“Nope.”
“Maybe you should—”
“Boss’ll be in touch when he needs me,” he says, gentle but firm.
“Or he won’t,” I point out. He holds me tight in place to prevent me wriggling around and reaches for the remote to turn up the sound on the TV.
“Let us work it out, Harvard,” he murmurs in my ear. “The man needs some time. I do, too.”
I think that over while the weather plays. It’s going to stay blisteringly hot for some time to come. Maybe when the weather cools, Don Morelli’s temper will cool along with it. “I just don’t want you to be bored when I’m at work all day,” I say at last, over the final feel-good story about a spaniel and a squirrel who have somehow become best friends.
Nick snorts. “I got plenty of shit to do. Which reminds me, I’m meeting up with Sophia Vicente tomorrow afternoon for coffee. So if you hear rumors of me out with a beautiful woman, you’ll know who it is.”
My ears prick up. He’s already building up some potentials? He really is keeping busy. “Good thing you told me about your lady friend. I might’ve been jealous.”
I say nothing more about his work until we’re in bed, cuddling up together with the AC blasting and only a sheet over our legs. We’re both still too hot, but unwilling to be any further away from each other. “What about the money?” I ask him.
“Huh?”
“If you’re not, you know, working. Or if Luca doesn’t… You said you wanted enough money to not have to worry about money. Is that why you’re selling the Reinhardt?”
He’s quiet for a time and then, finally, pulls me even closer and says, “I got no reason to worry about money. Not anymore.”
“Why not?”
Soft lips press against the back of my neck. “Who needs money to buy the law when I already have the best attorney in New York on my side?”
I’m touched. I really am. But I can’t let the opportunity go by. Smirking into the dark, I tell him, “For you, Nicky, I guess I can work pro boner.”
He gives a little sigh at my terrible pun, but all he says is, “I love you, Harvard.”
“Love you, too.” I tug his arms tighter around me. “Don’t let go of me.”
“Never.”
Chapter Fifty-One
Nick
Ten Weeks Later
“Where the fuckareyou?” I hiss at Carlo as soon as he answers his phone.
“Sorry, sorry,” he says, sounding out of breath. “I’m on my way, I’m in the car right now.” I hear a car door slam shut behind him and his voice comes though more clearly. “I won’t be long, Nicky. Promise.”
I’m gritting my teeth so hard I think they might shatter. “For fuck’ssake, Harvard, of all the times to be late—”
“Nicky, Ipromise, I’ll be there as fast as I can. Don’t freak out.”
“I’m notfreaking out,” I snarl, and then I take a breath and try to actually stop freaking out. “Look—just—don’t tell the driver to rush. I want you here alive more than I want you here fast. Okay?”
“Okay. How’s the steak?”
“Just put the dry rub on it.”
“Cool.”
“You don’t even know what thatmeans.”
