Forever After (Montana Brides) (7 page)

“Use the air conditioner. It’s the only way we survive when the temperature gets this high. I’m going home in twenty minutes, so let me know if there’s anything else you need.”

“Thanks, Amanda. You’ve been a great help.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Nicky stared at the last of the invoices and regretted agreeing to meet her boss for a foodless dinner.

“You’re cooking?” Nicky stared at the steaming wok sitting in the middle of the stove, with two loaves of garlic bread cooling on the counter.

“Why not?” Sam asked.

“This isn’t supposed to be a food dinner. It’s supposed to be a business meeting.” Her gaze locked on the dinner table. There were flowers and candles. Oh man. The jeans and baggy sweater hanging in her closet would have been a safer bet than the sea blue dress she’d grabbed at the last minute. After thirty minutes of trying on clothes and soundly rejecting all of them, this had been the one dress that didn’t scream ‘I’m on a date’.
 

The crossover bodice wasn’t too revealing, and the full skirt fell halfway to the floor. It had looked just right in her bathroom mirror for a business meeting, but it wasn’t right for dinner in Sam’s apartment. Full body armor with metal studs would have been a safer bet.
 

Except if he was into kinky sex; then she would have been in even bigger trouble. But they weren’t going to have sex. Not even a kiss. Never again. Nicky bit her lip. “We were supposed to be going out, not staying at your place.”

“I don’t recall mentioning where I’d be taking you. Anyway, I’m hungry. There’s no way I’m going to wait another hour for something to eat.” Sam threw snow peas and mushrooms into the wok, keeping his back to her as he flicked the food around. “I’m about two minutes away from being ready. If you want something to eat, help yourself to a plate from the pantry.”

Her nose twitched at the delicious smells wafting through his apartment. “What happened to the kitchen phobic executive?”
 

A grin spread across Sam’s face. “I got sick of eating out. Unless I wanted to live on toast for the rest of my life, I needed to learn how to cook. So I did.”

“Cook?”

“Yep.” He puffed out his chest. “And if I say so myself, I’m pretty darn good.”

Her shocked gaze studied him from head to foot. “Is this the same man who refused to buy anything that didn’t come in a cereal box? I thought you’d be allergic to saucepans for life.”
 

“What can I say? Evolution is a splendid thing.” Sam turned back to the stove. “Last chance. I’m dishing up now.” Tipping the wok on its side, he slid a pile of fresh veggies onto a plate. Two more plates appeared out of the oven. Juicy strips of chicken and fluffy rice joined the vegetables. “I won’t think any less of you if you change your mind,” he smiled.
 

Nicky looked at the food, and then looked at Sam. Any woman with half a brain would run a mile from the warm brown eyes laughing at her. Candles, flowers, and a man holding a wok full of delicious food did not constitute a business meeting.

She sniffed the air again. “I may live to regret this, but go ahead. Food it is.”

He didn’t say a word, but the smile hovering on his lips set her nerves on edge. Sam Delaney was trouble, and she’d just stepped straight in the path of a level five tornado.
 

Balancing a bowl of hot rice in her hands, Nicky moved across to the dining table. “How was your trip to Wyoming?”

“Hot but useful. We start construction on a large retirement village in a couple of months and there were a few issues I had to sort out.” He followed with the rest of their meal, returning to the kitchen for a bottle of wine.
 

Nicky’s head shot up when most of the lights in the apartment flicked off, leaving the soft glow of candles and two table lamps to light the room.
 

“You’re glaring at me.” Sam grinned.

“No kidding.” He stood beside her chair, filling her glass with cold white wine and her body with warm tingly thoughts that had no place cavorting inside her head.
 

Even if his manners were impeccable, his romance radar needed a major overhaul. A romantic dinner for two this wasn’t. The sooner he remembered that the better off both of them would be. “Don’t think I can’t see past your ulterior motives, Samuel Delaney. I’ll eat your food and talk business, but I’m not taking anything else you might be offering.”
 

Nicky hoped he didn’t pay too much attention to the throbbing pulse bouncing around like a gymnast in her throat. Looking like a mature woman of the world rather than a hormonal hussy fighting to be set free took a great deal of effort.
 

More effort than giving in to the not so innocent thoughts jamming her brain.
 

The amused gleam in his eye told her Sam wasn’t fooled. Not for one minute.
 

With more speed than grace she leapt out of her chair, heading toward a panel of switches on the kitchen wall. With a flick of her wrist she turned on every light in the room until the ceiling glowed like an airport runway. Sam hadn’t moved from beside her chair.
 

Nicky walked back toward him, concentrating on the food sitting on the table instead of the smile plastered across his face.
 

“I’m not offering anything else.” Sam’s finger lightly tapped the end of her nose.
 

As if she really believed that. She knew exactly what he was offering, and the not so professional brush of his hand across her cheek definitely went beyond the realm of a business dinner.
 

Giving him another glare she side-stepped around all six-foot-three of him, sinking down into her chair. She scooped rice onto her plate, trying to keep her hands from shaking. As long as she ignored the curious stare aimed at her, she could handle dinner and Sam Delaney.
 

“Chicken?”

“Pardon?”
 

“Chicken,” Sam asked. “Do you want some?”

Heat flushed Nicky’s face. She saw the grin on his face, and her temperature soared. The vegetable bowl she’d picked up clattered to the table. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the vegetables closer. “Just a few pieces, please.”

“Has Maureen managed to find you yet?” Sam’s hands were steady. Not one piece of chicken landed on the tablecloth.

Maureen was the least of Nicky’s worries. In one short week most of her family had tracked her down and tried to reorganize her life. Emily had been determined to hook her up with one of her fashion designer buddies, and her dad wanted her to think about staying in Montana after her contract finished.
 

Even her grandfather had joined in, constantly ringing to see what was happening with the investigation. Cody had been the only person that had left her to herself. And that was only because he had his hands full with a new lady love.
 

“Maureen booked a spa treatment for us next week,” she groaned. “Legs, hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. And she’s been hinting at taking me to the Country Club.”

The bark of laughter from across the table calmed her nerves. Sam knew how much she hated going there. Figuring out what to wear anywhere had never been one of her strong points. Socializing with a roomful of women who prided themselves on wearing the latest fashion statements made Nicky’s skin itch. She’d always been a jeans and t-shirt girl, not a Chanel and Gucci convert.
 

“One of these days you’re going to shock Maureen by taking her to a ladies luncheon.”

“Not in this lifetime,” she sighed. Nicky bit into a piece of chicken. It melted in her mouth. She tried some of the vegetables.
 

“How’s your meal?”

“Delicious. It almost makes up for all your other faults.”

Sam cleared his throat. “What faults might they be?”

A hesitant grin slid over Nicky’s face. The gleam in his eye made the mischievous hussy lurking inside her wiggle in anticipation. “Well, first of all, you’re bossy. Then there’s the incredible flirt waiting in the background, and last but not least, you’ve developed the art of making women swoon to Casanova status. Is that enough?”

He burst out laughing. “Swoon? I don’t think anyone’s ever told me I make them swoon. What would that involve?”

Nicky concentrated on the food in front of her. Maybe if she stuffed a sock in her mouth she’d get through the rest of the night without making even more trouble for herself. “Forget I mentioned it. I’ll strike it off the list.”

Holding his wineglass in his hand, Sam grinned over the rim. “I quite like the sound of someone swooning. Let me know if you ever feel that way inclined, and I’ll do my best to remedy the situation.”

Choking on a mouthful of wine, Nicky grabbed her napkin to save herself from turning into a total idiot.
 

“Are you okay?”

She nodded, using the side of the napkin to dab tears from her eyes.
 

“What do you like to cook?” Sam asked.

The question surprised her, until she saw the look on his face. There was nothing innocent in the heat warming his brown eyes to gooey chocolate fudge. “Anything on a barbecue and canned soup.”
 

“You’re welcome over here anytime for a meal. It’s more fun cooking for two people.”

Nicky picked up a piece of bread and a warm trickle of butter ran down fingers. She raised her hand to her lips. “Or you could leave a bag of leftovers on my doorstep?” Her gaze collided with Sam’s.
 

His eyes locked on her mouth.
 

Nicky’s hand froze. She grabbed a napkin off the table and wiped her fingers clean.

He cleared his throat. “Nope. No leftovers.”

“It was worth a try,” she whispered. Sam had never been a leftovers kind of guy. It would always be all or nothing with him, and she doubted he was fully prepared for either option.

An hour later Nicky rinsed the last of the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. She sighed as her foot collided with her shoes, tucked up against the edge of the breakfast bar. Dinner had been…nice. Probably too nice.
 

“Dishes are done, what’s next?” she asked.

Sam turned to face her. Neither the smile on his face or the twinkle in his eye boded well for the rest of the night. Glancing at her shoes, then at the front door, she thought about how fast she could get out of his apartment without looking like she was sprinting away from trouble.

“Oh no, you don’t. You’re not allowed to run away just yet. We still have business to discuss.”

Nicky leaned against the counter. The gleam in Sam’s eyes turned her legs to jelly and sent her pulse skittering all over the place. Business or not, trouble wasn’t far away. “I gave up running away a long time ago,” she said bravely, tilting her chin a smidgen for extra impact.
 

“Glad to hear it,” he said. “Coffee’s ready.” Lifting a tray off the counter, he headed toward the balcony.
 

Coffee she could do. Coffee was probably the most sensible thing she’d done all night.
 

Following behind him, Nicky’s gaze slid along Sam’s shoulders and down his back, appreciating the outline of rippling muscles against a black cotton t-shirt. The heat that met her on the balcony couldn’t compete with the fire building inside her body. She took a deep, calming breath, listening to the low murmur of other voices enjoying the sunset.
 

Much better. This was safe. Nothing would happen. Nicky sat down in a chair. A gentle breeze ruffled the hem of her skirt, cooling her skin and unclogging her brain.
 

Sam put the coffee on the table. “Have you made much progress on the missing money?”

Leaning her head against the back of her chair, Nicky watched the stars twinkling overhead, focusing her brain on his question instead of her pounding heart. “My meetings with the finance team have gone well. All of the systems and processes you have in place are still being followed.” The company had been lucky. If it hadn’t been for one of the project managers asking about a product recall, they might never have realized any money was missing until it was too late. Her gaze slipped to their coffee cups.

“And?”

“Hmm?” Sitting forward, she pulled her cup closer. A grin slipped across her face at the star he’d created in the froth.
 

“Missing money?”

“Oh…Oh!” Giving herself a mental shake, she squinted at her coffee. “Giles had already worked out a timeframe of when the money started to disappear, although smaller amounts could have been stolen before the first big hit.” Picking up a spoon, she scooped creamy cinnamon froth off the top of her coffee, popping it into her mouth. Glancing at Sam, she froze.

Her eyes widened as his gaze followed the spoon sitting in her mouth. She pulled it out, watching a dull blush spread across his cheeks.
 

Her spoon clattered on the wooden table. “I’ve reviewed the spreadsheets for your major contracts and they’ve all come in on budget. Nothing looks wrong, but I’m still not convinced I’m seeing the true costs.”

Taking a gulp of hot coffee, Nicky tried to concentrate on what she had to tell him. “Patrick’s taking me to The Oasis development next week to show me how he manages the site.”

Sam frowned. “Patrick’s a good man. Just be careful when you’re there. They’ve fitted out most of the apartments, but we’ve still got a lot of subcontractors working to get the building finished in the next few weeks.”

 
“Yes, sir.” Raising her hand in a half salute, Nicky bit back a smile.

“That’s what I like to see,” Sam grinned.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Nicky sat back in her chair. The prickling heat building inside her body slipped to a slow burn. They were professional friends. Friendship she could handle. Their relationship would be just as uncomplicated as the coffee they were sharing. Except for the frothy star. “What do you like to see?”

A smile crept across his face. “A woman who knows how to take orders.”

Nicky groaned. “You’re talking to the wrong person. I’ll let you in on a little secret.” Dropping her voice to a low whisper, she said, “That’s why I’m the boss of my own company. I’m only good at taking orders when it’s in my best interest.”