NIX (Daring the Kane Brothers) Read online

  As usual, I had work with me, so I took a few minutes to work on my violated laptop and followed up on a few things. I helped one customer with some coding and another with a video app for her website. I started to do a bit of research on the elusive Payton Tucker, but that ended quickly when I felt Ma leaning over my shoulder. On my way home, I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few things, and one bag turned into four. By the time I got the stuff put away, it was seven thirty. I brushed my teeth, changed my shirt, and left to pick up the kid.

  I walked right into the theater with no questions asked. I’ve never been to this theater before. From my understanding, it’s mostly used for touring Broadway musicals and special local events. Token’s girl got a job here shortly after she and my bro hooked up. I’m so glad she’s taken my daughter under her wing.

  I wander down the aisle between the rows and rows of chairs, hypnotized by the group of dancers twirling in sync on the stage to a familiar melody.

  “Daddy!” Becca runs over, and I scoop her up into my arms. “It’s Aladdin! Aren’t they good?” Her youthful, innocent eyes beam at the stage with excitement.

  I nod, now hypnotized by my child. Harley follows close behind. “Hey, Nix.” She shoves her hands in her back pockets and looks at the stage.

  I glance back at the performers. “They’re good.”

  “They’ve been working on it for three months now.” Harley smiles at the dancers with pride.

  “It shows.”

  “Daddy.” Becca’s small hand pats my shoulder, drawing my attention to her. “Harley took me backstage where she does the makeup, and I got to see the costumes, Genie’s and Jasmine’s, and they’re so cool!”

  Now this is the Becca I miss. The little girl easily awed by sparkle, princesses, and music.

  “Her! Right there!” Becca squeals. “She makes them. She does the costumes!” Becca points to the left. My eyes follow her small shaking finger. A rush of adrenaline tingles through my entire body. “Come here.” Becca waves. “Come meet my daddy.”

  I watch as the woman I was searching for earlier today walks toward me. I can’t feel anything but the weight of my daughter in my arms. Nothing could ever dismiss my child, but Payton Tucker manages to make everything else from the music to the group of dancers disappear around me.

  “Hi!” Payton smiles at me, Becca, and Harley. Damn, she’s got a pinch of sexy in all that sweetness. I’d like to give her a squeeze to see if I can pull out a little naughty as well. “I don’t make the costumes. I just manage them, Becca.”

  “It’s still cool. My daddy always says being a part of the team is just as good as being a player.”

  “That’s right.” Payton laughs.

  “Nix,” Harley says, pulling my attention from Payton’s laugh. It’s a good one, not fake at all. “This is Payton. She’s in charge of costumes.”

  “Hey.” I nudge, neither of us letting on that we know each other. Well, kinda, sorta know each other.

  “Oh, Payton!” Becca jumps with a burst of excitement in my arms. “Can we show Daddy some of the costumes?”

  “I don’t know if your dad would be interested in seeing them,” Payton says, her eyes flashing to mine.

  I smile, and while the words don’t spew from my mouth, I’d be interested in anything this woman wants to show me.

  Becca nods. “Yes, he would. Tell her, Daddy. We play dress-up all the time at home. He does a good Harry Potter, and sometimes, he lets me put makeup on him. Not blush but he’s okay with eye stuff, though, right, Daddy?”

  Eyebrows rise as I grit my teeth. “I’d love to see your costumes, Payton.”

  “Great.” Her cheeks flush, no doubt, for me. “Maybe you can get some new ideas for dress-up time.” She wiggles her nose, twists around on her toes, and we all follow.

  It doesn’t take long for Becca to escape my arms so she can rifle through the array of colorful costumes.

  “Becca, be gentle with the material,” Harley says, staying close to my daughter.

  I step forward, but Harley lifts a hand, and whispers, “It’s okay. I got her.”

  Becca tips up on her toes to see what we’re talking about. “Did you ask him?” She looks at Harley. “Can I sleep over tonight?”

  I glance from Becca to Harley. “Is Token cool with it?”

  “It’s not just Token’s place. It’s mine now too.” Harley laughs. “But yes, I talked to him. He’s got something to do for Bronx and won’t be home until later.” She touches Becca on the head. “I’d like the company.”

  “Do you want me to bring a bag by later?”

  “Nah, she can just sleep in one of my T-shirts.” She nods at Becca.

  “Yeah,” my daughter eagerly replies.

  “Okay, just call me in the morning, and I’ll come get her.”

  “Great, and you’ll be there next week Sunday for Token’s birthday party?”

  “We wouldn’t miss it.” Yes, I need to get that calendar loaded on my cell.

  I bend down and tap my cheek. Not putting up a fight, Becca kisses me. Then she gives me a hug, whispering in my ear, “Thanks, Daddy. I love you,” before she and Harley disappear into the racks of clothing.

  “She’s adorable,” Payton says as I’m left in the large room of costumes with her.

  “Yes, among many, many other things.” I walk alongside her, touching some of the silks and sequins on the costumes, the textures arousing my fingertips. “I stopped by your work today.”

  “I saw you.” She smiles at someone passing by us.

  I stop. “You saw me?”

  “Yes.” She nods, and dauntless eyes slither my way.

  “And you didn’t think to say anything?”

  “Why would I?”

  “I was there looking for you.”

  “I didn’t know that.” She pauses to touch the arm of a men’s outdated bomber jacket. “For all I knew, you could’ve been there to see a lawyer or something.”

  “I wasn’t. I was there for you, and ya know what I found out?” I pause, but she’s busy studying the damn coat. “You don’t even work there.”

  “That is correct.” She releases the sleeve and starts to walk again.

  “But I dropped you off there, and you said—” We stop in front of a door.

  “I didn’t know you.” Her eyes rake down me like they had when I dropped her off the other day at the Caulfield building as if she were taking me in so she could snack on me later. “Did you really think I was going to tell you where I worked?”

  “You came to my house. You came in and used my bathroom.” I clear the crack of surprise from my voice. “If you were worried that I was a freak or something, you probably shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Or maybe …” She walks into the room with me following. “You shouldn’t have shown me where you live.” She slowly closes the door and turns to face me. “Maybe I’m the crazy one?” Taking one small step toward me, she smirks. “Did you ever think of that?”

  Inspecting her nearly see-through, loose, cream-colored blouse, light gray tight slacks, and high heels, I walk toward her, my fingertips itching to be aroused by her touch too. I stop in front of her, and as not to act on my desire to discover her texture, my fingers curl into my palms as my eyes lock with hers. “Are you?”

  “Crazy?” She shrugs with a grin. “Maybe a little.”

  “A little crazy doesn’t scare me.” I step closer. She moves back and hits the door.

  Her chin lifts, her boldness giving my cock a tug. “Well, then, what does scare you?”

  I put my hands behind my back and smile down at her. “I dare you to find out.”

  I didn’t expect her to grab the back of my neck and pull me down to her mouth. When our lips connect, I forget everything. Lost in the hypnotic kiss, she turns me around, and now, I’m the one pinned to the door as she devours my mouth with her hungry lips.

  “This doesn’t scare me either,” I murmur against her lips. “In fact, I kinda lik
e it.”

  “Kind of?” Her lips trail down my neck. She takes a little nibble of my skin, sending shivers over my sensitive flesh. “Let’s see if we can change that like into something else.”

  “Let’s,” I half-growl, a sound that normally takes a tad longer to drudge up from a mere kiss.

  My hands move from behind my back, and she pulls her mouth from my neck. “Nuh-uh.” Her head shakes.

  I sway my arms back behind me and clasp my hands together. “Ah, me touching you, that scares you?”

  “No.” Her fingers sift up through my hair, and another bout of shivers travel along my spine. “I’m confident that I’d welcome your hands on my body.” Her thin eyebrow flickers. “I’m confident you’d know what you were doing with them, and that you’d make me feel good. And I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want you to stop.”

  “Ahhhh …” My eyes roll past her mouth. “And that scares you?”

  Her lips press together.

  I rest my hand on her hip. “Listen, I don’t have Becca tonight. Why don’t you and I meet up somewhere for a drink?”

  Her fingers grip a chunk of my hair, instilling another invisible tug on my defenseless dick. “Why don’t we skip the drinks and the flirting, and just go back to your place?”

  The pulsate of my dick presses my fingers deeper into her hip. Fuck, I want her. “As nice as that sounds …” I close my eyes for a brief second and grit my teeth. Then, heavy lidded, I gaze down at her. “I’m trying to be a gentleman here.”

  “Really?” Her blue eyes search and find the place that controls the fucker growing in my pants. “Is it something you’re finding hard to do?”

  “Yes. Among many other things, it’s very hard.” I smirk. What the fuck am I doing? I vowed no chicks.

  She places her palm on my chest. “So what did you want?”

  “Oh, sweetheart, the things I want would make you blush.” I lower my voice. “And make your pussy a little wet, too.”

  “Just a little?”

  “Fuck, you’re a tease.” I blow out, rest my head back against the door, and close my eyes, trying to block her from my view, block her from my unmanageable hard-on, from my working dirty mind.

  “Nix?”

  “Yeah?” I open my eyes, my enthusiastic dick ready and waiting for the next tease.

  A smile plucks the corner of her mouth. “Today, when you went to the Caulfield building. What did you want?”

  “Oh …” I chuckle. “I thought you were talking about—”

  “I’m aware of what you thought, and as entertaining as your answer was, I’m now curious as to why you were looking for me.” She doesn’t move.

  I sway my hips back a fraction so as not to force my hard-on against her body again. “I, well, Becca, found your credit card at my house. It must’ve fallen out of your purse the other day when you dropped it. Sorry, I left it at home, and thankfully so because it gives me yet another reason to see you again.”

  She moves back from me, eyes scanning my telling crotch. “I’ll meet you at The Rusty Room around ten. You can bring the credit card then.” She pushes a sleeve up, pulling her view from my dick. “Okay?”

  “Yeah.” I straighten.

  “You know the place?”

  “Yes.” I walk over to her, gently pinch her chin, and peer down into her eyes. Fuck. I love the cute and sweet ones who know how to switch gears when the bedroom door closes, and the way she gripped my cock from a mere tug of my hair, she’ll know how to handle me. I take my time lowering my mouth to deliver a long, soft kiss. Swiping my thumb across her lower lip, I look back at her. “I’ll see you at nine.” I turn to head out, smiling, proud with myself for leaving her heavy lidded and speechless.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  I park my car. It’s so uncomfortable. No matter how far back I put the seat, my knees feel like they’re going to hit the steering wheel while I’m driving. And don’t get me started on the dashboard with its messed-up controls. Every time my window fogs up, I need to check before I hit the defrost button that’s position right next to the start button. I have a mini heart attack when I go to push it, thinking, if I press the wrong one, the car is going to shut off in the middle of traffic even though the salesman guaranteed me that wouldn’t happen. So why do it? Why put it there? It’s just wrong. And the color… Ugh! I hate it. I should’ve ordered the white one and waited for it to come in instead of taking what was on the floor.

  I crawl out in my heels, shut the driver’s side door, and gingerly walk to the entrance, shaking out my hands and the shit I’m using to distract me from what I’m about to do.

  Meet up with Nickel Kane.

  I push open the door and some old country twang slithers to my ears as the smell of stale booze and cheap whiskey wafts to my nose.

  Well, I picked the place.

  Probably should’ve checked it out before I suggested it. I’ve driven by it, but that’s it. My eyes scan the few patrons before landing on him.

  Him.

  Gorgeous and sexy, makes my insides flutter with one glance him. He’s perfect. Beautiful. Hair bordering between brown and blond. Liquefied emerald eyes and bronze skin lightly touched by freckles. I’m a sucker for freckles! Oh, and his arms. His adept, capable, and masculine arms, the way his sleeves cling to them, taunting and teasing everything else in their view. I can still feel the impressions of his tight grip when he grabbed my hip earlier. He provided a small demonstration of his strength, convincing me he could easily lift me, push me against the wall, and …

  Oh. Stop it! You’re not even to him, and you’re already getting giddy inside. It happens every time I get close. It’s like I’m back in ninth grade when Keil Clifford kissed me for the first time, and I got wet between the legs. At fourteen years old, I thought something was wrong with me, but the weird, maybe even a little bad, thing was that I liked it.

  Nix smiles, and I swear he’s going to make me more uncomfortable than that damn car tonight!

  I know, Allie. Keep my eye on the prize.

  The prize rises from his seat as I reach the tall round table. “Hi.” I smile as he pulls out a stool for me. “Thanks.” I take a seat. His eyes move over me without missing a spot, leaving my body warmed by his thorough inspection.

  “Did you want a beer, glass of wine?” He hitches a thumb —the one he touched my mouth with earlier— at the bar behind him.

  Christ! Even his voice is instrumental to my body. Pull it together, girl. I set my purse on the small round table. “Gin and tonic?”

  “You got it.” He winks and heads to the bar, leaving me with some breathing space, free of his sexy, hot robust aroma.

  I find my eyes momentarily glued to his tight, firm-looking ass. Damn, the man even makes a pair of chinos look good. Between the sockless loafers and polo shirt, he looks out of place in the local drinking den, but it doesn’t seem to faze him as he walks up to the huge, baldheaded, tattooed guy behind the bar. He places my order, spins around to rest against the bar, and stares at me the entire time the bartender makes my drink.

  I don’t look away.

  If Nix Kane thinks he can seduce me with those provocative, swayful dreamy green eyes, he’s wrong. There is no challenge here. I’ve been waiting, and I couldn’t be more ready for him.

  He moves toward me. I politely take my drink and set it on the table, worried I might suck it down in one gulp. Hey, I may be ready, but that doesn’t mean I’m not nervous.

  He slides into the barstool across from me. “So you said you moved here for work but didn’t mention that you were into the theater.”

  “I’m a travel agent by day.”

  “Ah, so the theater is more for fun?”

  “I guess.” I rock my head. “Harley mentioned the position when I met her at her husband’s gym—”

  He holds up a hand, finishes swallowing his beer, and laughs. “Boyfriend.”

  “Oh, I just assumed they’re married. They seem perfect together.”

  “
They are.” He reins in his laughter, leaving a little to sparkle in his glistening emerald eyes. Damn, how I could lose myself in those eyes. “The only brother of mine who’s married has done so by accident.”

  “Accident?” I heard the story from Harley, but I’d like to get his take on it. Besides, it keeps me from wondering what his body might feel like naked against mine. I pick up my gin and tonic and take a slow, measured sip.

  “Yeah.” He runs the back of his hand across his chin. “A few years back when they were drunk in Las Vegas, they got married. Crash, my little brother, thought he paid the preacher off not to file the papers, but it turns out, the good old chap didn’t abide by his wishes.” He chuckles, and the more he does it, the more I realize how much I enjoy the sound of it. “Crash has been married for the past three or so years and didn’t even know it.”

  “Wow, are they going to get a divorce?”

  “That’s the thing. They’re made for each other, but they’ve been fightin’ it since they were kids.”

  Wow, he seems really in touch with his brother’s and this other girl’s feelings. I didn’t expect this nostalgic side of him. Maybe it’s got to do with him being a dad, one with no mom around. Perhaps Becca’s softened his masculine edges. Not that there’s anything wrong with a man who’s in touch with his sensitive side or who can pull off a golfer shirt from forearms to shoulders. Honestly, I took him more as a one-night stand kind of guy.

  It doesn’t matter. I’m ready for him either way. “You believe there’s someone out there for everyone. That we’re made for each other? Well, not us.” I point. “But you get my meaning.”

  He squints. “You don’t?”

  “I don’t know.” I stare down at my glass. “I think we seek the most compatible person.”