The Goodbye Girl (38 page)

“Ecstatic?  Relieved?”

He took several steps closer.  “I’m relieved that you made it safely through that storm.”

“See?  Nothing to worry about.”  Quickly she turned around.  “Let’s eat.”

Long fingers pushed under the hem of her cardigan to hook into the band of her slacks and yank her back against a hard, tall body.  Nick’s voice was low, a hint of steel running through the deep tones.  “You used the phone during a storm.”

Uh-oh
.

“Twice.”

Not good.

His breath brushed her ear.  “
You went out into a storm.”

Crap
.

“A storm much, much worse than the one you went into when I first met you.”

“Um…yes?”

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t do the five second countdown and then deliver.”

“Because I never mentioned my weight or ran myself down.  In fact, ”  she turned around, slid her arms around him and looked up beguilingly,   “I refused the invite to go UFO hunting with Charlotte and David, so technically I didn’t break my word.”

“Technically,” he echoed.

“Well actually, I
didn’t
break my word.  I did what I thought was right and found Charlotte.  No harm.”

“No harm?”  Brawny arms came around her to hug her close, almost squeezing the breath from her.  “Jesus, Bree
.  Do you have any idea how I felt when Paul told me?”

“Paul?  Geez, that didn’t take him long.”  She hugged him back.  “Nick
, you have to chill out.  You forget that I’m used to looking after myself.  I was careful, I promise.  I crawled along at a snail’s pace.  I’m not a novice at driving in all kinds of weather.”

“I know you can look after yourself.”  With a sigh, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  “I can’t help feeling the way I do. 
I never want to see you in danger, know you were in possible danger, with me not there to protect you.  Promise me that next time you’ll ring the cops.”

“In a storm?”

“No.  Yes.  Bugger.”

Bree laughed.

“Don’t go out.”

“Nick-”

“I’m serious, Bree.”  Cupping her cheeks, he tilted her head back so he could meet her gaze.  “If I’m not here, please don’t knowingly put yourself in danger.”

“I wasn’t in danger.”  Any growing annoyance she felt died at the clear worry in his eyes, the shadows in the brilliant green. 
It had been years since anyone worried so much for her safety, and it was heart-warming.  Her tone gentled.  “I can promise to be careful.  I’m always careful, but for you, I will take every added precaution, every safe step.  I’ll even drive
slowly
and
carefully
to the cop shop first to tell them, and then they can go look.  How’s that?”

He sighed.

“Nick.”

“I’m not going to change your mind, am I?”

“Hey, this is me.  It’s what I do.  A friend in need?  I’m there.  But I’m careful how I do it.  Okay?”

“This is killing me, but okay.”  He frowned.  “But I’m warning you, the
first time you get hurt trying to help someone, I’ll wait until you’re better and
then
give the five second countdown and deliver.”

“Does the same go for me while you’re wherever your mob goes next?”

“It’s my job.  I’m trained for it.”

“And so am I in a totally different way.  What’s good for the goose etc etc.”

“Maybe I’ll do the five second countdown just for the hell of it.”

Laughing
, Bree gave him a quick hug.  “Poor baby.  What can I do to make you feel better?”  Tipping her head back, she smiled up at him.  “What-”

Her words were lost by
Nick taking her mouth, giving no mercy.  Tongue demanding entrance, he swept in, plundering deep, taking everything she had with an almost desperate voracity.

In that second she
realised how worried he’d been, how scared even, thinking all kinds of things, and it must have been ten times worse than how she felt about Charlotte.

Because he loved her.

Because he couldn’t be with her.

Because that was just the kind
of man he was.

Wanting to reassure him, seeking to
give him comfort, Bree returned the kiss, pressing against him, hand sweeping under his jumper and shirt to slide up the warm skin of his back.

Almost immediately she
felt the hunger in him turn hotter, more carnal, his shaft hardening behind his jeans to press urgently against her belly.

It produced a similar reaction in her, heat filling her, po
oling between her thighs, her body responding to his as it always did.

When he lifted his head, she read the intent in his eye, and only a slim thread of common sense had her saying breathlessly, “I’m on lunch break.”

“Ever hear of a nooner?” His voice was a little harsh with need.

“I don’t have time to go to bed, Nick.”

“Who said anything about bed?”

With that,
he kissed her again, licked deep, his fingers moving smoothly under her shirt to cup her breasts, hard palms massaging through her bra.

Immediately her nipples pebbled, begging for his touch, her response to his touch
and scent almost instant.  Knowing his touch, craving it, willing it.

Nick, her
personal addiction.

Unashamedly she kissed back, returned the touches, nipped his lower lip and laughed huskily when he growled.

Big hands caught her waist, spun her around, his hard body crowding her against the table.  Before she knew it his thumbs had hooked into the waistband of her slacks and pushed them down past her thighs, his hands coming back to cup her buttocks, squeezing firmly, sending another rush of heat through her.

Arching
up, she slid her arm back, her hand around his nape, angling her head to the side to give him access to the pulse beating so erratically in her neck.

Nick latched onto it, licking roughly before sucking lightly, pressing his tongue to the beat, tasting her.  At the same time she felt his knowing fingers slide between her thighs, dance along the curls at the apex before lightly
, carefully, delving between the shelter of her labia.

Heat blossomed, rushing through her, pooling in so many delicious
places, leaving her gasping and moaning as he played her body, knowing the touches that had her arching, the caresses that made her squirm, the hidden places to seek out and press to make her cream hotly, spread her thighs decadently.

The slacks were
confining, but the stretchy material made it easier.

Then his
hand was between her shoulders, pushing her down, bending her over the table.  Cool air played around her moistness, eliciting a shiver from her, his finger finding her again, circling the opening of her body before pushing in deep.

The sensation of his invasion had her pushing back against him, the way he hooked his finger inside her to tug gently at her sheath making her stomach drop clean away.

“Nick.”  Her voice was thready, breathless.  Pleading.

One
jean-clad thigh pushed between her bared ones, spreading her as much as the slacks would allow.  “So wet, honey.  So wanting.”

“Please, Nick.”  Pulses pounded in
anticipation of his entrance, nipples scraping against her bra.

His hand soothed across her lower back, his other hand pressed against her secrets. One finger stroking her inside,
another finger pressing her clitoris.

Sparks
skittered out, spread throughout her lower body.

He shifted, his lips brushing across her lower back.  “God, Bree.”  His words were hot and
moist on her skin, tongue laving roughly in the small of her back.  “If we had the time, I’d kneel right now and lick you out.”

That mental picture alone had her shuddering, vaginal muscles clamping down on his finger.

Nick chuckled harshly. “Like that idea, do you?  Good.  Because next time I’m going to lie you out and feast on you.  But for now…”  He straightened, his finger disappearing.  “For now, let’s do this quick and rough.”  There was the sound of a condom wrapper ripping.

Braced on her hands, Bree stretched up, intent on looking back over her shoulder, hungry for a glimpse of the tight
desire she knew she’d see on his face, but before she could do so properly bare skin met the backs of her legs, the flex of hard muscle, and then his shaft was there, hot tip pressed to her opening.

“Hold on, h
oney,” he rasped.  “We’re in for a rough ride.”

He certainly spoke the truth.

One hard thrust and he was buried high inside her, but he didn’t wait, drawing out almost instantly to slam back in.

All
Bree could do was hold on to the table, try to stop her hands from slipping across the smooth surface as Nick pounded into her, his hands holding her hips tight, his hips slamming into her over and over.

Oh God, she could hardly see.  Colours burst behind her
eyelids, heavy arousal surging deep with every hard, rough thrust of Nick inside her.  His shaft so thick, so long, so hard, tunnelling through her almost ruthlessly, plundering her depths before withdrawing from her sheath which was already starting to spasm.

Breath catching before coming out in pants,
she gave up the fight to stay on her hands, sinking onto her elbows, the movement opening her up more.

Nick gave a grunt of satisfaction and surged deeper, harder.

Rocked against the table, Bree felt her nerves coil, spiralling up from where she and Nick joined to needle out to her extremities.  The hedonism of the position was new to her, made her feel controlled, open, just a little dirty and daring.  Thrilling her.

Control wasn’t something she gave up easily, but in Nick’s hands she was more than willing.  Knowing he would see to her satisfaction, see to his own, she was free to fly, to let her emotions run wild with the sensations
coursing through her.  Heat, fire, carnality, it swept her along in a fiery desire that climbed higher, Nick pushing her upwards with every powerful pump of his hips, every shove deep inside her with his shaft.

He changed angle, hitting that spot he
seemed to find so unerringly when seeking it, pounding it ruthlessly, never giving her leeway, not letting her wriggle free in ecstasy, holding her hips, forcing her to accept the erotic pleasure he gave her.

Pushing her out, shoving her hard over the peak with harsh pumps, casting her out into an
organism that had her screaming his name.

He hit his peak, hands holding her close, fingers digging in as he held her hard to him, shaft shoved deep, hips trying to pump but he was too
close, they were too close.  His shaft jerked deep inside her, jerked again, and Nick kept pushing, her name a rasping growl that filled the air.

By the time she finally drifted down, it was to find Nick slumped over her, his hot breaths panting onto her back.

“Oh, wow,” she said weakly.

Nick stirred, kissed her back, licked a small spot tenderly before he straightened and pulled out of her.

Pushing upright, she reached down for her slacks, only to have big hands come either side, long fingers grip the slacks and her panties, and yank them up her legs.

“If you don’t want round two right now, cover up that pretty arse and muff.”

Blushing, she pulled her shirt down and straightened her cardigan.  The man could make her blush like no one’s business.  But man, he made her feel pretty, made her feel fragile and cherished.

Smiling, she glanced over her shoulder at him to find him zipping his jeans while watching her with languorous eyes.  A hint of heat still
smouldered deep with the green.  He still desired her, she could see it.  It wouldn’t take much to have him bend her over the table for round two.

“You’re insatiable,” she said primly, ignoring the flush of heat that went
through her.

“Only with you, honey.”

She dimpled at him.

He grinned back, bent forward and kissed her.  And kissed her again.  And then a little deeper.

As much as she wanted to carry it further, as much as she
craved
to carry it further, she managed to act responsible.  Placing a hand on his chest, she put some space between them.  “Down, boy.  I have to go back to work shortly and I need to eat first.”

“You could call in sick.”

“Can’t, we have a full book this afternoon.  Now wash your hands while I put the kettle on.”

“Why would I want to wash my hands?” he asked
innocently.

“Because you’ve had them…places.”

“Mmm.”  His eyes half closed, a gleam evident.  “Nice places.  Warm places.  Wet places.”