Page 8 of Nico
"I think I will call it 'Beauty in repose'." He grinned as her eyes flashed fire.
She snatched a pillow and lobbed it at him. He caught it deftly, laughter crinkling the corners of his eyes. "You're impossible," she declared, but a reluctant smile tugged at her lips.
"I'm inspired," he countered, holding the sketchbook out of reach. "You're the one who fell asleep looking like a goddess."
She rolled her eyes, but the flush coloring her cheeks betrayed her. "You're incorrigible."
"True. But you're luminous. I can't help wanting to capture it." He set the pad aside and leaned closer, the teasing fading from his expression. "I won't show anyone, Sadie. Not unless you want me to. Some things are just for us. I am accumulating quite a bit for my private collection."
Her indignation softened. She studied him for a moment, then reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "You're such a sap," she murmured, but her fingers lingered.
He caught her hand, pressing her knuckles to his lips. The morning light filtered through the curtains, painting everything in gold. For a moment, all the world felt gentle, and enough.
"How about some breakfast? Since it's Sunday, I thought we could go for a ride and spend the rest of the day together."
"I have to go home sometime. I have laundry piling up..."
"Why don't we go back to your place and I help you?" he suggested, causing her to raise her tapered brows.
"You want to help me do laundry."
He nodded. "I'm not completely useless, you know."
She gave a pointed look to the clothes lying around on every surface. "This says otherwise."
"Okay, not a perfect example, but I can be industrious." He looked around the room with a grimace. "And domestic."
"Rich guy like you?" Her brows arched. "I bet you had servants coming out of your ears."
"I was not spoiled." He was quick to point that out. "Nadine and I had to learn to be independent. Mother insisted on it. We even went to public schools..." At her laughing expression, he backtracked. "Okay, maybe not full out public school, but near enough."
He was so adorably earnest, she thought, her body quickening. His hair was shaggy and disheveled and unfashionably long. Most men in his position would be primping and wearing the latest designs. But not him. She was badly attracted to him, enough to end the debate and jump his bones.
He saw the look on her face and felt his throat tightening. She had a very expressive face, and he could clearly see her thoughts revealed there.
"What about coffee?"
"It can wait."
"I completely agree." He started to reach for her, but she shook her head, a glint in her eyes.
"I think I want to be on top."
His breath quickened. "I'm so confident in my manhood, that I don't mind one bit."
"Good." She climbed over him and wrapped her hands around his neck. "The first time I saw you, I thought you were a professor." She blew in his ear and sent his blood pressure skyrocketing.
"Why..." He had to clear his throat and even so, the words were stuck.
"You look the part. Rumpled and sexy." She was nibbling her way to his mouth.
"Uhm." was all he could manage before she sucked his bottom lip between her teeth. With just that, he was hard as steel. And maddened with the need to devour her.
Chapter 3
She was normally stingy with her Sundays. It was her only day off. She had one or two mornings off where she got to run errands and do her personal stuff, but Sundays were her day to just indulge and unwind.
Andre and two other staff members took over and she was only called in if there was some sort of emergency or if a very demanding patron was asking for her.
