Solving For Nic by Lexxi Callahan

Angry. She loved Rogan the same way she loved her family. “What about Rogan? He worships your sister and she treats him like dirt under her feet.”
    “Are you calling my sister a snob?”
    “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”
    Everything about him was calm and casual. Except his eyes. There were hurricanes roaring up and Lizzie hated hurricanes. “You’re wrong. Angie might be spoiled but she’s not a snob.”
    “Rogan loves her,” she shot back. “He’s been miserable this past year. He’s hardly seen Zachary and…” She trailed off, blinking back sudden tears and glancing away so he wouldn’t see them. “She’s going to keep on until she loses him.”
    “You want them to get back together?” He was genuinely surprised.
    “Yes.” She choked. Did he really think she would go after a married man? It felt like falling through the ice of a frozen lake. The burn scraped a layer of her skin off and left her raw and bleeding. He should know better.
    “You tried to provoke her into fighting for him?”
    This trip had been a mistake. How could she expect him to know her better? She was emotionally out of her depth with Nic. She couldn’t handle him. She might be emotionally invested in him, but she was a passing blip on his radar. It was ridiculous to expect him to know her better. “I know, it was stupid…”
    “No.” He turned to wash his hands. “No, it worked.”
    Her eyes widened as he rounded the bar. The predator was coming for her. The man who stopped in front of her wasn’t angry but he was dangerous. She had no defense. He made her hope. He made her want more.
    “Lizzie?”
    She turned her head until their eyes met.
    “Can I borrow your towel?” The low words took a moment to sink in but he was already tugging on the beach towel.
    “What? No. Wait…” she yelped, grabbing at the towel to stop him. Caught between outrage and excitement, she lost the battle and the towel.
    He tossed the towel aside, then turned the barstool until she faced him. His hands caged her in but his focus was on her lips, which immediately went dry. She swept her tongue across her bottom lip and her heart raced triple time when he leaned into her.
    “I don’t want to talk about Angie and Rogan anymore.” His voice was low and husky. It made her shiver again.
    She leaned back on the stool as he moved over her. Her arms wound around his neck and she smiled when he shivered in pleasure this time. “Talking is overrated.”
    “Agreed,” he snapped and then he was kissing her. Her lips parted and she was ready for him this time. She forgot who Angie and Rogan were. She forgot who she was. She forgot everything but his mouth shaping hers. The world fell away again as he deepened the kiss.
    Reality was overrated too.
    Alarm bells went off in her head but she ignored them. She couldn’t let him go. A moment longer wouldn't hurt. There was something she was supposed to ask him but it didn’t seem to matter anymore. He broke the kiss without warning, breathing heavily and trying to rein himself in. Giving up contact with him was painful.
    “Nic,” she whispered, reaching for him. Despite the inherent danger, she wanted him to kiss her again. She needed him to kiss her.
    Instead, his hand curved around the back of her head. He pressed her forehead to his chest. His heart was racing and thumping so hard she thought she could feel it against her cheek. He wasn't as calm as he appeared. She liked the way he clamped her against his chest while he fought to regain control. She liked that his heart wasn't slowing down any faster than hers was. The moment was too perfect to do anything but savor it.
    “Let’s get out of here for a while.”
    “Sure.” She pressed against him, loving the slight roughness of him against her bare skin. She tingled everywhere and his slightest movement sent currents all through her. “What should I wear? My bathing suit, my cocktail dress or the towel?” Humor and disappointment