Page 14 of Sweet as Sin (Bad Habit 1)
“Actually I have this condition where my blood pressure spikes when I’m near an overbearing asshole.”
Wow, that slipped out much too easily. And apparently with convincing venom, judging by the expression on Nico’s face. His jaw gritted so hard I thought his teeth might shatter. His voice came out in a growl.
“Why are you tryin’ so hard not to like me?”
Obi shouted, “Cue music! We’re rolling!”
I kept my mouth shut, looked at the ceiling, and tried to look like I wished I was anywhere else. The music started. After a tense moment, Nico again began to sing.
I stared off into the middle distance like a cat ignoring its owner’s calls.
This time there was no shout of “Cut!” The room was quiet. The only sound I heard was the music and Nico’s voice, soft in my ear, singing about finding love and losing it. Singing about longing, and loneliness, and loss.
Things I knew all about.
My throat got tight. I closed my eyes for a second, trying to avoid Nico’s piercing stare. As his nose was only inches from mine, this was difficult. Closing my eyes helped.
We made it through the rest of the song in one take. I had looked appropriately disinterested.
“That was awesome, Kat!” Obi fist-pumped the air. “You looked totally turned off!”
A low rumble went through Nico’s chest. I ignored it. “Thanks.”
“Okay, everyone. Ceremony’s next, yo. Let’s get to it!”
People began to hustle. Nico stayed put, his arms hard around me, legs tangled with mine.
I lifted my head, and tried to move. This was like trying to move from beneath a boulder that’s flattened you. “Um. Shouldn’t we . . . ”
“Yes, we should.” His grin was wicked.
We weren’t talking about the same thing.
“I meant shouldn’t we get up. We should get up.”
Nico stared at me, grin fading. The intensity in his eyes was more than a little scary. I blundered ahead. “You might have to help me a bit, though. This dress is—”
“I’m gonna ask you a question, Kat. And you’re gonna give me an honest answer.”
This didn’t sound good. My heartbeat kicked up a notch. I swallowed because my mouth had turned desert dry. “Which is?”
He gave me a long, searching look. Then he bent his head and whispered into my ear, “Are you wet for me?”
My heart decided now would be a good time to have an attack. I couldn’t blame it.
“Don’t be disgusting!”
Of course I wasn’t disgusted. I was too busy having a heart attack. Nico wasn’t buying it, either.
“You are. I know you are. Your face is flushed. You’re breathin’ hard. Your heart’s poundin’. And beneath your panties, your pussy is soakin’ wet.”
If my face was flushed before, now it went molten. It didn’t help matters that he was right. I tore my eyes away, escaping the intensity of his gaze.
“You’re an arrogant prick, Nico Nyx.”
He chuckled. “Doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
I hated that he could read me so easily. I hated how effortlessly I was falling apart in his arms. I hated how self-confident he was, how sure of the effect he was having on me. I hated it all, but I loved it, too, which was far more dangerous.
