Too Sweet (Hayes Brothers #3)(93)

“Give me a minute,” she says. “I owe you an apology.”

“Save it for someone who cares,” Cody’s voice booms behind me, and a shudder of relief rattles down my spine.

I’m still absolutely useless at confrontation.

“I’m trying to apologize,” Blair insists, glaring as his hand snakes around my middle.

“Bullshit. You’re trying to make yourself look good.”

She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip, eyes locked on Cody, tears welling. “I’ve seen the video... I didn’t hurt her, but—”

“You’ve been hurting her for years.”

She swallows hard, lifting her chin. “You’re right. And I’m sorry about that, and about...” She lets out a defeated breath. “I feel responsible. Maybe if I said something... I’m a girl, too, you know? What Jake did... I feel for Mia.”

“You’re not a girl, Blair. You’re a bitch, and you don’t feel. Save the theatricals for someone who gives a fuck.”

He ushers me down the corridor, away from Brandon and Blair, away from the curious eyes of other students who stopped nearby, pretending to talk with friends while listening to the exchange.

“You didn’t have to be so rude,” I say when we emerge from the building. “People change, Cody.”

He scoffs. “She hasn’t changed. She’s just aware everyone’s looking out for you now, and if she keeps acting like a bitch, it’ll come back to bite her ass. Don’t forget all the shit she put you through, Mia.”

I wish I could forget. What’s the point in dwelling on the past? All it does is bring me down. Nico was right when he said I don’t believe in myself.

What happened, happened.

I dealt with Asher.

I dealt with Jake.

It’s time I deal with the bullying and ridicule I suffered for years so my self-esteem stops taking a nose-dive. Maybe forgiving people who hurt me is the first step to healing?

THIRTY-FIVE
Mia

I ZIP UP THE SUITCASE, all packed and ready for the morning flight to Monaco. Nico sits on the bed, talking on the phone when I straddle him, running my fingers down from his chin to his zipper and back.

He’s been tiptoeing around me for two weeks, giving me time and space to process what Jake did. While I was glad at first, I’m not anymore.

Every day the invisible line he drew introduces more doubts. He kisses me like there’ll be no tomorrow. He holds me close whenever I’m within reach. He acts the same, but he hasn’t touched me the way I need him to.

And I really do need him in. Not just to reassure myself that we’re fine. That the clip he saw hasn’t changed anything, but also because every touch of his hands on me nearly tips me over. I miss him. I miss seeing his hooded eyes, feeling the heat radiating off his big body, and watching him come undone.

“I’ll call you back,” he tells whoever’s on the other side of the line and cuts the call. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing.” I lean in for a kiss, sweeping my tongue along the seam of his mouth, then in, tasting, teasing.

He weaves his fingers in my hair, matching my rhythm but not taking control like he did many times before.

“You’ve been a ten for a long time, but you’re losing points,” I whisper, knotting my fingers on the nape of his neck. “Kiss me like you mean it.”

He grips me hard, stopping me in place when I circle my hips, grinding into him. “Not yet.”

“Why?”

“It’s too soon. Don’t rush this.”

“I’m not rushing. I want you to treat me the way you did before. I need to know you still want me.”

“I do.” He flips me over, hanging over me as he rests his weight on his elbows. “Of course, I want you, baby. Nothing changed, but—”

“Prove it. Show me you still want me. I don’t need time. I had enough, Nico. I need you. In. Please... I want you in.”

He leans over me, staring so intently it feels like he’s trying to read my mind like he can pull my thoughts out of my head if he tries hard enough.

“I want a taste first,” he finally says, pushing me further up the bed. “Stop me if—”

“I won’t. Please... I need you to take me the way you always do. Don’t change anything.”

He stops pulling my panties down my legs and looks up, studying me for another long, tense moment like he’s looking for something he lost. Whatever he finds seems to satisfy him because he slides my panties off, throws the white scrap of lace over his shoulder, and dips his head, spreading me with his thumbs.

The first slow, thorough lick of his tongue has me fisting the sheets with a soft moan. It’s been too long.

“Good girl,” he whispers, gripping my ass, and licks again, bottom to top like he’s trying to drive me wild with need. “Fuck... you’re so sweet, baby. I missed this.”

I missed this, too. The cramps in my abdomen, the sinking feeling, the closeness, and bursts of endorphins. My hips arch off the bed, and I clamp my thighs around his head, keeping him in place. Nico slips a finger inside, hitting my G spot a few times before the orgasm hits, zapping my nerve endings like a tiny earthquake.

“One,” he utters against me. “I want at least five, Mia. There’s nothing I like more than seeing you come.”