What a Rich Woman Wants (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Niko had to hand it to Kate and Marsha. They had outdone themselves in putting together the Salsa Bowl. It had been Marsha's idea to use a local riding academy as a venue. They'd rented a giant tent and a temporary floor beneath it. Round tables seating six were placed around the perimeter.

The academy building offered restrooms and a small kitchen. They'd put the bar along the walkway between the tent and the building so the ladies could avoid traipsing through the grass in their high heels.

Marsha and Kate had thought of everything. They'd contacted dance academies as far away as Miami and Tampa, looking for instructors of both sexes, and had hit the jackpot. There was no shortage of dancers willing to work the event for a nominal fee, mileage reimbursement and the chance to promote their own classes.

A salsa band was tuning up on the stage at one end of the tent. There was a hum of excitement in the air though it was still early. The caterers were setting up the buffet tables.

Rather than a sit-down meal, the guests were invited to nosh on a variety of traditional Cuban, Caribbean and Latin American foods.

There was a silent auction for everything from dance lessons to a salsa cruise.

Local restaurants, including Señor Tequilas, were on hand to supply at least one specialty to the buffet tables. Alicia had made tubs of salsa for the event and donated cooking classes and gift certificates for meals at the restaurant.

Niko saw how this idea of his, which Kate and Marsha had taken and run with, had become a community event. Some of the smaller specialty eating establishments were given an opportunity to showcase their cuisine and build their reputations and clientele.

“Everything looks amazing,” Lesley said as she joined him near the entrance.

“Including you,” Niko replied with a grin. Lesley wore a spaghetti-strap red dress that hugged her lithe frame and shone with spangles and beads. The skirt was covered in long fringe that swayed with her every move. Her hair was slicked back in a tight chignon adorned with a red hibiscus.

His compliment earned Niko a genuine smile of pleasure from Lesley. “Thank you. You look…wow!”

Niko chuckled. He'd chosen a long-sleeved black shirt and black slacks. It was simple and easy, and he knew he could carry it off better than he could a dance costume. Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was detract attention from any of his partners on the floor.

He and Lesley were manning the door as the official greeters, ticket takers and hosts. Niko looked forward to seeing the couples he'd gotten to know over the course of the season, many of whom were now donors to the community center. This fun evening that he'd dreamed up was, partly his way of paying back all the people who'd stepped forward to help him, who'd given him a chance. Even though they were also contributing even further to the cause tonight, he mainly hoped they relaxed and enjoyed themselves.

“It's all coming together, isn't it?” Lesley couldn't contain her excitement. She squeezed Niko's arm. “I can't believe you pulled this off in such a short period of time.” She gazed at him in a more serious way. “I'm really impressed.”

“I had a lot of help,” Niko reminded her. “I couldn't have done any of it without you or your friends.”

“It might have taken you longer, but you'd have succeeded with or without me.”

Niko didn't argue with her. Guests began to arrive and it was time to play host.

Five hours later the last of the guests left. The first Salsa Bowl had been, by all accounts, an overwhelming success. Niko had fielded compliments during the evening from the attendees. He'd given credit to everyone involved, because in his mind they had done the lion's share of the work. He had simply been the instigator, and the community center the beneficiary. There were going to be a lot of sore feet in Willow Bay tomorrow, but this smaller, intimate affair had given everyone an opportunity to be involved in the various activities, lessons and contests.

Niko and Lesley stayed for another hour, helping Kate and Marsha tie up loose ends, helping the caterers and restaurateurs load their vans and clean up. Lesley changed into a pair of low-heeled shoes. Her hair had come loose from its chignon and tendrils curled appealingly around her temples and ears. The warmth of the late spring air combined with endless dancing had taken their toll. Even now he still felt a bit sweaty all over. Niko couldn't wait to get Lesley home, into the shower and then into his bed.

Once he was on the road, behind the wheel of her Lexus, he took her hand and linked his fingers through hers. He brought the back of her hand to his lips for a kiss. “Thank you,” he said, glancing over at her.

She rubbed her thumb along his, a smile on her face.

There was no question that she was going to spend the night with him. She'd even packed a small overnight case.

“Let's take a shower,” he suggested once they were inside.

“Perfect,” Lesley agreed.

He turned the water on to let it warm up while they undressed in the bedroom. Lesley presented her back to him so he could unzip her dress. He marveled at their ease with each other as the dress slid off to pool at her feet. He kissed her shoulder, something he'd been wanting to do all night. With his arms wrapped around her from behind, he drew her up against his bare chest. He saw their reflections in the dresser mirror. The breath caught in his throat at her porcelain skin against his olive tones. Her blond hair and blue eyes contrasting with his almost black hair and equally dark eyes.

They were so different. Yet here they were together. For the moment anyway, he warned himself. Until Lesley got tired of the novelty of slinking around in secret and backed off. He didn't want to think about that. He nuzzled her neck, and she tilted her head back against his shoulder to give him easier access. He played his hands across her waist, sliding one down below the waistband of her lacy red panties and the other up to the matching strapless bra.

He teased her nipples through the material, feeling her sag against him. Her eyes were slits but she was watching their reflections too. He had no idea why it was such a turn-on, but he was hard and aching for release.

He maneuvered Lesley to the bathroom, where he dropped his slacks and adjusted the water temperature. She trailed a finger up between his buttocks while his back was to her. He turned around. “You'll pay for that.”

“I hope so.” Her eyes were dark but she was smiling. She unhooked her bra and let it drop. He grasped the waistband of her panties and yanked them off. She did the same with his boxers. “Oh, wow,” she said when she saw his erection.

He helped her into the shower and got in right behind her, pressing himself up against her, feeling the sluice of the water run over her skin and onto his. There was no mirror in the shower, but the image of the two of them was still in his head.

He put his hands on her, one caressing her breasts and the other between her thighs, his fingers delving into the soft, wet heat of her. She was as turned on as he was because she came quickly while his swollen cock still sought satisfaction.

She slid a hand back and grasped him before she turned. “How do we do this?”

He was lost in the feel of her hand on him and couldn't process the question.

“I know.” She maneuvered around him so that he was standing with his back under the spray. She bent forward and glanced over her shoulder. “Will this work?”

Niko's brain could barely grasp what she was offering, but his body apparently knew what to do. He grasped her hips, spreading her for his entrance, and plunged inside. He couldn't suppress the groan of ecstasy that accompanied their joining from this angle. He found his rhythm, holding her in place, pounding against her, taking what she offered until he was spent.

His legs were jelly. His whole body felt like it might wash away along with the water swirling down the drain. His mind was mush. He brought Lesley up against him, holding on to her tightly, maybe even for support, while the water continued to pour over them.

Eventually, he shut the faucet off and grabbed a pair of towels, wrapping one around Lesley and the other around his waist. Together they stumbled to the bed and collapsed.

“That was…” Lesley murmured a minute later.

“Unbelievable,” Niko finished for her. He was on his back with his eyes closed and didn't think he had the energy to open them again.

But he smiled when he felt the press of her lips against his shoulder.

When Lesley woke, it was to Niko's touch. His hands and lips were everywhere at once, coaxing her body awake. She still felt ultrasensitive after their coupling in the shower. His teeth grazed her nipple and she winced. Niko stilled. “What?”

“I'm just…I'm not…” She couldn't think how to explain.

He covered her body with his and played with a strand of her hair. “What?” he asked again, looking into her eyes.

Her body responded to his whether her mind thought she was ready or not. “I feel very…” She looked away. Embarrassment got the better of her.

He brought her gaze back to his, turning her head with a finger against her chin. “Tell me,” he whispered. His cock pressed against the dampness between her legs.

“It's stupid.” She bit her lip. Since turning away hadn't worked, she looked down, allowing her eyelids to keep him from seeing into her too deeply.

“Lesley,” he whispered. “Look at me.”

She did. He was so close that even in the dim light she could see every detail of his face. His beard stubble, his beautifully shaped eyebrows, his sensuous lips. She traced a finger over his bottom lip without thinking.

“What is it?” he asked against her finger.

She gathered herself. “I feel a little…tender. Down there. From the shower.”

He stared at her. “Did I hurt you? Tell me.”

“No. I think it was…I don't know. It was different. You were very forceful.” She smiled. “And very turned on.”

“I'm always turned on around you.” He wiggled against her to make his point. She sucked in a breath. He wouldn't have to do much more than he was doing to make her come. “I can wait.”

“No!” She squeezed his shoulders. “Just be gentle. And go slow.”

He smiled, his white teeth flashing in the gray shadows. “I can do that.” He slid down, taking the sheet with him, and touched her very lightly with his tongue. Again and again. And again until she came in a soft ripple of sensation.

He entered her slowly, allowing her to adjust around him. “Okay?” he asked.

“Perfect.” She wished he could stay inside her and hold her tightly, just like this, for the rest of the night. She knew he couldn't. No man could. Well, maybe some could. What was it that Sting and his wife Trudy were famous for promoting? Tantric sex. Lesley made a mental note to investigate it.

“Want to be on top?” Niko asked.

“Maybe. But I'm not going to move if I am.”

“Why not?” Niko rolled to his back, keeping her with him.

“Because this is just so lovely,” she said sleepily. “Being this close to you. Having you inside me. Just…being.”

Niko continued to stroke his hand up and down her back long after he knew she'd drifted into sleep. While he throbbed inside her, he thought about what she'd said. He'd have to wake her up, of course, and finish what he'd started. But for a minute or two longer, maybe he could give her what she wanted and just be.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Niko woke lying on his side in an empty bed, his arm stretched out across the rumpled sheets. Even though Lesley had stayed later than usual, that seed of disappointment lodged in his gut once again. They'd declared a silent truce after Niko's outburst on the beach, but he knew their relationship, such as it was, embarrassed her. She didn't want anyone to know she was sleeping with him, even if they suspected. Such a revelation would taint her carefully constructed public image.

Niko edged over to her side of the bed. He caught a whiff of her scent on the pillow, wished longingly that she were still there, even though it was midmorning and she was long gone.

What if she'd stayed, though? He'd make her coffee and toast . Bring it to her in bed. Wake her with kisses. They could make love in the light of day. Take another shower together. Go out to breakfast or something.

It didn't seem like he was asking a lot. Those were all simple things, weren't they? Maybe they were
too
simple. Lesley occupied a bigger world. She had an important place in it, running a Fortune 500 company, sitting on a board, arranging funding for needy causes.

What was he? A guy who'd come from nothing and who had very little even now. A small house, a used car and a dream. He had a steady job and a desire to help others. That was about it. It wasn't much to offer someone like Lesley.

He rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling, which needed a fresh coat of paint. Ever since he'd met Lesley, it was like he'd stepped on a high-speed train without knowing where the tracks went. Sure, he'd been attracted to her from the moment they'd met, but she'd been so far out of his reach there'd been no point in even fantasizing about her. Not that it had stopped him.

She'd turned the tables on him though, arranging it so they spent a lot of time together, and what was he supposed to do? Not be attracted to her? Not be interested in her? Not want to go to bed with her?

He'd done all that and more. He'd fallen for her. Then he'd done something really stupid. He'd admitted it. She knew how he felt, and if he knew anything, he knew that was a cardinal rule a guy should never break.

He liked to think she shared these feelings, but there was a voice in his head that warned him she might just be using him. Even if she did have feelings for him, she wasn't going to admit it to him or to anyone else. She'd never go public with their relationship. Inviting him to dinner at the
manse
had been the equivalent of throwing him a bone. She couldn't possibly believe they could have a future together. They were just too different. That their lives had intersected at all was a minor miracle.

He had to see it from her point of view. A public future together could negatively affect both of them. He'd be seen as a guy only after her money. She'd be seen as slumming, just like her ex-husband had said at the Emerald Ball. She'd found someone to scratch her itch, that was all. Niko could just imagine the ribbing he'd take if his relationship with Lesley became common knowledge and she eventually dumped him. Which she would.

He thought of the celebrities who'd had relationships similar to theirs. Powerful, wealthy women who “dated” unknown guys with questionable backgrounds and then unceremoniously dropped them. He did not want to be one of those guys.

Nope. What he should do was end this thing with Lesley, even if it would be like ripping his heart out. He'd probably never get over her. He'd heard people talk about the loves of their lives. Lesley was his. But there was no way this thing between them was going to last.

He'd hate like hell to lose the connection he had with Ricky as well. The kid needed a dad, or at the very least a male role model. Maybe Mitch could pick that up, although Niko was pretty sure he wasn't the only one who had noticed Mitch was more interested in spending time with Mitzi than with Ricky.

Niko rubbed his hands over his face and got out of bed. At least the Salsa Bowl had been a smashing success. Kate would have the exact figures to him sometime this week, but she guessed they'd raised between ten and twenty thousand dollars.

Someone knocked on his front door as he finished washing up. He padded out to the front of the house in bare feet. Through the side glass he recognized a couple of the detectives from the sheriff's department. He opened the door.

Once they'd introduced themselves and gotten comfortable in his living room, the older one, Brandon Murray, began. “The body of a young woman was found in the field behind your community center.”

Niko sat up, every sense on full alert.

“Formal identification is pending, but we believe it to be that of a young El Salvadoran named Maria Delgado.”

They'd be watching him for any sign of recognition of that name, and Niko was pretty sure he hadn't been completely successful in hiding it. They'd caught him off guard, as was their intention.

“When was she killed?” he asked, glancing from one to the other.

“We don't have an exact time of death,” Murray said. “Right now the coroner believes she died sometime between one and three this morning. He should have a more exact time after the autopsy.”

Niko breathed a shaky sigh of relief. He had an alibi for his time between one and three. Sort of. And a witness who knew exactly what he'd been doing during that two-hour window. Unfortunately, in order to clear him of all suspicion, she might have to sacrifice her reputation.

“Am I a suspect? Simply because she was found on the community center property?”

Murray and the other detective traded a look. “We believe death occurred elsewhere and the body was dumped there. We would like to take a look around, with your permission, of course. To eliminate you from the suspect list. We'll also need to know where you were between one and three this morning.”

“Do you have a search warrant?” Niko asked, knowing they didn't.

Again the trade of glances. “No,” Murray said. “But we can obtain one if you'd prefer not to cooperate.”

“Of course I'll cooperate,” Niko informed them. “But I'd like to speak to an attorney before I do.”