ended, an assistant came to escort the Drake family backstage.
Behind the door was a crush of sponsors, reporters, actors and their family members, all vying for space in the close, humid quarters. Julian spotted Nicki across the room. She posed with the actor who’d played Rapunzel. Camera flashes temporarily brightened their drab surroundings. A dozen conversations happened at once, a din that made talking at length impossible. He motioned for the others to follow him. Nicki saw his gesture. She whispered to Rapunzel, who looked their way and joined Nicki as she walked over.
Nicki hugged Julian before turning to Paige. “You remember Julian.”
“Of course. Hey, handsome!”
“Hey, Paige. Excellent show.” They shared a brief hug and air-kisses.
“And this is part of the Drake family.”
“My pleasure to meet everybody.” Paige smiled as she took in the beautiful tableau. “I’ve heard so much about all of you.”
“All good, I hope,” Niko said.
“No, she told me the truth.”
Amid the laughter, Nicki introduced Paige to the rest of the family before leading the way through a narrow, dimly lit hallway to the door with a star that bore her name. Once inside, Julian allowed the others to offer their congrats before once again pulling Nicki into his arms. “You were amazing, baby.”
“You liked it?”
“I loved it.”
She pulled away to look at him. “Thanks for the flowers and the champagne. They’re wonderful.”
“So are you.”
Niko stepped up to the couple. “I hate to break up this lovefest, but it’s hot as heck in this shoe box. A star like you can’t command a larger dressing room?”
“This is a larger one,” Nicki deadpanned. “And I’m not a star yet, but thank you. Now get out of here. Give me a few minutes to change, and I’ll meet you by the side exit. Except you,” she finished, reaching for Julian’s hand as the others exited. “You can help me undress.”
“I haven’t seen you in a month, girl,” Julian whispered, running a hand down her back and cupping her butt. “Seeing all that loveliness and not getting a taste will be a pretty tall order.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. Gave him a peck on the lips. “It’ll be worth the wait.”
He kissed her back, deepened it with a swipe of his tongue to part her lips as he reached behind her and undid her zipper. Her last costume, a long, frilly number of sequins and lace, fell to the floor as Julian ran his hands along her torso, searching for and finding pert nipples ready to tweak. He lowered his mouth and pulled one in between his teeth, walked them toward the dressing table.
“Julian!”
“Just a little bit...”
He lifted her with the finesse of a dancing partner, set her on the table and positioned himself between her legs. The belt buckle was unfastened. Pants came unzipped. He reached for his ever-hardening shaft, rubbed the tip along her leg as he eased it toward her quivering folds and...
Knock! “Nicki? You in there?”
“Don’t answer it,” Julian whispered.
“It’s not locked.” Nicki shimmied off the table and reached for her robe. “Yeah, I’m in here.” She cracked the door.
An assistant peeked her head in. “A reporter from Variety is here for you. A bunch of fans, too.”
“Out in five minutes.”
Shortly afterward, Nicki emerged from the dressing room looking fresh and effervescent, as though she’d emerged from a nap, not just performed a nonstop, high-energy show. Hair pulled into a topknot, face nearly devoid of makeup and eyes glowing, she wore a long, loose maxi with bold geometric prints, clunky jewelry and sandals. One could have easily mistaken her for a model instead of a dancer, and many had. Julian walked beside her, a strong but quiet presence amid the crowd.
“Nicki! Nicki!” Fans and the press clamored for her attention. She spent a moment with the reporters, then walked over to where dozens of fans held out programs and other memorabilia for her to sign. While she posed for a couple selfies, Julian texted Niko and requested the limo be brought around to the side entrance. When he turned back, she was rushing toward him.
“Let’s go,” she muttered, not stopping. “Where’s the car?”
Julian quickly spotted Niko standing beside a white stretch limo and waving. He reached for her hand. “Come on.”
He helped her into the limo. She fell back against the seat, clearly relieved.
“Looks like they didn’t want to let you go back there,” Niko teased.
“Yeah.” Nicki glanced out the window, then turned to Julian. “Where are we eating? I’m starved.”
“I’ve handled that,” Terrell said. “Driver, we’re ready.”
The limo pulled away from the curb. Julian put an arm around Nicki. “What was that about?”
“What?”
“You left as though you were running away from someone.”
Quinn overheard him. “What, someone freaked her out?”
All other conversation halted. Eyes turned toward her. “Julian is overexamining my hasty exit. I was simply ready to go.”
He leaned over and spoke softly in her ear. “Ready to go, or trying to beat another light?”
She laughed off the remark, and in the familiar surroundings of New York City interacted more confidently with Julian’s powerful family. She regaled them with stories of life in the city that never slept, including some memorable college moments with Julian before she’d dropped out to pursue dancing. Anyone looking on would see a beautiful, carefree woman out on the town. But Julian wasn’t fooled. He was not only a doctor of behavioral study who’d graduated with honors, but a highly observant man who’d seen every side of Nicki. Something was going on with her. Something she obviously didn’t want to share. They were in the city to celebrate her opening night, so he wouldn’t push. But he wouldn’t forget, either. It looked like he now had two problems—how to get Nicki to leave New York and move to California, and how to find out what was behind the urgency in his gut that made him want to hasten that move.
“Are you sure it was him?”
Though she hadn’t gotten much sleep due to the Drakes’ late departure from New York City, Nicki was up before seven o’clock. It was either that or keep lying in bed thinking through a continuous replay of what happened last night. Instead, she’d been shimmying into a pair of running shorts when Paige called with the critics’ glowing reviews. The conversation had quickly
