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  Double shit. Kelly hadn’t told her anything about the Berkman account. Nicolla cleared her throat, forcing another smile on her face. “I did what was necessary, Hank, for the sake of our client and for us. And you know it.” She threw the question back at Durbo, hoping she could pull off a believable fib.

  “I understand your intention was noble.” Durbo leered. “But one fact that I’m uncomfortable with is when you decided to bypass the city regulators and go straight to the commissioner. From my standpoint, what you’ve done is highly unethical.”

  What the fuck is he talking about? Nicolla became more nervous by the second. She knew nothing about this. If she kept playing as Kelly, she was going to make a fool of herself. She couldn’t do it. She had to get out of there. Fast.

  “I just—” Nicolla paused, feigning she was dizzy. “Oh.”

  “Kelly, are you all right?” Rush looked alarmed.

  “I’m…fine, sir. It’s just this morning. I’m not feeling well… I just—” Nicolla rolled her eyes and pretended to faint. She let herself sprawl on the sofa. The men around her jumped from their seats.

  “Kelly!” Kaplan’s voice sounded panicky. He was shaking her shoulders to wake her. “What’s going on? Kelly!”

  “Call an ambulance,” Rush announced in an urgent tone to someone, maybe Durbo. “Hurry!”

  Nicolla heard Durbo’s nervous mumbles and footsteps frantically echoing in the room. The door opened and closed and more voices came by. A woman’s voice, she noted. Nicolla kept her act up until she heard the sound of metal wheels screeching against the marble floor and hurried steps coming to where she was slumped. Some hands checked her vitals.

  “Miss White, can you hear me?” a male voice asked her.

  Nicolla answered with a quiet, incoherent slur. She had years of experience as an actress, and she was really good at faking things.

  The medic said something to his partner, then to one of Kelly’s bosses. “We have to take her to the hospital, sir.”

  “What are you waiting for? Damn it. I have to let Andrew know about this,” Rush answered.

  Two pairs of strong arms hoisted her onto the stretcher. The medics strapped her onto it and draped a heavy blanket over her. As the paramedics wheeled her out of the office, she heard Kaplan bark at Durbo, “You just can’t let it go, can you?”

  Nicolla almost couldn’t resist smiling.

  As soon as the doctor in the hospital left her alone to rest, Nicolla snatched a phone console and dialled her own home number in the District. The portable vid screen flickered to life and a sleepy-looking man answered. It was Tyler.

  “Can I speak to Nicky? It’s urgent.”

  Tyler blinked and shook his head. “Sorry, she’s not available right now. Want to leave a message?”

  “What do you mean she’s not available? This is fucking important.”

  “Geez, lady, calm down.” Tyler shot her an annoyed look. “Nicky is sleeping, and I don’t want to wake her up.”

  “Didn’t I tell you it’s important? She’s expecting my call.”

  Tyler paused. “Who are you?”

  The door opened. “Kelly?”

  “Oh shit!” Nicolla turned the vid comm off and slammed the console back onto its cradle. Andrew was at the door, accompanied by the doctor. She was surprised to see him—Kaplan or Rush must have notified him.

  “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “What happened to my wife?” Andrew asked the doctor.

  My wife, Nicolla noted, wondering. He still cared for Kelly.

  The doc consulted his wrist comp, accessing her information. “To be honest, I couldn’t find anything to be concerned about regarding your wife’s health, Mr White. Her vitals are stable and everything looks fine to me.”

  Dumbass Normie. Nicolla wanted to roll her eyes. That’s because I was fibbing, you idiot. “I’m fine, I told you. I’m just exhausted.”

  Andrew took one good look at her, but it wasn’t the cold, uninterested look he had this morning. The man was scared. Regret filled his eyes. He then did something that Nicolla hadn’t expected. He hugged her and kissed her temple. Nicolla tentatively hugged him back. When he released her, Andrew said to the doctor, “Can I take my wife home now, Doc?”

  Chapter Five

  Andrew had become a totally different person to the one she’d met this morning. When they got home, he herded her into the kitchen. “You sit here. I’m going to get you something to drink. Are you cold?”

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” Nicolla sank into the chair, feeling a bit uncomfortable with his gushing attention.

  “But I do.” His eyes told her much more. Nicolla could see anguish in those gorgeous eyes of his. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around, liebchen.”

  Liebchen? Was that Kelly’s pet name? Nicolla bit her lip to keep from smiling. “It’s not your fault. I’ve been working too hard for that partnership. I know I’ve kind of neglected us.”

  Andrew gave a faint smile and retreated behind the kitchen counter. He boiled some water in the kettle to make tea.

  Nicolla was seized with curiosity. Maybe it was more than just Kelly’s workaholic habits that had caused them to drift apart. “Andi.” Nicolla called him the way Kelly did. He turned, his shoulders hunched. Nicolla’s heart sank. He looked like a tortured man, carrying a heavy inner burden. “If I tell you something, would you believe me?”

  His eyebrow arched and he looked genuinely concerned. “What’s the matter?”

  Nicolla rose from the chair, looking straight into his eyes. “When I woke up this morning, I…uhm…didn’t remember a lot of things. Silly, isn’t it? If I hadn’t had a reminder from my personal comp, I wouldn’t have remembered I had that confirmation interview this morning.”

  “You had amnesia? Did you tell this to the doc?”

  “Honey.” Nicolla took a deep breath. “I can’t remember a single thing about us. When did we get married? Are we always like this? Like strangers?”

  Andrew stiffened.

  “Did we have a big fight? Did I do something wrong?” Nicolla pressed on.

  Andrew ran his fingers through his hair. “No, it isn’t like that.”

  “If I wronged you, I’m sorry. I just wish I could remember what I did and—”

  “Liebchen.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. His touches brought unexpected warmth. The ice king was melting.

  Nicolla covered his hands with hers, squeezing him. “What happened to us? Are we going to get a divorce?”

  “Heavens—no!” he said.

  “Do you want to?”

  “No!” His eyes widened, looking scandalised. “Do you?”

  “Why would I? I have the perfect life, don’t I?”

  “Everything goes just the way you planned, dear.”

  Nicolla started to see the problem. Everything was going according to what Kelly had planned, not what they had planned. Maybe it was Kelly’s compulsive behaviour that took a toll on their marriage. She remembered how Kelly had been bossing her around about the clothes Nicolla had had to wear this morning. “Am I too bossy?”

  Andrew bit down his words and took a step back. He shook his head. The ice king was retreating to his old self. Nicolla wouldn’t let him withdraw again this time. She needed to get him out of his shell.

  “You called me liebchen. Do I have a nickname for you?”

  “No. You always said it’s too juvenile.”

  The answer surprised Nicolla. “No shit.”

  Andrew regarded her with a funny look.

  Nicolla gave herself a mental head slap. She kept forgetting Kelly never swore. “I think if I were to give you one, it would be Daddy Bear.”

  Now Andrew stared at her as if she was losing her mind.

  “You think it’s too silly?” Nicolla took a step forward, enclosing him. She pressed her breasts against his chest. Tentatively at first, then she let him feel the whole curve and softness of her flesh. She cou
ld feel his heartbeat starting to accelerate. One thing she’d learnt from the Art of Seduction 101 was that no creature with a cock could ever resist breasts. The impulse seemed to have been coded deep into men’s DNA.

  Andrew stiffened at first, then he relaxed. God, when was the last time this poor guy had got laid? Nicolla ran her hands on his shirt slowly, from the edge of his belt and upward to his chest. She rested her head on him, listening to his heartbeat. He responded to her submission with a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer into a protective embrace. Nicolla smiled. The ice king wasn’t so icy after all.

  “Why Daddy Bear?” Andrew wanted to know.

  “‘Cause you’re big and strong, and I know I can count on you. Even when I don’t show it, I always need you to be there for me.”

  “You do?” He sounded incredulous.

  Nicolla looked up. “Yes,” she murmured in a breathless gasp. “What did we do wrong, Andi? How did we end up like this?”

  Andrew’s eyes softened. He palmed her face and brushed a thumb across her cheek. “I don’t know. I guess we just grew apart.”

  “Well, I don’t want us to be like this anymore. Tell me about when we first met.”

  “You mean you really don’t remember?”

  Nicolla shook her head.

  “We need to tell Dr Ash about your amnesia.”

  “Andi! I’m fine. Tell me.”

  He looked as if he wanted to argue, but then he conceded. “It was at a McMillan party, your former boss. New Year’s Eve. You were helping him with the dessert canapé when I accidentally bumped into you and knocked the tray.”

  Nicolla widened her eyes. “That’s how we met?” How friggin’ lame.

  “Well, yes.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “I helped you clean up the mess. I found you very attractive, and we chatted for a long time.”

  “Did you ask me out right away?”

  “Yes, but you declined.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  Andrew scrutinised her for a moment. He was probably looking for evidence to see if she was faking all this. “You were working on a big case. You simply didn’t have time for romance.”

  “That’s nuts. When did you actually get to ask me again, and we went on a date for the first time?”

  “A year later, when w—”

  “A year later?” Nicolla was appalled now. What was wrong with that chick? She had this soft-spoken, handsome hunk interested in her and it took her a year to play cat and mouse. “I’m sorry, hon. I’ve just realised how foolish I was taking you for granted for all these years. I was so blinded by my ambitions, I didn’t see what mattered the most.”

  Something had sparked in Andrew’s eyes when she’d said that. Nicolla thought she had just hit what she was after. “That night, in McMillan’s kitchen, if we were able to turn back time and do it all over again, tell me what you would have liked to do when we first met.”

  Andrew looked hesitant.

  “Come on, I’m your wife. Don’t you think we’re beyond this formality?”

  Her encouragement brought a smile to his face. “If I could turn back time”—he paused, as if contemplating the idea for a moment—“and I was able to do things differently, I’d very much like to kiss you.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Show me,” Nicolla mouthed.

  He sucked in a sharp inhalation at her plea. A heartbeat later, Nicolla found herself being swept off her feet and pinned between the cold steel of the refrigerator and the toned body of Andrew White. He groped her thighs, sliding her skirt upward. As soon as his hands claimed her hips, her feet left the floor. Andrew had lifted her body level with his. Her breasts pressed against his chest. Her hips were against his. His cock became hard in seconds. His mouth settled on hers, lips brushing. A tentative kiss. Innocently sweet. Nicolla murmured in encouragement. Andrew claimed her, kissing her hard. He swept his tongue over her palate and savagely nipped her bottom lip, rough enough to draw blood. She didn’t mind the abuse—she loved men with passion. Andrew panted—he looked like a man who had been denied carnal pleasures for too damn long, and now his hunger was demanding its fill.

  She followed his lead, kissing him back with the same ferocity. Their kiss was a symphony of breathless gasps, growls and unsated longing. Wanton heat engulfed her. Her nipples hardened and familiar aches stirred from the centre of her sex. Her inner cat awakened and meowed. What is going on?

  Nicolla remembered that Andi was clueless about Kelly’s true origin. She must be careful. If she accidentally shifted during the mating, Kelly’s secret would blow sky-high. Then it hit her. Could that be the main reason Kelly was so prudish? That she’d been reserved so she wouldn’t reveal her beastly nature?

  “What’s wrong?” Andi noticed her frowning.

  Nicolla was startled. “Nothing. Then what? What would you like to do after you kissed me?”

  “I’m…” Andrew looked discouraged.

  “Daddy Bear,” Nicolla purred, slipping a hand on his hard erection and giving him a nice, loving squeeze. “Tell me.”

  Andrew whimpered. “I want you…”

  “Yes?”

  “To suck me…there.”

  She laughed. God, this poor man probably hadn’t had a good blow for a long time. “Why didn’t you tell me so?”

  The moment Andrew put her back on her feet, Nicolla pushed him against the kitchen counter. His eyes looked uncertain when she undid the clasp of his belt. And when she pulled his zipper down, Andrew caught her wrist. “I don’t want to force you.”

  “Do I look like I’m being forced?”

  “I was trying to get lucky. I never thought you’d actually do it. You’ve been never fond of…oral…sex.”

  “I wasn’t? That’s ridiculous.” Nicolla pushed his pants down and felt his bulging hard-on underneath his briefs. He whimpered as she petted his cock. He was very thick, not monstrously long, but a perfect size for a good sweaty fucking. His huge tip already leaked with pre-cum. God, she loved a fat cock, and he probably hadn’t used it for some time. Nicolla wondered how often this man jacked off to vanquish his loneliness. Nicolla pushed his briefs down to his ankles. His cock bobbed obscenely, curving upwards. She touched him with gentle caresses, getting herself acquainted.

  “Kelly, are you all right?”

  “Are you?” Nicolla teased.

  “This isn’t like you. I’m a little concerned…”

  “Well, I have to confess. This morning I woke up with amnesia and had a big appetite for cock. When was the last time I went down on you?”

  “What?” Andrew let out a nervous laugh. “It’s been forever, I can’t remember. Our honeymoon, perhaps?”

  By now, Nicolla seriously wanted to kick Kelly’s ass the next time she saw her in person. This was not the way to treat a husband. Especially a cute husband with a fabulous cock. “Well, you can fill me in later on why I disliked worshipping this magnificent beast, but right now, I think we have more pressing matters we should be taking care of. Don’t you agree?”

  Andrew looked confused and horny at the same time. Adorable. Nicolla knelt in front of him and gave him several lazy strokes.

  “I—”

  “Shh.” Nicolla pressed her face on his cock and inhaled a lungful of his scent, reassuring him that she was willing to do it without being forced, and she loved doing it. Andrew watched her with astonishment. She grabbed his shaft and gave him a wet lick from his balls to tip.

  “Fuck,” he whimpered. “Oh, God, fuck…”

  “Mmm,” Nicolla purred, smacking her tongue. “I don’t know why you told me I didn’t like this. You’re delicious.”

  “Really?”

  Nicolla sucked his tip, savouring the salty ocean flavour of his pre-cum. “Oh yeah. With a cock like this, I could suck you all night long.”

  Andrew swore. “Liebchen…I think there’s something really wrong with you. You’ve never—
”

  “Hush!” With a wide grin, Nicolla sucked his cock in until it touched the back of her mouth, and continued deep-throating him until his cockhead slipped past her throat, sucking him as if her life depended on it.

  He groaned loudly, ranting a string of incoherent mumbles as she massaged his shaft with her mouth and throat, worshipping him as if he were her idol, the giver of life and one she couldn’t live without. He cupped her cheeks, mouth agape, wide-eyed as if he couldn’t believe how wickedly good the pleasure was. Nicolla popped him out of her mouth, wondering if she’d been too careless. Deep-throating was an acquired skill of women in her industry. And Kelly, a blow newbie, probably wouldn’t become an expert overnight. She quickly rectified her mistake. “Am I doing good, Daddy Bear?” she asked, hoping Andrew would see that her sudden expertise was a pure accident.

  He spluttered with praises. “Baby, oh God, you’ve never been like this before. I can’t belie—”

  Nicolla shushed him quiet. “Did you like it?”

  “Yes. Very much.”

  “Good. Would you like to fuck my mouth until you come?”

  “Liebchen—”

  “I know you’ve wanted to do that for a long time, haven’t you?” she asked rhetorically. In her experience, all men had a fantasy of coming in a woman’s mouth. Or on her breasts. Or her face. It was a man thing.

  He sighed. “Yes.”

  “Then fuck me.”

  Andrew still wasn’t convinced, even though he looked horny as hell.

  “For once in our marriage, I’d like you to be in charge. Use me as you please. I know you always wanted to do that, even if you won’t admit it. Am I right, Daddy Bear?”

  “I love you,” he murmured.

  Nicolla mouthed “I love you” back and licked her lips, teasing. Andrew jumped at her encouragement. He pressed his cock on her mouth. Nicolla took the mouthwatering offering with delight. He worked his way in, inch by inch, burying his cock into her throat.

  She watched him the whole time he fucked her mouth, never breaking eye contact as he was consumed with the craze of his newfound ecstasy. She wanted to let him know she enjoyed giving him pleasure as much as he received it. Kelly might never have guessed, but Nicolla knew a starving man when she saw one. Not physically, but emotionally. Sometimes, men needed their egos stroked, their dominance acknowledged. Submission wasn’t always a bad thing—it could make a relationship work. And in this case, this was what Andrew needed.