Tight Spaces #4
He didn’t go far, though. Nico only put enough space between us to tuck himself back into his jeans, keeping one hand on my bare skin to prove he was still close.
Once he was done, he moved my panties back into place before turning me in his arms. Ever so carefully, holding me like I was something precious, he slid us to the floor.
“That was…” I trailed off, my voice shaky as I smiled up at him before nuzzling further into him.
It felt a little strange to let Nico hold me like this, but at the same time, I couldn’t force myself to move away from his warmth.
And after everything that had just happened…
If that night with all four of them had cracked open a door, part of me knew that Nico and I had just barreled headfirst through it.
“Amazing? Fantastic? Totally worth trying to find parking in the snow?” Nico chuckled, holding me a little tighter and pressing a kiss against the top of my head.
I laughed easily, something I found myself doing a lot with him.
We sat together in a comfortable silence for several more minutes as my breathing and heart rate slowly returned to normal.
“How are you feeling?” Nico asked softly against my hair. “Still okay?”
I thought about it for a minute before nodding.
There was no denying that I was feeling a little antsy about being in such a small space now that I wasn’t lost in the feel of him, but it was no worse than I did anytime I had to be in an elevator.
Here, wrapped up in Nico, his arms around me and his scent invading my senses I felt… safe.
“Yeah,” I said softly, shifting just enough to look up at him. “I’m okay…” My words faded away when I realized just how close my lips were to his in this new position.
Nico brushed my hair away from my face which brought us just a little closer.
I wasn’t sure which one of us moved first, only that this kiss wasn’t like the ones from before.
There was nothing hurried or demanding about it.
Instead, this kiss was slow and soft, and mirrored the gentle way he cupped my face.
My eyes closed and I melted into him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“You know…” Nico said several moments later when we finally separated again. The familiar mischievous glint was back in his eyes and just the way he looked at me made me smile.
“I know a lot of things,” I teased.
Nico shook his head, bumping his knuckle against the tip of my nose. “Brat,” he teased affectionately. “But if this is the reception I get more often, I might stop skipping family dinners.”
“Oh, is that so?” I laughed, dropping my head to his shoulder again. “I’d say this is definitely a sign that you should do just that.”
“I think you have me convinced,” he admitted. He ran a large hand lazily down my thigh to my knee before tugging at my tights. “We should get you straightened up or we’re going to have some explaining to do.”
I groaned but he nudged me gently, putting a little distance between us. “Come on. Let’s get you put back together and then we can come right back to this.” I raised my eyebrows at him. “Promise.”
With a dramatic sigh, I relented. Nico carefully finished untangling himself from how we had been twisted together and stood, holding out his hands for me.
I let him pull me to my feet, where he straightened the lacy cups of my bra and retrieved my shirt.
After he helped me into it, despite my insistence that I could do so myself, I had him go for my purse as I assessed my tights.
It didn’t take much to come to the conclusion that there was no saving them and I kicked out of my boots to strip off the ripped material.
They’d just have to get shoved in my purse for the time being.
Nico let out a low whistle and I stuck my tongue out at him. “Because you’ve not seen me in a whole lot less than this?” I teased, stuffing the tights in my purse while retrieving my small travel brush and going to work on my hair.
“That doesn’t mean I ever get tired of the view,” Nico said in a tone that rang with sincerity and maybe just a touch of vulnerability I didn’t know what to do with.
It didn’t take me much longer to feel like I was mostly put together again and did a little spin for him. “All better?”
“Perfection,” Nico said, pulling me back to him.
We slid back to the floor together, all smiles and - on my part - giggles.
A small part of me wondered if Asher knew exactly how this was going to play out when he sent that text.
Something told me though that the night wasn’t going to end with family dinner and a new wave of desire had me scooting a little closer to Nico.
I opened my mouth to ask him as much when the lights flickered back on and a beat later the elevator gave a soft lurch and began moving again.
“Look at that, you’re almost free.” Nico kissed me one last time before pulling away and helping me to my feet.
“You know what’s funny though?” he asked before turning to grab our coats off the floor.
I tilted my head as he handed me mine. “Ma used to nag Ash and I that we needed to learn how to share. If only she knew…”