Page 75 of Terms of Trade (Trade Wind 4)

Chapter Nineteen

Nicholas drifted in a half-asleep state, knowing in the back of his mind it was time to blow out the candle on the bedside table and surrender to slumber. He resisted a little longer and luxuriated in the newfound bliss. Spending every night with Helen these past weeks had only intensified his thirst, not slaked it.

Her soft breasts and hips fit against his body perfectly as she lay in his arms, her breath sliding warmly across his collarbone. She hadn’t stirred in several minutes, not even when he tenderly caressed the dip of her waist every so often.

Her swift intake of breath was loud in the otherwise silent chamber, but already used to Helen’s ways, he smiled as she sat up straight.

What inspiration or thought has struck?Both his hands moved to hold her hips under the tips of her scarlet hair, and he woke fully and immediately, delighted to await whatever pronouncement she offered.

“I nearly forgot! I have to tell you how the first tutoring session went!”

“Yes, we had more…pressing matters between us tonight, didn’t we?” He kneaded the irresistible bounty under his hands and they both laughed. “Your eyes are sparkling. Allow me to venture a guess—you learned something new or surprising.”

“Yes, but not about mathematics! I scarcely understood a thing when they began the visit in earnest—and even less when they switched to French.”

“French? Oh, yes, Macalester did study at École Polytechnique. I hadn’t even thought of that when we set up the sessions, but Pen probably loved that, didn’t she?”

“Eventually, yes. But for the first few minutes after we arrived, I wasn’t certain the two would suitat all.”

He blinked, considering again the idea of his sister and the prodigy engineer. When Nicholas had approached him with the tutoring request, he made clear the man was under no obligation to accept. The last thing he needed was to foist unwanted tasks on Macalester, for the young man had enough work—and Pen deserved to study with someone who was invested in her learning.

“Pen is…Pen,” he murmured. “Macalester, for all his lack of self-importance, is disciplined in his work. He did mention he could only proceed with additional sessions if he was satisfied Pen was up to the task. I had no worries about that part. Should I have?”

Giggling, Helen lowered back down into his arms, her silky hair fanning across his chest, and rested her hand under her chin. “No. I believe within a short time, Mr. Macalester was rather…enamoredof her knowledge.”

“Enamored.”She can’t mean…enamored?

Amusement danced across her face. “They spoke of artichokes and numbers. Spirals and vectors. Something about the mathematical formulas that predict the way leaves grow. All with more enthusiasm than you can imagine.”

“Pen speaks only if she is enthusiastic—which is always.”

“Well, she took offense in the beginning, for Mr. Macalester had marked on his board quite a few problems for her to solve. She believed them too simple and voiced her opinion on the matter.”

Nicholas laughed, but not for long. “It’s the Sideris way—to react before thinking.”

“Hmm. Is Elijah a long-lost Sideris?”

He cringed. “I damn well hope not! The last surprise I want in this lifetime is to find out you and I are siblings.”

She settled her head into the crook of his shoulder. “Your way is to thinkbeforereacting. To consider everything. But you’re a Sideris.”

“Ah, am I? By blood, yes, but not even by name anymore.”

“A man can change everything but himself—you said that. I can see that you remain part of your family even though you changed your name. You’ve been the careful thinker among them since you were a boy, haven’t you?”

Nicholas made a sound of agreement in his throat. “Until a particular woman walked into my office asking for a fortune in silver.” He coupled his affectionate-sounding tone with a kiss to her temple.

But she stiffened and rose to look into his eyes. “What does that mean?”

“It means that around you, I find it difficult to use my head. To behave rationally.”

She frowned. “Are you saying your investment in the tea venture—it wasn’t…”

Witnessing her distress, Nicholas regretted having said anything.Case in point—around her, I’m not always thinking.“I told you my firm wasn’t in the tea trade—and,Iwas not, either. But it turns out I want to be in the business of helping you achieve what you need to, Helen.”

Her mouth gaped, and she settled herself a foot away from him, grasping handfuls of sheet to cover herself.

Damn.

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