“There’s your dad, too.”
Her brows drew together. “My dad? What’s he got to do with anything?”
“You obviously have problems with him. Your life is complicated enough without adding a secret…” He waved his hand impatiently. “Affair.”
“That’s bull. You’re reaching for excuses.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have led you on. But it’s better this way.”
She glared at him, eyes blazing, and despite the situation, he couldn’t help admiring the obstinate line of her jaw and the feisty set of her lips. Even when she was angry with him she was such a turn-on.
“Right,” she said. “It’s so much better now that you’ve toyed with me and dropped me without any discussion.”
“I’m discussing it right now.”
“No, you’re not. You’ve already made up your mind, and now you want to deliver the bad news pronto and scuttle off like a cockroach.”
Shit, the woman had a tongue like a razor. “If you want to take a shot at me, then go ahead. I’m not scuttling off anywhere.”
“How big of you.” Nina ran her fingers through her hair, pushing up sheaves of golden strands. “But don’t worry. I’m not going to have a huge meltdown just because you’re tired of me.”
Tired of Nina? Was that even possible?
She tugged at her T-shirt, stretching the material across her bust, and for a moment he was blinded by the memory of her breasts—sweet and delicate, with delicious nipples that responded so well to his licking…
Need roiled in him to grasp her and make a mockery of everything he’d just said. He shut his eyes and growled as he strove for willpower.
“I’ll be as nice as pie to everyone.” Her glower singed him, taunting him as it fueled his hunger. “Even you.” The air between them beat with prickling silence. Then she straightened her shoulders and walked away, leaving him alone, aroused, and uneasy.
…
Joe was restless. It was Wednesday night, and the local wine club was having its monthly meeting in the restaurant. Normally Joe enjoyed chatting with the members, but tonight he couldn’t settle and instead prowled back and forth between the bar and the restaurant.
If he’d thought reining in his lust for Nina would restore normality to his life, then he was sorely disappointed. Ever since yesterday morning Nina had treated him with a shiny brightness that grated because he knew it was meant to irritate him. When she’d turned that friendliness on others—whether it was the guests, the staff, or anyone else who turned up at the inn—he’d been forced to watch them bask in her warmth. He’d grit his teeth until he had a permanent ache in his jawbone.
Tonight she was busing tables in the restaurant, and because he didn’t want her thinking that he was checking up on her, he ducked in and out from the bar next door. As the evening wore on, he walked into the restaurant one more time to see Nina standing by the counter that displayed the club’s featured bottles of wine.
“These are some good wines you have here,” Joe heard Nina say to the president of the wine club.
The guy went pink with pleasure. “We try to get a good variety.”
“That 1997 Barbaresco is very nice.” She pointed to one of the bottles.
The president raised his eyebrows. “Yes, isn’t it?” He coughed, clearly taken aback. “A wine for special occasions.”
Joe was just as surprised as the president. How was a lowly coffee shop waitress familiar with wine that cost more than a hundred and fifty bucks a bottle?
Nina caught Joe’s eye and flushed as if she’d been caught. “Oh, er, maybe I was mistaken.”
She picked up her tray and rushed off, glasses clinking dangerously. Joe followed her into the wash area of the kitchen.
“So you’re a wine aficionado, eh?”
Sarah, who’d been walking past, stopped. “Who’s a wine aficionado?”
“Nina.” Joe nodded in her direction. “Apparently she likes a drop of 1997 Barbaresco.”
“What?” Sarah eyed Nina suspiciously. “How can you afford a wine like that?”
Nina noisily rinsed the glasses. “I never said I’d bought it. I just know how to, you know, sound knowledgeable about it.” She waved a hand, scattering water droplets over them. “It’s all about the elegant palate and the raspberry notes and the abundant tannin and—”
“Okay, I’ve heard enough.” Sarah walked off.
Joe continued to study Nina. He couldn’t figure her out. Had she been flirting with the president of the wine club just to get a rise out of him? Or did she really drink expensive wine?
“When you’re done here, there’re some tables in the bar that need clearing,” he said.
He left and returned to the bar, where he vowed not to let Nina affect him anymore. But that didn’t stop his neck muscles from bunching up when she entered the bar and went to clear a table where a group of men was sitting. The men started chatting with her, and she responded, looking so relaxed and friendly that Joe found himself gritting his teeth again. With a final smile, Nina picked up her tray, and as she walked off, all the guys at the table swiveled as one to check out her ass. Joe clenched his fists until they felt like boulders hanging at his sides. How dare those dickwads stare at her like that?
Still simmering dangerously, he marched over to the bar where Nina was sliding her tray across to Vince.
“Having fun?” he bit out.
She spun around at his sharp tone. Vince raised his eyebrows at him, but all Joe’s attention was focused on the maddening woman in front of him.
“I am,” she smoothly replied.
Nina was in the black denim jeans and lemon sweater he’d seen her in many times before, but despite that and the fact she’d been working several hours, she’d never seemed more luscious and irresistible. Why was it so hard to stick to his guns?
“Things are winding down,” he said. “Why don’t you quit early?”
She raised her eyebrows. “But my shift doesn’t end for another hour.”
Another hour of watching her strut around the place giving all the male customers something to pant over? His blood vessels wouldn’t survive that. “I’ll cover for you. You can have an early night. Don’t worry, I’ll still pay you for the full shift.”
She tapped her fingernails on the bar counter. “I’m not worried.”
“No, nothing’s worrying you today, apparently.”
A muscle twitched in her cheek. “That’s right. I’m peachy keen.”
“I can see that. So can everyone else. Especially that group of guys you were just batting your eyelashes at.”
Blue fire sparked in her eyes as she leaned toward him. “Jealous? Would you prefer I bat my eyelashes at you?”
Her scent filled his nostrils. She smelled of honeysuckle and hand-cut potato wedges and a hint of beer—a knockout combination that made him want to pull her to his chest. The force of his urges made him dizzy. He glanced about, wondering if anyone was witnessing his turmoil, and saw Vince had retreated to the other end of the bar counter, where he busied himself polishing a glass as if his life depended on it.
“Look.” Joe jerked his chin. “We’ve scared Vince away.”
“You’ve scared him away. I haven’t done anything.”
“The hell you haven’t. Ever since yesterday you’ve been flouncing around in front of me, wiggling your ass in my face.”
“Wiggling!” Several people looked up. Nina flung down her dishcloth, lowering her voice as she said, “Why would I wiggle and flounce at you? You’ve made it clear you don’t want my ass anywhere near your face.”
Blood thudded in his ears. Maybe holding back wasn’t such a good idea after all. For a start, it was bad for his blood pressure. And how could he concentrate on anything if he constantly had to fight his urges? And battle his raging jealousy every time Nina so much as smiled at another guy? If this frustration continued for much longer, he’d explode, and probably at the worst possible time. Better to find a safety valve and release some pressure, right?
He butted in and shoved his elbow on the counter next to her, pressing his forearm against hers. She let out a little gasp as her flesh quivered against his. He was quivering, too, the contact with her skin firing every brain synapse. Her blue eyes, big as saucers, sucked him in.
Yeah, he needed that safety valve real bad right now.
Joe bent his head toward Nina’s. “Meet me out back in half an hour,” he whispered, “and I’ll show you where to put your ass.”
A pulse fluttered in her throat as she swallowed. She moistened her lips, her face flushed and fierce. “You’d better show up,” she huffed, her voice low and hoarse, “or I’ll never speak to you again, Joe Farina.”
He gave her a brash grin. “Now that’s the kind of win-win proposition I like.”
…
This could be a disaster in so many ways.
As Nina headed for the door that led to the rear of the inn, she considered running back to her room, but her body had a will of its own, and her feet continued down the hallway.
She was setting herself up for humiliation. If she waited out back and Joe didn’t show, she’d be mortified. Joe’s reasons why they shouldn’t fraternize made sense, and deep down she couldn’t help agreeing with them…but she just couldn’t fight the attraction anymore, and if he stood her up she’d be so furious and embarrassed she’d hitchhike out of town—even this late at night—all the way back to San Francisco. And maybe put a hit out on Joe.