Wild Tendy (IceCats 2)
When he falls onto me, I wrap my arms around his neck as my heart pounds with his. He kisses my neck, my jaw, and then my earlobe before bringing it into his mouth. I giggle softly and try to stop him, but I don’t really want to. He smiles against my jaw before kissing it once more. “Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“I didn’t wear a condom.”
I wait for the fear. Anything. But nothing comes. “I’m on birth control.”
He pauses for a second and then mumbles, “Okay.”
It’s almost like he is disappointed, but surely he’s not. “Did you not want me to be?”
“I figured you were, but it doesn’t matter either way.”
“No?”
“Nope. I like you a little bit.”
I know what he is implying, and I’m surprised how much that pleases me. With a grin on my face, I ask, “Just a bit?”
“Just a wee bit,” he teases, and then I turn my head to his.
His grin grows as I demand, “Kiss me.”
“Don’t have to ask me twice.”
As we fall into the kiss, I’m aware I don’t know what the hell the future holds, but I’m starting to realize my future starts and ends with him.
* * *
My alarm goes off at the butt-crack of dawn, and Nico groans.
“Why? It’s early.”
I chuckle tiredly as I cuddle into him. “Gotta get the bread in the oven.”
“Screw the bread. People need to slow down on carbs anyway,” he says, and I laugh as I kiss his jaw.
“But then how will I make money?”
He kisses me. “You don’t need it. I’ll take care of you.”
I snort. “Because I’m all for that.”
“Damn it, why you gotta be a strong woman? Be a gold digger. It’s way easier.”
I laugh loudly. “You’re insane.”
He holds me closer. “Don’t leave this bed. I demand it.”
“I’ve got to.”
“Bullshit.”
“Sleep. I’ll come back up before I open the shop.”
“Naked?”
“So naked,” I say, kissing his cheek.
He’s weird about morning breath, and I can’t blame him. Mine is awful. I head to the bathroom and get washed up before heading downstairs. Callie should be down in an hour or so, but I’ll get most of the work done. She’s been busting ass in school since competition season is coming up fast. She wants to get ahead because she’s an overachiever like that. As I get to work, a small smile plays on my face while the radio blasts the top hits. I’m dancing, singing, and having a great time. I know I have a hot man upstairs, and Callie is safe and healthy. I feel good. Really good.
When I hear someone on the stairs, I look up to see Nico coming down in just his athletic shorts.
“What are you doing?”
He sighs ruefully. “I can’t have you down here working by yourself. I want to help.”
Oh, this man explodes through the walls I try to keep up. “You don’t have to. You worked late last night. In and out of bed.”
He sends me a flashy grin. “Yeah, but by working now, the reward is being with you.” My face breaks into a grin as he kisses my cheek. “What do you want me to do?”
“Can you start cutting meat?”
“Yup.” He puts on an apron and then some gloves before getting to work. I have to admit, I love working with him.
“Callie said something funny yesterday.”
He looks up from where he is cutting the roast beef. “I’m not surprised, but tell me anyway.”
I smile. “She said you should move in.”
I watch his body language and wait for the freak-out. His jaw gets tense and so does his back, but he’s thinking it over. I thought he would just yell out hell no, but he’s actually thinking. When he looks over at me, I give him a weak smile.
“What did you say?”
“I said it was kind of early.”
I’m met with silence as he piles the meat onto a tray. He doesn’t look at me or even comment, and I find that I’m just watching him. When he glances over at me, he shrugs. “I mean, I already kind of do live here.”
“I know.”
“But it has only been three months.”
“I know,” I say once more, sounding like a parrot. “But how does the idea make you feel?”
When I’m answered with a grin, my heart soars. “Good.”
I smile back. “Me too.”
He nods slowly. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
We hold each other’s gaze. “So, am I moving in?”
“I don’t know,” I say, and he laughs. “How about we just keep doing us?”
He thinks that over for a minute. “Or we can start looking for a place to make ours.”
My heart just about stops in my chest. “Really?”
“Yeah, a bigger place because I don’t want to move again when we decide to have kids.”
My eyes widen. “Wow. This conversation is real.”
He nods. “Way too real.” We grin at each other. “Maybe we should go back to just doing us? Together, though.”