The Big Blind (Nadia Wolf) (23 page)

I heard the gentle splash of water.

“Nadia?” A deep voice whispered into my ear.

A wave of water splashed, flipping the floaty out from under me. I plunged into the cold water. Its icy chill shocked me awake. I sputtered to the surface.

“Are you awake now?” Greyson asked. “It seems like I have to keep waking you up with water.”

I wiped the water from my eyes and glared at him. He was in the pool with me. I casually snuck a peek downward to see if he had a swimsuit on or was naked.
Swimsuit, damn!
I recommenced my glare.

“Maybe you could let me sleep instead of waking me up. Where did you get the swimming suit?”

“It’s David’s. I borrowed it from his closet.”

I scanned for Mya but didn’t see her. “Where’s Mya?”

“I told her I needed her help with an errand. She left with Remy. They’ll be gone for hours.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You didn’t have an errand, did you?”

“Not really. I tracked you down after you escaped. Nice job by the way. Even David was impressed at your fight or flight skills . . . mainly the flight part.”

“If you’re here to yell at me, go ahead and get it over with.”

“Why would I yell at you?”

“I don’t know. You and Caleb looked like you wanted blood.”

“What if I told you we were civilized?”

I arched my eyebrow.

“Alright, we weren’t civilized. But then Frankie barged in armed with a curling iron. He hopped all over asking where we hid your body.”

I chuckled but sobered as I peeked into his eyes. “You know nothing happened between David and me, right?”

“I’m still having a hard time. If you had seen the way you were snuggling together, you’d come to the same conclusion.”

“Then why are you here?”

“To get answers from you. I wanted to look into your eyes and see the truth.”

“Greyson . . . I . . .”

His hand touched my face and his thumb ran across my bottom lip. “Not that I have any right to ask, but did you have sex with him?” His eyes were locked with mine.

“Greyson, you never have to worry about me having sex with David. I wouldn’t do that to you, and I certainly wouldn’t betray Mya.”

His lips crushed into mine. I was momentarily surprised but then he wrapped me into his arms to keep me close. The buoyancy lifted me. He lifted my legs and wrapped them around him.

“Greyson,” I said into his lips. “Does this mean you believe me?”

“I believed you the moment you woke up and saw David’s arms around you. Your eyes were as wide as an owl. I just needed a little reassurance.”

I pushed back slightly to study him. “Reassurance?”

“Maybe not reassurance. Maybe just more time with you. If I truly believed you had sex with David, I wouldn’t have bothered to find you. I was happy when I discovered you here. It just proves you wouldn’t do anything to betray Mya. If you did, this would be the last place you’d go.”

“Maybe this was the last place. Your brother is nearly as hot as you are.”

He nipped at my bottom lip. “Nadia, why do you insist on pushing every button I have? This morning I had a pang of jealousy I haven’t felt in years.”

“Well, it helps pass the time, and it’s fun.” My heart smiled that he was jealous. Normally, I don’t go for the jealous type, but with Greyson who was never jealous over anyone because he didn’t particularly care about one woman more than the other, it was a source of happiness. I had been thinking about quizzing him on why he had dinner with Catarina. It didn’t seem so important anymore.

“I know of something that will help pass the time, and it’s certainly fun,” he said.

“I didn’t think of you as the square dancing type, but I’ll do it if you think it’s that much fun.”

He pushed me against the side of the pool. His weight pinned me in place. “Nadia, you know what I mean.”

“I don’t think I do.”

His lips hovered against mine. So close but he didn’t claim them. I grew impatient with need. He smirked as I wiggled against his weight.

“Do you know now?” He asked.

“I might.”

“I need you to know.”

His hand slid down the length of me. My skin danced with his caress. He tugged on a string from my bikini. Then another one. He tossed the material out of the pool. Placing the smallest of kisses on his jaw, I lured him back. As our skin touched, he captivated every sensation within a ten foot radius. Even the water was magnetized as small droplets held onto his skin, dreading to be separated.

“Do you know now?”

“Hell yes.” I said, claiming his mouth as mine.

Our lips parted and meshed with the same urgency. My hands sought him. They moved up and down Greyson’s strong back, his arms, his chest, his firm butt. I tugged at his bathing suit.

“You’re not getting these,” he said.

“I want them.”

“You can have them inside but not out here.”

“That’s not fair. You took mine. I want yours.”

“You had better climb out of the pool.”

“Can you hand me a towel?”

“What if I’m your towel?” He wrapped his arms around me.

“Just get inside.”

“Tell me you want me.” His lips curled.

“Greyson!”

“Then let me tell you.” I tried to escape from his arms, but he held me still. “Nadia, I want you to be mine.”

I stopped moving. “Then take me inside.”

He gathered me in his arms. He was out of the pool and had me into the house in a matter of seconds. He only stopped once to wrap a blue and white striped fluffy towel around me. He stood me on the floor in the guest bedroom. Greyson snatched the towel from me and proceeded to dry me off inch by agonizingly slow inch. I let the waves of longing ripple over me as he touched ever so gently. He stopped abruptly.

“What?” I asked.

“Nadia, sweetheart, you’re seriously burnt.”

I stepped in front of the mirror. The back half of me was white from too many days in the casino. My front half was scalding red. If I was able to twist my body, I’d resemble a candy cane.

“Oh, my face too!” My face was just as red but white around my eyes where I wore Mya’s oversized sunglasses.

“I didn’t notice you were burnt when I found you in the pool. Does it hurt?”

“Now that I’m dry my skin is hot and tight.”

“Let me go find some aloe. I’m sure Mya has some in the bathroom.”

I wrapped the towel around myself. The once soft and fluffy towel now scratched me like sandpaper.

“Didn’t you wear sunblock?” Greyson asked as he returned with the aloe.

“Of course I did.” I didn’t want him to think I was an idiot, but truthfully, I didn’t. I was only going to splash in the pool for a few minutes. The warm sun, cool water, and drifting floaty bed lulled me to sleep.

“Why don’t you spread the towel on the bed? I’ll rub the aloe on you.”

I hesitated.

“I just want to apply the aloe on you. It will be easier if you’re lying down.”

I stepped to the bed. It was stuffed with pillow-top cushions and throw pillows piled high. As I climbed on top, the material scraped against me. Oh, this was going to be bad. If a satin comforter scratches, I couldn’t imagine what torture clothes had in store for me.

Greyson let me arrange myself on the bed as comfortable as possible then installed himself next to me. He dabbed a spot of aloe on my forehead, smoothing it gently onto my skin. The aloe gel was cool and only slightly soothing. His gentle lingering fingers made up for the disappointing aloe. He softly kissed and applied all the way down to my toes. He never stopped or skipped a spot even when I pointed out my breasts weren’t burnt. He dictated no spot shall go without his attentive care.

“I think I covered every spot,” he said as he snapped the aloe bottle lid shut. “Do you feel better?”

“I feel slimy and crispy all at the same time.”

“Do you want to try to dress?”

“Yes, I can’t lay here naked all day.”

“If you were at the penthouse, I would insist upon it.”

I smiled. “Somehow, I don’t think a charred woman sprawled naked on your bed would be sexy. But thanks for sliming me up. Can you help me dress?”

“I will, but I won’t like it.”

I propped myself up on the bed. My skin must have shrunk two sizes the short time I was on the bed. It tensed as I moved. I slid off the bed the rest of the way.

Greyson held up my panties with a smirk. “Let’s do this.”

I scowled at him. “You’re having way too much fun with my discomfort.”

“One of us might as well have fun.”

“Just lower them so I can step into them.”

He knelt down and was treated to a full view as I stepped gingerly into the panties. He slowly brought them up. By the time he was to my mid-thigh, the coarse material grated against my skin.

“Stop,” I winced. “Take them off. I don’t want underwear or bra.”

“I suppose you don’t want Mya’s t-shirt and shorts.”

“No way. They’re too tight.”

“Let me see what David has.”

“I can’t wear David’s clothes.”

“Why not?”

“It’s too complicated. Mya is still in a fragile place. We know he’s alive but she doesn’t. I can’t wear his clothes. They would be a memory to her.”

“She let me use his swimming suit.”

“You’re his brother.”

“Nadia, this is silly.”

“No, it’s not. Can you call her and ask her first?”

He kissed the top of my head. “I can do that. You might as well go and browse in his closet. I know she’ll say yes.”

I draped the towel loosely around me and carefully maneuvered to Mya’s bedroom. Since she wasn’t here, it felt as if I was intruding. I padded over to the closet and opened the door. Even his closet was bigger than mine. David had it packed with clothes. Between the two of them, they could outfit an island of people.

Greyson stood next to me. Normally, his heat would have been welcomed, but now it made my skin spike with anger.

“What did she say?”

“She yelled at me for not getting you out of the pool sooner. After she finished chewing my ear off, she said to pick out whatever you want.”

“Does he have sweat pants and a t-shirt?”

Greyson’s eyes twinkled for a brief moment. He rummaged through a few drawers and found a pair of sweatpants and a Nevada Wolf Pack t-shirt. I shimmied into them. The material lit my skin on fire. I cringed, but that just made my face hurt.

“I’ll drive you home,” he said, leading me downstairs.

“You know how to drive?”

“Just because I have a limo doesn’t mean I can’t drive. The limo gives me the opportunity to keep working while I’m going from one place to another.”

“Do you own a car?”

“Yes. They’re at my house.”

“They’re? As in multiple?”

“I have four right now, but I’m itching to buy a classic.”

“What the hell is it with men and cars?”

“What the hell is it with women and clothes?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I don’t exactly understand that one either. Are you compensating for something?”

Greyson smirked. “No, but you’re going to find that out for yourself.”

My hormones clapped for joy, giddy with anticipation of the event. But it would have to wait. Right now I just wanted to live in an aloe bubble.

We made our way outside. He took the keys and helped me inside the Porsche.

“For someone who works all the time you’re taking a lot of time off,” I said as he backed out of the driveway.

“I know. It’s already catching up. I’ll be insanely busy this week.”

“I would offer to help but I would end up in the way.”

His lips curved slightly. “Well, Ms. Wolf, what skills do you have? How could you benefit Rotunda Casinos?”

“Hmm . . . I can yell at people that pester you. I can use a computer. The last one I owned groaned and died with a dazzling display of electrical sparks so maybe that isn’t too useful. I can make coffee, but yours tastes better. Roy says I’m always good for a laugh, but that’s not helpful either. I can run errands, but my car is dead.” I pondered for a moment. A bleak realization smacked me on my burnt head. “I should probably just stick to poker.”

He chuckled. “Oh, I don’t know. You yelling at people to stop pestering me has its merits.”

“I’m happy to do it.”

“What are you going to do with Caleb’s Porsche?”

“I have to give it back.”

“I was going to head back to the casino after dropping you off. Do you want me to take the car with me so Caleb can pick it up? Or should I wait for Remy to pick me up? Then you can keep the car until you make other arrangements.”

I would have to take a taxi to the theater and to the casino to meet Dagor if I let Greyson take the car.