Kiss Lonely Goodbye (16 page)

“Look at me,” he groaned.

Nicole panted as she gazed back at him. Her eyes widened and her body quivered, the tremors starting small, then taking over until she cried out. Marcus answered, though nothing he said made sense. Each thrust, faster and faster, took him into a yawning sexual pleasure so powerful he was sure he would pass out. He came, and the world went dark after a
brilliant and blissful explosion. Slowly he saw small glimmers of light again.

“Nicole,” he mumbled and went limp in her arms.

Marcus didn't know or care how much time passed. Being sheathed in her was the only place in the world for him right now. He stroked her hair and snuggled against her downy shoulder. As strange, frightening, and wonderful as it was, he felt whole. For the first time in his life he wasn't alone.

Nicole laughed. “Well, the next staff meeting should be interesting. Somehow we've got to get rid of this afterglow by the next business day.”

“Hmm.” He nestled even closer to her.

“Or maybe we should just let everyone know. Get it over with,” Nicole said. She threaded her fingers in the tight curls on his head.

Marcus snapped out of his satiated stupor as reality reared its ugly head and bit him hard. She'd called him a man of principles. For weeks he'd carefully planted seeds of doubt about her ability in the minds of clients. He needed to tell her.
No
, a warning voice boomed inside his head. Saying “Baby, I stuck a knife in your back” was definitely not pillow talk.

“I don't think so, Nicole. Let's get used to what we have before we let the world in on it.”

“Sure, honey. You're right of course.”

Nicole smiled at him with tenderness. With a sigh of satisfaction, she closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. While Nicole drifted off to sleep, he lay awake thinking of ways to undo the moves he'd already made to steal her business.

N
icole smiled when she opened her front door. Her mother and sister, each dressed in casual elegance, had dropped by for Sunday brunch. “Good morning, dear family.”

“Hi, brat.” Helena winked at her.

Her mother gave Nicole a head-to-toe glance. Nicole must have passed inspection, since she made no comment. “Hello, baby. How are you?”

“I'm doing wonderful, thank you very much.” Nicole spread her arms wide. “Welcome to my humble home.”

“You look extremely pleased with yourself,” her mother said. She might have been accusing Nicole of some crime. She accepted a kiss from Nicole on her cheek as though she were the queen mother.

“Mother, really. She isn't ten years old, you know.” Helena rolled her eyes at Nicole when their mother marched through the foyer ahead of them.

“It's a mother's prerogative to keep an eye on her children. No matter how old they are.” Analine's voice echoed back from the formal living room as she went through the arched entrance.

Helena put a hand on Nicole's arm. “She's got a bee up her you-know-what, so be careful. She and Daddy have been at it again.”

“They're always having battles. I think they enjoy it.” Nicole laughed.

“Why are you hanging back? Oh, you're talking about me. Well, when you're through, get me a glass of iced tea,” their mother called out.

“Hello, Mrs. Summers. I'll get it for you,” Rosaria answered from the hallway. “Hello, Miss Helena.”

“Hi and bless you, Rosie.” Helena blew her a kiss, then turned to Nicole. “Keep that smarmy expression off your face. Mother can smell a secret ten miles away.”

“What makes you think I've got secrets?” Nicole sniffed.

Helena snorted. “I've been busting you since we were in nursery school.”

“Damn! Okay, how's this?” Nicole passed a hand over her face and rearranged her expression.

“Much better. Let's go,” Helena whispered.

They both smiled as they entered the spacious living room. Analine cocked an eyebrow at them to show she wasn't deceived. Still, she said no more, mainly because Rosaria came in pushing a glass-and-chrome serving table.

“Rosaria, you make the most delicious tea.” Analine beamed at her. “Have you been home to Vera Cruz lately?”

“I go in three weeks. I can't wait to see the family.” Rosaria's pretty round face lit up. “Thank you for asking, Mrs. Summers.”

“A branch of our family, the Donatos, migrated to Vera Cruz around 1855. From St. Landry Parish. That's in Louisiana, Rosaria.”

“Yes, you told me before.”

“You've told us all,” Nicole said under her breath. She
pressed her lips together when Analine sliced her with a sharp glance.

“Have a good trip home in case I don't see you before then.” Analine beamed at her.

“Yes, ma'am.”

Recognizing the cue to leave, Rosaria smiled back her gratitude, then left. The carved pecan wood doors came together with a soft bump. Their mother turned her attention back to them, the well-mannered smile now gone.

“So, Nicole. Tell me what you've been up to? Your father is pleased with your performance at Summers Security.” Analine settled against the thick cushions of the embroidered settee.

Helena and Nicole retrieved glasses from the tray and sat in two wing back chairs across from her. They exchanged a glance, then sipped from their glasses to buy time.

“Well?” Analine prompted when neither spoke immediately.

“I talked to Francine a week ago. Jolene and Russell are still scheming. Watch your back, Nicole,” Helena put in.

“Hosea did a poor job raising those two. Of course what can you expect? He was practically an old man when they were born.” Analine pursed her lips in disapproval.

“Mother, that family gossip is over thirty years ago.” Helena waved a hand.

Analine swept on. “He married a woman half his age, got her pregnant, and spoiled both children rotten. Then when they became problem children he blamed it all on her.” She repeated Uncle Hosea's crime as though it had happened yesterday.

“No wonder the poor woman ran off with the mailman,” Nicole said with a shrug.

“Insurance salesman,” Analine corrected. “Her father tried to cut her off without a dime, but her grandfather wouldn't
hear of it. Now those children can see Clarice without worrying Hosea will disinherit them.”

“Interesting, but I want to know what kind of ‘scheming' Russell and Jolene are doing,” Nicole cut in before her mother could go on.

“Francine says they're so transparent it's hilarious, which doesn't make them harmless, Mother.” Helena looked at Analine.

“Stanton and Lionel will keep them from interfering,” Analine replied.

“The will does say that Nicole can be removed as CEO by a vote of the board. If she engages in questionable behavior that might harm the company or doesn't increase profits by at least eight percent in twelve months, the board is almost required to dump her.” Helena chewed her bottom lip until her raisin lipstick was gone.

“We're expanding and signing up new customers. I could increase revenue by twice that amount. If I can show that we have signed contracts that will increase profits by eight percent or more, then the twelve-month deadline doesn't apply and I'm in.” Nicole crossed her legs and lifted her tumbler.

“What are they up to? Not that it matters.” Analine looked at Helena.

“Jolene is raising questions about Nicole's decisions and her behavior.”

“Which brings us back to my earlier question. What have you done to give them ammunition, Nicole?” Analine raised a palm when Nicole started to speak. “I know you.”

Nicole hissed with frustration. She had a wild itch to tell her mother exactly what she'd been up to with Marcus. After all, they were both adults, single, and fully within their rights to have an affair. To hell with the family, she thought fiercely. Not even control freak Uncle Hosea had considered that pos
sibility when he'd drafted his insane last wishes. Yet she held back. There wouldn't just be her formidable mother to consider; the rest of the family would weigh in, too. Nicole needed to be in an unassailable position of strength first. She pushed down her gut reaction to challenge authority. Instead she took a deep cleansing breath and entered her persuasive zone, the mind-set she assumed in order to get what she wanted.

“So far Russell has been more a nuisance than a major problem. I came up with a new tactic—let him be in charge without giving him any authority. It's worked so far. The idiot.” Nicole grimaced. “The good news is the staff has come around. We're working as a team.”

“The Nicole magic wins again, eh?” Helena's mouth stretched into a thin smile. She darted an uneasy glance at Analine.

“Ultimately performance, not charisma, will satisfy the family,” Analine said.

“Mother, nobody has worked harder than Nicole in the last few weeks. She and Marcus have done an effective job of making the transition smooth. Not only that, Nicole has put in long hours learning about the business from the ground up and—” Helena clamped off her speech when Analine glared at her.

“Don't lecture me,” Analine clipped. “This is the first time Nicole has had to take on such significant responsibility. I want to make sure she understands.”

“What she means is I've been leading a cushy life so far,” Nicole said, her tone droll.

“You're very smart, Nicole.”

“Gee thanks,” Nicole muttered.

“Too smart for your own good sometimes,” Analine continued.

“I knew more was coming.” Nicole glanced at her sister, who shook her head in warning.

“Running a company requires that you learn to compromise. I hope you realize that by now. You can be difficult, stubborn, flighty, and demanding.” Analine looked down her nose at Nicole.

“Hmm, I wonder where I got that demanding gene?” Nicole raised an eyebrow at her mother.

“You also have a smart mouth, Nicole Marie,” her mother snapped.

“Don't faint, but I agree with you. I've been making an extra effort to curb my shortcomings.”

Her mother wore a doubtful frown. “Really?”

“Yes. Russell has been really testing me, but so far I haven't broken. That's exactly what he wants me to do.”

“Let's hope you can keep up the effort,” her mother said dryly.

“Marcus has been a great help smoothing the waters when I've been stressed. He really has become my right hand,” Nicole added. She planned to skillfully mention Marcus when talking to her parents from now on. That way their being a couple wouldn't be such a shock in the future.

“Then this challenge has been the best thing for you.” Analine launched into a stream of advice.

Nicole smiled crookedly at her sister while their mother chattered on. She was quite content to let Analine assume credit for “setting her on the right path,” as she no doubt would tell their relatives. Rosaria came back into the room.

“I've set the table in the sunroom, Miss Nicole.”

“Thanks, Rosaria,” Analine said as though she were in charge. She followed Rosaria out of the room. “I'm starving. This diet has been such a bore. I hope you've got more than fruit.”

“Oh, yes, ma'am. I baked fresh croissants. They're still warm.” Rosaria described her menu with enthusiasm.

Helena stood. She peered around the door before she looked back at Nicole and laughed. “You're dangerous, brat. I don't know of anybody that could have pulled that off on Mother, except maybe Daddy.”

“I told the truth.” Nicole lifted her nose in the air.

“Yeah, and that's even more scary.” Helena's dark eyes narrowed until she looked like a younger version of their mother. “You're up to something for sure.”

“Oh, don't you start.” Nicole flipped a hand in the air. “Let's eat.”

“Okay, but one more thing. A lot of people in our crowd think Russell was wronged. That includes some of our relatives.” Helena looped her arm through Nicole's as they walked down the hall to the sunroom.

“I don't give a rat's behind what they think,” Nicole retorted.

“You're sure there's nothing else that might blow up in your face?” Helena pressed.

“Stop it. You're sounding more like Mother the older you get,” Nicole joked.

“You have a knack for doing things that create the most drama. Try to resist for at least another year. Okay?” Helena's hold on Nicole's arm tightened.

“On my honor as a girl scout.” Nicole raised her right hand.

“They kicked you out of Troop K after that water balloon incident, only the last of a string of crimes.”

“Will you let it go already?” Nicole laughed at her. “I told them you had nothing to do with it.”

“Nicole,” Helena said testily.

“Alright, alright. I'm on the path of respectability, I promise.”

“Good. Russell may be a fumbler, but Jolene is one cunning witch. Pair her up with that jackal of a husband and
they could do some damage. Francine and I will watch those two.”

“Please don't worry. I know what I'm doing.” Nicole smiled at her. Despite her words of assurance she decided to examine the will herself again. She would dissect every sentence just to be sure.

 

“Hey, Marcus.” Shaun slapped him on the shoulder when he walked into the second-floor snack shop of the health club. Female heads swiveled when the smoothly muscled man in red and blue biking shorts and a white tank shirt passed.

Marcus shifted the sport bag to his left hand. He accepted a tall cup of mixed fruit smoothie from the woman behind the counter.

“You're late,” Marcus said shortly.

“I'm a businessman even on Sunday, brother.” Shaun turned his charm on the blond. “Got somethin' for me, sugar?”

“Always, Shaun,” she said with a giggle.

They sat down at a small round table that faced a glass wall overlooking the interior of the health club. An athletic woman the color of cinnamon led about thirty people in a kick-boxing workout below.

“How's it going with that fine new boss of yours?” Shaun rubbed his hands together. He eyed the woman below.

“You should know. Aliyah is giving you the 411, right?” Marcus said evenly.

Shaun's attention snapped back to him. “What you talkin' 'bout?” he said, slipping back into the dialect from their Fifth Ward days.

“You know damn well what I'm talking about,” Marcus replied. “She's coming on to me like she knows my business.”

“Nah, brother!” Shaun visibly relaxed. He smiled and
spread his arms wide. “I wouldn't run my mouth to a woman.”

Marcus stared at him. He considered Shaun's words and his body language for a few seconds. In Shaun's view women were a means to an end. Still, he needed to make a point. Marcus loved Shaun like a brother, but he also knew his flaws.

“You shouldn't be talking to anyone. Not some guy you think can help me or some woman you think has inside information.
No one
.” Marcus stabbed a forefinger at Shaun's nose.

“Okay. You wanna be on your own, then you got it.” Shaun affected an injured look. “We've always had each other's back is all I'm saying. I'm feeling sorta left out here lately.”

“Who have you been talking to?” Marcus said, ignoring the pained expression.

“I know a dude who works for a dude who knows a dude in the security business. I didn't mention your name.” Shaun abandoned his guilt trip for the moment. He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “You're highly thought of around this town. You can take as many Summers Security clients as you want.”

“But you didn't mention my name.” Marcus crossed his arms.

“No way. I asked about the top security firms. Being in insurance, I told him my clients can get rate reductions if they have good alarm systems or even on-site guards.” Shaun warmed to the subject. “Summers Security is still considered tops, but only because of you. There's a lot of skepticism about Nicole.”