“Better not. You have Nicholas.” He gives me a quick wink, and I smile at him, relieved.
He thinks “the D” is what makes ladies happy, but what he doesn’t seem to realize is that it’s more oral action that can make women swoon. I didn’t know how much I loved it until I met Nicholas. But then, it’s difficult not to adore the act when he licks you like he can’t get enough—that he’s going crazy for the taste of you.
I serve myself some beef. “Lickolas, can you pass me the potato salad?”
Everyone goes still. Slowly, heads swivel in my direction. The wives are looking amused while the brothers are just…speechless. The silence is suffocating. Even Nicholas is staring at me oddly.
“What?” Is there some secondary meaning of potato salad I don’t know about?
“You called him Lickolas,” Sierra says finally.
“Huh?” I let out a no-way laugh. “I did not.”
“You did. We all heard you,” Griffin says. He doesn’t strike me as the type to joke about something like this.
I turn to Nicholas, hoping he can rescue me. But he shrugs and nods.
Oh no.I bury my undoubtedly flaming face in my hands.I was thinking about oral action earlier…
Your mom would’ve never made this kind of mistake,a voice that sounds just like Dad thunders in my head.Now what will they think? You’re such an embarrassment.
I shrink a little. I wanted so much to make a good impression, but now…all ruined. I bite my lip, my appetite gone.
“Well, don’t keep us in suspense,” Lucie says, her voice warm and titillated.
“Yeah,” says Amy. She grins. “Do tell us how you came up with that particular nickname.”
I jerk my head up.What?
“I want to knowexactlywhat he does to get a nickname—or should I saylickname—like that,” Sierra says. “I’ve been looking for new product ideas, and I can literally see the whole packaging.” She sweeps an arm in front of her, painting a vista. “Nicholas…Lick-a-Lass!”
“Get a couple of spoons and show us,” Amy says, teasing sparks in her eyes.
Huxley frowns. “A couple of spoons…?”
“If you put two together,” Sierra says, “they sort of have the right size and shape.”
“You ladies think he’s got something because you’ve never seen me do it,” Noah says. “Behold thetrueLick-a-Lass action!” He raises two spoons.
“Hey, that’smyspoon!” Sebastian says, plucking one out of Noah’s grasp.
The men start to get loud and rowdy. Undeterred, Noah slowly licks his single spoon. “What do you think, Molly? Better than Nicholas?”
Nicholas scoffs. “You’re an amateur!”
I laugh. “I’m not getting roped into judging something like this.”
Noah turns to Sierra. “She’s too overcome to say. I demand to be the model for Lick-a-Lass! Which, by the way, should have a different name to fit me better.”
“Like…?” Sierra says.
“Hey, get your marketing team on it,” Noah says. “Do I have to do everything?”
“The only thing that rhymes with Noah isboa. I don’t think that’s the image you’re going for here,” says Emmett.
Griffin looks up at the ceiling. “There’sprotozoa…”
“Ugh. No,” Sierra says.
