Neanderthal Marries Human (Knitting in the City #1.5)(43)
Author: Penny Reid

So I voiced this apprehension and likely sounded as concerned as I felt. “Those women look like they’re going to faint.”

Dan suppressed a laugh-snort. “Yeah. Either that or take off all their clothes.”

“I hope not. It’s thirty degrees outside and not much warmer in here.” It was true. I’d opted to leave my jacket on. I was cold.

At length, the women pointed at us and both personally guided Nico to our table—one of the ladies in front, one behind.

I studied him as he drew near. He was smiling, his eyes moving over our party of three. Our gazes met, held, and his smile widened. I got the distinct impression that he knew a secret about me…like what color underwear I had on, or that orcas were my favorite species within the oceanic dolphin family.

Dan stood, reached out his hand first. “Hi. Daniel O’Malley. Pleased to meet you. Call me Dan.”

“Hi, Dan, very nice to meet you.” Nico gave Dan a friendly nod and turned his attention to me, extending his hand. “You must be Janie Morris.” His expression was warm and open and enigmatic and completely engaging. I decided I liked him, and it was the strangest thing because I knew him not at all.

“Yes. I am. I am Janie Morris…that’s my name. Janie…Morris.” I accepted his handshake and his grin, returned both. I was smiling so wide my cheeks hurt. I’m sure I looked and sounded like a doofus.

Quinn finally glanced up from his menu, looked at our hands, which were still bobbing up and down in an endless handshake, then stood. Actually, his standing was more like a slow, menacing unfolding, and it necessitated the end of my contact with Nico, because Quinn basically blocked me from sight with his body.

I heard Nico say, “And you must be Quinn Sull….”

“Sit.” Quinn gestured to the seat next to Dan and across from me. “You’re late. We haven’t ordered.”

Nico moved to claim the chair, his omnipresent smile now just a curve of his lips, pressed together like he was trying to hide it. His eyes flickered to me once more then immediately away and back to Quinn.

Quinn was now glaring at his menu like he wanted to murder it.

“Congratulations,” Nico said, still watching Quinn.

Quinn slid just his eyes to the side, met Nico’s friendly gaze. “What?”

“Congratulations on your engagement. Elizabeth told me that her best friend had just become engaged.” Nico gestured to me but didn’t look at me when he said this.

“Thanks,” Quinn said, his eyes narrowing.

“How do you know Dr. Finney, I mean, Elizabeth?” Dan asked pleasantly, seemingly unperturbed by Quinn’s frigid reception of our guest. Like me, Dan was obviously under this man’s spell.

Nico’s attention moved to Dan, and he paused as though considering how to answer the question. His smile fell away and his eyes glowed with intensity. The change was so abrupt I could feel my eyebrows rising with surprise.

After a short silence, he said, “We grew up together, we’re in love, and she’s going to marry me.”

Quinn choked on the water he’d just brought to his lips, drawing everyone’s attention to him. He recovered quickly, replaced the glass, and stared at Nico as though he were an alien.

“You’re marrying Elizabeth? When did this happen?”

Nico shrugged. “She doesn’t know about it yet.” He then picked up his menu and began reviewing the options, asking, “What’s good here?”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, I realized who he was.

Nico was the Nico. He was the boy Elizabeth had told me about when we first met in college. He was the best friend of her childhood sweetheart, Garrett, and the Nico she’d lost her virginity to when she was sixteen.

He was the Nico.

And he loved her.

I had a feeling that life—in particular, Elizabeth’s life—was about to get very, very interesting.

***

I liked him.

Dan liked him.

And, eventually, Quinn liked him too. But it was clear to me that Quinn liked him with extreme reluctance, as though liking him was compulsory and done against his will.

Quinn’s grumpy mood was the only reason I didn’t object when he ordered my food for me, but I made a mental note that I would most definitely have to speak to him about it. Granted, he’d found out what I wanted first, but then when the waiter came he didn’t give me a chance to speak. We’d been together over six months, and it still bothered me. I was going to have to put an end to the weird, misplaced chivalry.

Nico explained his situation and described the problems he’d had with his previous security team. Apparently, his niece needed infusions once every eight hours as part of a cystic fibrosis clinical trial. Elizabeth, my best friend and the woman he’d decided was going to be his wife, was his niece’s treating physician during the trial.

He also noted that his niece and his mother—who was the guardian of his niece—were staying in a hotel near the hospital. He felt this set-up was less than ideal.

As well, Nico couldn’t stop talking about Elizabeth. He brought her up almost constantly. At first I thought he was doing this on purpose, as each time he waxed poetic about my best friend, Quinn seemed to relax a little more.

But then Nico did it so much that Quinn became irritated at Elizabeth being the constant focus of conversation.

Listening to Nico and all these facts, I realized that the solution was obvious. Nico needed to move into Quinn’s building.

Quinn’s building was secure and safe. Nico wouldn’t have to worry about keeping a security detail with him while he was in the building.

Also, his family would be in a real home instead of a hotel, and—since Elizabeth also lived in the building and as long as the hospital didn’t object—his niece’s transfusions could occur at their new home instead of at the hospital. I didn’t know the details of the study, but it was worth a try.

It was the clear logical solution to all the problems presented.

Dan agreed immediately. Quinn agreed reluctantly. Nico waited for Quinn to agree, then gave me a huge, grateful smile.

“I guess I’ll be Elizabeth’s neighbor,” he said. His eyes, which I just noticed were a light shade of olive green, actually twinkled like twin shining stars of mischief.

“Should make your eventual proposal a lot easier,” Quinn said, a subtle—reluctant—smile tugging his mouth to one side.

“Yes, much easier….” Nico nodded, his gaze shifted to some spot over my shoulder, the mischievous glint increased. He appeared to be deep in thought. I had the distinct impression he was plotting.

Looking amused, Dan glanced at his watch. “Well, we should get over to the building. I’ll ride with you, Mr. Moretti.”

Nico agreed, pulled out his wallet and phone, placed several large bills on the table. “Call me Nico. You should know my real last name is Manganiello. I imagine you’ll need it. Moretti is a stage name.”

Quinn nodded. “How did you get here? Do you have a car?”

“No. I took a taxi.”

I noted Quinn suppress an eye roll then turned to Dan. “Call a car; have one assigned to Mr. Manganiello.”

“Nico. Call me Nico,” he said again, distracted by his phone. He frowned at the display then stood. “Sorry, excuse me. This is my mom; it might be about Angelica, my niece.”

Nico left the table to take his call, and Quinn heaved an audible sigh. He frowned at Dan and collected the bills Nico had left behind. “You’re going to have to follow him and give him his money back.”

“Sure. Fine.” Dan stood. “He’s nice, right?”

I nodded enthusiastically. “He is! I like him.”

“He’s alright. He smiles too much,” Quinn grumbled.

Dan grinned at Quinn then turned to go, calling over his shoulder. “You’re just upset because, for once, you’re not the nicest piece of man eye-candy in the room.”

***

“I like him!” I said, stripping to my new bra and underwear set. Honestly, I was kind of proud of it. It was handmade by artisan lingerie crafters in London, made from responsibly farmed silkworms, and it fit like it was made for me. Nothing feels quite as nice as a lacy bra that fits and matching underwear that flatters.

“Who?” Elizabeth asked. She appeared to be a tad overwhelmed as she fell to our couch.

Elizabeth’s state of overwhelmedness made sense given the present circumstances.

After our lunch, we’d taken Nico to Quinn’s building for a tour of the second penthouse and several other apartments that might suit. I’d given him a key to the apartment I shared with Elizabeth so he could see the floor plan. When Quinn and I arrived, we found Elizabeth and Nico caught in a moment.

And, by moment, I mean they were just about to maul each other.

Basically, Elizabeth was in her underwear because she was in the midst of a panty dance party. Nico, having come upon her, looked like he was going to throw her down on the nearest surface and charisma a promise of marriage out of her.

And, by charisma, I mean use staggering sex appeal and raw emotion until she surrendered.

It might have worked if not for our interruption.

Now, Elizabeth and I were alone, as Quinn and Nico had been dismissed. I was the one who did the dismissing because I knew my best friend.