Page 114 of Sweet as Sin (Bad Habit 1)
He lowered his body to mine so our chests were pressed together, and put his hands on either side of my face. He rocked deeper into me. I flexed my hips in response, needing every inch of him inside. When his thrusts gained speed, I folded my legs around his waist and hooked my ankles together, my heels pressed to his spine.
We didn’t speak. It felt even more intimate because of it. We stared into each other’s eyes, our bodies moving together, our ragged breaths drawn together, our hearts beating in time.
Nico lowered his head, took one of my nipples in his mouth, and sucked. Close to another orgasm, I moaned again. The sound made Nico growl softly against my breast and suck harder. With just enough force to make me jerk, he bit down on my nipple.
Filled with a sudden, violent need, I sank my fingers into his wet hair and gripped his head.
I knew he felt the change in my body, knew he understood my wordless plea. I knew because he slid one hand around my throat and squeezed lightly, then bit down harder on my nipple as he began to fuck me with stronger thrusts, and greater speed.
My body bowed. Yes.
“Not yet.”
Hearing his husky command, I groaned my frustration. I couldn’t hold back much longer. My fingers twisted tighter in his hair. I squeezed my eyes shut, biting my lip.
Nico made a sound like a hiss. All the muscles in his arms and back tensed. He thrust into me three more times with almost violent force, then grunted, “Now, baby! Now!”
The orgasm ripped through me, stiffening my entire body, curling my toes. I screamed. Nico’s answering groan was broken, guttural. Deep inside me, he throbbed. Delirious with pleasure, I ground my pelvis against his, my fingers digging into the bunched muscles of his arms. Bucking and crying out beneath him, I rode every thrust, milked every twitch of his cock.
I didn’t want it to stop. I wanted him inside me forever.
His arms sagged. I drew him down against me and kissed him recklessly, mindless of our clashing teeth. He kissed me back just as savagely, his mouth crushed to mine, his tongue invading. I tasted salt and rust and knew he’d drawn blood, or I had. A primal thrill had me sinking my nails into his back.
Breaking the kiss, he laughed, a sound thick with satisfaction. “Little tiger,” he panted, pressing his forehead to mine. “My fierce, sweet, beautiful Kat.”
Nico looked down at me with so much emotion in his eyes, I wanted to cry, but I steeled myself against it.
I realized at that moment that there would be no jumping off this speeding train to land in safety on the ground. It was going too fast. A jump would break me.
And so might staying aboard to discover our final destination.
I turned my face away from Nico’s, and stared out the wall of glass to the city glittering in the afternoon sunshine below, wondering how badly this was all going to end.
It would only take another twenty-four hours to find out.
The House of Blues on the Sunset Strip is a funky, rock ’n’ roll mash-up of a bar, nightclub, restaurant, concert venue, and eclectic voodoo art gallery. In the members-only Foundation Room on the top floor, exclusive guests can revel in high-class debauchery and feast on southern-inspired cuisine, while downstairs in the music hall patrons can listen to some of the most famous bands in the world play live, while rubbing shoulders with the biggest A-list celebrities.
As soulful as it was sinful, it was the perfect venue for Bad Habit’s EuroTrash tour kickoff party.
“After what happened yesterday, I’m surprised you’re in the mood for a party.”
Grace’s voice on the other end of the line was neutral. She knew full well I was in no mood for a party, just as well as I knew she was in no mood to hang out with the band. I was hoping she’d come as a favor to me; right now, I really needed my girls. Chloe had already agreed to come, and she was even bringing Eric. I had high hopes about what that might mean.
“Believe me, it’s the last thing I want to do. I spent all morning at my house trying to clean up the mess. I’m exhausted.”
“Then why go? Stay home and soak in a bubble bath with a bottle of wine.”
I debated for a moment, then dismissed the idea. “If I don’t go, Nico won’t go, and then there won’t be any party. I don’t want to ruin it for everyone else just because I’d rather bury my head in the sand.”
“Which is a perfectly reasonable response to major trauma,” Grace quipped, “even if it’s not ultimately useful. Cut yourself some slack, Kat. You’re going through a lot right now. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed.”
I made a noncommittal noise, not really wanting to delve too deeply into the dark state of my psyche. Monsters lurked in there.
“And speaking of overwhelmed,” Grace continued briskly, “I can’t believe security at the House of Blues can possibly be counted on to keep out the kind of riffraff that’s sure to be stalking Bad Habit.” Her voice turned cutting. “Not to mention the riffraff that’s stalking you.”
I’d told her the whole story about Michael. Our encounter at Avery’s wake, the night I’d awoken to the figure in the bedroom door, the wreckage at my house. She’d been furious with me when I admitted I hadn’t told the police my suspicions about Nico’s brother.
She’d been even more furious when I told her about the engagement. Her anger took the form of a long, frozen silence that chilled my ear right through the phone. She’d kept her word about keeping her opinions to hersel
