Read Resisting Nick (Wicked in Wellington) for Free Online Page A

sooner stowed her first bag of clothes away when a sharp rat-tat-tat thudded on the door. Tyler?
    She opened it and found Nick. Caught her breath.
    “How—”
    “—did I know you were here? I told you Tyler was the best P.A. I ever had. The staff address file is right up to date.”
    Sammie tried to suppress a smile. “And how did you get into the building?”
    “Waited until someone came out and gallantly held the door open for her.”
    “So much for security,” she grumped.
    Nick’s lips twitched, and he proffered the bottle of wine he held. “Housewarming.”
    She shook her head. “I’m just settling in, Nick. I haven’t even met the cat yet.” She pushed at the door.
    One booted foot stopped it.
    “Please?” he asked.
    “Take your foot away.”
    She was amazed and relieved when he did. But he made no move to leave, and the expression on his face became ragged.
    “What?” she asked.
    “I could really do with someone to talk to. And I think it needs to be a woman.”
    She sent him a withering look. “I’m sure you have dozens at your disposal.”
    “But not to talk with.”
    Okay, I asked for that.
    “Why me?” She shot him a narrow-eyed glare.
    “No baggage. No axe to grind. Someone neutral.”
    A prickle of unease ran down her spine. For sure he didn’t look his usual self. She opened the door a little wider. “What’s wrong, Nick?”
    He held the wine out towards her again. “Pour me a drink first, huh?”
    He sounded so weary she almost put out a hand to help him into the apartment.
    The third cupboard she opened contained glasses. Nick meantime had noticed the cat still looking agitated outside. He crossed to the cat door, tilted it open, and started to sweet-talk the little tabby. In no time, he was tickling under its chin.
    “She’s called Zorro.”
    “She?”
    “I suspect someone made a sex mistake.”
    Nick’s slow burn of a smile alerted her to what she’d just said. “We all do that, now and again,” he said, nodding sagely.
    “Speak for yourself.”
    “Never made a sex mistake, Samantha? You’re a rare woman.”
    She set the glasses on the counter with more of a thump than she intended. Nick left the cat and opened the wine for her.  
    “What do you need a woman’s opinion on?” she asked, intrigued despite her decision to stay well clear of him.
    “It’s a family thing,” he said as he poured. “Women are better at that side of life.”
    “Maybe. I don’t have much family. Only one brother, and he’s a lot older.” She refused to think of the sister she might have had—the tiny baby who’d died eighteen months after Ray was born. Was that why there’d never been other children?  
    Until her. The late mistake who’d apparently messed everything up.  
    “I’m a bad choice,” she added.
    “Parents?”
    She thought for a moment before answering, not wanting to give her identity away. It would be too embarrassing working for him if he knew she was silly little Sammie from all those years ago.
    “Both dead.”
    “Damn. Sorry I asked. But here’s the thing. Your parents influence who you are—right? Set the standards. Pass on their genes and their strengths and weaknesses.”
    Sammie moved across to the chrome and leather sofa, hoping he’d take the matching chair. To her annoyance he chose to sit beside her, legs spread apart, denim clad knee touching her bare one.  
    She placed her wine on the glass topped coffee table and eased away a little. God, this close he had her vibrating as though she was some sort of scientific instrument measuring sexual attraction. And he was way up there on the scale.  
    Eleven out of ten at least.

CHAPTER FIVE

    She groaned inwardly and tried to concentrate. “Yes of course. They’d pass everything on. Half from each parent, unless one had more dominant characteristics. I think two brown eyed people can’t produce a truly blue eyed baby for instance.”
    She reached out and took a desperate gulp of the deep red