Page 83 of Female Fantasy
Nico can’t even be the love of my right now.
It’s simple. Factual, even. Makes perfect sense.
So why does the idea of leaving the safety of this bed make me feel violently ill?
“Hey.”
I’m startled out of my inner monologue to find those clear blue eyes staring at me. They’re drowsy with sleep, slightly puffy from our eventful last couple of days, but there’s an undeniable flicker of intimacy hidden in those baby blues. It’s enough to make my insides melt.
“Hey yourself.”
My voice comes out raspy and weird. I sound nothing like myself. Wincing, I attempt to run a casual hand through my hair, but it’s knotted beyond belief after last night’s, erm, activities.
“Gentle,” Nico says. He props himself up on his elbow, then runs his fingers through the tangles slowly, combing with patience until my hand is free. The gesture feels oddly tender. Not what I need at present.
He gives me a cocky, triumphant grin before falling back onto his pillow.
I gulp.
“Thank you,” I say. “Look, Nico. Last night was—”
“A revelation?”
“I was going to say satisfactory,” I snap, unwilling to feed his oversize ego.
“Sure you were.” His fingers dance up my neck, massaging my left shoulder, then my right. “You know, you’re a lot less prickly when my tongue’s between your legs.”
My cheeks instantly heat. “Say one more word, and I’ll cut off said tongue and use it as a bookmark,” I grumble.
“Kinky,” he says, winking.
Before I can get the last word, he grabs my torso and pulls me down until my chest is pressed against his own. We collapse back onto the mattress, soft and warm from our sleep, and he peppers my body with sweet, featherlight kisses. Against my better judgment, I giggle and exhale. Allow myself to enjoy this fleeting moment of bliss before my quest continues.
“We should really get going,” I whisper, just as Nico nibbles on a particularly sensitive spot behind my ear.
“Oh yeah?” He laps at the spot, soothing the bite. “What’s the rush? Does Angel host a leftist Pilates class here in the mornings or something?”
“Well, no.” I swallow a laugh at that visual. “But I was planning on catching Ryan Mare outside his office. I figured I might show up before he starts work today. Intercept him and say hi. Introduce myself. Something like that.”
Nico’s body freezes. His hands tense so much, I worry they’ll leave marks on my skin.
“You’re not serious,” he says. A statement and a question.
“Angel is lending me a couple hundred bucks, and Roy has a burner phone for some reason that he said I can use. It should be enough to last me a couple of days, then get us both back to Mystic. Unless, of course, it’s love at first sight, and Ryan and I plan a shotgun wedding…”
I expect him to laugh.
Snort, at the very least.
He does neither.
Instead, he stares at me, blank-faced.
Waiting for me to add something.
AGotcha!or aJust kidding.
Anything.
