The Right Temptation Read online

  “It’s not that,” he said. Nico strode to the kitchen. He took one of her long curls and tugged on it. “I just don’t want you to waste your free time.”

  She wanted to close her eyes, bottle his woodsy scent. Kayla palmed his solid chest. The touch sent a shocking bolt through her already-charged system. She kept her hand there, reveling in the feel of his potent masculinity. “Who says I’m wasting my time?”

  Nico closed the space between them. Too bad his bulky cast kept their bodies from totally connecting. Several inches taller, he stared down at her with pure intensity. The heat level shot up so fast she thought they’d set off the smoke alarm in the kitchen. Kayla titled her head back and shook her wild curls off her face. He helped by sliding a few fingers into her hair. Her heart practically jumped out of her chest. Kiss me. She’d waited years for this.

  His body trapped her against the counter. Kayla shifted her position so she could feel the full force of his strength without the barrier of his injured arm. Oh God. He had an erection. Her hip acted alone and pressed up against it. She swore she heard him moan. Wait. That was her.

  “Kayla,” he muttered, in a voice huskier than before.

  Kiss me. She tried to send a telepathic message.

  Nico dipped his head and went in for a kiss. Whoa. It worked. Kayla’s expectant lips were wet and ready when all of a sudden an obnoxious chirp rang out from his pocket. No! Buzz off! He’s busy right now.

  His head pulled back. He grimaced. “I got to get that,” he said, and fished his cell from his front pocket.

  Argh. She slinked away from him. “Okay,” she said, in a tone that didn’t reflect her dismay. Kayla had her dignity.

  “Hey,” he said into the phone. There was a pause of silence. “Si, Mami, I’m fine. What have you been gone, a whole hour?” More silence. “I know. But I told you not to worry. Everything’s cool here.” He shot Kayla a heated look. “You don’t have to check up on me. If I need you, I’ll call.” He sighed. “Love you too.” Nico ended the call and set his phone on the counter.

  “Where do you keep your pan?” She might as well get busy on the omelets, since they obviously weren’t going to get busy.

  “Sorry. I had to take the call, otherwise she would’ve thought I drowned in the bathtub or something.”

  Kayla shrugged her shoulders. “No worries.” Interesting, how he’d failed to mention he had company. He probably just wanted to dodge an interrogation, get his mother off the line quickly.

  Nico got the pan and handed it to her. “Can I help?” he asked, coming up behind her.

  His proximity had the butterflies in her stomach fluttering like maniacs. The urge to turn, snake her arms around his neck and pick up where they’d left off overwhelmed her. But the opportunity had passed. It didn’t mean there wouldn’t be another. They’d eat, talk, and later…who knew what would happen. She decided to let nature takes its course, let things evolve naturally. He was obviously interested in her. Where would it take her?

  “Got any good music?” She still had her back to him.

  “Depends on what you consider good.”

  She loved most genres and had to think about it for a second. “Got any salsa?”

  “What do you think?”

  Good Lord, he hovered over her in the small space. How the hell did he expect her to concentrate? Luckily, she wasn’t cooking a complicated meal. “Hook it up,” Kayla said.

  “Okay.”

  She exhaled the minute he vacated the kitchen. Finding everything she needed, she went to work. She tucked her hair behind her ears and chopped onions, mushrooms and green peppers. With that out of the way, she cracked eggs and whipped them to a frenzy. Pent-up sexual frustration. It’d been a while since she’d been with a man. The last guy, a flirtation from college, hadn’t even given her an orgasm, so he didn’t count. She looked toward the living room. Latin men had a reputation for being good lovers. Her mouth watered. Bet Nico wouldn’t leave her hanging. Hell, he could probably give her multiples.

  Music came over the speakers. A Marc Anthony song had her smiling. She saw when Nico turned off the video game console, set aside the control. Excellent. She had other games in mind, and yes, they included a joystick.

  Dirty thoughts of Nico had her giddy. So did cooking for him. She multitasked, making omelets while dancing to a rapid tune. The music possessed her. She got totally into it and almost overcooked the omelet. Almost. No meal would burn on her watch.

  She had a man to impress, and that man watched her from the other room. She felt his stare like a hot laser on her back. Kayla didn’t acknowledge him. Nope. She went about her business. Okay, she did more than that. She gyrated her hips, shook her ample booty. The good girl had a bad side. And she wanted him to know it.

  One omelet down, and one to go. Still moving her feet, she turned her face in his direction and flashed a naughty grin. Somebody’s patience had finally worn out. Nico sauntered into the kitchen. All that hotness made it hard to look away. He came dangerously close, brushed by her and opened the fridge. Cool air breezed out and invigorated her damp skin. She’d broken a sweat with all those moves.

  His darkened gaze slowly drank her in. Barely rocking her body now, Kayla turned away and focused on the stove. If he wanted action, he’d have to initiate it.

  “You like my music?”

  “Yeah.” She laughed. “Salsa takes over my body. I can’t help it.”

  “You don’t hear me complaining.”

  Kayla smiled with satisfaction. She didn’t think he would be. “These babies are ready.” She sliced strawberries for garnish, prepared two plates and set them on the granite countertop.

  “Want a Corona?” he asked.

  She didn’t drink hard liquor. Wine gave her a headache and made her sleepy. A cold beer or two she could enjoy. “I do, but let me get it.” She didn’t have a broken arm to contend with.

  “I got this,” Nico insisted. He reached in the box with his right hand and grabbed two bottles. Closing the fridge with his foot, he set the beers down, opened a drawer and found the bottle opener.

  She had no doubt he could handle the task, but stepped in and took the gadget from him. “Sit down and eat. Your food is getting cold.”

  He shot her a look. “Now you sound like my mother.”

  Ha! The things Kayla had in mind, mothers didn’t do to their sons. “Then be a good boy and listen.”

  “Why should I? You’re not being a good girl.”

  God, she wanted to grab him and kiss him so freakin’ bad. She hadn’t felt this aware, this turned on since…well, never! “What? I’m feeding you. I’m taking care of you.” She played innocent.

  “That’s not what I mean.” He gave her a slow smile that revealed his pretty teeth.

  Kayla’s blood boiled. Hell, she’d been on high alert for a while now. She knew what he meant, but she wouldn’t go there. “Do you want me to spoon-feed you?”

  “No,” he shot back, with an are-you-kidding-me face.

  Toying with Nico felt like foreplay. She tingled all over. “You’re still standing here because?”

  He smacked his lips. “Just give me a damn beer.” They both cracked up at the same time.

  Sitting on two stools by the counter, which separated the kitchen from the dining room, they devoured their meal in silence, stole occasional glances. The music flowed, and Kayla bobbed her head because one: she couldn’t help it, and two: she felt incredibly happy. She’d dreamed about this for years.

  Nico had grown into the man she’d always envisioned. No doubt the potential had been there. No surprise he’d stayed on the right track. Only twenty-seven, and he already owned his own home. Kayla suspected he could accomplish whatever he set his mind to. He had a gritty exterior and interior.

  “So the blue Mustang is yours?” She broke the silence.

  Nico didn’t respond right away. He gobbled the veggie omelet like he hadn’t eaten for days. “Damn, this is good,” he said, with food in h
is mouth.

  Kayla agreed. Done with the meal, she took a long pull from her beer. She sat back and wondered if he had anything sweet for dessert, besides him of course. “I’m glad you like it.”

  He nodded enthusiastically. “Anyway, yes, the car is mine. Pretty badass, huh?”

  “Very you,” she said, comparing him to the hot, sexy muscle machine.

  “It’s a mythical creature, a five-point-o liter v-eight that pumps out mega power,” he said, bobbing his head smugly. He took a swig of beer.

  Wish his eyes danced like that for her. Wait a minute. They did. Men and their cars. Glad she could compete. “Translation being, it’s fast?”

  “Like a supersonic jet, baby.”

  “You’ll have to take me for a ride.” She could see it now, the two of them zooming along the coast in his kickass Mustang, windows down, the salty air blasting their senses.

  “Two more weeks, and I’ll be back in the saddle. Can’t fucking wait.”

  She sympathized. Casts were such an annoyance. Not that she’d ever broken a bone, but in her line of work, she’d witnessed the frustration up close and personal. “I bet.”

  “Hey, you gotta teach me the trick. My eggs never come out this fluffy.” He polished off his last bite and practically licked the plate.

  “Secret recipe,” she teased. “Only family members are privy to it.”

  “Then I’ll just have to adopt you,” he said, wagging his brows.

  “Or marry me.”

  Chapter 4

  Had it not been for the silly smirk, he might’ve taken Kayla seriously. Christ, what a tease. To say he didn’t enjoy it would’ve been a blatant lie. She definitely got under his skin, in a good, um, bad way. Damn, if he didn’t watch himself, she’d easily push him over the edge. He wouldn’t cross the line, not with Jesse’s sister. Shit, a part of him really wanted to trace those curves, stroke her soft skin. Hell, during a weak moment he’d almost stolen a kiss. Thank God his mother’s call had saved his ass.

  Kayla. So sexy and irresistible. She could cook too. And dance. The woman knew how to seduce a man. He could just imagine what she’d be like in bed. Hot. Passionate. He shoved those images out of his head.

  “Do you remember Crazy Charlie?” He needed a quick diversion because the urge to kiss her wreaked havoc on his will to do the right thing.

  Kayla stared at him, her face expressionless. Bet she expected him to take the bait, respond to her outrageous suggestion. “How could I forget?” She got up and began to clear the dishes.

  Her lusty body brushed him when she lifted his plate. Accidentally or on purpose, he wasn’t sure. But he’d be willing to pay her to do it again. He downed half a beer to cool his engine. “We were so lame, believing the story about his wife.”

  “I don’t know,” Kayla said. She craned her neck and looked at him. “You saw the dungeon.”

  Spooky tales–every neighborhood had them. Theirs had had a few. “Yeah, but think about it. His wife cheated on him. He took her to that dark room in the basement, strung her up with chains then tortured and killed her. Meanwhile, his father lived in the same house, nobody heard a thing, and the cops never investigated the crime.”

  “Why did he freak out every time someone went into his yard?”

  He could see Crazy Charlie’s creepy face, the matted hair, pitted skin, brown teeth. Behind his sunken, lifeless eyes something just hadn't been right. “He was a nut job.”

  “No, it was because he buried her there and didn’t want anyone to see the grave.”

  He laughed. “I wonder who made that shit up. It really had the neighborhood going.”

  “Don’t act like you weren’t scared. I saw you run from him a few times.”

  “Woman, please. We messed with him on purpose, made him chase us for kicks.”

  “Sometimes when I walked by his house, he’d be sitting on the porch having a whole conversation with himself. He’d call out my name, wave and show me those nasty rotten teeth.”

  “Crazy Charlie had a crush on you.”

  “He tried to be nice. But one day, some of the boys decided to sneak into his rose garden. Oh my God, huge mistake. He totally flipped out and came after us. We took off running, and he almost bashed a bottle over my head. Had it not been for my sister, it would’ve nailed me.”

  “I never knew that.” Good thing too. Nico would’ve taken a bat to Charlie’s head. He’d be the first to admit he’d had a short fuse. His teen years had been full of angst. He’d begun to question things, wonder why his father had abandoned him as a baby. The rejection had stung, and he’d lashed out.

  Uncle Benjamin had tried to fill the void, probably feeling guilty because his little brother had split. Dylan and Christian never realized how lucky they were. Thank God, their dad had taken Nico under his wing. He’d even taught him the family trade, showing Nico how to work with his hands. Had it not been for his uncle… Nico didn’t want to think about the alternative. The only good that had come from his father had been the LaCosta family.

  To this day, he’d never met his father. And he no longer gave a crap. Why would he go looking for someone who didn’t want him? No one knew where to find him anyway. Even if they did, it wouldn’t change anything. One thing for sure, he would never abandon a child. Nico vowed to be everything his father wasn’t.

  “Yeah,” Kayla said, interrupting his thoughts. “I fell down, but Sofia grabbed my shirt and yanked me up. The bottle crashed right here,” she said, pointing near her lower leg. “Glass splattered over my sneakers. That’s how close it came.”

  “Did Jesse know?”

  “Please. He would’ve killed him.” Kayla set the dishes in the sink. “We kept it a secret.”

  “Leave that. I’ll do those later,” he said. She didn’t have to clean up too.

  “No biggie. Just kick back and relax. It’ll take two seconds.”

  She’d already started rinsing the dishes. Nico sat there and studied the back of her, more specifically, her sweet ass. “Hey, thanks again for the awesome omelet.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said over her shoulder.

  “We had some shifty characters in our neighborhood, huh?” he said, examining her body. She had a perfect posterior. He also adored her beautiful long hair.

  “Remember the lady who cursed at everybody?”

  He had to think back for a moment. “You mean the loca with those bug eyes that went every which way?”

  Kayla shut the faucet. She dried her hands on the dishtowel. “Yep, that’s the one. She’d grab her crotch and shout all kinds of obscenities.”

  “Man, she was one sick puppy.”

  Kayla laughed. “We should’ve fixed her up with Crazy Charlie.”

  “I just got a visual. And it wasn’t pretty.”

  “What do you think happened to them?”

  “We’ll never know,” he said.

  Kayla stood across the counter from him. He watched in awe as she wrapped her pretty lips around the beer bottle. It was nice to reminisce; they had some of the same childhood memories. She finished her drink and pressed her stomach against the granite. “I can’t believe we didn’t run into each other all these years. It’s not like I didn’t come home for family visits.”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve been here the whole time.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t move away.”

  He’d never thought about living anyplace else. He loved South Florida. “And go where? My family is here.”

  Kayla nodded. “I know what you mean. Why do you think I came back?”

  “Yeah, I’m happy. And I got this house now.” He looked around the room, marveled at his good fortune. He’d definitely been the beneficiary of a weak housing market. When property values recovered–and they would–he’d be sitting on a nice investment. Not that he planned on cashing in anytime soon. He liked the idea of having a place to call home. “When I get finished with it, it’ll be like new,” he said, thinking about his grand p
lans.

  Kayla leaned her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in her palms. “So you’re good with your hands?” Her lovely dark eyes danced.

  The battle to kiss her waged on. “I’m real good,” he said. Well, it was true. Just ask Dylan and Christian about his work.

  “Why? You get a lot of practice?” Her pink tongue licked the corner of her mouth.

  The double-meaning had him nodding his head. “I do,” he said, staring at her lips and stringing her along.

  “Show me and let me be the judge.” She cocked her head and smiled.

  Another time, a different woman, and he would’ve been all over that. Nico got up from the stool. He held out a hand. “Come.”

  Kayla came around the counter and took his hand. “Lead the way,” she said, watching him intently.

  Her touch sent obscene messages directly to his groin. He’d held hands with plenty of women. No biggie, right? Tell it to the rest of him.

  He’d gone without sex for a while. The dry spell had been self-imposed, not because he didn’t love sex. Hell, his Latin blood burned a little hotter than the average guy’s. But what came after sex… Complications. There’d be plenty of time for entanglements, after he accomplished a few goals. Coming from a broken home hadn’t totally jaded him. One day, he’d have a wife, kids and the whole nine yards. Maybe his father couldn’t handle responsibility, but Nico looked forward to the role.

  He didn’t have every detail figured out, but he did have a plan. And that plan didn’t include his boy’s baby sister, no matter what his sex-starved body told him. It was wrong–yet felt so right–to lust for Kayla. Shit. He didn’t need all this confusion. But damn, he really liked holding her hand.

  Nico led her to the backyard because right now, it was the best part of the house and he wanted her to see it. He also needed some air.

  Kayla’s eyes widened the minute they stepped outside.

  “What do you think?” he asked, though her slack jaw said it all.

  “Holy paradise!” She squeezed his hand. “This is gorgeous.”

  Nico closed his eyes for a second. He wanted to absorb the friction between them. Pulsing music from inside the house poured through the outside surround-sound speakers. A dark sky glittered with silver stars.