Shifted

“If I wronged you, I’m sorry. I just wish I could remember what I did and—”

“Liebchen.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. His touches brought unexpected warmth. The ice king was melting.

Nicolla covered his hands with hers, squeezing him. “What happened to us? Are we going to get a divorce?”

“Heavens—no!” he said.

“Do you want to?”

“No!” His eyes widened, looking scandalised. “Do you?”

“Why would I? I have the perfect life, don’t I?”

“Everything goes just the way you planned, dear.”

Nicolla started to see the problem. Everything was going according to what Kelly had planned, not what they had planned. Maybe it was Kelly’s compulsive behaviour that took a toll on their marriage. She remembered how Kelly had been bossing her around about the clothes Nicolla had had to wear this morning. “Am I too bossy?”

Andrew bit down his words and took a step back. He shook his head. The ice king was retreating to his old self. Nicolla wouldn’t let him withdraw again this time. She needed to get him out of his shell.

“You called me liebchen. Do I have a nickname for you?”

“No. You always said it’s too juvenile.”

The answer surprised Nicolla. “No shit.”

Andrew regarded her with a funny look.

Nicolla gave herself a mental head slap. She kept forgetting Kelly never swore. “I think if I were to give you one, it would be Daddy Bear.”

Now Andrew stared at her as if she was losing her mind.

“You think it’s too silly?” Nicolla took a step forward, enclosing him. She pressed her breasts against his chest. Tentatively at first, then she let him feel the whole curve and softness of her flesh. She cou

ld feel his heartbeat starting to accelerate. One thing she’d learnt from the Art of Seduction 101 was that no creature with a cock could ever resist breasts. The impulse seemed to have been coded deep into men’s DNA.

Andrew stiffened at first, then he relaxed. God, when was the last time this poor guy had got laid? Nicolla ran her hands on his shirt slowly, from the edge of his belt and upward to his chest. She rested her head on him, listening to his heartbeat. He responded to her submission with a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer into a protective embrace. Nicolla smiled. The ice king wasn’t so icy after all.

“Why Daddy Bear?” Andrew wanted to know.

“‘Cause you’re big and strong, and I know I can count on you. Even when I don’t show it, I always need you to be there for me.”

“You do?” He sounded incredulous.

Nicolla looked up. “Yes,” she murmured in a breathless gasp. “What did we do wrong, Andi? How did we end up like this?”

Andrew’s eyes softened. He palmed her face and brushed a thumb across her cheek. “I don’t know. I guess we just grew apart.”

“Well, I don’t want us to be like this anymore. Tell me about when we first met.”

“You mean you really don’t remember?”

Nicolla shook her head.

“We need to tell Dr Ash about your amnesia.”

“Andi! I’m fine. Tell me.”

He looked as if he wanted to argue, but then he conceded. “It was at a McMillan party, your former boss. New Year’s Eve. You were helping him with the dessert canapé when I accidentally bumped into you and knocked the tray.”