Secretly Craving You(23)

An icy shock jolted her. "I don't have whatever you're looking for. I don't even know what it is, or what it looks like!"

"It's an ancient fertility object carved from marble. It looks like a penis. Do you know what a penis looks like?"

Emily couldn't breathe enough to form a response. The line went dead.

Nick strode into the room and removed the phone from her clenched hand to hang it up.

"Oh my god," she whispered. "Who is this psycho?" She didn't realize she was crying until tears streamed down her face and Nick pulled her into his arms. "A penis made out of marble?" she asked. "Why would he kill Jared over such a thing?"

"I don't know." Nick's deep murmur reached down into her soul. "Shh. Don't cry, baby."

Baby? Since when did he call her baby? Anyway, it made her feel cared for.

She buried her face against his neck. "I'm okay." She barely pushed the words beyond her constricted throat, unable to remember the last time she'd been so terrified. But Nick's strong embrace went a long way in diffusing that fear, and made her crave having him hold her all night.

No one could hurt her if he was holding her, could they? His shoulder was hard and comforting against her cheek and his male scent, fused with light cologne, scrumptious.

The solid muscles of Nick's chest crushed and stimulated her breasts. What would he feel like naked? He'd be hot, his skin burning against her beaded nipples.

He glanced down at her, wiping her tears away and combing the hair back from her face with his fingers. God, he smelled so good she wanted to bite him. Instead, she brushed her lips along the bottom edge of his square jaw. His stubble scraped her sensitive lips, but she craved contact with him.

Frowning, he blew out a harsh breath, then lowered his chin so his lips stroked over hers. They were smooth and warm. Her breath halted just before the graze of lips turned into a kiss, at first an innocent peck, but quickly shifting to hungry devouring.

His tongue moves were positively sinful when he tortured and teased her, invading her mouth. Mmm, yes. He tasted of sexy masculinity and the red wine they'd shared earlier. She shouldn't have had two glasses…or was it three? Because now she had no will to halt the delectable kissing he was laying on her. Honestly, she had never been kissed with such erotic passion.

Holding her face between his palms, he gave her one last firm kiss and backed away. "I have to stop, dammit." He turned away, but not before she saw the prominent swelling behind his fly. Wow. She forced herself not to pull him back to her.

"I have to stay focused," he muttered. She wasn't sure whether he was talking to her or to himself.

Me, too. Yes, how could she focus?

Ignoring her arousal, she strode across the room and tried to think with some rationality about what the caller had said.

"I didn't see any sort of phallic object among Jared's antiquities," she said. "If he had one, he must have bought it within the last year or two, which wouldn't surprise me. The only problem is I have no idea where he would put it." She knew she was talking too fast, but it was the only way to move beyond the kiss and not drag Nick to the couch and maul him.

"Hell, even if he did own it, he may have already sold it months ago," Nick said, his pupils still dilated. Obviously, he was trying to ignore the attraction just as she was.

"Exactly." She dropped silent, her mind going blank and fantasies of continuing that kiss invading. It didn't take much to set her mind on that pathway. Nick's dark gaze told her his mind was in the same place. Most any glance from Nick was heated, and had been from the moment she'd met him, his smoky-gray eyes lingering on her until he'd usually turned and walked away.

But getting sexually involved with him would be about as intelligent as jumping off a cliff.

Focus, Emily! Damn, her mind was mush around Nick.

"I have to call Tia and tell her about the threat to our bridal shop," Emily said.

"Good idea. And I'll call the police and see if they'll keep an eye on the place."

* * * *

An hour later, hot water sluiced down Emily's body from the massaging shower head, rinsing away the fragrant pomegranate shower gel suds. Anything to make her forget the tantalizing scent of Nick. But nothing could erase his sexy image from her mind. She visualized him showering and getting ready to go to bed in the guest room downstairs.

The skin of her breasts, belly and thighs was extra sensitive from the arousal that had gripped her through dinner and after. Especially during that kiss.

She hoped Nick had locked all the doors and windows as he'd mentioned he would after they'd made their calls. Since he was a police officer, he'd more than likely cover everything relating to the security of the place.