Chapter Fourteen #2
“I might have dragged my feet, but we both know Qetesh has her claws in me dangerously deeper. I just can’t…
” Nico wiped his lips with the back of his free hand again.
“… seem to shake the taste of her.” Disappointment sweeping through him as Gigi released her hold on him.
Fuck, he’d driven her away, just goes to show talking, sharing your inner thoughts, was never a good idea.
But instead of walking away she closed the distance between them, pushing the table off to the side, settling herself on Nico’s lap, facing him.
Okay, maybe there was something to all this exchanging of dialogue and feelings that he’d been overlooking in the past. Watching her warily as she settled her hands on his shoulders.
Saint Medard, she smelled amazing, and the warmth and weight of her fired Nico’s cock and at the same time, some inner tension relaxed.
Settled. His heart rate slowing, matching the soothing pulsing beat he’d come to associate when he was in Gigi’s presence.
“What are you doing?”
Gigi was wondering the exact same thing.
What the hell was she doing? Except, it felt so natural, so right.
Staring into those toffee amber orbs of his she couldn’t help but smile.
A woman sits on his lap, and still Nico was the picture of restraint.
His hands clenched into fists by his sides.
Taking no liberties. Taking nothing for granted about this situation.
The man’s trust issues came with a deed to a ten storey storage facility.
She’d have to go slowly. The man was skittish by nature and shaken after his lip lock bout with Qetesh today.
The idiot was angry at himself, feeling he’d somehow failed.
An okay, their safe zone had shrunk significantly, but Nico Yanez was still himself; grumpy, suspicious, determined to shoulder all the responsibility and blame for every darn little thing going on.
Today, back there on the atoll, and when they’d been transported to Qetesh’s lair, he’d made sure he was always the larger target.
He was an innate if reluctant hero and it seems, given his reaction to her sitting herself on his lap, a gentleman.
“I thought we’d try a little experiment.”
“Experiment?”
“Well, to be more specific, a practical experiment. You can’t seem to shake the memory of Qetesh’s lip lock and I thought I might be able to help with that.”
“I’m not eating anything the bunny regurgitates, not willingly anyway. I appreciate the mouthwash wake up call, but I just don’t think I can go there without a knife to my throat.”
“You’re such a drama king, no wonder you fit in so well with my family. The Great-Greats are thinking of reopening the theatre and staging a few plays. You should volunteer your services.”
“Gigi.”
She laughed. “Do you know I find it kind of hot when you say my name like that, all growly…. GrrrGigi.” She lowered her voice and attempted to copy him. “Oh, now you’re giving me the quirked unimpressed eyebrow raise. Colour me scared.”
“Look, I don’t know what you think you’re trying to achieve here.”
“Please. This experiment is tracking a one hundred percent success rate currently. Have you thought about Qetesh since I sat on your lap? Na-uh.” She caught his hand as he unconsciously raised it to wipe his lips.
Damn, she shouldn’t have mentioned that vain cow’s name.
“Looks like we need to expand the protocols.” Leaning forward she pressed her lips lightly against his.
For a split second she was worried he was going to treat her like the bitch in the see-through toga who shall no longer be named.
But the moment their lips met his arm was around her waist, pulling her in closer, until her upper body was melded to his, lips parting, sinking into the kiss, so welcoming, all blissful heat and yearning.
The banked furnace low in Gigi’s body roared to life.
Heavens, she loved the way he clutched at her, so tightly, as if he wanted her closer still.
She’d been so cold lately. Yet right here, right now, she felt combustible, and Gigi so wanted to burn.
Nico’s touch. Nico’s lips. No other man set her lady parts on fire like this annoying, complicated male.
Crap, why was he breaking off the kissing?
The kissing was spectacular, he was an active, happy, very happy – if the feel of his hard cock rubbing against her core was any indication – participant.
“Is this a pity fuck?”
“Excuse me?” He was a classic overthinker.
She’d thought seducing him would be easy.
Sit on his lap. Give him a come hither look.
Plant her lips on his and bada bing, bada boom.
Orgasm. Maybe two if she was lucky. But of course she was forgetting who she was dealing with here.
Although, maybe she’d be wary if she’d been serially manipulated and mistreated by the Gods and their servants as Nico had been for over a decade.
“Look, Cassanova. Things can go one of two ways here. I can stand up and walk away. Or, you can turn this off.” She tapped his temple.
“Tear my clothes off and we can adjourn to the bedroom and explore the benefits of using sex as an avoidance tool for all the crap that is currently going on in our lives.”
“Fuck.” Nico released Gigi but didn’t push her away, running fingers through his hair in frustration, leaving it a rumpled curly dark mess.
“I think I’ve forgotten how to do this.” He caught Gigi’s disbelieving look.
“After Kristiah disappeared and we searched for her and Copper, it felt like a betrayal to be with anyone else. Then, as the years passed, I’m not saying I was a monk, but travelling with a brother who every time he woke up had his memory re-set, and thought he’d just discovered the bodies of our parents and the crew.
Let’s just say my hookups were of the speedy and convenient variety.
This…” He indicated between the two of them.
“I’m afraid if we do this you’ll be disappointed and feel used when it’s all over. ”
Gigi couldn’t help but laugh. “Way to set my expectations real low. Tell you what, how about I take the lead? And we take it slow to start.”
She could tell by Nico’s wary look that he didn’t think this was a good idea.
But sorry, Gigi wasn’t prepared to give up.
She’d had a stressful day too, full of adrenalin, and equal bouts of terror and triumph.
She could use some good mindless, no strings attached sex, even bad, really quick sex with Nico sounded more fun than she’d had in, well, way too long.
“How about a little magic show?” She drew a light finger down the front of his sweater, the knitwear disintegrating instantly under her touch.
Parting to display dark olive skin and lots of lithe muscle.
She could tell by the jerk of his cock that he liked that, but the stubborn expression remained on Nico’s face, and those hands of his were once more clenched into fists at his side.
Hmmm, which got her to wondering, what if he couldn’t actually touch her?
With a thought the sleeves of his sweater unravelled and then recombined to form thick knit ropes that slid down his arms, wrapping around each wrist. With a thought she decided the two ropes should intertwine.
Nico huffing out a surprised breath as suddenly his arms were pulled together behind him, the material around his wrists fused together.
With another thought Gigi unravelled the rest of the sweater, leaving Nico sitting there naked from the waist up.
Hmmm, a small scar on his right clavicle catching her eye, leaning forward she pressed a soft kiss against it.
Then another caught her attention on the side of his throat. Pressing her lips against it slowly.
“Was does the tattoo say?” Running a hand over his right bicep, tracing the five lines written there she assumed in Spanish.
“It’s the legend of the first treasure found by my father’s family.” Nico’s voice was low, husky and rough. “A reminder that physical wealth is only secondary to family, love and home. To never forget what is truly important.”
Ah, sweet. She leant forward, placing a quick swift kiss on Nico’s lips before straightening.
The man had iron clad control. Always thinking he was right, clearly having decided that fucking her would just complicate things and potentially raise more issues.
Gigi thought the exact opposite. But how to break him?
He was her captive. Arms tied behind his back.
There was no denying his body was gung ho at the idea, but how to get his stubborn ass head in the game? Oh, visual aids.
Reaching up to the collar of her purple top Gigi slowly slid her thumb down, the material parting ways like a zipper under her touch. Down. Down.
“Gigi.”
Oh, the deep growl was back in his tone.
Like he was part reprimanding her and yet hopefully telling her not to stop.
The top melted away, puddling at the base of her chair, little piles of cotton, and about fifteen percent of polyester, exactly as the label promised.
Sitting there in just a bra, leggings and socks, Gigi idly considered what should go next.
Oh, the socks weren’t sexy. With a thought all their elements parted ways and they went the way of her long-sleeved top.
For that matter, the leggings should go too.
Leaving her in only the cream underwear set with dark lavender lace accents that her Fate Weaving Cousin had gifted her along with the purple summer dress, perfect for hostessing a deity beach party. And from the heated gleam in Nico’s gaze she had an appreciative audience.