Nine

Stevie was in love.

Completely.

Irrevocably.

She'd never seen anything as adorable as this puppy in her entire life.

"What's his name?" she asked Nico, aware of him banging around in the kitchen.

"Didn't give him one," he grumbled.

Stevie lay on the floor, knees toward the ceiling, letting the dog sniff her neck and face. She inhaled his sweet puppy breath, unable to stop smiling.

"Well, you gotta have a name," she whispered, then raised her voice to talk to Nico. "What were you makin'?"

"Fajitas."

Her stomach rumbled. She shouldn't have been hungry because she'd gone to her dad's for dinner. Unfortunately, Stan Shepherd hadn't made his famous fried spaghetti like he promised. He lost track of time, or so he said. When she got there, she found him on the computer in his office talking to some woman he'd met online. At that point, thoughts of food had evaded her, replaced by the overwhelming need to warn her father that he couldn't trust everyone he met on the internet.

"I'm not an idiot, Stevie," he'd told her.

He wasn't. She knew that. However, she also knew he'd finally moved on from his intense rage stage and was descending right into loneliness, and people do stupid things when they're lonely. She should know. She'd done plenty of them. Most memorably, having sex with Nico Daugherty. That seemed to be her favorite stupid pastime, hence the reason she'd repeated it so many times.

But who could blame her? Seriously. The guy was sexy in a humble, understated way. Not like Stone Jameson, who commanded attention simply by being in the room. Nico was the opposite of that. People paid attention because they were drawn to the mystery he exuded. He was also sweet and kind and generous. He cared about the people in his life. Genuinely.

And she couldn't forget the guy had a body built for sin. Beneath those loose-fitting clothes, every inch of him was rock-hard, finely honed by manual labor, not time in a gym. On top of that, he was talented and gifted in the pleasure department. He was seriously skilled when it came to giving orgasms with his hands, mouth, and, yes, with that generously endowed cock of his. And his cock was as beautiful as it was bountiful. Just thinking about it made her pussy clench and her mouth water.

Not that she would ever admit it to Nico, but she was as completely, irrevocably in love with him as she was with the puppy. And she had been since that night. Even through the few years when she hated his guts, she'd been nursing a broken heart because that night changed her. The crush she'd been nursing at the time had turned into a full-blown case of love in a matter of hours. The years that followed had been painful, but she'd gotten over it thanks to Nico and his insistence that they talk it out. And yes, she'd gone right back to loving him.

Secretly.

As far as he was concerned, she was only using him for sex. Stevie did her best to keep it only to those out-of-control moments when she was intoxicated. She wasn't to blame for those few times she'd done her I'm-drunk-let's-get-it-on routine on purpose. Suggesting a night of drinking simply so she could spend it in his bed. Her manipulation came from a good place because deep down, she had feelings for him. Feelings she refused to tell him about because that shit was what fucked up friendships. The last thing she wanted was to screw up theirs. At the same time, she couldn't imagine giving up those wicked nights spent with him rasping dirty words in her ear as he did dirty things to her body.

"I burned 'em," Nico said, his voice closer.

Burned 'em? What was he—? Oh, right. The fajitas. Yes. Yes, that smell was a definite sign that he burned 'em.

He appeared, leaning a shoulder on the wall that blocked the unsightly side of the refrigerator from anyone who was in the living room. The entire entertainment area was one giant room that spanned the front half of the house. With the kitchen bleeding into the living room, dining room, kitchen nook, and the front foyer. The back part of the house was dedicated to the sleeping spaces: four bedrooms with three and a half baths to go with them. Like Nico, she had her own bedroom with a dedicated bathroom. One bedroom was used as extra storage, with quite a bit of her crap still boxed up from the move stowed in there. The smallest room could pass for a guest room, although they'd never had a guest since she'd moved in. The second floor, which consisted of one enormous room and a full bath, was used as their secondary office, complete with two desks and a large drafting table that Nico used often.

Stevie tried to wrangle the little dog as she turned her head to peer up at him. She knew it was ridiculous that she still got that weird, wobbly feeling in her belly whenever she saw him, but it'd been the case for so long that she'd stopped questioning it.

Nico Daugherty was a beautiful man. Almost perfectly so, with his narrow face and angled jawline, perfect nose, and ears that she wanted to nibble on. His eyebrows were thin slashes across his pretty blue eyes, usually because he was deep in thought. His dark hair was longer than normal. What was typically shaved close on the sides and back now rested perfectly against the collar of his shirt and was haphazardly tousled on the top of his head. By mid-February, he would break down and get it cut, trimmed back to its usual short length. His jaw and upper lip were purposely dark with stubble, giving his youthful face a slight edge.

His eyes blazed with heat, and she knew it had nothing to do with the blackened strips of chicken in the skillet or her lying on the floor playing with the dog. She'd seen that look before, and it was almost always associated with the memory of that night. In fact, the first time she'd seen it had been that night.

The puppy started chewing on her ponytail, so she gently pulled the strands from between his tiny little teeth and sat up.

Because she could tell Nico needed a distraction, Stevie said, "Oscar came by the office today."

The heat in his eyes diminished instantly, a frown pulling at his mouth.

She smiled. "Don't worry. I sent him on his way."

His eyebrows locked down over his eyes, and that frown curved even more. "Did you have sex with him, Stevie?"

There was so much accusation in his tone that she took offense to it.

"Why do you fuckin' care?" she snapped, hopping to her feet.

Nico sighed. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not." She spun on her heel and stomped toward her bedroom. "But that's okay. I forgive you."

Although she wasn't overly chipper about it, she meant it. She probably had every right to be mad at him but couldn't bring herself to be. Not after years of hating his guts, blaming him for something that was as much out of his control as it was hers. They'd moved past that, moved on. These days, her relationship with Nico was complicated.

So. Freaking. Complicated.

He was her best friend's brother.

He was her roommate.

Stevie kicked off her shoes when she walked into her bedroom. She hopped on one foot, pulling one sock off and dropping it on the floor, making her way to the bathroom. She did the same with the other sock when she reached the shower, opening the door to turn on the water.

Where was she? Oh, right. Nico and their complications.

He was her business partner.

He was her friend.

He was her orgasm delivery guy—on occasion.

But those weren't the complicated parts. That had to do with him being the man Stone Jameson had shared her with. The man who'd awoken her to things she hadn't known existed. And yes, the man who'd stolen a piece of her heart that night.

She started shoving her jeans down as she walked to the towel closet. She stripped them off completely and left them on the floor before grabbing a towel.

That night … what happened between the three of them hadn't been planned. It couldn't have been because it had come right out of a fantasy. She'd never discussed anything quite like that with Stone, despite their scorching encounters. And Lord have mercy, they'd had some doozies. Stone Jameson had taught her things about herself that she wasn't sure she ever would've figured out without him. He'd taught her what true sexual freedom was and made her realize that her erotic desires were nothing to be ashamed of.

Stevie pulled her sweater off and tossed it in the direction of the dirty clothes hamper. It almost made it, one sleeve hanging haphazardly down the side. She unhooked her bra, slid it down her arms, and flung it in the same direction. Missed.

Nico also played a big part in that self-realization, even as Stone was teaching him the same thing about himself. She knew Nico had never been with a man before that night. He'd told her as much. Later. Much later. More specifically, he'd admitted it the night she was sloppy drunk, waxing apologetic about coaxing him into the situation. It was true. She'd played a huge role, considering she was the one who'd given Stone the nod of encouragement after she'd come outside to find Stone and Nico swapping air beside Nico's truck. Nico hadn't known she was there at first, but Stone had. He'd met her gaze over the bed of Nico's truck, and in his glittering hazel eyes, she'd seen the wild, untamed boy she'd fallen in love with. One nod of her head, encouraging him to take what he wanted, had started the ball rolling.

Oh, man. That night… She would honestly give about anything for a repeat of that smoldering encounter. For just a few hours with Nico and Stone, their skilled hands playing her body like a finely tuned violin. Sometimes, she would wake up drenched in sweat, her entire body charged and aching for release. It pissed her off every time because she knew there would never be another night like that.

By the time she was stripping her panties down her legs, her body temperature had risen, the memories scorching her as they always did.

She opened the bottom drawer in the vanity and retrieved her waterproof vibrator before marching naked into the shower.

There was only one way to stifle the heat from those memories.

***

Nico knew he shouldn't follow Stevie.

It was reckless and stupid, and… Well, it was apparently inevitable because his feet were already moving.

Since Stevie never stormed out, he was compelled to go after her. He hadn't meant to ask her such a targeted question. And he certainly hadn't intended to accuse her of doing something she could do if she wanted. He blamed it on the memories. On seeing Stone today after all these years. When he'd looked into those hazel eyes, he'd been reminded of everything he'd had for that one single moment in time. Everything he'd lost when Stone left town because try as he might, Nico had never been able to replicate what he'd felt that night.

Not a single encounter had lived up to that one. Only a handful had ever come close, but those involved him and Stevie giving in to the lust that still sizzled between them despite their efforts to pretend otherwise. But Nico knew even those hot, dirty encounters would never quite quench that need because, although she came pretty damn close, Stevie wasn't capable of giving Nico everything he desired.

He marched into her bedroom, nearly tripping on her shoes. He spotted one sock and followed the sound of running water. The puppy was hot on his tail, but he got distracted by the sock, flopping down on his belly to chew on it.

Served Stevie right because Nico knew exactly where she was and what she was doing. Usually, he would turn around and head the other way at a quick clip. Not today.

The bathroom door was open, so he walked in. Her jeans were on the floor by the towel closet, and another sock was directly in front of the shower. It blew his mind that she was so organized at work but a complete and total slob at home.

He turned and leaned against the vanity, crossing his arms over his chest and pretending that seeing this woman naked didn't drive him absolutely insane. She was by far the most gorgeous creature he'd ever had the pleasure of looking at.

Stephanie Shepherd, whom everyone lovingly referred to as Stevie, insisted she was as masculine as she claimed her nickname was. Nico wholeheartedly disagreed. She was petite and toned from the endless manual labor their job entailed, but there was nothing masculine about her. She had curves where she was meant to have curves. And she was so goddamn soft, so perfectly sleek. She was so perfect—despite the many flaws she was amused to point out at times—Nico could get distracted staring at her.

Which he was doing now.

"I told you I forgive you," she said, leaning her head back to get her hair wet.

Stevie wasn't indignant. She didn't attempt to cover herself, didn't gasp or squawk about him being uninvited into her personal space. The woman didn't have a modest bone in her entire body. In instances like this, he found it sexy as hell. Others, when she was merely wandering through the house, usually streaking to the laundry room because she forgot to get her clothes out of the dryer, he found it frustrating. Wanting her and not being able to have her was enough to drive him mad.

"I have no right talkin' to you like that," he told her, trying to keep his gaze at eye level, but it was damn near impossible.

"We're in agreement there." She grabbed the shampoo bottle and poured a generous amount into her hand. "But I know it comes from a good place."

Yeah, maybe it did, but that didn't make it okay.

The steam carried the scent of strawberries through the room.

"What did Oscar want?"

"What he always wants." She kneaded her scalp, working the shampoo into a lather. "For me to do somethin' for him. Sex. A job. A place to stay. Today, it was all three."

Nico didn't care for Oscar. He was a mooch. Worse than that, he was a mooch with a warped sense of entitlement. The only reason Nico hadn't warned him off Stevie long ago was because, while he was relentless in his pursuit of her, he wasn't pushy. He didn't intimidate or use fear tactics to persuade her. He would ask for what he wanted. When she said no, Oscar respected that. Which, in Nico's book, put him one step up from total douche status.

Not to mention, it wasn't Nico's place to monitor or approve of who Stevie had sex with. If it were up to him, she would not be having sex with anyone but him. But wanting that and telling her that were two very different things. Stevie insisted their friendship was something special. She wasn't wrong. According to her, sex tended to complicate things. She wasn't wrong about that, either. So Nico kept his feelings to himself and let her believe their encounters were spontaneous, occurring solely because they'd had too much to drink and didn't have the common sense to do anything about it.

For the record, Nico had been drunk the first time. Every time after, he'd indulged, sure, but never too much. He preferred to remember every single touch, every kiss.

"Where'd you get the puppy?" she asked, rinsing the last of the shampoo from her hair.

"Niyah."

Stevie grinned, grabbing the conditioner. "She said she was gonna get you somethin' to ensure you didn't get lonely when she was gone."

Nico lifted an eyebrow. "She already gave me you. What else could I possibly need?"

"Aww." She giggled. "You say the sweetest things."

While she worked the conditioner into her hair, Nico's gaze shifted to the small neon green toy sitting on the shelf in the shower. As soon as he saw it, he knew he should've left. There were times when he was positive Stevie purposely pushed his buttons. The last time he'd seen that thing, she had whipped it out right in front of him. In the living room. While they were watching a movie. Yeah, she'd had a blanket covering her while she fondled herself with that damn toy, but it didn't matter. He'd heard it, and he'd seen the satisfaction on her face when she brought herself to orgasm.

The time before that, she had invited him to watch, which he had politely declined, hating himself as he did. But then Stevie dared him, and they both knew he wouldn't back down from a dare. So he had watched.

That was two months ago. To this day, he used that memory to get himself off in the shower.

"I've got a name for the puppy if you can't think of anything," she said casually, as though she wasn't soaping her perky tits and watching him while she did.

"What?"

She flashed a grin. "J?germeister. We can call him J?ger for short."

A handful of memories flashed behind his eyes. Only once in his life had he drunk J?germeister, and it happened to be that night. He'd hated it instantly, but by the third swig, it hadn't been so bad. Plus, it had done its job of easing the tension and lowering his inhibitions.

Speaking of that night.

"I saw Stone tonight," he admitted, tearing his gaze away from the vibrator and doing his best not to watch while she ran that soapy puff thing over every one of her lovely curves.

Her gaze cut to him briefly. "Tonight? I thought you saw him earlier in the day."

"I went to the General Store to pick up some dog food. He was there."

Stevie's movements slowed as she turned to look at him through the glass. "What did he have to say for himself?"

"Nothin' much."

She nodded, then turned the knob to a warmer setting. He wasn't sure why. It was already hot enough to smoke meat in the bathroom.

Or maybe that was just him.

"Reilly asked what you thought of the puppy. I told her you … hadn't been home yet."

Nico waited for her to say something. She didn't.

"He was surprised to learn we live together."

She reached for the detachable shower head to rinse the soap. "Did you tell him I'm just your roommate?"

He shook his head, holding her gaze.

"Why not?"

Nico opted to go with the truth. "He was jealous, Stevie."

She frowned, looking away as she placed the sprayer back in the clip and stepped underneath to rinse the conditioner from her hair. "Jealous of what?"

He figured he didn't need to answer that. For one, he wasn't sure what the answer was. But he did know he'd seen a flash of something in Stone's eyes. And it reminded Nico of the night the three of them had been together.

"Maybe it was heartburn," she said, trying to make a joke out of it. "You know Stone. He doesn't get jealous. If he did, he wouldn't've shared me with you."

That wasn't the first time she'd said that, and Nico got the feeling she truly believed that. He knew better. Yes, jealousy played a role for many people, and they wouldn't dream of sharing their partner with anyone. For others, it was a turn-on to be able to give twice as much pleasure as they could give on their own. No, Nico didn't know Stone's reasoning, but that was the impression he'd gotten that night.

"Not that I care," she said, reaching for the green toy. "I've got all I need right here." Stevie looked his way. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a date."

Nico was disappointed that she didn't want to talk about it. They needed to. Stone wasn't someone they could shove into the dark recesses of their minds and pretend he didn't exist. It had been impossible to do when he wasn't there. Now that he was back, it would only get worse.

Stevie winked at him. "Unless you want to take care of me."

If he stayed, he knew exactly where this would lead, and though he ached for this woman, Nico didn't want to encourage her. Stone was back, and no matter how she tried to play that off, it bothered her that he was. Until they figured out a way to coexist in the same small town, she wasn't going to move past it. The sad part was that they would never have a meaningful, real relationship until they could get beyond what happened all those years ago. Not with each other or anyone else.

"I'll order a pizza," he said, turning to leave.

"Chickenshit," she muttered. The word was followed by the hum of the vibrator.

Nico stopped, turned. He looked at her and then did something he'd never done before. At least not without both of them having a few drinks in them. He walked right into the shower with her, clothes and all.

Stevie's eyes opened, and she gasped, her mouth falling open as he loomed over her, crowding her against the tiled wall. He was soaked from head to toe within seconds, but he didn't care.

Nico held out his hand. "Give me the toy."

Her eyes narrowed, lips parted in a silent "O." She relinquished the vibrator.

"Put your hands above your head."

Her throat worked on a slow swallow. She did as instructed.

Nico captured both her wrists in one hand and held them high above her head, resting his forearm on the tile so he could crowd her against the wall.

"Spread your legs."

She did.

He dragged the buzzing toy over her bottom lip, watching her as he did. "You think this thing can replace a man?"

Stevie nodded, but he saw the truth in her eyes.

"We'll see about that."

He dragged the toy down her chin, her neck, her chest. He kept going, down, down, down to the juncture between her thighs. He maintained eye contact as he positioned the tip directly on her clit. He saw the moment the pleasure registered because her face went slack, her eyes rolling back, those pouty lips parting with a sigh.

The woman was exquisite. He could've watched her all day.

"Nico…"

"I'm not a chickenshit," he told her.

She rocked her hips. "I know."

"We agreed this wouldn't happen again."

"I know." She whimpered, her eyes closing.

"So why can't I keep my hands off you?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do," he said, taking the vibrator away. "Tell me why."

Her eyes snapped open. "Please, Nico."

"Tell me," he repeated, pressing it on her clit again.

"Because … oh, yes," she hissed. "Because I want your hands on me."

Nico swallowed hard, applying a little more pressure, bringing her closer and closer to orgasm but not letting her go over.

The first time she told him that, he thought she'd been playing a role. They'd gotten good at that. They always turned their sexual encounters into a game. A way to keep their distance, to pretend they were merely using each other for a common goal. Although he still played along, that had stopped working on him a long time ago.

Nico hadn't been with anyone but Stevie since he broke up with Melanie thirteen months ago. For the five months of their engagement, Nico had ridiculed himself for bowing to the pressure. He had dated Melanie for nearly two years without ever wanting more than that. When she gave him an ultimatum—marry her or she walked—he panicked. He'd felt boxed in, forced to live a life he had never wanted. He'd bought this enormous house because it had been her compromise when he refused to leave Coyote Ridge. The only reason he'd agreed was because it sat on five acres and backed to Curtis Walker's ranch. At the very least, he figured they wouldn't be swallowed up by some cookie-cutter subdivision if and when the city council gave in and let the demanding home builders come in.

But the house wasn't the only thing he'd done that was completely out of character for him. He'd stopped going out with his friends, spending what little spare time he had with Melanie's friends, whom he couldn't stand because they were as uppity and pretentious as she was.

The only solution he could see was to marry her and endure. He couldn't have what he wanted, anyway. It was the lesser of two evils, so he proposed and regretted every second that followed. It had taken five months, but he woke up one morning determined to stop the insanity before it brought real heartache. No matter how he tried to convince himself otherwise, Melanie would never be able to give him what he needed. No woman could. Not everything he needed. And Melanie wasn't the sort of woman who would understand.

So, in order to save her some pain in the future, he'd ended things.

Three short weeks after that, Niyah and Adam got engaged, and Nico took the opportunity to move on with his life. Inviting Stevie to live here solved three problems. It helped fill some of the space, gave him some help with the mortgage, and ensured he wouldn't settle for less than what he wanted. Stevie was the only person who knew him, who truly understood him. Who accepted that he wanted something most people didn't even understand.

Nico waited until Stevie opened her eyes. "Is that all you want? My hands on you?"

She shook her head. "I want you inside me."

He released one of her wrists. "Take the toy."

She lowered her arm, keeping the vibrator firmly on her clit when he gave it to her. He shifted his hand between her legs, pressing two fingers against her entrance.

"Yes," she whimpered, her voice a harsh whisper. She lifted her foot, resting it on the teak bench she kept in there. "Fuck me with your fingers."

He pushed them deep inside her.

When he invited Stevie to live with him, Nico hadn't expected this would happen. He probably should've known since his craving for this woman had only intensified over the years, even though he'd only had her that one night.

Until eleven months ago. Valentine's Day last year. Both of them dateless and wallowing in their self-pity, they'd gotten shitfaced and ended up in bed together. The next day, they pretended it didn't happen. They went right on pretending until the next time. After a certain point, it became a routine, both of them pretending they weren't using booze as an excuse to find the closest thing to satisfaction that either of them had ever felt since that night.

Stevie groaned, her pussy contracting around his fingers as she trembled.

Her brown eyes darkened as the pleasure coursed through her. She continued to look at him, holding his stare as he fingered her. Nico knew what she was waiting for. The woman didn't hide her desires and never pretended she was anything but a hot-blooded woman who loved sex.

"You want it so fucking bad," he rasped, moving his mouth close to hers. "You want to come. It's right there, Stevie. So close."

She cried out as he thrust his fingers in deep, the smooth, slick walls of her cunt stroking him.

He spoke directly into her ear. "You wish it were my fat cock, don't you? Stretchin' this sweet cunt."

Her knees buckled. "Yehhh … oh, fuck … Yes! I want your cock!"

"You want me to pound the orgasm out of you. Don't you?"

"Yes."

"You want me to bend you over and plow your pussy until you're screamin' my name."

"Yes … oh, oh … yes!" She bit her lower lips. "Please … give me your cock."

"I will, darlin'. You know that. But it's gonna be in your mouth."

Her pussy spasmed, squeezing his fingers. He pumped his hand, thrusting faster, fucking her deeper. Stevie loved rough and dirty sex. She had told him as much during one of their inebriated conversations. Because of the night he'd spent with her and Stone, Nico knew she was being honest.

The problem was Nico wasn't capable of being rough with her. He couldn't bring himself to do it for fear of hurting her. If that happened, he would never forgive himself. Stone was the rough one. That night, he'd manhandled them both in a way that had felt beyond good. No pain, only pleasure. But Stone was skilled in that arena, whereas Nico was not. Stone knew precisely how far he could take things without causing pain or injury. Nico didn't.

However, Nico had a knack for dirty talk. With Stevie, he'd learned that the more vulgar he was, the more desperate she became. He loved watching her come apart. She was so fucking beautiful.

"You're gonna come on my fingers, then you're gonna pull out my dick and suck me. I'm gonna fuck that sweet mouth of yours. Gonna drive my cock down your throat. Take what you owe me."

Stevie licked her lips. "Yes." She groaned, her pussy spasming. "Please. Oh, fuck, Nico. Please."

He released her other wrist so he could take the vibrator from her hand. He pressed it firmly on her clit and finger-fucked her until she was gasping and writhing, every muscle in her delectable little body tightening as the release built.

"Come, darlin'," he commanded harshly, ramming his fingers inside her. "Come so you can suck my cock."

She screamed, her body tensing, her inner muscles clamping down tight on his fingers.

God, he fucking loved when she came apart.

Stevie didn't hesitate, didn't take the time to come down before she was ripping at the button on his jeans, urging him back so she could go to her knees. She wrenched the wet denim down his hips, and then his cock was in her perfect little mouth.

He dropped the vibrator.

"Oh, fuck. Goddamn, Stevie. Your mouth's so fuckin' hot," he groaned, slapping one palm on the wall and grabbing her hair in his fist, holding her head so he could fuck her face. "Suck me deeper. Yes. Just like that."

Nico didn't waste time. He didn't hold back. He fucked her face and came down her throat within seconds. She did that to him. He was almost convinced he could come simply by watching her get off.

As he dragged gulps of air into his lungs, he helped Stevie to her feet. She was grinning as he pulled her close, her cheek resting on his chest. Her arms came around him, and they stood like that, the water barely tepid at this point.

"We have to stop doin' this," he told her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

But rather than agree with him, Stevie tilted her head back and met his gaze. "Do we?"

Nico studied her face, looking for signs she was still caught up in the ecstasy. Before he could ask her if she was serious, the shower door banged against the metal trim. They separated, their attention going to the puppy, who was insistent on getting in.

Stevie laughed as she turned the water off.

"He probably wants dinner," she said, opening the door to reach for a towel.

"He already ate."

The puppy trotted in, licking the water off the floor and pouncing in the little puddles.

Nico sighed as Stevie strolled out of the bathroom, putting another incredible encounter behind her. Just like she always did. Pretending it wasn't getting increasingly difficult not to give in to the idea that this could be more.

"Your timin' could be better," he whispered to the dog. "Five minutes sooner, and I wouldn't've fallen a little more in love with her."

It was a lie, but one he continued to tell himself because sometimes it was the only way he could make it through the day.