grabbed Joy’s hand before any of them could sit. “Come on, let’s dance.”

“Diana?” Nick invited, instantaneously choosing between sitting at the table watching Joy dance with Eddie from a distance or watching her with Eddie DeMarco at close range. He was rankled either way.

Diana’s eyes lit up. “I’d love to dance.”

Nick fit Diana conservatively in his arms. Over Diana’s shoulder, Nick’s eyes went to Joy and Eddie.
There was nothing at all conservative in the way Eddie was maneuvering to hold Joy. Nick saw Joy place a firm hand against Eddie’s chest, staving him off, claiming space for herself. And with that Nick breathed easier.

“It’s funny how things work out,” Diana said, smiling philosophically with her head tipped back to look up at him. “You buy the
Greenport News,
and I wind up engaged to Kevin.”

“Who would have thought it,” Nick said inconse-quentially, finding it easy enough to lead Diana to the music, though his attention was focused on Joy and Eddie.

“You can take your hand off my chest.” Eddie gave Joy an exasperated look. “I won’t pull you any closer if you don’t want me to. I do understand that some women need a lot more time than others. Right?”

“Right.” Joy presented a quickly fading smile. She did bring the hand in question up from his chest to his shoulder. But she kept her elbow at the ready.

Eddie squeezed Joy’s other hand—the one he had pinned down at her side. “What’s the story with Nick Tremain?”

“What do you mean?” Joy felt Eddie slide the hand he’d had between her shoulder blades just a bit lower.

“Is there something more between the two of you than employer and employee?” Eddie’s hand moved another small inch down Joy’s back.

Joy sucked in her breath. “He’s my boss and his brother is going to marry my sister. That’s all there is between us.”

Eddie’s hand progressed another inch down Joy’s spine. “Call it a vibe but I think he’s interested in you. And I don’t mean just as an employee or friend.”

Joy nearly laughed. “You don’t know how ridiculous that is.”

“How ridiculous is it?”