Brooke popped the bagel into the toaster and opened the cream cheese container. Her hair had lost its bounce and she looked tired beneath the makeup. “I can pull it but it’s not going to help. It’s been shared and liked so many times, it’s out in cyber world.”
Alice snatched up her phone and hit Mitchell’s line but got his voicemail. She hung up and sent a scathing text. He could avoid phone calls but not texts. One more thing for Niko to hate her over. “I have to talk to him before he finds out.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Niko hummed under his breath as he finished putting away the last of the rum balls. Only a few short hours before, Alice had been on this very table, his hips nestled between her legs. What he’d give to turn back the clock. Passionate and without inhibitions, Alice continued to surprise him.
“Hey,” Alice said.
He snapped his head up and scanned her lithe figure. She’d changed into jogging gear, her wet hair pulled back. From the drawn look on her face, something wasn’t right. His blood pressure immediately rose and he settled his hand on his hip. “What’s wrong?”
She pulled out her phone, scrolled through it, lips drawn down. “There is something I need to show you. And before I do, I had no clue, I promise. It was Mitchell all the way.”
“Is this about Chloe?” If that bastard exploited her in any way, he’d quit the damn show, and kick them out of his space.
“No, it’s not about her. It’s about you.” She held up her phone, her slender hand shaking the slightest bit.
Niko studied the picture of himself shirtless in boxers and socks. “I’m not really sure how to process this. Where did you get this? Wait, that’s in the kitchen.”
“It’s raw footage from the interview where we made truffles. I swore I edited this out but apparently, I didn’t. I’m so sorry. I’ve been posting pictures of the contestants for teasers but this is a family show. I would never post partial nudity, I…” she lowered her arm and flashed him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry.”
“Partial nudity? Really, that’s what you call this picture? Did you forget about my MMA career? Because I wore about the same thing. Less, I guess, if you count the socks.” He skirted the table and forced her chin up until she looked at him. She was taking this more seriously than the situation warranted.
Her eyes widened and confusion tightened her mouth. “You’re not mad about this?”
“Not really, it’s not exactly shocking nowadays.” He leaned in and kissed her, not able to resist. Her hands flattened on his chest, fingers skimming up his neck, mouth parting to his questing tongue. Toothpaste mingled with sweet, velvety woman. Wanting to comfort Alice was becoming a habit. She was a grown woman in charge but in some small way, she seemed lost. Odd but expected given her need to control everything. He slipped his arm around her waist and drew her closer. Not that he was one to be talking. He liked things his own way. It was human nature.
Niko pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. “Stop stressing about it. It’s not the end of the world.”
“It’s a problem because we’re letting the audience vote via social media for a fan favorite. This might possibly give you an edge over Diana for the extra bonus of a thousand dollars to the winning charity.”
Niko trailed his lips across her temple, inhaling the subtle vanilla of her damp hair. “It’s a picture. I hardly think it’ll influence people.”
“Did you not see how many people have viewed this link? Tens of thousands, you’re trending on two different sites. I pulled the original post but Brooke said it might be impossible to take it off-line.”
“My skills with chocolate will ensure I win against Diana, not any picture of me.” Her lack of faith in his abilities pricked his pride. When he won, it would be because of his own proficiency at cooking, not luck. “Did you post pictures of Diana?”
She shuffled her foot, her cheeks flaming with color. “Of course I did, only she’s in uniform. And the original pictures I posted of you were what you’re wearing during the show. Granted, you received a lot of likes because you’re…um… nice looking, and the tattoos seems to be getting a lot of positive comments, but this is a family show and I’ll get some flack from some of the more conservative sponsors.”
His anger deflated with each stammered compliment. He bit the inside of his mouth, finding it hard to keep a straight face. Where had this sudden shyness come from? “If you want my body, and you think I’m sexy, come on sugar, let me know,” he said, quoting vintage Rod Stewart.
Alice narrowed her blue eyes and punched him lightly in the stomach. “You’re being an ass. I’m trying to apologize and you’re being an ass.”
He gripped her fist and pulled her tighter into his body. Her soft breasts burned into his chest, her breath quickening at the contact. “I’m being a bad boy. Do you want to spank me?”
“This is serious.” She ruined her chastisement by erupting in laughter.
“You told me the truth and I trust that you did the right thing.” When he’d started to, he couldn’t pinpoint. After Maria, he’d found it hard to trust his own judgment when it came to women. Yet Alice felt like family after a week and he couldn’t recall what life was like before her. “Just because last night happened, doesn’t mean I want favoritism. If you’re uncomfortable with this, give the money to Diana’s charity. Charity is charity. But just so you know, I do plan to win.”
She slid her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, her breath warm on his neck. “You’re a good man Niko Stavo and I never doubted for a second that you want to win.”
He caressed the soft skin below her ear with his lips, wanting to sink into her body and never let go. “I have an hour before my shift, want to go upstairs and get naked? Or do you still have edits?”
“Screw the edits.” She spun out of his arms and darted to the staircase, laughter trailing in her wake. “Are you coming? Time’s a wasting.”
Niko chased after her. He would make time, even if it meant showing up a few minutes late for his shift at Vicenzo’s. It had been ages since he’d done something for himself and he’d be damned if he’d pass up an offer to have sex with a gorgeous woman.
It was just sex.
