“That’s your brother and one family,” I said as I shook my head. “Forgive me for being well-connected in the area where I live. As for knowing your brother, we have business connections. Because of my real estate business, I’m constantly in need of security. I’d think you know that’s one of his specialties.”
Mari looked my way with a slight smile. “I get it. I was just teasing.” After a pause, she added, “Here’s hoping I can enjoy my next few days in New Orleans.”
“Let’s make a deal.”
“A deal?”
“Yes, a deal. I was born and raised here. Let me show you the city I love. She’s a good friend.”
“She?”
I lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “Yes, she.” I forged ahead with my question. “Look, I don’t know much about the nature of your relationship with your ex. He is your ex, right?”
“Oh, most definitely,” Mari said firmly.
“I don’t know what you intended to do on this trip with him, but he left, and he was pretty shitty about it if you ask me. I normally wouldn’t comment on this, but since you told me, I might as well point out that it doesn’t sound like things were all that great with y’all for the last few months. Consider this an entirely fresh start. Leave Brett in the dust and enjoy yourself here in Louisiana.”
Exiting off the highway, I slowed when I came to a stoplight and glanced in Mari’s direction. She was studying me, her gaze thoughtful.
After a moment, she let out a soft sigh. “I always thought of New Orleans as such a romantic city. Obviously, I know better now, but I thought maybe Brett and I could get things back on track this weekend. Don’t go thinking I want him back. I don’t. But it’s just…Well, you said it best. He was shitty to me.”
“You can still have a romantic vacation here.”
I might’ve lost my mind, but I suddenly became bound and determined to make this trip far more than Mari expected.
Her cheeks flushed as she stared back at me. Just when I thought she wasn’t going to say anything, she did. “Okay then. Show me New Orleans.”
“So, that’s your tour,” I said.
I looked across the room at Mari, where she was standing by the windows, which looked out toward the harbor. The Port of New Orleans was visible in the distance. With this building located a few blocks outside of the French Quarter, it was a mix of offices on the lower floors with my company occupying the entire second floor, and residential condos on the two upper floors.
As we’d walked around the small condo, Mari twisted her hair up into a knot and tied it. I was marveling at the fact that it was long enough to stay in place. Mari turned and crossed the room toward me, her footsteps echoing on the hardwood floors. She stopped beside me where I stood by the kitchen island that served as a divider between the small kitchen and the open style living room.
“Thank you, Nash. Now that I’m here, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I really won’t stay long, but it’ll give me a few days to pull some kind of plan together.”
Having her stand this close revved my body’s engine. She was so damn beautiful. She also smelled a bit like flowers, the scent drifting up and winding around me. My body tightened in reaction as I looked down into her eyes.
I forced myself to try to think clearly. “Like I said, it’s no problem. I’m sure you can tell this place is empty.” I gestured with my hand toward the space. While it was furnished, it was sparsely decorated.
Mari followed the arc of my motion before her eyes came back to me. “I can see that.” Her mouth curled at one corner with a half-smile.
I was relieved to see some of the tension easing away from her finally. As we stood there, it distantly occurred to me that I usually had more capacity to set the tone of an interaction. I didn’t know exactly what it was about Mari, but my physical reaction to her was so elemental and so powerful that it knocked me off my game slightly.
Right about now, I should’ve been making my exit. I had meetings and business to attend to. Lydia had already sent me about ten texts since I should have already returned to the office. As I stood there, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket again and presumed it was Lydia reminding me of yet another thing I was probably running late for.
Yet, my eyes stayed on Mari, following the delicate line of her brow, down to trace over the clean angle of her cheekbone to her lush, oh-so-tempting lips.
I wanted to kiss her, something fierce.
I didn’t realize I’d taken a step and closed the distance between us until I heard the soft hitch of Mari’s breath in her throat and saw the blue of her eyes darken with desire. My heart was thumping a rough, wild beat inside my chest.
Just as I hadn’t been thinking when I stepped closer to her, I was almost surprised to feel her soft skin under my fingertips when it landed along the side of her neck. I traced my thumb along her jawline, pausing when I reached her mouth, right below that dimple in the center of her bottom lip.
Chapter 6
Mari
I stared into the darkening swirl of color in Nash’s eyes and tried to catch a breath. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the space around us. I was hot all over with my skin tingling and my pulse skittering off into a mad dash.
I wanted, no needed, to feel his mouth on mine. I’d never wanted to kiss anyone so desperately in my life. On the heels of barely a breath, I whispered, “Kiss me.”
Although I had absolutely no doubt that Nash was a dominating and alpha man, in this moment, he demonstrated he had no trouble taking orders.
“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured in that sexy drawl of his.
He stepped a fraction closer, and I felt the intense power and strength of him come against me. It was like walking into an electrified wall. Sensation jolted me and raced through me in hot ripples.
Everything felt slow and fast at once. Nash’s hand slid around to cup my neck, and the feel of his palm dragging gently across my skin nearly made me moan aloud. He dipped toward me, and I arched into him, straining to meet him because I needed his touch.
With my heartbeat echoing through my body, his lips brushed across mine, sending tingles spinning through me. His lips were warm and soft. He didn’t rush, and I didn’t know if that was better or worse.
Considering that I was about to literally melt at his feet, it was a good thing he slid his arm around my waist and held me against him. When I felt the heat of his arousal, thick and hard against my belly, there was a gush of slick heat at my core, and I moaned against his lips.
He murmured something into our kiss. I couldn’t decipher the words, but I felt them—endearing and dirty at once. When I arched closer, his tongue slipped into my mouth, sliding sensually against mine as I threw myself into the kiss. I felt wild inside and savored the way he set the pace. His fingers slid through my hair, as he devoured my mouth in a slow, sensual tease before drawing back and diving in again.
I lost all sense of where we were until I felt the vibration of his phone against the edge of my hip. It didn’t stop. Nash gentled our kiss and lifted his head, catching my bottom lip lightly in his teeth before releasing it.