CHASING TROUBLE

She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to drive Nicholas’ image away. She’d come out here to clear her mind, not think about him even more. But not thinking about him was impossible when she could feel his presence in the buzz of her veins and when so many old familiar feelings were blossoming and singing and anticipation quivered low in her pelvis.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed for the first time that the long, wide balcony stretched further than the limits of her room. Tightening the sash of her satin robe, she followed her curiosity to the end of it and discovered the balcony was shared with the room next to hers. The curtains running the length of the glass wall were drawn but that didn’t stop her taking a step back and then quickly padding back to her own half.

Tingles danced over her skin as instinct told her the adjoining room was Nicholas’ room.

________

It was late when Nicholas carefully opened the nursery door and tiptoed to the cot. Staring down at the innocent sleeping form, he lightly stroked his son’s soft cheek as his mind ran through the myriad ways Caroline could keep them parted if she so chose. It was all he’d thought about since his father had vocalized the unease that had been steadily building inside him about Caroline’s power.

She did have the money and the means to make life as difficult as she wanted it to be for him to see his son. Her wealth didn’t compare to his but when coupled with her protectiveness of their son and the imperious majesty she could turn on like a tap, it would make her a formidable opponent if she chose to fight him.

Nicholas had never backed down from a fight in his life but those fights had never had a flesh and blood child at its center. However much the concept of marriage turned his stomach, it would give him greater authority and legal protection, and make the custody issue smoother when they eventually divorced. More civilized.

He bent over and kissed his son’s forehead. “Sleep well,” he whispered.

Charlie had been a part of his life for such a short time but already he knew that, for his child, he would do anything. Even marry his mother. And in the process stop her ever having the opportunity to take his son from him.

Now all he had to do was convince Caroline, and as he closed the nursery door behind him, his lips curved into a smile and his skin prickled with arousal as he imagined the most effective way of getting her agreement.

Caroline sat back on the plush heart-shaped seat in the corner of her balcony and took a deep breath to calm herself. Her heart had leapt into her mouth when the baby monitor’s green light had flashed to indicate movement in the nursery. She’d been on the verge of charging into the room when Nicholas’ whispered voice had sounded through the monitor.

The semblance of peace she’d found on the balcony was further disturbed moments later when the door at the far end slid open and a shadow fell over the moonlit marble flooring. Heart immediately striding into a canter, she hugged the satin robe she’d slipped over her short silk pajamas tighter around herself and strove for nonchalance at Nicholas’ approach. The canter became a ragged thrum when she spotted the bottle of white wine and two glasses in his hands.

“I thought you were tired.” A smile played on his handsome face. A smile that made her belly turn to goo.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“This should help you.” He pulled up a chair by the table, positioned it close to her, opened the bottle and poured them both a glass. Gaze holding hers, he held one out to her. “Here. Don’t say no.”

She shouldn’t take it. Definitely not. What she should do is wish him goodnight-again-and go back to her room and lock the door behind her.

They hadn’t been alone together, not properly, not just the two of them, since the night of his return. She absolutely should not allow herself to be alone with him under the moonlight. She took the glass from him with murmured thanks and put it to her lips. It was crisp and delicious. Much like the man her eyes were locked on.

He gave another stomach melting smile and relaxed into his chair. He was sitting so close to her his knees were inches from her feet. “What’s on your mind?” he asked.

“Nothing important.” Seeing his eyebrow rise lazily at her obvious lie, she added, “We share this balcony?”

“Yes. My room’s next to yours.”

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“But you had already guessed that,” he said knowingly. “You were waiting for me.”

The rush of heat to her cheeks was so excruciating she couldn’t find the words to deny it. Because his words were the truth. She’d hurried away from his end of the balcony back to hers and sat on this very seat with a cocktail of emotions racing through her blood. The strongest had been anticipation. She just hadn’t realized it until Nikos had vocalized it.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” He put his glass on the table and leaned forward to take her bare foot in his hand and gently pull it onto his lap. “I know it will be impossible for me to sleep knowing only a wall separates me from you.”

“I…” She tried to breathe. Tried to find the will to pull her foot away and drag her stare from his face.

Ever since Nicholas had returned she’d done everything in her power to avoid his gaze. And this was why. Once caught in the depths of his eyes there was no escape. His fingers made feather-light circular motions over her toes. Why wasn’t she resisting?

“There’s no shame in wanting someone,” he whispered. His circling movements reached her ankle. Flaming shivers licked her skin. “Or shame in admitting defeat.”

She tried to snatch air in.

“We have both tried to fight the inevitable,” he continued with that same sensual huskiness in his voice. A finger slowly traced up the inside swell of her calf. “It is like the tide fighting the moon.”