Wild Tendy (IceCats 2)

He grabs my butt, pulling me closer, and I can feel the length of him. “Pretty damn sexy. I’m a good-looking dude.”

I snort but just for a second before he captures my mouth with his. As he glides his lips over mine, gripping my ass with his hand, I realize I want this to be real. I want to know everything will work out and fall into place. Problem is, this is my life, and things never fall into place or go well.

I just hope that doesn’t apply to Nico.

Chapter Eighteen

Aviva

“Anywhere in the world—where would you go?”

I watch Nico’s face as he thinks. Callie is grinning from ear to ear as she eats her cookie dough sundae. Nico took us to a fancy dinner, and it excited Callie to get to dress up. I’m pretty sure Nico did it to see me in a skirt, and I don’t mind. I actually like being all snazzy. Makes me think of Jaylin and how perfect she looks all the time. Nico, well, he’s a heartthrob. He pulled out all the stops in a sexy blue suit that hugs him in all the right places. His hair is brushed to the side, and his grin…well, it doesn’t stop for anything.

Me, I don’t think I’ve ever smiled this much.

“Iceland.”

Callie looks surprised. “Really? It’s cold.”

“Duh, ice, so I can play hockey.”

I laugh along with her. “You’re such a hockey nerd.”

“I am, hands down,” he laughs as he takes a bite of his ice cream. “Where would you go?”

“Barcelona.”

“Really? Why?”

I shake my head. “She wants to go because Ed Sheeran sang a song about it.”

“So?” She holds her hands to her chest. “I want to dance in the streets to it and then eat all the food. He makes it seem so magical.”

I roll my eyes. I want to take her, but I just don’t know when.

Nico grins. “I’ve been. It’s pretty awesome.”

She smacks him playfully. She gets that from me. “Oh my God. Is it? I want to go so bad.”

“Do you have a passport?”

She nods. “Yup. It’s just waiting for the stamp.”

He grins, his eyes cutting to mine. “We should go.”

I shake my head. “Please. I can’t afford that—”

“I can,” he says simply. “I have a plane we can use too.”

Callie is practically slapping me at this point. “Oh my God, Veev! He has a plane we can use. That’s most of the cost. Please!”

I shake my head, sending a glare to Nico. “When, Callie? I work all the time, and he’s doing hockey.”

“Doing hockey?” he asks, and I shrug.

“Playing, whatever. You’re busy, and so I am.”

Nico’s eyes are playful. “You could close for a weekend.”

I scoff. “Not right now. I gotta get ahead, and then maybe.”

“This summer?” Callie asks, almost climbing into my lap. “This summer, Vee. Say you’ll let him take us in the summer. No one wants subs in the summer, and he’ll be done with hockey. Please!”

“Calliope, please. This,” I say, moving my hand between us, “is so new. He might hate us come summer.”

She trains her big beautiful green eyes on him. “Promise me you’ll still love us then.”

Nico looks over at me, that shit-eating grin on his face. “That’s the plan.”

Both of them are thorns in my side.

Thankfully, though, that satisfies Callie. She sits back, grabbing her ice cream. “Okay, then it’s a plan. Don’t mess this up,” she says, pointing her spoon at me.

I laugh as I meet his gaze. “That was your plan the whole time, huh? Lock the kid in so I can’t go anywhere.”

He nods, slipping his hand into mine. “Basically. I know how to get what I want.”

He sends me a sneaky wink, and I shake my head. Oh, I’m playing with some dangerous fire here. He is too much. After making sure Callie is engrossed in her ice cream, I run my tongue along my lips and very seductively drag it over my ice cream.

He looks away, shaking his head. “I see how you’re gonna play this.”

“Torture me, I’ll torture you.” I feel Callie’s gaze, but I ignore it. “You too.”

That sends them both into a fit of laughter. When the laughter subsides, he points his spoon at me. “So, this car thing. Can we talk about it now?” He jerks his head at Callie, and I nod.

“Yeah, she knows.”

“I think I want to buy this truck I’ve been renting, not the actual one but one like it. You can have my other car since it’s not totaled.”

I scoff. “Your red sports thingy? No way.”

He grins. “Why? You’d look hot in that car.”

“So would I when I drive it,” Callie mentions, but there is no way.

“Absolutely not. I think I might just buy Jaylin’s. It’s a Honda.”

“Boring,” they both singsong, and I laugh.

“It’s just fine for me.”

“How about you buy that for her and take mine?”