Page 92 of Sweet as Sin (Bad Habit 1)
Nico pulled me against him and kissed the top of my head. “This is what happens when you let A.J. order. He’ll end up eatin’ most of this himself.” He dropped his voice and murmured, “And I’ll end up eatin’ you, darlin’. That bikini should be illegal.”
I blushed and looked down at myself. The bikini in question was one of Chloe’s, a turquoise number with sequins on the bra. She loved sparkly stuff. I’d asked her to bring a spare when I invited her over that morning because most of my clothes were still at my house. Needless to say, my girls were spilling out of the bedazzled top. Chloe’s B cups were no match for my cleavage.
Nico’s appreciative gaze swept over me, and his eyes heated. “Would you think I was bein’ an overprotective asshole if I asked you to go change before the boys came up?”
I smiled, loving that he wanted me all for himself. “Since you asked so nicely, Mr. Nyx, no, I wouldn’t think that at all.” I rose up on my toes and gave him a kiss. His smile warmed me all the way through.
“Chloe, you want to come with me to change?” I tore my gaze from Nico to see Chloe already grazing through the food. Chewing on a wing, she nodded, then held up a finger.
“One sec. I’ll be right behind you. I just need to murder a few more of these first. I’m starving.”
Chloe was always starving. She had the metabolism of a jackrabbit. As further proof of the unfairness of the universe, she never gained an ounce, no matter how much she ate. Though she was my best friend, I had to admit my jealousy of her slender, athletic build. To me she looked like what God must have had in mind when he created Eve. Even with no makeup and her hair in a sloppy ponytail, shoving food into her mouth like a starving animal, she managed to look both glamorous and lovely.
I sighed. Then Nico pinched my ass.
“Hey.”
I looked up at him. His grin nearly melted me. He bent to whisper into my ear. “You’re the most beautiful girl in the world, Peony. Don’t forget it.”
“Peony?”
“Yep. Exotic. Rare. Smells like heaven. Brings good fortune. Peony. That’s you.”
It was my turn to grin at him. The man was excellent for my ego. “Have you been spending your spare time on the internet surfing flower sites?”
“Nah. Just a little somethin’ your florist friend here taught me the day I went into her shop for your birthday.”
“Oh, really?” I tried to sound put out. “So you went with roses for my birthday present instead of the exotic and heavenly peony, hmm?”
Nico’s smile grew even wider. He gazed down at me, his hair falling into his eyes, happy and so handsome it hurt. “Peonies are also a symbol of a happy marriage. I was savin’ those up for when I got you the ring.”
My heart flip-flopped inside my chest. “Are you for real?” I whispered.
He brushed his thumb across my cheek and squeezed his other arm around me. “Real as a heart attack, baby. Now go get changed before the boys get up here and get a look at you in that bikini and I have to do some murderin’ of my own. And not of chicken wings.”
He released me, lightly slapped my ass, leaned into the counter, and jerked his chin in the direction of the doorway. “Get.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re lucky that order was preceded by some sweet talk, mister, or I’d—”
“Yeah, I know exactly what you’d do.” Voices and footsteps echoed down the hall from the direction of the recording studio, and Nico glowered at me. “Now, get woman!”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. Quickly gathering my towel and the bag I’d stashed my sunglasses and lotion into, I skipped out of the kitchen and went upstairs to change, leaving Chloe sucking BBQ sauce from her fingers and Nico shaking his head.
When I came back downstairs no more than ten minutes later, I walked into what can only be described as a standoff.
Leaning against the counter in the same spot I’d left him was Nico. Right beside him was Brody, dressed casually like Nico in a T-shirt and jeans. Standing across the other side of the kitchen were Ethan and Chris. Propped on a bar stool he’d dragged across the kitchen was the recording engineer, Ray, an older guy with long, gray hair and round glasses. Everyone seemed a little confused.
In the middle of the room, glaring at each other across the island and trays of food, stood A.J. and Chloe.
“Because I’m her best friend, that’s why,” said Chloe, sounding defensive.
A.J.’s brows were drawn down, shadowing his eyes. The sneer in his voice was as unmistakable as the one on his face. “You two attached at the hip?”
“Yes, we’re attached at the hip.” Chloe’s voice was thick with sarcasm. “The cord is just invisible.”
“Too bad you’re not,” A.J. instantly shot back.
Chloe’s mouth fell open. Nico and Brody exchanged looks.
