Page 69 of Nikolai (Kansas City Reapers)

“What if wejust ate dinner up here?” I asked for probably the tenth time in a row as I sat on the edge of Niko’s bed.

“No, princess. We’re going downstairs and eating with everyone else. No reason not to,” Niko chastised me gently, rubbing a towel through his still-wet hair. He had just gotten out of the shower, after having spent a full twenty minutes longer in there after I got out.

My pussy still ached with the memory of both our play in the woods this afternoon and the sex in the shower. Aftercare, he called it, and while itwascare for the most part, it almost always led to round two for us. Or round ten, depending on the night. I smirked to myself. I was certainly one lucky girl to be shacked up with this sex god of a man.

“But I don’t see why it would be a problem to just eat up here,” I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest.

He walked past me, leaning down to kiss the top of my head on his way to the closet to dress.

“First of all, because I don’t allow food in my room. We live in the boonies out here, princess. Too many bugs will end up in the house if we start that shit. Second, I’m not letting you get away with being shy. And third, we will go down and eat with them because I said so, and I’m the Dominant.” My eyes followed his form as he walked to the closet, noting that his round ass was surprisingly hairless for a man. He cut quite a figure, if I did say so myself — and I did.

“What if I want to be the Dominant?” I asked. His only response was a loud guffaw of a laugh from inside the closet. I rolled my eyes, resigning myself to my fate of being mercilessly teased and embarrassed at dinner. Oh well. I guess I’d have to bring my A-game, then.

Niko came out of the closet a few minutes later, looking sharp as fuck in his slacks and yet another button-down shirt.

“Do you even own jeans?” I asked as he held a hand out to help me from the bed.

“Yes.”

“Why have I never seen you in them, then?” I asked, genuinely curious, as we made our way downstairs. A heady fragrance ascended from the staircase, curling around my senses and igniting a delicious anticipation that set my mouth watering.

“Because I don’t wear them often, princess,” he whispered against my temple, tugging me in for a kiss before we descended the staircase to join the others.

I could already hear their chatter from down the hall. Nervousness and apprehension filled my stomach, almost to the point of canceling out my hunger. The onlything that saved me was the scent of Sully’s cooking. The man was an absolute genius in the kitchen. I would be sad to lose that when I left.

Instantly, the idea of leaving this place shot a pang of despair through my chest, surprising me. I didn’t want to think about that. Shoving the emotion deep down inside of me, locking it tightly away, I plastered a smile on my face as we walked into the kitchen.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Jax quipped.

“Yeah, Niko. Nice to see you in one piece,” Deacon joined in, teasing Niko.

“Yeah, it looks like Maddy reallysunk her clawsinto you, didn’t she?” Sully cackled as he hunched over the oven, opening the door and pulling out something that smelled like heaven and looked just as delectable.

“Alright, guys. Enough,” Niko chastised them. He pulled out a chair for me, a gesture I wasn’t sure any man had ever actually done for me before. Honestly, it seemed more like a thing they did in the movies rather than in real life.

“What’s the problem, Niko? Can’t stand the heat?” I joined right in, throwing him a wink as he took his seat beside me.

“THEN GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN!” Sully yelled, laughing loudly as he pulled off his floral-printed oven mitts.

“Sully, your oven mitts match your apron,” I praised the big lug, his answering smile of pride bringing a grin to my face in return.

“They do! Do you like them?” he asked, pure joy written on his face.

“They are perfect.” I shot him a thumbs-up with a wink of approval.

“You’re the best, Maddy.” He waved his hand towards me demurely, and I swore I could see the large man blush.

“Careful, Sully. She’ll end up with a big head,” Niko snorted derisively. I shot him a look.

“Well, how else am I supposed to catch up with the size of yours,buddy?” As soon as the word left my lips, he snarled, drawing the attention of everyone at the table. Even Sully looked up from his casserole dish with wide eyes.

“Did you just snarl at her?” Jax asked, chewing on a piece of the crusty bread Sully had placed in the center of the table.

“I did, and you’d be best served by letting it be. She knows better.” Niko’s eyes never left mine as he spoke, letting me know, clear as crystal, that his focus was solely on me.

Good. Right where I wanted him.

“Do I? I’m pretty sure you have your own issues to worry about, buddy,” I pandered, pushing my luck further by patting his cheek as though he were a child.

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