trying to get around him and glared into his face. “That shade of lipstick really doesn’t become you.” Then she sashayed past him, her slim hips and curvy little butt wriggling with attitude and bad temper.
T ED B LACKSTONE couldn’t believe it. She’d left him. Danielle Douglass, the woman he’d thought so perfect for him, a complement to the rest of his life, had up and walked out.
No one had ever walked out on him.
He’d grown up with the power of influential parents, and while he’d never actually spent much time in their company—they’d been too busy making money—he’d always enjoyed the fruits of their success.
Later, as a formidable investor in his own right, he’d had the world at his own fingertips. Fabulous house, great car, nice bank account…but still, as always, he’d been…lonely.
Until Danielle.
She’d looked at him with worship. He was her world, and God, he’d loved it…and her. After he’d neatly folded her life into his, he’d finally felt satisfied. At peace. He’d had it all, even a champion show dog for added pride and glory.
He loved glory.
Oh yeah, things had been good. But then he’d made a few bad judgements on the market. He’d been forced to dip into his trust fund, and then, out of desperation, had kept dipping. In the blink of an eye his fat bank account had gone on an alarming diet, and his car and house were in jeopardy.
To top off the indignity of it all, Danielle, his beloved Danielle, had left him, stealing his prized show dog—the only investment he had left that was worth anything—in the process. He wanted it all back.
Especially Danielle. And what Ted Blackstone wanted, he always got.
7
D ANIELLE FOLLOWED Nick in her borrowed car, doubting herself the entire way there. In fact, she didn’t even know where there was, other than they weren’t leaving Providence. She knew almost nothing about the man she’d somehow ended up trusting. Again.
Nick Cooper. It was still hard to believe. He’d been the most interesting person in her high school, not because of status, or jockhood, or that he kissed like absolute heaven. Which he did.
But because he hadn’t cared what others thought of him. It was a rare person who had that much confidence, and that he’d had it so young had really struck a chord with her.
He still had it in spades.
And he had something else that never failed to amaze her.
Kindness.
“Doesn’t say much for me,” she muttered. “Thata sweet word and a light touch leaves me following after him like a dog.”
Sadie shot her a baleful glance out of her dark eyes.
“Sorry.” Danielle stroked the dog’s massive head. “It wasn’t just the kindness anyway.” She sighed and downshifted as she followed him into a town house complex that was very classy, very New England. “You might have noticed how remarkable-looking he is.”
Sadie yawned.
“Right.” They were on a secluded side street, lined with oak trees and wildflowers and groomed lawns. There were no fenced yards in sight, which probably meant dogs weren’t welcome.
Nick parked, and she stopped next to him, but didn’t get out of the car, not yet.
He came around and leaned on his passenger door, long legs crossed, hands in his pockets. Lazily, he thrust his chin toward the lovely two-story town house in front of them. “That’s mine.”
“It’s…nice.”
He shook his head and laughed. “You should know, you have a caged-in look about you.” Casual as you pleased, he smiled. “So why don’t youtell me what you think is going to happen up there?”
“Absolutely nothing.” She bit her lower lip. “Right?”
Pushing away from the door, his smile still in place, though now his eyes held a grimness she didn’t understand, he opened her door.
She expected him to pull her from the car. Maybe sidetrack her with another smile and a touch of his warm, strong hands.
She didn’t expect him to hunker down at her side, right at eye level and just
T ED B LACKSTONE couldn’t believe it. She’d left him. Danielle Douglass, the woman he’d thought so perfect for him, a complement to the rest of his life, had up and walked out.
No one had ever walked out on him.
He’d grown up with the power of influential parents, and while he’d never actually spent much time in their company—they’d been too busy making money—he’d always enjoyed the fruits of their success.
Later, as a formidable investor in his own right, he’d had the world at his own fingertips. Fabulous house, great car, nice bank account…but still, as always, he’d been…lonely.
Until Danielle.
She’d looked at him with worship. He was her world, and God, he’d loved it…and her. After he’d neatly folded her life into his, he’d finally felt satisfied. At peace. He’d had it all, even a champion show dog for added pride and glory.
He loved glory.
Oh yeah, things had been good. But then he’d made a few bad judgements on the market. He’d been forced to dip into his trust fund, and then, out of desperation, had kept dipping. In the blink of an eye his fat bank account had gone on an alarming diet, and his car and house were in jeopardy.
To top off the indignity of it all, Danielle, his beloved Danielle, had left him, stealing his prized show dog—the only investment he had left that was worth anything—in the process. He wanted it all back.
Especially Danielle. And what Ted Blackstone wanted, he always got.
7
D ANIELLE FOLLOWED Nick in her borrowed car, doubting herself the entire way there. In fact, she didn’t even know where there was, other than they weren’t leaving Providence. She knew almost nothing about the man she’d somehow ended up trusting. Again.
Nick Cooper. It was still hard to believe. He’d been the most interesting person in her high school, not because of status, or jockhood, or that he kissed like absolute heaven. Which he did.
But because he hadn’t cared what others thought of him. It was a rare person who had that much confidence, and that he’d had it so young had really struck a chord with her.
He still had it in spades.
And he had something else that never failed to amaze her.
Kindness.
“Doesn’t say much for me,” she muttered. “Thata sweet word and a light touch leaves me following after him like a dog.”
Sadie shot her a baleful glance out of her dark eyes.
“Sorry.” Danielle stroked the dog’s massive head. “It wasn’t just the kindness anyway.” She sighed and downshifted as she followed him into a town house complex that was very classy, very New England. “You might have noticed how remarkable-looking he is.”
Sadie yawned.
“Right.” They were on a secluded side street, lined with oak trees and wildflowers and groomed lawns. There were no fenced yards in sight, which probably meant dogs weren’t welcome.
Nick parked, and she stopped next to him, but didn’t get out of the car, not yet.
He came around and leaned on his passenger door, long legs crossed, hands in his pockets. Lazily, he thrust his chin toward the lovely two-story town house in front of them. “That’s mine.”
“It’s…nice.”
He shook his head and laughed. “You should know, you have a caged-in look about you.” Casual as you pleased, he smiled. “So why don’t youtell me what you think is going to happen up there?”
“Absolutely nothing.” She bit her lower lip. “Right?”
Pushing away from the door, his smile still in place, though now his eyes held a grimness she didn’t understand, he opened her door.
She expected him to pull her from the car. Maybe sidetrack her with another smile and a touch of his warm, strong hands.
She didn’t expect him to hunker down at her side, right at eye level and just
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