Million Dollar Mistake

What did she mean by that? Was it really the kiss in the conservatory that set
her off? Is that what her bad temper and flirting with Jackson were all about?
The thought lifted his mood. If she was that upset about it, it must have shaken
her as much as it had shaken him.
“Besides,” Raven continued, “if it was anything else but friendship, seeing
Lorianne lying on the ice would have done something more than make him
angry.”
“Anger can hide all kinds of emotions.” He knew that firsthand. He’d spent
most of his life angry at Raven, even as he spent the rest of it obsessing about
her.
Raven met his gaze. “I get that.”
“I think there’s something there, but Jackson doesn’t quite know…” Nicholas
trailed off as he tried to put his impressions into words.
“He’s known her forever.”
“But his father was pushing her down his throat. Has he ever really looked at
her as anything other than a childhood friend?”
Raven hunched her shoulders. “How should I know? Jackson and I didn’t
spend our time talking about Lorianne. I didn’t even know she existed until she
showed up on the doorstep the other night.”
“Maybe we should help Jackson discover what’s under his nose.”
“What are you, a boy scout all of a sudden?”
Nicholas flushed. “Think about it.”
Rolling her eyes, Raven asked, “What are you going to do, flirt with Lorianne
to show Jackson what he’s missing?”
“That could work. Use the old two dogs after one bone stuff. It might be a
way to wake him up.”
“And what? I’m supposed to flirt with Jackson while you’re making eyes at
Lorianne?”
“I hadn’t gotten that—”
“World-class bad plan. Jackson will just think I’m in love with him, instead of
thinking I’m supposed to be in love with you. Which is what he’s supposed to be
thinking, right?” She worried her ring finger with her other hand, finally waving
her ring in his face. “What about your brilliant strategy then, huh?”
“You’ve got a point. You do tend to blind a man.” He broke off and stood
thinking for a moment then brightened. “I was just joking before, but maybe we
could help them out.”
Like a fly being pulled into a spider web, Raven was intrigued enough to ask,
“How?”
“First, we work on convincing them we’re madly in love, then we could have

---

an argument or something.” He grinned and winked at her. “At least we’ve got
the arguing part down pat.”
“That’s the only thing you’ve said that I agree with.”
“We could turn away from each other and flirt with them.”
“Flirt? For real?” She puffed up, giving him an indignant glare. “After you
just yelled about my flirting with Jackson?”
“That’s different.” Nicholas was warming up. He loved creating plans and
putting them in motion, almost as much as negotiating. “We flirt, but after a
while you and I wake up and turn back to each other. And so will they.”
Raven gave a disbelieving, “Uh-huh. And they’re going to do that because?”
“Because Lorianne and Jackson will realize that we’re just playing with them
for our amusement.” Raven stared at him as if he’d grown three extra heads. He
ignored her reaction and continued improvising. “They’ll realize that neither of
us is worth a damn and discover they’re right for each other after all.”
“You’re kidding?”
Nicholas shoved both of his hands through his hair trying to ease the strain of
what was rapidly becoming a full-out complex battle plan instead of the simple
little deception they’d started. Getting Jackson and Lorianne together would
further cement his business dealings with J.R., not to mention furthering the
emotional stake he now had in the situation.
Raven prodded, “Right?”
He grimaced, wondering if Raven had finally driven him out of his mind. “I
know it’s a bit more complicated than just convincing people we’re in love and
now we’re leaving, good-bye and have a nice life.”
“Just a bit,” Raven scoffed.
“So what do you think?” Nicholas had a nagging feeling that disaster was just
around the corner, but ignored it.
“I think you’d need a cupid’s costume to pull this idiotic notion off. And since
I’m not sure I even want to continue with our fake engagement or anything
else…I’ll pass.”
He glanced at her. “You don’t have a choice, sweetheart.”
“I do too.”
“No, you don’t.”
She turned into a haughty princess before his eyes as she sniffed, “I can sit in
my room until the roads clear and not talk to anyone.”
“Yeah, that’ll happen.” He laughed. “Look, you needed a knight in shining
armor to come to your rescue”—he spread his arms wide—”I’m it.”
“And if I’ve changed my mind?”
“It’s too late. Once a knight is on a quest, nothing else matters.”

---

“You’re too annoying to be a fairy-tale hero.”
“And you’re no fairy-tale heroine, believe me.” He stroked her cheek. “Look
at the bright side. We could be here for a few days, so this’ll make the time pass
faster.”
“Well…” her voice faltered as he cupped her face, rubbing his thumbs over
her lips.
“Wouldn’t you like to do a good deed for someone, sweetheart?”
“I do plenty of good…” She stumbled to a stop as his fingers explored.
“Your skin is so soft,” Nicholas whispered, his eyes intent on hers.
“Uh, new skin cream,” she wheezed as he thumbed open her bottom lip.
“So soft.” He wanted more of it, all of it. How could he talk of flirting with
another woman when he knew she was flirting with another man? He leaned
down to take a bite of those ripe lips. He watched her eyes widen in surprise,
then begin to darken. The tip of her tongue touched his thumb, adding to the
churning feeling inside him.
“Raven,” he whispered. Unable to stop himself, he pulled her closer, settling
her into his embrace. He licked her lips, feeling her instinctive response before
taking them completely. She stiffened for a moment, before sinking into the kiss,
giving him taste for taste, sensation for sensation. Mentally, he lost his balance
as she almost blew the top of his head off. Hungry for her, he opened her mouth
wider to his caress, pulling her against him, wanting to rip her jacket off so he
could see if the skin beneath was as hot as her lips. Wanting—
Raven jerked back. Surprised, he released her, staring into her passion-filled
face.
Breathing ragged, her face a mixture of hunger, anger and hurt, she asked,
“Who’s watching now, Nicholas?”
Her words hit him like a bucket of ice water. “What?”
She turned around and peered through the dim light. “Who are we
impressing? Did Jackson come in again?”
“Huh?”
“Like in the conservatory earlier?”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t deny it. Jackson told me you saw him right before you kissed me.”
“Yes.” As her expression changed he said, “But that’s not why I—”
She stepped away from him, her expression winter ice, even as her eyes
remained dark, hot and turbulent. “From now on, here’s what we’re going to do.
We’ll try this engagement plan we agreed on”—she shrugged giving him a chilly
smile— “maybe we’ll even try to get Jackson and Lorianne together, then—”
“No, forget that. Really dumb id—” He stopped as Raven held up her hand

---

like a traffic cop.
“When the roads are clear, I’ll go my way, you go yours and that completely
ends our involvement.” She lifted her hand as he tried to speak again, giving him
a fierce smile as she stepped back, artificial gaiety in her eyes. “Who knows?
The entire situation might even be fun. My father told me to enjoy life,
remember? So I will.”
“Raven, I—”
Ignoring him, she pushed her way through the stall door, stalking toward the
entrance. At the loud thump of the barn doors closing, Nicholas finally moved,
hurrying into the aisle to look after her.
His emotions and his loins were still in an uproar. He was unable to
comprehend what had just happened; but he didn’t think it worked out in his
favor. He felt like the man who’d just conquered a mountain only to see a range
of higher ones beyond.
Nicholas looked over at Oscar, who was studying him with a sympathetic
expression. Nicholas exhaled some of his frustration.
“Women.”
Oscar snorted and tossed his mane.

---

Chapter Seven
Nana’s eyes were bright as she observed the scene in the drawing room much
later that evening. On one side was Nicholas and Raven, both dark, daring and
dramatic as they whispered in what seemed loving tones. On the other was
Jackson and Lorianne, their blond hair shining as bright as their envy of the two
dark angels in their midst. Jackson’s hunger was focused on Raven, but as he
noticed Lorianne staring at Nicholas, his face clouded for a moment. His glare
back to Nicholas took on an added tone.
Nana smiled.