Chapter 76

Sure enough, Nakos looked up, shielding the glare from his eyes with his hand. Rivulets of water trailed over his sun-kissed skin like some naughty version of a Coppertone ad. A beat later, he nodded and turned to Olivia.

"He smiles when you walk into view. Every time. And I don't need to be a mind-reader to pick the thoughts from his head. He's got some dirty fantasies going on in there. It's a guy thing."

She huffed a laugh, but her heart pounded and her skin heated. The longer Nate's words hovered between them, the deeper they sank. Her belly clenched at the possibilities. Perhaps because Nate had no vested interest made it easier to believe him. Or maybe since he had started as an outside party to their unit gave his opinion more merit. Credence.

Whatever the reason, happy was shoving doubt aside. The biggest issue lingered in the fringes of her mind, though. Of all the crap she'd been through, all the horrible things said and done, Nakos leaving her would be her breaking point. No matter how life had tried to decimate her, she'd always gotten back up. A big F-you to the universe. But an end to her relationship with Nakos was the one and only thing that could shatter her for good. Whether as her friend or lover, if they were done, she wouldn't survive.

Olivia and Nakos made their way back up.

He dropped his clothes beside Amy and towel dried before bending over and tipping her head back. He kissed her briefly upside down and smiled at her. "What were you two talking about for so long?"

She glanced at Nate, who had Olivia in his lap wrapped in a towel. "The meaning of life." He winked at Amy.

Olivia snorted. "That's easy. It's chocolate." She dragged the picnic basket closer. "Eh, grapes will have to do." She popped one in her mouth and fed another to Nate.

Nakos sat beside Amy, wrapped an arm around her waist, and plopped her between his stretched legs with her back to his chest. "And what's the meaning of life per Amy? I shudder to ask."

"That's on a need-to-know basis." She reached forward and took a few grapes from Olivia. "Here's a hint. It's not chocolate." She held a piece of fruit over her shoulder, and Nakos took it from her with his mouth.

"Liar. Chocolate is everything." Olivia sighed dreamily, shaking her head at Amy, her gaze glazed over like the sap she'd always been. "Look at you two. Adorable. If I weren't seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it."

"Well, start believing," Nakos said around his food. "We're together."

With an I-told-you-so lift of his brows, Nate stared at Amy. Hard. "I think Nakos can be in-the-know."

Yeah, yeah. "I'll consider it."

"Yes, please." Her back pulsated when Nakos spoke. Because he'd put his arms around her. All possessive-like. And it absolutely didn't make her feel girly and gushy. It didn't. "I'm more concerned you and Ames are conspiring." His tone was light, but he was tense against her, making her wonder if he hated the fact she had been alone with Nate. "You're not plotting world destruction or anything, are you? Between your military connections and her evil mind, I'd better start preparing. Right, little red?"

"Amen." Olivia nodded.

"Aw." Amy patted her chest. "You think I'm evil? That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."

He kissed her neck, shaking his head. "Whatever you say, anim."

Olivia's eyes narrowed. "What's that word mean? It's a new one."

Amy shoved a grape in Nakos's mouth before he could answer. "It means master overlord."

His mouth pressed against her ear, his voice a rasp low enough for only her to hear. "That is quite fitting, actually, since you are master of my heart, my mind, and my body. Shall I start calling you that instead of angel?"

She trembled at the savageness of his words. A beta admission spoken with an alpha growl. Raw sex and promise. No hint of his usual gentleness.

Yet the rest of the week played out like Nakos had something to prove. As if bolstering himself to show the chivalry card, despite the need radiating from him.

On Monday, while Amy was chopping carrots for Aunt Mae's bison stew, Olivia came in the main house's kitchen and said Nakos was looking for her. After drying her hands, Amy made her way to the barn, breathing in early morning dew. She leaned against the doorway and waited quietly for him to dole out ranch assignments to the men.

"One last thing. There's a new development all of you should know about." Nakos turned suddenly and pulled her snug to his chest, stealing her breath. Right in front of all the guys, he bent her over his arm and kissed the daylights right out of her. While she reeled, he glanced at the stunned faces. "Any questions?"

"Holy crap." Kyle shook his head, looking as dazed as her. "You just kissed my sister and you're still standing."

Tuesday morning, Amy woke up to find her bed covered in Hershey Kisses. What had to be at least three bags of the candy were loosely spread around her. On the nightstand was a note from Nakos.

These are a poor substitute. Come downstairs to get real kisses.

On Wednesday, the day they typically left the main house before dinnertime due to light loads, she went outside to take pictures of an impending thunderstorm once they'd returned to Nakos's cabin. Upon entering the kitchen an hour later, he had supper ready. That he'd cooked himself. With two formal place settings on the table. By candlelight.

Thursday night, he disappeared upstairs as she tidied the kitchen. He hadn't come back by the time she finished. Wondering what he was up to, she made her way to the second floor and stopped short. Two post-it notes were stuck to the floor, one with an arrow pointing forward, and the other a few steps ahead with an arrow aimed at the bathroom.

Hesitant, she walked in the small room to find the lights out, two votive candles glowing on the vanity, and the bathtub full of hot water. Flower petals floated on the steamy surface and a glass of wine sat on the tub ledge. Another post-it was on the tile.

For you. Relax.

By the time Friday rolled around, she was on edge and curious what tactics he had in store next. She didn't know what to make of his gestures, nor had a clue to his end game. He kissed her good morning every day and goodnight before heading to bed, but there had been no more attempts at seduction. No couch romps or orgasms. She swore, his little bombs were like a twisted form of foreplay, except by way of romance instead of the typical methods.

Such as using his hands or mouth or yummy body.

Inside the cabin after the workday, he closed the front door as she glanced around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Regardless, she went into the kitchen, strolled around the living room, and then went upstairs. Nada. Everything normal.

She stood in the middle of her bedroom, hands on her hips, and frowned. She half expected a chubby man wearing a diaper holding a bow and arrow to jump out of the closet and strike her with pointy hearts.

Nakos leaned against the jamb, arms crossed and a smile tugging his lips. "You look confused, anim."

"What did you do today?" She knelt and checked under the bed. No orchestra playing sonnets hiding out. "What surprise is lurking for me?"

He chuckled, darn him. "So paranoid."

"Is there a kitten in your bed? What?"

"Kitten? Why on earth would I"

"Because I always wanted one and you'd find a way to figure that out. My folks wouldn't let me get one and Chris hated cats. That's not the point. Where is the surprise? Just tell me."

"You're cute when you're flustered." Amusement infused the humor already in his eyes. "Did you not like my little presents?"

She sat on her haunches and blew hair out of her face. "Yes, I liked them." Loved them, was closer to accurate. They made her all discombobulated and gooey. She just didn't know what to do withnice. He never took their kisses to the hot and heavy point or acted like he expected something out of the kindness. It was weird. Aside from gifts on her birthday from Kyle, Olivia, or Nakos, she rarely got this sort of attention. Okay, not at all. "What game are you playing?"

His expression flatlined. In a move so slow it should've included subtitles, he straightened from the frame and strode over to her. Never taking his gaze from hers, he bent, slid his arms under hers, and lifted her to her feet.

Gaze sweeping her face, he cupped her neck, his thumb idly stroking her pulse. "This isn't a game to me." He stepped flush against her and dipped his head, his lips caressing hers as he spoke. "You're not a toy or a plaything. What you are is someone of importance to me who I care about a great deal." He wrapped and arm around her back, hauling her halfway up his body. "I want you. Badly. But sex isn't the only reason I'm with you. I felt it was necessary you know that before we got any more physical than we already have. Understand?"

Her lungs collapsed and, hand to God, she would've thought she was dying if not for her thundering heart. She nodded, unsure if she could speak around the big ball of emotion in her throat.

"Excellent. Now that we're on the same page, I'll include you in my plans for tonight." He eased back a fraction, determination and heat in his black eyes. "I'm going to make you come like I did a week ago. I can't wait to watch you lose it and I'll love every moment. I've thought about it each waking second since you were last under me. However, this time, instead of my hand, I'll use my mouth."