Love Script (23 page)

“I’m fine,” she muttered.

“I don’t think so.” His smile was so charming, it should be il egal. “You flinched when I touched you.”

“I think that was from embarrassment.”

“Are you embarrassed to have me touching you?”

“No.” She averted her eyes to look at his chest.

“You’ve never touched me so familiarly in public before.”

“Sure I have. Plenty of times.”

“Not without Wil and Vi present,” she corrected.

“The Zelmans weren’t around when I came inside you a few hours ago along the horse trail.

What’s the difference?”

If possible, Laney could feel her cheeks redden.

She pushed his hands away from her, flinching slightly because her ass was indeed aching. Sure, she enjoyed being with him, especial y in bed, but she had to clarify a few things for her own sake. This wasn’t how things would always be between them.

She mustn’t al ow her emotions to get involved. The sooner they got things out in the open the better.

“We need to talk, Nick.”

He shook his head. “Let’s go back to the room.”

“Seriously, Nick, we need to discuss a few things.”

“Let’s talk about it in the morning, Laney.” He pul ed her into his arms. “We have plenty of time.”

She placed her hand over his mouth to prevent him from kissing her. “No, Nick, we don’t. Before this gets any deeper, we need to discuss a few things.” He tensed. There was a sudden distant look in his eyes. “Laney, I’m not sure what you had in mind, but this is as deep as it’s ever going to get.” Hadn’t she expected that? Then why did the coldness of his words crush her? Did he not think she was good enough to consider a relationship beyond sex? She just stared at him. She had been training herself for this reality, but to hear him say the words was a painful blow. Somehow, she had begun to think that deep down he thought more of her. That she wasn’t just a sex toy for his amusement. It hurt to know she had been mistaken. Al of her bold and brazen spirit was gone, leaving her feeling offended and cold.

Nick cursed. “Look, you’re sexy as hel but let’s be realistic. Just because we had great sex doesn’t mean I’m ready to live on an island with you forever.”

“Are you crazy? I wasn’t saying that.”

“That’s what you were building up to.”

“No, I wasn’t, but thank you for putting things in perspective!”

“Okay you win.” He sighed. “I’m done arguing with you, Laney. Let’s cal it a night.”

“No,” she replied sternly. Sleeping beside him was the last thing she wanted to do right now.

This seemed to upset him. His voice was stony when he spoke. “You’ve made your point, Laney.

You’re upset. I get it. Now let’s go to bed.” She settled her fists on her hips. “I said, no.” He scoffed. “I doubt you would have put up this much of a fight with Cooper.”

“What—are you five? Cooper has a piece of candy, so now you’re entitled to the same?”

“Candy? Is that what we’re cal ing it now?”

“You’re an asshole, Nick.”

“I’ve been cal ed worse.”

“I can see why,” she snapped.

His eyes flamed. “Let’s get one thing straight. I didn’t come here for attachments, Laney. Yes, we have fun together. Yes, you’re a great fuck, but this is just business. That was the deal. That’s what we agreed on. Or is this what you’ve been planning al along? Get me worked up and then trap me into a relationship?” His eyes went sharp. “You’re on the pil , right?”

“It’s a little late to be asking that question,” she snapped.

“Are you?” he persisted.

“
Yes!”
she hissed in a loud whisper. “Getting pregnant is the last thing I need right now.”

“Is it?” He shot back sarcastical y.

She was seeing red. “You arrogant sonofabitch!

You know exactly why I agreed to do this.”

“And if I sweeten the pot, say an additional grand, would you stop this nonsense and come back to the room? We’l fuck and then this whole conversation wil be forgotten.”

“That doesn’t change anything and you know it.”

“Two grand.”

She screeched in outrage. “Exactly what do you think I am?”

“Sweetheart, we’ve already established what you are. Right now, we’re negotiating a price.” As if knowing he had gone too far, he swore. “Fuck!” He dragged his hand through his hair. “Laney.” She stumbled backward, feeling as if she’d just had the wind punched out of her. She felt faint, and her eyes fil ed with angry tears. She turned away from him in obvious disgust.

“Laney, wait.”

“I’m not in the mood to sleep with you tonight.” Her voice was flat. “I need a drink.”

“I’l cal for the housekeeper.”

She put more distance between them, needing a chance to breathe. “Alone. I need a drink alone.”

He reached for her hand. “Let’s just talk about this back in the room.”

She yanked her hand out of his grasp. “Don’t touch me!”

Nick fumed. “You can’t be serious, Laney. We had an agreement.”

“For me to pose as your wife for Zelman’s benefit, yes. That’s it.”

“And the sex was a bonus?”

Her gaze turned stony. “I’l be at the bar.” Nick watched her walk away from him with a determined stride. She never looked back, and it pissed him off that her reserve was beyond his comprehension. He returned to their suite, annoyed with Laney and upset with himself. He had no right to jump on her like that. She had only wanted to clarify their situation and he’d freaked. Was it so obvious to her that he was strongly attracted to her, and not just physical y? For a man who valued power, he had to admit that scene in the woods had been uncontrol able. Did that frighten her?

Could it be that he anticipated her brushing off his advances? That she was explaining that she only wanted a sexual relationship and nothing more? It was his job to let females down early, but the thought of Laney setting him straight made him feel defensive and oddly rejected. So he’d turned the tables on her, making her appear to be the clinging one. Attacking her by claiming that a physical relationship was al he wanted from her was a low blow. The look in her eyes was that of stunned shock and humiliation. Why did she have to look so damn vulnerable? Only then did he know that his assumption had been a wrong one. But it was too late. Al she wanted was to be rid of him.

Nick cursed his damned insecurities. What the hel was he going to do with her? She was slowly making him obsessed with her, and he wasn’t even sure if he real y liked her. Damn, he was acting like a pansy. She was just a woman, and there were plenty of them around. She wasn’t the only woman on this planet, and it was absurd to think that anything could exist between them once they returned home. He said the words over and over again until he almost believed them. She was only a business associate.

He felt nothing for her. The sooner Laney believed that, the better.

❧ ❧ ❧

Laney sat back in the soft leather chair of the observation deck; the drink in her hand remained untouched. She was uninterested in its power. Nick’s words kept echoing in her ears. She wanted to curse him until her voice was gone but what would be the point? This wasn’t entirely his fault. Though he had done his part in convincing the Zelmans to the point that she was starting to believe some of his affection was genuine, she should have known better. He had made his position very clear from the beginning that this was al strictly business. How foolish could she be to think he actual y felt anything for her?

He must think her a complete idiot. Correction, he regarded her as nothing more than a whore. Had he always considered her as such? Was that what he saw when he turned those beautiful blue eyes on her? When he touched her so tenderly, kissed her so passionately? Damn him!

If she had known then what she knew now, she would have begged Danny to accompany her on the cruise. She surely would not have found herself in her present limbo. Instead, she would have been sulking over Rob, and Nick would be pretending some other unsuspecting

stranger

was

his

wife.

The

circumstances were so mind-boggling, it was humorous. She had banned Danny from the trip to brood over Rob’s betrayal in private, but somehow, in her dealings with Nick, she had barely spared Rob a second thought. Odd, since she’d pictured herself eagerly accepting Rob’s proposal only a week ago.

If only Danny were here to talk to. He’d listen to her attentively, make unnecessary comments and then have them both laughing at the hysteria of her predicament. She missed him and al the comfort he provided. Laney desperately needed someone to console her, wrap their arms around her and tel her everything was going to be alright. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this lonely in her life, physical y miles away from anyone she cared about.

And Nick, even though they were on the same boat, they seemed worlds apart.

Laney gazed out at the sea. She should be reveling

in

this

moment;

committing

every

shimmering wave to memory, but she could not. She was so angry, she couldn’t focus on anything; least of al the gorgeous scene before her. There was something to be said about irony. Tired, she downed her drink and made her way to the room she and Rob had been assigned to. She had no desire to deal with Nick tonight. Although Nick’s room was three times the size of hers and al her belongings were stowed there, she welcomed the solitude. She showered and slipped under the covers naked, since she had no change of clothing. Tomorrow would be a new day. She would pul herself together and get through the rest of the cruise somehow, even if it kil ed her.

❧ ❧ ❧

Laney was jarred from a deep sleep. The abruptness was so startling, it left her a little breathless. Momentarily disoriented, she blinked wildly into the darkness, unable to remember where she was. Slowly, the sleepy haze clouding her mind began to clear. The events leading up to how she’d ended up lying naked in this strange bed, in an unfamiliar room and al alone, washed over her in vivid detail. Squeezing her eyes shut, she forced herself not to relive those moments.

Lifting her head, Laney looked about the dimly lit room, wondering what had woken her. Everything was just as she remembered, nothing out of order.

Perhaps it was the unsettling silence of the room that had startled her. The stil ness was almost ominous. It was as if someone had pressed the mute button on the world around her. Was this room stationed in a particularly quiet wing of the ship? Or was it always this stil during the night? The silence only added to her growing sense of unease. It seemed only to accentuate her gloomy mood.

After days of sharing the same room with Nick, it felt odd to be total y isolated for once. During the brief times she’d been alone, mostly when Nick left for the gym, she was always mindful of the time and how little of it she had before he returned. Even when she was in the bathroom, she was keenly aware Nick was in the bedroom, patiently waiting for her.

There were times when she longed for just an hour away from him, just to unwind. And now that she final y had some breathing space, she was surprisingly uncomfortable with her sudden freedom.

The solitude was what she needed, but she wasn’t so sure it was what she wanted. She didn’t just feel alone, she felt lonely, utterly shut off from the world beyond her cabin door. Despite al rationale, she actual y missed Nick. Even though the sight of his arrogant expression made her want to slap his face, she could not deny the loneliness she felt because of his absence. Nor could she deny the hungry ache she felt for his body. What she wanted most right now was to feel him wrap his arms around her. She could not explain why she would want to be comforted by the very person who’d hurt her, but the craving was there al the same.

As the quiet pressed in on her like a thick fog, she closed her eyes and imagined Nick were lying beside her, holding her—not the cruel person who’d humiliated her hours ago, but the passionate lover she’d kissed on the island. The man she’d given herself to so freely and with such abandon. This was the Nick she wanted beside her right now. Forcing herself to focus on this more pleasant image, she buried her face into the pil ow and instantly felt herself fal ing into an aimless sleep.

Her eyes had not been closed for five minutes before she was jerked back into consciousness.

This time, it wasn’t an eerie silence that had woken her; it was quite the opposite. It was an explosion.

No, not an explosion. Banging? She frowned, trying to understand what was happening, but her mind was sluggish and for crucial moments nothing seemed to make sense. And then she heard it again, a loud persistent banging coming from the other side of her door. In the quiet of the night, the sound was earth-shattering. Laney looked at the bedside clock. It was two a.m. Who in the world would be knocking on this door? And at this time in the morning?

Slowly, Laney eased herself out of bed. Because her backside was throbbing with pain, she’d lain on her stomach, which had resulted in a very awkward rest. Wincing with every movement, she wrapped herself in the bed sheet and made her way to the door.

“Who is it?” she cal ed out.

There was no response.

Irritated, Laney cracked the door open.