Love is Only a Whisper (Whisper Series) (7 page)

Nicole looked in the mirror and cringed. The shower had helped but she still looked like a woman who had crawled out the bed of a lover. Fire scorched her insides as thoughts of Ashton and all that he did to her. She squinted in the mirror, noticing a hickey on the side of her neck and hope Sally hadn’t seen it. Snapping the suitcases shut, she glanced around the room to make sure she had everything.

“Well, I guess that’s it,” she said. “I believe I have everything.”

Frowning, Sally threw a disgruntled look. “Are you going to pretend nothing happened between you and Ashton Sinclair?”

Nicole rolled her eyes and looked at the watch on her wrist.
“I wondered how long it would take you to bring it up.”

“It’s not every day that my best friend gives up her guarded
precious jewel to one of the most handsome and eligible bachelors in Texas.” Sally pointed a finger at her neck. “And get a hickey in the process.”

“What are you talking about?” Damn.

“Sleeping with Ashton.”

Heat scrolled down her face and neck. “Don’t be silly.”

Sally snorted. “Remember, I’m the one who picked you up… your
hair was a mess; your lips were swollen, looking as if you were in a kissing
contest all night and your dress wasn’t zipped all the way, which I might say was
a nice color on you, besides all of that, you reeked of sex.”

Nicole averted her eyes. “I’d learned that Brent—”

“Whoa. Brent?” Sally eyes widened. “Did you sleep with
Brent in hunky Ashton’s house? For goodness sake, please tell me it’s not so.”

“Sally Beaumont! You were at Brent’s parents’ anniversary
party. You know it was announced that Brent and Melissa got married. Besides I
would never sleep with a married man. You know me better than that.” Shaking
her head, she added, “Sometimes, the things that come out of your mouth are
unbelievable. Brent and I never had sex. Our relationship was made up of
something deeper.”

“Whew!” She swiped a hand across her forehead in a dramatic
move. “Thank the Lord for big favors.”

Nicole frowned. “I thought you liked Brent.”

“I do. I just don’t like him for you.”

“You never told me that.”

“Would it have made any difference?” Sally shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong. He’s a great guy. You’re so enthralled with Brent you couldn’t see straight. He’s no Ashton.” Sally stood up. “There’s no doubt in my mind you would’ve eventually tired of Brent. There’s no passion between the two of you.”

“I’m not a shallow person. There’s more to a relationship than
passion.”

“Really? Then what was last night with Ashton?”

“Sally…”

“You need a man who can keep you tittering on the edge of a cliff and Brent just
ain’t
it. Now Ashton Sinclair” Sally fanned herself. “Now there’s a man worth giving up your virginity and anything else he wanted.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Yeah, but truthful.”

“People make mistakes. Last night was mine. Things got out
of hand. I’m so damn mad at myself. I don’t know what came over me. Hell, I
don’t even like the man.”

“Don’t fool yourself. You like him. Your feelings for Brent
were nothing but hero worship.”

“I have loved him for a long time,” she said stubbornly. “Ashton was just curiosity, nothing more.”

“Now that’s the type of curiosity I would indulge any day.”

“I can’t believe you said that, Sally.”

“Well, it’s the truth. Did you know that when you were around Ashton you would never look directly at him unless the two of you were battling or having one of your debates? You were attracted to him and didn’t know it. Danielle and I saw it.”

“What?”

“Oh, don’t get huffy. You’ve always treated Brent like he’s
your knight in shining armor, and he’s not. He’s a man with flaws like the rest
of his species. Ashton made you feel something you never felt. It scared the
hell out of you. So what do you do? Run. Ashton is intense, handsome, masculine,
and
all man
. He’s so much like my brother—”

Nicole held up a hand to stop her. “Your brother and Ashton
are best friends. But there are differences between the two of them. Ashton is
rough and always glaring. Your brother is quiet and hardly smiles, but he’s
sort of friendly in a brooding standoffish way.”

“Standoffish? That’s putting it mildly. Neither of them knows
how to have fun. They are too serious.”

For a moment, Nicole relived Ashton laughing and teasing her last night. She shook her head to clear the memory. Last night wasn’t the real Ashton. It was a strange night for both of them.

“Your brother has a sense of humor.”

Sally chuckled.

Nicole persisted. “He’s somewhat likeable. There’s nothing to
like when it comes to Ashton.”

Sally snickered.

Nicole retorted, “He’s arrogant, bossy, condescending and pig-headed. Need I continue?” She didn’t stop to wait for an answer. “And he’s too stiff and conservative for my liking.”

“Wow. He really made an impression on you. He must’ve had
some likeable attributes to get you in his bed.”

“Sally, you’re missing the point—”

Her friend clapped. “I knew it! I knew it! You slept with
Ashton,” she screamed.

“Sally—”

“Wow.” “My best friend is sleeping with the sexiest man alive.”

“That’s enough. “Nicole frowned. “There will be no repeat.”

“You
really
like him.”

“I don’t like him!”

“Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?”

“I’m not listening to this.”

“Don’t fool yourself, Nicole. You want Ashton but you don’t
want to admit it. Besides, if you loved Brent so much, nothing would’ve made
you fall into bed with another man. I would bet that you’re already in love
Ashton.”

Nicole opened her mouth and then clamped it shut. Sally was a true romantic and believed in fairytales, which could be infuriating.

“Now I know that you have certifiably lost your mind. Love
is not a word to be associated Ashton. He’s too—”

“Gorgeous, hunky, a real man, sexy, brill—”

“He doesn’t need or want love in his life.” Why did saying the words cause her heart to ache? “Look, I need to get going before I miss my plane.”

“Running.”

She gritted her teeth but said nothing.

“Ashton is a man who gets what he goes after. He never
loses.”

“He will this time around.”

“I’m just saying.”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Ashton has a short attention span when it comes to women. He has a habit of dropping them quickly. I just beat him to it.

“You got to dig deep to get to the real man.”

“This make-believe relationship you have created isn’t going
to happen with us.”

Sally grinned. “You remember Natalie Blackstone?”

“Yes. Why?”

“She was at the cancer fundraiser I attended. Remember I
went alone because you had a bad cold?”

Nicole nodded.

“Well, I heard her talking to one of her friends about Ashton.”

“You mean you eavesdropped.”

“Do you want to hear it or not?”

“No.”

“She wants him back into her bed.”

“They were lovers?”

“Yes. I would bet my favorite Christian Louboutin’s and my newest pair of Jimmy Choo’s that he’s a fabulous lover.” Sally watched her closely but Nicole ignored the curious glint. “Of course, the word on the streets is that once Ashton finishes with a woman he doesn’t go back.”

“I’ve never seen them together.” An odd pain tugged at her
heart.

Nicole had never been formally introduced to Natalie
Blackstone, but she’d seen her at events around Dallas through the years. She
was money, beauty, and brains rolled into one perfect package. A lawyer, along
with her brothers, at their father’s prestigious law firm, she was exactly Ashton’s
type, tall, slender, blonde, brains and…oozing sex. How could she compete with
that? Whoa! What in the hell was she thinking? There was no competition.
Anyway, she and Ashton were oil and water. They don’t mix.
You mixed very
well last night
. She squirmed at the thought.

“Everyone knows that Natalie has had her eye on Ashton for
years. She’s never been able to rope him in until a few months ago. According
to what I overheard, they were only an item for a very short period of time. 
The rumor is that he turned to her during a vulnerable moment.”

“Oh, please. Ashton has never been vulnerable a day in his
life.”

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Sally said.

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“I believe he’s been waiting for you to notice him.”

Nicole laughed harshly. “You’re crazy. Besides I don’t want
to date, have a relationship with him or anything else.”

“But—”

“Sally, stop.” She shut the suitcase and set it alongside
the other one. “I’m ready. I don’t want to miss my flight.”

Sally looked around the bedroom. “You sure you have
everything?’

“Yes.” She picked up one of the suitcases and headed to the
door. “Grab the other for me, Sal.”

Sally said, “I don’t care what you say, I know you like
him.”

Nicole didn’t answer because she was afraid Sally might be
right.

###

Ashton waited a couple hours after Nicole snuck out of his house that Sunday morning to contact her. He wanted to give her time to accept what had happened between them. It had been a huge mistake on his part, not one he would make again.

Now three weeks later, he still couldn’t reach her. He’d called
her house, cellphone and it all went to voice mail.

Since Nicole wouldn’t respond to his texts, He’d driven to her small Cape Cod house, unannounced, but she hadn’t been there. And his arrival at her aunt’s house had been met with raised eyebrows.

He was informed by the housekeeper that the mistress of the
house was on a cruise and wouldn’t return for three months. In an agitated
state, he let the woman know he wasn’t looking for the owner of the house but
Nicole.

The housekeeper’s look of surprise at his inquiry hadn’t been lost on him. He waited patiently, or as much as he could muster, before he again inquired as to Nicole whereabouts. Finally, stuttering, the woman had informed him Nicole was out of town taking care of some family business. Before the flustered woman continued he walked away.

She was running and he would be damned if he would let her.

He impatiently rang the doorbell. It was opened immediately. He stepped through the door not waiting for an invitation. “Sarah.”

“The name is Sally, Mr. Sinclair.”

She always called him Mr. Sinclair and he hated it. At least
she did to his face. No telling what she called him behind his back.

Her bright green eyes flashed daggers at him. She looked
like Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, with a sprinkle of freckles
across her face and a riot of red curls on her head. “Sarah, you know my first
name, use it.”

She opened her mouth and then closed it. He almost smiled at
her restraint. Keeping her mouth closed wasn’t one of her best attributes. The
little chit loved to have the last word. As a young kid, Sally followed him and
Brody around practically everywhere they went. Being teenagers, they found it
to be pains in their asses. But, he’d been quietly partial to the little
red-haired hellion.

Sally chuckled. “You’re one of the most arrogant men I
know.”

“No more than your brother,” he said dryly.

“You’re right.” She shut the door and turned toward him. “What did I do to warrant the pleasure of your presence? You haven’t been here since Brody moved to Montana.”

“I don’t need to visit. Besides Brody didn’t move to Montana, he has a ranch there.”

“Which he visits a lot.”

“A vacation spot only. I was there a month ago.”

“Really?” Sally grabbed her chest in mock shock. “Such an
honor. You traveled all that
way
to see my brother.”

“Don’t be a smartass. Brody is my best friend.”

“You mean your
only
friend.”

“Brat.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“Where’s Nicole?” he said abruptly.

A flush attached itself to her pale skin. He watched intently as she regrouped before giving an answer. His appearance at the Beaumont mansion may have been a shock but she covered it quite well. The color continued to rise in her face. He surmised Nicole had discussed him with her little friend. Interesting.

“Sarah, I’ve been trying to reach her but she’s not answering
her phone nor responding to my texts. If anyone knows where she is it would be
you.”

“Really? Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you trying to reach Nicole?”

“It’s none of your business.”

She crossed her arms across her chest and glared. Big mistake. Damn. He’d forgotten that it didn’t take much to ignite her temper. She wasn’t a redhead for nothing. Sally was stubborn as a mule, something she had in common with her brother. Now he would need to tread lightly if he wanted to get any information about Nicole. Even as a little girl she wouldn’t be intimidated.

“Then it’s none of your
business
where she is.”

He spread his legs in a stance and stared hard, trying to
break her. Anyone else would’ve relented by now. A battle of wills was being
tested and he was determined to come out the winner.

“Sarah, this is
important.”

“Really? How so?”

Shit. This was going to harder than he thought.

“Now I wonder why the
great
Ashton Sinclair is at
my
house looking for my best friend.” She tilted her head. “Do tell.”

“Now you’re
overstepping.”

“Hmm…so you do care
about her?”

He didn’t say
anything, his anger rising.

She pointed at him. “I see the tick in your jaw working overtime. The silent treatment edged with intimidation won’t work on me.” She laughed. “Did you forget Brody is my brother? The master of intimidation.”

“Brody and I could
never break you.”

She dipped her head
into a mock bow. “Thank you kindly, sir.”