Page 77 of My Sweetest Temptation

“What is going on between the two of you, Nico?” Lo asked, his tone serious.

“I don’t fucking know!” The words burst out of me.

All I knew was that she had me torn up inside, making me feel like a lovesick puppy, ready to chase after her, ready to humiliate myself for just a sliver of her attention.

“You better figure it out—and fast—because you can’t afford distractions, especially right now,” Matteo warned.

“I know that,” I ground out. “You mind your fucking business, and I’ll handle my shit.”

“I like her,” Lo interjected.

“What?” I barked, incredulous. He shrugged, an infuriating look of nonchalance plastered on his face.

“She’s sweet,” he said.

Sweet. I scoffed internally. Her sweetness would be rotten by the time I was done with her.

Winter had been living in my head rent-free for far too long, and honestly, it was about time I kicked her pretty little ass out. The guys were right; she was a damn distraction, and I needed to focus on this Puppet Master bullshit. But no matter how often I tried to convince myself to, I couldn’t stay away from her.

I knew she was working tonight, so I walked down the hall from my office and headed straight to Mya’s, where Winter was holed up. I turned the corner and caught Enzo standing guard outside Mya’s office.

“Boss,” he said, keeping it casual.

“Take ten, E,” I replied, and he quickly saluted me before strolling off. Without knocking, I pushed the door open and took her in. Winter appeared deep in thought, her forehead creased in concentration as she fervently tapped away on the laptop. Her fingers moved across the keys like they were on fire. She had a pen tucked into her hair, and for the first time, she had on a pair of glasses. She looked like an innocent, forbidden librarian.

It was sexy as hell.

“Break time,” I announced, and she practically jumped out of her skin. I couldn’t help but grin.

Damn, she was cute as hell.

“Uh, hi, Nico. Um, what are you doing here?” she stammered, a hint of nervousness creeping into her voice.

“It’s my club.” I smirked, sauntering further into the room. I settled on the edge of the desk, watching as her eyes darted to my forearms. My shirt sleeves were rolled up to my elbows, showing off my tattoos. Winter blinked, quickly looking back up at my face, her cheeks tinged with color.

“You alright, angel?” I chuckled, enjoying the way I flustered her. She turned away, a little flushed.

“So, what’s up?” she asked, pretending to shuffle through the papers on her desk, but her fingers fumbled, betraying that she wasn’t actually calm.

“Just thought you could use a break, you know? You’ve been working way too hard.”

“Maybe,” she replied, a small smile breaking through as she finally met my gaze.

“I guess a little distraction wouldn’t hurt.”

“Good. I’m here to provide just that,” I said, leaning closer. “When did you start wearing glasses?” I asked her, leaning forward and gently grasping both sides of her frames, feeling the warmth radiating off her skin.

With deliberate slowness, I glided the glasses off her face, my fingers brushing against her cheek as I hung them over my shirt, a playful smirk dancing on my lips. She licked her lips, and the sight sent a rush of heat through me. My heartbeat quickened as my gaze followed the movement. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to lean back just a little, creating space between us. If I didn’t, I might lose my shit and end up throwing her onto this damn desk, fucking away the frustration that had been building between us.

“I only wear them when I’m reading,” she replied, her voice soft.

“Well,” I said, “I suppose I’ll have to find a way to keep you reading then.” My tone was light, but the lust beneath it was unmistakable.

We stared at one another, the tension thickening in the air. I could see Winter’s discomfort as she fidgeted in her chair. She cleared her throat, broke our gaze, and reached for the folder on the desk. With a slight tremor in her hand, she passed it to me.

“Here are the new applications for the clients that signed up to become members. They’ve already paid—“ I raised my hand, cutting her off. “I’m not here to talk about work. I trust Mya and you.”

Winter placed the envelope back on the desk, her posture shifting slightly. “Thank you,” she replied, a genuine smile flickering across her lips. “So, what are you here to talk about?”

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