Page 74 of Close Up

Vivian wasn’t entirely sure how he got her through the door and into the shadowed hall. She was vaguely aware of Rex. The dog showed up briefly to greet them. When he discovered he was not going to get the usual amount of attention, he disappeared into the living room.

The next thing she knew, she was in Nick’s room. He set her on her feet beside the bed, reached down, and ripped the quilt and sheet aside. Breathless, she fumbled with the fasteners at the waist of the gown.

“Let me do it,” Nick said.

He put his hands on her shoulders, turned her gently around, and undid the hooks and eyes. The garnet satin cascaded into a pool at her feet, leaving her in a pair of dainty panties, a silky bra, garter belt, stockings, and red evening sandals.

“You are so lovely,” he said.

There was wonder in each word.

He touched her breasts as if they were delicate works of art. Thenhe moved his hands to her waist and lifted her out of the crumpled gown. He sat her on the edge of the bed.

When he went down on one knee in front of her she almost stopped breathing.Don’t do this. Don’t ask me to marry you. It’s too soon. It’s crazy. I don’t want to have to think about anything else except tonight. I don’t want to have to think at all. I just want to be with you.

But of course he didn’t stun her with an out-of-the-blue proposal. What had made her think he would do such a thing? He had made his thoughts on intimate relationships clear earlier that day when they had been standing in front of the gallery.I don’t know about love and marriage but I’ve got nothing against passion.

She allowed herself to breathe again. There was no need to panic. Nick had experienced one disastrous runaway marriage. He would be wary of making another serious commitment. And hadn’t she decided she was a modern woman who was not bound by society’s rules and conventions? She planned to devote herself to her art.

Unaware of her tumultuous thoughts, Nick cradled first her right foot and then her left in his strong hands and undid the straps of her sandals.

The important thing was that both of them understood that a single night of passion meant nothing more or less than what it was—a single night of passion.

She watched Nick, wondering if he had any idea of just how sensual the act of removing her shoes was.

“The other freelancers called me Cinderella,” she said. “Every time I showed up at midnight at a crime scene they said I must be looking for Prince Charming. Tonight I feel like I found him. Except you should be putting on my glass slippers, not taking them off.”

He stroked her stocking-clad leg and then got to his feet.

“I’m not Prince Charming,” he said, “so I don’t have to follow the script.”

“Thank goodness.”

She undid the fasteners on the dainty garter belt, rolled her stockings down, and slipped them off her feet. He watched, seemingly mesmerized, as she took off the belt.

At that point she was chagrined to discover that she did not have the extra ounce of boldness it took to remove her silk panties.

“Your turn,” she said softly.

He peeled off the evening jacket and tossed it over a chair. Then unbuckled the holster and set it on the table beside the bed.

He sat down and started to remove his shoes.

“Let me,” she said.

She knelt in front of him and took off his shoes and socks.

“You have very nice feet,” she said. “Strong. Well made.”

“Vivian, you are going to drive me right out of my mind.”

He stood and started to loosen the black bow tie. He never took his eyes off her. The energy in the room excited her senses in ways she had never experienced.

She rose and took over the task of untying the length of black silk. It wasn’t easy because her fingers trembled. She finally got the tie undone. Nick stripped it off and draped it around her neck. He tugged on the ends, pulling her close for another deep kiss.

When he finally raised his head his eyes were fever hot. Everything inside her tightened in anticipation. He deliberately removed her panties.

She sat down before she collapsed and watched, fascinated, as Nick took off his crisp white shirt and undershirt. He reached into the pocket of his trousers and took out a small tin. She watched him walk around the end of the bed. He set the condoms on the nightstand next to the gun without saying a word. Then he finished undressing.

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