Page 71 of Storm Warning
Kate put her head down on his chest and listened to his heartbeat, the steady rhythm soothing her frazzled nerves, grounding her. His arms around her felt like home, like safety, like everything she’d been missing without knowing it. Yes, this deserved another chance. She knew that this afternoon but lost track of it in the brouhaha over her career situation.
“Yes, I’ll stay. A few days anyway. I thought a lot after we talked on the beach, and I realized that most of our issues could be resolved if we are both willing to compromise where needed. I think we are worth the effort.” She looked up at Nick, tilting her head back to meet his eyes, finding them warm and hopeful in the firelight. “I want to try too, Nick. I’m so sorry for how I reacted, for jumping to conclusions and not letting you explain.”
Nick’s chest shuddered under her cheek as he let out a long breath, his arms tightening around Kate. The warmth of his body seeped into hers, chasing away the last of the chill that had settled in her bones.
“Thank god.” His voice roughened, thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I would do if you left me. We may have met only a week ago, but it feels so much longer to me. You’re sneaking into my heart, Kate.”
She smiled, watching the flames dance and flicker, orange and gold against the blackened logs, casting shifting shadows across the room, as the warmth from Nick’s words sank in like honey, sweet and golden. “Same here, Nick. Let’s see where we go.”
Kate closed her eyes, enjoying his warmth and the crackling of the fire, the fresh rain scent of his cologne mixing with the sweet aroma of the tea still lingering in the air. For the first time today, she could simply… rest. Her muscles went slack, the tension draining from her shoulders. His heart beat steadily beneath her ear, a comforting rhythm that said everything would be okay. She let herself sink into the safety of his arms, into the promise of what they might become if they gave themselves the chance.
Chapter 38
Preparations
The faint humof the printer broke the heavy stillness of Nick’s suite. He paced the length of the room, the plush carpet cradling his bare feet. After the morning Zoom call, he’d traded his formal clothes for worn cotton shorts and a faded T-shirt. He needed to move, to burn off the nervous energy humming beneath his skin.
He still reeled when his thoughts drifted back to Kate’s outburst on the beach, the raw hurt in her voice hitting like a punch. The salt air had carried her words to him, each one a shard of glass. He’d wanted to shake her, to make her understand he’d never intentionally hurt her, that Jessica was just an entitled… bitch. But when tears welled in her golden eyes, vulnerability flickering beneath her confusion, he knew anger wouldn’t work. She needed to vent, to process the apparent betrayal on her own terms.
God, it had gutted him to watch her walk away, to feel the distance growing with every step, the sand between them stretching like miles.
That scene in the lobby! Fuck, it had been amazing.She’dbeen amazing. He’d called up the video the second he had leftKate’s suite, watching it three times in a row. She’d been magnificent in her fury, eviscerating Jessica with a righteous anger that still thrilled him. The fierce set of her jaw, the steel in her voice—it had been primal, possessive, and exhilaratingly unexpected. She was so damn extraordinary.
Then, the thought she may have been drugged. Ice slid through his veins. What had they hoped to accomplish? Was it tied to the sabotage, or something else? He glanced at his watch, the second hand crawling with maddening slowness. Hopefully, Zach would hear soon on the tox screen.
Finally, the reprieve: she’d agreed to stay. Tentative, laced with uncertainty, but a yes nonetheless. Hope, fragile yet vibrant, bloomed in his chest, warming him from the inside out. Now more than ever, he wanted to plan a perfect date out, a night to erase every lingering doubt, every whisper of insecurity. He needed toshowher, not just tell her, that she was it, the woman he’d been waiting for, the one who saw beyond the Ivory name and into the heart of the man behind.
He stopped pacing to grab his phone and punched Michael’s number, his thumb pressing hard against the screen. His personal assistant picked up on the second ring.
“Michael, I need your help. I’m planning a date for Kate, and I want it to be… special.”
The word tasted inadequate on his tongue, failing to capture the depth of what he envisioned. He wanted to sweep Kate off her feet, to show her a side of him she hadn’t seen amidst the drama of the past few days. He wanted her to see him, not the Nicholas Ivory the world perceived.
“It needs to be unique, Michael. Something… unforgettable.” He ran a hand through his hair, the strands catching between his fingers. The image of Kate’s hesitant smile seared into his memory, branding itself behind his eyelids. He needed to do this right.
Nick hesitated, rubbing a hand along his jaw, the stubble rough against his palm. “And private, of course.” Privacy was paramount, too. The staff still believed he was away. Also, he didn’t want to share her—didn’t want curious eyes watching them, intruding on something so new, so precious.
“Unforgettable and private, got it. Let’s see… dinner at a restaurant is out, too public. The beach cabana is romantic, but lacks… oomph, and someone could still stumble on you there.” Michael paused, then his voice took on a thoughtful tone. “What about the Seabreeze? I can have it prepped and ready to sail by sunset.”
The Seabreeze was their yacht, a sleek, luxurious vessel he rarely used. It offered privacy, intimacy, and a breathtaking view of the coastline. The gentle rocking of the waves, the vast expanse of the starlit sky, the scent of ocean spray mingling with Kate’s jasmine perfume—it would be an ideal setting for romance, for building the foundation of something real.
“Perfect. And Michael,” Nick paused, a flicker of vulnerability threading through his voice, making it crack slightly, “it needs to be personal. Kate’s favorite flowers, favorite food… I need to figure all that out. All I know is she loves the smell of jasmine.”
Strange how foreign this was—being so meticulous about a date. He’d always relied on charm and spontaneity, the easy smile and practiced words which came without effort. But with Kate, everything was different; the stakes were higher. She mattered in a way that terrified and thrilled him in equal measure. He wanted to get it right, to show her how much she mattered.
“I bet David could get me her assistant’s number. She’d know. Get started on the yacht, and I’ll call David.”
“Understood, sir. Leave it to me.” Nick ignored theundertones of amusement in Michael’s voice, so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
He glanced out the window at the brilliant sun glinting over the tranquil waters, diamonds of light dancing across the surface. He hoped, with a fervency that surprised him and made his chest tighten, this date would be the start of something extraordinary, a chance to shed the weight of his past and embrace a future with Kate by his side. The thought, usually terrifying enough to send him running, now warmed him like coming home after years in the cold.
Chapter 39
Luminescence
The gentle lappingof the waves against the dock struck a soothing counterpoint to the nervous flutter in Kate’s stomach. She followed Nick down the pier towards the sleek, white yacht bobbing in the late afternoon breeze. A thrill coursed through her. She’d never been on a boat before.
The Seabreeze was beautiful, elegant and utterly intimidating to her landlubber self. Doubts crowded her mind. Was she dressed appropriately? Her dress—one of Callie’s amazing purchases—while gorgeous and sexy, still seemed inadequate for such a luxurious setting.