night nursing a sick friend, (and it must’ve worked because she looked like the picture of health to me), so when he answered the door he was delirious from lack of sleep and he didn’t know what he was saying. What he meant to say was, “I love you too, Brandy, let’s get married and have many beautiful, mysterious little bambinos together,” but it came out as “I don’t love you” by mistake.
Then there was the whole “snooping in his bedroom” thing and finding my photo in his nightstand drawer. I wanted to confront him on why he’d spent so much money on a portrait of “just a friend,” but I wasn’t quite ready to confess I’d been pawing through his personal belongings.
As I’d already polled every friend I had on the subject, including a few I hadn’t seen since elementary school, I was about to ask Crystal her take on the matter, when the door opened and out walked Nick.
Crystal’s mouth hung slightly ajar as her eyes roved over five feet ten inches of male perfection. His lithe, muscular body was dressed in workout clothes; loose black pants and a tight white tee shirt, damp with sweat. On his wrist he wore his ever-present silver band. His hair was pulled back in a pony tail, revealing a two inch scar under his left ear that worked its way down along his jaw line. I was the reason Nick sported that scar. I felt guilty and honored at the same time and it only made me love him more.
“Does he always smell this good?” Crystal whispered, forgetting for a moment her “tough girl” persona.
“Uh huh.”
If Nick overheard he had the good grace not to show it.
“Hey, darlin’, come on in,” he said, and my heart skipped a couple of beats. He held the door open and we stepped inside.
There was a class in session. I recognized Tanya, one of Nick’s instructors, as she put a group of Samoan body guards through their paces. Tanya is one of those annoyingly beautiful women who thinks she’s better than everyone else just because she’s drop dead gorgeous, incredibly competent and unfailingly sweet. She looked up when she saw me and smiled in greeting.
Gaah, what a loser!
“I’m just finishing up here,” Nick told us. “You’re welcome to stick around for a few minutes or make yourselves comfortable in my office.”
“We’re okay, here,” Crystal said quickly and with uncharacteristic reverence. “I mean if that’s alright.”
I looked at her and tried hard not to laugh. Even “Ms. In-Your-Face-Tough-Girl” couldn’t escape the indescribable quality that was the essence of Nicholas Santiago.
No one volunteered to go mano e mano with Nick so class ended early.
“You need to tone it down a little, Nick,” Tanya told him, picking up the mats and stacking them against the wall. “You broke that guy’s leg this morning.”
“He wasn’t paying attention. It’s a good way to get himself killed.” His voice was hard and dispassionate and was the reminder I needed that you don’t want this man as your enemy.
Tanya shrugged. “You’re right,” she said, smiling. “You always are.”
Was she flirting with him?
I guessed it wouldn’t do to bitch slap her in front of Crystal. Besides, I was way out of my league.
Nick finished helping Tanya stack the mats and then he walked her to the door.
“Nice seeing you again,” she called back over her shoulder.
“You bet,” I told her.
You bet? Why did I say that? I sound like an idiot.
“I mean nice to see you too,” I called out lamely and too late. She was already out the door.
“Now,” Nick said, turning his dark liquid eyes on Crystal and me, and I got a rush in parts of my body I’d all but forgotten existed. “What can I do to help you?”
We sat in his office, a cozy sanctuary located in the back of the studio. It’s quiet in there and insulated from the worries of the outside world. I’d always felt nurtured and protected curled up in Nick’s red velvet armchair, and I hoped it would provide the same
Then there was the whole “snooping in his bedroom” thing and finding my photo in his nightstand drawer. I wanted to confront him on why he’d spent so much money on a portrait of “just a friend,” but I wasn’t quite ready to confess I’d been pawing through his personal belongings.
As I’d already polled every friend I had on the subject, including a few I hadn’t seen since elementary school, I was about to ask Crystal her take on the matter, when the door opened and out walked Nick.
Crystal’s mouth hung slightly ajar as her eyes roved over five feet ten inches of male perfection. His lithe, muscular body was dressed in workout clothes; loose black pants and a tight white tee shirt, damp with sweat. On his wrist he wore his ever-present silver band. His hair was pulled back in a pony tail, revealing a two inch scar under his left ear that worked its way down along his jaw line. I was the reason Nick sported that scar. I felt guilty and honored at the same time and it only made me love him more.
“Does he always smell this good?” Crystal whispered, forgetting for a moment her “tough girl” persona.
“Uh huh.”
If Nick overheard he had the good grace not to show it.
“Hey, darlin’, come on in,” he said, and my heart skipped a couple of beats. He held the door open and we stepped inside.
There was a class in session. I recognized Tanya, one of Nick’s instructors, as she put a group of Samoan body guards through their paces. Tanya is one of those annoyingly beautiful women who thinks she’s better than everyone else just because she’s drop dead gorgeous, incredibly competent and unfailingly sweet. She looked up when she saw me and smiled in greeting.
Gaah, what a loser!
“I’m just finishing up here,” Nick told us. “You’re welcome to stick around for a few minutes or make yourselves comfortable in my office.”
“We’re okay, here,” Crystal said quickly and with uncharacteristic reverence. “I mean if that’s alright.”
I looked at her and tried hard not to laugh. Even “Ms. In-Your-Face-Tough-Girl” couldn’t escape the indescribable quality that was the essence of Nicholas Santiago.
No one volunteered to go mano e mano with Nick so class ended early.
“You need to tone it down a little, Nick,” Tanya told him, picking up the mats and stacking them against the wall. “You broke that guy’s leg this morning.”
“He wasn’t paying attention. It’s a good way to get himself killed.” His voice was hard and dispassionate and was the reminder I needed that you don’t want this man as your enemy.
Tanya shrugged. “You’re right,” she said, smiling. “You always are.”
Was she flirting with him?
I guessed it wouldn’t do to bitch slap her in front of Crystal. Besides, I was way out of my league.
Nick finished helping Tanya stack the mats and then he walked her to the door.
“Nice seeing you again,” she called back over her shoulder.
“You bet,” I told her.
You bet? Why did I say that? I sound like an idiot.
“I mean nice to see you too,” I called out lamely and too late. She was already out the door.
“Now,” Nick said, turning his dark liquid eyes on Crystal and me, and I got a rush in parts of my body I’d all but forgotten existed. “What can I do to help you?”
We sat in his office, a cozy sanctuary located in the back of the studio. It’s quiet in there and insulated from the worries of the outside world. I’d always felt nurtured and protected curled up in Nick’s red velvet armchair, and I hoped it would provide the same
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