8

      When Zienna’s eyes opened, she found Nicholas looking down at her, smiling. He was lying beside her on the bed, but perched on his elbow so that his face was above hers.

      “Good morning, baby.”

      “Morning,” she said.

      “How’re you feeling?”

      A slow grin formed on her face. “Amazing. Definitely sore in a lot of places, but amazing.” She stroked his cheek and added in a playful tone, “What got into you last night?”

      “You mean The Slayer?”

      Now Zienna giggled. “Is that what you call it?”

      “Yes. But I only let him out sometimes.” He gave her a tender kiss, one that lingered. It was sweet and full of meaning—not burning with the carnal need of the night before.

      “I am sorry about last night,” he told her when he pulled back.

      “It’s forgotten.”

      “Damn.” He gazed beyond her to her bedside clock. “It’s already after seven.”

      “Ugh. I don’t want to get up.”

      “I hear that.” He trailed a finger along her neck bone. “And I take all the blame. I barely let you get any sleep. But I wanted to give you the night of your life.”

      “That you did, baby.”

      “Cappuccino?” Nicholas asked.

      “Yes, please.”

      He got out of bed, slipped into his briefs, then exited the bedroom. Minutes later, he returned with a steaming mug of cappuccino for her. On her birthday last month, he’d given her one of those fancy coffeemakers that brewed coffee and made espresso and cappuccino. Zienna had yet to figure out how to operate it.

      “Thanks, sweetie,” she said, sitting up to accept the mug from him.

      “I have to get going. I’m off to the new restaurant before I head into Reflections.”

      “One more week,” Zienna said, smiling.

      Nicholas began to put on his pants. “I know. One week until the big grand opening.”

      “Are you nervous?”

      “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. But mostly, I’m excited.”

      “So,” Zienna began, then paused. “What exactly is Wendell going to be doing for you?” She wasn’t sure if she should mention him, but the issue had been resolved last night, hadn’t it? There was no doubt she would be seeing Wendell in the future, and certainly she should be able to ask a question about him.

      Nicholas shrugged into his dress shirt. “For starters, he’s one of my primary investors in the new restaurant. And he’s also going to be a manager.”

      “Does he have experience doing that?” Zienna asked.

      “Yep. He bought a small restaurant in Dallas, but it didn’t do well. That’s how the idea about him working with me started. Now that his football career is over, he’s ready to find something else to do with the rest of his life.”

      “Oh. Does that mean he’s given up on his dream of coaching?”

      “Coaching?” Nicholas asked.

      “Um, yeah. He used to mention that...say that he would one day become a coach.” She shrugged. “Of course, that was a long time ago. What do I know?”

      Now dressed, Nicholas approached her, leaned down, and kissed her on the lips. “It’s okay for you to mention Wendell,” he said softly. “You don’t have to feel awkward thinking about him. Okay?”

      Zienna nodded. “Okay.”

      “I’ll see you later, babe.”

      “For round two?” Zienna suggested, giving him a wink.

      “You want more of The Slayer, do you?”

      “Oh, absolutely.”

      Nicholas kissed her again. “Then I’ll definitely see you later.”

      * * *

      Zienna went to work bone tired, but with a smile on her face. The night with Nicholas had been incredible. Make-up sex always was, wasn’t it? But he had surprised her with his carnal hunger. Last night had been about love, but with a healthy dose of lust.

      And Zienna had enjoyed every moment of it. Tender, meaningful sex was wonderful...but it was nice to know at times that your man just plain craved you.

      The lust factor had been off the charts, but Nicholas’s stamina had also surprised Zienna. He had thrilled her for hours, in several different positions.

      Zienna called Alexis on the way to work, and filled her in on what had happened last night at the restaurant. How Wendell had spilled the beans about their past relationship, which had led to the fight with Nicholas.

      “I told you that you should’ve mentioned it to Nicholas first,” Alexis said. “This wouldn’t have happened if you’d taken my advice.”

      “I certainly didn’t expect Wendell to drop the bomb at the restaurant, right after a lovely dinner,” Zienna said in her own defense. Then she smirked, remembering her intensely hot night. The fight had been worth it, just for the make-up sex. “But, strangely,” she went on, “it was better this way.”

      “So you leave the restaurant pissed off, and it was better that way?”

      “Yes,” Zienna said. “Because Nicholas and I had our first real fight. Which led to the best sex of our relationship. Our make-up sex was off the charts.”

      Alexis squealed. “Seriously?”

      “He was like a different man. He came to my door at two-thirty in the morning. And he wasn’t leaving until he had me. Made me his.” Zienna lowered her voice, as if someone was in the backseat of her car and could overhear her. “I was so turned on, I was going to let him do me in the living room...with the blinds open.”

      “Wait—what?”

      “We were arguing for a bit in the living room. And then...well, then he began to seduce me. I pointed out that the blinds were open, but that didn’t stop him. I have no clue if someone caught the first part of the action.”

      “Nicholas?” Alexis asked, her tone rife with disbelief.

      “I know. He was totally different. He said he couldn’t wait to have me, not even to move to the bedroom. And then...well, a lot happened before we made it to the bed.”

      “Nicholas, an exhibitionist. Who knew?”

      “It was a whole new side of him, and I loved it.” Zienna’s body throbbed, remembering the illicit nature of their foreplay. She had never thought herself an exhibitionist, either—at least not these days—but the excitement level had been a huge turn-on.

      “Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Alexis said. “Because for a while there, I was starting to think that Nicholas was like Elliott.”

      “Meaning?”

      “Just that—”

      “You dumped Elliott. When did I ever give you the