Two Hearts: Beyond Control (Two Hearts Trilogy Book 1) Page 16

  She rambled on about a carriage ride in Central Park and watching ice skaters. Maybe on another day, in a better mood, I would have found it interesting. Not today.

  “It sounds fabulous. No wonder you’re so excited.” I checked the time again. Only a minute had passed. “I really hate to cut you short, but your dad is expecting me for a meeting.”

  Alexia traced the edges of my upside-down picture frame and talked on about the beautiful view from their room and seeing the city lit up at night. She lifted the frame, turned it over, and smiled as she glanced at the photo. Her eyes flashed to mine. “Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise?” She adjusted the stand and placed it back on my desk, angling it toward me. “Hope it’s nothing serious. I’d be happy to listen, you know, if you need someone to talk to.”

  I tipped my head, a futile effort to avoid seeing that damn photo. It was impossible to look at Alexia without catching a glimpse of Will. She didn’t seem to notice my unease, or maybe she was just too polite to acknowledge it as she waited for my response. Her doe-eyed expression and sweet smile reinforced the sincerity of her offer, but it didn’t feel right to rant about my screwed-up love life with someone I barely knew. Especially after hearing how happy she and her boyfriend were.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” her angelic voice interrupted. “I-I should have realized you—I didn’t mean to pry.” She moved away from my desk, glancing back at me with sad eyes. “Well, I better get to work, and you have your meeting.”

  “Alexia . . . wait.” It seemed being an ass might be contagious. But, unlike my husband, I couldn’t let someone go on feeling unappreciated. Now all I had to do was figure out what to say.

  She turned to me, an expectant smile on her face. “It’s okay, Danielle. I understand.” She stepped closer and placed her hand on my arm. “I hope your day gets better.” She walked away, humming a cheery tune.

  Between worrying about talking things out with Will and imagining Nico in place of him last night, my mind had created its own nonproductive agenda this morning.

  Fifteen minutes and counting until my lunch break, but stress had my stomach in too many knots to deal with food. That would leave plenty of time for a brisk walk on a frigid winter day to clear my head.

  The cursor on my blank screen blinked a steady beat. The slow rhythm of a dance, rousing the intoxicating memory of being wrapped in Nico’s strong arms, pressed against his solid chest. Surrounded by him. Consumed by him. My fingers twitched, tracing the ridges in his sculpted body, exploring the impress—

  “Hey, you in there?”

  Kristi’s hand waving in front of my face registered around the same time I realized she was hanging over the reception counter on my desk, practically shouting at me. I blinked a few times, drifting back to reality.

  “Wow! You were totally zoned out there for a minute. Reminded me of one of those goofy sci-fi movies Ben loves to watch. Well, we don’t actually watch too much of it, ya know?” She giggled and hugged herself. “But anyway . . . hmmm, where was I going with that?” She shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. I just wanted to see how you’re doing, post Friday night meltdown and all.”

  I pressed my brows together, trying to focus on her scattered babbling while the images of Nico slowly faded. “What are you talking about?”

  “You, silly. Your mind was a million miles away.” She swept her hands through the air as she spoke, fingers wiggling. “Care to share? I mean, Kendra already filled me in on last night, but . . .” She pushed out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout.

  I couldn’t tell her she’d interrupted my latest fantasy about Nico or that I’d spent most of the morning lusting after him. “Sorry, I was just thinking about Will. Kendra and Jen both told me I need to talk to him about—”

  “Oh, my. Showtime.” Kristi drew the words out, sounding amused.

  I twisted in my seat to follow her line of sight straight to Nico. He crossed the room, adjusting his tie and checking the buttons on his suit coat, his eyes locked on me the whole time. His pace slowed as he approached, and his lips twitched with a hesitant smile.

  “Hey there, Nico! Isn’t this a nice surprise?” Kristi’s exuberant greeting demanded attention.

  He cast a quick glance in her direction. “How’s it going, Kristi?”

  “Oh, you know. Nothing too exciting. At least not so far. But . . . I have a feeling that’s about to change.” She practically sang the last sentence.

  Nico swept his gaze over me, a concerned expression on his face. “Good to see you, Danni. You look . . . very nice today.”

  Clearly not, but he deserved credit for trying. “I—that’s—” Not this again. I rubbed my temples, trying to remember how to form a sentence.

  Maybe it was his casual, sexy demeanor or the way his tailored suit accentuated his perfect body that rendered me speechless.

  Or it could have been the mental images of him in his birthday suit still lingering from my latest fantasy.

  “What are you doing here?” The question erupted with more force than I’d intended.

  His expression steeled, and he retracted from the verbal slap. “Well, I’m sure I deserved that.” He dragged a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. “I’m here to see you.”

  Kristi’s faint sigh reminded me of our audience. Nico and I both turned toward her. She’d settled in quite comfortably, elbows propped on the reception counter and her chin rested in her palms. She watched intently, a dreamy smile covering her face, as she listened to our conversation.

  I cleared my throat to get her attention.

  “Oops. Sorry. Just thinking about something Ben and I were talking about this morning. Carry on.” She motioned for us to continue.

  Nico chuckled, returning his attention to me. “I came to apologize for the other night. Thought we could have lunch together, which would give me plenty of time to grovel and beg you to forgive me.” He shifted uneasily, twisting and tugging at his signet ring.

  A lunch date with Nico? I didn’t dare put myself in that situation. “Sorry, I already have plans.” He didn’t need to know my plans involved only me and a brisk walk.

  “Actually . . .” Kristi interrupted, beaming at me. “I came up to tell you I need to cancel. Sorry.” She shrugged then faced Nico with a satisfied grin. “So, it turns out she’s free.”

  I wanted to kill her, but shooting her with a menacing glare would have to do. Right now, I needed to think of a way to get out of the trap she’d sprung on me.

  “Guess it’s my lucky day then. As long as you agree to go, that is.” Nico fidgeted, waiting for my response. “Danni? Please say yes.”

  “Sorry. I have work to do.” I grabbed a stack of folders and stood, preparing to flee to Peter’s office before I gave in to the growing urge to jump into Nico’s arms.

  He lifted his hand to stop me but retracted it, gripping the back of his neck instead. Eyes closed, he raised his face toward the ceiling. I ignored his faint troubled groan and took advantage of the opportunity to slip past him. That small amount of distance made it possible to breathe again. I managed to pull in several calming breaths by the time I reached Peter’s office.

  Nico appeared at my side. He touched my arm, stopping me from opening the door, then slid his hand to mine. “Don’t run off. I know I don’t deserve it, but give me one more chance to prove myself.” He looked into my eyes, pleading. “I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself.”

  The desperation in his voice cut through me, resonating with the need for him that I’d been trying to suppress. Maybe talking things out would give me closure and allow me to move past this crazy infatuation. I gave a gentle nod then lowered my eyes to stare at our joined hands.

  Nico released me and surrendered. A playful smile spread across his face, revealing that familiar single dimple. “Starting now.”

  “Well, my work here is done.” Kristi blew me a kiss before bouncing off. “Toodles! And make sure you call me later, Danni.”

  “Oh, you can count on i
t,” I said. She had a lot of explaining to do.

  Nico shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned into the doorframe. “I have a reservation at Giardano’s.”

  Well that was a bit presumptuous. But Giardano’s? I blew out a short huff. Nice touch, Kristi.

  Nico bent his knees, lowering himself to my level. “Is that okay? I have lunch there every Monday, but we can go somewhere else.”

  I blinked, trying to focus. “No, that’s my favorite restaurant, but I suppose you already knew that.”

  His smile grew wider, and his chest expanded. “Why, thank you. I’m sure the owner will be very pleased to hear that.” He reached past me and knocked on Mr. Jamison’s office door.

  At Peter’s muffled response, Nico opened the door and strode inside with his normal air of confidence.

  “Nico. Good to see you, son.” Peter rose from his desk and crossed the room, meeting Nico midway for a hearty handshake. “I never got to thank you for New Year’s Eve. I really appreciate you filling in last minute like that.”

  “You know me . . . never too busy to spend the evening with a lovely lady. Anyway, the reason I’m here, and I’m sorry to show up unannounced, but I wondered if I could borrow your assistant for a business lunch. I could use help with some of the additional forms you sent over, and my assistant is off this week.”

  “That’s fine by me, as long as Danni doesn’t have other plans.”

  “Nope. Already checked with her.”

  “Alright then, just don’t go trying to steal her away from me with that legendary charm of yours.” Peter’s boisterous laugh echoed in the room. “I’m expecting you to give her back when you’re done.”

  “Will do, sir. And thanks.” Nico emerged wearing a satisfied smile. “You’re all mine. Well, temporarily.” He swept his arm through the air in front of me. “After you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Sweet Gesture

  The elevator doors opened, freeing me from the confined space. I needed air—fresh air that didn’t fill my head with Nico’s scent every time I took a breath. I rushed across the vast lobby, eager to get outside. Nico caught up to me midway and brushed his hand across my lower back, guiding me toward the exit. The brief contact made me shiver, which earned a questioning glance from him.

  “Caught a chill.” I shrugged and pulled my scarf higher on my neck. “It’s not usually this drafty in here. Must really be cold outside.” I added a forced shiver to reinforce my point.

  He gave a single nod, but I got the impression he didn’t believe me.

  How did I get myself into this? I drew in a shaky breath and tapped my thumb against my leg. It’s just lunch, Danni. Get a grip.

  When we reached the exit, my feet froze, refusing to cross the line and leave with Nico. He held the door open and waited patiently, watching me. There was a call to “keep it moving,” and someone bumped me from behind, but I couldn’t go.

  “Danni?” Nico leaned closer and touched my arm. “Is something wrong?”

  “I-I can’t. We shouldn’t—” I wrapped my arms across my churning stomach and took a step back, shaking my head. “Tell me what we’re doing here, Nico. The truth.” I pleaded with my eyes, wanting him to tell me it was fine, that I was overreacting.

  “Come with me.” He took my hand and eased back into the lobby with me in tow. We stopped beside a large planter, and he lowered himself to look in my eyes. “The truth, Danni, is that we’re two friends going to lunch together. And there’s nothing wrong about that.” He continued studying me, searching my face for something. “Wait here. Okay? I’ll be right back.”

  He reached into his breast pocket, pulled out a small platinum case, then turned to leave. Crossing the marble floor with long, smooth strides, Nico headed toward the nearby security desk. The clerk seated there smiled as he approached, twisting a finger in her long blond hair. He leaned across to talk to her then borrowed a pen and wrote something.

  I glanced across the lobby at the steady flow of people going into the cafeteria. It would be so easy to slip in there and get lost in the crowd while Nico was preoccupied. If I wanted to.

  So why am I still standing here?

  Nico returned. He took my hand and pressed a business card into my palm. “This is your insurance policy. If I cross the line, even slightly, you can call Ben and Logan.” He chuckled and rubbed his jaw. “Trust me, they’ll be more than happy to kick my ass for hurting you again.”

  Most people wouldn’t have cared about my unease, so I appreciated his sweet gesture. I hooked my finger, motioning for him to come closer. “You do realize I could have just asked Kristi to call Ben, don’t you?” I smiled at him, teasing. “But thanks.”

  I reclaimed my hand and looked at the card. Three numbers were written on the backside, the last without a name beside it. “Who’s the other number for?” I raised my eyes to wait for his delayed answer.

  His lopsided grin greeted me. “That’s mine. My personal cell.” He turned the card over in my hand. “And that’s my office number. You can call me anytime, for anything. ’Cause that’s what friends do, right?”

  I already heard his voice too often in my fantasies. Actually calling him—the real him—was definitely not a good idea.

  My attention drifted back to the card. Domenico Giardano, COO. “This is you?” Stupid question, but I needed to be sure since I’d expected his card to be for The Next Level. “I mean, what about your gym? I thought—well, I remember Kristi mentioned that Ben’s family owns Elevations, so . . . wow. You’re a busy guy.” Yet he’d managed to make time for me. I bit back a grin. “Probably too busy for lunch.”

  Nico chuckled. “Nice try, but even us busy guys have to eat.”

  “Wait.” I glanced at the card again. “Giardano? As in the restaurant?”

  “Yep. My parents’ baby.”

  “And that’s why we’re going there.” I drew out the words, feeling foolish about the way I’d reacted outside Peter’s office.

  “Yes. If we can ever manage to leave the building.” He swept his arm toward the exit.

  “Sorry, I just assumed Kristi—and then you picked there because—uh, never mind.” I held up the card he’d given me, wishing it were large enough to hide behind. “Thanks for this.”

  “So . . . we’re good?” He spoke the words with caution, but his voice held a glimmer of hope.

  I hesitated, still not confident I trusted him. Or myself.

  My chest vibrated with a low groan as my resistance crumbled. Again. “Fine. Let’s get it over with.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Delicious Company

  If I thought the confined space of the elevator was unbearable, I should have known better than to get into Nico’s little sports car with him; but here we were.

  His magnificent scent and the palpable energy radiating from him brought all of my senses to life. My body pulsed with an intense beat that rivaled the rock music from his playlist. Even the skillful way he shifted and maneuvered through the speeding traffic aroused me.

  While he drove, Nico told me the history of Elevations and how his grandparents had grown it from a small ski lodge to the exclusive resort we knew it as today. Focusing on his story kept my mind occupied—prevented it from following my body’s lead and becoming fully consumed by him. But I had to admit, and only to myself, that I could learn to love the effect he had on me.

  “Nonno, my grandfather, is supposedly retired now, only serving as the head of the board.” Nico let out a laugh. “But he ‘gets bored sitting around waiting to die,’ so he says, and likes filling in at various positions throughout the resort. We never know where he’s going to show up from one day to the next. But it makes him happy, and that’s really all that matters to any of us.”

  “So you and Ben run the place now?”

  “And our sister. Gabriela is the CEO. She’ll tell you it’s because she’s the smartest and most responsible, but it’s really because she’s the oldest.” He bobbed his head
. “Then again, she may be right.”

  The teasing tone of his voice made me smile.

  As he zipped into the parking lot at Giardano’s, I let out a long, exaggerated breath. “Wow, that was . . . some ride.” I peeled my aching fingers away from the seat and armrest where I’d been clinging.

  Nico’s face lit up. “What fun’s a toy if I can’t play with it?” He laughed as he cut the engine and hopped out.

  The amazing aroma of Italian cuisine greeted us when we entered the restaurant.

  “Mmmm . . . smells delicious.” My stomach grumbled to life as my appetite returned.

  “Welcome to Giardano’s.” A beautiful young woman, mid-twenties at most, hopped off her stool behind the hostess station. Her interest in me vanished the moment Nico appeared beside me. She shifted her full attention to him, devouring him with her eyes. “Hi, Nico. I was beginning to worry you weren’t coming.” She adjusted her low-cut white blouse and watched him with an anxious smile.

  “Good afternoon, London. You look nice today.” His response was very business-like . . . almost too practiced.

  I looked between them, suddenly aware that London might have a reason to expect a special greeting from Nico.

  “Do you know if our table is ready?” he asked as he took my coat.

  She slipped from behind her podium and moved toward him. Her short black skirt revealed long slender legs, accented by spiky red shoes that weren’t made for standing all day. She scanned me with an inquisitive glare while answering him, but her voice didn’t waver. “Yep, your usual spot. I took care of it personally.” She stroked her sleek ebony hair, letting her hand skim over her breast and down her torso.

  Nico seemed oblivious to London’s performance. Without even glancing in her direction, he thanked her and moved to the coat room on the far side of the elegant waiting area. She sagged against one of the Tuscan pillars, a disappointed expression on her face.