He raises an unimpressed eyebrow. “I’m six-foot-three.”
“Whatever you say,Short King.” I grin, making him huff a reluctant laugh. “This’ll work. It’s got everything I need.”
“That’s it?” he asks, crossing his arms.
“That’s it.”
“Why did I have to come?”
“To drive me here, obviously.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out, instantly grinning when I see a message from Sparkle. “Dreamgirl’s awake,” I announce, more to myself than Nicholas, but he’s watching me now, curiosity sparking in his otherwise grumpy expression.
I click on the video, and the van fills with the unmistakable sound of her breathless moans. The screen lights up with a shot of her fingers moving against her clit, her head tipping back as she murmurs my name like a prayer.
“Holy shit,” I whisper, leaning in closer to the screen like it might pull me through.
Nicholas, wide-eyed, mutters an equally stunned,“Fuck.”
Snapping out of it, I quickly shut off the screen, cutting the sound mid-moan. The abrupt silence feels almost obscene, but not half as much as Nicholas’s slack-jawed expression.
“What the fuck, man?” I glare at him, holding my phone protectively against my chest. “Those are Sparkle perks. Subscription only.”
He blinks, visibly shaking himself out of whatever trance she just pulled him into. “Sorry, I didn’t?—”
“It’s fine.” I wave him off, smirking. “That was a teaser. You’re on the free trial, but you should consider upgrading to a plan soon. Comes with exclusive content and…perks.” I wiggle my eyebrows at him.
“You’re so full of shit,” he shoots back, his ears faintly pink as he adjusts his cuffs unnecessarily.
“Am I?” I lean casually against the van’s side, flipping the phone in my hand. “Because that sounded an awful lot like someone who got a sneak peek of something he’s not ready to admit he wants.”
“I don’t want—” He stops himself, clearly thinking better of it, then points at me with a sharp glare. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re jealous.” I grin wider, enjoying the hell out of this. “It’s okay,Harrington. It’s cute. Just remember, if you want the premium plan, you’ll have to earn it.”
“You’re ridiculous,” he mutters, turning away, but not before I catch the faintest flicker of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Fair.” I step out of the van. “But I’ve got the girl,andI’m taller.” Nicholas follows, his scowl deepening, but I don’t give him a chance to fire back. Turning to the seller, I toss him a quick nod. “We’ll take it.”
“Great!” The guy’s grin stretches wide. “Okay, like we said, sixteen grand in cash, and it’s all yours.”
I glance at Nicholas. “Pay the man,Harrington.”
“Why the hell would I?—”
“Don’t act like you don’t have that much cash on you right now.”
He scoffs, then pulls his wallet from his jacket and counts out the bills with an air of disdain. “Fine.” He slaps the cash into the guy’s hand.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” the seller says with a sly grin.
I walk around the van to the driver’s side, turning back to point at Nicholas. “Fix this with her, dickhead.”
He narrows his eyes but doesn’t respond, his visible irritation as satisfying as the hum of the van’s engine beneath my hand. I give him one last smirk before pulling away, leaving himstanding there with his expensive shoes, his frown, and a van’s worth of unresolved feelings.
Time to get back to my Sparkle.
Maybe she needs a hand.
