Boots and Lace (8 page)

“I loved Trish,” Nick argued.

“Yeah, and that’s why she filed for divorce based on neglect.” Audrey patted his arm. “If you’d really loved her, you would have had a hard time leaving her alone.” Audrey spun away from him as the music came to a halt. “Thanks for the dance.”

Left standing on the dance floor, his head spinning from what Audrey had said, Nick glanced around at the tables, hoping to find someone he could sit with so that he didn’t have to talk to Lacey. There was an empty seat at the table with Mark and Luke Gray Wolf. 

As he crossed the floor toward them, Libby Jones stepped between them, setting a bottle of beer in front of each. When she turned to leave, Mark grabbed her around the middle and pulled her into his lap. She squealed and laughed, planting a kiss on his lips. When he set her back on her feet, Luke didn’t let her get far before he tugged her into his lap and kissed her soundly.

No. Nick didn’t feel like being around all that hugging, laughing and kissing. It reminded him too much of what he’d always thought love would be. Fun. Sexy. Absolute commitment by both parties in the union. In Mark, Luke and Libby’s case, make that
all
parties in the union. How the brothers could share her was a mystery to Nick. Perhaps because they were so close in age and were twins, they were used to sharing everything—even their woman.

Ed sat at the bar, stealing every bit of Kendall’s spare minutes between the time she took orders and delivered them to the tables.

Finally Nick allowed himself to look for Lacey, though he’d been tracking her in his peripheral vision all along. She was in the farthest corner of the bar.

Nick opted for the empty stool next to Ed, praying the man didn’t mention their afternoon sex session with Kendall and Lacey.

“Can I buy you a beer?” Ed asked.

“Thanks.” Nick eased onto the stool and propped his boots on the brass footrail ringing the bar.

Libby returned to the bar, her face flushed and her tank top twisted. “What can I get you boys?”

Ed paid for Nick’s beer and the two men twisted on their stools to look out over the crowd, each nursing a frothy mug, dripping with condensation.

“Can’t get over how lucky I am.” Ed shook his head.

“How so?”

“Kendall.”

Well damn. As soon as he mentioned Kendall, the image of Kendall and Lacey naked in Lacey’s apartment popped into Nick’s mind. “Yeah, you’re lucky, all right.”

“Hey, now, don’t go getting any ideas about her. I’ve staked my claim and she’s agreed. We’re getting married next spring.”

Nick held up his hands. “I never said I wanted her.” His gaze slipped across the room to Lacey.

“No, you haven’t. And you handled the situation well at lunch today.”

“Just tell me to shut the fuck up if I’m being nosy, but is Lacey a permanent part of your relationship with Kendall?”

“Lacey?” Ed laughed. “I think she likes to shock people. Her ex was a prick and apparently unimaginative when it came to sex. I think Lacey’s making up for lost time.”

“Kendall doesn’t mind sharing you with Lacey?”

“Lacey helped me open my eyes about Kendall. I owe her a lot and besides that, she adds a lot of spice to our sex life.” He grinned. “I guess I don’t have to tell
you
that.”

Just the idea of discussing sex with the man who had been fornicating with his fiancée in the same apartment as Nick when he was having his way with Lacey had Nick all hot and bothered. He shifted on the stool and loosened the top button of his shirt. “How are you managing the ranch in this heat?”

Ed laughed. “Got a creek on the ranch. Kendall and I go skinny-dipping a lot.”

Nick was thankful the music started up again, conveniently covering his groan. He still hadn’t fixed the AC in their apartment and it promised to be another hot night. Even hotter knowing Lacey would be upstairs, probably sleeping naked. Damn the woman for starting something when Nick had been perfectly content to remain celibate. He downed the last swig of beer and slammed the bottle on the counter, his gaze going back to the barroom, picking up on the woman who’d made his life a new kind of hell.

“Hey, big guy, you’re scaring the patrons.” Kendall tapped Nick’s shoulder, wedged herself between the two men and set her tray of empty mugs and bottles on the counter. She gave her order to Libby, the bartender, and let Ed pull her onto his lap. “Umm, that’s nice. My feet are killing me.”

“I’ll rub them for you when you get home tonight.”

“I hope you’ll rub more than that.” She wiggled her bottom over his crotch, then hopped up when Libby completed her order. “I’ll be counting the minutes.”

After Kendall darted off between the tables, Nick stood. “Thanks for the beer.”

“Thanks for sticking around at lunch. Lacey’s a lot of woman for just one man and Kendall more than satisfies any itch I might have.”

“Don’t mention it.” Nick frowned. “Really, don’t mention it. I’m not sure what happened.”

“That’s the beauty of life with Lacey. She likes doing the unpredictable. I kinda miss living in the building with her.” Ed stood and clapped a hand across Nick’s back. “But then you’ll get used to it. If she fancies you as much as I think she does, you’re in for a helluva ride.”

Nick glanced once more at Lacey and left the bar, determined to go back to the apartment and bed. He had a lot of work at the shop and until his house was finished, he’d be better off steering clear of the woman in the apartment upstairs.

Lacey breathed a sigh of relief when Nick left the bar. Now she could focus on her work, maybe even flirt with a few cowboys to get her mind off Nick. He’d been hot naked, hot in his coveralls and even hotter in his jeans and cowboy boots. How the hell was she supposed to get him out of her head when he kept popping up? She’d already spilled two drinks, dropped a bottle when she’d been flipping it and tripped over a pair of men’s size-twelve boots. By the time midnight rolled around, Audrey cornered her and told her to go home before she put her out of business. She did it in a nice way, but it still hit home that Lacey had let a man get under her skin. 

As she pulled up to the apartment house, she noted that the light was on in the living room of the downstairs apartment. Cory’s invitation echoed in her head. At least one of the McBrides wanted her to stop in. Lacey had half a mind to do just that and to hell with Nick’s warning to leave Cory alone.

As she entered the building, her feet slowed in front of their door and her hand rose to knock.

At the last second, she changed her mind. If he wanted to see her, he’d have to come to her this time. And she wasn’t so sure she wanted him to.

Halfway up the stairs, she realized what she’d been thinking and which
he
she’d been thinking about. Damn. She was doing exactly what she’d promised herself she’d never do again. She was obsessing over a man.

Chapter Five

Nick stood on the other side of the apartment door. Though he’d sat in the recliner pretending to read a book, he couldn’t deny he’d been waiting for the sound of Lacey’s car pulling into the drive.

“You can relax, she’s home.” Cory emerged from his bedroom, smiling.

“She who?”

“Come on. You told me yourself that you normally hit the sack before midnight.” Cory glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s one in the morning and you get up at seven. Why else would you be awake?”

“I was reading.” Nick nodded toward the book lying open on the end table, his ears cocked for the sound of Lacey’s car door slamming shut.

“You have to be the slowest reader ever.” Cory crossed to the book and lifted it. “You’ve been on the same page for the past hour.”

Busted.

Nick shrugged. “I have a lot on my mind.”

“Lacey is a lot of woman.”

“I’m not interested in her.”

“Then why did you show up at the Ugly Stick for the second weeknight in a row? You’ve been an old man since the day you graduated college—going to bed at a decent hour, only going out on weekends, and living the life of a saint. No wonder you’re conflicted. Lacey’s got your boxers in a knot, hasn’t she?”

“No, that’s not it at all. The contractor is dragging his feet on the house, and I hate imposing on you.”

“Uh-huh.” Cory moved the curtain aside. “She’s on her way up the steps. I wonder if she’ll take me up on stopping by.” Cory crossed the room to the front door.

Nick frowned. “That’s crazy. She was here last night.” They’d had hot sex at lunch that day. His cock twitched at the memory. Why would she stop by for more?

Cory’s hand reached for the doorknob. “Should I ask her in?”

Nick headed him off, leaping for the door. “No.”

Cory chuckled. “Afraid of the woman?”

“Don’t you have some studying to do?” Nick glared, standing between Cory and the door, his arms crossed.

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Cory winked. “Maybe your problem is that you don’t like to share. Therefore…I’ll leave you two alone.”

“She’s not coming in.”

“I’ll let you handle that one.”

Cory entered his room and closed the door behind him.

Footsteps sounded on the wood flooring in the hallway outside the apartment door.

Nick reached for the doorknob, his hand curling around it, his hearing picking up on the slowed footfalls. 

He could sense her on the other side of the wood paneling. Nick’s heart raced, his palms sweated and he could almost feel the soft touch of her skin against his, smell the fragrant herbal scent of her hair. He closed his eyes and waited for the soft knock. Behind his zipper, his dick swelled in eager anticipation of another encounter with Lacey.

After several seconds, the knock didn’t come and footsteps moved away from the door, fading up the staircase leading to Lacey’s apartment.

Nick opened his eyes and stared at the door. “What the hell?”

“Ha! She didn’t take me up on my offer.” Cory stood in his open doorway. “Maybe she’s not in the mood. Or maybe she’s not in the mood for
me
.” He shrugged. “I got the feeling she was more interested in you to begin with. It won’t hurt my feelings if you follow her up the stairs.”

Nick frowned. “I’m not chasing after any woman.”

“Give her a kiss for me, will ya?” Cory’s laughter echoed through the living room as he closed the door to his room again.

Nick paced the length of the living room and back to the front door. “This is insane,” he muttered.

“Lacey has been known to make men crazy,” Cory called out through the paneling.

“What are the doors around here made of, fuckin’ paper?” Nick groused.

“Yes. Didn’t I tell you?”

Hell no, Cory hadn’t mentioned that fact.

Dragging in a deep breath, Nick held it then let it out. Why wasn’t he asleep? He had three cars on the racks at the shop that needed fixin’ tomorrow. Hell, today. If he didn’t get some sleep, he’d be no good to anyone.

Nick made an about-face and headed for his bedroom. He had just ended a bad marriage, he sure as hell didn’t need another woman lousing up his life.

He stripped out of his clothes and lay down naked on the sheets, the heat making it difficult to get comfortable. The thought that he might be lying beneath Lacey’s bedroom and she might be naked as well, made Nick’s cock swell all the more.

Damn.

As soon as he closed his eyes, images of Lacey with her ass in the air and him pulling her hair with one hand while whipping her with the crop had him groaning.

This was never going to work. He sat up, jammed his legs into his jeans and carefully tucked his erection beneath the denim. Shirtless, he exited the apartment, walked outside, barefoot, onto the front porch and sat on the steps. The night air was a little cooler than the stuffy air in the apartment. He had to get the AC fixed before another day went by or he’d never get any sleep.

“Can’t sleep either?” a silken voice called out from the other end of the porch.

Nick spun to glance up at Lacey sitting on the porch swing, dressed in a filmy, sheer nightgown, her hair falling softly around her shoulders, the light from his living room shining through the open window, gilding her brown hair with a golden glow.

“Too hot.” Nick realized his comment had nothing to do with the air temperature and everything to do with Lacey.

“My AC works if you’d like to come up.”

His cock jerked beneath his fly and he stretched his legs out in front of him to ease the discomfort. “No, thanks.”

She chuckled. “Afraid I might demand sex in trade for a cool place to sleep?”

He didn’t answer. If he was smart, he’d walk away, but he couldn’t, and he couldn’t look away. “I’m not in the market for a relationship.”

She tipped her head, one foot tucked beneath her, the other tapping the porch decking, setting the swing in motion. “I thought we’d established that up front.” Her eyes widened. “Did you think I wanted more?” Lacey shook her head, her hair brushing against her shoulders. “I’ve been burned before. I have no desire to do it again.”

Nick’s focus remained on the long, slender leg flexing and bending as the swing rocked back and forth. The silence lengthened between them. Finally, Nick said, “Me too.”

“I take it you’re still a little raw from the experience.”

He shrugged.

Another long silence.

“Have you always been a grease monkey?” Lacey asked.

Nick’s lips twisted. “Have you always been a waitress?”

She smiled, the simple act making her look years younger, almost a teenager. “No. I got my accounting degree, but never took my CPA exam.”

Nick stared at Lacey, shaking his head. “Sorry, I just can’t see you as a mild-mannered accountant.”

“That makes us even. I can’t see you as having always been a mechanic.”

“I wasn’t.” He stood. “Look, I’m sorry about warning you off Cory. You and he have a right to do whatever you want. I have a hard time remembering he isn’t a kid anymore.”

“You’re forgiven.” Lacey lips twitched. “For the record, I have no intention of leading Cory on.”

Nick turned to stare out at the night, feeling more relaxed, the silence lengthening between them again. A comfortable silence. He glanced back at Lacey where she sat on the swing, wanting to go to her and wrap his arms around her. “Wanna go for a walk?”