“Nicole?”
She huffed and pushed away from him again, rolling to the side and sitting on the edge of the bed. The back of her dress had come unzipped a little, and some of her bare back was in view.
“What... happened?” he asked. “I don’t remember anything.” He sat up. The room started spinning again, so he breathed deeply, trying to regain his balance. “Nicole? Did I do anything—”
“What do you think?” she snapped and jumped off the bed.
She limped to gather her shoes, not wanting to meet his gaze. His chest tightened, but he brushed the feeling of guilt aside. Deep down inside, he knew he hadn’t done anything to her. Not when she and her friend were blackmailing him.
“Nicole, I don’t remember.” He hurried off the bed. Dizziness continued to whirl around in his head, so he moved slower. “Please look at me.”
“No.” She limped toward the door.
“Wait.” He paused, hoping she’d stop. Thankfully, she did when she reached the door and rested her hand on the handle. “Your dress has come unzipped. Let me fix it for you. I’m sure the reporters downstairs will realize how undressed you are, and well... they’ll take pictures and ask you questions.”
Nicole’s shoulders slumped, and she rested her forehead against the door. “Fine.”
Mick moved behind her. With a tender touch, he zipped up her dress. Her breaths were heavy and ragged. She was supposed to be upset with him, and yet, her body language told him differently.
When he was finished, he slowly dropped his hands to her waist. Her body stiffened, and he drew in a shaky breath. He pressed his forehead against the back of her head, inhaling her flowery scent.
“Whatever I did while I was passed out,” he said, “just know, that’s not the real me. I’ve always been gentle with my women. I would never do anything to hurt you, Nicole.”
“I... I have to go.”
“Before you go,” he said, moving aside her long hair from her neck and placing a kiss right below her ear, “let me look at your beautiful face one last time since I might not ever see you again.”
Her body trembled as she slowly turned. He didn’t back away, only enough to give her room to face him. When her gaze met his, his chest tightened. Guilt was written all over her expression. It eased his mind slightly to know that she felt this way about what she and her friend were trying to do to him.
He caressed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I’m sorry our date had to end this way. This was definitely not my intention.” He shrugged. “I rarely ever get drunk anymore, especially enough to knock me out.”
She licked her lips and nodded. “I’m... sure it was the Colorado Bulldog you drank. The bartender probably mixed it wrong.”
“Yes, that’s probably what happened.” His fingers dropped to her mouth. He stroked just below her bottom lip. The urge to kiss her was strong. He wanted to see if that enchanting moment was as good as what he’d experienced in the elevator. But he resisted his desires. She would have to make the first move now.
“Mick, I...” Her throat jumped. “I’m sorry the evening turned out this way. You seemed like a very nice man while we were having drinks in the lounge.”
He arched an eyebrow. “I only seemed like a nice man while we were inside the lounge? What about in the elevator when I stopped that reporter from taking a picture of your face?”
Her face flamed red, and he grinned. She had liked the kiss, too, obviously.
“Uh, yes. You were nice in the elevator.”
“What about now?” He pressed himself against her so that she was sandwiched between him and the door. “Don’t you think I’m nice now?”
She swallowed noisily. “Mick, please—”
“Please what, Nicole?” He stroked her bottom lip again.
Her gaze dropped to his mouth. He wanted her to be the first one to kiss him this time. But more than anything, he wanted to shake some sense into her. Why had she thought she could blackmail him? The more his mind came alert, the more upset he became over her deceitfulness.
“Mick, please let me leave,” she whispered.
He’d never forced a woman to stay with him before, and he wasn’t about to do it this time. But he didn’t want her to think she’d won, either.
“I’ll let you leave. But I want you to know how sorry I am for ruining tonight.”
She nodded.
