Bedroom Business.

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Nick paused and watched the torrents of emotions flood Jade's face. She would never make a good poker player. He was as surprised with himself as she was with him. He'd never imagined that he would have been able to talk to someone else like that. Talking to her made him feel exhilarated, made him feel things he'd never thought he could ever feel. Now as they sat on the picnic mat in front of the shimmering fountain, eating dinner, he felt content to give her time to let his words sink in and just hold her. Hell, if the sky fell on him now, he'd die a happy man.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," Jade said, finally looking up.

In the moon light, Jade could make out his handsome features clearly. At her words, his grey eyes looked fiercely pained. She squeezed his hand, offering silent comfort. Sympathetic words seemed inadequate to her. Beside her, he tensed. Jade couldn't blame him. The pain of losing a child, even if it had never been born was unarguably devastating, especially to someone like him. She'd seen the way he was around his niece; he was like an awkward big bear with them. He loved children. Out of nowhere, Jade felt surges of red-hot fury swamp her. They were directed at the Spaniard, who put the pained, hunted look in his eyes; who made him wary of women and commitment.

No matter whom she was, Diaz didn't have the right to take another life. To kill their baby like it was a pest. Staring into his eyes, Jade knew that opening up for Nick was hard. She was grateful that he trusted her enough to talk to her. There were many layers to the man, she mused. First, he'd whisked her away from the office after closing hours to dinner. She'd expected to be spending her evening in a cozy booth somewhere in the middle of New York, instead he'd pulled up in front of the most beautiful fountain she'd ever seen and declared that they were having dinner there. She hadn't had the heart to say no. The intimately secluded atmosphere combined with the intoxicating presence of the man combined together to mess with her senses. He'd gone through the trouble of packing a picnic dinner. As funny as it sounded, she found herself enjoying it. However, she still couldn't ignore the fact that he had a past, with an ex fiance lurking in the shadows.

"It was. Heck, I don't even know how I managed to move on. But one thing I do know is that I will never ever allow such a thing to happen again, not if I'm alive to stop it. I'd never forgive myself if it did"

The cold finality in his words chilled her to the bones. His face hardened as if he was seeing through her while he spoke.

"It wasn't your fault Nick. It was hers. You didn't know. If you had, you would have stopped her" she resisted to the urge to hug him.

"I should have known better than to get her pregnant. I should have" his grip was almost hurting, his fingers digging into hers. His face looked like it was carved from stone. His eyes were unfocused, and his body against hers felt unnaturally still.

"No! Don't blame yourself. She was the one who aborted the baby without telling you Nick! She was the one who deceived you! Please. I can't bear to see you like this," she cried desperately. She would have given anything at that moment to erase the tortured look on his face.

"You don't understand Jade" the vehemence in his tone jerked her. She gave in and pulled him into her breast, holding him there and letting him forget his sorrows with her under the moonlight. She didn't know how long they were there, but a tickling sensation jerked her awake. Bleary eyed, she tried to sit up, but found she was unable to. Nick was sprawled out on his chest, his face nuzzled in her midriff and the rest of his body on the ground. He was breathing heavily which tickled her stomach. The first few drops of rain splattered on her nose, making her squeal. She jumped and tried to get out from under him but he held fast to her waist, content to use her belly as his pillow. He turned his head, his side view visible. In sleep, he looked relaxed, almost human. It tugged at the strings of her heart. A lock of hair fell over his forehead. Smiling, she brushed it away. Without warning, his eyes snapped open, unfocused for a minute, alert and wary the next.

"We fell asleep?" he asked. He looked surprised and doubtful.

"I think so" Jade glanced at her wrist. "Apparently, yes. For almost an hour"

"Wow" he'd never been one to sleep randomly. In fact, recently he'd been spending his nights thinking too much, unable to fall asleep or taking too cold showers. Letting his, guard down was foreign to him. With Jade, it came as naturally as breathing. Her red hair glinted in the moon light. A small part of her head was covered with grass, while the other part stood up, ruffled from her short nap. He wondered what it would be like to wake up beside her in his bed, after a night of familiarizing himself with her body. The image sent hot waves of pure unbridled and unbidden need through his body. He didn't realize he'd been staring until she frowned.

"What's wrong?" Jade asked, raising a hand up to her head where his eyes were focused. Her eyes rounded in mock horror as she felt her hair, which under her fingers felt like a small weed farm.

"You fox!" she said, pulling out the grasses. He laughed at the look on her face. She tried to glare but failed miserably, laughing with him.

"You look more beautiful when you laugh"

"Thank you. You do too," she said. "Well not beautiful, but you know what I mean" It started to drizzle at once, showering them lightly. She laughed and got up. Sneaking a glance at him, she was content that he looked relaxed. She bent to gather their plates and bottles back into the picnic box.

"Aren't you going to help me?"

"No thank you very much. I'm happy right here," he said, crossing his legs. Jade was silent for a moment. "Chauvinistic male" she muttered under her breath. He was still silent. A mischievous glint entered her eyes. Jade picked up a plastic cup and sauntered normally towards the fountain. She leaned in and fetched a full cup before sailing towards him. As she got closer to him, it was obvious that he'd been following her actions. He sat calmly; his legs still crossed and looked up at her. Jade held up the cup, prepared to strike.

"You wouldn't dare" his voice was silent.

"Try Me," she said before launching the water at his face and hair. In seconds, his dark hair clung to his head. Before she could stop to enjoy her handiwork, he was up in a flash, lunging for her. Laughter bubbled in her throat as she ran and he followed, determined to revenge. Wisely, Jade ran around the circular fountain, and stood at one side, laughing. He stalked her; she evaded him, both of them running in the rain. It was crazy but it was fun to be with him like this.

"I will get you, no matter what," he said from the other side of the fountain, the rushing water almost swallowing his words.

"I don't think so"

"Oh you should"

"Why?"

"Because, it doesn't pay to underestimate me" the warning came too late. He had been making conversation to distract her and get closer to her. When she realized it, he was already in front of her. She shrieked wildly and tried to leap.

She shrieked louder as she missed blindly and fell splat! Into the fountain. Right under the gushing mouth of the sculpted Adonis at the top of the fountain. For a moment, everywhere was quiet.

"I got you babe" Nick was looking in to the water at her.

"I can't believe you pushed me into a fountain" Jade huffed.

"I can't believe half the things I do. And for the record, I didn't push you, you fell" he said, his face, deadpan. He thrust his hand in his pocket, pulled out his cell phone and took a picture.

"If any one ever sees that picture, you're dead," she said, swimming towards him.

"Oh, don't worry. It's for my personal enjoyment alone" she blushed at his words.

"You haven't won. I always wanted to take a dip in a fountain anyway. It was on my bucket list, now I can cross it off." She stuck out her tongue at him. He took another picture. They both laughed.

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