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 lipslightly 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 andwe 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 forwardshe 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 giftedher 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.
Yet, the man was like a stone statue. Sitting there, gritting his teeth, sweat on his brow, his eyes though, they couldn’t hide his interest, the heat building slowly, too slowly, in their depths. Damn the Gods for all but ruining this man. Stripping him of trust. And the ability to love.
Not that Gigi wanted his love, of course not. All she was trying to do was get the man to ease up, have a little no strings attached fun and live in the moment. Eventually the Gods would get their asses handed to them. Darcy would blow shit up. Elijah would wreak havoc. And she and Nico would do an end run sneak attack and eradicate Qetesh from all the Planes of existence.
But right now, Gigi just wanted a night of mindless passionate fucking with this man, and only this man. And she wanted more than Nico’s heated gaze on her, she wanted his hands, his lips. Time to get serious.
Pushing herself back she stood up, smiling, noting the fleeting scowl that had crossed his face. Hah, he didn’t like the idea she was giving up. Although, really? Didn’t he know her by now? she never gave up, and she didn’t always play fair.
Nico had to bite his tongue. He wouldn’t plead for Gigi to sit her gorgeous semi naked butt back down on his lap. But it took everything he had. Was she declaring defeat? Had he won? Saint Medard. Won? What exactly was he winning in all this?
It was hell, trying to do the right thing by not sleeping with a woman who made his cock hard with every breath she took. And his entire being relax every time she smiled his way. Exactly the way he had always felt out at sea when they beat a storm and slid into Port just in time. Safe. Home.
Yeah, truth be told, that was why he was fighting. Safe and home were illusions. They could be ripped to shreds in aheartbeat. Why couldn’t Gigi see that he was trying to do them both a favour? When you cared about someone it made things doubly dangerous to get involved. Cared? Damn it, yes, he liked Gigi. Everything about her from her steady enthusiastic bulldozer nature to her shapely bare legs, creamy full breasts and man, those lips of hers, the taste of her, it made him want to forget everything and sink into kissing her for days, weeks.
Mierda. He needed to be stronger than this. Think betrayal. Think of broken promises and endless lies. Think… oh, crap, with a snap of Gigi’s fingers his sweatpants mysteriously disappeared. And Gigi was kneeling, pushing his legs apart so she was directly in front of his rampant ready turncoat cock. And that delighted smile on her face as she studied it, fuck, it just made him harder still.
He’d give everything he had, the bar, the boat, the entire contents of his bank account, if she’d just wrap those plump lips around his cock, except she hesitated. So close he could feel her heated breath on his rampant length. What cruel new trick was this?
“I’ve been playing up until now. But if you really want this, Nico, you’re going to have to say yes.”
He yanked his wrists apart, ropes made of yarn were no match for his innate strength. One hand coming around to sink into her glossy white blonde hair, tilting her head, staring down into those bottomless violet orbs of hers filled with a mixture of heat, amusement and something elusive he couldn’t name, but that he craved nevertheless.
