Nina (Beach Brides Book 3) Read online

  Twenty-five minutes later, she was showered, teeth brushed, hair damp but combed, her contacts were in, and she’d paired dark, skinny jeans with an over-sized, cream sweater. She bunched a pair of cream wool socks at her ankles and slowly made her way down the stairs.

  Kismet waited at the bottom, whining as her tail wagged. Nina blinked at the animal’s one blue eye and one brown, then forgot all about that when she noticed one of her ballet shoes sticking out of either side of its mouth.

  “Come on, dog.” she muttered.

  At the bottom of the stairs, she reached for the shoe. The happy little beast let go and dashed out of sight as Nina’s nose wrinkled in a grimace from her soggy shoe. Was it saliva, or still wet from her snowy journey between the car and the house last night?

  She lobbed the shoe toward its mate near the door, and wiped her hand on her jeans while glancing around. Her feet came to an abrupt halt when she saw the gutted mess of the living room in the morning light.

  Jeez.

  Granted, she’d been exhausted last night, and hadn’t bothered turning on any lights other than the already-on foyer light, but how in the H E double hockey sticks had she missed all this?

  The low sound of her unexpected roommate’s voice brought her back around and directed her to the left. It sounded like he was talking to his dog, and her nerves kicked up as she approached the kitchen. That at least appeared to be intact, though direly in need of updating judging by the yellow painted cabinets and lime green refrigerator.

  The man was leaning back against the counter with a green mug in his hand, his dog once again at his side as he spoke to the animal. He’d pushed the sleeves of his gray sweater to his elbows, and on the inside of his right forearm, she saw he had a colored tattoo. She was surprised to find herself curious what it was because she didn’t normally like them.

  Shifting her gaze, she focused on the dog. With her different colored eyes, and pretty black, brown, and white fur, Nina pegged her as an Australian Shepherd. She jumped up to brace her paws on her owner’s thigh and he rubbed the underside of her neck with his free hand. She wasn’t very big. Standing just below the man’s knees while on all fours, her head now reached about to his waist.

  He glanced up when Nina entered the arched doorway and murmured a firm, “Down.”

  Kismet dropped back to the floor as he straightened to set his mug on the butcher block in the center of the kitchen. As the happy dog came to greet her again, Nina bent to pet her soft head. She noticed the man’s lashes lower, his gaze sweeping down the length of her, and back up. Then she was left to stare at his back when he turned toward the coffee pot.

  Broad shoulders, nice butt, muscular legs.

  “Cream or sugar?” he asked.

  “Both, please.”

  She straightened from when he turned back to hand her a full mug. With his arm extended, her gaze locked on the intricate detailing of his eagle, flag, and world globe tattoo. Before she could really form an opinion, her fingers brushed his during the handoff. A spark of electricity between them triggered her reactive recoil.

  Coffee sloshed over the rim onto the wood, next to a sugar bowl and spoon. His grimace sent a rush of heat to her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

  “It’s fine. Sugar’s here. I’ll get the cream.”

  He thumped the mug down and moved over to the refrigerator to pull out a pint of half and half. Nina dumped a teaspoon of sugar into her coffee, then watched his movements from beneath her lashes, spoon clinking against the inside of the mug as she stirred.

  After quietly instructing the dog to go lay on her bed by the door, he scooped a dishcloth off the edge of the sink on his way back from the fridge. Her brow furrowed when she noticed the slight hitch in his step. A quick peek at his expression didn’t seem to convey pain from a sprain or pulled muscle, which left her all the more curious.

  He set the cream off to the side, then wiped up the spill. He even reached to lift her mug, wipe the bottom, then set it back down. She eyed his tattoo as his arm moved back and forth. The beauty of the artwork over the flex of his thick forearm unexpectedly stirred a flutter deep in the pit of her stomach.

  “Thank you,” she murmured absently.

  “No problem.” He turned to toss the cloth back into the sink, and she enjoyed watching the smooth, sensual play of muscles beneath his sweater.

  Realizing she was in danger of drooling, she quickly lifted the mug to her lips for a sip. An involuntary, “Mmmm,” escaped when the bold, sweetened flavor flooded her mouth and warmed all the way down her throat.

  In the middle of reaching for his own mug, her barista’s raised eyebrow glance made her quickly avert her gaze. As her face warmed yet again, she prayed he didn’t think that vocal appreciation was for him.

  It’s the coffee, not the guy—or his tattoo, or his muscles.

  Riiight.

  “So…” he said. “We should probably start by introducing ourselves. I’m Finn Regan.”

  Nina fought to keep from getting that deer in the headlights look as her heartbeat stuttered and then took off racing. Of course. Now she saw it.

  Wow. He’d changed, grown up—literally—and now that she heard his name, there was no mistaking the Pulaski hotshot jock she’d mooned over all through tenth grade. If her family hadn’t moved away just before her junior year, she might’ve seen some of the transformation from boy to M.A.N.

  Realizing he’d extended his hand, she reached to accept the greeting before she could even consider the stupidity of such a move. When her palm slid against his, warmth flooded her entire body as strong fingers engulfed hers in a firm but gentle grip. Tiny tingles erupted in her extremities, and calluses on his palm registered as she managed a bemused, “Hi.”

  “Hi.” Still holding her hand, he smiled and leaned forward, his stunning blue eyes mesmerizing. “Okay then…are we sticking with Goldilocks for you, or would you prefer I call you something else?”

  Oh, boy. He hadn’t lost his charm, had he?

  She’d crushed on him bad back in high school. But he’d been a year ahead of her and had no clue she existed as he dated his way through half the girls in his junior class. Peyton had told her during one of their video chats that his senior year had been more of the same. Probably the other half.

  That’s right. Remember that, Nina.

  Right. Charming or not—drop dead gorgeous or not—she had no time or use for playboys. Didn’t matter she was going off the Finn from ten years ago, she’d been burned ten too many times. Or it certainly felt like that many times.

  Besides, leopards didn’t change their spots, and the man in front of her was walking, talking proof.

  Chapter 3

  Finn watched the woman’s pretty hazel eyes sharpen and lose that dazed look. She tugged her hand free of his and took a half-step back.

  “Hey, sorry. I was just kidding around. Forget Goldilocks.”

  “It’s Nina. Nina Delveaux.”

  Nina.

  Sensual and sexy, like the lush curves he’d glimpsed that she’d now hidden under her over-sized sweater. Not what he’d expected with all that silky blond hair, her cute nose, and that mouth he couldn’t seem to stop looking at. Yet somehow, the name fit her perfectly. Finding her in the house this morning had been a complete surprise, but it was shaping up to be an entirely welcome one.

  When her last name registered, his brows dipped as he picked up his mug. “I went to school with a Delveaux.”

  Something flashed in her expression. Then her eyebrows arched, like she was waiting for him to say more.

  “Josh Delveaux. We played football together before he moved away after junior year. Any relation?” It was one of those stupid questions people ask, but then again, Delveaux wasn’t a common name, so it could very well—

  “He’s my brother.”

  Look at that. “Really?”

  “Last I checked.”

  Finn grinned at her light sarcasm. “Where’s he at thes
e days?”

  “Still living in Arizona, where we moved. Married with two kids. Works for the Cardinals as a physical therapist.”

  “Cool. Good for him.”

  “Yeah.”

  She sipped her coffee, and he got the distinct impression she was annoyed. “So…were you ahead of us or behind us in school?” he asked.

  “A year behind.”

  He frowned again. “How come I don’t remember you? You guys have a sister, right? Black hair. She was like…super intense?”

  And kinda weird for their small town farming community, with a pierced nose and heavy eyeliner, black lipstick and nail polish. Some guys went for the rebel bad girl, but Nina’s dark sister had scared him enough to steer clear back then—not that he’d tell her that.

  “No sister,” she said. “Just me and Josh.”

  No sister? Then who…

  When she tilted her head with a tight little smile, his stomach dropped with the obvious answer. She looked nothing like the girl he remembered. And thank God he hadn’t said anything worse than super intense.

  “I went through a Goth phase,” she explained wryly. “I outgrew it after we moved.”

  “You outgrew it well,” he murmured into his cup. Exceedingly well. “Didn’t you have a nose ring?”

  “It went out along with all the black.”

  Yeah, she’d worn black everything back then. As he took a drink of coffee, vague images in his mind became more concrete. “This is your natural hair color?”

  “Yes.”

  Much prettier than the black. Not that she hadn’t been pretty back then, but…

  He found his gaze fixed on the top of her blond head. “Why does it seem like you used to be taller?”

  She appeared surprised by the question. “I’ve been five-eight since I was fourteen. You’re the one who grew.”

  Yeah, that made sense. He’d added another three inches between eighteen and twenty for a final total of six-two. It had sucked having to get his dress blues altered every time there was an Army medal ceremony.

  He tilted his head slightly as the significance of her comment dawned on him. “So, you know who I am then. Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “You looked familiar, but I didn’t make the connection until you said your name.” Her eyebrows rose with a slight challenge. “It was ten years ago, and I’m not the only one who looks different.”

  He didn’t think he’d changed that much, but maybe he had. Plus, he needed a haircut and hadn’t shaved in a few days. When her gaze skimmed down as if she might be checking out his body, he felt an energizing spark of awareness. Not unlike when they’d connected when he handed over the coffee, but infinitely more potent.

  Hmm. Okay. While he always appreciated a pretty woman, it’d been a while since one had jump-started his pulse like this. He snuck a quick glance at her left hand.

  No rock. Good. He could get on board with—

  “Listen,” she said, her brisk tone interrupting his wayward thoughts. “This is great and all, but can we get to the matter at hand? I texted Peyton. She’s on location in New Zealand, and with the time difference, it’ll be a couple hours before I hear from her. But she didn’t say a word about remodeling or anyone staying here.”

  Finn curled his wrist inward, letting his mug rest against his chest as he relaxed back against the counter. “You and Peyton Riley kept in touch, hey?”

  “We were best friends in high school. We’re still best friends now, and I’m her assistant. So clearly, I would know about something like this.” She swept her arm in the direction of the gutted living room.

  “Why didn’t you go to New Zealand with her? I mean, it’s summer there right now, isn’t it? That would’ve been a nice trip.”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me,” she groaned. “The movie she’s filming was a last minute casting after one of her other projects was delayed, and she needed me to take her—um…take care of some things here.”

  The abrupt pause and correction nipped at his curiosity and halted his mug halfway up to his mouth. “Like what?”

  She ducked her chin. “None of your business.”

  The flush in her cheeks had him dying to know. What would the Pulaski home-grown movie star Peyton Riley send her assistant to Wisconsin for in the middle of winter? Taking a sip of coffee, he decided he’d figure out a way to get that information, but in the meantime…

  “Well, I called Eric Riley—that’s her cousin—while you were in the shower. He—”

  “I know who her cousins are.”

  “Yeah, I suppose you would. Anyway, he admitted this whole project wasn’t supposed to start until spring, but things lined up, so he got it started early.”

  “What does things lined up mean? And why you and not him?”

  Ouch. With a tone like that, he wondered if he should take that personally.

  “Things lined up, as in I bought a place down the road, but the people who live there needed a couple months to clear things out and make the move,” he explained. “Because I’ve been doing some side work for Eric since I came home, we worked out a deal that I could stay here rent free in exchange for doing demo work and helping him with the remodeling when he starts.”

  “Well, good for you, but Eric should’ve talked to Peyton first.”

  “Maybe, but can’t change that now.”

  “Then you’ll just have to leave it, and come back and start again after I’m gone.”

  “Excuse me?”

  She tilted her head as if he was being obtuse. “You can’t stay here.”

  “I don’t see why there should be a problem. It’s a big house. I won’t bother you.”

  Nina gave a rude snort of disbelief.

  Finn wondered what about him bothered her. He’d admit to being a little annoyed at her response, but more so, his curiosity was piqued. Enough that, unless he was given no other choice by Eric or Peyton, he wasn’t about to pass up the unexpected opportunity to get to know the woman in front of him. Something about her had him sitting up and taking notice in a way he’d never quite experienced before.

  “Where were you staying before you moved in here?” she demanded.

  “Army base in Afghanistan, and then Walter Reed in Germany.” And his sister Kenna’s house after that, but when Nina’s mouth snapped shut after the first two locations, he kept the third to himself.

  Her gaze lowered again, toward his boots, and he guessed she’d noticed his limp.

  “Medical discharge,” he confirmed.

  Her slim fingers flexed on her mug. “Oh.”

  Would she feel sorry for him now? The ache in his injured leg was better than it had been, but the doctors had warned the limp wasn’t likely to ever completely go away. It sucked, but he’d made his peace, because truth be told, he was just darn lucky to be alive.

  When she lifted her chin, sympathy softened her hazel eyes to a mossy-greenish hue that took his breath away.

  “Now can I stay?” he asked softly.

  Her gaze narrowed before she pushed away from the butcher block. Her movements brought Kismet off the dog bed near the back door. A low whine begged for attention, and Nina bent slightly to sweep a hand over the top of her head while looking out the back window.

  “Where were you last night?” she asked over her shoulder. “It was after one when I got here, but surely your dog would’ve heard me come in and barked or something.”

  “You see all that snow out there? My sister was hosting a family dinner, and since I’d had a couple beers, she insisted I stay the night instead of driving through the storm.”

  “Perfect. Then go stay there again.”

  “Really? You’re going to kick a wounded veteran out into the cold?”

  She spun around at the guilt-loaded question, her jaw ajar with surprise.

  Yeah, he wasn’t above playing that card. He didn’t like pity, but she was being ridiculous insisting he move out for the few weeks she’d be around. If he was going to do anything d
ishonorable, it’d have been back when she was in bed with nothing on but her underwear. Sheesh!

  Instead of answering his question, she shook her head and stalked toward the foyer. Finn set his cup down and ambled after her—as much as he could amble with the limp. She was bent over, tugging her boots on. Her sweater rode up enough for him to get a nice view of her rounded backside, but the moment she heard his footsteps on the hardwood floor, she stomped her foot into the second boot and straightened to snatch her jacket, scarf, and purse off the doorside hooks.

  “Where are you going?”

  She stuffed her arms into the jacket sleeves and yanked the door open. “To Pulaski to buy some groceries. Just like I’d planned. I expect you to be gone when I get back.”

  As she swung the door shut, he called out, “Yeah, good luck with that.”

  Chapter 4

  Good luck with that?

  Nina nearly strangled herself as she wound her scarf around her neck with a muttered, “Jerk.”

  Then she sighed as she stared across the snowy yard. Actually, she was being kind of a jerk herself, but there was no way she’d survive a month in the same house with that man. Young Finn from high school had been a schoolgirl’s dream. Grown-up Finn on the other side of the door behind her was a woman’s happily ever after fantasy—and heartbreak.

  She’d recognized it from the moment her fingers touched his and she’d begun wondering what it would be like to kiss him and feel the strength of his arms around her. Learning he was a veteran only added to his overall appeal. She respected a man who fought for their country and protected the freedoms they all enjoyed.

  Good heavens. How had her foolish heart not learned its lesson by now?

  No, this had nothing to do with her heart. She certainly wasn’t going to go and fall for the guy. His good looks affected her because she was lonely, that’s all. It’d been a while since she’d been kissed and kissed good.

  That made her channel Scarlett O’Hara—As God is my witness, I’ll never let my heart be broken again.