ATONEMENT (21 page)

“Come on have a seat, I bought these oils for you.”

“Really?” She asked. Surprised and uncertain what he meant to do with them.

He chuckled at the crinkle which formed on her nose and the small dimple at the corner of her mouth. “They’re
natural massage oils used for aromatherapy. You have a nasty mind.”

“Oils, cozy villa, man, woman and what other conclusion
i
s there?”

His laughter was warm and deep. “Go take a seat and remove your shoes. I plan to give you a foot massage.”

“So you have a foot fetish,” she remarked over her shoulder, moving to do as told.

He
placed
the bag
atop
the black
wrought
iron coffee table, “Oh, sit down. I’ll be right back!” Then he disappeared upstairs and returned with a large fluffy towel.

Nico plumped down nearby and
put the towel on his lap then reached for one of the small bottles of oil. He gestured to her bare feet, “Come on,
put
them up.” 

She turned toward him, having to recline to do so and placed her feet on the towel.

“Stress is
n’t
good, even worse when you’re expecting.”

An eyebrow
rose
. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Lean back…
close
your eyes…g
ood
girl
.”

She felt his warm hands on her soles and inhaled
the peppermint scent
ed oil
as he worked it between her toes, rubbing
wi
th firm strokes
. He massaged her feet, pressing and flexing her
foot
, using both hands to knead away the tension.

“
Ummmm
,
feels nice.”

“I’m glad.”

As
Nico
massaged
away, she
asked, “Why did you come back to work, I thought you retired?”

The question caused him to slow, “
I got bored.”

Her eyes were watching his expression, “How do you get bored with a family?”

He rubbed her ankles
then her
calves,
“You don’t.”

“What happened?”

Selange
’s
question got the response,
“Didn’t work out as I planned.”

She
lifted her torso,
resting on her elbows,
persistent as usual,
“You told her?”

“You can say that.”

“What happened to
the
‘keep silent,’ huh?”

An amused scoff came
from his petulant mouth, “I did but the
video
decided to speak for
me
.
”

“Video?”

“Yeah, I took it
from the
security
recorder
before I left
your house
that morning
.”

“Oh crap!”

He continued massaging
,
“My sentiment
s
exactly.”

“I hope you
destroyed it!”

“
Yep
, a bit late in retrospect
.”

She studied
his face for any emotion over his loss and found none. This made her ask, “Did you love her…your wife?”

The dark eyes were hooded. “Yes, still do.”
And that was the truth but another unspoken fact was he loved Selange, too.

“Why aren’t you
home
fighting for your marriage, then?”

Nico stopped, wiped his hands on the towel then gave her his undivided attention. “Are you giving me advice?”

“A suggestion.”

“Humph.”

“Humph, what
does that mean
?”

“It’s a polite way of saying
, look who’s talking
.”

She sat
erect
,
tuck
ing
her legs under
neath
her
butt
, “I’m trying to help.
If you love someone you don’
t accept the end
so easily.”

Nico’s
handsomely
rugged features displayed no outward change, except the eyes. They penetrated her skin as if they could read her inner thoughts. He
sneered
for some inexplicable reason and reclined his head to the sofa. “
When it’s over, fighting to hold on doesn’t change the ending, it only prolongs
the war
.
”

She got on her knees and crawled closer where she could look down on hi
m.
“
Stop being an ass and do something before it’s too late.”

His eyes were on her chin
, t
he
snarl slid
from his mouth
then
peppermint smelling hands cupped her face.
“
Selange, the reason I didn’t fight is because I’ll lose.
…
”
His eyes
smoldered, “the greatest warriors are
always
mothers.
Ariana
’s
protecting her children from the battle that would’ve taken place in our home. I knew to surrender, I did it because I love my children and d
on’t
want them to become casualties
in our war
.”

“But you love her.”

“I’ll always love her, but I love my children more and
I’ll
do whatever it takes
to make them
happy.”

“What about your happiness?”

His eyes
descended to her belly then up again. He wanted to
be
there
, if this was his child, in the birthing room, holding her hand
to give
her strength. She was tough but a fragile dove.
Her innocence showed.
Nico didn’t want to be
a shadow on the wall
, anymore
but a proud father
w
elcom
ing
his offspring into the world
. He wanted to
hold
him
and
marvel at
his
perfect creation just as he gaz
ed
at one n
ow,
“
Who says I’m not happy?”

“Are you?”

“
There a
re
moments
.”

“Nico, you should be with your family. Not here.”

He smiled wearily, “
Oh, sweetheart. I
’
ll always be
around
for my kids
but I
’m a horrible
husband
.”

She touched his shoulder fondly, “I feel awful.”

“
S
top punishing yourself, already.
Whether the baby
’s
mine or Alfonzo’s isn’t as important as having a
healthy
ba
by. You have to promise to start eating
or
you might as well
ha
d
gone through with the termination
. S
tarving
yourself is
tantamount to killing
any chance the child has to
thrive –
and I’m sure that’s not your intention
, right?
”

“No, of course it isn’t!”

“
Then
soldier
up
for the real battle
. I know you got it in you. I’ve seen it, remember?”

Nico’s sagacity echoed in her mind. The sincerity in which he spoke tendered her heart. This
is why
she loved him, oh,
yes,
he was always there at her weakest, building her stairs to
climb out of dark holes.
He was there
beside her when she
went after Frank Monticelli
and
took bullets in the course of it
. He offered his wi
sdom when her marriage seemed certain to crumble
and
oh, yes, those were
black hours,
indeed
. –Yet, the
worse came months ago.
By
grace
and
mercy,
he was there when the blood of her dreams almost drove her mad; it was his love that saved her.
The love she held for
Nico
was a special
one. He was more than a
friend;
he was her dark angel
who swooped down when trouble threatened
to invade her soul
.

Their talk renewed her spirit and stirred a
familiar
longing
between her thighs.
She gave voice to it,
“I’ve missed our friendship…
Nico…I missed
you.
”
And in the
confession her body pressed to his, un
able to resist the
violent twitching between her
legs any longer.
Her lips
were there, on his closed mouth, prying it open with the force of her tongue. The provocative kiss was slow, deliberate and filled
with
carnal
promises
.
He
let her in and his
nostrils flared
as h
e answered
the honeyed
kiss with a fierce
yearning that sucked air from her lungs and caused her head to swoon from
its
effect.
Selange
’
s fingers
traced the contours of the
hard thighs
then
slid to what she wanted.
She massaged
and
cajol
ed the
tall building rising from the masculine earth.