Big Guns Out of Uniform by Nicole Camden

Author:Nicole Camden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2003-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Tomorrow, he had said.

So maybe this wasn’t a one-night stand? Delia pondered that possibility as she watched Nick back his black pickup out of his drive and roar off in the direction of the local strip mall. Suddenly she wasn’t at all sure how she felt about continuing to have sex with him. Her heart was still tripping dangerously, and Nick Woodruff just didn’t look like a long-term bet.

Well, did she look long-term? No, probably not. She was too career-driven. Too afraid of failure to slow down. Admittedly, that had been a part of what had ruined her marriage. But Nick had made it plain he wanted sex, not a relationship. What he offered her was pure, physical satisfaction. The chance to explore her more carnal side—with someone who was really, really good at it. The man had not been bragging.

Feeling a little lost, Delia stood in the middle of Nick’s bedroom, wearing nothing but one of his chambray work shirts. He’d thrown all their clothes in the dryer and tucked Delia into his bed before heading off to Kroger. But Delia had climbed out at once, too restless to lie still. Now, in her bare feet, she roamed through the empty house. Empty save for Nick’s cats, Click and Clack.

Well, at least Nick listened to plenty of public radio, she mused, bending down to scratch Click under the chin. The big gray tabbies were Tiger Lily’s kittens, Nick had said proudly. After finding them in his Triumph, he’d laid claim, and Bud had been forced to concede. Click was now twirling around Delia’s ankles and purring his approval, while his brother stretched out in Nick’s office window, soaking up what was left of the afternoon sun. Somewhere farther down the hall, she could hear the dryer rumbling, the button on Nick’s Levi’s making a rhythmic stritch-clack-scritch as it tumbled.

Nick’s house was open and spacious, the dining room, living room, and kitchen defined primarily by wide arches and thick Oriental rugs. He had furnished his home simply, in earth-toned leather and tweedy fabrics. His small, neat office opened off the kitchen, its bay window fitted with a cushion which Clack was using to good effect. A fieldstone fireplace dominated the living room. The iron grate looked well used, and the hearth was surrounded by an antique fender, at least eight inches high, its brass buffed to a mirror-like sheen.

All the floors were made of wide oak planks, stained brown and polished clean, but without any glossy finish. Delia wandered into the kitchen. Compared to the sterile steel and granite in her kitchen, Nick’s kitchen looked spartan but functional. Nice, actually. And amazingly clean. In fact, everything about Nick seemed clean and simple. Uncomplicated. Straightforward. Like his approach to sex.

Click had followed her into the kitchen. He rose upon his hind legs now and rubbed his head against the side of her knee. Delia looked down to see two empty bowls on a Garfield place mat, right by the refrigerator. On top of the fridge sat a bag of cat food.

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