Bid Me Now (14 page)

 
“Oh, God, I’m going to come.” Why she needed to announce the obvious, she didn’t know. She felt him lift his head from her hair to watch her.
 

“Come for me
now
.”
 

Nick’s soft, sexy command in her ear sent Miri over the edge in her next breath, her body riding every throbbing wave of ecstasy, which left her shuddering hard against him.
 

Nick nuzzled her ear. “You’re so beautiful to watch, you know that? Let’s go for another.”
 

Coming for Nick was no problem. She couldn’t get enough of him.
 

Wriggling her hips back in invitation, she heard the rustle of a condom wrapper, then felt his cock slip between her legs, the broad head nudging against her sex.
 

Miri braced herself for him. Her orgasm had her tight, and his length would be a lot to cope with after a night of constant sex. Nick must have felt her tense as he kissed her ear and gently eased an inch into her, then stopped to kiss her cheek. “Okay?”
 

It was more than okay. It was wonderful and tender and unbelievably erotic. She nodded and moved on his cock, hearing him groan and sink into her a little further, until finally he was completely inside her. For a long moment he didn’t move, and Miri was grateful for the time to adjust to him. Then slowly he eased out of her before sliding in again, leisurely building his strokes, his hand caressing her breasts and stomach, his mouth warm against her cheek. She lay quite still, caught in the sweet pressure as he stretched her a little more with each lazy thrust.
 

“You feel incredible, sweetheart.”
 

Miri desperately wanted to move as he worked her, but she was so completely lost in Nick’s gentleness and his little sexy grunts of pleasure that she could do nothing but lie still.
 

He didn’t always need it fast to come — she’d found that out last night. When his grunts turned to rasps and she knew he was close, she pushed her hips back to meet his deep thrusts, loving the strength of his powerful body when he spasmed against her.
 

He’d barely relaxed before his fingers were on her clit again. “Get ready,” he ordered softly into her ear, and Miri didn’t need telling twice. With Nick still hard inside her and his fingers working their magic, Miri squeezed her eyes shut as she climaxed, this time the searing waves of pleasure even more powerful than minutes ago.

They lay there joined, not moving, just enjoying the intimacy of being together.
 

Finally Nick stirred and kissed her shoulder. “Time for a shower. Ready to be washed all over?”

“Mm-hmm. I’ll be there in a minute.”
 

While Nick went off to the bathroom, Miri slipped into his shirt and walked out to the balcony to enjoy the sunshine. What a perfect day to follow a perfect night. Turning on her cell phone, she texted Bree to say she would be home sometime, although with the way she was feeling, it could be weeks before she and Nick wore each other out. She sighed at the thought of Nick wearing her out. Oh, the joy.

Lifting her face to the sun’s warmth and stretching her arms wide, Miri felt every bit a contented cat that had just lapped up a large and very satisfying saucer of cream. She snuggled her face into the collar of the shirt, inhaling Nick’s spicy aftershave and the smell of sex that seemed to have worked into every pore of her skin.

Shower time
, Miri thought as a small prick of desire tugged deep in her belly. No, she couldn’t possibly do it again. But all the same, Miri practically skipped back inside, cursing that she’d buttoned up his shirt. She had it half pulled over her head when her phone started playing its Adele tune.
 

“Miri, it’s Alex.”

Miri’s mind hit reality with a thump. Oh, hell, she had meant to call Alex this morning. “Hi, Alex. What happened to you last night at the unveiling? You disappeared.”

“Yes, something came up. I’ve been trying to call you, but your cell phone’s been off. I need to talk to you.”

“Sounds important. What is it?” Miri started on the buttons with her free hand.

“It’s the mill. As you know, George went ahead and did more checking. He spoke to a friend of his at Wilkins and Davies. Just to get some background on the whole sealed bid process.”

Miri yawned. “That’s seems a lot of work, and honestly, Alex, I’ve given up on the idea of owning the mill. Nick won the sealed bid fair and square.”

“But, that’s just it. It
wasn’t
fair and square. George called me last night with the news. Apparently Wilkins and Davies know the bids were leaked before the deadline, and because Brannagh Enterprises put in the highest offer, the leak had to be to them.”
 

Miri sank down on the bed as her legs started to give way. “What do you mean? How could they have done that?”

“We’re not exactly sure, but apparently, the other bids were emailed to an anonymous source before the deadline. Of course, now we know why Nick’s offer was only just above yours. He knew your offer, and all he had to do was top it by a couple of thousand and the mill was his.”
 

Miri froze, her finger poised over the last stubborn button of Nick’s shirt. “Oh, no. Surely that can’t be true. Why would he even bother to cheat on a small job?”

“A small but lucrative job. Of course, it means their offer is invalid, maybe even illegal. And of course Wilkins and Davies won’t want to admit anything publicly until they’ve investigated. By the way, where are you?”

“Nowhere important. I have to go.”

“Marisa, are you with Nick?”
 

“I can’t talk now. Can I call you later?”

“Oh, my darling, you
are
with him. I’ll come and get you. Are you at the Endeavour?”
 

“Yes…no. I’m fine, Alex. I’ll call you later, I promise.” Miri ended the call, terrified she was going to faint.
 

She sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers clutching Nick’s shirt, her mind sick with horror at Alex’s words.
 

Ten minutes ago they had made love. Three minutes ago Nick’s suite had been her paradise. Now it looked sordid. Ugly. A place of cynical manipulation. Nick had acted as if he cared for her. And she had let herself care for him. More than she could ever have imagined. Stupidly, she’d made it so easy for him by inviting herself to his suite. He had the mill, and now he’d had her for a night. A double victory for him.

The full realization of the situation hit her like a cruel slap.
 

Without warning, nausea rose in her throat.
 

Seized by a frantic need to get out of the suite before she threw up, or worse, before Nick came out of the bathroom looking for her, she began a frenzied search for her clothes. Retrieving her panties from under the bed, she dragged them on, then pulled his shirt off and struggled into her dress, which Nick had carefully placed across a chair. Swallowing a sob at the irony of his apparent thoughtfulness, Miri fought back her tears and rising nausea.
 

Her escape from the suite might have been successful if she hadn’t left her cell phone on the bed. Just as she grabbed it, Nick emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. His super-muscular body gleamed with moisture where he hadn’t toweled himself off, and the mouth that had kissed hers a thousand times wore a broad grin.

“I thought you were joining me, but you’re dressed,” he said, his grin fading to a puzzled frown. He started walking toward her, and Miri took a step back.
 

“I…I have to go. Something has come up.” Miri shoved her phone in her bag and turned to the door. She couldn’t bear to look at him.
 

“Don’t you want to stay to eat?”
 

“No…no, I can’t.”
 

“Let me get dressed, and I’ll drive you. Whatever it is, maybe I can help.”

She could barely stand now as her dizziness threatened to buckle her legs. “No.”

Nick took three long strides to reach her, his arm slipping around her waist. “Miri, what is it?”

 
As she looked up at his face, his brow was so furrowed with worry that Miri could almost believe his act. He must have done this before to be so good at it.
 

“Did you get a call with bad news?”

She jerked away, almost falling as her ankle gave way. “Don’t. I just need to get home.” He hadn’t realized that she knew, and no way was she going to tell him. The final humiliation.
 

He stepped back, bewildered. “Sweetheart, let me help you. Just tell me what it is.”
 

His endearment brought a rush of blinding fury that had Miri shaking. “I don’t want your help, and I’m not your
sweetheart
,” she whispered savagely past clenched teeth.
 

He flinched but didn’t move. “What the hell is going on?” Nick’s voice had gone very low.
 

“You tell me.” She felt a sudden swell of tears. No, she wouldn’t cry. That would mean he’d won.

“What does that mean?”

She swallowed back a sob. “What do you think it means?”
 

“Why won’t you tell me what’s happened?” He put a hand to his head, then lowered it again, staring at her as if he’d just figured out something. “Do you think last night was a one-night stand or something? Because that’s not…”

“Was it?”

“Jesus.”

He couldn’t even deny it. Sickness heaved in her stomach. “I need to use….” She turned and fled to the bathroom, slamming the door shut so he couldn’t follow.

Miri threw up, but it made no difference to the pitching nausea and the headache climbing up the back of her neck. Rinsing her mouth with water, she stared at herself in the mirror, barely recognizing the frightened, ghost-white reflection. The words “if something seems too good to be true, it usually is” fell into her head. Nick had been too good to be true. Even Bree had seen it.

A surge of self-loathing and nausea swept her so hard, Miri braced her hands on the basin to hold herself upright. How could she have been so stupid? Allowing herself to be carried away by someone who was little more than a stranger. She’d made love with him over and over, and all the time he’d hidden his smug lie. What did that make him? It didn’t matter. What mattered was that she needed to get out of his suite.

Miri drew a deep breath for steadiness and walked out of the bathroom to face him. He was sitting on the end of the bed, holding the hair comb she’d left it in his car after their dinner at Jean-Paul’s.
 

For a moment, she looked at his handsome face, the grief of what might have been threatening to overwhelm her again. She watched him rise and start toward her, the comb in his hand, his expression a mixture of confusion and anger.
 

“Talk to me, Miri. I deserve at least that much.”
 

Miri caught the steel in his voice that she imagined served him well in managing his company. She wasn’t surprised. From the first, it had been that hard edge that had attracted her. In reality, she had only herself to blame.

Swiping a hand across her tear-filled eyes, Miri found her own steel. “You deserve
nothing
!”
 

Her words stopped him in his tracks as if she had physically struck him.
 

Miri picked up her shoes and opened the door, knowing he was watching her and hating herself for still wanting him.

“Good morning, madam.” The room service waiter smiled brightly from behind his trolley, but Miri put her head down and pushed her way past to the elevator opposite.
 

Her one-night stand would end with a cab ride home.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Abe was right. For the so-called society wedding of the year, the Maddison-Baxter nuptials were an unruly affair. Definitely one of Bree’s horror weddings.
 

Miri stood on the outskirts of the fray, watching Bree corral the wedding party into a group pose while the guests looked on at the sideshow with a mixture of delight and sympathy. Still, Bree seemed to have it in hand, circling around the wedding party like an enthusiastic sheepdog, barking orders that had them all jumping to attention.

Miri couldn’t say that she was enjoying herself, but at least it was a distraction. It had been two days since she’d left Nick’s hotel suite, and she still needed all the comfort she could get, even if it did mean toting Bree’s heavy photographic equipment bag around when she should be home working.
 

Bree slid to a stop beside Miri. “Thank God, nearly done. Some in-laws have no gratitude. Anyway, all good shots. Thankfully, I’m only doing the stills. That guy with the video camera looks all in.”

Miri mustered a small smile, more for Bree’s benefit than her own. She hadn’t managed anything close to the real thing for days. “Looks like you’ve both got it all under control. Thank you for insisting I come as your packhorse.”

Bree squeezed her arm. “Good to see you smile. For a while I thought I’d have to get Alex’s pool guy to lift your spirits.”

“Oh, God, when Alex offered to introduce me to him as her so-called remedy for a broken heart, I couldn’t believe it. He looks about seventeen. I’m sure she was joking, but you never know with her.”
 

Bree laughed. “Those abs of his sure are something.”

“You don’t think that Alex and he…?”

Bree shook her head. “Nah. Way too young, even for the Widow Olivet. Alex has two requirements when it comes to her lovers. Must be legal and have a six-pack. Oh, and a pulse helps.”
 

“Lord, that’s awful, Bree. We shouldn’t laugh — she’s been so kind.”
 

Within minutes of Miri arriving home from the Endeavour, Alex had turned up to take her home like she was a sick kitten that needed round-the-clock care. Bree, being too lazy to cook, had gone to Abe’s place for two days, leaving the house empty.