Worth the fight(17)

“I could stay for a little while.” Lily offers and I hear her smile in her words even though I don’t turn to look at her.

Nico never takes his eyes off of me as he speaks to Lily. “Bye, Lily.”

Lily giggles and turns to leave. She takes a few steps but then turns back to say something. “I’m going. But you better bring her to next month’s dinner.”

Nico shakes his head and smiles at me as he steps aside. “Come in.”

We walk through the dark gym and into the elevator that leads to his loft. Nico reaches up to pull down the gate and I watch as the muscles in his back ripple as he extends his reach high. Every inch of his back is defined and two large tattoos cover each shoulder blade.

After the gate reaches the floor Nico turns and catches me checking out his back. There is heat in his eyes, it makes my breath catch the way he looks at me. He takes one step toward me and stops, but doesn’t turn around to face the front of the elevator. He takes a second step, closing the distance between us almost completely. My instinct is to take a step back, to keep hold of my personal space, but I don’t. I stand my ground and look up at him. My heart is beating so loudly I’m sure he can hear it.

Nico slowly bends his head and buries his head close to my neck. Arms at his side, he doesn’t touch me, but he’s in my space. He takes a deep inhale and I know that he’s taking in my scent. There’s something incredibly erotic about when he takes a deep breath in, as if he needs to absorb me into his every sense. When he speaks, his voice is guttural and low, his hot breath lands on my neck and sends a shiver down my spine, straight through to the tips of my toes. “You’re here.”

I look up at him. “I am.” My voice is soft, but I can tell by the smirk on his face that he hears me just fine.

“Does that mean not really is a no then?” His face is serious now.

“Ask me again.” I grin up at the handsome face that is towering over me, invading my personal space.

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“No.” My response is assertive.

“Yes. You are.”

I’m confused. “I am?”

“I don’t share Elle.”

“Oh.” Oh my.

My pulse races as he slowly lowers his head and brushes his lips against mine ever so softly. The gentleness of his touch makes me want to pull him to me and slam my mouth into his so that I can be sure it really just happened. But I don’t. I’m too mesmerized by this man and want to see what he does next.

Nico pulls his head back slightly, but doesn’t step out of my personal space. “We’re going to try this again.” He searches my eyes before he continues. “Are you seeing anyone Elle?”

“Yes?”

Nico smirks. “You don’t sound so sure of your answer, Babe.”

“Will you kiss me again if I get it right?”

My response amuses him and he drops his head laughing. “A lawyer. Do you negotiate everything?”

I stop and think before answering. “I do.”

Nico smiles at my truthful answer. His eyes close and he leans his forehead to mine. “God you smell so damn good.”

***

I’ve never seen a body like his so close before. It just doesn’t seem real. Both of his arms are covered in tattoos, it looks like he’s wearing colorful sleeves, only he has no shirt on. They intertwine and wrap around his bulging biceps and I get the urge to trace a path from the first splat of ink to the last with my tongue. My body’s reaction to him is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. These aren’t feelings that I’m used to, they seem to come out of nowhere and are uncontrollable.

One side of Nico’s lip curls up slightly, as though he is amused at my staring. He hands me a glass of wine without asking if I want one and I take it because I need it to calm my nerves. I’m here staring at this bigger than life man, and suddenly I’m speechless.

The wine can’t seep into my bloodstream quick enough. Half the glass is gone in one long, unladylike gulp.

“Thirsty?” I look up at him and find a glimmer of amusement in Nico’s eyes, mixed with something else. I think he knows I’m trying to calm myself and I fidget in my seat on the couch as he stands there looking so unaffected.

I ignore his question and set my glass down on the table at my side. I’m trained to steer a conversation. I can regain control here, it’s what I do. I push thoughts of wanting to lick his naked body out of my head and force my eyes to stay trained on his rugged face. “So tell me something about yourself, Nico Hunter. What do you like to do when you aren’t training?”

He cocks one eyebrow suggestively and looks even more amused. I feel my face redden at just his simple gesture. Instead of clearing my head, he now has me thinking about what he likes to do. And I feel the need to fan myself when a visual of him doing those things to me assaults my brain.