Part 3 (1/2)
”So, does this always work for you?” said the fly to the spider.
Nick helped her out of her coat, folded it, and laid it over the back of a chair. Rosalie sensed the debate going on in his head-Should he feign ignorance, or give her a straight answer?
”Yes, it does, but if it's any consolation, I haven't used it for years.”
He held her chair as she sat. ”How come? Were you in a long-term relations.h.i.+p?”
Nick took his seat, shot her a grin, and she melted a little.
He shook his head. ”No one else seemed worth the trouble.”
d.a.m.n, this guy was good. He handed her a line, and her bulls.h.i.+t meter didn't even go off.
A busboy came in and caught Nick's eye. ”Yo, Nick.”
”How's it going, Sonny?”
”Dad asked if your date was one of those vegetarians. If not, he said you should order the special. Veal saltimbocca.”
Nick laughed. ”Does she look like a vegetarian?”
Rosalie didn't know whether to be insulted or not. Had he just called her fat? Sonny looked at Rosalie and then away. She had a hard time seeing in the dimly lit room, but she could swear the kid blushed.
”Nope.”
”Rosalie, meet Sonny, Vinny and Mona's son.”
She bit back a grin. The kid looked about sixteen, and once he grew into his feet and filled out, he would be a lady-killer. ”Hi.”
Sonny kept his eyes averted. Nick winked at her. ”Veal okay with you?” ”Sounds good.”
Nick pushed his chair back and dug into his back pocket for his wallet. ”How much is she paying you for spying?”
”Ma said I'd get a ten, and she'd buy me the new Xbox 360 game I want.”
Nick took out a twenty. ”Here's the deal. You tell her what we ate, say Rosalie was nice, and we held hands, but you didn't hear or see anything beyond that, capisce? You do that, and you can keep this and your mother's bribe. Agreed?”
”Yeah, whatever you say, Nick.” Sonny pulled on the twenty, but Nick didn't let go.
”I find out you told Mona anything else, I'll stop adding to your college fund. You get me?”
Sonny nodded and stashed the bill in his pocket. ”You know, if I don't get back out there, Ma will figure this out for herself, and we'll both be in deep sh-”
”Watch your language and get out of here.”
Nick took Rosalie's hand. She tried pulling away, but he held on.
”You don't want to make a liar out of Sonny, do you?”
She shook her head. She didn't want to make a big deal of it. Nick held her hand and rubbed his thumb on the center of her palm. She wouldn't say it felt as if a lightning bolt shot through her, because that sounded so cliched, but she needed to rethink her opinion on reflexology. There had to be something to it, because whatever he did to her hand had a definite effect on several other parts of her body.
Nick sat back, rocking on the back legs of the chair. ”So, when did you see Joey?”
”How did you know I saw him?”
”You wouldn't be here with me if you were still in a relations.h.i.+p with him, and you're too nice to break up with a guy over the phone.”
”You're a.s.suming a lot.”
Nick dropped her hand and slid his chair back before he stood.
”I'll take you home.”
What? Confused, she asked. ”What do you mean?”
”I mean, I'll take you home. I'm no saint, Lee, but I don't poach.”
Rosalie's anger got the better of her. She stood, because she couldn't very well let the guy have it when she sat eye level with his crotch. ”Fine, but for the record, I don't cheat. I broke up with Joey last night, but it had nothing to do with you. Second, I resent the term ”poaching.” It brings to mind images of hunting poor defenseless elephants. I am neither defenseless nor an elephant. And n.o.body calls me Lee.” Rosalie turned to grab her coat.
”Whoa.” Nick caught her by the arm and held her gently, but firmly. She wouldn't get away unless she struggled, and if she did, it would kill any chance of a dignified exit. He stepped closer.
”You're the one who said I a.s.sumed a lot. You can't blame me for misinterpreting your meaning.”
Okay, she'd give him that. She started to tell him so, but he took both her hands in his, leaving her speechless. Rosalie had a really hard time talking without using her hands. She'd become mute. Nick, however, didn't suffer the same affliction.
”I don't see you as defenseless, and the only thing you have in common with an elephant is your ability to walk all over a guy. I'm sorry if you don't like me calling you Lee, but Rosalie is too d.a.m.n long, and you don't look like a Rose or even Rosa. Lee suits you. So shoot me.”
Sometime during his little speech, he'd moved closer. She didn't know what shocked her more, that she could feel his breath on her cheek or that he thought she could walk all over a guy. She put her hand on his chest to try to control the distance between them as he closed in and kissed her. He sent no silent message that said, ”I'm going to kiss you now unless you back away.” There were none of the typical signs. He went for it full throttle.
The word kiss didn't describe what he did to her, with her. It was too tame to express the possessive, carnal dance of mouths, tongues, teeth, and breath. It bespoke intimacy and need, and vibrated with barely controlled pa.s.sion. He explored her mouth with a diligence so complete, it was almost a religious experience.
It took Rosalie a moment to realize that Nick had stopped kissing her. She had her fingers tangled in his hair, and her chest flattened against his. Nick had his knee between her legs, pus.h.i.+ng her skirt higher than it should ever be in public, his hands were on her b.u.t.t, and they were both breathing heavily. She opened her eyes and stepped back on weak legs. Nick stared at the table behind her. When she turned, she understood why. The table now held two gla.s.ses of wine, an opened bottle of Chianti, and a loaf of bread with a plate of olive oil sprinkled with cheese and cracked black pepper. She didn't know who groaned, but one of them did.
”I'm going to have to pay Sonny a lot more than a twenty to hush this one up, though maybe I should charge him for the lesson.”
Rosalie wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole. She'd never been more embarra.s.sed.
Someone knocked on the now-closed door. It opened, and a big man walked in wearing an ap.r.o.n and black-and-white checked pants with a soiled towel thrown over his shoulder.
”I brought the wine, in case you were wondering. Sonny's too young to serve alcohol.”
”Thanks, Vin.” Nick looked equal parts relieved and embarra.s.sed.
”Eh? You two goin' somewhere before dinner? Sit down.”
Nick held Rosalie's chair. She had no choice but to sit. Vinny put a plate of antipasti on the table. ”Buon appet.i.te.” ”Buon appet.i.te.”
She reached for her wine and drank it down. Nick went for his water. From the looks of it, water hadn't worked any better than wine to stop the flames shooting between them, but the wine definitely helped the embarra.s.sment factor.
She couldn't believe she'd been humping his leg!