Threads Of Desire (Creative Hearts Book 3) (6 page)

Gabby hated feeling this out of sorts in her own home. Hell, in her own skin. It went against all she told herself she stood for. Women’s empowerment, loving herself just as she was in that moment, yada, yada, yada. And now Nicholas Ross was in her living room and he had her crossing her legs and risking a UTI instead of facing him while she looked less than her best. She let out a low hiss and flipped back her covers.

“Screw this.” But when her feet hit the old rug covering the worn wooden floor, Gabby paused at the enormity of the day coming over her. Steve was leaving. What if he decided to stay out there? Who knew what this job would lead to, how it would change their lives. She suddenly wanted to tuck herself back under the covers. This little home she’d made with Steve felt more like home than any she’d ever had, even with her own mother.

She shook her head. This was ridiculous. It was finally happening for her friend and she was glad. But his leaving was a huge reminder that she was no longer the young design hopeful who had moved in with him those years ago, the two of them ready to take on the world. Somehow she’d gotten stuck. Stuck in her career, stuck in her love life. And now Steve was moving on to a new life and she was standing still. A placeholder. The caretaker. Perfect to water the plants and make sure the pipes didn’t burst while he left for la la land.

Gabby got up, stretching. Enough. If Steve could move forward, then so could she. By the time he came back, who knew where she’d be? Maybe she’d have made a stride or two on the career front. But then she remembered her dinner disaster with Dono. So much for him supporting her ideas to update Zenia to his dad. If she could just get Mr. Cabberera to inch forward a bit into the twenty-first century, she knew she could turn the dated fashion house around. She’d been lobbying since she was hired for trading the polyester and the sequins for more eco-friendly fibers and to expand past the skinnies to include the fuller-figured women. She knew she had it in her to design for all women. She’d been making clothes for herself since she was a kid and was given a second-hand machine and her first sewing lessons from Steve and Nick’s mom.

The thought made her stop and smile and sadly brought a lump to her throat. She loved her own mother dearly and always would, but theirs was a difficult relationship at best. Her mother, young, beautiful, and single, had always felt she was saddled with a kid way too young. There wasn’t any time for the PTA, when it was ladies’ night somewhere. At times she missed Mrs. Ross almost as much as she knew Steve and Nick did.

She pushed her hair back and reached for a pair of Lycra shorts. Steve leaving was obviously getting to her. But losing herself to morose feelings about the past would get her nowhere. She headed toward the door. Might as well send her friend off in style with a nice breakfast—besides, after last night, she was sure a little grease would do his body good.

But first she made a beeline for the bathroom. Necessities were necessities. Glancing quickly toward the couch, she noticed it was done up—the pillows perfect, the sheets folded neatly and set to the side. And no sign of Nick. She did a quick peek in the bathroom, checking behind the curtain before she closed and locked the door behind herself. No need to tempt fate.

But when she came out, she was hit by the smell of freshly brewed coffee and the sight of Nick in basketball shorts and a tank top at the kitchen counter. Not a bad morning view. He was a looker from any angle; she’d give him that. Long legged and broad shouldered, firm backside and trim waist. She let out a sigh and shook her head at the déjà vu feeling of it all just as he turned around.

“So, once again, you’re looking at my ass.”

Gabby twisted her lips. “Very funny. How about you just work on not being an ass and we’ll get along fine.”

He looked at her long and hard for a moment and then gave a nod. “You’re right. I have been an ass. And I’m sorry for it. You deserve better—you always did.”

Nick was staring at her, his dark eyes sheepish and apologetic. There was none of his usual sultry, self-assured cockiness. This openness, this softness, had a vulnerability that had Gabby frowning and taking a small step back.

She waved a hand and looked down. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But his voice pulled her back up to his gaze. “Come on, Gab. I know you do.”

She let out a short breath. There he was, challenging her again. “Nick, don’t start. There’s really no need, besides I don’t think you want to go there.”

He stared at her a moment, as if considering carefully what to say next.

“Go where?”

They both turned to the pull of Steve’s sleepy voice and the sight of him coming out of his bedroom.

Gabby looked from Steve to Nick, once again between the two men who had so much influence over her life. She wondered how long they would dance to this tune. It was getting damned tiring being friends with one brother while hiding her true feelings for the other. She gave Nick a raised brow then turned back to Steve. “I was telling your brother that he doesn’t want to go messing with my coffee creamer. It’s my morning vice, and I won’t have him bugging me about it with his health kick ways.”

Steve nodded. “Yeah, bro, I’d not mess with her morning coffee. She will fight you. and I’ve yet to meet a man she won’t cut, if it’s before her caffeine fix.” Steve looked at the kitchen clock. “Is that the time?”

“Yeah, always is,” Gabby said with a frown.

“Shit, I need to get a move on. I’ve got an early flight.”

“But I thought you were taking the redeye,” Gabby said.

“Change of plans. I couldn’t get a ticket. Sorry, love.”

“Damn, bro, I was hoping we could catch dinner.” Nick looked at his watch. “You need me to do anything for you?”

Steve shook his head. “Nah, I got it covered. You just hold down things here. Take care of yourself, don’t go breaking any hearts, and watch out for our girl here.”

Gabby growled. “I told you I don’t need watching.”

Steve just laughed and Nick snorted. Yep, it was the same old dance.

“Oh, shut it, the both of you.” Gabby stepped around the counter and shooed Nick out of the way then pointed to Steve. “Let me at least make you a goodbye breakfast to send you on your way.”

Steve leaned over and kissed her on her forehead then looked over at Nick. “See how lucky I am? You take care of her. She’d better be in one piece when I get back or I’m holding you personally responsible.”

Gabby looked past Steve to a cool and unreadable Nick. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll keep a close eye on her.”

The sudden pounding in her chest and the tingling in her deepest center told her this promise was something she should be wary of.

Chapter 5

Steve was gone, and it turned out Nick Ross was a very early riser. Gabby heard a light click of the front door at 5:30 A.M. She frowned and peeked at her nightstand clock again when she heard the click of the tumblers at 6:30. Gabby screwed her eyes shut but let out a groan when the shower in the back bedroom came on. The thought of him so near and in the shower… there was no way she could sleep.

Later, in the kitchen, they skirted around each other, Nick trying to scoot out of her way by going to the other side of the counter with his toasted bagel. She shimmied past him, butt to butt, as she went to get creamer for her coffee, hoping it was with all confidence and none of her inner turmoil and nervousness.

Gabby glanced briefly at his cup of black coffee, her face screwing up.

They’d already shared a brief though cordial good morning and she was glad to see that he was fully dressed, thank goodness, not trolling the apartment in his underwear this morning. No, by 7:15 Nick was in full financial combat mode. Pinstriped slacks with a razor sharp crease, silver cufflinks, black tie with grey 
fleur de lis
 accents, and his trademark suspenders, today in a deep crimson hue. Her nostrils flared and Gabby blinked and swallowed down the fizzle of desire that ran though her body. It was nothing—she always had that reaction to a good-looking man in a nice suit. It was those damned suspenders that were setting her panties on fire, even if they did send him tipping into the rakishly dandy column.

Gabby stared at Nick, who was intent on looking at something on his iPad, and she watched as his brows drew together in concentration.

“Is everything okay?”

He looked up at her as if noticing her there for the first time and shook his head a bit as if coming out of a trance. It was infinitesimal, really hard to catch, but still she saw it when his eyes went from dark and brooding to that cool nothingness in the space of a nanosecond. “Yeah sure, everything is fine. Just looking at something in the business section,” he said.

Gabby frowned. “Does it affect your company?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think it will.” He seemed to grow more sure with each word he spoke. “No. It shouldn’t at all.”

She could tell something was troubling Nick. Despite their recent estrangement, she’d known him for a long time. But it suddenly dawned on her how little she knew about his work life. “I know you work in finance, but what is it you do again?”

He leaned back and looked at her, and Gabby wondered what he was seeing and how he was perceiving it. Was he seeing her or the her she used to be? Today she was wearing one of her own designs: a full, ballet-style skirt that fell just below the knee with a tee that was loose and fell off one shoulder. The whole look tightened with a wide, red belt at her waist. She felt her trim waist was her best asset and she liked to show it off as much as possible. But right now, with her very feminine getup, Nick was giving her a “little girl, this is above your pay grade” look.

Gabby shook her head. “Don’t you dare, Nick. If you keep looking at me like that, I might have to school you.”

“Like what?”

“Like my little brain can’t handle what you’re about to dish out.”

His lips thinned. “You really think I’m that much of a jerk?”

Gabby just stared.

“Well, that answers that.”

“No,” she quickly chimed in. “I don’t. And I’m sorry. I guess I need to lighten up. I really should. It would make both our lives easier.”

He let out a long breath. “Yeah it would.”

“I’ll try.”

And with that he looked at her and smiled. “You really want to know what I do?”

She raised a brow but smiled back.

Nick raised his hands. “Okay, but remember you asked for the whole boring story. It’s not all that glamorous.”

“Really? In that getup, I’d think you’d make anything you do glamorous.”

He had the good sense to blush at that. Smirking just a bit.

“Well, I do have to look the part for clients. Money likes to see money.”

Gabby tilted her head. “If you say so. So what else do you do besides look like money?”

He shook his head. “I deal in risk. I check out companies’ financial profiles, and then I calculate when a company should take a risk and expand, and when they should cut bait and run.”

Gabby looked at him long and hard and then let out a snort of laughter. “Risk, huh? Well, Nick, then I think you just may be the perfect man to have around.” She turned from him, opened the fridge, and reached for the creamer, shaking the container. “Shit.”

“Look to the right.” His voice had taken on a low and sexy timbre. She ignored the ripple as it snaked around her middle.

“Huh?”

“Over to the right. In the door. I noticed you were running low, so I picked up some more when I was out on my run this morning.

Gabby grabbed the fresh container. “Thanks. You didn’t have to, but I’m glad you did.”

“Hey, I listen. Steve said you were serious about your coffee and I wanted us to get started on the right foot.” He looked sheepish for a moment. “Well, at least a better foot.”

She added the cream to her coffee and took a sip, letting her eyes close as she took her first swallow of the rich brew, a smile coming to her lips. Her eyes opened, and her stomach fluttered. He seemed to be studying her intently, his dark eyes taking in her every motion.

“We’re fine,” she said trying to make things light. “You make a good pot of coffee. What more could I ask for? Hey, what do I owe you for the creamer?”

He cocked his head to the side. “Stop it. You don’t owe me anything. Thanks for letting me stay here while I get my act together.”

He looked so uncomfortable. Having to crash at their place must be killing him. “Are you okay?”

He straightened and cleared his throat. “I’m fine, thanks. I went to the apartment and cleared out the rest of my things.” Gabby watched as he straightened the iPad in front of him, putting it at a perfect parallel line with the counter’s edge as he spoke. He then took his coffee cup and put that at a direct forty-five degree angle to the left of the iPad. He continued to talk as he brushed stray crumbs that had fallen from his bagel to the counter back onto his plate and placed it carefully to the side.

“And?”

He looked up at her as if surprised she’d have another question. “And what?”

“And how did that go? Was she there? Were there tears? Did she beg you to stay? Are you all right?”

Nick shook his head. “No, nothing like that. It’s an inconvenience, nothing more, but it should all be cleared up very soon.”