Chapter 22
Hearth
Kate grabbed a Riesling and poured herself a generous glass before heading toward the chairs by the windows to wait for Nick. However, before she reached the halfway point, a knock sounded, sending a jolt of surprise through her—she hadn’t expected him to be right on time.
She shifted her direction, moving toward the connecting door. Taking a breath, she paused to calm the butterflies fluttering inside her before opening the door to Nick.
Damn, but he looked sexy—casual in shorts and a linen shirt draped across his shoulders in a way that made her want to trace the lines underneath. Confident in a way that made her pulse skip. He gave her a slow smile that only made it worse.
“You look fabulous, Kate.” He rasped, the tone wrapping around her like a caress, warming places without the need for the tropical heat. “If you don’t object, Marguerite wanted to light the fire pit. How’s that sound to you?”
Relief washed over her, slowing the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. “It sounds wonderful.” Watching their interactions might help her figure out the puzzle of Nick.
“Great.” His smile turned teasing. “Bring your wine. David’s in charge of drinks. He doesn’t think much about wine.”
She ducked into the kitchen to grab the bottle. When she came back, he took it from her, his hand brushing hers. The tiny contact set off a spark she couldn’t ignore, a flash of heat traveling up her arm.
He rested his palm on her lower back as they walked, its warmth seeping through the thin fabric of her dress and sending shivers down her spine. “I’ll give you a quick tour on the way.”
As they strolled through the house, he gestured in passing—Marguerite’s suite, a homey living room, a spacious dining room, a kitchen gleaming with polished counters.
Kate listened, but her focus kept straying to the easy way he spoke about his family, how naturally he included her in the story of the place. And to the steady pressure of his hand, guiding her, claiming her.
“David’s suite is in the left wing. Zach and I are both upstairs. We each have our own porch off our suite, as you probably noticed from outside.” He stole a glance at her, his eyes glinting with mischief and something darker. “Next time we’ll have our fire on my porch.”
Wait, what?
She met his gaze, her mind racing, her skin tingling. “You have a fireplace on your private porch too? How many do you have? I think I’ve seen at least five!”
Nick peered up at the ceiling, pretending to count, and it made her smile despite the delicious tension thrumming between them. “Let me see. Including your suite, I think there are six.” He shrugged, his casual demeanor making her relax even as something deeper pulled tighter. “We like fire.”
“Well, your home is beautiful. It’s huge, of course, but it exudes a sense of home. It’s a mansion on the outside, but a cozy home on the inside.”
At last, he led her outside, and across a broad lanai looking out over the water. The evening air, silky against her skin, carried the scent of jasmine and salt. Flames danced over sparkling glass in the sunken fire pit, casting a golden light that flickered and swayed.
David and Zach lounged on one side on a plush sofa while Marguerite curled up on an armchair. Bottles and glasses cluttered a side table.
David grinned up at them. “Hey, there you are. Welcome to our cold winter gathering.”
Kate laughed. “Oh no, I forgot my parka. I hope the fire doesn’t go out.”
“Don’t worry,” David said. “It’s gas—almost eternal.”
“I’ll keep you warm anytime,” Nick murmured in her ear, his breath ghosting across her neck, sending a tingling rush down her spine before pooling in her belly.
Kate sank into the cushions, a smile spreading across her face despite—or maybe because of—the delicious awareness coursing through her. “And good evening to all of you! Thank you for letting me join you. This is a perfect way to wind down after a long day.”
She sighed as Nick settled beside her, his arm sliding around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. The solid warmth of him pressed against her, and she fought the urge to burrow closer.
“Mémé,” she called, her voice bright. “It’s good to see you again! Have your babies been behaving?”
Marguerite giggled like a little girl, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Never.” She mock-sighed, her voice light. “What am I going to do with them? I am happy you are here. Please talk some sense into them.”
Kate chuckled, mirth bubbling in her chest. “Oh, no, don’t you put that on me! They are your babies!” The laughter following felt comfortable, right.
As Nick poured her more wine, his fingers brushing hers as he handed back the glass, she watched the three brothers interact.
David waved his arms, telling a story about a logistical disaster in Bali, hands carving the air.
Zach listened with one eyebrow raised, occasionally cutting in with a deadpan comment which made Marguerite giggle.
Nick leaned back with a relaxed grin, every so often looking over at Kate as though to ensure she hadn't disappeared.
Each time their eyes met, heat flickered between them.
A pang of envy squeezed her ribs; not at the camaraderie displayed, but rather the unspoken understanding between them, the trust. The obvious love.
When David finished his story to a round of laughter, Zach shot Kate a direct look. “And how was your day? We haven’t been scaring you off, I hope.”
“Not at all.” She smiled, the warmth of the fire in her cheeks—or maybe it was from Nick’s thumb drawing lazy circles on her shoulder. “I’m enjoying seeing all of you together. It’s… nice.”
Marguerite reached over to pat her hand. “They look intimidating, do they not? But they are harmless.”
“Mostly,” David muttered, smirking at Zach.
Zach huffed out a laugh. “Speak for yourself.” He turned his attention back to Kate, his tone shifting—still warm, but more focused. “Have you noticed anything else? Anything off, even if it didn’t seem like a big deal?”
Kate blinked, caught off guard by the question. “You mean… beyond the tsunami alert and the allergy incident?”
Zach gave a slow nod. “Yeah. Anything strange with the staff, the tech, anything that didn’t sit right?”
Nick’s hand, resting on her shoulder, stilled. He didn’t say anything, but the muscles beneath her palm tautened.
She considered. “I went to the main pool this afternoon to work. There was a guest incident at the bar there. A guy tried to scam a server—made a scene about wrong drinks, but the staff handled it. Walter showed him security footage to shut it down.”
Zach pinned his gaze on Nick. “You didn’t mention that one.”
Nick frowned. “Because I haven’t seen a report yet. But if someone’s staging guest confrontations now…”
“Or testing reactions,” Zach murmured.
David leaned forward. “Did it seem… performative? Like he wanted to be seen?”
Kate hesitated, picturing the scene in her mind, then nodded. “Now that you mention it—yes. And someone nearby was definitely filming.”
“Of course they were,” David muttered.
Zach’s gaze sharpened. “Thanks, Kate. That helps.”
Kate glanced from one brother to the next, struck again by how different they were—David all restless energy, Zach zen but watchful, Nick somewhere in the middle, steady but quick to smile.
The conversation drifted, and the mood returned to easy. They teased each other about old stories, about work, about the time David nearly set the kitchen on fire trying to flambé a dessert. She relaxed into the rhythm of their banter, into the warmth of Nick’s body beside hers.
She glanced over at Marguerite, captivated by the sparkle in her eyes and the way love radiated from her as she chatted animatedly with her boys. A pang tugged at her heart as she thought back—had she ever shared such moments with her own parents?
Kate frowned, the memory elusive and fading. Sure, she knew her parents had loved her, but they hadn’t been the kind to show it like this, so openly and warmly.
Watching them together ignited a longing deep within her. She smiled wistfully, resting her palm over her heart, feeling a dull ache of yearning. She craved this: a family, a connection. A place to belong.
After a while, Marguerite stretched and rose. “All right, it is time to find my bed. Do not stay up too late.”
Zach offered his arm to steady her. As he led her inside with David trailing behind, Nick shifted closer to Kate, his knee brushing hers. The simple contact sent awareness crackling through her nerves.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The firelight danced across his face, softening the edges of his expression, gilding his skin gold.
“Did you have a big family growing up?” he asked, voice quiet.
Kate blinked, surprised by the question. “No, just my parents and me. I'm adopted. My birth parents died when I was a toddler, and I went into foster care. They eventually adopted me. They loved me, but…”
She hesitated, searching for the words. “We weren’t close the way you all are. My dad worked non-stop. My mom was… kind, but distant. Reserved. I never felt like I truly belonged.”
Nick remained silent for a beat. “I get it. Growing up with wealth and servants was like being part of a corporation rather than a family, everything measured in expectations.”
She swallowed, struck by the quiet vulnerability in his tone, the shadows flickering in his eyes. “And now?”
“Now it’s better,” he said. “But it took time to figure out how to let them all the way in. To truly trust the connection with my brothers.” His thumb brushed along the rim of his glass. “I envy how easily David connects with people. For Zach and me, it’s… work.”
Tenderness she didn’t dare show rushed through her. “I think you’re better at it than you realize.”
He held held her eyes, something unguarded in his. Her breath caught. The air between them thickened, charged.
“This experience, being stuck here, is good for us, I think,” he continued, his voice reflective, with a hint of sadness woven in. “We’ve talked more in the last few days than we have in months. I mean personal, non-work talk, of course.”
He paused, watching the flames. “We see each other daily, but we’ve been so busy that all we’ve done and talked about is work. And Marguerite looked happier than I’ve seen her in a long time. I hadn’t realized how bad it had gotten until now.”
His voice trailed off, and her heart twinged, reacting to the sadness in his voice.
Maybe she could help, as an outsider. “Then, use this opportunity to restructure. Talk to your brothers and Marguerite. Change how things are going. Find a way to have more family time. Why are you working so much? Do you need more staff? Do you love it that much, or is it habit?”
When he didn’t answer right away, anxiety gripped her. Had she overstepped? What did she know of how corporations worked?
“Good question. Perhaps a little of both?” Nick finally said. His voice held a hint of realization, and she relaxed when he didn’t sound upset. “We do have excellent staff we should delegate more to, but perhaps we need another assistant.”
His voice grew thoughtful. “Michael is amazing, but he’s acting as PA to all three of us.
If we each had our own, they could be the interface between us and the company, and could take over some of the traveling.
Then one of us could be here with Marguerite more often, so she wouldn’t be alone so much. ”
Warmth flooded through her at the rising enthusiasm in his voice.
The world tilted, and she found herself flat on her back, cushions soft beneath her, Nick propped over her, powerful arms braced on either side of her head. His legs tangled with hers.
It was absurdly sexy how he had flipped her around so effortlessly, all controlled strength and smooth intention.
Her body thrummed with awareness, soaking in his closeness—the heat radiating from him, the weight of him hovering above her, the woodsy scent of his cologne mixing with smoke and night air.
“You, Kate, are amazing.” His voice was rough, intimate. “You solved a problem we didn’t even realize we had.”