Nico scoots up behind me and I lean over slightly so he can fit his head next to mine.

Trent throws his arms out to his buddy and Nico’s low chuckle wafts across my neck and I convince myself the sensation it creates is a natural response to the warmth against my skin.

“Is that Carley and Thompson?” he asks.

I look in time to see them finish their kiss. Both of them start laughing when they realize they got caught.

“Sluuuut!” Krista yells with a laugh, and then her and Trent’s cart disappears from sight, each other’s right after it.

With a laugh I turn back, my breath catching as I do.

Nico is right there, right against me, his hand sliding into my hair, mouth moving in only to skim across my cheek.

My arm shoots up, gripping his wrist as a heavy knot forms in the pit of my stomach.

“Almost, D,” he murmurs, the vibration of his word raising the hair on my neck. “Keep still.”

My features pull, my grip tightening with his.

What the hell is wrong with me?

The whistling sounds have him pulling back, a smirk on his face as he releases me and turns for the door that the ride attendant is about to open.

He climbs out and I sit there frozen, only moving when he pops his head back in, his hand extended for me to grab.

I do, and he pulls me from the cart, yanking my body to his the second my feet touch the ground.

He drops a chaste kiss to my cheek, slides a hand around my waist and ushers us forward, our friends waiting just a few steps away.

While my girls give me wiggly eyebrows for a whole two seconds, nobody else dwells or makes a big deal.

It’s as if seeing the two of us like this is normal, accepted, and we’re just another couple having fun on the boardwalk, laughing and smiling and ready for the next ride.

I don’t hate it.

As a group, we get in line for the rollercoaster, everyone chatting amongst themselves as we wait. After a few minutes, I take a second to look at Nico.

His backward hat is covering the messy top of his hair, showing nothing but his perfect fade.

He jokes with Trent and Thompson about something, laughing as he pushes off their shoulders. His fist comes up to his mouth when he smiles as if he doesn’t quite want to share it with the others, but from my angle, his white teeth shine.

I’ve never really known him to laugh much, though, I assume it’s something he does often with his friends.

I hope he does, he looks good doing it.

Thompson swats Nico’s arm, and Nico’s stare slices over – the entire group catching me staring.

His laughter slows, but the corner of his mouth stays raised.

He winks, and I pull my lips in, biting down to keep from grinning back.

Such a crowd pleaser.

“Bet he winks like that right before he goes down.”

My eyes widen and I’m positive I look like a deer caught in headlights.

Nico’s questioning frown is instant, and his eyes fly to Macy.

I whip around, hissing, “Shut up!”

She smirks, turning her attention back to him. “Mm. Yeah, and that little stubble he’s got going right now, the light scratch it would put off against your inner thigh.” She nods to herself. “Oh my god, you’d be aching before his mouth even landed.”

“Macy, for fuck’s sake,” I force past clenched teeth. “Sh!”

“How often do you shave, Nico?” she shouts, leaning an elbow on me.

This bitch.

I drop my face in my hands, peeking at him through my fingers when he’s quiet longer than five seconds.

“Usually every other morning.” He reluctantly moves his eyes to her. “Why?”

“So, she needs to catch you late night.” Macy nods, crossing her arms over her chest.

Nico’s gaze slides back to mine.

“Ignore her.”

“Oh, no.” He saunters over, licking his lips, looking all sorts of cocky. “I gotta hear it now.”

His friends are right behind him, everyone in line turning to see what we’re all doing, huddling up like this.

Well, this is awesome. Nothing to do but indulge her ass.

I spin around, facing her. “Macy?”

She shrugs, grabbing a piece of Trent’s popcorn and tossing it in her mouth. “Just wondering if you use the stubble as a tool. You know, slide it across the inner thigh, maybe the stomach first on your way.” Her eyes fall to his jaw and I gape at her. “We dig that shit.”

“True dat.” Krista comes out of nowhere, raising her hand in agreement.

Everyone starts laughing and I shake my head, right there with them.

The line moves forward, so the group shifts, going back to their spots and restarting their previous conversations.

Nico slips in behind me, his chest at my back. “How ‘bout you, Pixie, that something you like?”

A light laugh bubbles from me, but I keep facing forward.

He interprets it correctly, my way of saying nice try, boy, and I’m about to tell him not to worry his pretty little head over it, like he did me, when he reminds me of the roles we are playing.

“I know you disagreed already, but as your man.” He pauses. “I should know these things, yeah? ‘Case your girls ever try to pop quiz me.” His arms make their way around me and he squeezes. “Need to ace that test, D.”

He has a point, sort of, even though he might simply be teasing, but nothing says I can’t tease back.

“You know,” I lead with a grin he can’t see. “A real boyfriend has to work hard and learn these things about his girl.”

The second it leaves me, I regret it, internally cursing myself.

Why did I say it?

I know he’s about to joke, throw out an offer, something, so I give him what he wants before he can. “Yeah, I do.”

“So you’ve been eaten out before?”

Heat spreads in my abdomen at his instant question.

“I have,” I admit, quietly.

Only a couple times, and for a few short minutes. It was sloppy, but the warmth of a mouth on me was enough to get me going. Unfortunately, not enough to keep me going either time.

He doesn’t need to know that part.

Macy was right, though. Us girls have talked about this before, and while the person who went down on me was smooth faced, it doesn’t take a lot to imagine what it would be like with someone who has occasional stubble.

A prickly face is like a rough palm, I’d think, tantalizing all on its own. Raising your pulse with nothing but a slow slide across your body, forcing the arch of your back, even when you’re still standing.

Yeah, I can get down with a rough textured hand.

Suddenly Nico’s fingertips are grazing across my shoulder blades, his palms joining as they slide down the length of my arms in a feathering manner, the barest of touches against my skin that I feel down to my toes.

“Like this?” he rasps.

My body shivers in response, and his heated chuckle only makes it worse.

“Good to know.” His arms fall.

It takes me a second, but I glance at him over my shoulder.

He’s as straight faced as ever, but those eyes...

The hint of arrogance is expected, but I wasn’t prepared for the rest.

Eager.

Greedy.

Wanting?

Confusion draws my brows in, something else entirely burning low in my core.