Wicked Torture (Stark World 3)

He found a spot on the street and killed the engine. He was about to open his door and get out when Kiki put her hand on his arm again. "I'm glad," she said. "That you're here. That we're friends again." Her smile was sweet, maybe even a little shy. "Working with you . . . It's been great. I've missed . . . well, I missed it."

"So have I," he said, his throat suddenly dry. "And I'm glad we're friends again, too."

And he was. Genuinely, honestly happy.

But that didn't mean that he didn't want more.

They got out of the car and followed the yard sign that told them to come in through the back gate.

They followed a crushed granite path to a xeriscaped backyard where a dozen or so people mingled--including a tall, slender blonde. Evie.

She was chatting with Griffin, their host, but for a second, she looked away from Griffin and straight at Noah. Their eyes met. Then her gaze flickered to Kiki and quickly back to Noah. She flashed a knowing smile, then returned her attention to Griffin.

Beside Noah, Kiki was scanning the party, apparently oblivious. "Who's the host?"

"That's him," Noah said, pointing.

"We should go say hi."

Since he wasn't at all interested in talking with Evie, he was about to suggest they get a drink first. But he didn't have to use that ploy, as he was rescued by Wyatt and Kelsey, who came up and introduced themselves.

"I saw A Woman in Mind in Dallas," Kiki said. "It was spectacular."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Wyatt said.

"So much. And I saw the prints in Noah's apartment. They're exceptional."

"Oh?" Kelsey asked innocently. Too innocently, Noah thought. "The ones on the wall

near his bed? So, are you two dating? I'm allowed to be nosy because the host's my brother. Plus, Noah's told us about you, and I've had my fingers crossed."

"Kelsey," Wyatt chastised, but Noah was pleased to see that Kiki only laughed.

"We're just friends," she said, but her tone was almost like a question, and that little bit of inflection gave him hope.

"And colleagues," he added, though the second the words escaped him, he wanted to call them back. Tossing work up felt like a wall. And he didn't want any more walls.

He was considering what else he could say when he heard a female squeal, and a dark-haired girl in leggings and an oversized loose-knit sweater bounded over, calling Kiki's name.

"Mina?" Kiki asked, then held out her arms as the younger woman embraced her. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I'm interning for Griffin," she said

Kiki turned toward Noah. "Mina is Cam's best friend's sister. I used to babysit her. It is so awesome to see you."

Noah and Mina did the introduction thing, and then she and Kiki wandered off together, clearly following the path down memory lane.

Wyatt had stepped away to talk to someone else, but Kelsey had lingered. Now, she edged Noah aside, her arms crossed and her expression stern. "Colleagues?" she said. "Seriously? You like this girl and that's the best you can do?"

"I know. Lame."

"But recoverable," she said boldly, as if she were a relationship general leading the charge. "So how is it really going with you two?"

He tried to think how to explain it to her. "She's right--we are friends. But--"

"But you haven't gotten past the speed bump to move on to anything more?"

"That's not a bad way of putting it." He dragged his fingers through his hair. It wasn't just her desire to stay at arm's length that was stymieing them. It was their past. The memory of pain. And what he wanted--no, what he needed--to do was tell her flat out that he wanted more. That he knew he'd hurt her and wanted to spend the rest of his life making it up to her.