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She put the cookies on the coffee table directly in front of him. “Earlier you said something about us having a complicated conversation. What is it you think we need to discuss?”
His demeanor changed, and the arrogant businessman returned in a flash. He stood, buttoning his suit jacket with one hand on the way up. How did he do that, and why did he feel the need to stand? She had the feeling Nik thought his height gave him an advantage over her.
“It isn’t that big a deal,” he said. “I thought I should spell out my intentions, because you seemed upset over the prospect of me buying property in Brookhaven.”
He had that right.
A heavy sigh parted her lips. “I have to admit that I am a bit concerned and confused. First, you tell me you’re going to fly in and out of our lives until we figure things out. Then you start talking about buying a house. That just seems like a lot of trouble and expense for someone who lives in Vegas.”
He gently pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger. Lifting her face slightly, his gaze dropped to her mouth. The move brought up a load of memories. When they were engaged, he couldn’t keep his hands off her. It hadn’t just been about sex. Sometimes his touch was protective, such as a hand on her lower back, leading her to the safest place to stand. Others had noticed, too. She remembered people talking about how romantic it was that he always had at least one hand on her.
He kissed the tip of her nose before addressing her concerns. “Sweetheart, I am a billionaire. I could buy a large house in every state, and it wouldn’t affect my bottom line. It isn’t a big purchase for me.”
His words penetrated slowly. He was right, of course. Spending a million dollars on a whim wasn’t a big deal for him. They came from such different worlds. She opened her mouth to point that out so he would understand why they couldn’t be together. The two of them didn’t make sense.
“Can I see the wedding pictures?” he asked.
She closed her mouth. If she listed the reasons why they couldn’t be together, he would just argue with her. It made more sense to let him see it for himself. Once it hit home, he wouldn’t be able to deny it. In the meantime, they could enjoy being with each other.
They sat close on the couch, and she pulled the photos from her purse. Most of them were of Kristina and Mark, of course, but there were a few sweet pictures of Mia. Adorable in her wispy lavender dress, she looked like an angel floating down the aisle.
“How did she do?” he asked.
“Pretty good. Keeping in mind, she’s only five. She gets shy in situations where more than a few people are staring at her, so she was hesitant at first. Then she saw me waiting for her and picked up the pace. I think she broke a record getting down the aisle.”
“Wish I’d been there to see it.”
The unspoken accusation floated over her head, but she pretended not to notice. It was clear he was thinking if she had told him about Mia, he could have been at the wedding.
“Here is another of Mia.” She handed him a photo of their little girl posing by herself at the reception. “I think this one is my favorite.”
“Mine, too.” He held it between his hands like it was the most precious thing in the world. “We made a beautiful baby. It may have been just six years, but I missed a lot.”
“Keep the picture. That will be your first photo of Mia, the first of many.”
“Are you sure? We could each have a copy.”
She forced a smile. “Don’t worry. I have a zillion pictures of her that I’ll have to show you someday when you have a few hours to kill.”
After they went through the wedding photos twice, they started talking about the bakery. Nik told her his ideas for her business, and she pretended to listen. A dull ache began at the top of her skull. It crept to a delicate spot behind her eyes. Why couldn’t he understand that she didn’t want his interference in her business?
To get him off the subject, she leaned forward and kissed him. Once. It was more of an invitation than a full-on physical assault. They had the entire house to themselves for the night. Why not enjoy it?
He kissed her back. Once. It was soft and sweet. Then he sat back and stared into her eyes. His hand stroked hers.
“Do you want to stay the night?” she asked.
He cupped her face between his hands and kissed her with a growing passion. She moved closer, almost in his lap now. His hands slid up beneath her top, warming the skin of her back. She tugged on his suit jacket and shirt.
Nik stopped kissing her and practically leaped to his feet.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, breathless.
He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “It’s vital that we do this right this time. I don’t want to lose you again, so we’re taking it slow. Is that okay with you?”
Stunned speechless, she nodded.
If Nik was willing to put off gratification, he was definitely a changed man. Her heart swelled with the possibilities. Maybe he meant it when he said he wanted to be with her. She still didn’t think it would work, but hope blossomed to life inside of her.
