Page 11 of Nico
"Rich people."
"Trying to make me feel ashamed?"
"Oh, of course not. Just noting the difference between us. Ballroom dancing? What a crock. Do you remember the steps?"
"With my brilliant mind? Absolutely." He turned her to face him. Using his thumb, he wiped away the evidence of ice cream from her bottom lip. The cloud had turned from a light gray to an ominous steel gray, an indication that they were in for some rain.
Tilting her chin up, he kissed her lingeringly, sending fire surging throughout her body.
"How about we continue this back at your place?" he asked huskily, lifting his head.
"Why don't we?"
*****
After a very robust bout of lovemaking, the last thing she wanted was to have a conversation with her mother. But it was required. Sylvia Greene had reverted to her first married name as was her pattern over the years. Now she was in the middle of a divorce, she was back to being Mrs. Greene.
Sadie had long since stopped being surprised at anything her mother did and had learned to dread the conversation with her. But if she did not call every Sunday, there would be no end to the complaints and long-suffering comments.
She took the phone call into the sitting area and left Nico sprawled on the bed half asleep. Somehow she did not want to taint their time together with a call from her mother.
"I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me." The cultured voice was tinged with ice and Sadie could imagine the sulk on her mother's face.
"I was about to call when you did." Lowering herself into the butter soft ruby red sofa, she lied without a qualm.
"That's a likely story. I suppose working at that homosexual's gallery gives you no time for anything else."
Determined to keep the peace, even if it killed her, Sadie did her breathing technique, which usually worked. "His name is Andre."
A sniff was her only response to that. "It also gives you no time to find a suitable man. You're thirty-two years old and time isrunning out for you to find someone. Goodness Sadie, are you waiting until you turn forty?"
She almost blurted out that she was in a relationship with Nico Coulter but managed to contain the news.
"I think you've tied the knot enough for both of us." She had not meant to say that, but the breathing technique had hit its top level.
"I knew you would throw that in my face." The tone this time was that of an injured party and designed to make her feel guilty. "You blame me for your father's death."
The unfairness of it had her rising and pacing, clearly agitated. "How can you say that?"
"I explained to you how lonely I was, but did that make a difference? Oh no. You're determined to paint me as the bad person here. You have no sympathy for my plight. None whatsoever."
"What plight?" She sliced her hand through the air in anger. "Mother, you barely grieved for a year and before I had time to adjust to losing dad, you were bringing a stranger into our home. How did you expect me to react?"
"I expected my only child to be understanding and give me the support I needed."
Sadie sank down in the sofa and only just noticed that Nico had quietly entered the room. She wanted to tell him to leave but knew he would not listen. With his own silent support, he crossed to her and sat on the arm of the sofa, his hand wrapping around her shoulders.
It quieted her heart and dissolved her anger, enough to have her listening to her mother drone on and on about her life and how difficult it was for her. When she was finished, Sadie said a firm goodbye and hung up the phone.
"I want to just sit here and be silent for a minute or two."
"I'll agree to that, on one condition."
"No..."
"That I get to do this." Sliding down, he plucked her up and placed her on top of him. And did the sweetest thing that had her throat clogging. He just pressed her head against his shoulder and held her.
"Oh." Sighing, she wrapped her hands around his waist and held on. "This is nice."
