MadLoving (6 page)

Well darn. She’d gotten what she wanted, now she wasn’t sure
she wanted it. Her reaction to Nevar confused her. He released her, grabbed the
soap and started washing himself. She glanced over her shoulder and he winked
at her. There was a twinkle in his eyes that made her smile back in spite of
her chaotic thoughts.

He really was easy on the eyes and a great lover.

She rinsed off and rose from the tub. The water sluiced down
her body like an erotic caress. Her skin was much more sensitive than usual.
She grabbed one of the thick, chocolate-brown towels and quickly dried off
before wrapping it around her.

Nevar stood and water cascaded down his rock-hard body. Oh
my. The dusting of hair on his chest, stomach and groin stuck to his skin. His
chest and abs gleamed. His cock was semi-erect and getting larger by the
second.

He stepped out of the tub and reached past her to snag a
towel from the rack. She started to step back, but he leaned down and kissed
her before she could. It was a fast, friendly kiss, not a passion-filled one.
She wondered if that was her sign to leave.

“I should go.”

He rubbed the towel over his arms and chest, pausing with it
just above his waist. “Are you hungry? I’m starving. We should get something to
eat.”

Allison wrapped her towel around her and shivered. He wanted
her to stay. A part of her cheered at the thought of their time together not
being over, while the more sensible part warned her that she was getting in way
over her head. It was one thing to have a one-night stand with a gorgeous guy.
It was another to get emotionally involved.

“Here.” While she’d been trying to decide what she should
do, Nevar had pulled a robe from behind the bathroom door and now held it out
to her. “You’ll be more comfortable with this on.”

He held it open and she slid both arms into the sleeves, not
releasing the towel until she was covered. The thick terrycloth robe was huge
on her, but she wrapped the folds around her and belted it tight. It fell to
almost her ankles, covering her completely. Now that she was no longer naked,
she felt more comfortable.

She knew she was being a complete idiot. She’d wanted this
night with Nevar. And why shouldn’t she? They were both single adults. A night
of unbridled sex was just what the doctor ordered. She knew Barb would approve.
Crap
! She hadn’t texted Barb to tell her she wouldn’t be meeting her and
the others. Too late now. She’d have to call her friend tomorrow and apologize.

Nevar opened the drain to let the water out of the tub and
then turned to her. “Let me grab a pair of jeans and then we’ll forage in the
kitchen.”

“Sounds good.” If she were going to stay she might as well
enjoy the entire experience. She watched as he hung both towels up to dry and
strode completely naked from the room. Allison padded after him, enjoying the
view of his taut, hard butt.

He stopped in front of a large chest of drawers, pulled one
of them open and took out a pair of jeans. He didn’t bother with underwear but
simply slipped the faded, worn jeans right over his naked skin.

Allison swallowed hard when he zipped but didn’t button the
jeans. Nevar looked like a model from some glossy women’s magazine. His hair
was damp, his chest and arms looked powerful and tanned in the dim light. And
those jeans. Those jeans hugged his strong thighs and cupped his cock like a
lover.

She felt like fanning herself. It was suddenly very hot in
here.

“Come on. Let’s see what we can find in the kitchen.” He
slung his arm around her shoulders and side-by-side they made their way to the
kitchen. On second look, she liked the space even more. It was clean and
functional, stylish without being fussy. It suited him.

He led her to the same stool where she had sat earlier and
she slid onto the seat, resting her arms on the countertop.

“What will it be?” He opened the refrigerator and began
pulling things out. “I’ve got cheese, ham, mayo, tomatoes. We could have
sandwiches.” He glanced at her and she shrugged.

“I’m not quite hungry enough for a sandwich, but you go
ahead.”

He closed the refrigerator door and began to rummage in the
cupboards. “I’ve got some whole wheat crackers you could have with the cheese.
And I think I have some grapes too, if that’s more to your liking.”

That did sound good. “What can I do to help?” She slid off
the stool, wanting to be closer to him.

“You can get the grapes. They’re on the bottom shelf.”

They worked to put together their impromptu meal and Allison
began to relax. Before she knew it, they were both seated at the counter,
munching on their late-night snack and chatting about the latest movies and new
events.

Nevar really was easy to be around. It was too bad it was
only for one night.

Nevar knew the second he woke that Allison was gone. He
didn’t even need to open his eyes. There was something indefinable missing from
the place. He sat up in bed and shoved his hair out of his eyes. Sure enough,
her pile of clothing was gone.

“Damn it.” He threw back the covers and stood, hands on his
hips. Like Cinderella, she’d skipped out after their magical night. Of course,
he was no prince. He was simply a flesh-and-blood man who wanted her.

He’d had a feeling she’d bolt. Somehow she’d managed to
sneak out without waking him. He yanked on the same pair of jeans he’d worn
last night and scratched his chest. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and frowned. It
was after ten. He’d slept late. When had she left?

Nevar sighed deeply, trying to release his disappointment.
It didn’t work. He strode out into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee
perking before he started looking for a note. Maybe she’d left him one with her
number on it. That would be something. Not as good as her being here, but
second best.

He found the small, folded piece of white paper perched in
the center of the dining table. The white among the sea of dark wood stood out
like a beacon. His name was scrawled on top. He picked it up and unfolded it.

Thanks for a wonderful night.

Allison

That was it. Nothing more than thanks. Nevar started to
crumple the note, but stopped himself. He was an idiot. The woman had made
herself perfectly clear. The night was over and they were done.

Except he honestly didn’t think that was how she really
felt. They’d talked for more than an hour after they’d eaten their late-night
snack. They’d curled up on the sofa and traded stories of their childhoods—her
on the farm and him in the city with his offbeat family.

There was something between them. Some connection that went
beyond one night. Allison wasn’t the type of woman to jump in bed with a guy
without having some feelings for him. She had commitment written all over her.

He wanted her and he wanted her commitment. He refolded the
note and tucked it into his back pocket. He’d find her. He had enough to go on.
He knew her name and that she worked in the registrar’s office of a school
somewhere here in Manhattan.

And maybe he was being an idiot, reading more into things
than was really there. He scrubbed his hand over his face and rolled his
shoulders to release the tension. No, he wasn’t mistaken. Allison had gone back
to bed with him last night, snuggling close when he’d pulled her into his arms.

He’d wanted to make love to her again, but had refrained,
not wanting to overwhelm her. He snorted. Better to have ignored all those gentlemanly
instincts and fucked her into exhaustion. At least then she’d still be in his
bed this morning.

The coffee was perked and he needed a cup badly. He filled a
large red mug and added sugar before taking his first mouthful. Manna from the
gods.

Someone pounded on his front door. His heart jumped thinking
it was Allison, but then common sense kicked in. That loud a knock meant only
person. He set his mug down on the counter, strode to the door and pulled it
open. “Morning, Rabb.”

Dressed in jeans and a tight black T-shirt, his brother
looked as though he’d been up for hours. Rabb raised one dark eyebrow. “Not a
good one from the looks of you. Thought you’d be in a better mood this
morning.” He came in and went straight to the coffeepot. Rabb took down a mug,
at home here as much as he was in his own place, and helped himself to some
coffee. “What’s the matter? She still here?” He tilted his head toward the
bedroom.

“No.” Nevar leaned against the counter and crossed his arms
over his chest. “And that’s the problem.”

A slow smile curved Rabb’s lips. The bastard was enjoying
himself. “Well, well, well. Not ready to let the little darlin’ go yet.”

“No.” He forced himself to relax and reached for his mug. It
was either that or punch his brother. He loved the guy, he really did, but just
not at this moment.

“That good, was she?”

“Rabb.” The warning in his voice was clear. Allison was much
more than a one-night stand and he wouldn’t allow anyone to talk about her that
way.

“Relax.” Rabb whacked him on the back as he walked by,
jolting Nevar. Coffee sloshed over the side of his mug and onto the floor.

Nevar swore and set his mug down quickly. Thankfully, the
coffee wasn’t hot enough to leave a burn. He pointed at the kitchen cupboard
behind his brother. “Paper towel is in there.”

Rabb grinned, but dutifully got out the roll of paper towel,
ripped off a sheet and dropped it onto the floor to cover the spilled coffee.
“So, what are you going to do about the situation?”

“I’m going to find her.” The thought of not seeing Allison
again left an emptiness in the pit of his stomach.

Rabb bent down and wiped up the mess. He took his time and
dropped the wet paper towel into the garbage when he was done. “She didn’t
leave her number?”

“No.” Nevar raked his fingers though his hair. When he
thought about her note, he wondered if he was right, if she felt anywhere near
what he had. What was between them was something special.

“Well, what do you know about her?” Rabb pulled his
ever-present notebook and pen out of his shirt pocket and turned to a clean
page. “I’ll help you find your missing lady.”

And this was why he hadn’t smothered his younger brother
when they were kids and he was still bigger than Rabb. No matter how much they
ragged on one another, Nevar knew he could always depend on Rabb to be there
for him, and he knew his brother felt the same.

“Her name is Allison Lewis and she works at a school
somewhere in the city. College. She works in the admissions office.”

Rabb wrote it all down. “Got it. I’ll get on the computer
and see what I can find.”

Nevar knew it wouldn’t take long for Rabb to find her. He
was a genius when it came to all things computer, able to ferret out details on
whatever it was he needed to know.

As he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee, he wondered what
Allison was doing.

* * * * *

“You did what?” Barb’s voice made Allison cringe and she
held the phone away from her ear. She curled up on her daybed and pulled the
comforter over her. Outside the city was sunny and alive. She felt sick to her
stomach over what she’d done.

After she apologized to her friend for not meeting her last
night at the club, Allison told her everything that happened last night. Barb
had been speechless, but only for a moment.

“I know it was wrong. But I panicked.” That was an understatement.
She’d gathered her clothing and sneaked out of Nevar’s bedroom like a thief in
the night. She’d grabbed her purse, wrap and shoes and creeped downstairs and
called a cab, all the while looking over her shoulder, half expecting Nevar to
come pounding down the stairs any moment.

She’d been disappointed when he hadn’t. Which was crazy.
Last night couldn’t go anywhere. “It was a one-night stand,” she reminded not
only Barb, but herself.

“Bullshit. A guy who only wanted a one-night stand would have
bundled you up and sent you home in a cab himself, not made you something to
eat and curled up on his sofa so you could talk for an hour before going back
to bed and going to sleep. Are you crazy?”

When Barb put it like that it did sound that way. “But I
only met him last night.” Everything had happened so fast.

“So what? You might have jumped the gun in sleeping with
him, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a connection there. You need to call
him and apologize for running out on him like that. Give him a chance to tell
you he wants to see you again.” Barb paused in her tirade. “Better yet, tell
him you want to see him again. Don’t wait for him to ask.”

Allison smiled in spite of her anxiety. That was what she
liked best about her friend. She was straightforward and damn the consequences.
“You’re right.”

“Of course, I’m right. I’m always right.” Barb wound down
slowly and gave a deep sigh. “Seriously, Allison. If you really like this guy,
don’t be afraid to give it a shot. Better to try and fail than to not try at
all.”

“I know you’re right.” She’d known it the minute she’d left
and cursed herself for allowing her fear to rule her. “I’ll do it now.”

“Call me back after with details.”

“Maybe.” At this point all she’d promise was she’d call him.

Barb sighed. “That will have to do, for now.”

They chatted a few more minutes, with Barb giving her
another pep talk, before they said goodbye. The second her friend ended the
call, Allison searched for Nevar’s phone number. It wasn’t listed.

That wasn’t going to stop her.

She searched for the club next, knowing they’d have a number
she could call. At least she could leave a message. That would be better than
talking to him. Wouldn’t it?

“Coward,” she muttered. When had she turned into such a wimp
when dealing with men? She didn’t give herself time to think and quickly dialed
the number to the Hatter’s Club before she changed her mind.

It was just after noon, but there should be someone there.
They’d probably take deliveries during the day. If not, they probably had an
answering machine and she could leave him a message.

The phone rang three times. Her stomach was in knots. It
started to ring again, but the sound was cut of halfway through. “Hatter’s.”
The voice was male and deep, but not the one she wanted. Not Nevar.

“Umm, is Nevar around?” She picked at a loose thread on her
comforter.

“Who’s calling?”

She threw back the comforter and sat up straight. Time to
find her backbone. “This is Allison Lewis. I’ll try him again later.” That was
probably better than leaving a message with someone she didn’t know.

“I met you last night.”

Allison stood and began to pace. This had to be Nevar’s
brother. “I remember. Listen, I’m sorry to bother you at work. I’ll try him
later.”

“No, hang on. He’s around somewhere.”

The silence on the other end of the phone seemed to go on
forever. Allison’s bare feet made no sound against the floor as she paced the
small confines of her apartment. She’d showered and changed when she’d arrived
home earlier and was comfortable in yoga pants and a T-shirt. She’d tried to
nap, but every time she closed her eyes all she could see was Nevar.

“Allison?” Nevar’s deep voice washed over her and seeped
into her skin.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted. Better to get her apology over
with. “I shouldn’t have run out like that earlier this morning.”

“No, you shouldn’t have, but I understand.”

“Do you, because I’m not sure I do?” Allison perched on the
edge of her daybed, wishing she were outside in the bright sunlight instead of
inside where it was darker.

“You panicked.”

“I did.” She flopped back onto the mattress and sighed. “I’m
not sure why I did. No, that’s not quite true.” She closed her eyes. It was
easier to talk to him with her eyes shut.

“I don’t have one-night stands. And you’re—” She broke off
not quite sure how to phrase what she wanted to say.

“I’m what?” he growled.

“Handsome. You’re so handsome and obviously successful.
There are beautiful women in your club every night.”

“And you think I make a habit of picking them up?” Anger
tinged his voice. This was going all wrong.

“No, I don’t think that. Not at all.” She flung her arm over
her eyes. “I’m making a mess of this.”

“Talk to me, Allison.” His tone softened and she rolled onto
her side, suddenly wishing he were right in front of her. They’d talked easily
last night after they’d foraged for their late-night snack.

“I guess it all seemed to be too much, too fast. I don’t
jump into bed with men after just meeting them. Even when I’ve been in
relationships it hasn’t been that intense.”

“I felt it too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Listen, why don’t you come over to the club so we can
talk.”

“Now?” Allison automatically checked the time, not that she
had to be anywhere in particular.

“Why not? I want to see you. We could stay in and talk or go
out for a coffee or something.”

Allison checked with her gut. What did she want? Did she
want to give a relationship with Nevar a chance? The answer was an overwhelming
yes. She grabbed her courage, took a deep breath and plunged forward. “Yes.
I’ll be there within the hour.”

“I can’t wait to see you.”

Her skin tingled. “I can’t wait either.”

Nevar hung up the phone knowing he’d had a close call. She
was as skittish as a doe on the first day of hunting season.

“So is she coming over?” Rabb hovered in the doorway,
unabashedly listening to his conversation with Allison.

“Yeah.” He’d sensed her confusion. Hell, he was off balance
too. The last thing he’d expected when he’d started his shift at work last
night was that he’d end up meeting a woman who made him think about settling
down.

Only time would tell if they were right for one another, but
he wanted to try, wanted to explore the possibility.

“I’ll finish what I’m working on and clear out. I can take
my paperwork upstairs.”

“Thanks, Rabb.”

His brother shrugged. “No problem. You seem to really like
this woman. That hasn’t happened in a long time.”

“Allison is…special.” He didn’t know how else to put it.

Rabb pushed away from the doorjamb and walked toward him.
“If she’s special don’t let her go. Don’t do what I did.”

Nevar gripped his brother’s shoulder and squeezed. His
brother rarely talked about the mystery woman he’d lost his heart to years ago.
Heck, he didn’t even know her name. All he knew was somewhere in Rabb’s past
there was a woman he’d let go of and forever regretted.