Chapter 18

“She’s a little like you.” He hadn’t taken his eyes off her. There was tension in the air, nothing that had ever been between them before, and she didn’t like it. Nick was always so easy to be around. Was something wrong?

“Hey, sorry guys, I’m just out of the shower. Had a phone call this morning and everything got pushed back.”

Michelle whirled toward the sexy voice and immediately fell in love. Deeply. Irrevocably. As quickly and thoroughly as she’d fallen for his necklace. Long, brown, curling hair, dark and damp from the shower, the color high in his high cheekbones, gray eyes dancing between long lashes.

Earrings in his ear, loop in his nose, body by Michelangelo. Oh, how she lusted.

Which meant this guy was bad news.

She could type him without hearing another word. He was fabulous in bed, as talented as he was artistically. Passionate, articulate, a dynamic and challenging partner. And self-absorbed to the point where if you weren’t right in front of him, or under him, you didn’t exist. How often had she dated this guy in one form or another? Too many times. But, oh, he was beautiful. Why couldn’t she fall this hard this quickly for Nolan? Maybe real love took time and she was already on her way. She sure as hell hoped so.

“Michelle, this is Sledge. Sledge, Michelle, my coworker.”

“Ah, so this is Michelle.” He took her hand and held it without shaking, looking deeply into her eyes. Take me. You know you want to.

No. She wouldn’t go there. She knew where she’d end up—yesterday’s girl, sitting by the phone, feeling like a stomped-on chewing-gum wrapper.

She deserved better. She deserved a man like Nolan who would carry part of his woman’s heart in his own all day and all night. He still spoke respectfully and affectionately about his old girlfriends.

Michelle spoke about her exes with homicidal rage.

“Nice to meet you.” She managed to withdraw her hand, feeling as if she were pulling off a body part. “I love your work.”

“That necklace looks like it was made for you.”

“It’s for Nick’s girlfriend.”

Argh. She was an idiot, making sure Sledge knew she wasn’t Nick’s girlfriend. If they were friends, he knew already. Worse, a guy like him would know exactly why she’d rushed to let him know. He grinned and Michelle was lost.

His eyes crinkled at the corner, his teeth were white and straight, and he radiated easy joy. He raised his fist and touched it to Nick’s. “Emma will love it. It’ll look great with all that gorgeous black hair.”

“Yeah. Yeah.”

Beside her Nick had stiffened and looked uncomfortable. What was up with him? He couldn’t possibly be jealous of Sledge’s compliment. Emma had the good sense to fall for Nick; she wouldn’t let someone like Sledge onto her radar.

“I’m just sayin’…” Sledge lifted his palms in surrender.

“Sure. I know. She’ll love it. I’ll take it.”

“Sweet. It’s yours. May I?” He reached toward Michelle’s throat, and Michelle, who had no such good sense and whose radar was picking up every signal Sledge sent, knew that if he touched her she’d burst into flames right there and char her favorite orange top. But oh, baby, did she ever want him to.

“I got it.” Nick stepped behind her; the necklace pulled up then fell away. She missed it immediately.

“Thanks.” She glanced at Sledge who was watching her intently, lips curled in a knowing, predatory smile. He wanted her. He knew she knew it. She needed to get out of here. Now. “We ready?”

“Sure.” Nick handed the necklace to Sledge, who slid it onto a piece of waiting tissue paper and wrapped it. “Can I pick it up later?”

“No problem. Thanks for stopping by.” He aimed a sultry wink at Michelle that further weakened her already weak knees. She’d have to take Nick’s arm to make it out the door.

“It was a pleasure.” She grabbed Nick and started dragging him toward the exit.

“Wait.” Sledge leaped, catlike, over to a bookshelf studded with those suggestive sculptures, which she didn’t want to look at in the same frame with him, and came back with a business card. “In case you need to get in touch with me, Michelle…for any reason.”

She took the card, determined to play this cool. “Oh, thanks.”

“Anytime.” He gave her another lazy smile. “Just call.”

“Sure.” She managed to pull herself away from his tractor-beam gaze and grin. Out in the hallway, she fled down the stairs and emerged into the warm sunshine of summer, feeling like a bunny that had just escaped from a mountain lion. She was so stirred up, she wasn’t even going to beg a peek at Nick’s apartment, which of course she’d been dying to see. First garbage can on the street, she was tossing his card.

“Thanks for coming, Michelle. The necklace is just right.”

“No problem. Emma will love it.”

“I know she will. Do you want to…get a coffee or something? Early lunch?”

“Oh, thanks, sweetie. I need to get home.”

“To Nolan.”

He sounded so snarky she turned and stared. “Well, yeah. How am I supposed to fall in love with him if we don’t spend any time together?”

He shook his head, those startling blue eyes filling with sudden humor. “Good luck with that. And thanks again for coming.”

Sure. She reached on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Mmm, Nick, you smell divine. Whatever that is, keep it on for Emma tonight.”

“Will do.” He turned abruptly and strode down the sidewalk back toward his building. Something was odd about him today. She couldn’t tell what. She’d ask him Monday, make sure he was okay. She couldn’t bear to think of anything troubling him. If Emma ever broke his heart, Michelle would rip hers out, barehanded.

A deep breath and she headed for her car, got in, started the engine and buckled, still a little shaky from her encounter with Mr. Heartbreak Waiting To Happen. Then ta-da, through her windshield she saw the prize: a garbage can, mounted on a streetlight. Perfect. She’d get out right now and throw the damn card away, because if she didn’t, she’d be taking it home with her, and she did not want his name and number anywhere near her house, which had a phone in it. And a bed.