Pulse: Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 6) (11 page)

B
eing
in bed next to Nick is exactly what I needed. I sleep like a baby and only wake up when I hear my boyfriend shut the door. I get up quickly to gaze out the window so I can watch him cycle away. His thighs pump powerfully, and I long to stroke every inch of his body. I notice his bike and recall how the guys at the shop back in Breckenridge used to tease him about it being held together by duct tape.

I’ve given him a debit card to my account, but he’s not the kind of guy who would buy something he sees as frivolous for himself. I smile with an idea and send a text to Drew. I want him to help me find out Nick’s dream bike.

I lift my arms over my head to stretch. The lack of exercise in the last few months is taking its toll, and I’m achy. I need to make a point to hop on the dusty elliptical that sits in my office. But I’m not sure when I can squeeze it in.

I glance at the time on my phone and decide since I’m up I’ll make cinnamon rolls. Nick loves them, and I hope they put a smile on his face. I could also use a mundane task to sort out my thoughts before digging back into my current work project. My phone rings as I’m on my way down the stairs, and I pause to answer it. My voice echoes in the entryway. “Mom, you must be calling from a different continent.”

“I am. I wanted to let you know I arrived safe and sound. Do you have a minute to chat?”

“Sure.” I step my bare feet slowly down the smooth wood stairs. My stomach sinks, and I brace myself for what she’s going to say. Mom has to have an idea about what I’ve been up to.

“I’m hearing a lot about what you’re doing with the business.”

After the fiasco of yesterday, my defenses go up, and I say, “What did you expect? You did put
me
in charge without any direction.”

“Hang on, dear. I’m not disappointed. I wanted to tell you how proud I am that you’ve risen to the challenge and are blazing new trails.” I walk over to the windows in the kitchen and gaze out at the ocean. It’s windy, and tiny spots of white appear as thousands of small waves break. “You are?”

“Of course I am. I also want to tell you to ignore the tabloids and TV. They don’t matter.”

I sigh. “I know. I’ve gone full circle with it today, but I’m okay now.”

“Good. I knew you’d find a way to deal with it. I gave the business to you to lead because you’ve got a knack for it. You come by it naturally.”

This is the most praise I can remember my mother giving me since we started to butt heads when I was in high school. No. That’s not true. It hits me that I stopped hearing it. I wonder what else I blocked out.

I say, “Thank-thank you, Mom. That means a lot to me.” The hard shell that protects my heart from her cracks. “You were right, you know. I’m good at this and feel as if I’ve found a hidden talent.” Okay, so maybe I’m not quite ready to tell her I think running Bellae might be my calling. But I’m a bit awestruck by her faith in me, especially after the way I ran off as if it were a death sentence.

I turn to pace the large space of the living room as a pregnant pause makes me wonder what she’s thinking. Mom clears her throat and says, “That’s gracious of you to admit that to me. You’ve grown up a lot in the last couple months, and it’s wonderful to watch.”

“Thank you. And thanks for making Nick feel welcome here. You probably see more of him than I do.”

“I know I do. He’s a great guy.”

I think about how my father left us during the first years of Bellae, and I wonder if my mother’s long hours had anything to do with it. I’m about to ask for advice but think better of it. “So tell me what fun thing you’re doing first.”

We continue to chat as she tells me about her itinerary, and I hang up feeling better about my relationship with my mother than I have in years. Dishes rattle when I pull out the drawer to get a mixing bowl, and I make myself busy with baking. I catch myself humming.

When Nick returns from his ride, he walks in to the aroma of warm cinnamon-baked goodness. I break a piece of roll off, and steam rises as I walk over to him. “Want a bite?”

Nick opens his mouth to take it. Once I release the food, he grabs my wrist and holds my hand near his lips until he swallows. His voice is husky when he says, “I need to lick off the frosting.” He sucks my finger into his mouth, and I inhale sharply as the warm sensation travels to my toes. A foil condom packet lands on the counter with a soft plop, and I grin at the fact that he had plans for me.

His arm wraps around my waist, and he jerks me roughly against his body to kiss me. There’s nothing gentle about this either. He’s sweaty, and salt from his face infuses the flavor of his lips as I get swept away by our passion. Before I realize what I’m doing, his shirt is off.

I kiss my way down his chest, and he groans. Nick pulls me back up and grabs my hips to lift me onto the counter. He yanks me to the edge and shoves his groin against my open legs. “I want you, now,” he says.

I whimper as he devours my neck. “Yes.” I reach for his bike shorts to drag them down over his rock-hard butt and cock.

He lets out a low noise when I stroke him, and he grabs the condom to rip it open with his teeth. I roll it on and grip him tight. He says, “Oh, babe,” as he slides my panties off and swipes a finger over my slit. “So wet. Are you ready for me?”

I nod and let out a small cry when he thrusts two fingers into me. “Don’t tease.” I pull his hand out of the way and wiggle myself to place his cock at my entrance. “Fill me.”

Nick grabs my bottom for leverage and spears me with his hard thickness, and I say, “Yes, oh yes,” as he pumps hard and fast.

Our bodies know each other well, and he drives faster when I begin to flex around him. He urges me on. “That’s it, babe. Feel it. Feel me.”

I cry out as my orgasm quakes through my body. Nick works at his own release and comes as I hang on to the edge of mine. We pant in each other’s arms, and Nick says, “I miss us.”

“I know.” It occurs to me that we used to have sex more days out of the week than not. But lately it’s been rare. “I’m going to find a way for us to be together more often. I don’t like how distant I feel.”

Nick takes my face in his hands, and the pain I see in his eyes makes me tear up. “Please do, because I’m so lonely without you.”

His hair is damp in my fingers as I comb through it. He came all the way here for me, and I’ve left him by the wayside. The trouble is I don’t have time to fix it, no matter how much I want to. I’ve got too many balls in the air with Bellae, and they’ll fall if I’m not careful.

I’ve already promised too much, so I pull him down for a tender kiss. When we break apart, I leave to take a shower before Alex and Drew arrive. The early-morning sun streams in the entryway windows as I climb the stairs, and it catches my eye when it bounces off my diamond ring from Nick like a strike of lighting before the thunder.

J
ust as I expected
, our morning meeting ran into early afternoon. And while Nick couldn’t be more accommodating by making us lunch while we worked, I could tell he was bored out of his mind. I want to power through and finish, but if I want to keep my boyfriend, I’d better not. I say, “It’s one o’clock, and if we’re going sailing, we should stop now.”

Alex says, “But we’ve got so much more to do.”

I move my eyes toward the deck, where Nick is sunning himself. “I think we need some down time.”

“Right,” says Alex, but I can tell she isn’t happy. Drew knows better than to get between Alex and me, so he busies himself on his laptop when she looks at him for backup. She says, “Fine,” and snaps her computer shut.

An ocean breeze wraps around me as I go out to the deck to talk to Nick. “Hey, we stopped working.”

Nick sits up and lifts his sunglasses so I can see his eyes. The gesture is one ski instructors are trained to do with their classes, and it makes me think he’s going to be serious. “Did you finish?” He gets up to come inside.

“No, but we can do that another time.”

I shut the door behind us as he says, “You don’t need to stop because of me.”

Alex jumps on his words. “See? I don’t know when you think we’re going to get this done, because you go to Europe tomorrow.”

Drew pipes in. “She’s right. The three of us aren’t going to have a chance to be together for another week.”

A warm hand lands on my shoulder, and I turn to Nick as he says, “Finish. I’ll go keep myself busy so you don’t have to worry.”

Guilt gnaws at my stomach. “I was looking forward to this.” I reach out and touch Nick’s chest. “Weren’t you?”

He takes my hand and removes it. “It’s just sailing. Bellae is more important. Really.”

I don’t get a chance to protest, because Alex starts in with questions. I step close to Nick, expecting he’ll kiss my nose, but he gives me a quick nod goodbye instead and walks away.
What just happened? His rejection grips my heart with a tight squeeze.

I don’t get time to figure it out before I turn to my sister and have to focus on what she’s talking about, because she wants answers. We work until well after dinner, and the whole time Nick is gone. After Drew and Alex leave, I wander around the house, wondering where today went wrong.

I stare down at the ring Nick gave me, and the tiny diamonds remind me of the way the sun can make snow look like crystals. I remember how simple life was only a few months ago. The only thing I worried about was if I was dressed appropriately for the weather.

My thoughts are interrupted by the snick of the front door opening, and I make my way to it, knowing it’s Nick. I take a moment to gaze at him and realize I hadn’t noticed how long his hair was or how his eyes are golden against his summer tan. I’m suddenly shy. “Hi.”

“Hey.” He seems unsure of what to say too.

“How was your night?”

“Good. I caught up with Gracie, and we went out on her boat. Did you get everything done?”

“Yeah.” I take a cautious step toward him.

“That’s good. You wouldn’t want it hanging over you for your trip.” He tilts his head and adds, “Is it just you and Drew going?”

Is that what’s bothering him?
“Yes, but you do know we’re just coworkers, and nothing’s ever going to happen.”

He nods. “I know. It’s just that Gracie asked me to crew for her at her race this week, and I know how you feel about her.”

“And you were making sure I understand nothing’s going to happen with her.”

“Right.”

A lump is in my throat, and I gulp. “Nick?” My eyes burn with tears, and I blink to hold them back. “We’re not okay, are we?”

“No.” He sighs. “Let’s go sit in the kitchen and talk.” He reaches his hand out for me, and I grab on tighter than I need to.

When we get to the kitchen, we sit on stools to face each other. Nick begins. “I’m not happy here. I’ve loved learning how to sail and teaching the kids, but I’m too old to be a sailing instructor. It’s a college student’s summer job.”

A tear escapes and leaves a hot trail down my cheek before I swipe it away and ask, “Do you want to work in the city?”

“That’s not the real reason I’m unhappy.”

I nod. “It’s because of Bellae, isn’t it?”

He reaches out for my hands, and I grab on. “You warned me that I didn’t know what your life here would be like. I get it now. Bellae comes first.”

No!
I open my mouth to speak, but he shakes his head for me to let him continue. “And I understand why it has to. You have to prove yourself and bring the company back to its former glory.”

“How do you know that?”

“I heard what you were discussing earlier.” Nick drops one of my hands, and his thumb is rough as he wipes another tear off my cheek. “I’m so proud of you. You’re the most amazing woman I know, and you have to do this.”

Nick wavers in front of me as I gaze at him through a veil of moisture. “Don’t.”

“I need to, Megan. You shouldn’t be worrying about me while you’re saving your family legacy. But I can’t sit around waiting for a few stolen moments, either.”

A sob escapes, and I squeak out, “Please don’t leave me.”

Nick pulls me against his chest. “I don’t want to. But I finally know what you knew last spring. You were right. I don’t fit in your world.”

I pull away and swipe at the waterfall that is pouring out of my eyes, and words race out of me. “You can. I just need to get things settled. Once I get back from Europe, I’ll slow down. I-” I stop because Nick’s crying too.

He tugs me into a hug and strokes my hair. “I have two more weeks of sailing camp, and then I’m going to move back to Breckenridge.”

We hold onto each other and cry until the tears have been spent before we go up to bed. I know my face is blotchy and my eyes are swollen, but I undress across from Nick as he does the same. Clothes fall to the floor with soft thumps, and I memorize every plane of Nick’s body. No words are necessary, and we come together to find solace in each other’s bodies. Our lovemaking is slow and sweet. We savor each other until we fall asleep tangled as one.

The next morning, Nick makes me coffee, and we relive memories of our years together in Breckenridge. It’s easier to talk about the past than it is to imagine the future without Nick, and I let our conversation be light. He helps me pack, and when my car comes, I have to force my tears to stay put, because I’m in full Bellae makeup, prepared for a working flight and the people I’ll be meeting once we land in London. However, I did leave lipstick for the car, and I kiss Nick on the lips before I walk out the door. “I’ll never stop loving you. I’m so sorry.” I lift my hand and wave my ring finger at him. “This is never coming off, because you may be leaving me, but my heart’s not letting you go.”

Nick’s eyes are glassy when he offers me his killer smile and says, “Turn ’em right.”

“And left.” The moment the door shuts, my sob explodes, and I’m grateful for the makeup kit in my handbag.

I
stare
out the window of the chartered plane as we roll down the runway, picking up speed. The sinking sensation of my stomach as we lift off momentarily hides the emptiness in my heart.
It’s really over.
I twist the ring around my finger and wonder if I’ll still be doing this in fifty years when I’ve lived a life as the CEO of Bellae without a family. I shake away my morose thought. I’m not so much of a drama queen that I believe I’ll never find love again. But I’m hard pressed to imagine anyone who could replace Nick.

“Here,” says Drew, and I turn to him and take the water he hands me. “You’re going to want to stay hydrated. These transatlantic flights are brutal on the system.” He lowers himself gracefully into the seat across from me, and concern etches his face. “Everything all right?”

I shake my head. “Nick is moving back to Breckenridge.”

Drew reaches for my hand and traps it between his. “I’m so sorry.”

The last thing I want to do is cry again, so I pull my fingers away. “It’s been coming. We tried to hold on to what we had, and we probably should have just said our goodbyes in Colorado.”

“Ah, the logical Megan who knows when to part ways.”

He’d know. I was the one to suggest we let go of our relationship when I left Long Island for skiing. With Drew, it wasn’t this hard to make the decision. “Something like that.” I clear my throat and say, “Let’s take a look at those documents. I plan to get what I want on this trip.”

Drew reaches for his briefcase. “And I bet you will.”

L
aughter erupts
as soon as we get in the limo waiting outside of Dupree Manufacturing. Drew says, “That was beautiful. You had Martin eating out of your hand.”

“I like the way you played my minion to the hilt. He actually thought you were afraid of me.” I slip out of my shoes and lift my achy feet to rest on the seat across from me and next to Drew.

“Maybe I am.” He takes a foot in his hands and begins to massage it. I flex it up to stretch the tendon along the bottom.

“Well, I appreciate your acting abilities, because he takes me seriously now.” I’ve read the business e-zines and know the cosmetics world has been waiting for the young ski bum to fall flat on her face. I knew I needed to present myself as fierce, and so far it’s working.

I close my eyes and focus on the loosening of my muscles as Drew’s hands work. He asks, “We make a good team, don’t you think?”

While Drew’s words are matter of fact, I sense he’s hinting at more. I pull my foot away and reach over to the small cooler to search for seltzer. Ice rattles as I take out a bottle. “You are very good at your job, Drew. I like working with you.”

Still in avoidance mode, I reach for a folder, and papers rustle as I leaf through them. Italy is next on our itinerary, and I remember the appointment Drew made for me to get Nick a custom bike. Sadness washes over me. I ask, “You didn’t cancel Nick’s bike, did you?”

“No. Should I?”

I shake my head. “I still want to get it for him.” Just like my ring, I want to give Nick something that makes him think of me. Being on his bike is something he loves as much as skiing, and I want his memories of me to be happy ones. It occurs to me that he can’t have made much money this summer, and I wonder how I can help ease his financial situation.

I pick up my phone and text him. “
Thinking about logistics. Take the Subaru or use it as a trade in since I made you sell your car. BTW, non-negotiable.”

With the money he put away from the sale of his car and mine to replace it, he should be in decent shape when he gets back to Colorado. I gaze out at the French countryside and think of the Rockies. I’m going to miss skiing this year. Maybe I can convince Alex to take a few days over the holidays and go with me.

My phone buzzes, and I glance down to Nick’s reply.
“You’ve got mad negotiating skills. I won’t even try. Thanks.”

I smile with happiness that he doesn’t let male pride stand in the way of good sense.
“You’re welcome.”

Nick is sensible. He’s the one who would make sure I worked out before ski season to lessen soreness. He helped me learn better eating habits, and I don’t think he’s ever had too much to drink.

I think about how I haven’t exercised in months. The amount of vegetables I’ve consumed lately is seriously lacking, and then there’s the matter of sleep or taking time off to recharge. I’ve been neglecting my overall health, and it’s time to stop.

I sit up and say to Drew, “I think we need to take the rest of today and do something fun. I need exercise, healthy food, and time to enjoy myself. What do you say?”

His eyes light up, and I remember the guy I could easily sway when it came to fun. “I say yes.”

“Wonderful. Let’s get lost in Paris. We can stop at a café when our feet are tired.” Excitement courses through my veins at the change in plans. I ask, “Are you up for a dinner of champagne and cheese?” I should probably add a salad to that too.

“Of course.”

“Excellent.” I lean back and let the satisfaction of taking action chase some of my sadness away.

Drew tells the driver to take us back to the hotel so we can change. I hadn’t planned on doing anything that required casual clothing, but I did pack yoga pants and sneakers. And I’m going to revel in being makeup free for a while.

A half hour later, I bounce down the levels of steps to the lobby, looking like the Megan I was last winter. Drew grumbles behind me for making him take the stairs. I say, “I’m hungry. Let’s do food before we wander around.”

“Sounds good to me.”

We make our way out of the hotel and into the busy street. Not quite New York, Paris still has the feel of a city full of life. We walk by shops and cafés tucked into side streets. A man with a camera catches my eye when he rushes across the street to our side, and I turn around to notice a few people who look suspiciously like paparazzi.

I whisper. “Don’t look now, but we’re being followed.” Drew swears under his breath and points at a café.

“Over there. Once we get inside, we should be safe.”

As we approach the door, a clever reporter slips in front of me, and I step back. I turn to leave, and he snakes his way around to be in front of me again as my back is to the restaurant. He speaks loudly, “Miss Donovan, you’re not wearing makeup. Why not?
Surely
you’ve seen The It Girl?”

Drew steps in front of me as cameras flash, but I nudge him aside and speak softly. “I’ve got it.”

I step forward and notice a crowd forming as I address the reporter. “Yes. That’s correct. I’m not wearing a stitch of makeup. But I am wearing sunscreen.”

Another reporter asks, “Don’t you use your products?”

“Of course I do.” I glance at the original reporter and mimic his tone. “
Surely
you’ve seen my pictures?” Low chuckles come from the crowd, and when they fade, I say, “A Bellae woman loves her skin because she knows how to take care of it. We appreciate that we have the choice to wear makeup when we wish or to let our natural beauty glow.”

A woman reporter yells, “Miss Donovan, you say you’re trying to reach younger women with your products. What advice do you have for young girls about makeup?”

“Makeup is meant to be flirty and fashionable. I say experiment with it, make it fun, and never be afraid to do without, because what’s underneath is what really matters.”

Drew steps in front of me. “That’s enough. Miss Donovan would like to drink champagne and enjoy Paris.”

The maître d’ waves his arms at the reporters and cameramen as he says something in French. He turns to me to offer apologies and leads us to a small, private courtyard that has only three tables. The silence is pleasant, and I thank him for the special treatment before he leaves us alone.

I take a deep breath as we wait for the server. “Well, that was interesting.” The wrought iron of my chair is cool under my hands as I rest my arms.

“That was amazing. You just set up the new line perfectly.”

I grin. “I have my moments of brilliance.”

Drew grabs his phone. “I’m calling Alex. She’s going to love this.”

She’s going to wish she’d been here. The words I spoke earlier give me an idea. As Drew begins to talk to my sister, I grab my phone and make a note. Fun, flirty, fashionable, formal, functional. I’ve got our new campaign.

The waiter approaches us with a bucket of ice that contains a bottle, and it thumps as he sets it down on the table. He says, “Compliments of the house. Enjoy the champagne.”

I smile up at him because I most certainly will.