Chapter 20

Mo

Nico napped for twenty-seven minutes and thirty seconds.

I know because I watched every second pass on the clock while he was passed out in my arms. Pressing a kiss to his shoulder when he finally starts to stir, I let my hand wander down the smooth lines of Nico's stomach and stroke him gently.

He mumbles something in Spanish before pushing back against me, my erection just as painful as it was twenty-eight minutes ago.

"You up yet, Montez?" I growl into his ear, feeling him stiffen in my hand.

"Shh, I'm having the sexiest dream." He wiggles his ass, and a groan escapes my mouth. Nico chuckles, rolling on the bed so we're face-to-face.

"Is there a problem, Coach?"

"Keep talking and there will be."

He laughs and leans in to kiss me. His scruff rubs against my jaw as he tilts his head, coaxing my mouth open as I let his tongue touch mine. It's slow and sweet, and to my utmost surprise, I don't hate it.

My dick throbs painfully as Nico climbs on top of me, my dress pants completely tented as he sneaks his fingers under my underwear.

"Think we can take these off now."

He shimmies down the bed, pulling off my clothes in one swift motion. Before he can plant his lips on my cock, I grab him by the hair and haul him back up to my mouth. Our earlier sweetness turns into a distant memory as I ravish his lips like a wild animal.

Nico gives as much as I take, greedily running his hands along the hard lines of my body as I let my fingers wander back down to his ass. He immediately pushes back against them, moaning when one of my digits slip in.

My arousal spikes as he gasps and tilts his head back, exposing the long, tanned line of his neck when I press against his prostate.

"What are you doing to me?" His words turn into a moan when I slip another finger inside him.

"I'm doing what you've done to me since that first day." My words are harsh in his ear, the pressure in my chest building until I can't breathe, "Driving me fucking insane."

He grins, "If this is what hating me feels like, I should have hopped on the bandwagon."

Nico pushes me away, clumsily climbing over my body to yank open the nightstand next to the bed. Grabbing a condom and the lube bottle, he wastes no time in getting me wrapped and ready.

I grab his waist and flip us over so Nico is pinned against the bed. His legs wrap around my waist and I slide into position, the tight ring of muscle making me fight for control as I slowly ease into him.

"I don't make a habit of hating people." My breathing hitches as I bottom out, the pressure in my dick almost as intense as the one in my chest, "But you make it really fucking difficult to stay in control."

His nails scrape down my back as I start to move and the jolt of pain has my control unravelling faster than a thread. My hips drive into him with hard, punishing thrusts that make us both gasp for air.

"Don't stay in control then." Nico grips my ass and pushes me in deeper. His dark eyes meet mine right before he gives me a blinding smile, "Just let go."

I feel something break as my body takes over. My mind shuts off completely as I lose myself in the man beneath me, every sensation intensified to an almost painful degree.

"Fuck, Nico. I'm about to come."

Sweat trickles down my neck, my movements becoming more and more frenzied. Nico leans forward and licks the sweat right off my skin.

"Don't wait for me."

Capturing my lips, he kisses me right over the edge. My body shudders as the release hits, my hips pumping ferociously so Nico can ride the same high. He finishes with a cry, his ass clenching my dick so tight I almost come a second time.

Collapsing on the bed next to him, my chest heaves as I bring my breathing back down to normal. A hand snakes out to touch my stomach and without even looking, I can tell the smirk is back on Nico's face.

"So, on a scale of one to ten…"

I roll my eyes, fighting the smile trying to take over my face.

"How much do you still hate me?"

He nuzzles my neck, wrapping an arm around my sticky body. Normally, I"m the first one to shower after any sort of sexual activity, but for some reason, the warmth of Nico's body has me reconsidering that decision.

"Still a ten." He huffs out a laugh and I finally let the smile break free, "But keep this up and one of these days you might drop to a nine."

"You wound me."

I chuckle, letting my eyes drift close.

"In tenth grade, a girl got her period while I was eating her out. That's my worst sex story."

A stunned silence falls between us, both of us shocked by my honesty.

"Babe that's so… messy." Nico snorts, breaking the tension as his shoulders start to shake, "How did it taste?"

"You don't want to know."

He cracks up and the uneasiness gets replaced with something else. Something lighter.

"And let me guess. Even after your downtown liaison turned into a horror movie you kept going."

My shoulder lifts in a shrug, "I always finish what I start."

Wiping his eyes, Nico pats my cheek, "You are my role model."

"Doubt it."

He laughs, "When it comes to your prowess with women, no, you are not my role model. But everything else I admire."

I raise a brow, "This is coming from the man who said I have a stick up my ass."

"Technicalities. I admire how much you care about Stella. Few people in this world put other people"s needs before their own, but I see you do that with your sister."

My breath hitches, "How could you possibly know that?"

He shrugs, using his fingers to tap a beat on my pec, "I'm observant. I grew up watching Wes be protective of Lacey and I see the same thing with you and Stella. You lost your mother a few years ago, right?"

I shift uncomfortably, feeling my barriers start to creep back up. Nico has already wiggled his way into my head, I don't need him touching what's left of my heart.

That part belongs to my mother.

"She was run off the road by a drunk driver." Sliding out of his embrace, I don't look at him as I tilt my head towards the bathroom.

"I should clean myself up. I'll see you at practice tomorrow morning."

He doesn't say another word as I leave the bedroom, and when I finally emerge from the shower half an hour later, he's gone. The empty walls of my bedroom stare back at me as I sit on the edge of the bed, waiting for the relief to hit me.

Except it never does.

Nico

Today's the day.

Sucking down air like it might go out of style, I force myself to knock on the door. Green hair hits my vision and I instinctively take a step back when Cecelia's terrifying gaze sweeps over me.

"What do you want?"

I fight the urge to flinch and paste a grimacing smile on my face, "Looking lovely today, CeCe. Is Lacey around?"

Her scowl cuts right through me, "That's a terrible nickname. Why would I keep tabs on my roommate?"

Choosing not to point out the fact they have an adjoining wall, I wave my white flag, "If you knew where Lacey was then I'm sure Wes would spend a lot more time talking to you."

Her eyes spark with interest and I know I've got her. She gives me a nod and steps aside, "He should come by more often."

I grin, slipping through the doorway before she can change her mind, "I"ll be sure to relay the message. Thanks CeCe!"

Bolting for Lacey's dorm room, I throw myself inside and quickly lock the door. Lacey shoots me an amused glance from the tiny single bed, lowering the book in her hands.

"Cecelia?"

I nod, gasping for breath, "The scariest creature in all of Taber."

She laughs, moving over and making room for me on the bed. My feet dangle off the end as I join her, the heavy duty mattress topper softening the unforgiving Styrofoam pad underneath.

Tucking a strand of long, dark hair behind her ear, Lacey looks every bit the girl I fell in love with. The porcelain skin and green eyes are stunning even before you add the midnight-coloured hair and willowy frame.

"How are you doing, mi amor?"

I lean in and give her a kiss on her forehead. Lacey wrinkles her nose and gives me a sniff.

"That's not your cologne. What did you get up to last night?" She sniffs again and grins, "You were with Mo, weren't you? I remember that scent from the car ride home the other day."

I groan, dropping my head on her plush pillow, "Just call me out, why don't you."

She shrugs, "Not my fault you didn't shower before coming here. You should remember that for the future."

"Already noted." She nudges my shoulder and I sigh, "I was at his house this morning. We hooked up after the game this weekend and I wanted to apologize for leaving without a goodbye."

"Sounds like somebody has a crush." Lacey smiles, "And from the smell of things, I'd say the apology went over well."

"It did go well. A little too well."

And that's how, for the next twenty-minutes, I end up spilling all my assistant coach woes. Lacey listens patiently, absorbing my newfound romantic drama like a champ.

"So, he only got cold once the personal questions came up?"

I nod, "But he totally answered my worst sex story question without prompt!"

She grimaces, "Asking for someone's worst sex story and how their mother died are two very different things, Nico."

Shit. She's got a point.

"Damn it. And here I thought we were making progress."

Lacey smiles, leaning into my shoulder, "Don't be discouraged. It sounds like you've made more progress than anybody. I have to say it's nice to finally see you excited about a love interest."

My jaw drops, "Wow. There was no mention of love here. This is all about sex. Which happens to be exquisite. You know I don't do relationships."

"You never used to do more than one night either. Guess both you and Mo have both made progress."

I frown playfully, "And here I thought I would be the one giving you boy advice."

"That would require an interest on my part." She casts her eyes downward and pats her book, "That's what fictional men are for."

"You deserve a real man, mi amor. One that gives you the same hopeful feeling these books of yours do." I pick up the book and point at the cover, "There are definitely cowboys here in Taber. We just have to hit the right places."

"I'd rather read from the sidelines." Her smile slips, taking my heart with it, "I don't want to be hurt again."

The reason for my impromptu visit starts to burn a hole in my pocket and my heart kicks into overdrive. I swallow the nerves rising in my throat and grab the pill bottle that has been haunting me for the last seven days. Lacey's eyes go wide when she sees it.

"You found it! I've been looking for that everywhere." She takes it from my hand and hugs it to her chest. I stare, shell-shocked, as she beams in my direction.

"Where did you find it?" Her reaction has me at a complete loss for words, so it takes me a few moments to re-assemble this conversation in my brain.

"I found it at the bottom of your memory box on move-in day." She frowns but I continue, "I meant to bring it up sooner but then all this stuff with Maurice happened and I was a coward…"

"Why would you steal it?"

"Because I was worried you would try to take the pills again!" I blurt out the words, my biggest fear tumbling from my mouth, "I don"t know why you kept the pills after you-

"Tried to commit suicide." She stares back at me sadly, the pain in her expression making me want to weep.

"I just didn't want to risk losing you again. Stealing the pill bottle was a stupid idea, but I just panicked when I saw it."

Hanging my head in defeat, I feel my tear ducts start to burn. Lacey's purple fingernails hit my line of vision and I watch her pop the lid open.

"Did you look inside?" Her voice is warm and soft and it somehow makes me want to cry more.

"Maurice suggested I look but I was too scared. I gave it one good shake and that was enough."

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what a rattling pill bottle means.

"Hold out your hand."

I frown, giving her a confused glance as I offer up my palm. Lacey dumps out the contents of the pill bottle and I stare at them in shock.

"Is this the friendship bracelet I made you?"

My hand trembles as I lift up the beaded bracelet, the misshaped letters spelling out mi amor staring back at me.

Lacey smiles sheepishly, "It's a trick my therapist taught me. My actions and my consequences affect the people I love and sometimes when times get hard, I need a reminder."

A tear slides down my cheek and she wipes it away with a sigh, "I realize now that trying to take my own life was selfish. It would have ruined you, it would have ruined Wesley, and it would have ruined my parents. This is a reminder that even when I hate the world, there will always be people in it that are worth living for."

"Awe Lace." I'm too choked up to say anything else, my tears soaking the sleeve of her hoodie as she pulls me close.

"I'm sorry, Nico. I never meant to hurt you." She sniffs, wrapping her arms tightly around me.

"I know you didn't, mi amor. I know you didn't."

I stroke her hair, letting the pain of our past drip away with every fallen tear. We hold onto each other until the last of it has passed and then I let my head drop onto her shoulder.

"I think I need another nap." My eyes are already starting to close when Lacey lets out a laugh.

"Shower first. Then nap." She finds my hand and squeezes it, "No offence but you can't pull off Mo's cologne."

"Ouch."

She lets out another laugh and my heart feels ten times lighter. Sliding off the single bed, I press one last kiss against her forehead.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right? Good or bad, I'm always here for you."

She smiles, "I know. I love you, Nico."

"Back at cha, mi amor."