When we set off down the sidewalk, he slipped his arm through mine in a gesture of such casual affection that I almoststumbled before recovering. He responded to my misstep by kissing the top of my head.
It was sweet and affectionate, blissfully natural, as though the intervening years had evaporated between us.
For once, I found the walk to work was too short, though Nico’s obvious reluctance in removing his arm in order for me to open the door consoled me. We ate breakfast at my desk, but he snorted when I left the office door open so that Erin would walk in on a respectable scene instead of a repeat of the morning before.
As I savored the last few sips of my coffee, I leaned back in my chair and studied him—he looked a little scruffy, a little sleepy, and appealing as fuck.
“Don’t you have to work? Like, ever?” I asked.
Nico grinned around his last bite of a breakfast sandwich. “I work from home and set my own hours. You know, you do own your own business, Kitten. You could choose to come in at ten instead of this ungodly hour. It would give you more time for various . . . extracurricular activities.”
“But then we wouldn’t have to save time by showering together.” I blinked at him, a picture of pure innocence, then my expression morphed into a sly grin and he laughed.
“Excellent point. It’s worth your heart attack-inducing alarm to experience your sweet, wet body wrapped around me in the shower. Do you even know how fucking beautiful you are?”
He laced his fingers behind his head while his heated gaze stroked over my limbs. Though we weren’t touching, I felt the words as surely as if he’d painted them on my skin. My cheeks flushed hot, but I managed to keep my gaze steady on his face.
“I’m not actually sure what you see in me, except that I’m clearly addicted to you now.”
As he dropped his hands and leaned toward me, his expression sobered and those dark eyes grew intent on my face.
“I can’t argue with that part, but fuck, Kitten. There’s so much more. You’re beautiful, yes, but you’re also brilliant and loyal and fierce. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for walking away from you, or for letting you walk away from me. All that time we could’ve had together, if I hadn’t let your father and my own stupid insecurity scare me away.”
Tears burned at the back of my eyes, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of being knocked completely breathless by his words. I could only stare for a long moment while I struggled to make my lungs start functioning again. Before I could speak, Nico was out of his chair and crouching at my side.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” he said softly, running his knuckles along my jaw. “I’m sorry, Kat, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset. I just . . . that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
My voice broke just a touch and his arms went around me. Nico held me while I tried to gather myself back into some semblance of calm.
“You can cry all over me tonight, if you want. Why don’t I bring over a pizza and a box of tissues?” he offered.
My wobbly laugh made him flinch ever so slightly, like I’d driven a stake through his heart. “That sounds perfect,” I said, pressing my fingers against my eyelids. “I should probably get to work.”
He trailed a row of kisses across my forehead, murmuring, “You do that. Tonight, pizza. And if you happen to open the door wearing only a silk robe, I won’t complain.”
At that, I laughed outright, clearing some of the tension from his expression.
“I’ll see what I can scrounge up from my closet. And Nico,” I said softly as I laid a hand on his cheek, “thank you.”
With a smile, he turned his head, kissed my palm, and stood.
“Better get used to it, Kitten. I won’t be so easy to shake off this time around. Not by a long shot.”
I watched him go, those long legs of his covering the space from the office to the parking lot in half the time it took me. I was still staring after him when the warehouse door opened again and Erin fluttered in.
“Aw, c’mon, Kat. I was hoping to get at least some vicarious action this morning,” she called as she wandered into the office. A sudden frown creased her forehead when she saw my face. “Is everything okay? Do I need to chase after him and kick his ass?”
“I’m fine, I promise. No ass-kicking required.”
Erin dropped down into the chair Nico had vacated. “You look . . . conflicted,” she said carefully, studying my expression.
Conflicted.
It was a good descriptor for how I felt. For so much of my life, I’d longed to be in this position, with Nico at my side—but I was afraid to be too happy about it just yet. Everything was still unsettled, at least until the painting was sorted out.
I’d lost him once before; losing him again would destroy me.