Chapter Four

Alison sat on the back porch of her estate house toweling her hair dry. She’d finally been able to swim in the pool she’d had repaired after years of neglect. Her great aunts drained and abandoned it when she was just a young girl for reasons no one would or could explain to her. Nick suggested filling it in, but Alison was determined to bring it back to life. Although, he was clearly unhappy with her decision, he went along with it and called in the workers needed to make it happen.

“I see you tested out the pool,” Nick said as he sat on the top step of the porch and wiped his brow with the tee shirt he’d stripped off earlier while tending to their enormous, well-manicured lawn.  “I’ll bet it felt good.  It’s pretty hot today.”

“I don’t know why you insist on doing everything yourself.  I have the money to hire more help,” Alison said as she pulled a comb through her long locks.

“It’s not about the money,” Nick said. “Money hasn’t been an issue in my life for a very long time. I’ve managed to acquire a considerable sum as well as inherit. When we combine our fortunes in marriage it will be mind-boggling.”

“Yet, you live in that small guest house and do difficult, manual labor,” she said with a shake of her head.

“It just so happens that I like that little guest house.  I always have.  It holds memories for me.  As for doing manual labor, well, I need to keep myself in shape, somehow,” he said with a quirky smile as he bent an arm to show off his bulging muscles.

Alison gave a faint chuckle and shook her head. “You can keep in shape without working yourself into an early grave. If you’re worried about hiring crazies by mistake, couldn’t you hire shadow walkers?”

“Maybe after we marry,” he said briskly.

“That makes me feel guilty about wanting to take our time going to the alter,” she pouted. 

Nick studied her for a moment. “You are so beautiful.” When she smiled and looked away, he added, “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true.”

“It feels good to hear you say it,” she mused.

“How many shadow walkers have you met?” Nick asked thoughtfully.

She contemplated his question. “Maybe half a dozen.”

“Were any of them ugly?” he asked.

A look of surprise came over her. “Now that you mention it…. No.”

“It has something to do with the genetic makeup.  Shadow walkers tend to be good looking,” he sighed.

“Are you trying to tell me that you won’t hire shadow walkers to help you out because they’re good looking?” she asked with amazement.

“You’re not the only one who worries about someone snatching the one you love out from under you,” he replied with a hint of sadness.

Alison stopped herself from laughing at the thought of someone as gorgeous as Nick feeling insecure. “It’s a mystery to me why you’d worry or even think that anyone would be able to take a woman from you. I’ll tell you right now that, if they did, she was either blind or stupid.”

“I’ve never actually lost a woman to another man, unless you want to count what happened with Heloise as a loss.  Since she had no intention of breaking it off with me, I’m not sure what to call her fling,” he mused.  Alison opened her mouth to speak, but he continued before she could say anything.  “I’ve never loved a woman the way I love you, so I’ve never worried about losing her to someone else.  I have to say that I don’t care for the feeling.”

“It looks like we both need to work on some insecurity issues,” she mused as she tugged a comb through her damp, tangled hair.

“Let me help,” he offered when the comb refused to budge through an enormous knot.  “How did you manage this, anyway?”

She relinquished the comb to him with a smile.  She could feel the heat of his body as he stood behind her and positioned her hair behind her shoulders for his easier access. They stayed silent while he tackled her tangled wet hair with the wide toothed comb.  She was so wrapped up in domestic bliss that she didn’t notice they weren’t alone until a rich male voice said ‘hello’.  Alison felt the tenseness radiating from Nick as he set the comb down and slowly moved in front of her.

“Taking up cosmetology, cousin?” Alfred asked with a chuckle as he tried to peer around Nick’s bulk to get a better look at Alison.  “Hello back there.  I’m Alfred Jackson.  Nick’s cousin.”

Alison pushed at Nick’s backside to move him out of the way enough to be able to stand, but he wouldn’t budge.  After several attempt’s she gave a disgusted grunt and called out her greeting. “Please excuse your oaf of a cousin for his rudeness.   When I’m finally able to get out of this chair, I’ll greet you properly.”

Her words were far more effective than shoving at Nick’s backside had been.  With a scowl that was accompanied by a low, deep throated growl, Nick moved aside to expose the love of his life.  His eyes never left Alfred as Alison stood and shook his hand.

“What a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know that Nick had another cousin,” Alison said sweetly as she tried to cover her reaction to Alfred’s handshake.  It felt like a bolt of erotic energy rushed up her arm, across her breast, down her spine, and into in her groin.  It was less than what she’d experienced during her first encounter with Nick, but far greater than what she’d felt when she met Martin for the first time.

“We’re not close,” Nick blurted out.

Stunned by his behavior, Alison gave him a curious look, but said nothing.

“Surely, you’re not still upset,” Alfred said hesitantly.

“This isn’t the time or the place to have this discussion,” Nick practically barked as he stormed past Alfred and headed for the guest house.  “Come with me.”

Alfred smiled sheepishly at Alison and obediently followed his cousin’s lead.