And Then He Kissed Me (11 page)

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Authors: Teresa Southwick

BOOK: And Then He Kissed Me
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The smell of exhaust was strong in the air as they stood by the bus watching the kids descend the stairs. Abby twisted her hands together as one by one the teenagers passed her. When Austin Reed climbed down and spotted them, he grinned.
“Hey, Nick.” The tall teen looked at Abby. “Hi.”
“Austin. How was the trip?” Abby asked.
“Great.”
“No problems?”
“James got carsick. That was gross, but everything else was fine.”
Sarah appeared in the doorway and Abby waved. “Hi, sweetie.”
Nick wondered why the snow around little sister didn't melt, as hot as she looked.
“What are you doing here?” Sarah asked.
Instead of answering, Abby said, “How are you? Was the trip wonderful?”
“Can't you see I'm fine? No one else's parents
came. Would you please go away? Why do you have to embarrass me? Why can't I have some fun?” she asked, her voice low, but tight with hostility. Sarah looked at him and pleaded, “Nick, please take her somewhere and get her a life.”
He glared down at her. There weren't many years between the sisters, but since when had age lost its privileges? Abby had sacrificed her youth for this ungrateful little witch. “That's no way to speak to your sister, Sarah.”
“It's all right, Nick—” Abby touched his arm. “Let her go.”
As he looked down at Abby, fighting the urge to say more, Sarah brushed past them and joined her friends on the way up the lodge steps. He decided it was best to let her go. Now wasn't the time to say what she needed to hear. But he wanted to shake some sense into the thoughtless teenager as he watched tears well in Abby's eyes, helpless to stop them. The term “mixed feelings” had never been more true. He was torn between annoyance at the inconsiderate teen and a clear understanding of why she'd needed to be independent. Then one fact stood out over everything and knocked the air out of him as surely as a punch to the gut.
He couldn't ignore his powerful need to protect Abby. He cared about her. A lot.
Not in a boss-employee way, and definitely more than as a friend. This wasn't the instantaneous, head-over-heels, blindsided sort of feeling he'd had for Margaret. Or the brotherly affection he had for Madison. This was different, and he wasn't sure he understood how or why. He only knew that he never again wanted to see her lips quiver as she struggled to keep from
crying. No one, not even her sister, would hurt Abby if he could help it.
He put his arm around her, surprised but relieved when she let him lead her toward the Jeep. “C'mon. Let's go have some fun. I have a Twister game, and I know how to use it.”
“My h-hero,” she said, as her laugh caught on a sob.
 
With the key from the hook in the cabin kitchen, Nick unlocked the storage shed. He yanked on the string in the center and a light went on, illuminating the jam-packed space.
“I wonder where Dad put it,” he said to Abby who followed him inside.
“What are you looking for?”
He pulled the saucer from a nail on the wall. “This.”
She frowned. “It's a little big for a Frisbee, isn't it?”
Shaking his head, he sighed. “What am I going to do with you? It's time for footloose and fancy-free, the crash course.”
“I'm not sure that's the best phrasing. Especially since I have a sneaking suspicion that you're going to make me do something with that contraption in the snow.”
“Not to fear. I'll be with you every step of the way.”
“Okay. Then let's take this baby out and see what she can do.”
Nick switched off the light and locked up. Then, on impulse, he grabbed Abby's hand. “You don't have gloves.”
She shook her head. “I didn't think about it. I had
no idea it would be so cold. I've never been in snow before.”
He was torn between his concern for her and his need to make her laugh and take her mind off Sarah's hurtful words. Forgetfulness won. “Let's take a couple of runs down the mountain. Then we'll go into the village for dinner.”
“Whatever you say.”
He led her behind the cabin and positioned the saucer at the top of the hill. It was starting to snow again. Flakes caught in her hair and eyelashes. Clouds of white hovered in front of her as she blew on her hands. She'd never looked more appealing.
Before he did something he would regret, he sat down, spreading his legs to make room for her on the saucer. It
was
small, but still accommodated them both. Besides, it gave him the opportunity to be close to her. “Your chariot awaits, my lady,” he said, holding out his arms to her.
Laughing, Abby settled in front of him. “Please tell me I'll live to regret this,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at him.
“Have I ever lied to you?”
A sweet smile teased the corners of her full lips. “No. Never.”
He tucked her hands beneath her armpits, then wrapped her in his arms. Holding her tightly to him, Nick whispered in her ear, “Then trust me. I won't let anything hurt you. And I promise you're going to love this.”
Rocking his body forward started the saucer sliding down the hill. As they picked up speed, Abby squealed and hid her face against his forearms. Laughing, Nick shouted, “No guts, no glory.”
They careened to the bottom, glanced off a snow-covered rock, and bounced into a snowdrift, laughing and unhurt. Eyes shining, cheeks red, Abby stood up. “That was great. Let's do it again.”
“Last one to the top is a rotten egg,” he said.
With the saucer in one hand and Abby's cold fingers in the other, he pulled her back up the hill. He laughed and Abby screamed as they went down again. After three more trips, he noticed that she was wet and shaking with cold.
“We better go inside and warm up.”
“Just one more time, Nick. Please. I'm not cold.” She blew on her reddened fingers. “R-really. Hardly at all.”
“Yeah, I can tell.” But he didn't have the heart to refuse her. So down they went one more time.
When they stood up, he noticed her hair had snow in it and hung in strands around her face. He also saw that her shivering was worse. But she had never looked more beautiful to him.
“No argument this time,” he said. “We're going inside.”
“Good idea. M-maybe your brothers are here.”
Not if God was a man, Nick thought, trying to ignore the growing ache in his gut.
Chapter Nine
G
od was a man, Abby thought. No doubt about it A female deity would have made sure that in her vulnerable-to-Nick state, she wouldn't be alone with him. But as yet there was no sign of his family.
Right now she relaxed in the upstairs tub, warming up after having the most fun she could remember in a very long time. And trying to figure out how to keep from falling in love with Nick. He'd been so sweet to her after Sarah's outburst. It was obvious that he wanted to play in the snow to take her mind off Sarah's nasty words. It had worked like a charm; darn tough to hold on to hurt feelings and your life at the same time.
He didn't even have to be in the same room to affect her heart rate. He was directly below, and she could hear the faint timbre of his voice as he sang in the shower. And she still had no one to run interference for her with Mr. Wonderful. And she meant that with
all her heart. He
was
wonderful. Much too wonderful for her peace of mind.
The scene earlier with Sarah was an ugly black cloud hanging over her day. But there was a single silver lining. Nick had come to her rescue. She had carried the burden of raising Sarah for so long, that his support stood out like a lighthouse beacon on a particularly nasty, dark night at sea.
“My defenses are down. My hormones are clamoring to be set free. And we're alone. Where are the magnificent Marchettis when you really need them?” she asked helplessly.
She couldn't stay in the tub indefinitely. Not only was her skin turning all wrinkly, she was beginning to shiver again. The whole point of the bath was to warm up. At least that was Nick's point. Hers was to escape.
There was a single floor between them—he was showering in the downstairs bath. But that wasn't nearly far enough.
She heard the water shut off, and strains of a song drifted even louder through the floorboards. She tried to rein in her imagination, but the image of Nick, wet and slick with soap, and decidedly naked, took up residence in her mind. She tried valiantly to replace it with an ocean scene, but he managed to sneak his way in there, too—wearing a bathing suit. But it was skimpy and he was playing volleyball and those muscles she'd felt through his clothes rippled, naked and slick in the sun.
Stop it!
She sighed. “Maybe his brothers will be here soon,” she said. “I just can't be alone with him.”
There was a knock on the door. “Are you talking to yourself, Ab?”
Her heart hammered in her chest. He was on the other side of that door, semi-damp and probably semidressed. On her side of the door she was decidedly naked. She swallowed hard.
He knocked again. “Hey, are you okay? You didn't drown, did you? I thought I heard you talking to yourself.”
“You did. My dark secret is out. But if you heard me sing, you'd be grateful that I'm just a little dotty.”
“Hurry up. Your tour guide is getting restless. There's a whole village waiting for your perusal, my lady.”
“Give me fifteen minutes.”
“I'm going to start my watch. The timer starts—now.”
“Okay. You're on.”
Abby stood and grabbed a large thick towel that hung from a wall rack in front of her. She wrapped herself in the luxurious terry cloth and stepped out of the tub. Had Nick just rescued her again? A glow started in the pit of her stomach and radiated outward. It was as if he could read her mind and knew how nervous she was about being alone with him. He'd given her an out. They were going to the village.
The thought tugged at her heart and pricked her guilt. To a workaholic like Nick three days off were precious. He should be here with someone who could make him happy. Not stick-in-the-mud Abby. She wasn't free to pursue romance now. When her promise to raise Sarah was fulfilled, she would “get a life” as her sister had so bluntly put it. But for now the ungrateful little smart aleck would have Abby Ridgeway to deal with.
As she blew her hair dry, visions of herself with
Nick floated through her mind. It would be lovely if he waited until her responsibilities were behind her and they could pursue the feelings that simmered between them. But it wasn't fair to put his life on hold for her. He'd been badly hurt; he wanted a family. She'd seen the yearning on his face when his sister made her announcement about the new baby. He deserved to have all his dreams come true. A.S.A.P., not A.S.A.A.C.—as soon as Abby could.
Abby brushed a little blush onto her cheeks and some color on her eyelids. She slipped into her bedroom and put on the jeans and sweater she'd set out. After pulling on warm, dry socks and her sneakers, she took a last glance in the mirror. She looked pretty good. Anyone observing her and Nick together probably wouldn't conclude that he was slumming. Only she would know that emotionally that's exactly what was going on.
“You get three days' reprieve, Marchetti.” She nodded resolutely at her reflection. “But time's awastin'. You're not getting any younger. When we get back to the real world, I'm going to rescue you. I'm going to find someone who can make you happy. Maybe Madison.”
That thought made her deeply and profoundly sad.
Before she could dwell on it, there was a knock on her door. “My watch says one minute and ten seconds left. If you're going to make the deadline, you've got to stop talking to your invisible friend.”
Abby laughed. Leave it to Nick to chase away the blues. “I'm ready,” she said, opening the door.
He stood in the hall and the sight of him took her breath away. In his navy-and-gray plaid flannel shirt and worn jeans, he could have been the poster boy for
lumberjacks. Her heart did a back flip. All the promises she'd made to herself flashed through her mind: always maintain a professional demeanor, never see Nick in anything but a suit and tie, above all never under any circumstances see him outside of work. And most especially, do not be alone with him.
She'd broken every single one of them. All at the same time. It was him, her, here and now in the cabin. But there was one promise to herself she wouldn't break. And she'd just made it. Find someone who's free, not to mention ready, willing and able to make his dreams come true as soon as possible.
She looked up at him and suppressed a sigh. “I'm ready.”
He looked at his watch. “And with forty-five seconds to space.” He met her gaze and his eyes took on a hungry intense expression that was becoming familiar. “You look great, Ab.”
The words nurtured her ego like water on a withering plant. “Thank you kind sir. But I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Only the ones I'm trying to impress.” Before she could retort, he took her hand and said, “Let's boogie, beautiful.”
 
Things were not going according to plan, Nick thought. He'd taken the girl out on the town, but all he could think about was getting her back to the cabin. And the activities he'd chosen hadn't helped take his mind off what he would like to do with Abby.
The late afternoon movie had been a romantic comedy. Judging by the glow in Abby's eyes as they'd left the theater, she had enjoyed it. He was glad about that, but it had enhanced ideas he was trying to forget. Now
they were seated at the best restaurant the small alpine village had to offer. He wanted to buy her a nice dinner. Unfortunately, the best place to do that was also the most romantic in town.
Still, if it would take the edge off the way her day had started, with Sarah's spiteful words, and end it on a happy note, it would be worth a world of discomfort on his part. And he would be a lot worse off if they'd spent the evening alone at the cabin.
He was pretty sure she felt the same way. He'd seen the anxiety in her eyes after they'd finished playing in the snow, just before going back inside. She was afraid to be alone with him. But probably for different reasons.
He'd bet galoshes to snowshoes that she was completely innocent. He wanted her, more than he'd wanted any woman, and the ache was getting worse all the time. But she had never been with a man and that above everything would keep him in check. He had no intention of taking advantage of her. Getting her out into public places seemed the best way to put her at ease. He was starting to worry some about their chaperone squad.
He couldn't figure out what was keeping Joe, Alex and Luke. The weather had cleared. The roads were safe. The phone and message machine at the cabin were plugged in and operational. They hadn't received any word on his brothers' estimated time of arrival. He figured they'd probably just gotten a late start. No doubt when he and Abby returned to the cabin, the place would be crawling with Marchettis.
In the meantime, he could wine and dine her and make her feel special. His need for her would no doubt pick up speed like an avalanche, but his brothers presence
would dig him out. It was sort of like walking a tightrope with a net.
When the waiter brought his beer and her wine, he ordered dinner for both of them without asking for menus.
A frown marred the smooth skin of her forehead, but she didn't say anything until after the waiter walked away.
“Nick, it makes me nervous when I don't see a menu.”
“Don't worry about it.”
“Easier said than done. I'd like to know how many dishes I'll have to wash before they let me leave.”
He frowned. “No one's washing dishes, and you're not leaving—at least not until you've had dinner.”
“What are you saying, Nick?”
“That you were right. There is a lot of loot in linguine.” He took a sip of his beer. “And I intend to spend some of it on you tonight.”
“I can't let you pay for everything. It wouldn't be right.”
“Why not? It's what a guy usually does for his date.”
Her hand froze as she reached for her wine. “Date?”
“Yeah. A guy. A girl. A movie. Dinner. It has all the essential elements.”
“Not all. You need a guy and a girl who are looking to get serious.”
“Not necessarily. It's when a guy and a girl try each other out to see if they
want
to get serious. Your education in this area is sadly lacking, Ab.”
“I don't dispute that. But my vocabulary is pretty good. And I can't call this a date. I don't do that”
“So you've said. But just so you recognize it in the future, this is what it feels like.”
She shook her head. “You can dangle the carrot, but it's not in my foreseeable future.”
“You might want to re-think that.”
“I don't have time—”
He took her hand in his. “The guys you knew had to be a bunch of jerks. Like I said—don't look now. But I just lined up all your ducks in a perfect row. If we weren't just friends, we could be on a date. If I can arrange it, so can anyone else.”
“Oh, Nick. This is terrible.”
“Why?” he asked totally at a loss.
“Date implies further...excursions.”
Interesting choice of words. He couldn't wait to see where she was going with this.
“You are absolutely right. Date definitely implies further togetherness.”
“I can't do that.”
“I beg to differ. For the next two days you can kick up your heels, and I'd be happy to help you do graduate work in footloose and fancy-free.”
“What about Sarah?”
“She's not a traumatized eleven-year-old anymore, Ab. She doesn't need you in the same way. She's a young woman who's trying to spread her wings.”
“And it's my job to channel her flight when she does.”
“Agreed. But she needs space to fly. Your parents wouldn't want you to sacrifice your own life. They would want you to find someone and be happy.”
“Like they were?” She snapped the words out.
Nick knew she hadn't meant to tell him that. Therefore
it got his attention in a big way. “There were problems?” he asked gently.
She hesitated for so long, he thought she wasn't going to answer. Finally, she made a small movement with her head, not quite a nod, but still affirmative.
She sighed. “They got married very young, eighteen. My mother was pregnant with me. The marriage lasted because of me. But as I got older it began to deteriorate. She was going to leave my father when she discovered she was going to have another baby. Sarah.”
She stopped, and he wondered if she would say more. He got the feeling that she hadn't told anyone else about this. This was a heavy load for anyone, let alone someone so young.
“Go on,” he encouraged.
“There was a lot of fighting. I don't think Sarah knew, or she doesn't remember. But they had decided to split.” A pained expression crossed her face and for a brief moment she closed her eyes. “Before the final decision, they reluctantly agreed to go away together, to see if there was any way to salvage the marriage.” She sighed, a big sad sound. “They never came back.”

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