Page 138 of My Sweetest Temptation

Her skin was so soft, like those fleece blankets Nonna always made around Christmas. My eyes followed her natural pink lips as she nervously licked them. I kept one arm firmly around her waist, anchoring her in place, while I gently ran a thumb across her lower lip. “What are you doing to me, Angel?”

“I didn’t do anything to you,” she said, giving me a puzzled expression.

I didn’t realize I was caressing her hand with my other thumb. She tried to pull away, but I held her still, not ready to let her go.

“I wasn’t built to be gentle man, Winter, but fuck, do I want to be for you.”

Her lips curved into a tentative grin. “Good. Because I want that too.”

I blinked several times before my eyes opened.

Something moved in the bed with me. My body locked up like a stiff board, but when I saw Nico and a little ball of warmth with brown hair lying beside me, a smile tugged on my lips. Aurelio’s little head was buried under my armpit with his small hand resting on my chest. My legs were begging to be stretched, but when I started to move, he stirred by my side and his hazel eyes landed on me. He smiled big, like Santa gave him the best gift on Christmas Day. He wiggled out from underneath my armpit until he was sitting on his knees. He yawned and rubbed his sleepy eyes.

“Did you sheep ok?” I loved the way he said sleep.

I nodded with a smile.

“That’s good.” He leaned forward, running his tiny fingers over the bruise on my face. “You got a boo boo. I’ll make it all better.” He placed a light kiss on my face. “See? All better.”

I couldn’t help replying with a huge grin. “Yeah, it’s all better.”

Nico emerges from underneath a mountain of plush pillows until he was sprawled onto his back. His arm lay over his eyes, giving me a perfect view of his sculpted abs and chest. My eyes gazed down his body until they reached a small batch of black hair leading down toward his…

“You’re staring.” He smirked with one eye peeking at me. His grin grew wider, and I felt my face getting heated.

“Nico! I kissed her boo boo!” Nico looked over to Aurelio and back to me with a huge grin on his face.

“You did?” Nico shifted onto his side, propped up on one elbow and supporting his head with his hand.

“Yeah. Yeah. She said she’s all better now.” He nodded enthusiastically.

“That’s good, buddy. Be careful not to lay on her, okay?”

Aurelio gave him a thumbs up, earning him a chuckle out of Nico. This was the calmest I’d ever seen him. I remembered how attentive and sweet he had been last night, listening as if my words were the most important thing in the world. Could this be a turning point in having an actual relationship with him?

Nico turned to face me, and I saw pain in his bright blue eyes. “Did you sleep okay?” he asked, his voice low and tender.

I nodded slowly, a small smile breaking through.

He swung his legs over the bed, and grabbed his shirt from the floor and pulled it over his head. I stared at the tattoo covering his entire back. It was a dark angel with black wings, and a female angel with brilliant white wings enveloped the dark angel in a gesture of comfort. Around them, deep red and black roses were intertwined. It was like it was telling a story to bridge the chasm between light and darkness.

My eyes were glued to the way he moved his body. The muscles in his back bunched together, and his biceps jerked when he pulled his hand back to rub his neck. He cracked it side to side.

“Come on, buddy. Let’s go see what’s for breakfast.” Nico held his arms out, and Aurelio jumped into them, wrapping his legs around Nico’s waist like a koala.

“Mom said she’s making dinosaur pancakes.” Aurelio looked over his shoulder at me and asked, “Do you want some? I’ll share with you.”

He was so freaking adorable.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” I said with a smile.

“Yay!” He clapped his hands.

“I’ll be back,” Nico said to me. They left the room, closing the door behind them.

Reality finally set in when I glanced around the room.

Nico’s room.

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