Lisa's Gift Read online

  And Lisa’s she reminded herself.

  “Not at all.” Yet he made no attempt to step aside or to leave. Instead, his voice dropped several octaves. “Would you like me to dry you off?” Lord, but the sensuality in his tone made goose bumps rise across her skin.

  Nervous laughter burst from her lips. “I don’t think so.” Just the thought of his strong hands roaming across her body made every hair stand on end.

  He pushed away from the doorway and slowly straightened, taking a step toward her. With a cock of his head he furrowed his brows, looking at her strangely.

  She double-checked the towel around her. “What?”

  “Soap. In your hair.” His sapphire eyes lit up as if they were blue fire under glass. A twitch teased the corner of his mouth as he restrained a smile. “What do you say we jump back into the shower? I’ll rinse you off.”

  Jana felt her eyes widen. Nicolas was a rogue, a whoremonger. But a handsome whoremonger.

  Lisa slipped into the bathroom next to him. Casually, he wrapped an arm around her, but continued to smile at Jana.

  Argh… He knew this was awkward for Jana. Still, he persisted in teasing her.

  “Oh, good. You’re awake,” Lisa said, snuggling close to Nicolas.

  Oh good! I’m awake. Duh, Lisa, doesn’t this appear out of the ordinary to you? I’m naked. Your boyfriend is standing in the bathroom ogling me.

  Jana realized her mouth was hanging open as she snapped it shut. Lisa’s gaze shot to Jana then to Nicolas.

  Oh no. Here it comes. Jana had no idea how she was going to deal with this awkwardness.

  Lisa cocked a brow. “What are you two up to?”

  Heat flared across Jana’s face like she had just gotten caught in a wildfire, or with a proverbial hand in the cookie jar. She was just about to blurt the truth, when Nicolas said, “She still has soap in her hair. I offered to jump in the shower with her and help her rinse off.”

  Damn. Damn. Damn. If Jana could have crawled beneath the sink she would have. And that wasn’t exactly a truth she was going to reveal.

  “Great!” Lisa perked. “I haven’t showered yet. We could make it a threesome.” She undid the sash around her waist and let her robe slip down her naked body.

  Holy shit!

  Okay… Exactly what kind of relationship did Lisa have with Nicolas? Jana had always known that Lisa was promiscuous. Hell. Who was she to talk? Lisa and she had learned about sex together. Neither was unfamiliar with the other’s body. But how was Jana supposed to deal with this situation?

  “Wish I could, but I have some things I’d like to take care of this morning.” Wish I could! She couldn’t believe those words came out of her mouth.

  Jana was certain she was losing her mind, because beneath her terry-towel her nipples were throbbing. Just the thought of soap-slicked bodies rubbing against each other was enough to set her blood boiling. Thank God she hadn’t dried off. If she were lucky, the flood of moisture between her thighs could be passed off as excess water from her shower.

  And that devilish man was grinning from ear to ear as if he knew it, too. What had she ever seen in him? Then he stooped to pick up Lisa’s robe and his own robe parted, giving her a bird’s eye view of what lay beneath it, reminding her exactly what she saw in him. He was gorgeous and apparently hung like a bull. Well, perhaps she was exaggerating a bit, but hot damn he was long and thick and fully erect. The image of that impressive cock sliding in and out of Lisa’s mouth flashed in Jana’s head.

  Lisa was so lucky.

  And that wasn’t easy to say. It had taken years in therapy to delineate between what her foster father had done to her and what was a normal pattern of behavior for most men. Not all men were abusive. Not all men were untrustworthy.

  Jana didn’t have problems with sex. She enjoyed the touch of a man. She just didn’t trust them or want any commitments with one.

  Lisa’s excitement faded as her face went blank. “Where are you going?”

  Tension tightened the muscles across Jana’s shoulders, making them feel as if she carried the world’s woes. She wasn’t ready to deal with this, but as her doctor said, Don’t put off the ugliness in your life. Face it head on. And most importantly, deal with it immediately.

  And for the most part that’s exactly how Jana felt, except for now. She mustered the courage to say, “I thought I’d start looking for an apartment.”

  Lisa flinched at Jana’s words as if she had slapped her across the face. “No,” she whispered almost inaudibly. “No,” she repeated louder this time. “You can’t. I need you.” Tears welled in her eyes.

  Jana hugged the towel around her. She had never seen Lisa react so emotionally. For a moment there was silence. Lisa bit her bottom lip like she did when she was nervous or afraid.

  “Tell you what,” Nicolas interrupted as he draped the robe over Lisa’s shoulders. “You two can discuss this over breakfast. My treat, I’ll cook. What do you say?”

  Lisa directed her teary eyes at Jana. “Please, don’t leave. I need you here. I-I mean, I want you to stay.” Something in Lisa’s pleading voice made Jana pause. Lisa had lived alone for several years now. In fact, she had written Jana a few times and expressed her happiness in being free from her parents, although she loved them dearly and visited them frequently in Florida.

  Perhaps she wasn’t as happy with Nicolas as Jana had assumed. She had barely exchanged hellos with her friend, much less really talked. The last time they’d spoken it had been brief, because Lisa was heading out to a doctor’s appointment. Even during those times Jana had picked up a note of unease in her friend’s voice.

  Then a shiver raked Jana’s back. Could Lisa have fallen into an abusive situation? Just the thought made Jana cringe. The scene between Nicolas and Lisa that Jana had walked in on when she arrived last night made sense now.

  “If you’re hurting Lisa, I’ll kill you.” The threat in Jana’s low and steady voice shocked her. Where the hell did that come from?

  Lisa’s palm covered her mouth. Her eyes bulged. The smirk on Nicolas’s face died a sudden death. For a moment no one spoke.

  Nicolas’s stance went rigid. In a controlled and firm tone, he said, “I would never hurt Lisa, or any woman for that fact.”

  Not true. The fire in his eyes said given half the chance he’d strangle Jana for offending him. His neck turned scarlet red. She watched in horror as heat consumed his face. It was always at this point that her foster father had attacked.

  Flashes of her foster father consumed Jana’s imagination. She swung around, frantically looking for something to protect herself. She spotted the toilet brush and jerked it from its sheath. If she’d been in an old-time movie she might even have said, “En garde,” as she struck a pose and lunged forward.

  That’s when everything went to hell.

  Both Lisa and Nicolas burst into laughter. Their reaction froze Jana and from out of the corner of her eye she saw her reflection in the mirror. The picture made her wince—a half-naked, crazed woman attacking a large man with a toilet brush.

  Lisa pushed past Nicolas. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.” Her arms folded around Jana. “And I didn’t mean to laugh.” If that was true Jana thought Lisa would have stopped. Yet each word struggled to escape between bouts of laughter. “It’s just—” She released Jana, stepped back and took one more look at Jana and her laughter deepened. “What I mean is—”

  Nicolas was the first to regain his composure, but the heat from his face had not vanished nor had the stern look he gave her. Clearly he was still offended. With more authority in his voice than Jana was comfortable with he said, “Release Jana and get dressed.” Lisa’s arms immediately fell from around Jana. Although her friend continued to choke back her laughter, she complied with his demand, but not before perching on her tiptoes and giving Nicolas a quick kiss.

  And then Jana was once again alone with Nicolas. For a moment he didn’t speak. His hot gaze remained pinned on hers.
If fact, she gave it right back at him. If she’d learned anything in therapy it was that she’d never back down from a man. She was in control—well, sort of. And she would die before another person took advantage of her like her foster father had done. Even if she had to use a toilet bowl brush, which she still held, to defend herself.

  Jana was magnificent. After all she’d been through she was willing to protect her friend and herself. Her choice of weapons left much to be desired. With her auburn hair wet and wild, her body slick with moisture, the fire raging in her eyes, she could only be described as a wildcat. One he would enjoy taming.

  Beneath his robe his erection, which had softened the minute she threatened to attack him with the toilet brush and threw him into hysterics, began to harden again. Something about this woman called to him. One minute she was a child in need of rescuing, and the next a strong woman hard as nails. And for some unknown reason, he wanted to be the one who brought the child and woman together to make a whole person.

  He sensed she needed a firm but gentle hand. “Get dressed.” His tone left no room for discussion.

  Her brows shot up so fast he half expected them to touch her hairline. “Excuse me?”

  He softened his voice. “Why don’t you get dressed?” His mind and body were at war. What he wanted to say was, “I’m not accustomed to repeating myself. You can dress on your own or you can choose to have me do it for you.” Just the thought drew his balls up close to his body. He wanted this woman, wanted to feel her beneath him as he spread her thighs and entered her warmth. Would she make soft mewling sounds as he invaded her body, her mind, her soul? Or would she scream, clawing his back as she reached orgasm? Would her eyes glow with fire as he strapped her to his bed or would they be clouded with desire? A spasm clenched his testicles, sending waves of fire down his shaft and a shiver through his body.

  Damn, he had to stop thinking like this. She aroused him to the point that all he wanted was to take her down to the floor and fuck her until she screamed. And he wanted to hear his name on her sweet lips, which was the wrong thing to think about as his gaze lit upon her mouth, sending his thoughts into a spin. How would those pouty lips feel wrapped around his cock?

  Her shoulders stiffened and her chin raised. With a huff, she tossed the toilet brush aside, shrugging by him as she exited the bathroom. Heavy steps sounded as she stomped down the hall and disappeared into her room.

  A smirk of satisfaction rose in him. If he had her pegged right she was going to be a pleasurable submissive.

  When this woman surrendered it would be a true surrender. And Nicolas wanted to be the man to whom she gave herself. All he needed was a plan.

  What better way to accomplish his goal than seduction?

  As he moved toward the kitchen, his mind was going a mile a minute. It was Friday; both he and Lisa had taken the day off, making this Labor Day holiday a four-day weekend so they could share it with Jana.

  Out of the cupboard he retrieved a large skillet and a smaller one. The night before he had chopped up vegetables and precooked the meats for their omelets. All he needed was to throw it together and sauté the ingredients in butter. Yes, it would have been better to cook it fresh like he would in his restaurant, but while he had waited for Lisa to come home last night he had gotten antsy. Nothing calmed him like cooking. They’d had plans for dinner; breakfast was the only thing he could think to cook.

  From the refrigerator he retrieved the fixings, including eggs, milk and cheese. As he cracked eggs and placed them in a bowl he thought about Jana and his plan of seduction. Lisa was wrong in taking it slow with her. She would respond better to shock. Her own body’s needs would do the rest.

  With a grin he slipped his robe off his shoulders, baring himself. Then he headed to the pantry, grabbed his apron off the hook, hung his robe in its place, and went back to work preparing breakfast.

  Chapter Four

  Holy shit! Jana almost swallowed her tongue when she entered the kitchen. She stopped so quickly she swayed. Nicolas stood facing the old gas stove she’d seen Lisa’s mother stand before so many times. A myriad of familiar scents—bacon, watermelon, and biscuits—brought forth memories of home-cooked meals that had quieted Jana’s hungry stomach as a child. But what widened her eyes was the fact that he wore nothing but a white apron tied around his neck and his waist. The impressive span of his back, the globes of his taut ass, and the definition of muscles and tendons streaming down his thighs and legs were magnificent. Well, there were also his strong arms and sculpted biceps that caught her eyes as he moved like an expert about the kitchen.

  Beside him were three plates. Two of them had delicious-looking omelets covered in melted cheese. Steam rose and the most heavenly smell touched Jana’s nose. From the skillet, he placed the last omelet on the remaining plate.

  Out of the cupboard Nicolas retrieved a small can of seasoning. Lightly, he sprinkled a red powder atop the omelets. Paprika, Jana guessed.

  “Take a seat. Breakfast will be ready in a minute.” Nicolas covered one of the plates with a silver dome.

  This was just too weird. I’m out of here. She pivoted on the ball of one foot and ran right into Lisa.

  “Yummy.” Lisa scanned Nicolas’s backside with a heated gaze, making Jana wonder whether she was talking about Nicolas or the delectable aroma that filled the kitchen. “He is such a great cook.”

  She folded her arm into the crook of Jana’s and led her to the old butcher block table that sat before a bay window looking out over the immaculately groomed backyard. Three place settings and three glasses of orange juice were arranged before them. “Do you remember that his family owns an Italian restaurant?” Before Jana could speak, Lisa continued, “He plans on taking us there tonight.” Lisa pushed Jana down into a chair and then took one of her own.

  “Tonight?” Jana’s gaze flickered to Nicolas’s firm ass and then back to Lisa. She leaned into her friend and whispered, “Um… He doesn’t have anything on under that apron.”

  A delightful smile raised the corner of Lisa’s mouth. Her gaze slowly caressed up and down his exposed backside. “I know. Isn’t it great?”

  Yeah, it is fucking fantastic.

  Jana felt a frown tug her brows inward. “I really think I should leave.” As she began to rise, Lisa’s hand caught hers, stopping her midway.

  “Come on, Jana. Where’s your sense of adventure? We’re all adults. The three of us could have some fun.”

  Three of us? What the hell was Lisa talking about?

  Lisa’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “You’re not chicken, are you? Scared you might see something you like—want?”

  Jana harrumphed. “Chicken? Me?” She wasn’t afraid of a naked man.

  “Prove it. Sit down.” Lisa patted Jana’s hand.

  Lisa was goading her and damn if Jana didn’t rise to the occasion, easing back into her chair.

  An expression of triumph fell across Lisa’s face. “Trust me, Jana. This will be one breakfast you’ll never forget.”

  As usual, Lisa was vibrant and bubbly as she updated Jana on the news of the neighborhood. There was something about her friend that usually had a calming effect on Jana. But today Lisa made her feel dumpy. Here Jana was dressed in a pair of faded jeans, a spaghetti strap shirt and tennis shoes, while Lisa had on a skimpy green sundress that clung to every curve, and matching sandals to top the ensemble off.

  And, of course, there was that arrogant man wearing only an apron strutting around the kitchen.

  Lisa glanced over her shoulder, taking another peek at him. When she turned back she gave Jana a wink, then leaned in close. “Isn’t he gorgeous? Can you imagine having a taste of him every morning and every night?”

  Sitting with her hands clenched tightly in her lap, all Jana could say was, “Mmmm…” The sound came out on the sarcastic side, but she couldn’t help it. The green-eyed monster had taken that moment to rise and send the heat of envy flooding through Jana’s warm body as she wondered just
how good Nicolas really was. A sour dose of guilt made her bring her thoughts back in line.

  What kind of woman lusted over her friend’s man? Because lust could be the only explanation why her breasts felt heavy and her nipples strained against the cotton of her shirt. With her every movement the material stroked her nubs, adding to the discomfort building between her thighs. And it didn’t help that Lisa had given her the seat facing the stove. She saw every seductive move Nicolas made. When he turned around she read the writing on his apron.

  I’m the chef and you will do it my way.

  Well, how appropriate. Jana couldn’t help scanning his length and noticing the huge bulge beneath his apron. Damn! Damn! Damn! She should get out of here.

  At the far end of the counter, he flipped on a compact disc player and the music of the Pussycat Dolls began to play. The beat of “Don’t Cha” seemed to raise Jana’s pulse—or was it the man looking at her with such heat in his sapphire eyes it made her insides melt?

  The CD player had to be a new addition to the kitchen, because Lisa’s mother’s philosophy was that when you sat down for a meal it was family time. She allowed no interference and even demanded that each person around the table contribute. It was the only time Jana had felt a part of a family unit.

  A plate in each hand, Nicolas moved toward the table. Even though he was almost naked, he walked with confidence and authority, like he owned the kitchen and possibly everything in it. Before Jana he set one omelet surrounded by an arrangement of peaches, watermelon, and strawberries lightly bathed in thick cream. Then he went back and retrieved the other plate with the sterling silver dome on it. This one he set in front of Lisa.

  Jana fumbled with the fork next to her plate. Everything looked delicious. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast yesterday.

  Lisa reached for the dome and then looked up at him.

  He slowly shook his head.