Heart Of Gold (16 page)

The pad
of his thumb brushed across her lips. In a rush, she became aware of how close
they were. That the solid wall of his chest was against her breasts. That one
of his legs was in between hers, tight against her soft core.

His
smell, that combination of expensive cologne and something altogether more
primal, filled her nose. Her heart started racing again.

And then
he leaned forward and his lips touched hers softly.

The
sensual contact brought her out of the trance and made her remember that he
already had a woman to take care of.

Pulling
away sharply, she turned from him. “I think we better get going. Don't you
need to get back to Candace?”

"Without
bothering to see if he was following, she began walking, her head down, her
eyes trained on the beaten earth of the trail. Distantly, she heard the sounds
of him behind her and did her best to tune them out.

When they
reached the mansion, Nick led her out to a porch that overlooked the lake. He
suggested a sherry and she took it tensely, sitting down in a wicker rocking
chair. As she took a sip, she watched from under her lashes as he leaned
against one of the white columns. He was staring out at the lake when at last
he spoke.

“I
think you should stay down here. All of you.” His voice was full of
command.

She took
another small drink from the glass and felt the sherry burn a path to her
stomach. “We're fine.”

“I
don't like the idea that you could be in danger.”

“I'm
not and we're going to keep staying at camp.”

She watched
impatience flicker across his face. “Ivan will be able to tell if the
site's in some mother's territory. You may not have a choice.”

“He
doesn't need to go up there,” she said sharply.

The last
thing Carter wanted was that woodsman poking around. She hadn't seen a bear
anywhere in the vicinity since she'd arrived, and if Ivan the Terrible went up
there, she knew he'd find nothing. Except maybe Lyst's footprints.

Nick
frowned and narrowed his eyes.

“We're
okay,” she told him as she quickly finished the sherry. “I'm going to
be fine.”

She could
feel him staring at her, testing her, and was relieved when all he did
was ask if she wanted a refill.

She
glanced down at the delicate crystal. “Yes, I think I do.”

When he
handed her the glass back, she immediately took another sip. Anything to keep
herself busy.

From
across the porch, Nick watched Carter closely, remembering what it felt like to
kiss her.

Frustration
mounted, tightening the muscles in his shoulders.

That
comment she'd made about Candace, the one that had separated them up on the
mountain, had been apropos but sure as hell unwelcome. It pointed out a
discrepancy he found intolerable. Having spent months with Candace, he knew
damn well he didn't care about her and yet she was still in his life. Carter,
the one he really wanted, was on the fringes. Nick was struck with an urgent
need to reverse the circumstances.

He heard
Carter sigh and had to grit his teeth as he took a seat.

She
leaned her head back and began to rock herself, her eyes rising up to the porch
ceiling. He'd never seen a more attractive woman. She was silhouetted against
the lake view, her strong profile accentuated by the light coming down from the
sky. Her hair fell around her shoulders in a shining black wave and, thanks to
the sherry, the color was coming back into her face. His eyes traveled down the
length of her and came to rest on her calves and thighs.

Feeling
himself harden, he shifted in the chair.

“I
owe you an apology for last night,” she said, abruptly. She turned her
head to look at him with hooded eyelids. “I'm sorry that I lost my temper
like that.”

He shook
his head, ready to accept his own blame for the flare-up. “You don't have
to apologize.”

She
swallowed the last of her sherry. “I don't usually behave like that. Never
have, actually.”

“Well,
I deserved it. I can be a rude son of a bitch.” He paused. “I was being
a son of a bitch. Why are you smiling?”

He asked
the question even though he really didn't care why. Just seeing her lips tilt
upward and her eyes lighten pleased him.

“I
didn't think I'd ever hear you admit something tike that.”

Nick
shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, you and a lot of
people. Just keep it to yourself. I like to cultivate my mystique.”

“You
mean this tough guy thing is just an act?”

Nick told
himself that talking was good. Kissing her was infinitely better, but at least
if they were talking he had a good reason to look at her.

"Power
is the sum of two things. Force of will and the impression of invincibility. If
people know they can affect your behavior, they'll exploit the weakness. I
don't give anyone tools to use against me.

Her eyes
flashed to his again. There was an assessing quality to them and, behind that,
a vulnerability that brought out both the predator and the protector in him.

“You're
a very hard man.”

He
laughed softly. “I prefer the term realistic.”

“And
yet when Cort is around, you seem more. . .”

“Irritable?”

“Human.”

He caught
a subtle change in her voice, a slight lilt of approval in the words. He liked
it.

“Cort
is my family. And family is different.” When she raised an eyebrow, he
said, “You seem surprised.”

She
shrugged. “I'm glad you think your family is important. I imagine your
life would be very lonely if you didn't have any ties to people at all.”

Coming from
anyone else, the comment would have been easy to turn away from. He'd dismissed
statements like it before, usually as they were being thrown at him by women on
their way out of his life. From Carter, though, it was impossible to push aside
and he pondered his isolation for a moment. He was connected to Cort, Gertie,
and Ivan. That was about it.

She was
right. He did have a lonely life.

And
instead of becoming defensive, he found himself liking her candor and insight.

“This
is good sherry,” she murmured. Lithely, she unfolded herself out of the
rocker and crossed the porch. She poured herself another, her hands steady on
the decanter and the glass.

“I
talked to Cort,” she said as she sat back down. “Tried to get him to
see that I'm a fantasy to him, nothing more. As soon as he realizes I put my
pants on one leg at a time like everyone else, he'll be fine. I hope.”

"How
was he doing?” Nick could feel his body tighten with stress.

“He's
hurt. But I'm sure he'll get over it.”

“I
tried to talk to him last night but it didn't go well.”

Carter
glanced over at him, her lovely blue eyes full of conviction. “I know it's
hard right now, but he's a very good kid and he's going to grow up into a very
good man.”

Nick
released some of his frustration with his breath. “Yeah, well, I wish to
hell it was because of me, instead of in spite of me. It feels like this
fighting is all we've got.”

“You're
too alike to get along now and too alike not to get along later. Trust me, I
know all about bad family dynamics. You two will figure it out.”

“I
hope you're right.”

There was
a long silence between them. A breeze drifted off the lake, wandered onto the
porch.

Her lips
tipped up at the corners.

“You're
smiling again,” he told her softly.

“Am
I?” She tilted the glass and sipped a little more sherry.

“Could
it be that you're enjoying my company?”

Carter
leaned her head back again and stared at him. He thought there was a sensual
speculation in her expression and relished the implications.

“I
hate to disappoint you but it's probably the sherry,” she said, looking
away. “And the fact that I forgot to eat lunch.”

But then
her eyes drifted back to his and the heat was still in them.

“I
think you're lying,” he said huskily.

Her
cheeks got more pink but she firmly changed the subject. “The dig's coming
along well.”

He
frowned, unsatisfied and hungry, and had to force some enthusiasm into his
voice. “Really?”

Carter
launched into a detailed report, which he mostly didn't hear. He asked a couple
of questions, to urge her on, but he was really concentrating on how he could
make her stay for dinner and when he would see her next.

Alone, he
thought, he wanted to get her alone. But how?

When her
speech was over, Carter unexpectedly presented him with an opportunity.

“Today
I was down at the boathouse. I saw your collection of boats,” she
murmured. “You've got all the bases covered. Speed, cruises,
sailing.”

“I
like to be on the water.”

“Me,
too.”

The soft
purr behind the words made her sleepy expression downright seductive and turned
the two words into an invitation he hoped to hell she meant.

“Would
you like to go out on the lake?”

“I
would.” She smiled widely.

Nick's
body became white hot. He knew he was going to have her. His heart began to
thunder and he struggled to keep his voice calm and measured.

“The
wind's supposed to be good tomorrow through the beginning of next week. We
could take a sail.”

Her face
changed and unhappiness flared in her eyes. “What about Candace?”

Nick
wanted to curse.

“She's
going to be leaving soon,” he said roughly.

“Ah,
but when will she be back?” Carter's laugh was bitter.

“She
won't be.” It was a vow and, after a moment, she nodded at him gravely.

When she
spoke next, her voice stroked him as it rode on the summer breeze across the
porch. “Then as soon as she goes, we'll head out on the lake.”

Watching
her mouth move, Nick was prepared to hunt the other woman down and send her
bouncing out the door with her designer luggage that very afternoon. He
wondered where Candace was and how long it might take to find her.

But then
an unfamiliar car drove up and the Swifts got out. When Buddy saw Carter, he
waved and came ambling over.

At the
sight of the other man, Nick's anticipation evaporated. He glared in her
partner's direction and leaned in close to Carter.

“Tell
you what,” he growled. “You do a little cleaning up of your own and
then we'll talk about going for that sail.”

Nick was
tempted to kick the man off his property. A part of him felt ridiculous at the
surge of jealousy, but logic didn't stand a chance against the emotions he was
feeling. Images of her with Buddy, the two entwined and twisted in a sleeping
bag, made him want to pound the guy into the ground.

“I
can't believe it,” Buddy said when he got within earshot, “but I
actually found a rental car in the Adirondacks.”

The
Swifts mounted the porch, their feet clapping against the boards. After Ellie
headed into the house to use the bathroom, Carter started to get up out of the
rocker and faltered. Both men reached out to steady her, but Nick shot a
warning glare at her friend. The other man dropped his hands immediately.

“Whoa,”
Carter said, grabbing on to Nick's arm. She let go of it as soon as she had her
footing. “I guess I had a little too much sherry.”

“You
don't drink,” Buddy said, shooting her a curious look.

“And
now I'm remembering why.” Carter glanced up at Nick. “I think I
better lie down for a minute. You got a spare bed in this ark?”

Nick
nodded, willing to do anything to keep her from going up his mountain with
another man.

The
screen door opened and Ellie emerged with Cort by her side.

“I
got lost,” the girl said with a smile.

“And
I found her.” cort wasn't smiling but he sent a long, measuring glance in
Ellie's direction.

“We
better get going,” Buddy said to his daughter. “Carter's going to
meet us up at camp later.”

As the
Swifts left, Cort lingered on the edge of the porch, watching them walk across
the lawn.

“I
think I'll come up to the dig tomorrow,” he murmured before heading back
into the house.

The
screen door bumped shut, and Carter and Nick were alone again.

“Just
point me in any direction,” she mumbled, “and I'll do my best to get
through your house in one piece.”

“I'll
take you upstairs.”

He led
her through the mansion, wishing that she'd stop brushing his hand away and
take the arm he offered.

They
ascended the grand staircase, and Nick took them down the hall to the bedroom
with the best view in the house. It was a peach-colored sanctuary that faced
the lake and had its own second-story porch. It also had a bed he thought she
might like, a great canopied antique covered with floral bedding.

He
imagined her laying naked on it.

“This
is beautiful,” she said reverently, going over to the stack of pillows.
Her fingers were light as they brushed over them. “I'll bet these sheets are
cool and will crunch like my grandmother's used to.”

She
checked the seat of her pants before she sat down and bounced a little on the
soft mattress.

“You
should be comfortable here.” His voiced sounded hoarse and he wondered if
she noticed.

“Hard
to believe anyone wouldn't be.”

“And
feel free to take a shower. It's through there,” he said,
pointing to a door.

“Now
that sounds like heaven.” She began taking off her biking boots.

Nick
dragged himself over to the doorway. He knew he had to leave. His hand gripped
the doorknob tightly.

“Sleep
well,” he said.

Carter
nodded, already on her way into the marbled extravagance of the bath.