‘Can I come in?’
She sounded hoarse when she answered. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ve puked and it’s like the Spring into Summer Swim vomit, but purple.’
‘That’ll be the cheap wine. Open up. Let me help you.’ Thankfully, the lock clicked and the door opened, revealing Aria on her knees.Not quite how I imagined that!He began rubbing her back and whispering words of sympathy while she heaved. She sniffed back tears as she wiped her mouth with tissue, still huddled on the floor. Nic felt sympathy and guilt in equal measure for bringing this tall and resilient sunflower down to this with the ill-advised wine switcheroo. Disappearing to the kitchen, he filled a glass with iced water before returning to her side. ‘Drink this. All of it, if you can. I’m now going to demonstrate exactly how you find large towels in my house, so watch carefully.’ Opening a concealed cupboard, he pulled two out and gently put them down beside her. Then, after grabbing a robe from his bedroom, he turned on the shower for her.
‘It’s my fault you’re puking. I should never have served you that acid wine.’ He retreated, convinced this was a scene only one of them would remember in the morning.
37
Aria woke up groggy, spooling through the events of last night. It looked pretty much like this: she got completely trolleyed and heaved her guts up before passing out.
In Nic’s bedroom.
She pinched herself, and yep, it was all real, including the raging hangover. As she struggled to cope with the light, she realised Nic was behind her, out for the count. Flashing back to last night, head over the toilet, she remembered him calling her some kind of flower as he rubbed her back. Then she recalled stumbling into his room after pulling the robe on and mis-tying it several times. She had been unafraid when he turned down the quilt and gestured for her to climb in next to him. Based on the gentle way he’d refused her advances earlier, she’d had a sense he wouldn’t take advantage of her. And there she was a few weeks ago, accusing him of raping and pillaging his way into the community! Putting a hand on her stomach, she found the dressing gown tie still balled in the haphazard knot. Nic turned and spooned into her, resting a lazy arm on her thigh – if he moved his hand just a few centimetres to the right, he could easily seduce her.She felt something press against her. His rhythmic breathing told her he was still sleeping, but something else was wide awake. Burying her head in the soft pillow, she was considering her next move when his phone rang. Aria heard him sleepily curse and move to a sitting position. She pretended to turn in her sleep, opening one eye to spy on him. He was wearing boxers and his bare legs hung over the side of the bed as he took the call, raising a hand to push back hair that stuck out at angles. She had a sudden urge to run her finger from his elbow to the tip of his fingers, stroking the hairs that formed in swirls on his tanned skin. She could hear a voice at the other end of the phone gushing. As he interjected with the odd bit of flattery and chat about last night, she guessed it was Donna.
When he rang off, she launched straight into an ill-prepared speech. ‘Sorry for being drunk as an arseholed skunk last night,’ she said as she self-consciously sat up, pushing the pillows behind her. ‘I think maybe I should retreat back to my fishing hut, take a crash course in angling and become a hermit.’
He turned and shot her a grin. ‘Not necessary. The dinner was a great success. The mission has not totally been accomplished yet, but we are definitely in a good place. Donna really enjoyed herself. Apparently, she found our plans quite stimulating and will give her opinion to the decision makers in time for their meeting next week. She said, as we are heading towards happy marriage, the application would be looked on much more favourably.
‘And if she doesn’t oppose the plans, other councillors might abstain from objecting, and it could go our way before this new rule comes in. We’ll go full steam ahead now.’ He was out of bed in seconds and despite the warmth of the covers, and the temperate June weather, she felt cold without him. It struck her that she wasn’t needed anymore. Last night, she was a drunken mess in a fancy dress, and today she’d become a fake fiancée in the way of him getting on.
‘I must tell Sophie when she comes to clean that her mother came up trumps,’ he said.
‘Perhaps you should have asked her to move in instead of me, after all?’ Aria said, as he disappeared into the ensuite to shower. ‘You could have cut out the middleman and had a guaranteed tidy house.’
‘I do love a tidy house,’ he replied.
38
Nic rubbed the damp from his hair, and wrapped another towel around his waist. Aria had been out of luck yesterday – his generous towels could wrap up a family of four and still leave space for a pet. Leaving the bathroom door open when he went to shower, he had hoped she might follow him in to celebrate their victory. But maybe that would only complicate things right now.
Back in the bedroom, with Aria gone, he straightened the duvet, and stripped off a pillowcase covered in mascara streaks. Once upon a time, this would have irritated him, and the former Nic would definitely have steered clear if a girl was throwing up past midnight. Instead, he’d found her predicament touching.
Ring Theo.That’ll snap you out of it.
‘I was about to call you,’ his brother picked up after a single ring, and Nic could hear the frustration in his voice. ‘I’m at the office. Unlike everyone else. Half the staff don’t come back from lunch; the rest aren’t doing anything when they are here. And it’s not like you’ve been present recently. Look Nic, I’m—’
‘We charmed the councillor,’ Nic cut in. ‘Aria was amazing. She made floral antipasti and drunken beef.’ He paused as he flashed back to the flirting last night. She was so cute when she was drunk and giggly. And that kiss? It was hot. ‘I mean delicious beef. And it’s working. I can see this liaison with Donna unlocking more doors for us, if we play it right going forward.’
‘Well, that’s theonlything that’s working. Things are a mess here. I had no idea how much everything fell apart while I was away. I’ve been finding more holes in the books.’ Without waiting for Nic to reply, Theo launched into fresh news. ‘That land we were after? All the interest in it has emboldened the landowner to hike the price up further. He’s now asking for offers over two hundred thousand.’
Nic whistled. ‘I guess we’ll have to do without it? Or maybe we can stretch. Tell them we’re still interested, if it doesn’t go north of that? Once Dad comes good with the money—’
‘What was that?’
Shit.His brain was more addled than he thought. ‘I meant to tell you…’
Theo’s tone was sharper now. ‘You got into bed with Dad? Against my advice?’
Nic sighed. ‘I knew you’d kick off.’
‘And with good reason.’
‘I know he’ll try and interfere with everything, but I promise I’ll keep him on a leash. I understand your frustration, Theo. I’ve been a self-centred asshole, and I’ll get myself back to London to help you put things straight. I promise.’
‘It might be too late,’ Theo told him as Nic opened the door of his bedroom and walked down the corridor. He needed coffee, and a proper chat with his hungover lodger. ‘Someone needs to be in full-time, take charge and keep this company afloat,’ his brother continued. ‘And as you own the lion’s share of this business, I suggest it should be you. It’s certainly not something I want to do.’
Nic picked up desperate tones in Theo’s voice and realised he was serious. ‘I haven’t sealed any deal with Dad. I’ll come down tomorrow and we can begin sorting things out.’
