MARRIAGE-BARGAIN

chapter 16

NICK POV

Nick picked his way through the bookshelves. Some guy dressed in black spouted into a microphone about the correlation between flowers

and death, and the scent of cafe mochas rose to his nostrils. Sounds of a flute and the faint calling of a wolf drifted to his ears. All of his

impressions were secondary to the sight of his wife.

Ebony hair fell loose and wild past her shoulders. Her black-framed glasses actually enhanced the sky blue of her eyes, slightly widened

with surprise as she watched him approach. Her sweater hugged every inch of those delectable breasts, then opened to a wide bell around her

hips. A tight black miniskirt stopped mid-thigh. At second glance, Nick revised his opinion to a much shorter option, since the fabric had

snuck way up in her comfortable sitting position and now barely covered her. Knee-high black leather boots completed the outfit. Those long

Amazon legs were encased in black tights and Nick knew she wore nothing else underneath. The stores didn't make a slip that short, he was

almost positive.

Her true sexiness lay in her ignorance of her effect on men. Aggravation tickled his nerves. He lived in a constant state of emotional turmoil

and he hated every moment. He was the calmest man around and dedicated his path to avoid messy feelings. Now, his normal day ranged

from annoyance to frustration to anger. She made him crazy with her whacko arguments and impassioned speeches. She also made him

laugh. His home seemed more alive since she moved in.

He reached her. "Hi."

"Hi."

He directed his attention to his sister. "Maggie May, how goes it?"

"Fine, brother dearest. What brings you? You're not going to read that poem you wrote when you were eight, are you?"

Alexa tilted her head in interest. "What poem?"

He actually felt himself flush and realized the two women before him were the only ones who ever made him lose his composure. "Don't

listen to her."

"I thought you had work," Alexa said.

He did. And he didn't know why he was here. He had left the office and entered an empty house and the silence bothered him. He'd

thought of her surrounded by people in the bookstore she created and wanted to join her world for just a little while. He said nothing,

though, and shrugged. "I wrapped up early. Thought I'd check out poetry night. Do all artists smoke? There's a long line outside and they're

all puffing away."

Maggie snickered and stretched both of her legs out on the floor. Her back was propped up against the side of the chair. Her green eyes

held the teasing light of a younger sister who still enjoyed torturing her older brother. "Still having cravings, Nick? Bet I could bum one for

you."

"Thanks. It's always nice to have a family member as your drug pusher."

Alexa gasped. "You smoke?"

Nick shook his head. "Used to. Quit years ago."

"Yeah, but when he gets stressed or upset, he regresses. Do you believe he doesn't think it counts as long as he doesn't buy?"

Alexa chuckled. "This is very enlightening, guys. We need to get together more often. Tell me, Maggs, does your brother cheat at card