Free Naughty Nicks by Christine d'Abo Page A

about to kiss her again, right here in the living room of a stranger’s house while another man stripped naked for a group of women. They weren’t ready for public displays of affection. Not yet at least.
    Instead of doing what he wanted, he reached over with his free hand and tucked her curls behind her ear. His fingers grazed her cheek and the line of her jaw as he moved, finally telling him what he’d wanted to know about the softness of her skin.
    Saliva had built up in his mouth, forcing him to swallow hard. “I think he’s about to dance with someone on the table.”
    Kim blinked several times before she turned back to Greg’s escapades. “Oh, that’s my friend Sarah. She’s the hostess.”
    He was only vaguely aware of the blatant bump and grind show currently underway. All his attention was locked on Kim, while his mind turned over the idea of where things might be able to go between them.
    Was it even possible? Or would he be setting himself up for yet more heartbreak when she realized he wasn’t the right man for her? Sure, she wasn’t the type of person to cheat or lie, but that wasn’t a guarantee that things would work out between them either.
    But who was to say they couldn’t do this? Day in and day out they proved they got along. Kim enjoyed his teasing, willing to throw it back his way without missing a beat. Even when they hadn’t seen each other for months, they’d fall back into that easy routine within seconds. She did his heart good.
    The last thing he wanted was to ruin what they had.
    “I should go.” He whispered the words against her ear. “I still have work—”
    Kim reached back and grabbed him by the belt loop. “Not an inch. You stay put.”
    They stayed locked together that way throughout the end of the performance. The women applauded like mad, and several asked to touch Greg’s abs.
    “I’d die if Jason looked like this.”
    “Jason wouldn’t know what a gym was if you led him there.”
    “Neither would Bret.”
    “Everyone, I have snacks in the kitchen. Let’s fill up our Santa with milk and cookies before he has to head out on his way.”
    Eventually the group around Greg made their way toward what Blake assumed was the kitchen. Kim still hadn’t released his belt loop, nor did she make any move to follow the others. When they were the only two who remained, she turned around and shoved him against the doorjamb.
    “How dare you?”
    Whoa. He’d seem Kim’s many moods over the years, but pissed off certainly wasn’t one of them. “What’s the matter?”
    “I was going to ask you that.” She pressed her open hand into his chest. There was no way she was a physical match for him, but it didn’t matter. Blake didn’t have the strength to break the contact between them. “I don’t get you anymore.”
    “What’s to get? I’m still me.” No , dude , you’re a lying liar who lies.
    “Bullshit and you know it. You’re different this year. One minute you’re kissing me outside the bathroom and the next you’re turning tail and running away. If you want to have sex, get things out of your system, you know I’m up for that. I’ve always been up for that.”
    “Kim...” He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall. “We probably should be discussing this in private.”
    “Yes we should. But every time I think you’re going to man up and have a conversation about this...” she curled her fingers into his shirt, pulling more than a few chest hairs, “...thing between us, you run. So we’re going to do it here. What is wrong with you? Are you mad at me?”
    “What? No.”
    “Then why aren’t you talking to me? Do you regret the kiss? Do you regret sleeping with me? Hiring me?”
    God, that look of hurt didn’t belong on her face. He reached up and covered her hand with his. “Not even for a second.”
    “Then what’s wrong? I like you. I proved that the night we met. I know I work for you and you might have some weird sexual