Unexpectedly His(18)
“Another good one,” he said, furrowing his brow. “I don’t know the number, not exactly, anyway.” He eased back against the cushions, apparently nonplussed by the fact that counting his ex-lovers required an abacus and a formula-ready calculator.
Marianne shook her head, disinclined to talk about the letdown of her engagement, or Nick’s serial dating ways, not now, not in this perfectly beautiful place, with this gorgeous guy. She’d wanted to release her siren a little bit, not discuss her cheating ex with her current sexy crush. Talk about dating mistake number one.
Maybe her ex-fiancé was right to call her hopeless, too timid to be any fun in or out of the sack. Her heart flinched at the memory of her willing, tentative body, naked save a new pair of satin panties she’d picked up to surprise him, curling away, hiding from the look in his eyes as he spoke the words that tore her apart. Timid. Hopeless. The original ice queen. But she’d never felt frigid or cold. Awkward, yes. Unsure, absolutely, but never frozen inside.
No longer hungry, Marianne set her fork neatly on the plate and placed it on the table. “We should cover some of our favorites,” she said, desperate to return to the former easy fun of the game. “Favorite color. Movie. Food?”
Nick waited, his intelligent gaze seeming to gauge her mood before deciding to take the left turn along with her. He smiled and said, “Blue, anything starring Steve McQueen, and The Dirty Burger from The Red Cat in Brooklyn.” He shot her a back to you expression.
“Blue, From Here to Eternity, second only to The Misfits, and anything from the whole foods counter at Gristedes,” she joked. “You are a good cook, but I buy takeout.”
He picked up his glass and took a sip of the wine. “I like takeout. But I can teach you a few tricks in the kitchen—if you want.”
She imagined heating things up in the kitchen, learning a trick or two, even moving past her man trouble. Maybe. Next question. “Favorite place in New York?”
Nick gave her another assessing look, and then, in one enviably smooth move, he took her hand and pulled her off the couch. “Come with me.” He stepped around the coffee table and strode toward a room in the front near the windows.
“Where are we going?” she asked, stumbling in an effort to equal his initial long strides.
“To my favorite place in New York.” He slowed his pace and walked with her across the room and into his office. Once inside, he set his glass down on the desk, let go of her hand, and opened the closet to reveal a spiral staircase. “Up we go.”#p#分页标题#e#
Her eyes narrowed at the precarious-looking steps to nowhere. “Really?”
“Really,” he said, ushering her into the closet.
Marianne gave him an uncertain look, but he stood there, hands on his hips, looking like he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Go ahead,” he said, “I promise you won’t regret it.”
Her hands gripped the railing, and she started up the staircase. The metal felt cool on her bare feet, and as she climbed, her hips angled to negotiate the tight space. She glanced over her shoulder as she moved higher, and yes, he was looking.
A wicked smile creased his face, a clear sign he was enjoying the view. He ascended a few steps and leaned closer in order to reach past her and enter the lock’s code. His nearness made her head spin, and she held the railing a little tighter. His smile widened. “Keep going.”
She pressed open the door and was rewarded with a view of the city that left her completely breathless. “No wonder this is your favorite place in town.”
“Reason I bought into the co-op.”
“Do you—?” Her sweeping gesture encompassed the rooftop garden.
“No, I hire someone to take care of the place.”
Her eyes took in the border of wild lavender and overflowing pots of green leaves and bright red flowers, a small natural oasis suspended against the urban skyline. “Oh, I’d love to take care of this place—it’s beautiful.”
“You should plant something while you’re here. Add your touch.” But all she heard were the words, while you’re here, a clear reminder of the fact that she was temporary.
He placed his hand on the small of her back. “If you stand in this corner, you can see all the way to Brooklyn.”
His hand moved away, and he hooked both thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans. So relaxed and laid-back. She wanted to feel that way, wanted to crawl inside that kind of comfort. She turned back toward the view. The white noise of the city filled the silence between them. Standing with Nick, looking out over the city, she felt light years from her usual routine, and couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so charmed by something unexpected.