Dorie Graham - The Morning After

What had come over him and who was this woman?

Ginger cleared her throat. “Shall we?”

Nikki glanced away, breaking the spell. She pulled her hand from his as pink blossomed in her cheeks. “Yes, of course. So far I love it. It’s certainly more house than I’d anticipated.”

“Let’s start with the study, then we can let Dylan get back to work.” Ginger ushered her client in that direction.

Dylan followed, staring blankly at the papers on his desk. What had he been working on? A haze clouded his mind. He turned and nearly collided with Nikki.

“Now this is your room.” Appreciation shone in her dark eyes as she took in the solid-oak furnishings and cluttered tabletops. Papers and files pertaining to the fraud case he was working on covered nearly every available space.

“I…this is where I work when I’m home. I like it to be…utilitarian.” In fact, it was the one room Kathy had had no interest in.

“Dylan’s an attorney.” Ginger rubbed her hands together. “He’s defending Councilman Weatherby. Imagine, one of Miami’s finest citizens on trial like a common criminal. You’ll get him off, won’t you, Dylan? I can’t believe George has done a dishonest thing in his life.”

“I’m not at liberty to discuss the case. The local media is having a field day with it as it is.”

“Yes.” Nikki cocked her head. “I believe I did read something about it. I’m sorry. I don’t follow the news as closely as I should. I spend my days doctoring furry critters, then fall into bed exhausted at night. I don’t know where the time goes.”

“You’re a veterinarian?” Dylan almost smiled, picturing the lovely brunette with her “critters.”

“Yes, I am. I’ve always gotten along better with animals than people.” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

It was a full bottom lip. Luscious. Made for kissing.

“Nikki has her own clinic in Bay Heights,” Ginger said.

Dylan forced himself to look away from Nikki. Guilt filled him. What had made him think of kissing her? Had the woman bewitched him? He cleared his throat. “Bay Heights. That wouldn’t be a far drive.”

“No, not at all.” Nikki turned to Ginger. “I’m anxious to see the rest of the house.”

“Of course you are, hon. Dylan, if you’ll excuse us…”

“Certainly. Make yourselves at home. Just let me know if you have any questions.”

Nikki glanced back, smiling as they left the room, and he stilled the urge to follow. “Briefs,” he muttered as he sat at his desk. “Where was I?”

He consulted the notes he’d been scribbling when Ginger had called. “Right, finance summaries.”

With quick motions he punched a number into his phone. After four rings, the message center on the other end picked up. He waited patiently for the beep, then said, “Evelyn, if you have them ready, I could really use those summaries on the Weatherby finances. In particular, I’m looking for September and October of last year. Give me a call if you have them, or just fax them over. Thanks.”

He exhaled and focused on the file in front of him, immersing himself in his work. The accountants were going over every detail, but he needed to understand where the councilman stood himself. Though all the columns in Weatherby’s P&L added up, Dylan’s sixth sense told him all wasn’t as it appeared to be.

A short while later, Nikki’s musical laughter floated down from the upstairs, shattering his concentration. He tossed down his pen. He had purposely left the office and all its distractions to work at home this afternoon. Now how was he supposed to get any work done with all of this racket in the house?

After another moment of staring blankly at the page in front of him, he gave up all pretense of working. He stood, then went in search of the pair.

He found them in the guest room. Sebastian, Kathy’s orange tabby, had draped himself unceremoniously across Nikki’s shoulders. Dylan paused a moment, not breathing. Since Kathy’s death, the cat hadn’t let anyone pet him, let alone pick him up—not even Dylan.

Nikki turned. Her smile faded. “Your housemate found us.”

Ginger ruffled the cat’s ear and he hissed at her. “Oh my, he hasn’t any use for me, though he climbed right up there. Seems to have taken a liking to Nikki.”

“He doesn’t like most people.” Dylan took a shaky breath. Showing the house was turning out to be harder than he’d expected. He stepped forward to take the cat, but Sebastian growled and leaped to the floor.

“Ow!” Nikki clamped her hand to her collarbone.

“Did he scratch you?” Dylan asked.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s bleeding.” Ginger’s eyebrows formed a deep V.

“Let me see.” The softness of Nikki’s hand plagued him as he moved it aside to see the double slash where Sebastian’s claws had marked her. “I’m sorry. I’ll get something for that.”

She waved aside his efforts. “I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

“He’s overdue for a clipping. He doesn’t like me handling him, and I’ve been so busy lately, I can’t remember the last time I took him in for a grooming.”

“He didn’t mean anything. Bring him by my clinic. We’ll get him clipped and clean for you.” She smiled as the cat rubbed up against her leg. “I’ve always had a way with the four-legged kind.”

“So it seems.” Dylan suppressed the anger rising in him. Why should Sebastian’s reaction to the woman upset him?

Or perhaps it was his own guilty response triggering his feelings.

“Well—” Ginger checked her watch “—if you’ve seen enough, I suggest we move along, Nikki. We have several more homes to visit.”

Relief flooded Dylan. Thank God they were leaving. His insides had been in a tangle since he first laid eyes on that woman. Now he could get back to work and get on with his life.

Nikki turned slowly around the room until she faced him. Her gaze caught and held his, though her words were directed toward Ginger. “Oh, I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I believe I’m ready to make an offer.”

SUNLIGHT STREAKED THROUGH the stained glass in a last burst of fiery intensity before the sun set that evening. Dylan clenched his fist, unable to tear his gaze from the fading light. Kathy had loved the window he’d had designed for her twenty-fifth birthday.

That last fateful night they had been leaving for a party his parents had thrown to celebrate his passing the bar. Kathy had stopped to watch the sun give up its last rays. “Oh, look. The sun’s saying good-night.”

She had refused to leave until the final bit of color had faded, her sweet eyes growing sadder with each passing minute. Then she had turned to him with a shrug. “It just isn’t the same without the light shining through.”

He’d swept his arms around her and kissed her. “Then I’ll be your light until morning.”

Her arms had tightened around him, her breath warm against his cheek. “You’re always my light, Dylan.”

God, he missed her.

He swallowed past a sharp ache in his throat, gritting his teeth against the loneliness that always overwhelmed him at sunset. How wrong they’d both been.

She’d been the light.

He closed his eyes. To his consternation, a vision of Nikki McClellan flashed through his mind. Her dark eyes beckoned him, filled with a promise he refused to acknowledge. He pushed the image away.

“No.”

No one would ever replace Kathy. He had no intention of pursuing any kind of relationship with Nikki. He had nothing to offer her.

The doorbell rang. He straightened in the dark, hesitating before rising. His family never visited, and hadn’t most of his friends gotten the hint and given up stopping by long ago? It was probably Steven. His old boarding school roommate was a diehard.