understanding,” she whispered.
He smiled against her lips, falling a little more in love with her for letting him see her vul ner ability, then he made a little face at her and asked, “Now, just what are you doing here, Katie Quaid?”
“It was Maggie's idea,” she explained, feeling like a schoolgirl who'd gotten caught at a wild party. It was all she could do to keep from giggling. “This is what she wanted to do to celebrate her birthday.”
“I should have guessed Maggie would be behind it,” he said with a chuckle. “Is she having a good time?”
“What a silly question!” Katie laughed. “As my brother would say, she's in hog heaven. So is Zoe.”
“What about you?” he asked, tickling her. “Are you enjoying yourself, Katie?”
She squirmed in his arms but didn't try to escape. It was more fun to snuggle against him. “More than I had thought I would. I didn't have any idea what it would be like. It's a lot of fun. You guys are fantastic dancers.”
“Thanks,” he said, thanking heaven Katiewas more open- minded than he had given her credit for.
“How did you get started?” she asked.
Nick let go of her and leaned back against the edge of the desk. “When I was trying to get discovered in New York, I found out there are a lot of good dancers but not many jobs. You have to be more than just a good dancer to make it on Broadway. I finally saw I didn't have the extra something and decided to set my sights on my other dream—the restaurant. But I needed money to make that dream come true. I heard the manager of a club was auditioning men for a high-class erotic show and figured why not? They wanted top dancers with imaginative acts to provide fun, escapist entertainment for ladies. The pay was high, and it sounded like I'd have a good time.”
“And the Highwayman was born,” Katie finished the story for him.
“You got it.” He reached out and caught her hand, just because he wanted to touch her. It seemed as if he never stopped wanting to touch Katie. “I gained a reputation, toured up and down the East Coast for two years until I hadenough money for the down payment on the building I wanted. When that curb and gutter problem came up, this was the quickest way I knew of to get the money. Jack had made me a standing offer to come back anytime I wanted.”
“How long are you going to have to work here?”
“Two shows a night, two nights a week until the restaurant opens. Do you mind?”
“I mind that you have to work so hard. You're working day and night on your building, helping out at the Drewes mansion, and working here too.”
Nick smiled gently at the look of concern in her big gray eyes. He drew her into his arms and kissed her lightly. “Don't worry, kitten. Mama always said I had more energy than any ten kids. I can handle it and still have time left on my dance card for you.”
He glanced at the clock on the desk and sighed. “Right now I have to get ready for my next show.”
Katie slid her arms around his neck and gave him a long, thorough kiss. When she finished, shestepped back and winked at him. “Knock ‘em dead, Yankee.”
Nick grinned. Their relationship had survived the unmasking of his secret identity. The optimist in him predicted it would be smooth sailing from then on.
SIX
“S O WHAT'S HE like? Is he a nice guy or a jerk or what?” Nick asked, wishing he could watch Katie's gray eyes for her answers. He could sense the complexity of emotions in her as they drove west out of Briarwood on a climbing, winding road. She finally was taking him to meet her brother, who, according to rumor, was something of a hermit. Maggie had described him as impossible, cantankerous, and arrogant—and Nick was pretty sure she had a crush on the guy. He couldn't wait to meet Rylan Quaid.
“Rylan?” Katie rolled her eyes. “He's like a giantprickly pear: all spiny on the outside and soft on the inside. He's a tyrant. He's stubborn and owly and—”
“—and you
He smiled against her lips, falling a little more in love with her for letting him see her vul ner ability, then he made a little face at her and asked, “Now, just what are you doing here, Katie Quaid?”
“It was Maggie's idea,” she explained, feeling like a schoolgirl who'd gotten caught at a wild party. It was all she could do to keep from giggling. “This is what she wanted to do to celebrate her birthday.”
“I should have guessed Maggie would be behind it,” he said with a chuckle. “Is she having a good time?”
“What a silly question!” Katie laughed. “As my brother would say, she's in hog heaven. So is Zoe.”
“What about you?” he asked, tickling her. “Are you enjoying yourself, Katie?”
She squirmed in his arms but didn't try to escape. It was more fun to snuggle against him. “More than I had thought I would. I didn't have any idea what it would be like. It's a lot of fun. You guys are fantastic dancers.”
“Thanks,” he said, thanking heaven Katiewas more open- minded than he had given her credit for.
“How did you get started?” she asked.
Nick let go of her and leaned back against the edge of the desk. “When I was trying to get discovered in New York, I found out there are a lot of good dancers but not many jobs. You have to be more than just a good dancer to make it on Broadway. I finally saw I didn't have the extra something and decided to set my sights on my other dream—the restaurant. But I needed money to make that dream come true. I heard the manager of a club was auditioning men for a high-class erotic show and figured why not? They wanted top dancers with imaginative acts to provide fun, escapist entertainment for ladies. The pay was high, and it sounded like I'd have a good time.”
“And the Highwayman was born,” Katie finished the story for him.
“You got it.” He reached out and caught her hand, just because he wanted to touch her. It seemed as if he never stopped wanting to touch Katie. “I gained a reputation, toured up and down the East Coast for two years until I hadenough money for the down payment on the building I wanted. When that curb and gutter problem came up, this was the quickest way I knew of to get the money. Jack had made me a standing offer to come back anytime I wanted.”
“How long are you going to have to work here?”
“Two shows a night, two nights a week until the restaurant opens. Do you mind?”
“I mind that you have to work so hard. You're working day and night on your building, helping out at the Drewes mansion, and working here too.”
Nick smiled gently at the look of concern in her big gray eyes. He drew her into his arms and kissed her lightly. “Don't worry, kitten. Mama always said I had more energy than any ten kids. I can handle it and still have time left on my dance card for you.”
He glanced at the clock on the desk and sighed. “Right now I have to get ready for my next show.”
Katie slid her arms around his neck and gave him a long, thorough kiss. When she finished, shestepped back and winked at him. “Knock ‘em dead, Yankee.”
Nick grinned. Their relationship had survived the unmasking of his secret identity. The optimist in him predicted it would be smooth sailing from then on.
SIX
“S O WHAT'S HE like? Is he a nice guy or a jerk or what?” Nick asked, wishing he could watch Katie's gray eyes for her answers. He could sense the complexity of emotions in her as they drove west out of Briarwood on a climbing, winding road. She finally was taking him to meet her brother, who, according to rumor, was something of a hermit. Maggie had described him as impossible, cantankerous, and arrogant—and Nick was pretty sure she had a crush on the guy. He couldn't wait to meet Rylan Quaid.
“Rylan?” Katie rolled her eyes. “He's like a giantprickly pear: all spiny on the outside and soft on the inside. He's a tyrant. He's stubborn and owly and—”
“—and you
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