Page 17 of Someone Exactly Like Me (Wounded Hearts 1)
“Yeah.” Nicco stands firm and doesn’t move, continuing to keep his hand holding me against him.
“Well, maybe she doesn’t wanna be.”
Nicco nods his head and, within seconds, two bouncers are standing behind the men behind us.
“Are we gonna have a problem tonight guys?” one of the bouncers asks.
“Nope,” the drunk man answers. The men separate, making space for Nicco and me to walk away. “No problem.”
“I didn’t think so,” the bouncer says.
Nicco reaches around, takes my hand in his, and ushers me in front of him as we walk between the men. My heart lurches and pounds in my chest. While I know his words were dictated by the situation and didn’t mean anything, the way he claimed me as his was kind of flattering. I’ve never felt so protected by a man. Yeah, Henry wouldnothave done well in that situation.
Nicco leads us through the crowd of dancing bodies. It takes me two steps to keep up with his long-legged strides. He marches us down the hallway and presses the elevator button. Now that we’re alone, he releases my hand and paces while we wait. When the elevator doors open, he nudges me in with his hand on the small of my back. The doors close behind us and he puts his large hands on my waist, turning me to face. Towering above me, he places his hands against the wall on either side of me. His arms stiff, he hangs his head above me.
“Why did you put yourself in danger like that?” With nostrils flaring, his anger startles me. “Do you not see how sexy you are? Men like that will eat you alive and take advantage of you. You should’ve stayed in the suite.” He withdraws his hands, turns away from me, and then turns back to face me. Curling his hand under my chin, he gently strokes my cheek with his thumb. Concern replaces the anger in his eyes. “They could’ve easily hurt you.”
Though I’m startled, his protectiveness is comforting and my nerves temper. And sexy? Maybe he had more drinks than I saw. Maybe I’m so tipsy I didn’t hear him correctly. There’s no way this man looks at me and thinks, “sexy.”
Nicco
I look down into her soft blue eyes. With her blonde hair and alabaster skin, her beauty is undeniable. While I’m sure she can stand up for herself, I didn’t like watching her so helpless surrounded by those assholes. I’m glad I got to her in time before something happened. I’m not typically an angry person, but when she was in danger, my blood vibrated.
“Thank you for coming to get me.” Her gentle voice is like soft music in my ears and I’m frozen. Frozen by a longing I haven’t felt — I’ve denied — for years. One brief glance at her lips.
After Ana, I refused to let myself kiss a woman. Unless I’m getting paid to play a role that requires it, I don’t kiss women on the lips. Sex is sex. That’s all it’s become for me. I don’t need to entangle it with emotions or the intimacy of a kiss. Yet right now, looking down into Destiny’s eyes, it’s all I can do to keep myself from leaning in and capturing her lips.
The elevator doors open and I turn around to the opening. She walks past me and toward Candi as I head to the bar. Barry comes over to me and I order another whiskey and a s’mores martini then ease back into the bar stool and watch Destiny and Candi talk.
As Barry sets my drink down, Destiny takes her purse from Candi, gets out her phone, and slings her purse onto her shoulder. After checking something on her phone, she hugs Candi. I take a sip of my drink, peeking over the rim at Destiny’s long, milky legs slide out between the fabric of her jumpsuit as she walks toward me.
“Nicco, thank you so much for getting this suite for my birthday. It was a very unexpected gesture and I appreciate it.”
“You’re not leaving, are you?” I want to know more about her and I’m not letting her out of my sight after what happened.
She looks down toward her feet and a silky curl of her hair falls forward. When she looks back up at me, she tucks the hair behind her ear with her slender fingers.
“Yes, I — it’s getting late, and I — really should get home.”
I’m so used to pretentiousness women and Destiny’s shyness is charming.
“Stay. Let me get you at least one birthday drink.”
“You really don’t have to do that. You’ve already done all this.” She spreads her arms and looks around the suite.
“I know I don’t have to. I want to.”
“I really think I should go. I already ordered an Uber.”
“Uber? No. Cancel it. I’ll take you and Candi home when you’re ready to go. Please, have one drink with me.” I gesture toward the bar stool.
She hesitates and her eyes shift to Candi and then back to me. “Um, okay.” She slides into the bar stool and taps on her phone, cancelling the Uber.
Barry sets the martini on a cocktail napkin in front of her.
“Wow, you’re fast,” she says, smiling at him.
“So, tell me.” I draw her attention back to me and put my suit jacket around her shoulders again. “How did you know you wanted to be a romance author? Is that what your parents do?”
