Fated (3 page)

Four

Nick had set up tonight along with Faith, who'd gone out on a limb, knowing Kate might be angry with her for a long while over this stunt. Unless Nick managed to convince Kate to give him a chance. In which case, he hoped Kate would forgive them both.

So this was it. Do or die. Accomplish his goal or he'd have no choice but to let her go.

No chance, Nick thought, determined.

“What's going on, Nick?” Kate shoved her hands into her jacket pocket, pulling the garment closed tighter as she stomped up the path and glared up at him.

“It's cold out. Come on in and I'll explain.”

“How about you explain first and then I'll decide if I'm coming inside?”

He hadn't forgotten Kate's stubborn streak. He'd just hoped she'd wait until they were in the house for it to kick in. “Don't you want to see my new place?”

“Not until you tell me why you couldn't just invite me over like a normal person?” Her green eyes flashed fire and damn she was gorgeous in all her expressive glory.

“Would you have come?”

She set her jaw, providing them both with an answer. Apparently they were going to have to do this the hard way.

“How many times have I asked you out?” He raised an eyebrow and waited.

Kate glanced away. “I lost count.”

“How many times have you said no?”

She gave him the same answer.

“It's not because you aren't interested because the chemistry between us can warm the most frigid weather. And I danced with you at Faith and Ethan's wedding—”

“Because I didn't want to make a scene.” Her teeth had begun to chatter.

He'd give her one more minute to get reasonable and he was going to carry her in. “We danced and you melted, Kate. Your entire body vibrated in my arms. You looked up at me with those gorgeous eyes and I could read every emotion in them. You want me as much as I want you.”

She stiffened her spine but at the reminder of that dance, the heat in her eyes flared bright. It was all he could do not to head on down there and kiss her senseless.

“Are you going to deny it?” he asked.

She watched him warily, glossed lips parted, eyes slightly glazed. She didn't move a muscle.

“I'll take that as a no. But it's just want. We know each other well. For example, I know you're always late and I don't care. You love kids, pets, and old people. I love kids, pets and I can deal with your visits to the senior home on Saturdays. You volunteer at the youth center, create programs when there's just one kid who needs it, and I admire the hell out of that. Add to that you're the best friend anyone could have. I like what I know and I want to learn even more.”

In the wake of her continued silence, he walked down the steps slowly, knowing he was stalking her, getting closer, watching for signs she'd bolt.

“Still won't admit it out loud, huh?”

A frustrated muscle ticked in her jaw while her eyes softened enough to tell him he was making progress.

So he continued. “We get along just fine when you let us. So tell me why two people who are so right for each other aren't together right now?” He'd gotten so close, he could smell the vanilla scent of her perfume, and his body reacted accordingly.

Her breathing increased with every word, and the tension pulsed silently around them as he waited for her reply.

“Be careful what you ask for,” she warned finally him.

“Trust me, I've thought this through and I'm here. Whatever is bothering you, whatever's keeping you from giving in to me, you can tell me.”

She sighed, frustration etching her expression and the barest hint of tears shimmering in her gaze.

Those tears got to him, damn it. He reached out and cupped her jaw in his hand. “Talk, Kate. Why haven't you given in to this? To us?”

“How many long-term relationships have you had?” she asked, surprising him with a question and not an answer.

He blinked at that. Thought about it. There was Faith, of course, and she was his longest relationship. Afterward? There'd been women here and there, sex definitely, but long-term relationships?

None.

He'd guarded his heart carefully, not even considering anything serious because no one struck him that way—until one day, with the sun shining through the window while he was helping Faith in her new store, he'd looked up and seen Kate in a whole new way. Suddenly he'd realized the one thing he hadn't known he wanted had been in front of his eyes the whole time, and he'd been too blind to see it.

“Cat got your tongue?” Kate asked. Her nose had grown red from the cold.

“One long-term relationship,” he finally replied. “When I was just a kid. Your point?”

Her jaw worked back and forth before she spoke. “You just made it. Faith was
it
for you. There was nobody serious for ten years after her and when she came back, you tried to pick up where you left off but she wasn't interested. She wanted Ethan. So you turned to your buddy, your friend, who's been in front of you forever. Well I've got news for you. I won't be anyone's next best thing ever again.”

On that stunning statement, Kate turned to go but Nick's reflexes were good and he was faster. He reached out and grabbed her arm, turning her back to face him. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes large in her pale face, as if clearly aware she'd revealed everything in that one statement.

And what a statement it was.

He had a bigger hill to climb than he'd thought. It was more like a frigging mountain. What she thought couldn't be further from the truth, but she believed it and that's what mattered.

“Second best? Is that what you think?” Without hesitation, he yanked her against him and did what he'd been dying to do since deciding he wanted Kate Andrews. Nick sealed his lips over hers.

She stiffened in shock and her hands came up to brace his shoulders, as if she were ready to push him away. He didn't give her the chance. Instead he swept his tongue over her lips once, twice, and on the third lick, she moaned, then parted her mouth and let him inside.

She tasted like heaven. Like mint and Kate, or what he'd imagined she would taste like, and he'd done plenty of imagining and yeah, jerking off to the thought of her. He'd wondered and now that he knew, he couldn't get enough. Thank God, neither could she. Her fingers curled into his shirt, her nails digging into his skin through the fabric. She didn't pull away and he continued the sensual assault awhile longer, breathing her in and reveling in having her in his arms.

Finally, though not easily, he broke the kiss, keeping a hand against her back, pressing her against him. “You are not, nor have you ever been second best. Now come inside and let me prove it to you.”

She narrowed her gaze, which to his satisfaction, was still hazy with desire. “I can't.”

“You can.”

“Then I shouldn't.” She bit down on her lower lip, proof of an insecurity she had no business feeling.

Not that he didn't understand why she might think he felt that way about Faith, but he needed to convince her otherwise and he didn't want to do it outside in the cold.

“We're going inside,” Nick said in the firm voice he used with his crew. “You can walk in along with me or I'll carry you. Your choice.”

She gasped in outrage.

He ignored her reaction. “Well? What will it be?”

* * *

Kate knew if
she walked into that house it was all over for her. She'd give in, succumb to Nick's sex appeal and the desire she'd been fighting for too long. But she couldn't stand out here in the cold, either. Her lips still tingled from that explosive kiss and other body parts begged her to let him continue what he'd started.

She knew better than to think chemistry meant he wasn't settling. What was it her ex had said? Guys can get it up even for an ugly chick. What an ass he'd been, she knew that now. She'd been young, college-age young, and so stupid. Whatever. She wasn't comparing Nick to Scott, but she did understand the point. But she couldn't deny she wanted him, either.

So just maybe, she ought to consider giving in. After all, she couldn't regret something later if she was aware of the outcome ahead of time.

“Fine, I'll go inside,” she said, too ungraciously, she knew. But she was scared. Of letting him seduce her, of liking it too much, of allowing her heart to get more involved than it already was.

“Good.” His smile lit his entire face, making him even more handsome.

“Lead the way.” She gestured with a sweep of her arm.

He took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. The gesture felt intimate, sweet and right, and her heart fluttered harder inside her chest.

No, no, no, she warned herself. Emotions separate from sex. And if he'd arranged to have Faith drop her off here, what else could he want besides sex? Sex was something she ought to be able to handle. And she wanted Nick, didn't she? So maybe it was time to give in.

He led her to the house. Kate had been in the old cabins before, but as she stepped over the threshold of Nick's, she knew immediately she'd never seen anything like his. The cabin was a mixture of old-world wooden charm and state-of-the-art modern conveniences.

Whereas many of the lake homes had old heaters and even older fixtures, Nick's were brand new. From the authentic fireplace and hearth, to the flat-screen built-in television on the wall, to the gleaming dark hardwood floors and what looked like handmade furniture, time, love and appreciation had gone into every detail.

“Like it?” Nick asked, coming up behind her.

She turned to face him. “It's gorgeous. You built the whole thing?” Nick, like his father before him, was not only a construction worker and builder, but he owned land in and around Serendipity.

“I gutted the house that was here, designed and built it from scratch,” he said, no small amount of pride in his voice. “It took years because I had to pull crew from other jobs when I had the chance.”

“And the furniture?” She couldn't help but notice the intricate carving on the wooden chair and table legs.

“Been working on all of it in my spare time. Also took years,” he said gruffly, as if the admission came from somewhere deep.

“Wow. I'm . . . in awe. Truly.”

“There's more.” He hadn't dropped her hand and he tugged lightly now, pulling her forward, to the back end of the cabin toward what she knew in her gut was the master bedroom.

So not a good idea. “Umm . . . Nick—”

“Humor me,” he insisted and led into the room.

She walked around, admitting to herself that the huge bedroom was as special as he was. A large sleigh bed, also intricately carved, sat in the center of the room surrounded by lighter wood but no less beautiful nightstands and matching furniture strategically placed around the room. Another big screen television sat on the wall and surround-sound speakers were mounted nearby. She looked up to find a beamed ceiling with skylights directly over the bed so there'd be a view of the stars each night.

“There's a remote that closes the ceiling and shuts out the light.”

“Stunning,” she said, her awe only growing for his talent, foresight and the depth this man had inside him.

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. It felt good. He felt good, all warm and solid, his woodsy smell arousing every one of her senses.

He cuddled her against him like she belonged there, and warning bells went off in her brain. “Why did you bring me here?” she asked, her breath coming in uneven spurts.

“Isn't that obvious?”

He settled his chin on her shoulder and kissed her neck.

A delicious shiver rippled through her. “I'm beginning to see that you're a detail-oriented kind of guy.”

“Mmm-hmm.” The sound vibrated against her skin. “I leave nothing to chance. Especially when I want something. And Kate, I want
you
.”

She sighed and forced herself to turn around and meet his gaze. This had the unfortunate effect of aligning their bodies and proving his words to her in full and thick detail. Her body weakened, melted, and a rush of moisture dampened her underwear.

How was she supposed to think straight let alone keep her distance when he acted so sweet? “Nick—”

“Don't say a word.” He brushed her hair off her shoulder. “We're going to eat dinner and enjoy each other's company. Give me that, at least.”

She sighed. “Do I have a choice? You had Faith kidnap me, remember?” Which, now that she was over the shock, she had to admit was kind of sexy.

His cheeks highlighted with color. “You always have a choice. If you don't want to be here I can't make you stay.” For the first time she sensed maybe this wasn't any easier for him than it was for her.

“When is Faith coming back for me?” Kate asked, not answering him directly, at least not yet. But he was getting to her—from the effort he'd put into getting her here, to the sincerity in his tone and the fact that she really wanted to be here. Kate was a goner.

“She's not. But I'll take you home if that's what you really want.” He met her gaze, the swirling dark depths pulling her in.

“It's not. I mean, I want to stay.”

She wanted to have this night with him and know what she'd been both dreaming of and pushing away. She'd pull herself together afterward. She had no other choice.

Five

Nick had planned to pull out all the stops and convince Kate he meant business. But as they ate in silence, Kate devouring first the Manhattan clam chowder his mom had made for him, and then the steaks he'd broiled, he was beginning to doubt his ability to win her over. She was wary and uneasy, two things he didn't want her to feel around him.

“You asked me about my long-term relationships,” he said into the silence. “Now it's time to talk about yours. How many have you had?” He threw her question back in her lap.

Her spoon clattered against the table and she picked it up again. “Why?”

“Because I want to get to know you.”

“I'm not all that exciting. Especially my dating history.” Her cheeks flushed pink.

“Uh-uh,” he said, waving his spoon at her. “I didn't ask about dating. I asked about relationships.”

Her scowl was so fierce, he was surprised she didn't stick her tongue out at him too. “You know I didn't go out with anyone in high school.”

And he pretty much knew she barely dated here in Serendipity, unless there were guys from other towns he didn't know about. There had to be. He couldn't see a beautiful woman like Kate going without male company completely, he thought, doing his best not to scowl at the thought.

“That leaves college.” She'd gone to a local university but he knew the place attracted out of staters too. He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to answer.

“Fine. College. I dated a couple of guys there and then I met someone I thought was special.” Her eyes glazed at the memory.

Nick's stomach cramped at the notion of Kate with feelings for someone else, suddenly understanding her reaction to his twisted situation with Faith. He filed that away to deal with later. “What happened?”

“His name was Scott and he paid attention to me almost from day one. He was persistent. Kind of like you.” She wrinkled her nose at him and he refrained from leaning across the table and kissing the tiny lines.

“Somehow I doubt we have anything in common,” he muttered.

“He pursued me pretty relentlessly, also like you. He met me after class, walked me to my car, took me on dates. He even met my parents.” She wiped her mouth with napkin, facing him head on. “You'd figure a guy who is willing to pick you up at home and meet your folks is a good guy, right?”

“Obviously not.”

“Exactly. We went out all senior year. It got pretty serious, at least for me. He was my first,” she admitted softly.

Oh, hell. Faith had been his first and he knew how long he'd held onto hope when there was none. He reached for Kate's hand and she didn't pull away.

“Where was he from?” Nick asked.

“Massachusetts. He lived on campus. Went home for holidays and stuff. I should've realized I wasn't getting the same things in return. I hadn't met his folks and he never invited me there, but he always had what sounded like a legitimate reason. I figured I'd meet them come graduation.” She pulled in a deep breath. “Except he broke up with me a couple of days before commencement.”

Nick studied her expressive features. Clearly the pain of that hadn't gone away after all these years and he doubted it was because she still had feelings for the guy. “Did he say why he ended it?”

Her harsh laugh took him by surprise. “He sure did. He had a girlfriend at home. One he was serious about. I was his hookup on the side, someone who kept his bed warm while he was away at school.”

“That bastard.” Nick's blood boiled at the story. That anyone could treat a woman so badly galled him. He had a sister, and he'd kill any guy who used her that way. And for Kate to have gone through something like that? He clenched his fists in his lap.

Kate eyed Nick in surprise. The vehemence and disgust in his tone shocked her. “It was a long time ago,” she said.

“Not so long that it didn't leave scars,” he reminded her, his gentle tone in stark contrast to the obvious anger pulsing through him on her behalf.

“I don't know about scars. It made me wiser, though.”

“And way too skeptical.”

Kate shrugged.

Nick didn't take things so lightly. “Are you finished?” He gestured to her plate and she nodded.

She started to pick up place settings to help him clean.

“Leave it. I'll get it later.”

She must have read the seriousness in his voice because she listened without arguing. He rose from his seat and she did the same. Without a word, he walked into the living area and turned the stereo on, his iPod playing a mix he'd created, and yeah, he'd put a lot of thought into this too.

As Adele crooned around them, singing of breakups but also providing the right mood music for Kate to sway in his arms, he held out his hand. She tipped her head, obviously understanding what he wanted because she came easily. He clasped her smaller fingers in his and drew her against him, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close, so there was no mistaking his intent.

Or his need.

He waited in silence, their bodies gliding in place, until she finally relaxed in his arms. That's when he sprung his next offensive. “Give me a chance, Kate. I want you. Tonight.”

K
ate sighed. She felt so much smaller in Nick's arms, protected but also cherished, a dangerous feeling when
want
was very different from the emotional need he effortlessly aroused inside her.

Still, as their dance continued and he waited for her answer, she grew ever more aroused. He wanted her. She desired him. Two adults who knew the score. He rocked against her, all sensual seriousness and she melted.

Give him what he was asking for or walk away and never know what could be.

“Don't let some asshole from five years ago keep you from opening your heart now,” he whispered.

Oh my God, he was talking about hearts. But she'd learned not to read too much into words, which she knew as an English teacher, could have varying meanings. All Nick really wanted was for her not to deny the physical attraction that was so obvious.

He was seducing her into his bed. That's what she needed to both respond to and keep in mind.

“What's it gonna be, sweetheart?”