The Rockwell Legacy Box Set

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Nicole was in the midst of getting the blood pressure cuff set up when her fantasy came true—sort of. She and Max were in the family section of the dining room, where the Rockwells took their meals. Max sat in his favorite spot, overlooking the berry garden that Amanda had planted. She’d just noticed that the cuff needed a spritz of sanitizer, so she was hunting through her bag for the little spray bottle of alcohol.

One other group still lingered over their coffee; everyone else had already left for their morning adventures. Max’s plate held the remains of buttermilk pancakes, which he should probably not be eating. Her bowl of oatmeal was almost empty.

Mundane details, which got swept away as Kai strode into the dining room.

Just like in her fantasy.

In a white t-shirt, just like her fantasy.

It wasn’t wet, but then again she did have a very active imagination.

His hot gaze drilled into her, just the way she’d dreamed. But there was something more there, something beyond heat. Something unsettling. She didn’t have time to figure it out, because he was at their table with just a few strides.

And then he was touching her arm and his mouth was hovering over hers — just like in her dream.

Granted, he hadn’t scooped her into his arms the way he had in her dream, but that was understandable. She was no lightweight and this was a public dining room. She’d probably knock over a few water glasses if she got swept off her feet. Besides, that was her imagination going wild, whereas this—crazily enough—was reality.

Kai’s mouth, inches away. Firm lips, surrounded by a subtle grain of stubble. The fresh smell of the outdoors clinging to his skin. That scar, that slightly broken nose, those fierce stormy eyes. His body heat, that electric chemistry, that magnetic pull.

“I need to talk to you.” His low voice sent shivers up and down her spine. Her n*****s responded too, peaking under her sweater.

“Sure, right after I take Max’s—”

For some reason her mention of Max made his face tighten. “This can’t wait.”

“What’s wrong?”

His eyes flicked toward Max, and she got the message. Whatever it was, he didn’t want to talk about it in front of Max.

She bent over her patient, who was twisting his neck around to see what was happening behind him. “Sorry, big guy. Looks like something urgent came up. I’ll be right back. Just hang tight and think peaceful thoughts.” She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

Max scowled.

So did Kai.

Suddenly their family resemblance really stood out.

“Fine, but don’t be too long,” grumbled Max. “All this waiting around is hell on my blood pressure. Bet my readings are going to skyrocket when you finally get around to taking them.”

“Then we’ll do some extra meditation sessions today.”

“Threats don’t work on me, chickie.”

With a smile, she bent down and kissed Max on the cheek. For a grouch, he had a good sense of humor.

As she straightened up, she caught Kai’s gaze and flinched as if he’d tossed a flame-thrower at her. He looked furious.

Was this about the plastic deer? The spa proposal? Tofu chili? She followed him out of the dining room feeling like a delinquent being called into the principal’s office.

He led the way to the long, narrow room where the rental skis were stored. Its walls were lined with benches where skiers could gear up. A set of double doors let onto the back lawn, but generally no one used them in the summer. She’d only been in here once, on her initial tour of the lodge. Even now it smelled of ski wax and damp wool.

He closed the door with a firm click and faced her.

“Why didn’t you mention that your ex-fiancé is Roger Vance?”

She stared at him blankly. This was about Roger? “Um…because why would I? It’s over.”

“Roger Vance is almost sixty.”

“He’s fifty-six,” she corrected.

“And you’re twenty-eight.”

She took a moment to be touched that he remembered her age. “And you’re thirty-two. Is this just a math lesson or do you have a point to make?”

“Roger Vance is extremely wealthy. He was on the Forbes list once.”

“Yes, but apparently it was due to a clerical error. He never made it again, which bothered him to no end. You should have heard him rant about—anyway, yes, you’re right. He’s very wealthy.”

“And old.”

“He always preferred the term ‘silver fox.’”

But Kai still wasn’t smiling. “You lived on his property before you got engaged to him. You didn’t mention that part either.”

She folded her arms across her chest as familiar ripples of resentment coursed through her. “There’s a lot I didn’t mention. He’s allergic to chocolate. He’s very close to his chauffeur. He cheats at Hearts. Why don’t you come on out and say whatever it is you’re thinking?”

His jaw flexed, the only movement in his stony expression. “Okay, I will. I’m wondering why you broke up. And if it had anything to do with a prenup.”

All color drained from her face, then came flooding back.

“Bullshit. You don’t want to know why we broke up. You want to know if I specialize in preying on old men with big properties. You want to know if I’m getting my gold-digger claws into your father.”

Finally, a crack in his granite expression. “I didn’t say that. I’m just looking at the data and connecting dots and—”

“Want to know why we broke up?” she burst out, unable to listen to another second of his veiled accusations.

“Ye—”

“Because he wouldn’t accept me as I was. He wouldn’t accept my sister. He kicked her out of the house and didn’t care how much that hurt her. When she hurts, I hurt twice as much. Ten times.” Her words were stumbling over themselves in her passion. The harsh look on his face had vanished, and he was listening with complete and close attention.

“He only wanted me for arm-candy, that’s all. He thought I’d be happy he bothered with me, a complete nobody with a sister in a wheelchair, always scrambling between paychecks, working two jobs, sometimes three—”

“I’m sorry.” He reached out and caught her against him. Her breath caught in a hiccup of shock.

“I could have stayed, if I didn’t care about my sister, and I’d already signed his stupid prenup anyway, if that’s what you’re so worried—”

A grimace flashed across his face. Then, in the next second, her face was in his hands and…oh my God…he was kissing her. As if to stop her words, soothe her pain…or his…

And she opened up to him like a flower desperate for rain. All her hot emotion poured out of her.

His kiss was every bit as tumultuous as she’d imagined. His firm lips moved against hers, his tongue swept across the sensitive inner flesh of her mouth, spreading wild tingles everywhere it touched. He took command of her mouth, exploring and claiming at the same time.

Her body went boneless against him. His hand gripped the small of her back, keeping her upright against the onslaught of sensation. She melted against him, n*****s peaking against his chest, hot desire liquefying between her legs. Pressing close, she felt the hard bulge behind his jeans.

So he felt it too, this wild attraction.

But he’d just accused her of being a fortune hunter.

Screw him.

She pulled away from Kai and covered her mouth with her hand. He looked just as rattled as she felt. His hair was rumpled and he was trying to catch his breath.

“Sorry,” he muttered again.

“You might need to narrow it down a little,” she snapped. “Sorry for accusing me or sorry for kissing me?”

He put his hands on his head and turned away from her. “f**k. I don’t know anymore. Both. Neither.” He spun around to face her. “I wasn’t accusing you.”

“It sure felt like it.”

“Then I’m sorry.” He dropped his arms back to his sides, causing her heart to leap into her throat again. The air hummed between them. Somewhere outside, a guest shouted something and a car started up. “As for kissing you, I guess I’m not as sorry as I should be.”

Kai’s head was still buzzing from that incredible kiss, so logic wasn’t his friend right now. He needed some time to get a grip on what had just happened. But Nicole was still staring at him, the color coming and going in her cheeks.

He had to make this right.

“I didn’t know about your sister.”

Her expression shuttered. “Let’s leave her out of this.”

Right. That was Nicole’s private life and she didn’t owe him any explanations. He was the one who owed her.

“Did you really believe I was putting the moves on your dad? Oh!” Her eyes flashed fire at him. “That’s why you got all huffy when I kissed him on the cheek. What exactly were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that you’re beautiful.” Honest answer, if not exactly to the point. He’d thought she was so beautiful that his dad didn’t stand a chance. She was wearing a long skirt and boots, along with a turtleneck sweater in a charcoal gray color that made her eyes shine like liquid sky.

He shouldn’t have kissed her. Why had he done it?

Because her passion had reached out and grabbed him by the heart and the only thing on his mind had been getting close to her. Tasting her. He’d forgotten everything else.

“Cut the crap, Kai. Were you trying to throw me off? Confuse me so I’d confess my nefarious plot?”

He scrubbed a hand through his hair in frustration. “No, Nicole. Nothing like that. It was one of those impulsive things. I didn’t plan it. I didn’t have some kind of hidden agenda.”

Something flickered in her eyes.

A visceral memory of the taste of her lips came back to him. He’d kissed her, but she’d kissed him right back, wholeheartedly. It wasn’t until her lips had parted, welcoming him in, that he’d taken that kiss deep.

Maybe she was regretting that now.

“Look, let’s forget about the kiss. We never have to mention it again, we never have to do it again. We don’t even have to think about it again.”

She looked away, as if one of the Telemark skis had become the most fascinating thing in the room. Maybe she was thinking the same thing he was. Fat chance. That wasn’t the kind of kiss you forgot.

“That goes without saying,” she said, chin held high. “Of course we won’t do it again.”

“Of course.”

“But I’m still hung up on the part about Roger. How did you know about him?”

“I googled you,” he admitted. “Had a few beers last night and it seemed like a good idea.”

She crossed her arms and tugged her lower lip between her teeth. “So what else did you learn?”

When he hesitated, she gave his chest a light shove.

“Come on, you owe me that at least. Let me defend myself. How do I know what other crazy things you think about me?”

He drew in a breath. “Well, it appears you went off the deep end after the engagement ended. Did a lot of partying in Mexico with your girlfriends.”

“Never been to Mexico.”

“There were rumors about a pool boy.”

“Aren’t there always?”

He softened his tone as he came to a more serious topic. “Your mother died of breast cancer.”

“That part’s true.”

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t add that he knew how it felt to lose a mother. There was no need; she knew. He saw it in her eyes, which were starting to soften.

“Okay, what else? Come on, cough it up.” Her tone was lighter now. Phew. Maybe he was going to get out of this alive after all.

“This next one is more of a guess, putting two and two together.”

“Ha. So we’re back to math again.”

He smiled at that. “Okay, here it is. Pure theory and speculation. You’re a former drinker, possibly a recovering alcoholic.”

Her face went stark white. f**k. He’d stepped in it all over again. “Because you don’t drink,” he added quickly. “Jake says you never come to his bar, and one of the articles said you’d been drinking heavily just before the breakup and Roger Vance was trying to get you into rehab and—”

In a complete shocker of a move, she hauled off and slapped him across the face. Not with full force, just enough so he felt it, and his cheek tingled. His jaw flexed in shock. He stood rock still, frozen. The skis rattled in their racks.

She clapped her hand over her mouth, then pulled it away and looked at it as if she could barely believe it was hers. “Holy crap. I just hit you. I used physical force on you.”

He moved his jaw back and forth. The pain, such as it was, had already faded. “Guess I got that one wrong.”

“You did. Way wrong. But that’s no excuse.” She lifted her stunned gaze to meet his. “I can’t believe I did that.”

The door swung open and Gracie came running in, followed by Max stumping after her with his cane.

“What is going on?” Gracie cried. “What are you two doing?”

“Boy, if you hurt her—” Max growled.

Hurt her? Kai curled his hands into fists. Max’s face was an unhealthy red. So was Nicole’s, come to think of it. His must be too, after that blow. Gracie looked like she was about to cry.

Shit.

“I’m sorry.” He muttered the apology to everyone in general as he turned to go. “Sorry to all of you.” How many freaking apologies did that make in one day?

“Where are you going?” Gracie cried. He heard the fear in her voice. Maybe she was afraid he was about to leave again.

And maybe he should. He’d just brought more stress to the situation—just look at Max’s red face.

“Gotta clear my head.” He pushed open the double doors and burst into the outdoor air. How many times had he done exactly this—stormed out of the lodge, all messed up?

At least he knew exactly where to find an ice-cold creek to dunk his head in.