Nico moved onto the deck and sat beside her. He dangled his feet, too, and she stared at how much bigger he was compared to her. He may be her age, but the scent that surrounded him was on the verge of animalistic. He would soon be going through the change where he could shift into his grizzly bear. It something a boy bear shifter didn’t do until they were entering adulthood. It was strange to think of Nico, her childhood friend, and the boy she had crushed on her whole life, as becoming a “man” in the shifter world.
“I’m thinking too hard.” She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes again and just absorbing the heat and scent of him. She may be a bear shifter, but she would never be able to shift. Instead she felt this animal inside of her, always prepared, but never able to escape.
“What were you thinking about?” Nico said in his deep voice.
She kept her eyes closed and smiled. “You, my dad and family, the MC … everything I guess.”
He reached out and took her hand with his, speared his fingers between hers, and rested both of them on his thigh. “Me, huh?” There was amusement in his voice.
“I was thinking about your prized truck you gave me when we were little.” She pulled back and looked up at him.
“I can’t believe you remember that,” Nico said, but when he smiled she knew that he was only teasing.
She nudged him in the arm. “Don’t act like you don’t.” She grinned, and he did the same. “I was also thinking about how I can smell your bear coming closer to the surface.” She stared at him, and he stared back at her. “You’ll be able to shift soon. Does that scare you?”
He faced the lake once more and didn’t speak for several seconds. He finally exhaled roughly and looked at her again. “Honestly?”
She nodded. Suddenly the conversation took on this very serious note. “Always, Nico.”
He stared into her eyes for a long second. “Fuck no.” He burst out laughing, and she narrowed her eyes.
“You’re such an asshole,” she said but grinned.
“Maybe, but you love me regardless.” He was still grinning at her, but she felt her heart rate increase.
If he truly knew how she felt he probably wouldn’t come within a ten-mile radius of her. It wasn’t like they sat around reminiscing about what had happened years ago, but she sure did think about it ... about him. It was just a boy that had shared his toy, just a boy that hung out with her, talked to her, and was always there. As she stared at him, looked into his bright blue eyes, and saw the way his black hair was short, but still long enough to sweep across his forehead, she wanted desperately to kiss him. It was unheard of, even in the small town of Steel Corner, to be sixteen and not even have kissed a boy yet. But most girls didn’t have a dad like Brick.
The longer they stared at each other, the harder and faster her heart pounded. Could he hear the physical response he caused within her? As it was it felt like her heart was about two seconds from bursting right through her chest. But they were friends, only friends, and she would be crossing a major line by being so forward. But she had seen the way Nico looked at her sometimes. At least she thought she had seen him look at her as maybe more than a friend. It was the kind of look that had her heating in a lot of places, places that she was embarrassed to even think about. She would have assumed that living around a bunch of hardened bikers would desensitize her in the sexual and bold aspect of life, but again, the members of The Grizzlies were a protective bunch when it came to all the women. And even though she wanted Nico as more than just a friend, and perhaps he felt the same way, too, they could never really be together. Her father, his dad, and the rest of the MC didn’t believe in mixing business with pleasure. And despite the fact they had grown up and knew everything about each other, the drama that being with Nico would cause could put a lot of strain on the MC and everyone’s relationship within it.
“Alexis,” Nico said low and deep.
This shiver worked through her, and she found herself moving closer to him. Her lips felt so swollen, and they tingled fiercely. All she could think about was his mouth on hers, of his hands on her and of him holding her tightly. She could imagine nothing stopping them from doing what she had wanted to do with him for a long time.
“Someone could walk back here any minute,” he said, but was looking at her lips.
No, she was definitely not imagining the sexual chemistry that was bouncing between them right now. Her inner bear felt his need for her, felt his rising animal try to claw out, as if needing to escape. Alexis even watched as his pupils dilated because of his bear, because he was so close to being able to shift.