Nicole: Star Crossed Lovers (A Wish for Love Series Book 2) Read online

  He almost reached her when Diane blocked his line of sight, disturbing the equilibrium between Nicole and Daniel. "Honey," she called in a shrill voice, "you've finally come. I've been waiting for you all night." She embraced him possessively, kissing him on the mouth.

  "Diane, please," he hissed. He couldn't afford to create negative publicity for the main star of his film and knew that if he shook her off too obviously he would be providing headlines for the gossip columns. "Try to behave like a good girl," he said in a low voice.

  "I don't want to be a good girl," Diane pouted, "I want to be as bad and ruthless as you."

  Good God, she's dead drunk, Daniel thought, grateful that there was no filming scheduled for tomorrow.

  Nicole saw Diane hanging on to Daniel's neck while his arm embraced her waist as he guided her to the other end of the yacht and she felt a lump of pain in her throat. The magic vanished.

  She should have known better, she thought bitterly. What did she expect? That he would come to her on bended knee and declare his everlasting love and faithfulness? He's just toying with her, he'll cold-bloodedly vanquish her and again break her heart. And then he'll laugh about it in another woman's arms.

  But the pain stayed and spread to her chest. Damn Daniel Miller.

  The man standing beside her continued all the while with a glowing recount of his last fishing trip. Nicole excused herself and searched for Ann to tell her she was leaving. A few interminable minutes passed until she found Ann deep in conversation with a handsome man.

  "Excuse the interruption, but I want to say good-bye."

  Ann spun around. "I want you to meet Rod, Daniel Miller's chief photographer. Rod, this is my best friend, Nicole West." Rod and Nicole shook hands.

  "Why don't the two of you visit me on the set? I'm sure you'll enjoy seeing how a full-feature film is made," Rod suggested enthusiastically.

  "We'll come,” assented Ann. "It will be so much fun. I love movies."

  "And photographers," added Nicole and they all laughed.

  "Are you sure you want to leave already?" asked Ann. "It's only midnight."

  "Just the hour Cinderella leaves the ball," Nicole responded, her mouth curving into a faint smile.

  "But you still haven't met Prince Charming!" continued Ann in a disappointed tone.

  "Don't move, girls," Rod ordered. "If it's Prince Charming we're waiting for, here he is, coming straight at us."

  "Hi, Rod."

  "Hello, Daniel."

  Rod formally introduced Daniel to Ann and Nicole.

  Ann stared at Daniel with undisguised admiration. "I've seen every one of your films. I must be your greatest fan."

  "Thank you," Daniel acknowledged the compliment, "I'm glad to hear that. Compliments from the heart are the most inspiring."

  Ann fell under his spell. She opened her mouth to say something but changed her mind and closed it again when she noticed Daniel's attention focused on her friend. His eyes flashed blue as he looked at Nicole and politely asked if he could dance with her.

  "I'd rather not dance," Nicole replied sharply, softening her tone when she noticed her insulting reply had startled the others. "Believe me, I'm a terrible dancer, and it will be a trial for you." She hoped he would get her message but his answer showed he refused to play her game.

  "You're as bad as all that?" he taunted, looking at her teasingly.

  Ann stood silently, unable to utter a word. She knew Nicole was an excellent dancer and frantically racked her brain to figure out why her friend refused this fascinating man's invitation. The solution came like a bolt of lightening. The two had met before. She was even ready to swear, from the way Daniel was staring at Nicole, that they had known each other most intimately.

  "As one experienced in spotting talent from afar, my intuition tells me you dance marvelously. And even if you don't," Daniel added mischievously, "you won't find a more tolerant partner."

  Nicole felt like a trapped animal. They all waited for her answer. She glanced at her hunter who stood in front of her, relaxed, his hands in his pockets, and knew she was beaten. Another refusal would be such a blatant rebuff that it would draw too much attention. Daniel acknowledged her defeat and held out his hand without waiting for her reply, leading her to the center of the colorful kaleidoscope the people created on the dance floor.

  The big band changed tunes and began playing a romantic song. Daniel's hand surrounded her waist and drew her close. Only a few inches separated them. Nicole placed her free hand on Daniel's chest, trying to distance him, but he refused to comply and tightened his hold, causing her to lean the length of her body on his. He released her hand slightly, placing it around his neck, his thumb stroking her exposed neck. Despite her resistance they moved in perfect unison and Nicole's body relented, losing its former stiffness. Daniel's caress and the rhythm of their movements made her feel an exhilarating release. They danced silently and Nicole found herself breathing in the intoxicating smell of his masculine body. Daniel noticed the curve of her lips and the smooth, silken softness of her skin. Her eyes were shut and her mouth, so close to his neck, made him long for the hot, long-gone nights when she had given herself in everlasting love.

  "I tried to reach you all night long." His voice tore the sweet mist in which she was lost. "If I had known you were here I would have arrived hours ago."

  She opened her eyes and lifted her head, meeting his soft look. All she wished was to place her head on his shoulder again and drift away, his arms embracing her, but she heard her disembodied voice, self-possessed and cold. "I'm surprised to hear that. I was under the impression that Diane Stewart was the object of your attentions. Why don't you leave me alone. I'm sure she would be more than happy to amuse you tonight." As soon as the words left her mouth, Nicole regretted them. He might get the impression she was jealous.

  "Diane didn't feel too well, and preferred to go to bed…" he began.

  "I'm sure you'll be welcome there as well," Nicole interrupted, unable to control herself. The notes of the song died, and another took its place. Daniel held her arm and led her to a quieter, darker corner of the deck.

  "I swear that for the longest time the relationship between Diane and me has been strictly business. She drank too much tonight and I couldn't ignore her. If I had, the film's public relations would have taken a beating."

  She opened her mouth to reply but he soothed her. "Please, Nicole, let's declare a truce. I've waited so long to meet you again. Even the biggest sinner deserves some forgiveness. You must believe me when I say that only now do I realize how much you suffered because of me."

  Rage and bitterness replaced the warmth and tranquillity she had felt earlier. "I don't believe you. I don't believe a word you say. After all, you didn't come to Australia because of me. You came to make a movie that will fill your pockets with millions of dollars. You thought, if I have to spend a few weeks here, why not kill several birds with one stone?! Why not spend a few pleasant nights with a girl I once knew so many years ago? She was foolish enough to fall in love with me then." Nicole's voice betrayed her and she fought to control her quivering lips, feeling the pain in her throat return, choking her.

  Daniel darted a keen glance around him and noticed the questioning stares. I must be alone with her, he thought, someplace where he could comfort her and explain how mistaken she was where it concerned him.

  "We're leaving, and don't even try to argue. I think it's time for us to clear things up." He took her hand in his and pulled her after him to the exit, ignoring the inquiring glances and the envious looks of the other guests. On their way out they passed Ann and Rod.

  "I'm taking Nicole home," he said calmly to Ann, unwilling to release Nicole's hand.

  Ann looked at Nicole for reassurance. She felt that behind their calm exterior Nicole and Daniel were acting out a drama in which she had no role to play. She hoped Rod would offer to take her home and perhaps she could induce him to have a nightcap of premium brandy before he went back
to his hotel.

  The two women parted with a kiss and a promise to call each other the next day.

  Nicole and Daniel crossed the marina side by side. The noise of the party faded and the illuminated water reflected the long shadows of the boats crowded closely together by the docks. Daniel had not touched Nicole from the minute they left the Marella, and without his soothing touch Nicole felt strangely abandoned.

  "Are you cold?" He looked at her briefly.

  "I'm fine." She was quiet for a few minutes, trying to sort out her feelings. "I think it's best for both of us if I went home. I don't see any point in raking up the past. We're just two strangers now."

  "Are we?" His voice sounded dangerously low. The marina was behind them and they moved in the direction of the hotel. "Don't fool yourself, Nicole. You want me as much as you did eight years ago. And I want you in the same way."

  He didn't explain in what way he wanted her but she could easily guess.

  "I don't want to talk about the past," he continued, "I want to learn to know you as you are now. In the present." He matched his stride to hers. He stretched out his arm and hugged her waist in a spontaneous gesture but removed it when he felt her lack of response. For a second she was sorry he gave up so easily. What's happening to me? she thought. Why do I give in so easily to him? Follow him like a mindless sheep?

  "This isn't the right time to talk. I'm tired and I'm not in the mood for a heart to heart talk through the night. Please, take me home."

  They reached the hotel and Daniel saw his car parked at the entrance. He debated a minute, struggling to overcome the urge to take Nicole up to his apartment in the hotel and force her to listen to him.

  To Nicole's surprise he nodded in agreement. "As you wish. But on condition that you have dinner with me tomorrow evening."

  For a minute Nicole was confused. Tomorrow was her twenty-ninth birthday but Daniel seemed unaware of the fact and looked at her calmly, awaiting her decision.

  Nicole rarely celebrated birthdays. Her mother, always escaping to other worlds, never remembered and her father was usually too drunk to pay attention to such trifles. The one and only time her birthday was a truly festive occasion was when she turned twenty-one. Standing at the entrance of the hotel Nicole had a flashback to that happy day when Daniel met her, the entire back seat of the jeep smothered in red roses.

  * * *

  From the day they first met a few weeks earlier, they spent every spare minute together, discovering the magic of love. She remembered the long trip down the coast searching for a deserted beach where they could be alone and she recalled how on the warm white sand, beside the clear water, Daniel introduced her to the enchanted world of lovers. For the first time she felt the touch of a man within her. He was tender and gentle, confidently leading her to the sublime heights of passion while whispering words of love. They swam in the sea and ate chicken salad and cheese sandwiches, only to fall into each other’s arms, intoxicated with the heady potion of true love spiked with passion. At twilight the wind died leaving the sea smooth as glass. Nicole lay on the blanket, her arms crossed behind her head, and gazed at the sky. Daniel leaned over and kissed her lips. She looked at his magnificent body, into his adoring eyes, and a tremor of happiness passed through her.

  "You've bound me body and soul, Daniel Miller." she whispered. "I shall love you for eternity," she pledged.

  As the night fell and a trillion bright stars dotted the black velvet skies Daniel said, "close your eyes, I've got a surprise for you."

  With alacrity Nicole did as she was told, opening them to stare about her in wonder. She was surrounded by myriad flickering candles. The effect was amazing. The flames, transmuted the sand into grains of pure gold. She remembered how he looked at her, confessing that nothing had ever made him feel as happy as when he caused her to be happy. He lay beside her, one hand holding his head, the other stroking her body, which gleamed in the tremulous light.

  "I've got a present for you," his eyes still held a hint of the passion that had wracked his body such a short while ago.

  "You've given me more than enough. All this," her gesture encompassed the entire beach, "makes me feel like the richest girl in the world."

  Daniel smiled and kissed her hand, arousing once again the sparks that had not yet burned themselves out. He took a box out of the knapsack that lay on the sand beside him. Nicole's breath caught. In a nest of green velvet was a pair of earrings set with small emeralds.

  "They are exquisite." Tears sprang to her eyes.

  "What happened?" He drew her closer, stroking her hair. "I didn't mean to upset you."

  She laughed through her tears. "I'm crying out of joy. I've never received a birthday present before." A new wave of tears threatened to wash over her.

  He smiled in relief. "You'll drown me yet in your tears. Please stop." He dried her cheeks with his hand. She looked down at the gems in her hand. "They must have cost you a fortune," she said hesitatingly.

  "So?"

  "So, you shouldn't have spent so much money on me."

  "Nonsense. I do exactly as I please. What's money good for if I can’t spend it on the woman I love?"

  Those were joyous days.

  Even the fight she had with her father when she returned later that evening, even his shouts and threats, couldn't penetrate the happiness that enveloped her, protecting her from all harm.

  * * *

  "Darling," Daniel's voice forced her back to the present.

  She stirred. "What?"

  He laughed. "I'm sorry to interrupt your daydreams but I would be delighted to get an answer."

  "Answer?" Nicole found it hard to return to reality.

  "I asked you to spend the evening with me tomorrow. Remember?" he repeated patiently, undisturbed by her preoccupation. She felt he knew exactly into which worlds she had wandered these past minutes.

  "Alright," she heard herself assenting, her mouth divorced from her brain, uttering words as though they had a will of their own.

  "Splendid! Come, I'll take you home." He opened the door of the car and waited for her to sit comfortably. They drove through the streets as Daniel told her about the latest film he had directed. Nicole was silent, thankful for Daniel's impersonal chatter, which helped her maintain her poise while sitting so close to him. They halted at her doorstep.

  "Do your parents still live with you?"

  Nicole started. "My mother was killed six years ago. She insisted on going out in a storm to paint and she slipped at the edge of the cliff. I wasn't home and couldn't stop her. My father died of cirrhosis of the liver." Her eyes had the vulnerable look Daniel had learned to recognize. "I hope he isn't tormenting her there, in the next world," she said sadly, speaking more to herself than to him, "but she must be in paradise while he's surely burning in hell, so I guess there's no need to worry."

  Daniel forced himself not to embrace her. She didn't need pity. She needed love.

  "I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon at four," he finally said.

  "Isn't that a bit early?" She wondered what he was up to.

  "We're eating out of town and it will take us a couple of hours to get there." He leaned over to kiss her, his lips close to hers, but thought better of it and slowly straightened up. Nicole didn't wait to read the expression on his face. She felt her cheeks burning and got out of the car. She climbed the steps leading to the entrance door, forcing herself not to look back. Only when she shut the door behind her did she hear the purr of the engine as the car took off.

  She couldn’t believe she had agreed to see him tomorrow. She'd lost her mind! She'll call him tomorrow and cancel. Nicole looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, hoping to detect resoluteness and determination. That's that. She'll tell him her plans have changed and that he'll have to manage without her company. In bed she tossed and turned for hours, conjuring up Daniel's image again and again. As the dawn's rays stole beneath the windowsill Nicole was still desperately trying to roll back the wa
ve of bittersweet memories that prevented her from sleeping. She finally drowsed off, weary with the effort of banishing Daniel from her heart and mind.

  Chapter Four

  Nicole awoke to the sound of the front doorbell. She jumped to her feet and threw on the robe laid out near the bed. A hasty glance at the clock revealed it was noon.

  "Coming," she sang out, dashing down the steps that led from the bedroom to the living room, to open the door.

  She was face to face with an enormous colourful bouquet of flowers, on a two-legged stand. "Flowers for Nicole West," intoned the messenger boy. Nicole gave him a generous tip and when the door closed behind his back she read the attached card. The flowers were from Ann. Sweet Ann, Nicole smiled, she never passed up an opportunity to make her feel good. She placed the flowers in a vase and called her friend. Ann didn't answer and Nicole had to be satisfied with expressing her warm thanks in a text message. She washed up and made a cup of coffee, free to contemplate the day's plan. She knew she couldn't put off phoning Daniel for much longer but for reasons not entirely clear even to her, she hesitated. After all, she would eventually have to meet him. She knew Daniel Miller all too well. If he wanted something, he would get it. And if what he wanted was to meet her, he would find the most efficient and elegant way to doing so. Of that she was absolutely certain.

  She would meet him!

  The decision was made so swiftly and with such surety that it surprised Nicole. She'd meet him and make it very clear that her heart belongs to one person only. To herself! It's time Daniel understood that the girl he once knew, the innocent girl who was so in love and so impressionable, doesn't exist any more. That girl has metamorphosed into an independent, tough woman who isn't ready, under any circumstances, to share her life with any man, certainly not to the very man who with his own hands put an end to all her dreams eight years ago.