Resisting Her Rival (8 page)

Chapter Eight

Abby finished filling her plate with an array of food and turned to scan the noisy, packed crowd. She loved the way the entire town pulled together to celebrate the day.

She smiled at a group of kids she knew and admired their face paint designs when they stopped and gleefully pointed them out. After the kids ran off, she looked across the tented area covering the tables for an empty chair and spotted one beside Nick. He waved her over, and Abby sighed. He got under her skin. He lingered in her mind. He disrupted the way her life should be with thoughts of how it could be. With him.
Stupid, foolish thoughts
.

She should find another place to sit. He gave her a knowing grin as if he could read her reluctance, and Abby squared her shoulders. She could handle Nick Coleman. Hoping those weren’t famous last words, Abby negotiated through the throng, greeting those she knew, carefully keeping her plate tilted slightly so her corn on the cob wouldn’t roll off the way it had last year.

“I’m starving.” She slipped into the seat, unrolled the napkin housing the silverware, and stuck her fork in the homemade macaroni and cheese. Bite halfway to her mouth, she stopped. “Uh-oh. You have that cat-ate-the-canary look on your face. What have you done now?”

Nick shifted so that his body leaned into hers. “I signed us up to partner in the scavenger hunt.”

“Partner. As in you and me together?” Abby studied him, then said, “There’s more to this bet of yours than the building, isn’t there?” For a second, she thought he would deny it, but he shrugged.

“Building my business in Sweet Creek has been a struggle.”

Abby’s brows rose. “I thought it was successful.”

“It holds its own, but profits could be a lot better.”

Lowering her fork, she said, “What’s going on?”

“People have long memories. I have to live down my own reputation as well as my father’s.”

“How does making this bet with me help with that?” Abby searched his face. Her instinct said there was something he wasn’t telling her, something that mattered. She waited but he only gave a tight smile and shook his head.

“Never mind. Forget I said anything.” Then he looked at her, and Abby’s breath caught. He had beautiful eyes. Rugged face.

“Abby?”

“Oh…I got lost in thought. Sorry.”

“Hey, I’ll make a deal with you. During the scavenger hunt, if you find more things than I do, the celebration at the bar afterward is on me.”

“Sounds like a deal.” She cleared her throat and dropped her gaze back to her plate. “You look handsome today by the way.”

“Just today?”

“Yes. What you wore yesterday wasn’t your color.”

Nick laughed. “I think I’m going to like you being all mine.”

Once they finished eating, Nick stood, holding his hand out to Abby. “Come and dance with me.”

It’s better if I keep my distance. The more time I spend with him, the more I want to. He is a danger to my heart.

“Nick…”

“You’re not the only one who doesn’t want to be vulnerable, but you, Abby Snyder, were never meant to sit on the sidelines. Now come dance with a handsome man.”

Abby laughed and put her hand in his.

Chapter Nine

Later that evening, Nick chose an area on the town square’s center lawn to set up a couple of chairs in preparation for the fireworks. His hands were busy, but his mind was on losing the scavenger hunt. Abby had managed to find more items twice as fast as he had. Losing sucked, but on the other hand, he’d get to spend time with Abby after the fireworks. He’d be able to work on persuading her to give in.

“Thirsty?” Abby asked as she joined him. She held out a cup of sweet tea.

Nick reached for it but would rather have reached for Abby. He let his gaze roam over her, and what he saw made his heart trip. She was a beautiful mess. Her hair was windblown, she had a spot of something on her shirt, and grass stains on her shorts. When the silence lengthened enough to make him feel like it was his first time ever seeing a pretty girl, he finally thought to say, “You here to keep bragging?”

“You betcha.” She settled herself into the chair and stretched out her legs.

“I would have won if the list hadn’t contained so many things women have already.”

“Sounds like sour grapes to me.”

“I don’t like losing.”

“Me either, but fortunately, I didn’t.”

A light breeze blew across them, and Abby closed her eyes and inhaled. “It’s so nice this evening. I’ve always enjoyed the Festival. Except of course the few times we’ve been rained out.”

She was speaking fast, like she was nervous.

“You okay, Abby?”

Lowering her head, she stopped talking and played with the straw in her cup. As if she felt his gaze on her, she looked over at him and flashed a grin. “I know, I look terrible.”

“Positively hideous.”

She fished out a piece of ice and tossed it at him.

“So hideous, in fact, I don’t know why I can’t stop thinking about kissing you.” He waited, watched her swallow. “It’s not easy chasing a woman who pretends she’s not interested. You could throw me a bone every now and then.”

“I’m fresh out. I’ll stop at the store tomorrow and look for one then.”

Nick chuckled and leaned back in the chair to watch the crew setting up the fireworks. Though he found Abby’s quips amusing, he also found it all unsettling. He’d never had to chase so long or work so damn hard to get a woman’s attention. In the past, he’d been the one pulling back, not wanting to go any further than the physical.

He wasn’t sure where along the line it was he’d started wanting more with Abby. He wasn’t in love with her, and he sure as hell wasn’t thinking of tying emotional knots of any sort. But the thought of her going about her life, maybe someday letting down her guard and ending up with another man, troubled him. This was supposed to be casual, exactly the way he liked a relationship. Casual meant nothing was expected of him. There would be no chance for him to screw anything up. Yeah. Casual was better, and he’d be wise not to let it bother him.

He had to keep his focus on what he wanted, or he was going to end up falling for a woman who didn’t care if he dropped off the face of the earth.

“I talked to Sue earlier, and she suggested that we get started on the interior of the building. You know. With paint and stuff.”

“Oh. Together?”

“Yeah. Oscar will reimburse the costs.”

“Sounds like it might not be a bad idea.”

“Between working on the theater sets for Oscar and the painting, it will mean a lot of evenings working together.”

“Don’t worry, Nick. I won’t bite.”

“I know,” Nick said with an exaggerated grimace.

Abby laughed. “Since we get to work on the interior, this coming Monday, I think I’m going to take a trip to a place I know that sells antiques. I can’t afford everything I’ve got my eye on for the expansion, but there are a few things I do want to get.”

“I can take the day off, and we could go together.”

The tension crackled in the air at his words. She stiffened and adjusted her position in the chair. “You and me? Take a nine-hour road trip together?”

“
Nine
hours?”

“Roughly. I don’t mean one way. It’s four hours up just across the North Carolina line and four hours back, with an hour to shop.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Nick said.

“I don’t. The two of us stuck together in my station wagon for that long? I can picture it now. You making advances, getting on my nerves, me leaving you at a rest stop.”

“Sounds like you’re worried that you won’t be able to behave yourself around me. That’s too bad. You need the practice if we’re going to work together. You must learn to control the desire you feel for me because deep down, I’m more than this good-looking face and rocking body.”

His joking had the desired effect, and Abby laughed. “I don’t know, Nick.”

“If you’re afraid you’ll give in to how you feel about me, I promise, when you proposition me, to say no, act outraged, and stomp away from you.”

“As long as you’re strong enough to say no, I guess we can go together,” Abby said with a long, drawn-out sigh.

“Then it’s a road trip.”

…

Abby hated to admit to herself how much she’d started to enjoy spending time with Nick. She wished she didn’t have to keep him at arm’s length, but that night in Florida had scared her. Not because she had anything to fear from him, rather mostly from herself. She didn’t ever want to hand her heart over to anyone else again. Hadn’t she already proved she was a poor judge of men?

“Abby, it’s just a road trip, not a marriage proposal.”

His derisive tone snapped her out of her thoughts. “Like that’s ever going to be an issue.”

“Never say never. You don’t know what might happen. There’s a strong possibility you’ll fall in love with me.”

“You’re right. I might also discover the fountain of youth and that chocolate is the cure for all illnesses. Yeah, it could happen.”

“I challenge you.” Nick put his hands behind his head and linked his fingers. “Why don’t you come here and kiss me? You can be the one in control. As long as the only undressing of me you do is with your eyes.”

“If you promise not to unlink your fingers, I’ll kiss you,” Abby said, surprising both herself and him.

“Consider it done.”

Getting up, Abby stretched slowly and took the few steps needed until she was right in front of Nick. Using her knee, she pushed aside his legs. When her knees brushed the edge of his chair, she stopped. Placing a hand on his chest for leverage, she immediately wished she hadn’t. His body was warm and hard, sparking a response within her that she dare not acknowledge even to herself.

Slowly, she leaned down and touched her lips to the side of his face. “I said I’d kiss you, but I didn’t say the kiss had to be on the lips,” she whispered against his skin.

Closing his eyes, he groaned. “You. Do. Not. Play. Fair.”

“Love and war, Nick. Love and war.” She settled back in her chair.

He opened his eyes. “One of these days, darling, you’re going to come to me and ask me to kiss you.”

“And in the other version of your fairy tale, do you ride off into the sunset?”

“Don’t women believe in fairy tales and all that happily ever after stuff?”

“I don’t know about most women, but I believe fairy tales are entertainment, nothing more.”

“I can be entertaining.” He sighed when she didn’t respond. “C’mon, Abby. Everything between us couldn’t have been bad. Besides the great lovemaking, tell me something you remember that was good.”

“Okay. The room was nice.”

“I was looking for something a little more personal.”

Abby toyed with tossing out a quip or saying what she’d felt that night. If she told Nick that his strength had surrounded her with peace, that the sheer rightness of it all scared the hell out of her, it might reveal too much about herself. In the end, she shrugged. “It was nice. Can we leave it at that?”

“When those walls come all the way down, Abby Snyder, I hope that I’m the one standing near to hold you up from the rubble.”

He was too handsome, too sexy, and he wanted too much. Jumping to her feet, Abby said, “I spotted my granddaddy. I’m going to see if he wants to sit with us.” She felt cowardly at running, but it was far more dangerous to stay. Once she made that out-of-town trip with Nick to pick up the antiques, she was going to limit their time together, building or not. It was what was best for both of them. Because if she didn’t, she was afraid that Nick was right and she would end up falling for him.

…

Once the fireworks display was finished, everyone from the scavenger hunt crowded into Monty’s Bar & Grill.

With the ladies calling out drink orders in the background, several of the men lined up at the bar to wait for the orders. “I still can’t believe you lost,” Eric said.

“Abby came prepared. That’s why I lost,” Nick said. He gathered the thick mugs of beer and headed back toward the round tables in the back that could seat more people. When he reached the table, he slid the mugs toward the ladies only to be stopped by Abby.

“You messed up my order. I wanted the Lightning Shooter.”

“Vodka?” Ann asked. “Abby, you never drink vodka.”

“There’s always a first time for everything, right?” She patted the table. “Pony up, Nick.”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Abby smirked. “Hell, yeah.”

A few hours and several drinks later, Ann said, “You’re really knocking them back, Abby.”

“I noticed that, too.” Amelia took a sip of her lemon water. “Should we be worried?”

“About me? Nope.” Abby tapped the top of the table with her index finger. “I plan to take advantage of the free drinks and call a cab when I’m done for the night.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Amelia said.

“See, that’s just it.” Abby folded a napkin carefully and then unfolded it. “I never, ever do anything. I work. I take care of the house. I work. Rinse, lather, repeat.” She frowned. “Rinse, repeat, lather… You know what I mean.” She flung her arms open wide. “Tonight, I’m doing.”

Ann and Amelia looked at each other.

Abby frowned when she noticed. “No, no. Don’t you dare worry about me. If there’s one thing that you can always count on, it’s that Abby always does what’s right. Right?” she said. She leaned closer. “Do you know that I have never once had a hangover? Never gotten drunk. I don’t get speeding tickets, I don’t cheat on my taxes, I don’t make waves. I’m the good girl. Hell, I’m better than the good girl. I’m the doesn’t-have-a-life girl.”

“Um, since there’s alcohol involved, tonight might not be the right time to have this epiphany,” Ann said.

“Yes, it is. One night where I don’t have to be careful, where I don’t have to be the one who’s always responsible. What’s so wrong with that?”

“I think you’re well on your way to a hangover tomorrow,” Ann said.

“I don’t care. Karaoke!” Abby squealed with a clap of her hands. As soon as the guy on the small stage finished singing a popular eighties song, she jumped up. “My turn.”

“Abby!” Ann tried to grab the back of her sister’s halter top but missed.

Abby conferred with the guy on stage handling the music tracks, then grabbed the microphone and faced the crowd. “This song goes out to Nick Coleman.”

When the familiar chords of Nick Lachey’s song “Shut Up” began playing, several people burst into laughter.

The more of the song Abby sang, the more the guys in the crowd ribbed Nick.

When she was finished, Abby took a bow, waved to everyone, and returned to the table. Nick stood up to let her slide past him and then resumed his seat beside her.

She patted his thigh. “Did you know you owe me a dance?”

“Is that right?”

“You do. Come on.” She grabbed his hand and tugged.

…

Nick steadied Abby when she looped her hands around the back of his neck, the words to her impromptu song still ringing in his ears. “You sure you’re good?” He danced them around another couple. The guy gave Nick a nod and a knowing grin.

“Oh, I’m good. I heard that somewhere.” Abby frowned, and then a light of recognition crossed her face. “My ex used to think he was good. Said he thought he was the world’s greatest lover.” She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “But do you know what I think?”

“What?” Nick asked, trying not to laugh.

“I think he was the only one who voted.”

Nick couldn’t help but laugh. “Abby, I think you’ve had a little too much to drink.”

“You’re probably right. The room is spinning just a bit.” She measured what she meant by pinching her forefinger and thumb together. “But you know who wasn’t lying about being good? Very, very good?”

“Uh…”

“You. Nick Coleman. You are fantastic.” She punctuated every word by poking her index finger into the center of his chest. “When we take our clothes off…” She drifted into another line of the song.

“Is that right?” Nick grinned. She was going to regret this in spades tomorrow.

“Yes. Florida… You remember Florida?”

“Vaguely,” he teased.

“I do. Boy, oh boy, do I. The thing in the shower and all the water.” She pulled one hand from around his neck and touched his lips. “Is that legal?”

“Abby, honey, let me take you home.”

She clapped her hands. “Yes! Let’s! I have a shower
and
water.”

Keeping his hand on her lower back, Nick led them back to the table. “I’m going to take Abby home.”

“We’re going to get in the shower together with the water,” Abby announced.

The group at the table went silent.

“She doesn’t know what she’s saying. I would never take advantage of her,” Nick said hastily when he received protective-sister glares from Ann and Amelia.

“You’re no fun,” Abby said, playfully swatting the front of his shirt.

“Why don’t I take you home, sis?” Ann offered, rising as she spoke.

“No, no, no. Sit. Nick is good.
Really
good.”

Ann resumed her seat, and Amelia shook her head.

Nick reached for Abby’s purse and handed it to her. “You hold on to this, and I’ll hold on to you. How about that?”

“Okay.” Abby walked around the table to give each of her sisters a hug. “You two behave and don’t get in the backseat with these guys.” She indicated Chad and Eric.