Slow Hand (Hot Cowboy Nights, #1)(75)

Allie cocked her head. “Let’s just say, I think he’s still persuadable, but that will depend on you.”





Chapter 20


After leaving the legal office, Nikki drove the hour south to Big Sky where she and Shelby checked into the luxurious Summit Resort. To Shelby’s delight, an envelope awaited her at the check-in desk. Her eyes widened to discover two box tickets to the next Broncos game…and a card with a telephone number scrawled on it.”

“Holy cow!” Nikki exclaimed. “Box seats for a playoff game? I can’t believe how you finagled that.”

Shelby regarded the tickets with a calculating look. “They aren’t playing Atlanta by any chance, are they?”

“No. I think it’s a Texas team. I can’t recall which one. Why? Don’t tell me you’re going to put them on eBay.”

“Depends on what they’re worth,” Shelby said.

“I would guess at least a grand.”

Shelby’s eyes lit up. “Then definitely Craigslist would be the place.”

“What if Brett finds out?”

“How’s he ever going to know? It isn’t likely I’ll ever run into him again, is it?”

“You might since he’s staying here.”

“Then I’ll hold on to the tickets until we get home.”

“That’s his number, isn’t it? Are you going to call him for some après-ski?”

“I might,” Shelby replied and tapped the tickets against her teeth. “But I’m not going to make it easy for him. The tickets cost him nothing. If he wants me, he’s gonna have to work for it.”

“You might want to reconsider since you’re going to be on your own tonight.”

“What do you mean?” Shelby looked puzzled. “You’re here.”

“I won’t be for long,” Nikki said. “I’m driving up to Helena.”

“What, tonight?”

“Wade and I have to talk and I’m not wasting any more time. If he gives me the boot I’ll check into a motel up there and drive back in the morning.”

“You mean I’m going to have this place all to myself?” Shelby beamed.

“Yeah. Maybe you’ll want to see if your quarterback has dinner plans, or I suppose you could always order room service and boil yourself alive in the hot tub.”

“Alone? Not on your life. Hot tubs are made to be shared.”

“Knock yourself out, Shel.” Their accommodations were spacious, luxurious, and had a fantastic ski-in location complete with Jacuzzi. But Nikki had no plans to enjoy any of it.

Rather than face her, Wade had taken the easy route and split. She wasn’t about to let him have the last word. Again. The more Nikki thought about it the madder she got. He could try to avoid her all he liked, but there was one thing Wade hadn’t counted on—and that was a fight. Nikki was heading to Helena with her guns blazing. Wade Knowlton would never know what hit him.

*

The drive to Helena was a grueling two and a half hours on slushy roads. It also meant Nikki arrived well after dark. Thanks to the GPS on her mobile phone, she was able to locate Wade’s address, a high-end condo in the historic district of Last Chance Gulch. After parking in the basement garage, she dialed his number, praying she’d have a strong enough signal to overcome her subterranean location.

The phone rang four times, her heart beating a little harder with each ring. He had to know it was her. Perhaps he wasn’t going to answer? She really hadn’t considered a contingency plan. On the fifth ring she closed her eyes in dismay. She was about to disconnect when his voice abruptly sounded on the other end.

“Nikki?”

“Hi, Wade. I s’pose you already know I arrived in Montana this morning.” She tried to sound nonchalant.

“Yeah. I knew you were coming.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you wouldn’t be there?”

“I didn’t see the point when Evans was there to take care of everything. Is there a problem?”

“Yes. Well sort of.” She walked across the garage and pressed the call button on the elevator. “There are a number of things that are still unsettled.”

“Like what?”

“First of all, you and me, and the way we left things.”

“You left, Nikki.”

“And we never even said a proper good-bye.”

“Maybe it wasn’t proper, but I vividly recall the farewell f*ck.”

Heat inflamed her face at the reminder of their encounter on the tailgate. “Is that all it was to you?”

“It seemed all you wanted,” he replied. “And if that’s what you want from me now, I’m sorry I can’t oblige you—” The phone went dead.

She stared at the display trying to figure out if he’d hung up on her, or if the call had dropped because the elevator door closed. Either way, he’d still had the last word.

“Not this time, cowboy,” she muttered and then jammed the button for the penthouse floor.

*

Wade was furious that she’d called him. He’d left Bozeman thinking he was done with her, but the moment she spoke he was filled with the need to see her, which pissed him off even more. Then she’d gone and hung up! Shit! He didn’t need this. He wasn’t about to let her tromp on his heart again. His doorbell buzzed.