Love Script (14 page)

That’s when the arguing started. The women laughed as they watched the men bicker among themselves over the cal . Eventual y losing interest, the women stretched out and let the hands of the masseurs soothe them.

“Heidi, how did you and Cooper meet?” Heidi was caught off-guard by Vivian’s question. “Uh … a party.”

“Oh real y. Who hosted it? I might know the couple.”

Heidi

paused.

“Actual y…I

can’t

real y

remember. It was such a long time ago.” Unfazed by Heidi’s vagueness, Vivian pressed for details. “How many years have you and Cooper known each other?”

Heidi gave Laney a pleading look. Laney took mercy on her and turned to Vivian. “Vi, how long have you and Wil been married? I don’t think you ever told me.”

“Thirteen short years.” She looked out over the turf and smiled at Wil iam, face beet- red, arguing with a teenager from the opposite team. “He is very entertaining. I fel in love with him on our second date. He was too cute to not love.” She smiled at Laney. “Your husband is very handsome as wel .” Laney looked out over the turf area where Nick stood, giving her a profile view of him. Actual y, he was currently arguing with Cooper, which didn’t make sense, given they were on the same team.

With his hair tousled and his bare chest glistening with sweat, Laney had to admit he was quite an impressive specimen. It made her almost giddy knowing this was the very man she’d slept in the same room with last night. Not that anything had happened. But proximity to beauty was always enjoyable. “Yes,” she replied breathlessly. “He is quite handsome.”

“I’l have to make sure I deliver you back to his side,” Vivian rambled. “He was very concerned about your leaving him.”

Laney shrugged her shoulders. “He’s a charming one.”

In the far-off distance she heard someone repeatedly say, “Mrs. Sinclair?”

“I haven’t been to a spa in months,” Laney continued. “I don’t understand why. I always enjoy myself—”

“Mrs. Sinclair?”

“Where do you go in San Francisco, Vi?”

“Laney, dear,” Vivian said.

Laney final y paid attention to the strange look on Vivian’s face.

“Your masseur is talking to you,” Vivian informed with a tilt of her head.

“What?” Laney turned to see the beefy man standing next to her, waiting expectantly. “Mrs.

Sinclair, I need you to turn over.”

She nodded and quickly rol ed onto her back.

How could she not have heard him? He had a deep timbre in his voice and a sizable presence. She was too embarrassed to even look at Vivian. How could she have forgotten her “married” name
again
? One more mistake like that and Vivian would begin to wonder about her.

Vivian must not have thought her reaction too odd, because she was now listing the many spas she had visited. Laney and Heidi nodded whenever necessary, but for the most part, they let Vivian talk freely. It was a welcome to see Vivian ushered off for her mud wrap while Laney and Heidi were led to the pedicure chairs.

As soon as Vivian was completely out of sight, Heidi became vocal. “She is something else, huh?” Laney smiled. “She means wel , I guess.”

“I guess.” Heidi sighed. “Hey, thanks for bailing me out back there. I tried to get your attention when that guy was cal ing your name, but you weren’t facing me.”

Laney shrugged. “I’l have to be a little more attentive.”

Heidi smiled brightly. “Overal , you’re doing a great job.”

“Thanks. You, too.” Laney was unsure exactly how much she could say to Heidi. She was, after al , sleeping with the enemy.

“Nick is quite a catch.” Heidi winked at her playful y.

Laney only smiled. What was she supposed to say to that? They both knew she wasn’t real y married to Nick.

“You know, Laney, I know a few women who would kil to be in your shoes right now.”

“What do you mean?”

Heidi smiled. “You know…Nick has a reputation.”

“You mean his women?”

Heidi waved her hand. “Who cares how many women he’s screwing? That’s old news. I mean, he has a reputation for knowing exactly how to get a woman off.”

Laney’s blank face spoke volumes.

Heidi leaned forward confidential y. “Please tel me you’ve fucked him already.”

Laney looked away. “We don’t have that kind of…arrangement.”

Heidi laughed in disbelief. “I can’t believe it. Do you have any idea what you’ve got? The man’s name is synonymous with orgasm. Fuck him, Laney. Let him screw your brains out as soon as possible.”

“Heidi, I don’t feel comfortable talking about this with you.”

She waved her hand in the air, ignoring her argument. “Tel me you’re at least letting him go down on you.”

“Heidi—”

“Are you at least going to try?”

“
No
.”

“Why the hel not?”

“Look, Heidi—”

“Fine,” she huffed. “Do you care if I do?”

“What?”

“I’l fuck him,” she said matter-of-factly. “In truth, I’ve been wanting to for a long time, but I’ve never been able to get close enough to him. So coming on this cruise is kinda a stroke of luck. Cooper didn’t mention Nick was here until we were already on the boat. Figures. Men never tel you al the details. So is it cool with you?” She giggled. “Wel , of course it is.

You two aren’t dating. Kim and Vanessa keep him too busy. But I like you, so I want to make sure you aren’t mad if I screw him.”

Heidi looked at her expectantly. Laney was at a loss for words. There wasn’t anything going on between her and Nick. He was free to do whatever he wanted. She definitely had no right to be territorial over him. So why did it anger her to know Heidi wanted to sleep with him? Would he real y sleep with her?
Why not?
Heidi was so beautiful, Nick wouldn’t turn her down. Just thinking the words in her head pissed her off. Not at Heidi, but at Nick. Nick would be the lowest of the low if he slept with Heidi. She didn’t understand it, but she was instantly annoyed with Nick and wanted to tel him so.

Heidi pul ed her back to the present. “So are you okay with me hooking up with Nick?”

Laney forced a smile on her face. “Help yourself.” Heidi’s grin broadened. She leaned back into her seat. “Fabulous! Oh…for your information, you can screw Coop if you want. I don’t mind. He’s a lot of fun. Plus, I know he has eyes for you.”

“Real y?” Her voice sounded foreign, even to her own ears. She didn’t care how Cooper felt about her.

Right now, she was consumed with thoughts of Nick and Heidi spiraled across a bed together, naked and deeply engrossed in the throes of passion. She was beginning to feel nauseous.

Heidi tossed a silky lock over her shoulder. “You know, Laney, this is real y a perfect arrangement.

We can both get off with great-looking guys. If things go wel between you and Coop, maybe we can al join each other sometime. I haven’t swung in months.” She placed her hand on Laney’s. “I think you and I could have a lot of fun together.” Laney stil ed. The conversation was suddenly too much for her. “I forgot my camera in the room,” she blurted. She slid her hand out of Heidi’s reach. “I’l see you later,” she said hurriedly over her shoulder as she left the room.

She went to the dressing room, quickly changed into her clothes and literal y jogged back to the room.

With the door closed firmly behind her, she leaned against it for support. Taking several breaths, she tried to calm herself. Not only was she angry with Nick, she was outright humiliated by Heidi’s words.

What on earth gave her the idea that she would take part in a foursome? Was Nick into that sort of thing?

Is that why she had assumed Laney would be? Had Heidi heard rumors that Nick was that daring with sex? Was he? It became very clear she didn’t know very much about him. In fact, she knew next to nothing.

It unnerved her to consider Nick might actual y enjoy such diversions. What would she do if Nick propositioned her?

She could feel herself turning red. She pressed her hand against her cheeks. They felt like they were burning. She would kil him first, then curse him out.

No, she would curse him,
then
kil him. She groaned.

What was the difference? If Nick was into swinging, she had no control over that. If she were asked again, she would have to assert herself. Not even those pretty baby blues Nick possessed could convince her otherwise…at least she hoped so.

She needed a nap. She desperately needed to calm her jittery nerves, erase the image of Heidi and Nick sleeping together and be an adult about the situation. Yes, she would take a nap. It was the only thing that would keep her emotions at bay.

After a quick stop at the jewelry shop, Nick was final y able to make his way back to their stateroom.

The last few hours with Zelman and Cooper hadn’t gone very wel . In fact, they had been miserable. He and Cooper had argued throughout the entire game about which play their team should execute. Both of them were natural leaders; therefore, each refused to take orders from the other. So they argued nonstop while Zelman cheated shamelessly in their favor.

After the footbal debacle, Nick was ready to retreat to his room to cool off, but Zelman got the bright idea to go to the batting cages. Although Cooper had been there earlier with Nick, he eagerly agreed to join Zelman, so Nick had no choice but to fol ow the group if only to make sure Cooper didn’t gain an edge over him. Their time at the cages was no less competitive. Cooper and Nick went overboard trying to impress Zelman with their batting scores. Like courting a girl, the harder they tried to pique Zelman’s attention, the more aloof he became.

Absorbed with the task of outdoing each other, Cooper and Nick barely spoke, which left Zelman free to ramble on about various topics. That was the more informative part of his evening. It gave Nick a more personal look into Zelman’s life, something he had not been privy to before. When they final y separated, Nick was thril ed by the insight he had gained on Zelman. Now, he had to figure out a way to use that information to get Sinclair Corp in Zelman’s favor.

Walking down the long corridor to his room, Nick wondered how he would handle his anniversary dinner tonight. Hiding out in their room until dinner wasn’t his first choice; he needed to be around Zelman every chance he got. However, he was supposed to be on a romantic vacation with his wife.

Sooner or later, he would have to make “quality time” with Laney. He would have to consider the matter at length. He couldn’t let Cooper seize the window of opportunity from him.

The only thing that seemed to give him satisfaction was the fact that the Zelmans loved Laney. He had done wel to employ her to play his wife; she had turned out to be much more than he could ever have hoped for. Even with Cooper trailing the Zelmans at every step, he couldn’t dismiss the fact that Laney outshined Heidi tenfold. There were times when Vivian outright excluded Heidi from their discussions, visibly bothered by her silent presence.

Right now, that was the only advantage Nick had.

As he entered the room, he saw Laney lying on the bed, turned on her side, sound asleep. He was elated to see she had covered herself with the sarong again. At least he wouldn’t have to make a complete fool of himself by gawking at her. Her back was to him, giving him a nice view of her round bottom. He yearned to rub his hands along her curves, but they were not at that point yet. If she woke up to find him touching her, she would probably scream bloody murder. He would have to fix that.

She came off believable in the presence of the Zelmans, but when they were alone she drew a fine line. There was no doubt his body liked what he saw and desired to have her, but she was resolute in keeping things between them as professional as possible. He would definitely have to do something about that.

As if reading his mind, Laney rol ed onto her back, stretching her limbs with feline grace. Her sarong fel aside, exposing her thighs. She didn’t notice him until she brushed her hair out of her face.

“How long have I been sleep?” she asked sleepily.

“I don’t know.” He came to her bedside and sat down on the edge. “I just got here. How did your spa treatment go?”

“Fine.”

He saw an annoyed look flicker across her face.

She sat up to pul her covering back over her legs.

Her back went straight, and she moved over to put a little distance between them.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She crossed her arms over her chest protectively and looked at him. “Did you just get back from playing with Wil and Cooper?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have a good time?”

He shrugged. “It was…informative at times.” He looked at her standoffish posture. “And you?”

“The same.” She gave him a strained smile. “I guess I should get things in order for dinner. I’m exhausted, and I could use a few more minutes of sleep. I’l shower now, so I can get ready at the last minute.”

He placed his hand on the other side of her legs, preventing her from moving away. His eyes scanned her face. “I get the feeling you have something you want to tel me.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

He stared at her hard. “I don’t believe you.” She nibbled on her lower lip, avoiding eye contact.