Chapter Thirty-Six

THE TWO-STORY HOTEL SPA was lavishly decorated, with windows that looked out over the gulf. Acacia enjoyed a swim and a visit to the steam room before her massage treatment.

Although Rick haunted her like a distant ghost, Acacia spent most of her time by herself. She enjoyed the solitude, for it gave her time to think.

The angry and exacting Monsieur Breckman had turned into the noble and passionate Nicholas Cassirer. He was jealous of Luc. Acacia was certain of that. She had to smile at the odd symmetry of the two men investigating one another while trying to protect her.

She was attracted to Nicholas and cared for him. But as always, she was conscious of the fact that she must conceal things from him. If he were to uncover the truth, their relationship would be over.

But Acacia was determined to live in the present, enjoy Nicholas, and not worry about the future.

Two hours later, she returned to the suite, escorted by Rick. The spa had been incredible, and she was undeniably relaxed. But Rick had not spoken a word to her.

Wen scanned Rick and Acacia as they re-entered the suite, finding nothing.

Acacia turned to Rick as Wen retreated into the room that had become a command center.

“Thank you,” she said in English.

Rick’s face was impassive. Then, to her surprise, he spoke. “I don’t care who he fucks.”

Acacia reared back.

Rick’s expression remained unchanged, as if giving further weight to his words.

She took a moment to count to ten. “That’s good, Rick, because it’s none of your business.”

“My job is to protect him. Even from his women.” Rick’s American accent grew more pronounced. His expression was unchanged, but something glinted in his eyes.

She refused to take the bait.

“Thank you for protecting him.”

Rick’s carefully controlled expression slipped. He looked shocked.

“We both want the same thing.” Her voice was low but firm. “We want him to be safe. I’d like to see him happy as well. I doubt that signifies for you.”

When Rick didn’t respond, she continued. “It would be better if we could co-exist peacefully and professionally. But I don’t want or need your approval.”

She took a step forward, and her body relaxed, arms slack at her side.

Rick glanced down at her arms, as if assessing a threat.

She made eye contact. “Just to be clear, I know you carry a weapon. I’m still not afraid of you.

“Thank you for escorting me to the spa. Have a good evening.”

She turned and ascended the staircase, feeling Rick’s gaze follow her.

It was after nine o’clock before Acacia and Nicholas went to dinner. Nicholas dressed in a bespoke suit he’d purchased during a previous visit to Paris. He paired the black suit with a crisp white shirt, gold cufflinks, and a pale blue silk tie.

Acacia wore a crimson silk suit. The jacket fastened with a black satin bow and had notched collars. Both the jacket and matching skirt were covered with a subdued black floral pattern. She was grateful the hotel was well air-conditioned.

They dined at an intimate table in one of the hotel’s lavish restaurants, with an incredible view of the water. Then they returned to the suite, where he escorted her to the second floor.

It had been a very long day, but Acacia’s nerves tingled with anticipation. She noticed that the crate she’d seen earlier at the airport was now leaning against the wall between her room and Nicholas’s. “What’s in the crate?”

Nicholas scratched his chin. “It’s something that might come in handy when we meet Constantine’s contact tomorrow. You’ve seen it before.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “I have?”

“It’s the Matisse reproduction you saw back in Paris.”

Acacia’s eyes widened. “Why is it here?”

“I use it as a way of moving art through customs. I bring it into a country, such as Dubai, and ensure that it’s declared when I arrive and that the papers are stamped. Then, if I happen to purchase a stolen painting during my visit, I hide it in a secret compartment at the back of the crate. When I return to Europe, customs sees that I declared the painting on arrival in Dubai and waves it through.”

“Does that work?”

“Every time. However, I’m cautious about where I travel. With the support of the French Minister of the Interior, landing in France is preferable to other locations. If customs were to detain me, the Minister would intervene.”

Acacia stared at the crate. “It’s so simple.”

“The simplest solutions are usually the best solutions.” He crooked a finger and moved to the open doorway of his bedroom. “Come here.”

Acacia glanced down the staircase to the front hall, where Kurt stood sentry. He didn’t make eye contact.

“Come here,” Nicholas repeated. He drew her attention away from the bodyguard.

She pushed aside any twinges of embarrassment and smiled as her high heels clicked across the beautifully tiled floor.

Nicholas waited for her to enter his room before he closed and locked the door behind him. “Are you tired?”

“No.” She examined the four-poster bed. It was very large and sat on a raised, purple velvet platform. A circular, tasseled canopy hung over it, and heavy red and gold silk curtains draped the sides. It was the bed of a king.

Nicholas stood between her and the bed. “It’s interesting, isn’t it?”

“Very.”

“Would you mind if we delayed our enjoyment of it?”

At the tone of his voice, Acacia’s mouth went dry. “All right.”

He kissed her hand and led her to the opulent marble bathroom. “I’ve had the bath butler draw a bath in the Jacuzzi.”

“Bath butler?” Acacia repeated.

She took in the low, cushioned benches stacked with white towels that flanked the raised Jacuzzi. She noted the generous assortment of Hermès amenities on the vanity. The Hotel Victoire offered a bath butler service, but only by request. Acacia had never experienced such luxury herself.

Nicholas watched her eagerly. “Take your time getting in. I’ll join you shortly.”

He kissed her and returned to the bedroom.

Acacia touched her mouth with her fingertips. Nicholas was a gentleman, but he was certainly skilled in the erotic arts. His manners and thoughtfulness made him even more attractive.

He’d seen her naked and had entered her body. Yet he still offered her privacy while getting into the bath. She found herself strangely appreciative of it.

Nicholas certainly knew how to feed desire.

The music of Miles Davis wafted from speakers set into the ceiling. Acacia recalled from the Hotel Victoire’s records that Nicholas enjoyed jazz.

She surveyed the room. The bath butler had been busy. The lights were dimmed, and pillar candles had been placed artfully around the space. The scent of roses and sandalwood hung in the air. The Jacuzzi’s bubbling water echoed in the large space.

Acacia carefully unfastened the necklace Nicholas had given her and arranged it on top of a folded towel. The smooth blue globes gleamed in the candlelight. She slipped out of her suit and hung it on an obliging hanger.

She stood in her underwear in front of the several mirrors that lined the bathroom. She tossed her undergarments aside, climbed up to the Jacuzzi, and carefully stepped into the steaming water.

She sat on one of the benches inside the tub and leaned against a cushioned headrest. It was heavenly.

As she watched rose petals dance across the surface of the water, images from the night before crowded her mind. Nicholas had suggested she use the Jacuzzi early that morning because she was tender from their activities. Now, with the aid of the bath butler, Nicholas was insisting.

Men like him were rare. She wondered at Silke letting him go.

The thought that he’d brought Silke to similar places and wooed her in similar fashion rankled her. He deserved to be with someone who cared for him and wouldn’t run off and humiliate him in front of tabloids and the world.

A few minutes later, the door to the bathroom opened and closed. Nicholas approached the Jacuzzi, clad in a white bathrobe.

He stared, his gaze drawn to her bare shoulders. “May I join you?”

“Of course.”

Nicholas undid his bathrobe and set it aside. This gave Acacia a moment to appreciate his form.

As he leaned against one of the marble pillars that flanked the Jacuzzi, his bicep flexed. He was in very good shape. Everywhere.

He stepped into the Jacuzzi, and Acacia found herself hungry for him.

She drew him onto the seat next to her and looped her arms around his neck, bringing her breasts to his chest.

His hands slid down to cup her backside as their mouths fused.

“That’s quite a welcome.” He tucked one of her long curls behind her ear.

“I wanted to thank you.”

He slid his nose along hers. “You don’t need to thank me with your body, although it’s a welcome gift.”

“You care about my comfort. That means something to me.”

He pushed another disobedient curl aside. “How do you feel?”

“Relaxed. I enjoyed my visit to the spa. Thank you.”

His thumb traced the crease between her hip and thigh. “And here?”

She rolled her eyes. “Perfectly fine.”

“Certainly perfect.” He touched her chin. “You don’t know how you appear with those eyes of yours, surprised that someone would want to spoil you.” He looked at her resolutely. “I’m eager to do more.”

She gave him a half smile. “I just want your company.”

Nicholas sat back on one of the benches and pulled her to straddle him. He spanned her hips with his hands, under the water. “Kiss me.”

She tilted her head to take his mouth and tasted his lips leisurely before she pushed her tongue inside.

His palms slid up her back and crushed her against his chest.

She inclined her head the other way and tugged at his upper lip.

Nicholas kissed his way to her chin and down to her neck. He licked at the skin and pulled it into his mouth.

Acacia exposed her neck even more.

He nipped a path to her collarbone and traced it with his finger. When she shivered at the sensation, he cradled her breast above the water and wrapped his mouth around her nipple.

Acacia hummed and squirmed in his lap at the sensation. She could feel him lift between her legs, hard and wanting.

He pulled on her nipple until she groaned. Then he took the other breast with his eager lips.

Acacia massaged his scalp as he licked and sucked. She brought her knees to either side of his thighs on top of the bench.

“Wait.” He rubbed his stubbled chin against the center of her chest. He placed a kiss over her heart. “Are you ready?”

She nodded and reached between them.

His fingers had already dropped between her legs. He touched her tentatively at first. When she began to lift up and move her hips, he applied more pressure.

She kissed him deeply. “I’m ready.”

“Let me open you a little.” Gently, his fingers quested her entrance and moved inside.

He curled his fingers, and Acacia gasped.

With a smile, he reached behind him to a discreetly hidden box. He dried his fingers on a towel before he retrieved a condom.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to move you.” He placed her next to him on the bench and stood. The water rolled off his chest and abdomen as if he were a sea god emerging from the surf.

Quickly and efficiently, he rolled on the condom and sank below the water once again.

“Now.” He smiled and lifted her by the hips, positioning her over him.

She sank down slowly, eyes closed. When the backs of her thighs met the top of his, she moaned and raised herself. Up and down, up and down, she moved against his exquisite fullness.

“How do you feel?” he whispered.

“Incredible.”

He gripped her hips and pushed and pulled. She had to place her hands on his shoulders to steady herself.

“Mmmm,” she hummed.

The water bubbled and sloshed around them, and rose petals gathered around their bodies.

Nicholas nosed a petal aside as he lowered his mouth to her breast.

“Yes.” Her voice was a throaty groan.

She wasn’t going to last. He was positioned just right, and the pleasure began to build.

Her up-and-down motions stuttered, and he drew back. His grip tightened as he maintained a steady motion while she orgasmed.

The sensations were so intense, it felt like diving off a mountain. Acacia was in free fall as her body tightened and a wave of euphoria overtook her.

“That’s it.” His voice spurred her on as he continued to move her up and down. “Magnificent.”

She opened her eyes as the orgasm began to wane. Nicholas’s mouth was open and he breathed heavily, still raising her up and pulling her down. The cords of his neck stood out, and the muscles in his arms bunched and flexed.

His eyes burned into hers.

“Now,” he groaned as she sank down on him. She ground her hips as his body tensed.

He continued to stare into her eyes as he pulsed inside her, his mouth going slack.

She blinked against his intense gaze, the moment heavy between them.

His expression changed. Somehow, it grew fierce. His hands squeezed her backside. “Incredible.”

She collapsed against him and rested her head on his shoulder. Her hands drooped at her sides. “You slayed me.”

He hugged her. “So sweet.”

She breathed a happy sigh.

He kissed her forehead. “Mon trésor. We’re good together, no?”

“Very good.” She closed her eyes.

“Are you going to fall asleep?” His voice was tinged with amusement.

“Maybe.”

His mouth grazed the shell of her ear. “I’m still inside you.”

“Yes.” She shifted on his lap. “I like you there.”

“Good.” He chuckled. “I like it there too.

“I’m sorry it was such a long day. Tomorrow will be better.” He kissed below her ear.

She didn’t open her eyes.

“Just a minute.” He withdrew from her body and moved her to the bench. Quickly, he disposed of the condom. Then he sat next to her and whispered a kiss against her shoulder. “I think it’s time for bed.”

“The way you looked at me at the end. It’s almost as if you—” Abruptly, Acacia closed her mouth. Her face flamed.

Nicholas stiffened. “I almost what?”

“Nothing.” She climbed onto his lap and nuzzled his neck. “I’m in the afterglow and babbling.”

“I doubt you’ve babbled a day in your life.” He played with her hair, sifting through the black curls.

Acacia decided to change the subject before she said something foolish.

“Can I ask you about this?” She touched his scar.

Nicholas froze.

She pulled back. She’d let her guard down and was forcing intimacies that weren’t warranted.

She cursed herself.

Nicholas fished her hand from under the water. “I’ll tell you some day. Not tonight.”

“I’m sorry for prying. It doesn’t matter.”

His head shot up. “It doesn’t?”

“No.” She straightened on his lap. With her other hand, she lifted the curls that framed the right side of her face, twisting the strands to expose a two-inch slash of skin where hair no longer grew.

“What’s that?” Nicholas dropped her hand and angled her head so he could see.

“I had stitches when I was young. My curls hide it.”

Nicholas traced the area with his thumb. “How did it happen?”

“A fight between my father and mother. I was caught in the middle.” Acacia adopted a stoic expression. “The hair never grew back.”

Nicholas’s eyes met hers. Slowly and deliberatively, he pressed his lips to the raised skin. “Are there more?”

“None that you can see.” She smiled a little too brightly.

His expression darkened. “I meant what I said in Cologny. Anyone who fucks with you, fucks with me.”

“There was a time when I couldn’t take care of myself. That time has passed.”

Nicholas looked as if he were about to give voice to his disagreement, but thought better of it.

“Our scars don’t define us,” she said simply.

“I’m afraid you’re wrong, chérie, at least in my case.” He released her hand.

Water droplets fell from her fingers as she breached the water. She traced his scar, barely skimming the surface of the furrowed skin. Then she kissed it, inch by inch.

He caught her fingers and brought their connection to his heart. “What sweetness I hold in my arms.”

“You have a noble soul, Nicholas. You’ve been thoughtful and generous. I’m very lucky.”

He cupped the back of her head with his hand. “You wouldn’t think I was noble if you knew what was in my soul.”

“I’m not saying you’re perfect. But whatever imperfection you have, it’s marked by nobility.”

He groaned. “If you only knew…”

“I have my own darkness, Nicholas. I’m not inclined to discuss it, but you should know it’s there.”

He regarded her thoughtfully.

Acacia noticed he didn’t appear surprised.

He shifted on the bench and he lowered his hand to cup her breast. “Let me take you to bed. I want to taste you.”

“Now?” She blinked, surprised by his sudden change.

“Yes.”

“Okay.” She ducked her head and made a show of examining her hands. “My fingers are starting to wrinkle anyway. I need to get out.”

She extricated herself from his embrace and lifted a thick, white towel from a nearby alcove.

“Acacia.” He touched her wrist. “You can always refuse.”

She looked down at the towel. “Why would I refuse, when you offer me pleasure?”

“Because we’re equals.” He rubbed his face. “Because we’re friends as well as lovers, and I would never take advantage.”

Acacia sighed. The power differential was there. It could not be denied.

His expression was almost pleading. “Patience.”

She wasn’t quite sure why he asked for patience or why he’d looked so guilty when she praised him. There would be time enough to ponder those questions later.

She gave him a smile. “I think you owe me an encounter on a dining room table.”

He gaped at her for a moment. Then he grinned.