Fatal Flaw (32 page)

As Mr. Alvarez headed for the door, Sam let her husband put his arm around her and bring her in close to him even though she normally prohibited PDA at work.

“Brutal,” Nick said, brushing a kiss over the top of her head.

“Yes.”

“You did good, babe.”

“What do you even say in a situation like this?”

“He needed the truth, and you gave it to him.”

“Let’s go home. Please.”

Hand-in-hand, they walked to the parking lot where Nick held the door to his car for Sam.

She slid into the buttery-soft leather seat and put her head back.

“What if she doesn’t show?” Nick asked as he drove them home.

“She’ll show. She’ll be too curious not to.”

“She has to know by now that you’re on to her.”

“Not necessarily. She thinks she’s been so clever—and to be honest, she has been. Other than her parents, these were clean, efficient executions with no evidence left behind. In her mind, she’s holding all the cards, and she’s got me chasing my tail, which is exactly what she wanted.”

They arrived at home, and Nick took her jacket to hang it in the closet while Sam glanced at the sofa where she would’ve tossed it.

“Was Scotty okay about staying at the farm tonight?”

“Are you kidding? He was thrilled. When I left Laine was teaching him how to make ice cream with an old-fashioned butter churner. He was loving every minute of it.”

“That’s great. I love that he’s having fun and trying new things.”

“I do too. You should see him on the horse. He’s gotten really confident. Graham says he’s a natural.” As he spoke, Nick kneaded the tension from her shoulders.

Her eyes fluttered closed as he chased away the tension.

“So get this—he asked me about going to a baseball camp here in the city for three weeks this summer and if it would be okay if he stayed with us.”

Sam’s eyes flew open and she spun around to face him. “Seriously?”

Nick’s face glowed with pleasure. “Yep. You should’ve seen how cute he was asking me about the camp. One of his friends from school is going, and that’s how he heard about it. He was worried about asking me because it’s supposedly expensive, and he was afraid I’d think he’s taking advantage of me.”

“I hope you told him you don’t give a fig about how much the camp costs.”

“I did, and I was told that’s an irresponsible answer.”

They shared a laugh that turned serious when their eyes met and held. “Is this really happening?” she asked in a whisper.

“God, I hope so. We’ll have to show him how great it could be living with us all the time.”

“We can do that. Is Graham taking him home tomorrow?”

He nodded. “I told Scotty we’d be down to see him next weekend.”

“Good. Something to look forward to.”

Nick took her hand. “Come with me. I have a surprise for you.”

“Is that a come-on line?”

Laughing, he led her upstairs to their bedroom. “Wait right here.” He crossed the hall and returned with the red-and-white polka-dot bikini she’d worn on their honeymoon. He’d liked it so much the first time he saw it, they’d ended up back in bed before they finally made it to the beach.

Sam smiled at the memory and wished she could close her eyes and be back in Bora Bora where everything was so much simpler. “I’m glad to see at least one thing escaped Melissa’s wrath.”

“It was still in the suitcase.”

“I told you there was no need to unpack the minute we got home.”

He tweaked her nose. “Go put this on and come with me.” Bending to kiss her, he added, “I know you’re beat, but trust me, you’ll like this.”

She had no doubt she’d like anything that had to do with him, especially when it put that boyishly handsome smile on his face. Sam went into the bathroom and changed into the skimpy bikini Angela had talked her into when they’d gone shopping for Sam’s honeymoon. At first Sam had thought it was too revealing, but Ang had assured her Nick would love it. She’d been right about that.

Sam brushed her hair and teeth before she rejoined him. He’d changed into one of the bathing suits he’d worn in Bora Bora, and Sam took a moment to admire his finely sculpted chest. “Mmm, that view never gets old.”

Embarrassed as always when she commented on his supreme hotness, Nick reached for her hand. “Close your eyes and come with me.”

“Where’re we going?”

“You’ll see. Keep your eyes closed. I’ve got you.”

Even though she’d go anywhere he chose to take her, she couldn’t make this too easy on him. “You know I don’t like surprises.”

“I promise you’ll like this one.”

They went upstairs to the empty loft that made up the top floor of the townhouse.

“What’s up here?” she asked, trying to figure out why she could suddenly smell the beach. It took all her self-control to keep her eyes closed so she wouldn’t ruin this for him.

“Stay right there a minute.”

Sam did as she was told, but it wasn’t easy. While she’d been totally wiped out just a few short minutes ago, now she was wide-awake and dying to see his surprise.

He came back a minute later, put his arms around her from behind and pressed a kiss to her neck that woke up some of her other parts. “You can look now.”

Sam opened her eyes and had to blink a couple of times when she saw that he’d transformed the loft to resemble their favorite beach in Bora Bora, complete with fake palm trees and a double-sized lounge chair similar to the one they’d enjoyed on their honeymoon. The only light in the room was an array of candles he’d arranged on a table next to the lounge. On one wall, the pictures they’d taken on their trip ran as a slideshow. Calypso music played in the background, the sound of which took her right back to the blissful days and nights in Bora Bora.

“You like?” he asked.

Sam was flabbergasted. “
When
did you do this?”

“I got the idea the other day when you said you’d give anything to go back to Bora Bora. I figured if we had this place tucked away up here, we could go back anytime we want to.”

Sam turned to him. “This is the best surprise
ever.
I love it, and I love you.” She went up on tiptoes to kiss him. “I have the best husband in the whole world.”

Pleased by her reaction, he hugged her. “I hope you’ll always think so.”

“I know I will. How’d you get it to smell like the beach?”

“Candles.” He produced a tube of sunscreen. “Do my back?”

Laughing, Sam took it from him and enjoyed every second of running her hands over his finely muscled back. “Turn around.”

His hazel eyes were heated when he turned to face her.

She took her time smoothing sunscreen on his warm skin, exploring every inch of the chest that dominated her fantasies. His belly quivered under the movement of her fingers, and the scent of the sunscreen took her right back to the beach.

Taking the tube from her, he said, “My turn.” He too took his time and set her on fire with the gentle movement of his fingers over her fevered skin, just like he had on their trip. More than once the application of sunscreen had led to passionate lovemaking.

“I don’t think I’ll ever look at sunscreen the same way after our trip.”

“Who knew it was such an aphrodisiac?”

He was making her breathless with the slide of his fingers over the tops of her breasts before moving to her belly and then to her legs. Sam was boneless by the time he was finished with her.

“There,” he said. “That ought to keep you from getting burned. Now, have a seat while I see about getting us some drinks.”

“No wait staff at this resort?”

“Just yours truly.”

In one corner of the big room he’d stashed a small refrigerator and blender.

“Jeez, you thought of everything! When did you have time to do this?”

“I couldn’t go back to sleep after you left the other night, so I got up and got busy. Only took a couple of hours. With everything open twenty-four hours these days, I had it all done and was at work on time. I couldn’t wait to show you.”

“Just when I think I’ve already seen the full extent of your awesomeness, you go and top yourself.”

He brought them each a frozen margarita and stretched out next to her on the lounge. “I shall seek to top myself for the next sixty years.”

Sam leaned over to kiss his cold lips. “I’ll look forward to that.”

As they sipped their drinks, they watched the slideshow and relived the exquisite beauty of Bora Bora.

“Does it bother you that it would never occur to me to do something like this?” Sam asked.

“If you did something like this, I’d think you were having an affair.”

“Hey!” she said, outraged and amused at the same time. He knew her
so
well. “I’m not
that
unromantic.”

“Um, yes you are, babe. But I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

“That sounds like a challenge to me.”

Nick snorted out a laugh. “Knock yourself out.” He took her drink and put it with his on the table next to the lounge. “Come here.”

“No, I’m mad at you.”

Still laughing, he tugged her to him, startling her when his cold hands made contact with her warm skin. His lips were just as cold but that didn’t keep Sam from arching into him as he focused on her neck. “This bikini makes me crazy. Any time you make me mad, which I expect to be often, put that on and all will be forgiven.”

“Is that so?” she asked, smiling.

“Oh yeah.” He sat up and, never taking his eyes off her, reached for his glass and took another sip of the frozen drink as he untied the bikini top to free her breasts. Bending his head he captured her nipple between ice-cold lips, making her gasp when he ran his equally cold tongue back and forth over the rigid tip.

The sensations were so overpowering Sam could barely breathe. As he kissed his way down the front of her, her entire body was on fire for him. Her fingers threaded through his hair. “Wait,” she said, breathless. “Come up here.”

“Not yet. Relax, babe. Let me love you.”

When he settled between her legs, her hands fell away from his hair and landed on either side of her hips. He ran his hands from her knees to inner thighs, opening her as he went. His lips followed the same path, focusing briefly on the juncture before moving to the other side.

Sam squirmed, trying to direct him to where she wanted him most, but he had his own agenda and refused to deviate. The second time he returned to the middle, he lingered, tonguing her through the fabric of her bathing suit. And then his hands were on her bottom, lifting her tighter against his hot mouth. He kept that up until she was on the brink and then backed off but only long enough to untie the bows at her hips and remove the two triangles of fabric that covered her.

Coming back for more, he hooked her legs over his broad shoulders, forcing them even farther apart. With his hands once again cupping her bottom to hold her where he wanted her, Sam had no choice but to go along for the ride as his tongue and lips worked their magic. And that was the only word to describe the way he made her feel—pure
magic
. He drove her crazy taking her to the edge and backing off until he finally zeroed in on the heart of her desire and sent her screaming into orgasm so intense it brought tears to her eyes.

Without giving her time to recover, he turned her over and kissed his way from her spine to the small of her back, restarting the tingling desire between her legs. She wouldn’t have thought it possible to come again so soon, but she’d learned not to underestimate him in that regard.

“Nick,” she said, the single word sounding almost like a sob.

“Can’t talk right now. I’m busy paying homage to your gorgeous ass.”

He shocked her senseless when he ran a finger down the cleft of her ass just as his lips once again found her clit, making her come again. Completing the assault on her senses he entered her from behind, taking her by surprise as he held her hips and surged into her in one deep stroke.

“Oh,
God,
” he said with a groan. “So hot.”

Only his arm around her waist kept her legs from collapsing. His free hand continued to explore the cleft of her ass as he pumped into her in long hard strokes. He kept it up until they came together in a combustible moment of utter harmony and then collapsed into a heaving pile on the lounge.

Sam held his hand to her chest and focused on getting air to her lungs. The aroma of beach and sunscreen and sex filled her senses while love for him filled her heart to overflowing. “Thank you for this.”

He kissed her shoulder and then her cheek. “My pleasure.”

Freddie woke up early on Sunday morning and turned over to cuddle up to Elin’s warm soft body.

“Why are you awake so early when you don’t have to work until later?” she mumbled.

“Why are you awake?”

Her hand covered his. “Because you are.”

“Sorry if I woke you.”

“It’s okay. What’re you thinking about?”

“Moving. Your place or mine?”

“I think we should find a place together and start fresh somewhere new.”

“That’s a good idea,” he said, pleased that she’d obviously given it some thought. “Speaking of starting fresh, I had a rather amazing conversation with my mother last night during which she said she’s been wrong to treat you the way she has and she wants the chance to get to know you better.” He waited expectantly, imagining what Elin would have to say about that.

“I’m glad for you that she’s decided to stop giving us such a hard time.”

“That’s not what I thought you would say.”

“What were you expecting?”

“Maybe something like ‘good for her, I’m not interested.’”

Elin turned over so she could see him. “I know how much you love her. I’d never say that. I love you too much to do that to you.”

Freddie felt like he’d been hit by a Taser. Hearing her say the words so freely and confidently was incredible. He cupped her face and leaned in to kiss her. “You want to say that one more time just so I can be sure I heard it right?”

“I love you, Freddie. I didn’t plan to love you, but you’re so damned persistent and kinda cute too.”

He furrowed his brows. “Just kinda?”

“I can’t tell you the truth. You’d be downright unlivable then.”

Thrilled with what she’d given him, he kissed her again and glanced at the clock. “I’ve got to go.”

“Where?”

“Church.”

“
For real?
We finally have a day when we can stay in bed and you’re going to church?” She ran a finger straight down the middle of his chest to his belly and below to let him know what he’d be missing.