Chapter Two

“Cut and print,” Adam yelled an hour later, his fists clenched at his sides.

“If that doesn’t melt the screen, I don’t know what will. That was one hot scene,” his assistant director said.

Adam didn’t reply, his gaze fixated on the couple in their sheer body suits, which made them look naked while on the bed, laughing. Jealousy raged in his gut. He couldn’t think of her as an actress paid to make his film a success. She was his wife. He should be the only one to hold her so intimately.

“Five tomorrow morning, people.” He left the set before he did something foolish, like hit Michael. Or kiss Nicki.

He stomped up to the house then into his office. Falling onto his leather chair, he rested his chin on his fingers and gathered his thoughts. Jealousy still filled his blood, but then he remembered he owed Nicki a punishment for being late. What could he do?

Ideas flowed in and out of his brain. After they married, their sex life had been adventurous. He liked his sex kinky and had found Nicki didn’t mind being submissive in the bedroom, but that was the only place she’d bow down to him. Adam didn’t mind. He loved how she had argued with him, made him see her point of view, and had made him really listen to what she had to say.

He missed the times they’d spent curled up on the sofa, talking about their days, about the economy, politics, about anything and everything. There had to be a way to mend his marriage. Yes, things had gone south, but now that she was back in his life, he wanted to keep her there.

She’d used her safeword today, and it had been a shock. A first in their entire time together. She was running scared. If Nicki hadn’t wanted him to kiss her or touch her, she’d let him know in no uncertain terms. He’d seen her in action the night they first met. Did she not want to proceed? The thought knotted his gut.

On the night they first met, one of the other directors at the party had made his move. He was an old timer in Hollywood, and the casting couch mentality still existed in his mind. Nicki had told him politely but in no uncertain terms she wasn’t interested. When the guy persisted, she’d given him one of her glacial glances and walked away.

Adam had strode over to her and introduced himself. At first, she had been a little standoffish, but he had kept the conversation friendly. She had slowly melted as they talked about everything and anything during the party, and when it ended, they went to an all-night diner. He’d fallen in love with her on their first date. They’d had trust. Now he was the guy getting the glacial treatment.

A knock on his door brought him out of the past and back to the present with a jolt. “Come in.”

“Hey, Adam,” Paul, the lead script writer, said.

“What’s up, Paul? Issues with the script?”

“Not for me, but after what happened today, you might have some issues.”

Adam sat forward and opened his copy of the script to the scene for tomorrow. Another major love scene. He swore. “Can you fix it?”

“Already done.” Paul handed him new pages. “I had a feeling you might want to change it.”

“Great. If you could take Michael his copy, I’ll deliver this one to Nicki.”

“Sure.” Paul loped out of his office.

Now Adam had an excuse for visiting Nicki tonight. He paused for a moment. Did he really need an excuse to see his wife? Yes, damn it. Well at least she couldn’t ignore him in his director role. Striding from his office, he made his way to Nicki’s trailer. He’d offered her a room in the house, but no, she wanted a trailer just like anyone else.

He knocked on the trailer door. The lock was flipped and the metal door pushed open. Her smile faded when she saw him. Her blue eyes were narrow, her arms crossed over her chest.

“We need to talk,” he stated.

“Whatever.” Nicki stepped back, allowing him to enter.

He climbed the stairs then shut the door behind him. Soft jazz music was playing in the background.

“It’s been a long day, Adam. Just say what you need to say and leave.”

“I came to give you this.” He thrust the papers at her.

“What’s this?” She took them, began flipping through them, and groaned. “You’ve had the script changed.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t need this.” She flopped down on the sofa with the script in her hand.

“The scene had to be changed.” He took a seat across from her on the chair.

She rolled her eyes. “Are you ever happy with anything?”

He didn’t answer. Yes, he had a tendency to be a perfectionist. But he had been happy once, when she was still in his arms.

“I’ll see you in the morning.” He stood up. Memories of a loving Nicki crowded his mind. He needed to get out of here before he did something he shouldn’t.

“Why did you bring this over, Adam?”

“What?” He stared at her.

“You could have sent anyone over with the new pages, so why did you bring them yourself?”

Her features softened reminding him of a time when they were always relaxed and calm, especially after they made love. “Does it matter?” He shook his head. What the hell had he been thinking about being alone with her?

She studied him, and he wanted to know what she was thinking. Was there any feeling left for him?

“Yes, it matters,” she said, and then her gaze dropped along with her chin. Placing his fingers beneath her chin, he tilted her face up.

His gaze captured hers as he shifted closer. “Because I wanted to.”

Her eyes grew wide as he lowered his body next to hers on the sofa and dipped his head. His mouth captured hers, his tongue ruthless as he pushed past her lips. Her kisses were sweet as candy and as addicting as caffeine. And he couldn’t get enough. He never could.

As their tongues sparred, he tangled his hands in her hair, relishing the silky strands against his fingertips. The script fell to the floor as her fingers gripped his shoulders. He broke the kiss to trail his lips over her cheek to her ear.

Her response to him filled his chest with warmth. This was no act. This was his Nicki, wanting him, needing him. Her breathing was shallow and as fast as his. Finding her ear, he ran his tongue over the shell and was rewarded with a shiver, which he smoothed by stroking her back until he palmed the globe of her ass.

“Adam.”

“Shh.” He didn’t want her talking or thinking. Their bodies knew how to talk to each other. He maneuvered them to their feet and started walking.

“No.” She planted her feet against the tile floor and pushed against his shoulders, a stubborn hardness in her eyes.

“Why not? We’re married.” He glanced at her flushed face. Her eyes turned bright. Was that desire or apprehension?

“Being married isn’t the point.” She wrenched herself out of his hold and stepped back several paces, her breathing ragged as she swallowed rapidly. “If this is what you came for, please leave.”

Why wouldn’t she allow him to love her? He paused. What right did he have to demand this from her? He didn’t have that right. Frustration roared through him. “Damn it, Nicki.”

“Don’t swear at me.” She crossed her arms over her stomach. “You’re the one who started it.”

“Yes, I did.” He glared at her. His stomach muscles were tight. “And I’m going to finish it, too.”

But he’d do it the right way. He turned and left the trailer before he did something stupid.

The trailer door banged shut, and Nicki slid down onto the floor. Oh God, she’d let him do it again. She’d let him past her defenses, and he’d kissed her. Her lips still tingled and her heart pounded. It was hard to resist Adam when her body responded to him so powerfully.

She had wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms, she’d resisted his dominance. Her fingers traced her mouth. Yep, they were swollen. And she wanted more. More of his kisses. To be in his arms, in his bed. She’d fought against her natural desire for her husband and won. A hollow victory.

Until they worked out what went wrong with their marriage, she didn’t want to move back into a relationship with Adam. There were so many things to discuss—his job, her job, the loss of their child, and his jealousy.

Her stomach clenched at the amount of work. She wasn’t afraid of hard work, but clawing her way up a snow-covered mountain was never in her plans. And that’s what confronting their history was like.

This was all Chris’ fault. She reached up and grabbed her cell phone from the counter, punching in a number. “Chris, you got me into this mess. Get me out!”

****

An hour later, Nicki punched the end button on her cell with a hard push. Chris wouldn’t let her out of her contract no matter how much she begged or pleaded. He told her she was perfect for the part, and to deal with Adam. It wasn’t something she wanted to hear. She wanted Chris to say he’d come up, keep an eye on her, and take care of Adam. But he hadn’t. Chris had thrown the ball back into her court.

The problem was, he was right. She had to find a middle ground with Adam. They could work together. They just had to figure out how. Flopping down on the sofa, she drew her knees up and rested her chin on them.

What had happened to the couple who spent their nights in front of the fire, sharing the events of their latest projects? Holding hands while walking in the park? Quiet intimate dinners? Making love with some kink?

There was more to their relationship than just sex. And even though she’d told herself she only wanted this job for the opportunity, a strictly professional relationship wasn’t in the cards. A connection bound them to each other.

Adam had touched a part of her heart she’d locked away a long time ago. They’d both changed after the loss of their baby. Her heart clenched at the painful memory. Losing their child had changed her entire life, her outlook on any chance of happiness.

After several months of soul-searching, her priorities had changed. The first step to living any other way than a life dominated by old pain was to face the past. Adam and she had never really talked about what happened with the baby, and it was a barrier between them. Also, it was a barrier to her own future. Regardless of whether they could find their way back to each other, they needed to talk about the baby.

But there was more than the loss of their baby. Adam’s jealousy had become a brick wall, separating them. While his jealousy had always been there, now it was a living, breathing entity. There were subtle nuances when they were married. A sullen look on his face, constant clenching of teeth, or pulling her to his side like a possession rather than in affection.

Even with Michael, Adam’s jealousy was there. It was apparent to her, but didn’t seem to be to anyone else. After the love scene today, Adam’s clenched fists told her a lot. He probably wasn’t even aware he did it. So that was another hurtle to get past.

Her stomach somersaulted when she thought of confronting Adam, but it had to be done. Things had changed. Being near Adam had unlocked a chest full of issues and she could no longer pretend even to herself that this was just a job

Tomorrow, she’d talk to him. Maybe they could work something out, because they couldn’t go on as they were.

****

Nicki shivered in the cool morning air as she walked from her trailer to the main house. She paused to stare at the magnificent structure. When she had walked away from Adam six months ago, the house had been just a frame. Now, the green paint of the sleek modern lines gleamed in the morning light. Classic touches warmed the contemporary and made it a home.

She maneuvered her way up the stone walkway to the front entry. Her breath caught in her throat. The stained glass windows were the same ones she’d picked out. What else had Adam kept? Her gaze went to the second level of the house where the master suite would be. A grin formed. The architect had given her a funny look when she’d told him she wanted a seven-foot, double-wide tub. Adam couldn’t help but join her in the tub, and unless they wanted to flood the bathroom, a large tub was a necessity.

A sigh escaped. Why did she keep dwelling on the past? Hadn’t the counselor told her to look to the future instead? She’d been doing just that until this movie. Now, all she could do was think of the past.

Nicki’s took a deep breath. She’d only gone to see the counselor because her best friend, Helen, had insisted. But something must have sunk in, because she was stopping to think about what she was doing rather than rushing in without a plan. She gazed up at the house. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. She turned to leave.

The front door opened.

“Nicki.” Adam’s voice held surprise.

“Good morning.” She faced him, taking in his tousled dark hair, dark blue shirt, and black slacks. “The house looks nice.”

“I paid a fortune to get the house and studios done on time so we could film here in Oregon.” He strode down the steps and held his hand out to her. “Come in and look around.”

The spider said to the fly. The old cliché was fitting. “No, I just…” Why torture her already bruised heart by walking through the house she’d so lovingly planned with him?

“Please.” His soft voice forced her to look at him. Really look. Dark shadows caressed his eyes. But he’d said please. Something he hadn’t done in a very long time.

The one little word melted her resolve. “All right.”

“Great.” A grin transformed his features, chasing away the shadows. He took her hand and led her inside.

The entryway was as she pictured it. The stained glass allowed lots of light, so no dark and gloomy spots. She turned around in a circle when Adam released her hand. The walls were painted in an off-white color and the watercolor paintings…wait a second.

Nicki walked up to the first painting. They’d found these paintings on Venice Beach where the artist would set up there every week, selling his paintings.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Not half as much as you are.” Adam’s hands cupped her shoulders. “Do you remember when we bought the paintings?”

A small laugh escaped her lips. “How could I forget? You haggled with the guy for twenty minutes.”

“Yes.” His breath brushed her hair, and a shiver made its way up her spine. “But it was my beautiful wife, oohing and ahhing over the paintings, that got him to come down in price.”

“Are you trying to flirt with me?”

“Yes.”

His honesty unnerved her. Not that Adam wasn’t honest, but these were the types of conversations they’d never had in their marriage. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“It is.” Adam placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head back until it rested on his shoulder.

“Adam.” She turned her head, and her gaze landed on his scar running from his ear to the side of his cheek. Without thought, she kissed it. He stiffened, but didn’t pull away as he once would have. He’d learned to shut his emotions off at an early age. Was there still hope for them? She didn’t know.

Confusion swamped her. “It’s situations like this that I’ve come to talk to you about.” She lifted her head from his shoulder and her heart protested.

“I see.” His tone went glacial. “Let’s go into the living room.” He stepped away from her, and Nicki shivered.

“This discussion won’t take long.” She followed him. The room was painted in a nice shade of cocoa, making her feel cozy. Several sofas and chairs were scattered around the room, and a colorful area rug covered the hardwood floor.

“We might as well be comfortable.” He sat down on the sofa and patted the cushion next to him.

Nicki sat in the chair across from him instead. “There’s no reason we can’t get this film finished without us both tearing our hair out.”

“I agree. What do you propose?” He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees.

“I think we should limit our contact outside filming.” She squirmed in the chair. Even with the space between them, the heat from him called out to her.

“Not an option.”

“Adam, it is for the best.”

“When we’re on the set together, I’ll be professional, but don’t imagine for one second that once filming is done for the day I won’t seek you out.”

“Why do you have to make this so difficult?” She wanted to deny the warmth filling her heart at his words.

“If things were easy, we wouldn’t fight for them.” He leaned closer to her. Unable to help herself, Nicki shrank back.

His gaze narrowed. “I want to give our marriage another chance.”

She froze. A reconciliation? Her heart pounded at the thought of having Adam back in her life and giving their marriage another chance. But her stomach clenched in fear. Fear of him walking out on her again. Fear of his unreasonable jealousy. The fear was stronger than her desire for this man.

“I’m not ready to give up on our marriage,” Adam said when she didn’t speak.

“You want to work on our marriage? You walked out on me six months ago.” When she’d needed him the most, needed his comfort and love as she lay in the hospital bed, condemning herself for losing their child.

Her bitterness must have come through in her voice. Adam winced but met her gaze head on. “I let you down, and there’s no excuse for what I did. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get you back into my life.”

“Even if I don’t want you back?” Liar.

“I’ve never let that stop me before. Remember our first date?”

“Oh, God.” Nicki sagged back against the chair.

He’d been persistent from the first date until the day they married. He’d dogged her day after day until she agreed to the first date. Even after, he’d call, send her texts and emails. She’d been under siege from his attention.

“I’m asking for honesty here, Nicki.” He went to his knees in front of her. “Do you want our marriage to work?”

“Yes.” She wouldn’t hesitate. She wanted her marriage to work out. She was already a failure as a mother and didn’t want to fail at her marriage as well.

“Then give me a chance.” He took her hands in his. His skin was cold.

“I don’t know if I can survive if you walk out again.” There was the core issue. If he did walk again, he’d destroy her heart for good. “I need to think.” She pulled her hands from his.

Adam stood, and Nicki rose from the chair. She made it to the doorway before he said, “Don’t run from me.”

“I’m not the one who ran.” She took a deep breath when she stepped outside the house. She turned toward the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The morning was still cool but not freezing. A walk would clear her head, along with the cool breeze. She needed to make a decision and live with the consequences of that decision.

****

“Damn it.” Adam’s voice vibrated through the living room a second after Nicki walked out. He wanted Nicki to talk to him. He had thought if he challenged her, she’d fight with him. At least argue. She’d never backed down from a challenge as she had today.

Had she given up on him? Their marriage? No, he wouldn’t think that way. It was time for him to face his own truths. His marriage meant a lot to him, and so did Nicki. He’d made mistakes in the past, but that was the past. It was time for them to move forward.

Yes, he had walked out on her after the death of their child. He shook his head. At the time, he hadn’t been able to accept his role in the loss. He should have stayed with her. He had failed her when she’d needed him the most. Not very Dom like of him. Instead, he had closed himself off as he always did. He wasn’t proud of it. He wanted to make it up to her; he just had to find a way.

He strode down the hall into his office and picked up the phone. He wasn’t going to let her run. Time to put plan B into action. He’d won her heart the first time by being persistent, and he’d do it again. Failure wasn’t an option.

He wanted his wife back.