Open Your Eyes (8 page)

“Hush, little one. They are safe here with us now. We will take care of them together. And I promise you I will get to the bottom of this. I’ll find out what happened to them. And if somebody deliberately tr
ied to hurt them, so help me, he will be one sorry son of a bitch.” I hugged her tighter, determined to protect them all. These three women meant the world to me, I wasn’t going to stand by and watch some assholes hurt them.
The fuckers would all pay if they hurt my girls.

“Thank you
,” Natalie breathed in my neck. “I really appreciate it. Gabe would kill me if something happened to Olivia.”

Fuck! Here we
were facing this problem together, and she worried about what Gabriel would think. My gut twisted, and I felt a dagger stab through my heart.

Natalie
followed me out of the guest room and I pulled her down the passage toward my bedroom. She needed to rest. It had been an eventful night.

Her eyes grew wide when she saw where I was taking her. “Don’t worry, little one. You can go to sleep here in my bed; I will watch over the girls and get a doctor if necessary. But I think they will be OK, they are breathing normally now, they probably threw up most of
whatever they might have taken. They are going to feel terrible in the morning.” I pulled at the tie of her dress again, only this time I would keep my distance and let her rest.

She slipped out of the dress
, and my heart skipped a beat at the sight of her in her sexy underwear. My hands burned to touch her voluptuous body.
Down, boy!
I tucked her into the bed, covering her body quickly with the sheets before I changed my mind.

I sat on the edge of the bed, watching as her eyes fluttered closed, her long dark lashes resting on her soft pink cheeks, her lips still swollen from my rough kisses. Her dark hair spilled over the pillow
, and I longed to touch the silky strands, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop there, so I just fisted my hands in my pockets. A hint of a smile curved her lips at the corners. I sighed as I left the room, pulling the door closed behind me so she would not be disturbed.

My cock
still hard as granite, there wasn’t going to be much rest for me tonight. But I had other things to worry about. I walked to my study and fired up my computer. If Natalie was right, I had to find out what happened tonight and find the fuckers who did it.

S
urprised by what I learned on the Internet, I discovered that drink spiking was rife at clubs – usually by men targeting specific women. In my opinion, it was equivalent to rape. Fury blasted through my veins. What kind of low life would stoop to such means to get a woman?

T
he guest room was close to my study, I checked in on Sarah and Olivia regularly. At times they were restless, thrashing about in the sheets, but mostly they slept dead to the world.

A
few phone calls to my connections in New York kept me up most of the night. They cursed my timing, but once I explained what had happened, they swore to help me get to the bottom of this.

Tomorrow I would take
my girls to the Hamptons where they would be out of harm’s way. Besides, I knew my good friend, Sam Horton, was there already. Sam was a great physician; he would help if necessary, even though he was on vacation.

I leaned back in the leather wingback chair in my study and closed my eyes.
Everything – no,
everyone
– that mattered to me was under my roof tonight – under my protection – and I’d protect them with my life. I drifted into a fitful and restless sleep.

Chapter Forteen

Natalie

The gravel crunched under the tires as Nick drove into the driveway of his house in the Hamptons on Christmas morning.

“Wow, it
's amazing,” Olivia said in awe from the back seat. Both Sarah and Olivia had been silent during the drive, mostly sleeping. When we left New York early this morning, they were a long way from being back to their normal selves.

“Have we arrived?”
Sarah asked sleepily, stretching her arms out with a big yawn.

The front door opened and an elderly couple came
toward the car.

“Merry Christmas, Mr
. Gallagher. It's so lovely to have you at the house today,” the lanky aged gentleman said as he opened the door for Sarah.

Nick had already opened my door and
held his hand out to me. “Natalie, Olivia, meet Stanley and Maggie Shaw, the housekeepers of the estate.” He smiled as he patted Stanley’s back before he hugged Maggie. “Merry Christmas to you too. I'm delighted that we can spend time here. I'm looking forward to Maggie’s delectable Christmas lunch – some of my best memories of Christmas include Maggie’s lunches.”

Maggie beame
d from ear to ear, her face crinkled in delight at Nick’s words. Her kind nature clearly shone through as she looked at Nick with the love of a mother for a son. She rushed to hug Sarah too before turning her inquisitive gaze to Olivia and me. She nodded as she took my hand in hers.

“It's been a long time since Nicholas
has brought such lovely company over for Christmas. And now I can see why he was so excited when he rang me three days ago to organize the guest rooms.” She winked at me and I knew we would get along very well.

Three days
ago?
He only asked us to be his guests last night. I shot him a glance, my eyebrow raised in question.

Nick chuckled, a low and sexy sound that had my pulse racing. “Don’t give all my secrets away, Maggie. I had to wait for the right
moment to ask. I couldn’t risk rejection.” He grinned sheepishly, his eyes sparkling.

Did he really think I would
refuse his invitation?

“Come on
, Stanley, let’s get the luggage up to their rooms so that we can make the lovely guests welcome with a warm cup of tea.” Maggie waved Stanley over. They were a really odd couple. As gangly as Stanley appeared, so plump and short Maggie was. They reminded me of Jack Spratt and his wife and I couldn’t help but like them both.

“We’ll get our stuff,” Sarah offered as Stanley opened the trunk.

Nick took me by the arm and led me up the stairs. The house was even more beautiful than the one we raved about in the movie. It had a relaxed and beachy atmosphere, in spite of the snow around us. It was decorated in shades of whites and blues, with distressed wood to add warmth; I imagined it to be perfect for a summer holiday. A fire crackled heartily in a huge fireplace flanked by large bookcases groaning with books.
My kind of room.

Nick helped me out of my coat and gloves, hanging them by the doorway.

“Welcome to Casa Bianco, named after the pristine white beaches,” Nick said as he pulled up the blinds in front of the large bay window. I caught my breath as the cobalt blue ocean beckoned from only a short walking distance away.

“It's very lovely. I could fall in love with a place like this,” I breathed as I dr
ank in the views.

Nick stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, planting a kiss in my hair. “And its owner – could
you fall in love with
him
too?”

Before I could answer, Stanley cough
ed behind us. “Tea is served, and we have some eggnog too.”

“Oh, I've never had real eggnog,”
Olivia piped up, “but I guess Sarah and I should just have tea today.”

Nick turned us
toward the others who had joined us in the beautiful cozy room before reluctantly letting me go. He pulled me toward the oversized blue and ivory striped couch and sat down beside me. A lovely silver tray laden with cookies and Christmas delights, delicate teacups and a steaming pot of tea rested on the table.

“Please do the
honors,” Nick said, his arms outstretched on the backrest as he relaxed into the couch. He had a twinkle in his eyes as he keenly watched me pour tea for everyone. My hands trembled slightly under his acute scrutiny –
was this some kind of test?

H
eat rose to my cheeks as I caught his gaze on me, slowly floating from my lips to my breasts and back up to my eyes. Just the way he looked at me made me feel hot and tingly all over. But I could totally do this; I could be the perfect hostess. I gave him my most dazzling smile from under my lashes then licked lightly over the seam of my upper lip as I passed him a cup of tea, brushing my breast
accidentally
against his arm as I leaned over casually. He gasped and had to grab the saucer with both hands to stop it from shaking and spilling.

“Careful, it's hot
.” I smiled at him, sugar sweet.

“Boy, sure is hot
.” He grinned back at me, appreciation in his eyes.

Did I pass the test?

Luckily Sarah and Olivia were so busy digging into the fruitcake they didn’t witness the sensuous exchange. “Don’t eat too much cake. Maggie has prepared a huge Christmas lunch, and she will be very disappointed if we don’t do it justice,” Nick warned them.

“You must be feeling
a lot better if you are hungry?” I asked. They both nodded.

“Let's go to the kitchen to see what Maggie has prepared,” Sarah invited
Olivia.

“Yeah, I'm starving,”
Olivia agreed eagerly.

Nick placed his cup on the table and pulled me into his arms
, stroking my back with his thumb. I felt like purring. “Thanks for coming. You have no idea how happy it makes me.”

“If that’s all it takes to make you happy, you are so easy to please
, Nicholas Gallagher.” I smiled into his eyes. “Thanks for bringing us here. It's really amazing.”

“Now that you’ve seen the place, I hope y
ou will stay till New Year? That would make me even happier!”

I couldn’t help laughing
; I succumbed to the delightful warm and fuzzy feeling spreading through my mind and body. Being close to Nick had this effect on me and today I just wanted to enjoy it. A small Christmas gift to myself.

“Why not? I think
Olivia will really love it here,” I agreed.

“Only
Olivia?” he coaxed, the corners of his lips twitching, mischief dancing in his eyes.

“And…me,” I whispered
as I lowered my lashes.

He dipped his head and lightly brushed his lips over mine, softly and slowly,
savoring the moment.

“That’s what I've wanted to hear you say all morning
.” His chest heaved as he drew in a breath and expelled it slowly. “Thank you, that’s the best Christmas present ever,” he murmured at the corner of my mouth, before closing his lips over mine, kissing me gently.

My palms were on his chest and I could feel his heart beat
fiercely in spite of his gentleness. I slid my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, pushing my breasts against his chest, our hearts beating erratically against one another.
It feels so good
.

Olivia
bounced into the room, clearing her throat when she saw us. “Er, excuse me, but lunch will be ready in twenty minutes if you would care to join us?”

With a soft groan, Nick released my lips and I lowered my head onto his shoulder, resting my forehead there for a moment so I could regain my composure and catch my breath.

“We’ll be there in a minute, sweetie.” I looked up, but Olivia had already left the room. What was she thinking of my schoolgirl-like behavior? She hadn’t seen Gabriel and I kiss in a long time.
I hope she isn’t upset.

Nick held out his hand, pulling me up from the couch. “Let's freshen up before lunch, I’ll show you to your room.”

My room?
Were we sleeping in separate rooms? I guessed that would be best. I followed Nick upstairs and gasped as he opened the door. Lovely soft pinks and yellows suffused the room, vases filled with fresh flowers stood on every tabletop, their sweet fragrance drifting to my nostrils. This was a room in which to dream.

“It’s usually my sister’s room
– Sarah’s mother – when she visits. It's a very feminine space – I thought you would enjoy it. My room is just down the passage.” He chuckled as he waggled his eyebrows. “Your bathroom is through the door. I’ll meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes.” He winked as he withdrew from the room, closing the door behind him.

Twenty
minutes later, everyone, except Nick, sat at a table groaning with food. Maggie had outdone herself, preparing a gammon, turkey and all the traditional trimmings. It smelled delicious, fragrant and hearty, perfect for a white Christmas.

My mind wandered to my men back home in Australia. How had their Christmas been without
Olivia and me? In spite of our differences and our separation, over the festive season Gabriel and I had a truce. Every year I would cook a huge Christmas lunch and we would all be happy together and pretend we were a whole family again. It lasted for a day – one perfect day.

Where was Nick? It wasn’t like him to
be bad mannered and keep his guests waiting. Ten more minutes passed before he entered the dining room. His face looked like a thunderstorm, his fists balled by his sides.

“I'm sorry
to keep you waiting.” He nodded toward us as he took his place at the head of the table. “I had a phone call I had to take.”

“Is everything OK?” Not since the first night at the theatre had I seen Nick so clearly upset.

He reached out and took my hand in his, holding it for a minute while he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, he was calmer and a ghost of a smile played on his lips, but the smile never reached his eyes.

“Let's dish up before everything
gets cold. Maggie, you did a splendid job.” He nodded at her. Every Christmas, Nick insisted Stanley and Maggie join the family for lunch.

He
regained his composure and was a caring host throughout lunch, but I could see he was holding something back. When he thought no one was watching him, his eyes grew dark and his jaw clenched. Even though he listened intently to the conversation around the table, his knuckles were white as he gripped his cutlery with force, his jaw working silently as his brows drew closer together. Something serious had happened, yet he was trying his damndest not to ruin this special occasion for everyone.

“We’ll have dessert in the
living room in front of the fire, Maggie,” he said as he scraped his chair back and pushed to his feet. He pulled my chair back and held his hand out to me; his face and demeanor still very serious.

B
ack on the couch, he leaned back in the seat, closing his eyes for a few minutes. I rested my hand on his leg, feeling the tension in his body. His big hand covered mine as he breathed deeply.
What on earth is upsetting Nick like this?
But I wasn’t going to pry; he would tell me what was bothering him if he wanted to discuss it.

We
sat quietly like that for a long time, his breathing even and deep, neither of us saying a word. Olivia and Sarah had gone off to the kitchen to help Maggie prepare dessert.
Maybe he had fallen asleep?
Gently, I tried to pull my hand from under his, thinking that he had forgotten all about me, but his grip just tightened as he held on to my hand.

“Don’t leave me now,” he whispered. His
eyelids fluttered open, apology in his eyes. He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Thanks for being so patient with me. I’ll explain later. I don’t want this to ruin a perfect day. Let’s enjoy today and we will talk later, OK?” he said softly as he reached out and tucked a wisp of hair behind my ear, caressing the shell of my ear with his fingertips.

“OK,” I agreed, willing to do anything to take the
worry from him. My heart dropped into the bottom of my stomach. I sighed as I rubbed at the squeeze in my chest – I would have to wait until at least tomorrow to find out what brought Nick such profound anxiety.

Everyone joined us around the fireplace. Nick had regained control of his emotions and even joined the conversation, much more animated than
he had been earlier at the table.

“Time to open presents!”
He grinned broadly as he walked over to the large Christmas tree in the corner. I blinked as I noticed wrapped gifts under the tree. I could swear they weren’t there when we had arrived. Sarah and Olivia clapped their hands in glee, grinning like kids.

Nick reached out and picked up the first few parcels and handed them to Sarah and
Olivia. Then he gave envelopes to Stanley and Maggie. Finally he placed a box on my lap. “Come on, open up,” he ordered, his eyes gleaming with delight.