The King Next Door

“Maybe that’s why I want to give them to you.”

Not permanent, her mind echoed, replaying a couple of the words that she’d overheard Griffin say to his twin. It was enough to stiffen her spine, thank God. “Contrary to the end, huh?”

He gave her that half smile. “Part of my charm.”

“Is that what that is?” she asked.

“Admit it, I’ve got you right where I want you.”

Oh, he really did, she thought, wondering just how she’d come to this place. She’d gone into it for the fun, but now, that fun had become something else. He already had one foot out the metaphorical door and she— Nicole froze as realization crashed down on her. Oh, God. She was falling in love.

Something she’d planned to never do again.

Her heartbeat thundered so fiercely in her chest, she was surprised that Griffin couldn’t hear it. There was a knot in her throat threatening to cut off her air. Her mind was churning and not coming up with any idea at all to help her find her way out of this. Worst part? This whole situation had been her idea. And now she was caught in her own trap.

“Hey,” Griffin said, laying one hand on her arm. “You okay? You went sort of white.”

“I’m fine.” Liar, liar. She really wasn’t anywhere close to fine. She was as far from fine as she could possibly get. “I’m just...I don’t know.”

“It’s probably dealing with all those numbers,” he teased. “Always does it to me.”

She forced a smile she didn’t feel. Her insides were twisted up and tangled. Her heart ached as if something was squeezing it. And she knew, deep in her bones, that this pain was just the beginning.

There was much more coming. Soon.

But she wouldn’t let him know. Wouldn’t let him see that she had been stupid enough to fall in love with a man who was no doubt already preparing his “See you later, take care” speech. So Nicole took a deep breath and told herself firmly to hold it together. Focus on the math, she thought. Just concentrate on the task at hand and get through this moment and into the next. That was all she could do at this point.

“Funny,” she said, “numbers do the opposite for me. Let’s just finish the job, okay?”

He frowned a little, his blue eyes narrowing on her face. “Okay. I’m not crazy enough to turn down help when it’s offered. But—”

She cut him off. If he was nice to her, she might break. If he was tender or sweet or romantic right now, it would do her in. She might blurt out that her feelings for him had changed. That she didn’t feel temporary. That she wanted...more. Might actually make the huge mistake of saying the L word, and where would that lead? To disaster. Pure and simple.

She knew how he felt already. She’d heard him talking to Garrett, hadn’t she? She wasn’t permanent. He felt sorry for Connor.

Oh, God. Connor. Losing Griffin was going to be so confusing for him. He wouldn’t understand that Griffin had only been in his life temporarily. That he’d been the object of pity. Her heart hurt for Connor, and she wondered if she shouldn’t just pull back from Griffin now. Do what she could to make this easier on her son, if not on her. But would hurrying his hurt make it easier to understand? And how could she leave now anyway? Her house was still not ready, and she couldn’t afford to go anywhere else.

She was going to have to try to protect Connor the best she could while, at the same time, dying a little inside.

Shaking her head, Nicole concentrated on the papers in front of her and completely ignored Griffin’s attempt at trying to soothe her. “Okay, then, first, we figure out how many men you’ll need to work the job.”

“We also have to factor in the laser alarm system, the cameras and computer equipment,” Griffin was saying, his voice crisp and cool, businesslike, as if he’d accepted that she wasn’t interested in anything more at the moment. “We’ll cooperate with the museum’s standing security, but I’ll want King equipment to bolster it.”

She looked up at him and thought again that this had become more than just an affair. This was the first time she’d ever talked numbers with a man without watching his eyes glaze over. A part of her warmed to the idea that they were working together. If things were different, they could have had a future where he came to her for help with his business. They could have, over time, developed trust and cooperation and maybe even—