Harlequin Kimani Romance September 2014 Bundle: Seduced by the Heir\Secret Silver Nights\Someone Like You\Indulge Me Tonight (36 page)
Authors: Pamela Yaye
Chapter 31
February, Three Months Later
N
iko and Monique arrived at the country club and parked next to the private dining-room entrance. “Are you ready for our engagement party, Mrs. Drake?”
“The operative word is
engagement,
” Monique said with a smile. “Technically, I'm still Ms. Slater.”
Niko leaned toward her, his eyes darkening with desire. “To hell with technicalities.” His lips pressed against hers, soft and warm, before he brushed his tongue across the crease of her lips to deepen the exchange.
“You're ruining my lipstick,” Monique murmured, before dipping her tongue back into Niko's warm mouth for seconds and thirds.
“To hell with that, too. In fact, why don't we bypass all this hoopla and go back to the house? I haven't had you for a few hours and my body is feeling the loss.”
“These three months will pass in the blink of an eye, and come June, you'll have me for the rest of your life.”
The outer door to the private dining room opened. Out walked Warren and his cousin Dexter. They headed straight to Niko's car, in spite of the fact that they could see he was busy. Warren knocked on the window. “Get a room!” he shouted.
“Mind your business!” Niko shouted back.
Monique laughed, pulled out her compact and repaired her lipstick.
Once they'd exited the car, Niko asked Warren, “How'd you know I was out here?”
“We didn't. Came out so I could show Dexter my new truck.”
Niko shook his head. Since buying a ranch and marrying his neighbor, a bona fide cowgirl, Warren had totally embraced the country life, complete with Stetson and boots. “You Ford tough now?”
“Naw, I'm a Dodge man. Charli has the Ford.”
“I'll see your truck after the festivities,” Dexter said, placing his arm around Monique. “Now it's time to toast the prettiest girl in the room.”
“You've got that right,” Niko said.
“Besides my wife,” Dexter added.
The four of them entered the private dining room. Warren and Dexter stepped aside as the room stood and applauded the night's special guests. Niko and Monique walked to the front, center table occupied by their parents. They hugged Ike and Jennifer before turning to Monique's parents, Caroline and George.
“You look stunning,” Caroline said, her eyes tearing up as she hugged her daughter. “Silver is a perfect complement to your skin tone. It's different, but I think your wedding colors of silver with shades of pink are going to be stunning.” She turned to Niko, who'd just shaken hands with George. “Hello, handsome,” she said, hugging her future son-in-law. “My daughter is simply beaming,” she whispered. “And it's all because of you.”
“Excuse meâmay I have your attention please?” Everyone turned to see Ike Jr. at the microphone. “Please help me welcome Niko Drake, the mayor of Paradise Cove, and Monique Slater, the beautiful first lady who raced him into office!”
“Now he's racing her to the altar!” someone shouted.
The festivities were under way.
For the next hour, Niko and Monique made their way around the room. After talking to her brother and his wife, they greeted the rest of the one hundred and fifty guests that included Niko's extended family from Southern California and New Orleans, Monique's good friend Emma and her husband, their colleagues from the legal world and the citizens of Paradise Cove who'd known Niko a lifetime and had warmly welcomed his fiancée. When they reached Margo, both Monique and Niko gave her a special hug. It was her prodding to keep a promise that had brought Monique to Paradise Cove.
“I'm so happy for you, darling,” Margo said. “Happy for you both. Do you have a designer for your wedding gown?”
“Not yet. We're looking.”
“Call me next week. I know someone in Los Angeles who could design a masterpiece.”
“Will do.”
Having circled the room, they arrived back at the table they'd share with their parents and married siblings. Ike immediately stood to offer a toast.
“We'd like to thank all of you for coming to celebrate the engagement of my son Nicodemus to his lovely fiancée, Monique. Niko has always been adventurous, some might even say a hellion.” Laughter caused him to pause. “At times the wife and I wondered whether there would ever be someone to tame him. But in Monique, he's met his match both intellectually and academically, in mind, body and spirit. She comes from a great family, one which we are proud to align with.” He turned to Monique. “Welcome to the family, dear.” Raising his glass, he ended, “to Niko and Monique!”
“Hear, hear!”
After a couple more toasts, Emma stood. “Monique, from the time we met in college, I knew you were special. And I knew it would take a special man to win your heart. You are a great professional, a great career woman. But I think you will be an even greater wife and mother.”
At the sound of the
M
word, Monique feigned coughing, which elicited a big laugh from the crowd. The serving began and lively conversation filled the room. Beneath their table, Niko squeezed Monique's thigh. Months later his touch, his scent, his smile, his presence still caused her muscles to constrict and kitty to moisten. Tonight was no different.
“Behave,” she gritted out between a smile.
“Not a chance,” he replied, giving her thigh another squeeze followed by a kiss on her temple. “In fact, when I get you back to my house...there's going to be a whole lot of misbehaving.”
Monique felt the heat rise from her chest to her ears. She dared not raise her eyes, sure that anyone looking at her would be able to tell what was on her mind. Niko was insatiable and his comment had brought to mind what had occurred that very morning. Until now, her lovemaking experience had been fairly standard, pretty routine. But with Niko, lovemaking was an adventure. Just this morning he'd come to bed with warm caramel. Remembering that sticky substance on her thighs and Niko licking it off caused her to shudder.
She was happy when a few minutes later she caught Emma's eye and signaled her to meet in the bathroom. “Excuse me,” she said to the table as she rose. “I'll be right back.” The men stood as well until she left the table.
“Do you need any help?” her sister-in-law asked.
“No, I'm fine. Thanks.” She held her smile until she turned the corner. “My feet are killing me,” she whispered to Emma as soon as they'd turned the corner and were out of sight from the room. “And my face is sore from smiling. I'm thrilled to be becoming Niko's missus, but I'm not sure I'll survive the hoopla!”
“You look beautiful,” Emma reassured her. “And you'll be fine.”
“You're the one who looks amazing. No one would guess that you had little Amelia just two months ago!”
They reached the bathroom. Monique pulled out her compact and patted her face.
She turned to Emma, glad that with her upcoming nuptials their friendship had deepened. “I'm glad we got a moment alone. I wanted to thank you.”
“For what?”
“For giving advice that I didn't ask for. Do you remember?”
“Mo, we have a newborn. I get no sleep and these days am lucky to remember my name.”
“It was just after clinching the Democratic nomination. With Niko, I was determined to keep my distance. But you told me to take a chance, that if I saw something I wanted, to go for it. And now I'm wearing his ring.”
Emma grabbed several tissues. “Oh, look at you getting all sentimental and making me cry.” She gave some to Monique, who dabbed her eyes. “My hormones are still all over the place. It doesn't take much.” She tossed her tissue in the wastebasket. “Now, let's hear the good stuff.”
“About what?”
“Your love life, silly. Is he any good in bed?”
“Em!”
“Hey, this is important. A very serious matter!”
“Yes, it is, and he's amazing. Sometimes I think he's almost too much.”
“Ah.” Emma's eyes sparkled. “Trust me, that's a good thing. My husband and I have never had a disagreement that a good swiving didn't fix.”
“Swiving? Seriously?”
“I'm a historical-romance fiend. Don't judge me.”
Monique laughed. “I won't. I'll just think of you the next time I get my swive on.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, I think I'm ready to face the table again. Niko keeps whispering nasty comments to me. I can barely look my parents or in-laws in the eye!”
“Just visualize what they had to do to get you here and you'll be fine.”
“Ugh!”
“Ha! At least you're not thinking of Niko's comments right now.”
“I only wish I were!” She grabbed her friend and hugged her. “Thanks for everything. Love you, Em.”
“Love you, Mo.”
They returned to their tables. Niko took up where he'd left off, leaning toward her and whispering, “I missed you,” before surreptitiously licking her ear.
Her gasp caused the table to turn in her direction. “Is everything all right, dear?” her father asked.
“Yes.”
It would be even better if I could control my heartbeat.
Warren's wife, Charli, took in Monique's flushed color. Being married to Niko's brother, she had an idea why. It was time to shift the table's focus. “Monique, I love your color scheme. What made you choose them?”
“Thank you,” she said, her eyes conveying that the gratitude was not only for the compliment but for the question. “Pink has always been my favorite color. The idea of silver came from the Silver Serenade Concert. It was a very special night.” She glanced at Niko and saw his knowing smile. Reaching beneath the table, she squeezed his hand and with a quick shake of her head dared him to comment further. Everyone knew about the concert's success but only she and Niko knew that trip to San Francisco's true significance, when magic had happened and their lives had changed. That special moment would remain just between the two of them. For Niko and Monique it was the start of it all...their secret silver night.
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460338872
SECRET SILVER NIGHTS
Copyright © 2014 by Zuri Day
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