“Are you still sore?” he asks.
The only answer I can give him is a small nod.
“Then I guess I’ll need to get creative.”
CHAPTER 22
NERO ZANTHOS
“That’s an interesting decorating choice,” I say, lips pressed together in an attempt to hide my smile as I step into the pink-walled bedroom with white furniture. Posters are stuck up everywhere, and a few stuffed animals sit on shelves.
“Don’t be condescending,” Nina turns to me, finger pointed, her expression very serious. “This is embarrassing enough without your teasing.”
“It’s kind of cute.” I pull her into my arms and rest my forehead against hers. “We’ll probably need to cover the stuffed animals for what I planned tonight, or that would be weird—but I liked getting to know a bit of the teenager you were.”
Nina makes a face, unimpressed by my attempt to distract her from the embarrassment of having me in her space.
“I can leave,” I offer, and she looks up at me.
“That’s not it. It’s just that no girl wants the guy she’s sleeping with to see her teenage bedroom. It’s embarrassing.”
“The guy you’re sleeping with?”
“The hot guy she’s sleeping with?” She throws the question back at me, adding the compliment as if she doesn’t know exactly what I meant in the first place.
“I think we need to have a conversation about labels.”
“Oh—nowyou’rebeing kind of cute.”
“The guy you’re sleeping with is cute?” I click my tongue and pull my head back, shaking it side to side. “We definitely need to have a conversation about labels.”
I turn Nina and drop her onto the single bed behind us. She lets out a small shriek and laughs. I lean over her, kneeling on the mattress, lace my fingers with hers, and lift her arms above her head.
“Do you remember what I told you a few days ago, Nina?”
“About me being your favorite show?” She dodges the subject she knows I’m talking about, that mischievous smile on her face. I can’t help it—I laugh softly and bring my lips close to her ear before answering.
“No,Little Fae. I said I can be very persuasive.”
The last word barely leaves my mouth when I pin both her hands together with one of mine and slide the other beneath her dress, touching her over her panties. Nina lets out a soft moan.
“No clever comebacks?” She looks at me, lips parted, and lifts her hips, grinding into my hand, asking for more. I smile wickedly. “Good. Now that we’re on the same page, let’s talk about those labels.”
***
“So—have you managed to convince Nina to make you an honest man, or are you still a stray?” Apollo asks the moment he shuts the car door.
I glance sideways at Nina, remembering the conversation we had about this two days ago at her place. I open my own door, step out, and walk around to open hers.
“I’ll let her answer that herself,” I say, interlacing our fingers as we join Apollo at the restaurant parking lot exit. The color blooming onLittle Fae’s cheeks tells me her thoughts went exactly where mine did.
“So?” Apollo asks her directly. Atlas joins us when we reach him a few spaces ahead.
“Why did he come with us again?” Nina asks, dodging the question. I narrow my eyes at her.
“You really don’t know Apollo if you think that’ll work.”
“It won’t work,” Apollo says himself, and Nina rolls her eyes.
