The Tempted Series: Collectors Edition

by Janine Infante Bosco

  The sexiest guardian angel that ever existed. My eyes did a slow scan of her body taking their sweet time to take her all in. She was wearing a pair of black leggings that fit like a second skin, making me wish she would turn around because I was sure they hugged that ass of hers in a way that could be deemed dangerous to my fucking dick that was aching for her. The shirt she was wearing hung off one shoulder fitting snug over her breasts and with the brisk air leaving very little for my imagination as her nipples saluted me. Why hello to you too! It took everything in me to lift my eyes and meet her gaze. She was smiling at me that fucking smile completely undid me.

  “I felt as if I was throwing you into the trenches all alone. You didn’t kill him yet did you?” she asked laughter in her voice as she peered into the glass windows to see if Jimmy was still breathing.

  “You have no fucking idea how happy I am to see you I could fucking kiss you senseless,” I said and grabbed her hand pulling her against me wrapping my arms around her not giving her a chance to object. I needed to feel her even if it was just her body pressed to mine fully clothed. I’d take whatever I could get. It was selfish, but we already had established that I was a dick. The funny thing is she didn’t stiffen in my arms like I expected her to. She didn’t even pull away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around my waist and laughed against my chest.

  I closed my eyes and embraced her tighter breathing in her scent. I was losing my mind or rather what was left of it.

  “Did I ever tell you what my favorite thing to do is?” She said against my chest.

  “What’s that?” I mumbled against her hair as my hands worked her back in lazy stokes.

  “Shopping,” she said, pulling back slightly. I grunted. I think I was starting to spend too much time with Anthony. She laughed at me and damn me straight to hell if her laugh didn’t make everything all right in my otherwise fucked up world.

  “Let’s go inside and get you looking dapper,” she winked at me taking my hand in hers dragging me back into Castle Clothes.

  I followed her not ashamed that to an outsider, I looked as if she had me on a leash. I was starting to believe that I’d follow her anywhere. A pretty scary thought to a guy like me who had never been affected in his life by a woman.

  “Jimmy, you can leave I’ve got it from here,” she said sweetly. She looked over her shoulder at me. “Eyes up here Mikey,” she said with a touch of humor in her voice. Damn, I had been caught staring at that magnificent ass of hers again. I grinned at her sheepishly shrugging my shoulders.

  “The boss—I mean your pops he knows you’re here?” Jimmy asked.

  “For the record, I don’t need my father’s permission to go anywhere Jimmy but yeah, he knows I’m here,” she turned to face me. “He actually thought it was a great idea that I come and help the cause.”

  Good ‘ole Vic that guy was starting to grow on me. Jimmy shrugged his shoulders, running a hand along his fur coat.

  “Well, okay then. I hope you have better luck than I did,” he gave me a dirty look. “Mr. Personality isn’t very cooperative.”

  I cocked my head to the side, smiling politely as I flipped him the bird. How’s that for personality? He peered at me flipping down the sunglasses that were perched on the top of his head before sauntering out of the shop like he didn’t look like a complete hooligan.

  “I owe you,” I said, focusing my attention back to Nikki.

  She smiled at me. “Don’t worry I’ll start thinking of ways you can repay me,” she clapped her hands together and looked at the old man. “Let’s get started!”

  The next hour was a blur to me, Nikki must’ve sent me in and out of the dressing room a dozen or so times to try on different cuts of suits. Once she had decided on a style she claimed, “showed all the assets” off we were all set. I was Nikki’s muse letting her throw whatever the hell she wanted for me to try on. I almost knocked the old man on the floor when it was time for him to measure my inseam. Nikki found this particular part amusing, even offered to help but as uncomfortable as it was for me to have a little old man all up in my crotch having Nikki do the job would’ve caused a whole different level of embarrassment. I wasn’t sure I could contain myself once she put her hands on me.

  We left the shop with two shopping bags full of shirts and ties my suits would be ready with the alterations by the end of the week so I’d have to come back to pick them up. The both of us were starving by the time we were done so we picked up a pie at L&B Spumoni Gardens and took it back to Anthony’s. I didn’t know whether I was happy that he wasn’t home or pissed because I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to sit alone in this house with Nikki and not make a move. My self-control was teetering and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to get it back. The worse part was that even if there was I wouldn’t try. I wanted to lose control. My body yearned for me to grab onto her and not let go.

  She was sitting on the couch with her legs tucked under her as she bit into a slice of pizza. It was so cliché but I hoped the sauce would trickle down her mouth, giving me an excuse to touch her.

  “I thought you were starving,” she said with her mouthful. I smiled, loving that she was herself around me. There wasn’t any of that false pretense bullshit between us. She licked her lips, savoring the flavor of the sauce and a throaty noise escaped my lips.

  I shook my head, hoping to pull myself together. “I ate two slices.”

  She placed the slice of pizza she was working onto the paper plate that sat on her lap, leaning forward to put the plate on the table. She wiped her hands on a napkin.

  “Rico can devour a pie by himself,” she said absent-mindedly flinching once the words escaped her mouth. “Sorry.”

  “What’re you sorry about?” I asked, leaning back against the cushions of the couch.

  She blew out a breath and stood up quickly. I looked up at her watching as she paced back and forth in front of the couch before turning around and meeting my gaze.

  “We’re friends, right? Friends are straight up with one another,” she paused, looking at me expectantly.

  “Are you asking me or are you telling me?” I asked, clearly confused as to where this was going. She rolled her eyes. I laughed at her agitation. “Alright, alright yes, we’re friends.”

  “Have you ever been friends with a woman before?” she asked, crossing her arms under her breasts. I was torn between which of her assets were my favorite. She had an incredible ass, but her rack was pretty fantastic too. “Hello!?” she waved her hand in my face.

  “What was the question again?” I asked, scratching the top of my head, trying my hardest to remember what the hell we were talking about.

  “See! That right there! That’s the problem between us,” she said pointing towards me.

  “I wasn’t aware that there was a problem between us,” what the fuck did I do now? I sat up straight, whatever it was I would fix it. I wanted Nikki in my life any way I could have her and if friendship was all I was entitled to I wasn’t about to fuck that up.

  “What were you thinking about? Be honest because I’m pretty sure I saw your thoughts flash in your eyes.”

  “I was…,” I started only to be interrupted by her.

  “You want me,” she blew out a breath. “And that’s not a good thing because when you look at me like that Mikey, you make me want you too,” she stomped her foot and clenched her fists at her sides. “Who am I kidding? We’re being honest, right? Even when you don’t look at me like that I want you.” She was back to pacing back and forth. I was trying to wrap my head around her confession, but watching her sashay her hips as she moved back and forth was making me dizzy. “Friends shouldn’t want to rip one another’s clothes off. I love hanging out with you. It’s becoming my favorite thing to do even more than shopping which is surprising because you can be a dick sometimes even when you’re trying your hardest not to. You have my head spinning and my body well my body is all fucked up since you walked back into my life. Maybe it’s not you. M
aybe it’s me and the fact that I haven’t had sex since you’ve been back…”

  “You haven’t had sex since I came home?” I asked, standing up to move closer to her.

  “Out of everything I just said that is what you heard?” she asked incredulously. Her eyes widened as I stepped closer to her.

  “Answer the question, Nikki,” I said, licking my lips to moisten them. I wanted to know why she hadn’t had sex. Unlike me, she was in a relationship still I wanted her reason to be the same reason I hadn’t picked up some random chick to bed because I couldn’t stop thinking of her and how much I wanted her and only her.

  “No, I haven’t,” she blew out a breath and moved to take a step backward. I took another step forward, lifting my hands to cup her face in the palms of my hand.

  “Why?” I asked softly as I studied her face. Her tongue snaked out of her mouth, running along her lower lip before she pulled her lip between her teeth. My dick hardened just watching her toy nervously with her lip. “You trying to tease me, Nikki?”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head for extra emphasis. “I just... I… you’re looking me that way again,” she stuttered.

  “Like I want you?” I asked my voice sounding hoarse. Just one taste.

  I leaned closer to her and bent my knees to angle myself correctly. I could feel her soft pants of breath against my lips. Just one little taste is all I need.

  “Don’t do it, Mikey,” she whispered as her eyes closed. She didn’t sound very convincing.

  “Why?” I asked, pressing my lips to the corner of her mouth kissing the pretty little beauty mark just to the side of her lip.

  “Because it’s wrong,” she said, sounding weak.

  “I usually do the wrong thing,” I said as my thumb traced the outline of her jaw. “Give me another reason.” Make it a good one because I am about ten seconds from fucking your mouth senseless.

  “I’m in a relationship,” she whispered. Wrong answer Princess.

  “Tell me you love him,” I demanded softly.

  “Why?” she asked, peering up from under the fringe of her eyelashes.

  “Because that would be the only thing you could say that’s going to stop me from kissing you right now,” I said my lips dangerously close to claiming hers. I counted to three figuring that was enough time for her to decide if she loved the guy or not. Her reply never came. My lips fell over hers for the first time in a whisper of a touch.

  “What the fuck are you two doing?” Anthony said from the front door. Nikki jumped back pulling away from me. I looked over her shoulder at Anthony. I was going to murder him. Maybe I’d even use his gun. You know, just to be a dick.

  Chapter Ten

  I sat on the edge of the couch with my hands firmly planted on my knees so that I wouldn’t use them to strangle Anthony. Nikki had fled the moment Anthony slammed the door shut mumbling her apologies before getting the hell out of dodge. Which left me mimicking a child in time out waiting to be scolded. I tapped my foot impatiently as Anthony took a long pull from his beer. The bastard didn’t even offer me one. Not only was he a cock block, but he was a shitty host.

  He settled the beer bottle on the end table before fixing his gaze on me.

  “Is this going to take long because I have a phone call to make?” I asked him sounding every bit annoyed.

  “Who do you plan on calling? Nikki?” he shook his head. “You’ve lost your fucking mind.”

  I jolted up from the couch. “Who else! You made her run the fuck out of here.”

  “Nikki ran out of here because of you, not me,” he said angrily brushing passed me to take a seat on the couch. “I did, you a favor man. The last thing you need right now is to screw around with Victor’s daughter,” he looked at me as if I had six heads. “For Christ’s sake, we’re talking about little Nikki, Mike!”

  I rolled my eyes at him. Was he fucking blind? “Nikki’s all grown up Ant she’s not a kid anymore. If you weren’t so fucking busy sticking your head up her sister’s ass you would’ve noticed.”

  “She’s like a sister to me,” he said, pointing his finger at me. “And she should be like a sister to you. You used to rip the heads off her fucking dolls when we were kids.”

  “She’s no sister to me,” I am sure I should’ve felt guilty, but I didn’t. I couldn’t regret the way I perceived Nikki I only regretted not being able to do anything about it. Thank you, Anthony!

  “Okay, so you don’t look at her as your little sister. That’s fine. What is not fine is you being attracted to her. Forget the fact that she has a boyfriend…”

  “That’s a joke.” I cut him off. “That dickhead doesn’t deserve her.”

  “And you do?” he asked astoundingly.

  Well, he had me there. I opened my mouth to answer him but closed it just as quickly. I didn’t deserve her. I’d never be good enough for her. For the first time, I was thinking with my head and not the one below my waist.

  “Trust me. I’m not saying it to be a dick, but because I care. I care about Nikki hell I care about you too. You are about to embark onto some dangerous shit working for Vic. I don’t give a damn how many promises he makes about how he wants to keep you legit—the lines blur brother. They always do. I’m living proof those lines cross. If you don’t believe me, go ask Adrianna,” he sighed blowing out an exasperated breath before he swiped a hand down his tired face.

  I swallowed hard, not wanting to hear what Anthony was saying, but understanding that what he said was probably true. The harsh reality stabbed me in the gut I had no intention of starting a relationship. I knew I wasn’t capable of anything more than a quick fuck. What kind of person did that make me? That I was willing to use a girl that I actually cared about because I did care about Nikki. She was the only person in my corner these days and Anthony was right, there was a long history of friendship between us and here I was ready to sabotage all that because I couldn’t keep my dick in my pants.

  Nikki deserved better than Rico and she deserved way better than me. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her and destroy the friendship that we were building. I needed to call her. For purely selfish reasons I needed to know that, we were okay because I needed Nikki in my life. In such a short period of time, she became my anchor holding me close to shore when I felt like drifting into unchartered waters.

  I looked back at Anthony. “Message received loud and clear,” I grabbed my phone from the coffee table and left Anthony alone in the living room.

  I laid in bed staring up at the ceiling in my bedroom replaying the kiss over and over in my head. How was it that just the touch of his lips could make my body feel as if it was a frayed wire left raw and exposed? Just a little touch of his mouth resulted in electrical currents shooting through my body straight down to my toes.

  The thing that bothered me most was the fact that I was sitting here reliving the kiss wondering how far it would’ve gone. What would it actually felt like to have his hands on me and not feeling the slightest bit guilty? It was wrong on so many levels, but most of all it was damaging to my character. I wasn’t a cheat I didn’t condone cheating and if I found out Rico cheated on me I would castrate him. But was a kiss as minuscule as the one I shared with Mikey really considered cheating? I don’t think so, but the feelings I was having and thoughts I was thinking that I considered cheating. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t acted on the desires I was feeling it still felt wrong.

  My phone chimed, and I contemplated throwing it out the window. That thing was the cause of this shit if I could only ignore it. I should put it on silent. Excuses, excuses. I grabbed the phone and stared at the screen.

  Mikey: We need to talk Princess.

  Nope. I’ll pass thanks! I wasn’t ready to face the music. I wasn’t ready to usher that one stolen moment under the rug as if it never happened. I just wanted to hold onto it for just a little longer. I promised myself tomorrow was another day and I would put all my efforts into fixing the mess with Rico. I had to decide once a
nd for all if what we had could be repaired and while I was at it, I would distance myself from Mikey. I’d cut him off. Cold turkey was the only way to end this.

  The phone started ringing, and I cursed Mikey. I knew why he was calling I knew exactly what he was going to say. He was going to say it was a mistake. That it should’ve never happened. He was a hundred percent right, but I was still in denial and wasn’t ready to face the facts. Goddamn, it just let me have my moment! I ignored the call.

  He called again.

  “What is it?” I said perturbed.

  “I knew you were mad. Shit, Nikki, I’m sorry,” he said, sounding frustrated with himself.

  I sat up on my bed, propping my head on the mountain of pillows behind me. I sighed and gave in. “You’re right, I’m mad, but not for the reason you think. So, tell me what are you sorry for Mikey? That you kissed me?”

  “Well, yeah. Sort of. I mean I shouldn’t have but… Nikki,” he paused struggling with his words.

  “What?” I prodded hopefully.

  “That wasn’t even a fucking kiss,” he hissed into the phone and the devil in me smiled at his declaration. He must’ve put the phone down or covered the speaker because his curses were muffled and then there was silence.

  “It wasn’t?” I asked securing my place in hell.

  “Christ Nikki, haven’t you ever been properly kissed? No that wasn’t a kiss,” he said his voice was all sorts of aggravated.

  “I’m not sure,” I said, biting on my lip, feeling as if I was headed on a collision course. It reminded me of an incident I overheard my dad talking to Jimmy regarding the death of one of his associates. The man was driving on the highway headed straight for a Mack truck he tried to swerve out of the way, but his steering wheel locked, forcing him to brake only to realize that someone had cut his brakes too. I was that man I was headed straight for that Mack truck right into the danger zone. “What is it like to be kissed properly?”