Zienna had seen a college picture of him with long dreadlocks, something she could hardly have imagined, given that his hair was currently cropped short and his face clean-shaven. It was a look he preferred now, claiming it was more professional.
“There you are,” Zienna said.
“Look at you.” His eyes swept over her from head to toe. “Wow.”
“This old thing?” she teased. She knew the black sheath dress and strappy four-inch heels she’d put on made her look like a knockout.
“You’re not supposed to come in here wearing something I want to take off of you....”
Zienna giggled as he hugged her. “I figured I should dress to impress. No point acting like an old married couple already.”
“I’m not gonna complain.” Nicholas eased back. “Damn, girl. That dress fits you like a second skin.” His eyes settled on her ample cleavage, his favorite part of her body.
“You’d better stop looking at me like that,” she warned him in a low voice. “Unless you want to christen this place again.” Which was exactly what she’d hoped for when she’d dressed earlier. Placing her hands on his chest, she leaned in close. “Because you are looking pretty hot yourself. I always was a sucker for a guy dressed to the nines...and wearing an apron.”
Which truly was a turn-on. Nicholas knew how to cook, and had regaled her palate with mouthwatering entrées and scrumptious desserts.
“There’ll be no christening tonight,” Nicholas said. He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently.
“No?” Zienna pouted a little. They had done it on the counter in the kitchen, and both had reflected afterward that a booth would have been the smarter choice. “You sure I can’t lure you over to a booth in the back?”
“Sorry, not tonight. Because in addition to me wanting you to try my latest dish, I have someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Oh?” Zienna glanced around curiously.
“I told him to show up for eight, but he called about twenty minutes ago, said he’d be about ten minutes late. Which means any second now he should be walking through the door.”
“Way to spoil a girl’s anticipation.” She again pouted playfully as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I was kind of hoping for round two.” Their coupling in the kitchen had been out of the ordinary, and highly exciting for Zienna, who wished that Nicholas would be a little more spontaneous when it came to sex.
“Rain check?”
“Of course.” A beat passed. “At least I have time to do this.” Zienna tipped up on her toes, and Nicholas immediately encircled her waist with his strong hands and lowered his lips to meet hers.
Warmth spread through her entire body as they kissed, the only sound being their heavy breathing.
And then the door chimes sang, and Zienna quickly pulled her lips from her man’s. Meeting Nicholas’s eyes, she suppressed a giggle.
“I can come back,” said a deep voice from behind her.
“My man,” Nicholas said, another grin exploding on his face. He released Zienna and stepped past her.
She surreptitiously dabbed at her mouth to remove any moisture. Then, smiling sheepishly, she turned to meet Nicholas’s friend.
And as her eyes landed on the familiar face, her smile went flat a moment before her stomach bottomed out.
2
“Nick.”
“Wendell!”
Zienna watched in shock as her new lover and old lover embraced. In four years she hadn’t seen this man, and now here he was, like an apparition come to life.
When the friends separated, Nicholas walked back over to her and slipped an arm around her waist. He pulled her close. “Wendell, this is Zienna. Zienna, this is one of my best buddies. At least he was—until he followed some girl to Texas and didn’t come back.”
Nicholas chuckled, but Zienna could hardly breathe. She glanced up at Wendell, saw that he was staring at her with an amiable expression. Damn, he looked even better than she’d remembered.
“Well, don’t just stand there,” Nicholas said. “Say hello.”
Wendell extended a hand. “Hello, Zienna.” He paused. “Again.”
Oh, lord, Zienna thought, her heart thundering. Wendell had done what she hadn’t expected and certainly didn’t want—made it clear that the two of them had a past. What was he thinking?
Nicholas looked from Wendell to her with a curious expression. “Again?”
“Zienna and I used to know each other,” Wendell explained, his gaze locked on hers.
She widened her eyes at him slightly, the only way she could think of to tell him not to spill the beans on just how well they’d once been acquainted.
“Remember when I tore my rotator cuff?” Finally, Wendell turned his attention to Nicholas. “Zienna was the kinesiologist who helped me get back to optimum performance.”
“You’re kidding!” Nicholas chuckled.
“She was one of the team’s athletic therapists,” Wendell went on.
Nicholas looked at her. “You never told me you worked with the Bears.”
“It was a long time ago,” Zienna said. She still felt regret over how she’d left a cushy job with Chicago’s pro football team because she hadn’t wanted the conflict of interest once she’d started seeing Wendell. Only for him to ultimately leave her. That was the reason she’d never mentioned her previous job to Nicholas or anyone else.
“You weren’t with our team long before you left and joined the group of physiotherapists at—what was it called? Back in Motion?” Wendell said.
Because of you! Zienna didn’t say it out loud.
“You certainly remember a lot about her,” Nicholas commented.
Zienna threw a glance at him, and saw what she feared—suspicion in his eyes.
“That’s because I continued to work with her at the clinic,” Wendell explained smoothly. “I’d become accustomed to her technique, and liked the way she challenged me.”
“Her technique? Is that all?” Nicholas sounded skeptical.
Zienna opened her mouth to speak, but Wendell did before she could. “It was four and a half years ago, man.”
Though he had evaded the question, his comment seemed enough for Nicholas, who nodded, saying, “Ahh. Right. That’s when you were crazy over Pam.”
Zienna’s stomach clenched. Pam? Who the hell was Pam? Four and a half years ago, Wendell had been giving her the best sex of her life.
“Pam?” Zienna all but croaked.
“His girlfriend,” Nicholas said.
Zienna’s head swam. How could this be true? Wendell had told her he was single when they’d gotten involved. And she could still remember his final words to her.
I’m not ready to settle down. I’m sorry.
And then he’d left town.
“Is Pam the one who went to Texas?” Zienna asked, trying her best to keep her voice neutral. It was one thing to see your ex again under these circumstances, but to learn that he’d lied to you years ago, and not be able to react accordingly...well, this was excruciating.
“Yeah,” Nicholas answered. “Pam. The swimsuit model.” He clamped a hand