Threads Of Desire (Creative Hearts Book 3) Read online

  And now he was back.

  Gabby could only wonder what he’d take from her this time. She stared at Nick. Old feelings and pain mingling with unwanted desire. Well screw that, those day were over, she was no longer that girl in the closet and it was high time he learned it. Once and for all.

  Chapter 2

  Gabby climbed into the full tub and drew the curtain behind her. She closed her eyes and sighed, rolling her shoulders beneath the warm water. Not five minutes later, the loud sound of falling liquid filled her ears.

  “Seriously, Nick, how often am I supposed to be subjected to hearing the sound of you peeing?”

  Gabby pushed the curtain aside to the shocking, though she couldn’t deny quite alluring, view of Nick’s firm, nearly-naked backside.

  He started to swing around, then clearly remembered what he was doing and abruptly stopped. “Shit, Gab. You could warn a guy,” he gritted out, finishing, giving himself a shake, and tucking his privates away into his boxer briefs. He leaned over and gave the toilet a flush.

  “Me?” she said. “You could knock before coming into a lady’s bath. What about that?”

  Nick whirled around, ignoring the fact that Gabby was in the bath. Naked and in the bath. Thank goodness for bubbles. But too bad the majority had fizzed out. Gabby quickly jerked her hands up to cover her breasts, sloshing water over the edge of the old claw foot tub. Her eyes swept down to make sure the essentials were covered. “Jeez, Nick, do you have no shame?”

  He raised a dark brow by way of answer to her question. Clearly he was unfazed by the fact that he was standing there semi-nude in just his boxer-briefs, and she didn’t think he really cared that he’d been caught peeing. “Why do you think I turned around? I wasn’t going to just let this moment go to waste.”

  Gabby’s felt her face heat—along with other parts of her body that she’d prefer stayed cool, thank you very much. But no, with Nicholas Ross around, of course, she was heated. Screw it. She’d afford herself the opportunity to sweep him a slow up and down. Might as well look her fill and see how he liked it. Besides, there was no way she was cowering. This was her apartment, her damned bathroom.

  Gabby raised her eyes slowly and there he was, standing before her, leaning casually against the vanity and, despite his rough night, having the nerve to still resemble some sort of mahogany Adonis. Nick looked ready for his photo shoot—or maybe an early morning sculpting session, since everything about him said classic perfection. From his strongly planted feet, to his muscled calves to his well-toned runner’s thighs, up those climb-’em-like-a-ladder abs to his freaking ridiculous pecs... Gabby let out a steamy breath and licked her lips.

  She got to his face, his morning scruff only adding to his appeal, and Gabby had to clamp down on her suddenly out-of-control hormones. But then she noticed the quirk come to the corner of his full lips, and her eyes came up to sharply meet his. “What do you find so funny?”

  “Nothing. It’s just the way you were looking at me. I suddenly felt like I should put out a tip jar or something.”

  Gabby felt her nostrils flare. “Oh, don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Ross. You’re not all that. No need to get a swelled head.” She let her eyes go south and cocked her head. “Or anything else.”

  Nicked laughed, his head going back, his mouth going wide and his features going from hard to soft and playful, sending Gabby’s insides all tilty. “Now you are flirting with me,” he said. His eyes went from her eyes to her lips, searing her, making her lips go full and plump up as if on command. Gabby felt her center go to mush at the same time that her guard went up. Freaking hell. Nick being his usual hardass self was one thing. She was used to that. That she could resist and arm herself against. Cute, playful Nick—or worse, seductive, bedroom-eyed Nick—was a much more dangerous thing.

  Her mind went back to that night back at the dean’s house at Bonnersville State. To the taunts from those polished, rich girls. To her dash into the coat closet to hide her insecure tears. To Nick, coming to her rescue and making her laugh as he washed her worries away with his kisses, his caresses. He took it all—all of her—and made her finally feel whole, transformed by his love.

  But too soon, the voice came from outside, calling him to his future. And when his eyes met hers, the light went out and they filled with regret. Gabby was back to herself once again. Seen for who she was—the cute, chubby sidekick who lived next door and would never be good enough. The girl you kept in the closet, not the woman you took out to dance.

  He’d dropped her like a hot potato. After so many years of going over that night in her mind, the memories became muddled and it was hard to remember who let who go first, but somehow, Gabby realized now, she had never really let go. Her mind came back to the present and she thought of Donovan just the day before and how little had changed in her life. She was still stuck in the closet.

  She looked up at Nick and swallowed, the lump in her throat suddenly a very real thing, the flutters in her stomach turning to stone, anger stoking her fire.

  Flirting? Was he for real? Well, she had a way to stop his flirting dead in its tracks.

  Gabby dropped her hands covering her breasts and leaned forward, flipping the stopper on the tub. The sound of the water rushing out was loud in her ears. She then took the tub by both sides and pushed herself up, the water sloshing around her calves. She turned, ignoring the cool breeze from the open door and fact that her nipples were puckering and her stomach was now rolling and her heart was beating wildly out of her chest, and she looked at Nick straight on, meeting him eye to eye.

  “Flirting with you, Nick Ross, is the last thing on my mind. Now, would you please pass me my towel?” She could hear the shakiness in her voice but hoped the low tone was cool and steady.

  Nick’s mouth dropped as he as looked at her, his eyes blinking rapidly, seeming to hit every spot along her body as he did so. Blink. Shoulder. Blink. Breast. Blink. Stomach. Blink, blink. Hips, thighs. There was a lot to see. He seemed to absentmindedly put his arm out and reach for the towel behind him. It took all Gabby had to stand there with her ass, belly, hips, and thighs just out, exposed, but she knew Nick’s tastes and they didn’t run to curvy girls like her. His women were always tight and trim, bordering on muscular.

  Despite their brief, single encounter, every girl he’d ever gone for, from junior high clear to his current yoganista, could pass for a high-fashion model. Though it made her feel a little queasy, Gabby knew that standing before him showing off all her “imperfections” would be just the thing to turn him right off and wipe that grin from his face.

  And it worked. Nick wasn’t grinning at all as he handed her the towel. Gabby reached her hand out to take it, trying to steadfastly ignore the disappointment that washed over her. She was a fool if somewhere deep down she’d been hoping for a different reaction.

  Their fingers brushed accidentally and she froze and swallowed, looking up into his dark eyes. For a moment, she thought she caught a hint of something smoldering in his gaze. But no, she was being ridiculous. Despite her stomach, her pebbling nipples (hell, it was getting cold), or any look from him whatsoever, there was no need to lose her cool.

  “I got the part!”

  In unison, they turned to the doorway and looked at Steve. Nick dropped the towel and Gabby raised her hands to cover herself as best as she could. Oh hell. What was he doing up so early too?

  Steve narrowed his eyes. “So is this a twosome or are we now hosting a whole new type of Three’s Company here?”

  Gabby felt her body catch fire from her toes on up to her hairline. Shit. She knew how they must look. How she must look! Letting out a low groan, she reached down for the towel, trying to shift her behind as best she could in the awkward bend over. Coming up, she glared at Nick. “Learn to knock next time!” She wrapped the towel around herself and turned toward Steve, letting out a breathless huff. “I’d really like to hear about the part, but since my bath was rudely interrupted, and it’s a little crow
ded in here you’ll need to give me a minute.”

  As elegantly as she could, she stepped from the tub, ignoring Nick’s outstretched hand, and sailed past both brothers, holding the towel tight around her breasts.

  “Um. What about my question, Sunshine?” Steve said. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you not answering me.”

  “Very funny,” she said over her shoulder. “How ‘bout we not make this Screw with Gabby day? I’m not in the mood.” She was just about to slam her bedroom door when she stopped and turned back to Steve. “Oh, and congrats, hon. I’m so happy for you.” Then she shot Nick a heated glare and slammed her bedroom door, flopping down on her bed in humiliation.

  What the hell had she just done? Her stomach knotted and she willed the nausea back down, purposely focusing on that and not the ache in her heart or the tingling in her swollen breasts. Freaking Nicholas Ross. She wasn’t in his presence five minutes and he had her losing her mind, doing crazy, out-of-character shit like showing her wet and naked curvy ass as if she were Naomi Campbell in the ‘90s. Shit, she’d take Tyra from yesterday.

  Gabby let out a groan. If Nick had her acting this way in a day, what would she be like with him staying here indefinitely? If she weren’t careful, he’d have her on her knees and eating out of his pretty little hands in no time. Eating something anyway. She paused, biting at the inside of her cheek, the thought bringing heat to parts of her body she didn’t want heated—at least, not by him. This was bad.

  Gabby’s eyes darted to her nightstand. Maybe this was all just a byproduct of her going a little too long without sufficient release? Guys used that excuse all the time for falling over the first good-looking thing in a skirt. And it really had been a while since she’d broken up with… what’s-his-name. That grope fest with Dono yesterday afternoon had only gotten her more hot and bothered. And she’d barely even touched the party gift she’d gotten at her friend Mya’s bachelorette party. She reached for the knob of the nightstand’s drawer then heard shuffling outside her bedroom door. Nope. There was no way. She’d never be able to relax and enjoy herself with Steve and Nick no more than twenty feet away.

  She looked up at the antique chandelier over her bed then over at her old full-figured dress form. Currently, it was draped with swathes of fabric that were soon to be her maid-of-honor dress for the rapidly approaching wedding of her other best friend, Samara Leighton. Well, vow renewal and general blow-the-top-off-New York bash, anyway. She was making her own dress, plus Samara had tapped Gabby to design her gown, which scared the bejeezus out of her. Not only was it her friend’s most important day, but the wedding was turning out to be the society event of the year.

  Gabby was so nervous about designing Sam’s dress, she had even tried to steer her friend in another direction, but Samara wouldn’t have it any other way. Even though she could afford the best that New York had to offer, coming from one of the richest and most powerful families in the city, still she chose Gabby, saying she wanted something that no one else had or would have. The thought sent Gabby into a cold sweat whenever it crossed her mind, which was just about always. But still, she couldn’t help but be bolstered at her friend’s confidence in her.

  Gabby let out a sigh and got up. Oh well, fear was for suckers, as her mother would say. She reached for her clothes and got her mind working on a way to face Steve and Nick again with as much dignity as possible.

  • • •

  “So what was that all about?” Steve challenged his brother, not bothering to hide his ire.

  “Hell if I know. I think your friend may be losing her mind. I didn’t know you two had a naked apartment policy around here,” Nick retorted.

  Steve frowned. “We don’t. We also don’t have a share the bath and towel each other off policy. So I’ll ask again, since it seems I’m not getting answers this morning.”

  “I was not toweling her off. How would that look?”

  “Just like what I walked in on,” Steve shot back.

  “Well, that’s not what was going on.”

  Steve narrowed his eyes and leaned back on his heels. “Well?”

  “Well, not like I owe you any explanation, little brother, but I had to pee and I guess I’m still a little hungover, and I just sort of wandered in while she was in the tub. Or, well, was getting out of the tub. Either way, it just sort of happened.”

  Steve’s eyes got a little narrower as his jaw clenched.

  “Hey, if she’s your girl, you need to go and do something about it. Let her sleep in your bed and use the bathroom in there,” Nick said, the frustration evident in his voice. “How many years you going to lead her on?” He pushed past his brother and went into the living room.

  Steve’s jaw dropped and he cocked his head. “It’s not like that and you know it. I’m not attracted to her like that and she’s not to me.”

  Nick snorted.

  “You know it’s true and always has been. Gab is like our sister,” Steve said.

  At that, Nick snorted again and Steve paused.

  He looked back at the bathroom. “I thought you said you had to go pee. It doesn’t look like you’re rushing off now. What happened to you having to go?”

  Shit. He was caught. Nick couldn’t very well tell his brother that he’d gone ahead and pulled his dick out while Gabby watched. Just saying it in his head sounded dirtier than it actually was. And when he thought of it, well, it was a little dirty. Why the hell didn’t she say something as soon as he walked in?

  It was then that Gabby came out of her bedroom wearing black yoga pants and a tight tee that showed off every curve of her luscious figure. “I’m going out for a walk” she announced. “Be back later.”

  Nick noticed the straightness of Gabby’s back and the steely way she held the door handle, firm and tight in her hand. He instantly stiffened, then remembered that he was still in his underwear. Fuck.

  “Wait!” Steve yelled. “Don’t you want to hear about my part? And you haven’t had your coffee.”

  Gabby stilled and turned around. Then her body went soft as she looked at Steve. Nick watched as he saw her defenses instantly going the way they always did around his brother. He swallowed down on the jealousy that rose up like bile and let out a slow and calming breath as she walked away from the front door and back into the living room. Nick really had no cause to feel the way he did. He’d had his chance with her, and he’d blown it. If Steve wasn’t the man for her… well, Nick had already proven that it damn sure wasn’t him. Better to leave her with the memory she already had of him. Breaking her heart once was enough for both their lifetimes. He wasn’t about to do it again.

  “Sorry, sure. I don’t know where my mind was. Probably work. I was going to grab coffee out, but no, tell me your big news,” Gabby said.

  Nick could feel her purposely not looking his way, feel the heat as it flamed off her body. The don’t-come-any-closer vibe singed him from all the way across the room. And he couldn’t blame her. What the hell was he doing? But what was she for that matter, standing up in that tub and just showing him all her goods like she had? “I need to put on some clothes, then I really should head in to work. I’m going to use your room, okay, Steve?”

  Steve shot him a look. “But it’s Saturday. And don’t you want to hear about my part? Come on. Why don’t you forget work and, Gabby, you forget exercise and let’s all take a break and go and grab some breakfast?” He could tell Steve was ready to play peacemaker between his brother and his best friend as he’d done so many times when they were kids. The tension in the living room was just as thick as it had been back then, too. “I wish I could, bro, but I can’t. I need to get into the office. There’s a lot going down, and it being Saturday makes no difference when there’s money to be made.”

  Nick knew he was full of it. Sure, he had work but all he really wanted to do was get out of the apartment as quickly as possible. Coming here last night had been a mistake. Everywhere he looked reminded him of her. From the billowing way the cur
tains blew in on the warm breeze to the damned overstuffed multicolored pillows on the couch. He needed to get some space and gain some perspective. It was nuts, but in the matter of a moment, it seemed like Claire had been forgotten, as if she’d never really existed, and once again, he was consumed by Gabby. But how could that be? Just yesterday, Claire—well, if he were honest, Claire and his job—were everything. He felt his shoulders bunch up. This pattern with Gabby was the same old, same old. He was deluding himself thinking it was anything different, telling himself he was over her. He was a damned fool for starting to believe his own bullshit.

  Nick looked over at her in her tight t-shirt and pants that clung to her every curve and in an instant the clothes just faded away, turning to glistening trails of water and bubbles and white-hot steam. He felt himself about to get hard and flopped down on the couch, covering himself with the rumpled sheets before things got really embarrassing. He turned abruptly toward his brother. “Tell me quickly about your job, and then I’ve got to go. What’s up?”

  Steve gave him an eyeball that he refused to squirm under. Nick cocked his head and tapped an imaginary watch. He’d never kowtowed to his little brother before, and he wasn’t about to start now. It was odd how different they were. How Steve could still be so carefree and laidback after all they’d been through. But Nick knew the truth—that it was how his brother coped. That if he really slowed down and let the past in, he just may buckle under the weight of it all. “So you telling us about this part?”