her eyes off him. She immediately noticed that Simone was studying him intently, too. The girl watched his every movement, her shy face a study of admiration. When he lowered his glass, Simone quickly looked away, but not before Nicole caught a glimpse of the pink blush staining her cheeks.
Damn. It was just as she’d feared. Wyatt was more of a danger to any young woman than his blond, lothario cousin ever could be. Where Brady's charm made a woman feel flattered, Wyatt's raw male sensuality made her feel desire. Simone wasn't immune to it. And if Nicole were honest about it, she wasn’t immune either. That was evidence by the way her gaze returned to him yet again.
How could she still want him? She couldn't deny it. Ever since she'd been back in Florida, back near Wyatt, her body had been on sensory overload with the look of him, his touch, his smell. Every single time they were together, even when she was furious with him, she remembered that long hot summer, making love on the beach, in the barn, anywhere they could be alone. It had been the most erotic, sensuous time of her life.
The one and only time she’d been in love.
Yes, she’d sometimes hated him over the years, but mostly when she’d thought of Wyatt Clayton, she’d just been filled with sadness. Not for herself…for him. Because he’d made the wrong choice all those years ago, thrown away something that probably would have made him very happy. He’d been totally alone.
Maybe it was because of that sympathy—not to mention the fact that she’d been trying to convince herself to abide by her own rule and consider him a stranger—that he was getting under her skin again, working his way back into her emotions as if he’d never broken her heart.
Nicole realized she'd been caught staring when Wyatt narrowed his eyes slightly. At some point he'd lowered his glass and turned toward her, possibly even asking her something. She hadn't heard, hadn't noticed. All she'd been able to think about was that glistening path on the side of his neck and how much she wanted to follow it with her tongue.
Standing quickly, she said, "I've got to get out of here."
"Why?" he asked, a small smile playing around his moist lips.
The question was simple, yet loaded with challenge. He knew why she was suddenly so uncomfortable. Wyatt had always known his effect on women. He'd never tried to conceal it with false modesty. Such utter, complete confidence was another thing that made him so irresistible.
"I need to take a shower," she stammered. "I mean, I need to get home and shower before I go to the hospital to see Dad."
Nicole quickly walked out of the kitchen, hoping he wouldn't follow. Wyatt had always been able to read her emotions much too easily. Still, she told herself, maybe she was wrong. Maybe he hadn't noticed her blatant staring.
"Nicole?"
She stopped at the front door, her hand on the knob, then looked over her shoulder to where Wyatt stood in the kitchen doorway.
"Yes?"
"Make sure your shower's a nice cold one."
She felt hot blood rush to her face.
"I mean, you're not used to these sultry Florida days anymore. A long cold shower should help cool you off."
He flashed that flirtatious, crooked grin of his. Grimacing, Nicole hurried out of the house without another word.
CHAPTER FIVE
There was no phone jack in her old bedroom in Dad's house, so when the strident ring woke her at one a.m., Nicole had to hurry to answer it. Maria had her own phone line in her downstairs room, and probably wouldn't hear the ringing from the kitchen. Saying a quick prayer that it wasn't the hospital calling with bad news about her father, Nicole stumbled into the hall and grabbed the receiver on the fifth ring.
"Nicole, I need you."
A sense of relief flashed through her when she heard Wyatt on the other end of the line. "What's wrong?"
"It's Winnie. Looks like she tangled with some kind of animal...she's pretty torn up."
Nicole sucked in a breath, hearing in Wyatt's
Damn. It was just as she’d feared. Wyatt was more of a danger to any young woman than his blond, lothario cousin ever could be. Where Brady's charm made a woman feel flattered, Wyatt's raw male sensuality made her feel desire. Simone wasn't immune to it. And if Nicole were honest about it, she wasn’t immune either. That was evidence by the way her gaze returned to him yet again.
How could she still want him? She couldn't deny it. Ever since she'd been back in Florida, back near Wyatt, her body had been on sensory overload with the look of him, his touch, his smell. Every single time they were together, even when she was furious with him, she remembered that long hot summer, making love on the beach, in the barn, anywhere they could be alone. It had been the most erotic, sensuous time of her life.
The one and only time she’d been in love.
Yes, she’d sometimes hated him over the years, but mostly when she’d thought of Wyatt Clayton, she’d just been filled with sadness. Not for herself…for him. Because he’d made the wrong choice all those years ago, thrown away something that probably would have made him very happy. He’d been totally alone.
Maybe it was because of that sympathy—not to mention the fact that she’d been trying to convince herself to abide by her own rule and consider him a stranger—that he was getting under her skin again, working his way back into her emotions as if he’d never broken her heart.
Nicole realized she'd been caught staring when Wyatt narrowed his eyes slightly. At some point he'd lowered his glass and turned toward her, possibly even asking her something. She hadn't heard, hadn't noticed. All she'd been able to think about was that glistening path on the side of his neck and how much she wanted to follow it with her tongue.
Standing quickly, she said, "I've got to get out of here."
"Why?" he asked, a small smile playing around his moist lips.
The question was simple, yet loaded with challenge. He knew why she was suddenly so uncomfortable. Wyatt had always known his effect on women. He'd never tried to conceal it with false modesty. Such utter, complete confidence was another thing that made him so irresistible.
"I need to take a shower," she stammered. "I mean, I need to get home and shower before I go to the hospital to see Dad."
Nicole quickly walked out of the kitchen, hoping he wouldn't follow. Wyatt had always been able to read her emotions much too easily. Still, she told herself, maybe she was wrong. Maybe he hadn't noticed her blatant staring.
"Nicole?"
She stopped at the front door, her hand on the knob, then looked over her shoulder to where Wyatt stood in the kitchen doorway.
"Yes?"
"Make sure your shower's a nice cold one."
She felt hot blood rush to her face.
"I mean, you're not used to these sultry Florida days anymore. A long cold shower should help cool you off."
He flashed that flirtatious, crooked grin of his. Grimacing, Nicole hurried out of the house without another word.
CHAPTER FIVE
There was no phone jack in her old bedroom in Dad's house, so when the strident ring woke her at one a.m., Nicole had to hurry to answer it. Maria had her own phone line in her downstairs room, and probably wouldn't hear the ringing from the kitchen. Saying a quick prayer that it wasn't the hospital calling with bad news about her father, Nicole stumbled into the hall and grabbed the receiver on the fifth ring.
"Nicole, I need you."
A sense of relief flashed through her when she heard Wyatt on the other end of the line. "What's wrong?"
"It's Winnie. Looks like she tangled with some kind of animal...she's pretty torn up."
Nicole sucked in a breath, hearing in Wyatt's
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