She didnt owe him anything. Hed used her to get back at Henry, and they both knew it. Exactly when was that? When you begged me to touch you all over ? She hadnt begged him. More like asked. And shed been young and naive.

Delaney pulled her little car next to Nicks Jeep and bolted up the stairs. She wasnt prepared to see him. Each time she thought of his mouth on her breast and his hand between her thighs, her cheeks got hot. She would have had sex with him right there on her couch, no doubt about it. All he had to do was look at her and he sucked her in like a Hoover. All he had to do was touch her and she wanted to suck him like a Hoover. He had the ability to make her forget who he was. Who she was, and their past together. I told you not to worry and that Id take care of you, but you looked at me like I was some kind of rapist and left with Henry . She didnt really believe him now any more than she had the other night. He had to be lying. But why would he lie? It wasnt like hed been trying to sweet-talk her out of her clothes. Shed pretty much abandoned all modesty by that point.

She laid her dress on the couch and reached for Nicks txapel sitting on the coffee table where shed left it. Her fingertips traced the leather band and smooth wool. It didnt matter now. Nothing had changed. That night at Angel Beach was old history and best left in the past. Even if it werent for Henrys will, there was no future for the two of them. He was a womanizer and she was leaving just as soon as possible.

With the beret in one hand Delaney walked back outside to the parking lot. Nicks Jeep was still there, and she opened the drivers side door. The beige leather interior was still warm as if hed arrived just before shed returned to her apartment. The Jeep key was in the ignition, and his Basque cross hung from the rearview mirror. A big box of tools, an extension cord, and three jars of wood putty were tossed in the back. Hed obviously been living in Truly too long, but she supposed if she were a thief, shed think twice about stealing from an Allegrezza. She set his beret on the leather seat, then turned and hurried back up to her apartment. She didnt want him to have any reason to walk up her stairs. Obviously, she had no willpower where he was concerned, and it was just best to avoid him as much as possible.

Delaney sat on her couch and tried to tell herself she wasnt listening for sounds from below. She wasnt listening for the rattle of keys or the crunch of gravel beneath heavy boots. She wasnt listening, but she heard his office door open and close, his keys and the scuff of boots. She heard nothing but silence when he discovered his txapel and she imagined him pausing to look up the stairs at her apartment. The silence drew as she listened for his footsteps. Finally, the Jeeps engine rumbled to life and he rolled out of the parking lot below.

Delaney slowly let out a breath and closed her eyes. Now all she had to do was get through Lisas wedding. With seventy-five guests, she could easily ignore Nick. How hard could it be?

Chapter Fourteen

It was a nightmare. Only this time, Delaney was definitely awake. The evening had started out wonderful enough. The wedding ceremony had gone smoothly. Lisa looked beautiful, and the pictures afterward hadnt lasted too long. Shed left Henrys Cadillac at the church and ridden to the Lake Shore with Lisas cousin Ali, who owned a salon in Boise. For the first time in a long while, Delaney had been able to chat hair trends with another professional, but most important, shed been able to avoid Nick.

Until now. Shed known about the wedding dinner of course, but she hadnt known the tables would be organized in a large open rectangle with all the guests seated on the outside so everyone could see everyone else. And she hadnt known about the arranged seating or she would have switched her engraved placecard to avoid the nightmare she was living.

Beneath the table, something brushed the side of Delaneys foot, and she would bet it wasnt an amorous mouse. She pulled both feet beneath her chair and stared down at the remains of her filet mignon, wild rice, and asparagus spears. Somehow, shed been seated on the grooms side, sandwiched between Narcisa Hormaechea, who clearly didnt care for her, and the man who refused to cooperate and let her ignore him any longer. The harder she tried to pretend Nick didnt exist, the more pleasure he took in provoking her. Like accidentally bumping her arm and making her rice shoot off her fork.

“Did you bring your handcuffs? he asked next to her left ear as he reached across her for a bottle of Basque Red. His tuxedo lapel brushed her bare arm.

Like an erotic movie wrapped for continuous play, visions of his hot mouth on her naked breast played in her head. She couldnt even look at him without blushing like an embarrassed virgin, but she didnt need to actually see him to know when he raised his wine to his lips, or when his thumb stroked the clear stem, or when he shoved his black bow tie into a pocket and removed the black stud at his throat. She didnt have to look at him to know he wore his pleated cotton shirt and tuxedo jacket with the same casual ease he wore flannel and denim.

“Excuse me. Narcisa touched Delaneys shoulder, and she turned her attention to the older woman, who had two white streaks on the sides in her perfect dome of black hair. Her brows were lowered and her brown eyes were magnified behind a pair of thick octagon-shaped glasses, making her appear a little like a myopic Bride of Frankenstein. “Could you pass the butter, please? she asked and pointed to a small bowl sitting by Nicks knife.

Delaney reached for the butter, careful to keep any part of her from touching Nick. She held her breath, waiting for him to say something rude, crude, or socially unacceptable. He didnt utter a word, and she immediately grew suspicious, wondering what he planned next.

“It was a beautiful wedding, dont you think? Narcisa asked someone further down the table. She took the bowl from Delaney, then ignored her completely.

Delaney didnt really expect warm fuzzies from Benitas sister and turned her gaze to the bride and groom, who were surrounded by parents and grandparents on both sides. Earlier, shed braided Lisas brown hair in an inside-out coronet. Shed stuck in a few sprigs of babys breath, and wove in a piece of tulle. Lisa looked great in a white off-the-shoulder gown, and Louie was quite dapper in his black tails. Everyone seated near the bride and groom appeared happy, and even Benita Allegrezza smiled. Delaney didnt think shed ever seen the woman smile, and she was surprised at how much younger Benita looked when she wasnt glaring. Sophie sat next to her father with her hair pulled up in a simple ponytail. Delaney would have loved to have gotten her hands and scissors on all that thick dark hair, but Sophie had insisted her grandmother fix it for her.

“When is it your turn to get married, Nick? The booming question came from down the table.

Nicks quiet laughter mixed with the other noise in the room. “Im too young, Josu.

“Too wild, you mean.

Delaney glanced a few feet down the table. She hadnt seen Nicks uncle in a long time. Josu was stocky like a bull and had florid cheeks, due in part to the amount of vino hed poured back.

“You just havent found the right woman, but Im sure youll find a nice Basque girl, Narcisa predicted.

“No Basque girls, Tia. Youre all too stubborn.

“You need someone stubborn. Youre too handsome for you own good, and you need a girl who will tell you no. Someone who wont say yes to you all the time about everything. You need a good girl.

Out of the corner of her eye, Delaney watched Nicks long blunt fingers brush the linen tablecloth. When he responded, his voice was smooth and sensual, “Even good girls say yes eventually.