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"It's not your fault, tiger," she assures me with a wink, trying to lighten the mood by resuming her silly pet name game.
"We can discuss where the blame falls in detail later, mon colibri," I mutter, dipping my head and placing a soft kiss on her lips before pulling away. Her body gets heavier in my hold when our mouths touch as she surrenders to me. "You scared the shit out of me."
"I didn't do anything. I'm still not even sure how you ended up here, Shane."
I shift our bodies so her back is to Nate and Ember and bring my lips to her mouth. I don't look over at the other two people in the room, but I also don't want them to see her reaction to my touch. That soft look that takes over her beautiful face when she yields to me completely. That is mine.
"I'll show you how I feel about not being the first person you called when you needed someone later. When we're alone. Do you understand me, Nicole?" I keep my tone low, for her only, and I'm rewarded a moment later when her face gets even softer than before. I pull her deeper into my arms, pressing my cheek to hers and closing my eyes.
"Yes," she breathes.
"Tell me, did you even think of calling me?" I question, my voice even lower, not willing to give our audience more of a show than they're already getting.
Her breath hitches, sensing the vulnerability I'm giving her by asking that in the first place. She doesn't call me on it, but instead, she nods, her smooth as silk skin caressing my cheek while she confirms. Her arms wrap around me even tighter, pressing our bodies as close as they can get. I harden slightly, closing my eyes and trying to calm down enough that I can let her go.
When I open my eyes and see Ember and Nate on the couch with a bowl of popcorn between them while they watch us with unabashed fascination, I don't even have to keep trying to kill my erection. Nope, they take care of it without trying. With Nikki safe in my arms, what is left of my tension drains from my body, and a moment later, I have to tighten my hold on her as my laughter takes over.
"Our friends are insane, cherie," I joke, turning her so she can see what I'm laughing at. She joins in, and I lose a little of my anger toward Nate for being here holding her when it should've been me. Not when he's helping put that smile on her face and that brightness back in her eyes just by being the crazy bastard he is.
"Yeah, honey, they are," she answers through her giggles. Her endearment slicing deep and burrowing even deeper.
"Oh, Nate!" Ember squeals.
"Hush, wife. It's getting good."
She takes a handful of popcorn and tosses it in his face.
He just picks up a piece from his lap and keeps his gaze on us. "So this thing is serious?"
"I told you it was!" Ember complains, jerking her elbow into his side.
"I didn't believe you, baby, but now, I'm thinking I do."
"You knew it was happening, Nate," I tell him, sobering at his seriousness.
He nods. "Well, that's true. You see, I'm in a tough spot here, man. You're my best friend, and I naturally don't want to see you get hurt, but the woman in your arms means something not just to my wife but to me, too. She's family, has been since Em and her swapped friendship bracelets when they were scrawny little pre-teens. So let this be your warning ... if you hurt her, friend or not, I'll make sure you can't send any more of those dick pics you seem fond of, again."
I give a brief jerk of my chin, respecting the fuck out of him for saying something.
"Right," he calls out, standing and dusting his hands on his jeans before looking over at his wife. "Woman, to the house!"
"But," Ember interjects, looking back and forth between us and her husband. "We're going to miss the best part."
Nate grunts and lifts her off the couch, placing the half empty bowl of popcorn on the cushion. "Which is exactly why we're leaving. You want the best part, I'll give it to you later, but you aren't watching that happen here." He drags her to the door, opens it, and looks over his shoulder, his cocky attitude back and mirth dancing in his eyes. "Wear protection, children. I'm not ready to be a grandparent."
Then they're gone, and I've got my girl in my arms laughing uncontrollably. I'll take that over her 'sweating eyes' any day.
* * *
1 little angel
NOTHING IS FAKE ABOUT THIS anymore ... not one thing.
I'm still laughing at Nate's parting shot when Shane takes my face in his hands. The warmth of his palms press against my neck while his thumbs sweep a soothing touch against my cheeks. The look in his eyes, though--that's something I hadn't seen before. Not from him. He's a man who holds his feelings back from others behind his mask of control. I swallow the thickness from my throat and wait, wait for him to lead. I'm terrified this might be the end of fake us, but at the same time, I'm oddly hopeful it's ending for a different reason than us not being together.
"What's going through your mind?" he questions softly.
How do I answer that? If I go with the truth, he might be gone quicker than he came, but... he also might not.
"Nikki, say it."
I know, at that moment, nothing gets past this man. I started this between us five weeks ago. I jumped in, never thinking about what would happen when we fed the attraction flaring brighter than fireworks when we were together. Even during the weeks I avoided him, I fed it. The past two weeks have only brought us closer. Who am I kidding; we're both fools if we believe it's even a little fake. There's no going back now.
"You."
"What about me, cherie?"
I hold his eyes, the rich brown swirling with both golds and greens, something I hadn't added to my mood index of Shane Kingston yet.
"You're acting like a real boyfriend," I finally say, my voice the barest of whispers.
Bracing myself for the end I'm so sure is about to come to this, he shocks the crap out of me by laughing.
"No, mon colibri, that I am not."
"What does that mean? The mon colibri you always call me."
His eyes roam my face and a tiny smile forms on his full lips. His hold adjusts slightly, allowing him to step closer and tip my head back slightly before he bends down and looks me directly in the eyes. "You mean you didn't look it up yet?" he challenges, looking so freaking delicious with this playful side.
I shake my head.
"It means"--he starts, eyes dancing and minty breath warming my lips--"my hummingbird." He presses a kiss to my lips, quick and delicious, before continuing, his lips moving against mine while he speaks. "When you're in my arms, my touch driving you mad, and you start that hum deep in your throat, I'll never stop trying to make that hummingbird I swear is trapped inside your chest go off. I've never heard anything like it."
