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I throw him a smirk and an eyeroll for good measure. I can’t believe I’m doing this either. This is so unbelievably unlike me. My pulse pounds with a mix of nerves and excitement as I fold onto the chaise, and Nico positions me to his liking.
He squints, snagging his bottom lip between his teeth as he adjusts the pillow, the chenille throw, then the tall floor lamp. He cradles my cheek, turning it just so, then arranges my wild hair across my shoulders. “There, perfect.”
Nico rushes across the room, and I struggle to remain still as he hauls an easel, paints and a new canvas over. Once he’s finally settled on the stool, he turns that mesmerizing gaze on me. “This will be my greatest work yet. I can feel it in the depths of my soul.”
An embarrassing chuckle bursts free, the intensity of the moment too much. “You’re so cheesy sometimes.”
He grins. “You bring it out in me.”
The fact that I bring any sort of light to this man’s dark world brings me a swell of satisfaction. He brings the brush to the canvas, and the soft strokes fill the silence between us. I’m scared to move, scared to breathe. But I’m shockingly comfortable completely naked beneath my former stalker’s scrutinizing gaze.
I’ve certainly come a long way from the insecure bundle of nerves Nico kidnapped all those months ago. I can’t help but wonder how I’ve impacted his life. Despite the strides we’ve made, the king of Gemini Corp still remains tight-lipped about his past.
Maybe now that he’s relaxed and doing what he loves would be a good time to delve a little deeper…
“Can I talk?” I murmur through clenched teeth, trying to keep my face perfectly still.
“Yes, just try not to move.”
I heave out a breath and watch him for a minute longer before I summon the nerve for my first line of questioning. His brows are furrowed in concentration, his lips smashed tight together. I almost hate the idea of disturbing his focus, but how often do I have his full, undivided attention when we’re not in bed naked?
Well, I’m naked, but still…
“So while we’re here,” I blurt before I lose my nerve. “I figured maybe we could play a game.”
“A game?” His dark brows arch. “I’m kind of preoccupied, little fox.”
“It’s easy, it’s called twenty questions.”
He clenches the paintbrush between his teeth. “Mmm, I see.”
“Is that a yes?”
“I suppose we can try it, as long as I don’t find it too distracting.”
“Great.” I nearly jump up and clap my hands, until Nico’s gaze cuts across the room. “Okay, right, I’m keeping still while asking questions.”
“I’ll go first,” he interjects.
Well, that’s unexpected. “Okay.”
“Were you ever intimate with another man before Jasper?”
Embarrassment floods my cheeks, heat racing up my neck. My eyes nearly bulge out of my head, and it takes every ounce of restraint not to wrap my arms around my bare chest like flesh and blood armor.
“I—I…”
“Please don’t misunderstand my intention, little fox. I’m not asking because I find you inexperienced or your abilities not up to par because trust me, you are the best I’ve ever had. I’m only curious to confirm that once Jasper no longer walks this earth, I will be the only man to lay claim on that beautiful pussy in any and all respects.” A smug grin curls his perfect lips. “It only heightens the incentive to find and end the man.”
“What if he wasn’t? Would you go around killing all the men that have seen me naked?”
He cocks his head to the side, and the brush’s strokes grow wilder and more rushed. “Maybe,” he finally growls.
A chill skitters up my spine, and I can’t hide the fine tremor this time. “Well, then I guess it’s a good thing it’s just you.”
That smile grows wider, and my stupid heart beats faster for this monster of a man.
“I suppose so.”
