Chapter 2 Nicolas
nicolas
ONE YEAR LATER
june
Zofia wandered outside, finding me standing on the balcony. Our friends were inside, celebrating with dessert and laughter, but I was content to stay right here, enjoying the summer night.
“Hey, gorgeous,” I said, flashing a grin at her.
“Hey, you.” She gave me a warm smile, her skin a lovely golden hue after some time in the sun. Zo was beautiful no matter what the time of year, but she looked like she was glowing today. The look suited her.
Or maybe it was just this place, this trip, that made her come alive. I’d never seen her so free.
Our friends Benjamin and Angelina were getting married this summer, and had decided to have a joint bachelor and bachelorette party in Napa, California.
They met at our work retreat last year and had quickly fallen in love, despite hating each other at first. Thanks to some meddling on my part, they were forced together, and the rest is history.
Now, Angelina was my chief marketing officer, while Benjamin served as the chief financial officer.
They’d both assumed their positions around the same time that I had, all three of us working on developing and growing the company together.
Angelina and I had met in college, where we’d lived in the same dorm. Even though I’d been a year above her, we’d become close friends. Or as close as we could be. It had become clear to me early on that she kept everyone at an emotional arm’s length, like she was trying to protect herself.
I’d majored in Finance, and she’d been in Marketing, so we’d ended up in multiple classes together before I graduated.
When she and her best friend, Gabbi, were graduating, I’d sent them information on job openings within Willamette Tech.
Ang had ended up in the marketing department, while Gabbi worked in HR—same as Zofia.
I’d spent many nights at the bar after work with the two of them, though now our gatherings had included Benjamin—and more recently, his brother Hunter.
And now we were all sharing one large house in Napa together.
I tipped my head up, looking at the night sky. It was magnificent here—stars visible in a way that they weren’t in Portland. I was used to living in a city where it was gray and drizzling ten months out of the year, that I appreciated seeing the stars on a clear night.
“The view is incredible,” I said, taking another sip from my glass of wine. I’d had a few over the course of dinner, and felt more relaxed than I had in months.
“It’s beautiful out tonight,” Zo observed.
You’re beautiful, I wanted to say. But she wasn’t mine to compliment, and she never would be. I had to remind myself of that. No matter how attractive I’d always found her.
I leaned forward, draping my arm over the railing, and ran my hands through my shaggy blond hair. It was probably time I got a haircut, but I liked it at this length. As long as it wasn’t poking my eyes, we were golden.
“You excited for tomorrow?” Zofia asked me, drinking from her own glass. She didn’t drink often—just on special occasions—but it was good to see her letting loose a little. She’d changed into a new dress for dinner, something shorter than I’d ever seen her wear around the office.
Maybe that was why all these thoughts were flooding my brain.
Feelings I’d kept at bay over the last year.
It was impossible not to notice how stunning she was.
Ignoring the spark between Zofia and me felt like a monumental struggle today.
The longing had only festered, feeling like a simmering flame.
Seeing her like this—relaxed, unburdened, happy—felt like I was looking at a completely different woman than the independent, strong-willed assistant I saw every day.
“Yes,” I finally answered, remembering she’d asked me a question. “It’ll be fun. I’ve never gone on a wine train before.”
She made a noise of agreement.
“They look happy,” I mused, looking at Angelina and Benjamin, who were swaying slowly in front of the large windows we could see into from the deck. She was lit up with happiness, laughing in her fiancé’s arms.
Zofia smiled. “They really do.”
Looking at my friend now—in love, about to marry a man she’d insisted she hated a year ago—I hardly recognized her.
It was so different from a year ago, when they’d been in an email feud.
Gabbi and I had finally had enough of hearing them complain about each other, and after our scheming, they’d ended up stuck together for the week last fall—at the retreat I’d begged Zo to help me plan.
“I feel a little responsible,” I said with a smirk.
“For getting them together?”
“Of course. Without me, who knows how long it would have taken them? And I couldn’t take the fighting anymore.”
She laughed. “Who do you think got all of the HR reports?”
I shook my head, holding back a chuckle. “Now they’re getting married.”
“Feels like everyone is, these days.”
“Everyone but us, huh?” I nudged her with my elbow.
“What do you think is going on with Gabs and Hunter?” Zofia asked, looking over to where the pair stood, a heated gaze passing between them. Was it obvious to everyone but them how much they wanted each other?
“Not sure yet. Gabbi perks up whenever he’s mentioned though, so I think it’s safe to say she likes him. And apparently they’re planning a trip together for after the wedding.”
“He looks at her like she’s a breath of fresh air. Like he can’t imagine life without her.” Zofia looked away.
Not that he was the only one. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I hummed, the sound rumbling in my chest.
She’d been the best damn assistant I could have ever asked for. I was pretty sure she kept my head screwed on straight. Which meant I needed to make it through this weekend being this close to her without touching her.
“There’s no way they don’t end up hooking up this summer,” I murmured.
She laughed. “Maybe. Who else do you think is going to end up coupling up?”
“Those two.” I gestured with my chin at Charlotte and Daniel, who were in the kitchen, laughing as she stole a cookie from his hand. Daniel was Angelina’s brother, and he’d been best friends with Charlotte since college. “It’s written all over their faces.”
She hummed in appreciation. “I was talking with Charlotte about that earlier, actually.”
“And?”
“She doesn’t want to risk their friendship. Says he’s too important to her and she can’t lose him.” Zofia’s eyes met mine.
“Well, I guess I can understand that,” I whispered, resisting the urge to reach out and brush my hand across her forehead, pushing back the strand of hair that had sprung free.
We were close. Too close. Maybe closer than we’d ever been, even when she was bending over my desk to fix something on my computer. Even when we sat side by side in meetings.
If I turned my head, and she turned hers…
“Fuck,” I muttered, pushing myself off the railing, putting a few feet between us.
“Nic?” she asked, clearly surprised by my sudden outburst.
“Sorry. I just...” Am having a hard time holding back right now.
Want to tell you how beautiful you are, but that would be inappropriate.
Because I’m your boss. All things I wanted to say, but no words made it out of my lips.
I just stared at her. With the warmth of her skin, those dark brown curls spilling over her shoulders, and that dress emphasizing her sensual curves, I’d never found her more stunning.
Shaking my head, I tried to rid myself of those thoughts. Stuffing them down deep so I wouldn’t betray her trust and confidence. It wasn’t right, harboring these thoughts. Wanting her.
“What’s wrong?” She stepped closer to me, her hand landing on my biceps.
Touching me. I sucked in a breath. “I shouldn’t.” My words were barely more than a breath.
I brushed that strand of hair from her forehead, mesmerized by her. It was intoxicating, this level of closeness. The smell of her perfume drifted up, alluring, making me want to bury my face against her skin.
Everything I wanted—everything I couldn’t have. My biggest temptation.
“Nicolas…” Zofia’s gaze dropped to my lips. Hers looked so soft, and I wanted to know what they’d feel like against mine. Had always wanted to, really, from the first day I’d met her in the elevator, when she’d had no idea who I was.
“We can’t,” I said, though it was a weak protest. “I’m your boss.” A reminder neither of us needed, I was sure. And yet.
And yet. There was no way she couldn’t feel the rapid beating of my heart. All for her. Just for her.
“Not here,” she told me, her hand sliding up my arm. “Here, you’re just Nicolas, and I’m just Zofia. And our friends are getting married this summer. That’s it.”
“Just Zofia, huh? You make it sound so simple.” But there was nothing simple or just about her. She was so much more than I ever could have imagined.
“Exactly.” She took another gulp, finishing her wine before setting the glass down on a patio table. “It doesn’t have to mean anything. So you shouldn’t hold back.”
“Maybe we’ve both had too much to drink,” I groaned.
“No.” Zo shook her head with a smile, the action lighting up her face. “Only the two glasses. Perfectly sober.”
It would have been easier if we were drunk to deny how much we both wanted this.
To use it as an excuse to put distance between us, to back away from my gorgeous assistant.
But I couldn’t. Not when her hands were on me, and her lips were so close to mine, and all I wanted to know was how they felt against mine.
“You know what they say,” I said, wanting to kiss her so damn bad. “What happens in Napa stays in Napa.”
She giggled. Actually giggled. I’d never heard that sound from her before, but suddenly I wanted to hear it a thousand more times. Tonight, preferably. “I don’t think that’s how the saying goes.”
I shrugged. “Maybe it can for tonight.”