Bordering On Love (A James Family Novel Book 3) Read online

  Kaiden finally cleared his throat. "About the truck, brother?"

  "Yeah, sure. Go ahead. I'll find a way home. Bring it back to me tomorrow," Keegan replied without looking at Kaiden. Nikki moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue and his gut clenched.

  "All right then, I'll just leave you two alone."

  "Bye." Nikki waved to him without breaking eye contact with Keegan.

  Kaiden turned and left. "I'll call you in the morning."

  "I suppose I should take care of that shower now so I can see about getting you home."

  "I'm in no hurry." Keegan's voice sounded husky even to his own ears.

  "Good," Nikki replied, her tone taking on a certain sensuality all of its own. "It might take me a bit to get the soap out of my hair."

  Keegan bit down on his tongue to keep from offering to help her get that soap out. Instead he just nodded. "It's not like I can go anywhere."

  "No, I suppose you can't." Nikki turned and walked away. When she reached the door to her room, she stopped and turned. "Can you go into the laundry room off the kitchen and get me towel out of the dryer? I completely forgot that they are all in there."

  "Um, sure." He expected her to wait while he rummaged through the dryer but when he returned to the hallway she was gone. The sound of running water filtered out of the master bathroom. Feeling more nervous than a grown man who has actually seen a naked woman before should, he advanced slowly through the master bedroom. As he stood outside the bathroom door, he could hear Nikki humming quietly as she showered.

  "I've got your towel," he called through the space between the door and the frame.

  "Can you come in and put it on the counter for me please?"

  Clearing his suddenly clogged throat, Keegan pushed the door open and stepped into the unexpectedly large bathroom. He intended to just toss the towel to the counter and hightail it out of there but the smooth glass of the shower, coated with steam, stopped him in his tracks. Despite the fogged over shower door, he could make out the definite outline of Nikki. She had her arms up over her head, massaging grapefruit smelling suds into her thick hair. The position accentuated the shadowy curve of her breasts and hips making his mouth go dry.

  "Keegan? Did you leave it on the counter?" Nikki called, her back now to him.

  "Yes," he croaked out over the lump that had formed in his throat.

  Nikki jumped at the sound of his voice, dropping the bottle she held with a loud crash. "You scared me."

  "Sorry. My brother always said my ability to sneak up on him was a mad ninja skill."

  Nikki laughed. He watched as she leaned her head back into the steady stream of water and worked her finger tips through the wet strands of thick, dark hair wishing those were his fingers.

  "I guess it’s a skill that served you well in the FBI."

  "I suppose." It used to drive Margot crazy that she never knew when he was approaching.

  "I like surprises."

  Damn. The way she said that made Keegan want to tear off his clothes and show her all of his secret talents. Why the hell not? His fingers went to the hem of his shirt when the water in the shower suddenly shut off. He was halfway out of it when Nikki cracked the shower door open, letting out a squeal when she saw him. Keegan froze.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Um, it was hot in here?"

  Nikki smiled; a small knowing smile, lacking the shock and annoyance he had expected. "Hand me the towel?"

  Keegan obliged, his eyes never leaving hers. The steam was beginning to dissipate enough that he could start to make out a few details through the glass. His self-control was dissipating at the same rate.

  Nikki pulled the towel into the shower and wrapped it around herself. He knew this because he watched her every movement through the still opaque glass, his feet rooted to the tile beneath them. A memory of Margot doing the same thing passed through his mind but there was nothing sexy about it the way there was with Nikki. For the first time ever, he was beginning to think his entire relationship with Margot had been a mistake of epic proportions.

  Yeah, but if he hadn’t been through the hell with his ex, he never would have quit the agency and most definitely wouldn't be standing there in Nikki's bathroom right then.

  She pushed open the door, knocking him in the knee cap with the beveled edge. White hot pain shot through his leg in both directions dropping him to the tiles.

  "Oh Keegan! I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" Nikki leaned over him, clutching the towel closed.

  He looked up and straight down into the gaping towel between two smooth, creamy breasts and let out a groan.

  "I did hurt you!"

  Oh, she hurt him all right, just not in the way she thought. A certain other part throbbed a hell of a lot more than his knee did.

  "I'm fine," he ground out between clenched teeth as he pulled himself upright using the vanity.

  Nikki used her free hand to help him. At least she thought she was helping. What really happened was his gut clenched with an overwhelming desire to feel her still damp skin pressed up against his. As he struggled to maintain his composure, Nikki turned him to face her, concern darkening her eyes.

  "Are you sure you're okay?"

  He shook his head. "No. No, I am not sure."

  Without thinking through his actions, Keegan put his hands on Nikki's shoulders. Oh my God, her skin was softer than it looked. In one swift motion he backed her into the shower pressing her body against the slick tiles and moving his hands to the wall on either side of her head, he crushed his lips to hers. No more dancing around each other. No more teasing and flirting. No more arguing and no more Margot taunting him from the depths of his mind. After their earlier forays, he knew what she tasted like and he needed more. So much more. He was like an addict that carried his drug around to torture himself. That ended now. Being with Nikki all night, watching her fall into the icy water, feeling her cold, wet body shake so violently—it had shredded his soul in a way even his ex hadn’t done. To hell with waiting until the case was over. She knew he wasn't involved and that was enough for him.

  Nikki quickly melded her body to his, her arms sliding up and around his neck as she parted her lips to his insistence. The only thing that held her towel closed was the pressure between them. Keegan was torn between not wanting to ever let her go and stepping away just to see what that piece of cotton hid from him.

  He slid one hand slowly on the tile until his fingers touched her cheek. Trailing the now wet tips along her jawline, down her neck and on to her bare shoulder, Keegan followed that pattern with tiny kisses where his fingers had been. Nikki responded by pressing herself more tightly against him. So much for letting the towel drop. He wouldn't break the contact between them now for all the money in the bank. He let his fingers dance a little toward the top of her breast. This time the moan came from Nikki who lowered her hands from where they had been threaded in his hair to the waist of his jeans. She tugged his shirt out and slipped her hands up under the material. His skin burned at her touch, setting every inch of him on fire. Grasping the towel she wore with both hands, he yanked it down between them, letting it fall to the shower floor.

  Not breaking their kiss, Nikki started frantically working the buttons on his shirt. Keegan loved a woman who wasn't shy about what she wanted but he was as impatient as she was so he stepped back a little, reluctantly separating their lips so he could pull the offending clothing off letting it hang over the shower wall. In the process he caught a full glance of what had been hidden from him before and he sucked in a breath.

  "No talking," Nikki command as she pulled his lips back to hers. She didn’t wait for him to deepen it either, rather demanded entrance to his mouth which he readily gave her. Nikki's approach was refreshing and hot as hell.

  His hands roamed everywhere they could reach, memorizing the contours of her hips, her waist and the firmness of her abdomen. He had just discovered the heaven that was her perfectly sized breasts when a loud voice
boomed through the house.

  "Nikole!"

  "Oh, shit! It's Henry!" Nikki pushed him away, reaching for her towel. "You have to get out of here."

  "Your boss has a key to your house?" he asked with disbelief. "You sure there isn't something—?"

  "No! Now move, please!"

  She was in such a panic, Keegan decided to pursue the matter later. He grabbed his shirt and went to step out of the shower stall when the voice sounded again, this time from the doorway.

  "Nikki!"

  Not knowing what else to do, Keegan grabbed the door and slammed it shut locking them both in the shower, placing his half naked body in front of Nikki's totally naked one. It didn't occur to him that the entire thing was made of glass and the steam had disappeared a long time ago. Henry, red in the face with worry, stood on the other side staring through the glass at them.

  "What the hell are you doing in there with her? Did he hurt you, Nik?"

  "Um, no, Henry. Can you please step out for a minute? Then we'll talk, I promise."

  "I'm not leaving you in there with him! I knew I couldn't trust him."

  "Henry! Leave!"

  "What? Oh." Understanding suddenly lit in Henry's eyes and his face turned the color of a candied apple as he backed out of the bathroom. When the door was closed, Nikki collapsed against his back.

  "He's going to tell my father. Humiliation at its finest."

  Keegan turned slowly and gathered her in his arms. Kissing the top of her head he whispered against her ear, "You're a big girl, Nikki. And a very beautiful woman. You have a right to make your own choices. Unless, of course, that choice is you regret what just happened. In which case—"

  She pressed her lips to his in a quick but forceful kiss. "The only regret I have is that Henry showed up."

  "Good." He grinned at her. "To be continued then?"

  "I wouldn't miss the ending for all the ice cream in the world."

  "Mmm… ice cream. I can think of a few ways you could have your ice cream and I could eat it too."

  She slugged him lightly. "I like the way you think, Agent James."

  "If you don't come out of there, Nik, I am coming in after you!" Henry yelled through the door. Nikki groaned.

  "It's all right." Keegan pulled his shirt on as he stepped from the stall. "I'll just wait in the kitchen. I need some water. To drink." He winked at her and left the room.

  "Hi, Henry, nice to see you again." The older man was fuming but held his tongue as Keegan walked out of the bedroom without closing the door behind him. He wanted to hear every word they said to each other and he wasn't even a tiny bit ashamed of it.

  With the taste of Nikki on his lips and the touch of her on his fingertips, he went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water and wait. Henry couldn't stay all night.

  16

  Nikki

  "What the hell are you doing in my house, Henry?" Nikki asked as she yanked the bathroom door open. She had slipped on a little robe she had hanging on the back of the door but felt exposed in front of her boss even though all the important stuff was now covered.

  "The ATF guy called in, said you went in the water. You didn't call me and I couldn't reach you so I came to check on you."

  "My phone is on the bottom of the marina. Keegan's got wet too. Don't you think someone would have got in touch with you if I weren't okay?"

  "I don't know. It looked like you were a little too busy."

  "That's none of your business, Henry."

  "He's a suspect."

  "No, he's not and you know it."

  "He's still part of the case."

  "Only as a courtesy. My courtesy, I might add."

  "Yeah, you were being courteous all right." He sounded jealous. Keegan was right. Oh, yuck. Henry was old enough to be her father.

  "I'm a grown woman, Henry. I don't need a babysitter."

  "I don't know about that. How long you known the guy? A week?" If that.

  "It's none of your concern what I do on my own time."

  "Your own time? Last I checked you were on a stake out. Next I find you getting staked out in your bathroom." His face had turned a deep crimson.

  "That the best you got, Henry? All the euphemisms for nearly having sex and that's what you throw out there." Great. Now she was taunting him the way she used to taunt her father when she was a teenager.

  "Nikki!" His bellow filled the tiny cottage.

  "Now you listen to me. This is my house and I did not ask you to come here. I am an adult and you are not my father. You have no expectations in this situation except professional ones and since Keegan is not part of my case, you've got nothing."

  "Wait until I tell your father how I found you naked with some guy you hardly know."

  "That's enough, Henry! You've gone too far. I think it's time for you to leave. As you can see, I am fine. Your duty ends there. I will see you in the morning."

  "Nikki—" His voice grew quieter. "I'm sorry, I just—when that dude Will said you went in the water and—"

  "I get it, Henry. You were worried. You didn't want to tell my father I was dead while he was so close to death himself. Believe me, I understand. But barging into my house—my bathroom—that's just too much. I have a right to a personal life. The job doesn't own me and neither do you."

  Based on the hurt that filled Henry's eyes, she probably could have left that last part out. It felt necessary though, to re-establish the boundaries that somewhere along the line had become blurred in Henry's mind.

  "I'm sorry. I'll be going now. See you in the morning. Will's checking with the ATF for any intel on weapons trafficking in the area. We are meeting at seven sharp."

  "We'll be there."

  "We?"

  "Come on, Henry. You know Keegan will be with me, one way or another."

  "Yeah." His expression went blank. "Good night, Nik. I'm glad you are okay."

  He turned and walked out of her bedroom. Nikki followed. As they passed the kitchen, Henry stopped and scowled at Keegan. "I got my eye on you, boy. You don't want to hurt her."

  The sharp warning hung in the air as Henry slammed the front door. Suddenly embarrassed, she turned to Keegan but instead of making eye contact became fascinated with the floor tiles. "I'm sorry about that. Henry—"

  "Is seriously in love with you." This time Keegan's tone wasn't accusatory and she appreciated that. Mostly because he was right and she had been stupid not to realize it herself sooner.

  She covered her face with her hands and dropped into a chair at the small table. "It's awful, Keegan. What am I going to do? He is my father's best friend. They were in the Navy together. I'm an awful daughter."

  Keegan squatted down beside her and took her hands from her face. Holding them in his own, he traced little circles with the pad of his thumbs while he spoke. "You are not an awful daughter. You didn't do anything wrong. The man is your boss, he is old enough to be your father, and he was completely out of line tonight."

  "Then why do I feel so bad?"

  "Because we didn't get to finish what we started?" he teased.

  "Yeah, I'm sure that's it." She matched his tease with sarcasm.

  "Henry had his heart broken tonight. Who knows how long he has been carrying a torch for you. The flame was doused when he saw you with me and that was a huge blow to his ego. It's going to take a while for him to come back from. The only saving grace is that he thinks you don't know how he feels. That's why he acted like such a hard ass—to cover his own pain."

  "You sound like you speak from experience."

  "Not really. I'm just a guy who knows how other guys think."

  "It's going to be hard to face him in the morning."

  "For him too. But you have one advantage he doesn't."

  "Yeah? What's that?"

  "I'll be there with you." He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. It lacked the passion from earlier. Instead it sent her a different message. He was there for her, he cared about her, and he would protec
t her. Not that she needed protecting, but it was just nice to feel protected.

  She pulled one of her hands from his and pressed the palm of it to Keegan's cheek. "You are a good man. No wonder your mother is so desperate to hook you up. It's a federal felony that you are still single."

  "I don't know about all that." It was obvious he was embarrassed but she didn't care. He needed to know. Nikki got the feeling he doubted his worth in a relationship and it was time she found out why. There was no way they could go any further if she didn't have some assurance that there was a chance at a future for them. This was a man she thought she might want that with but she needed to know if he was all in or if his baggage would come between them.

  "I'm going to go put some clothes on. I'll be back in a minute." He looked disappointed. Good. Let him want her, it would make their next conversation that much more imperative.

  When she returned wearing a tee shirt and a pair of yoga pants, he was sitting in a chair at the table turning his glass of water around in his hand.

  "You want a beer?" Nikki asked pulling the refrigerator door open.

  "Sure. That actually sounds pretty good right now."

  She grabbed two bottles and handed one to Keegan as she sat down. "So, what’s it like having a twin?" Not exactly the question she had intended to ask but it was a good lead in.

  "It has its moments. We are identical in looks but not in personality so that can be a challenge sometimes. Especially when we were kids."

  "How are you different?"

  "Kaiden is more laid back. He likes to joke around and never takes life too seriously. At least he didn't until he found Katie. Now he is super serious about her. And work. Kaiden never messes around with his job. He is a very devoted law man."

  "What agency again?"

  "Homeland."

  She snapped her fingers. "That's right. How else would he just happen to know we were in need of assistance unless he had your phone tapped or bugged or something."

  Keegan laughed. "He doesn't do that. At least not to me. He is a good brother. I can always depend on him. Logan too."