Strictly Business (18 page)

“Good,” Sandy said, “because you and Nick need to go look at bedroom furniture.”

“Bedroom furniture?” Nick asked, having heard the last words. “Of course, Jess and I will look for bedroom furniture. I guarantee we’ll do an exhaustive search.”

Jess lightly punched his arm. “Nick!”

Sandy laughed. “Maybe Marty and I ought to do it. You know, married life and all.”

“Forget it,” Nick said. “We got the job first.”

“That’s what counts.” Sandy smiled at him. “Ever since I started helping with the decorating, I feel like I have a major stake in this project. So may I ask who the backer is?”

Jess suddenly had a queasy feeling in her stomach. She and Sandy had been best friends since childhood. They knew a lot about each other’s families. Sandy was one area she’d forgotten about in her cover-up.

“We really should get back to work,” she said brightly, before Nick could open his mouth.

“Sure, Jess,” Sandy said, then turned back to Nick. “So who?”

“Carlson of Standard Associates—” Nick began.

“Sandy, we have to get back to work!” Jess said with as much sternness as she could muster. Walking toward the house, she prayed Sandy would follow. She was afraid to “help” her friend along. Nick might realize she was trying to keep Sandy from talking further to him.

To Jess’s immense relief, Sandy began to follow. But she kept talking to Nick over her shoulder. “The slave driver calls. But it’s great news, Nick. Especially about this guy from Standard Associates. Jess has a good connection there, you know. Her father’s on the board of directors.”

The words were like a death knell vibrating through Jess’s entire body. She began walking faster. Maybe Nick wouldn’t pick up on—

“Jess!”

Her name literally roared through the construction site. She halted instantly and spun around.

“Uh-oh,” Sandy muttered.

“Dammit!” Nick cried as he strode toward her. His voice rose in volume. “Dammit, Jess! Carlson didn’t call out of the blue, did he? You got him to help me, didn’t you?”

“Nick, please, calm down,” she began in placating tones.

“The hell I’ll calm down!” His face was even redder than it had been that morning with Tony. “You tell Carlson he’s getting his money back right now! I want a legitimate backer, not some clown you arm-twisted into helping out!”

“It’s my money, dammit, and it’s staying put!” she shouted back.

“
Your
money?”

Jess had thought he was angry before, but right at that moment she considered it a miracle of control that he didn’t kill her. And if he tried, she thought murderously, she’d take him apart. She lifted her chin in clear defiance.

Nick finally found his voice. “You’ll have
your
money back within the hour!”

She glared at him. “You can’t do that! Everybody will lose their jobs again! They can’t afford that, and neither can you!”

“I’ll find another backer to take your place!” he yelled, despite them being almost nose to nose.

“No, you won’t!” she yelled in return. “And you jolly well know it!”

“You’re fired!”

“No, I’m not! Not only am I doing the landscaping, but I’m doing the decorating, too. You can’t afford to lose me now. I’m an investor in this project, and I say I stay. Right, Sandy?”

“Oh … ah …” Sandy had backed out of firing range. “Right.”

“I don’t want your money!” Nick roared. “Why can’t you understand that?”

“Why can’t you understand that I’m simply an investor?” she demanded. “I’ve found a great place to put some money and make even more out of it. It’s strictly business! Right, Sandy?”

“Right.” The reply came from a good twenty feet away.

Nick straightened and said coldly, “You warned me, Jess. You said you would hurt me, and I didn’t believe you. I didn’t think there was anything you could do that would drive me away. I was wrong.”

“This doesn’t count!” she screamed, desperate to correct him. “I told you I do it without knowing I’m doing it. I knew exactly what I was doing—”

“What do you mean, it doesn’t count!” The shouting match suddenly rose in pitch. “I told you No, and you deliberately disregarded me!”

“And wouldn’t you have done the same thing if the situation were reversed?” She shook her fist in his face. “You know you would have jumped right in, like I did.”

“This,” he said righteously, “is entirely different.”

“Bull!” He was being so obtuse she wanted to shake him. “If I didn’t think these homes would sell,
then I wouldn’t have put my money into them. I would have tried to talk you out of continuing. I’m an investor, pure and simple! How many times do I have to tell you that before it gets through your stupid pride?”

“It’s not pride!”

“Then what is it?”

“I love you, Jess, not your money!”

Suddenly, she realized that she was fighting for him. For him, not against him. The smothering panic was gone, totally and completely. In fact, it hadn’t been there for a long time now. But she and Nick were at a stalemate, both of them on the verge of destroying the relationship. She had to find some solution.…

“You’re marrying me,” she announced, and was immediately shocked at the notion.

“Marry!”

The stunned expression on Nick’s face matched her own. Still, Jess knew she was doing exactly the right thing. For more than one reason.

“Husbands and wives are business partners all the time,” she said, taking the bull by the horns and steering him in the right direction. “After we’re married, then I’ll be your partner in business … and in love. Surely, you can’t object to that.”

“Dammit, Jess!”

“Oh, be quiet, Nick.” She grinned at him, knowing he was near defeat. Not a single one of his objections had been logical, and he had to have realized it. She had saved her best ammunition for last. “I love you, Nick. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you, and I never will. We’re getting married and that’s final. Right, Sandy?”

“Right!” Sandy yelled from across the lawn.

Nick stared at her.

She stared back.

“Dammit, Jess,” he said again, but quietly this time. He glared at her for a moment longer, then pulled her into his arms. His mouth found hers instantly.

Jess clung to him tightly. Her mind registered the loud cheer from all the men, but she didn’t pay any attention to it. She was getting married.

For the last time in her life.

She had him wrapped around her little finger … and he didn’t give a damn, Nick thought happily as he opened the door to the model house for Jess.

She smiled at him before stepping inside. “I can’t believe it’s finished.”

“It’s a home,” he said, kissing her gently.

Their footsteps echoed hollowly on the oak parquet floor of the foyer. It was amazing how silent the site was on a Sunday afternoon, he thought. No hammering, no machinery deafening the ears. Nothing.

In the next second, shouts of “Surprise!” blasted through the air. Nick grinned as Jess shrieked and jumped back against him.

People crowded around them, laughing and talking all at once. Sandy was in the forefront.

“What’s going on?” Jess cried.

“It’s your bridal shower, you dope!” Sandy said.

“That’s my woman you’re talking about,” Nick said sternly, then laughed.

Jess gave him a look as she was pulled away and into the living room. He knew what it meant: She’d kill him for getting her here with a very suggestive promise. He grinned. It was a little bit of revenge for her outrageous proposal. A proposal that had stopped him in his rantings, a proposal that had left him helpless and exhilarated. She had taken him completely by surprise. He had realized he’d been about to push her away forever. He could have survived any disaster but that.

In the kitchen he found Tony and Marty. He shed his jacket, then helped them ready food and drinks. Sandy had managed to wrangle the three of them into playing waiters.

“You didn’t forget the package, I hope,” he said to Tony.

“Of course not,” Tony said, pointing at a gaily wrapped box sitting in an out-of-the-way corner.

Nick went over and opened the lid. The contents were a little frayed around the edges, and he sighed, straightening them as best he could.

“Jess is going to strangle you, you know,” Tony said.

“Probably,” he agreed. “Well, we’ll just have to have the wedding in her prison cell.”

“Or at your funeral,” Marty said.

Nick waited until the end of the present-opening, then tucked one more gift in the box and carried it carefully out into the living room. He set it on Jess’s lap. She was wearing a paper plate hat covered with bows and ribbons. She looked tired and happy and ridiculous and beautiful. Tony and Marty watched from the doorway, both of them grinning widely.

“Open it,” Nick said.

Jess looked up at him and smiled, then opened the box. When she saw the contents, she glanced sharply at the other men.

Grinning in immense satisfaction, Nick said, “Meet Cat.”

“You knew.” She drew the words out as she deliberately set the box on the floor and slowly rose from the chair. Nick backed away from the flare of anger in her dark eyes.

“Now, Jess …”

“You knew all this time!” she said, advancing toward him. The guests in the room were silent, avidly watching. “Do you know how sick I’ve been over not telling you that was Tony in the bathroom? I made a complete and total idiot of myself that night!”

“I know,” he said.

Sensibly, he grabbed her and kissed her soundly. She melted against him, and he decided the finger-winding worked both ways.

“I’ll take her back,” he murmured when he finally lifted his head.

“The hell you will!” She scrambled out of his arms and hurried back to the box. Lifting out the bundle of orange and white fur, she cuddled the kitten against her chest. Cat squirmed against her, and Jess pulled the heavy paper out of the shredded ribbon tied around the animal’s neck. She unfolded it and stared at the writing.

“It’s a deed!” she exclaimed. “For this house! Nick, you bought the model!”

She practically flew into his arms this time, kitten and all. He pressed her tightly to him. The kitten mewed in protest.

“You made it a home, Jess. Our home.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

“You may not when you realize we can’t move in until after we’re done using it as a model.”

“It’ll sell the rest of MeadowHill in a week.”

“Will you two hurry up with the mushy stuff?” Sandy said, walking over to the stereo. “We want the entertainment.”

“Here!” Jess thrust the kitten and the deed into Nick’s hands. “Get the camera, Mom!”

Jess’s mother, whom Nick had met shortly after their engagement and immediately liked, was pushing wrapping paper aside in an attempt to find the camera. He watched in bewilderment as she and Jess grabbed for it at the same time. Jess won.

“I got it!”

“Right,” Sandy said, and flipped on the tape deck. “Let’s Get Physical” blared from the speakers.

Marty suddenly shouted, “Ohmigod!”

Nick turned around to discover his brother rotating his hips and unbuttoning his shirtcuffs.

“Tony!” he exclaimed in horror.

Jess started snapping pictures.

“Jess!” he exclaimed in more horror.

Jess’s mother came over to him. Her face was bright red, and she was laughing. She took the kitten from him and said, “It’s all in the family, Nicolas.”

“She’s going to drive me crazy for the rest of my life,” he said, and grinned.

Welcome to Loveswept!

In March, Ruthie Knox’s Camelot series continues with
ALONG CAME TROUBLE
, a sizzling eBook original featuring two headstrong souls who bump heads—and bodies—as temptation and lust bring nothing but delicious trouble. Ruthie Knox took the romance world by storm with her first Loveswept original eBook,
RIDE WITH ME
. Now, see for yourself why readers are falling in love with Ruthie and her sexy stories!

We also have some wonderful classics awaiting you:

STILL MR. AND MRS. –
Patricia Olney’s delicious story of untamed hearts and second chances.

THE BARON –
Juliana Garnett’s enchanting romance of medieval England.

FIRST LOVES –
Jean Stone’s moving novel about the power of second chances.

UNFORGETTABLE –
Linda Cajio’s sultry tale of passion.

AN UNEXPECTED SONG –
beloved author Iris Johansen’s simmering, sensual story.

If you love romance … then you’re ready to be
Loveswept
!

Gina Wachtel
Associate Publisher

P.S. Watch for these terrific Loveswept titles coming soon: In April, we’re excited about Megan Frampton’s emotional and powerfully erotic tale
HERO OF MY HEART
, Karen Leabo’s electric
HELL ON WHEELS
, Linda Cajio’s stirring novels,
HE’S SO SHY
and
DESPERATE MEASURES
, and Sandra Chastain’s spellbinding books,
NIGHT DREAMS
and
PENTHOUSE SUITE
. And May brings Elisabeth Barrett’s scorching third Star Harbor book
LONG SIMMERING SPRING
, Iris Johansen’s captivating
LADY AND THE UNICORN
, Sandra Chastain’s wickedly sensual stories,
RUN WILD WITH ME
and
SCARLET BUTTERFLY
, and Linda Cajio’s sizzling books,
HOT AND BOTHERED
and
DANCING IN THE DARK
. Don’t miss any of these extraordinary reads. I promise that you’ll fall in love and treasure these stories for years to come….