Page 19 of Naughty or Nice?

“So I noticed,” he says, following me deeper into the living room. “I also notice you’re back. Flight didn’t go as planned?”

Releasing a disappointed breath, I fold my arms. “It was canceled. Inclement weather.”

He grunts. “We are supposed to be getting a couple inches later tonight.”

“If you don’t mind… if I can stay… just a couple more days…”

“I told you, darling, stay as long as you like.” His eyes twinkle, full of warmth and understanding.

Two things I could use a lot of right about now.

After the last two days I’ve had, I should be grateful. Yet I find myself turning away from him, cloaked by the unshakable guilt that plagues me.

I fucked Nate’s dad.

I. Fucked. His. Dad.

IFUCKEDHISDAD!

It’s the kind of thing you’d hear on Maury or Jerry Springer or some other crazy talk show before they went off the air.

Nicholas seems to carry no shame at all. He seems to sense I’m avoiding him and takes a couple steps closer. “Kendall,” he says gently. “Look at me.”

“Nicholas…”

“Kendall.” He tips my face up by the chin, forcing my gaze along with it. “Say the word. If I’m making you uncomfortable, I’ll leave. You can still stay here as long as you like. But I thought we could talk about what happened last night.”

“You mean what shouldn’t’ve happened last night?”

His lips slant into a slight frown. “It was probably the wrong time and place, but I don’t regret any of it.”

“I do,” I snap. “You’re my fiancé’sfather, Nicholas. It’s wrong.”

“Ex. Ex-fiancé.”

I scoff and turn my back on him. “He and I were broken up for twenty-four hours when we… did that. Do you know how betrayed Nate would feel if he found out? What am I supposed to say the next time I see him?”

“You’re a lot more concerned with his feelings than he is with yours. He’s my son, and I love that kid more than life itself… but it’s the truth. My son’s a selfish SOB sometimes.”

“So because Nate can be a little selfish it means I shouldn’t feel guilty?”

He pinches the bridge of his nose and husks out a deep breath. “That’s not what I meant.”

“It was good. Real good. Amazing. But it was a one-time thing,” I say, firming up my tone. Making sure I sound more certain than I feel. “We can’t ever do anything like that again. And… and Nate can’t ever find out about it.”

“I’m not a liar. I don’t keep things from my loved ones.”

“You’ll have to keep this. He can’t know, Nicholas. Swear to me you won’t say anything.”

He regards me for a moment in deep consideration. “Alright, darling. I won’t say a word on one condition.”

“Which is?”

He takes a step closer, hooking his arm around my waist to draw me toward him. “You owe me a round two. I’m not finished with you yet.”

CHAPTER 7

Nicholas