Page 40 of Storm Warning
Her pulse fluttered. Part of her wanted to tell him not to. To stay and let the moment unfold into something she’d beenimagining since the first time he looked at her like she wasn’t just another guest passing through, like she mattered.
But she couldn’t. Not yet. The wounds were too fresh, her trust too fragile.
Kate swallowed, her lips tingling where his had been, swollen and sensitive, and forced herself to nod. “Okay.” The word came out smaller than she intended, laced with reluctance.
Nick’s eyes opened slowly, the green depths stormy with restrained desire, and for one breathless instant, she thought he might change his mind—might try to changehermind. But then his hands eased away from her hips, a measured retreat that felt almost like a promise—one she didn’t dare name, one that whispered of patience and tomorrows.
He shifted her gently to the swing and rose to his feet, every movement controlled, deliberate, like he was holding something back. Something he wasn’t ready to let her see. Something that might overwhelm them both.
For a long moment, he just looked down at her, his chest still rising and falling with deep breaths. The hush stretched out between them, warm and full of things unsaid, heavy with possibility.
Then he exhaled, a sound low and resigned, tinged with longing. “Sleep well, Kate.”
Kate's heart beat too fast and too loud in the quiet following his departure, her body still humming with unreleased tension. She pressed trembling fingers to her lips, still tasting him there, the ghost of his touch on her skin.
And though part of her was relieved he’d left—grateful for the space to catch her breath and her scattered thoughts—another part already missed the way he’d felt. Solid, certain, impossibly real in a way that terrified and thrilled her in equal measure.
She drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, trying to contain the chaos of emotion and sensation swirling inside her. Her body still throbbed with need, her skin too sensitive, her mind replaying every sensation, every kiss, every whispered word.
She was supposed to sleep now?
Chapter 18
Patterns
Nick strode into the kitchen,a Cheshire smile plastered across his face, the warmth of the morning light pouring in through the windows and catching dust motes in golden suspension. Zach and David sat at the island, with Marguerite busy at the stove, the sizzle of butter and eggs filling the air with savory promise, her cheerful humming adding to the cozy atmosphere. “Good morning, everyone!”
David glanced up from his omelet, a chuckle escaping him at Nick’s high spirits. “Well, if it isn’t Romeo himself. You’re looking happy this morning. I take it you didn’t scare Kate away with your bossy personality?”
Nick rolled his eyes. “Hey, I’m not bossy. I’m commanding. There is a difference. Just ask any dictator.” He couldn’t help but grin, aware that they only teased.
“At least you chose a smart one,” Zach chimed in, tilting his head with a playful smirk. “A sexy one, too. She looked fabulous yesterday at the pool.”
A flicker of discomfort shot through Nick like a warning flare, and he frowned, narrowing his eyes at Zach. Even in jest, hearing his brother recognize Kate’s attractiveness pricked atsomething possessive and unexpectedly fierce within him. “Eyes off. She’s mine.”
“Nick and Kate, sitting in a tree, K—I—S—S—I—N—G,” David sang out, accompanying the tune with an exaggerated bounce. Marguerite responded swiftly, smacking him on the side of the head, and Nick couldn’t suppress his snicker, even if he wanted to.
“Knock that off, Davie,” Marguerite scolded, turning to Nick with eyes sparkling with genuine joy, the morning light highlighting the silver in her hair. “Kate is a wonderful lady. I am glad you realize that. You treat her right—she is not one of your Barbie dolls.”
Nick’s jaw dropped open while David erupted into laughter and Zach choked on his coffee, struggling to curb his own mirth.
“Just what do you know about his Barbie dolls?” Zach asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Marguerite’s smile turned mysterious. “Everything, of course. That is my job.” Her expression shifted to something more stern as she focused on Nick, pointing a wooden spoon at him like a weapon. “You can play all you want with those shallow creatures, but Kate is not a toy. She is genuine.”
Nick’s heart fluttered at her words, a strange tightness forming in his throat. “I know, Marguerite. I don’t know where, if anywhere, this might go, but I really enjoy her company.” As he admitted this, a wave of uncertainty washed over him, cold and disorienting. What was he doing with her?
He pushed those thoughts aside, determined to focus on the present. “It’s time for our interview with Lena. Are you two ready?”
He glanced at each of them, the last traces of humor slipping away like water through his fingers as they all nodded. Time to get serious.
The momentthey stepped into the meeting room, the easy camaraderie from the kitchen evaporated, the mood shifting like a door closing behind them, air conditioning now too cold against his skin. The great room smelled of leather and the coffee that Michael had brewed—dark and strong. He addressed David first, his tone all business.
“David, you’ve been working with Lena on the reservations. Anything new to report that might change our trajectory?” Nick asked, though he doubted David could be completely objective. David’s eyes—the softness around the edges, the way his gaze unfocused slightly when Lena’s name was mentioned—clearly showed that he was smitten with her.
“No. She’s been amazing to work with. She figured out almost immediately a simple way to fix all of this mess. It’ll still take some time, but we’re on the right track. I’ll let her tell you—it’s her idea, so she should get the credit for it.”
Nick nodded, respecting how Lena had handled the chaos. Her composure under pressure was remarkable, and that David trusted her judgment reinforced that impression. If David, with his Mensa-level intellect, thought her idea sound, then it was worth considering. Even though he was smitten.