Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 154525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Frankie glanced up from her phone, and the texts Nico had recently sent her, to see him waiting for her in front of her Greenwich Village penthouse doors. A duffle bag, two boxes, and a few bulging plastic bags sat at his feet. She laughed at the sight.
“Did you go shopping for my penthouse?”
He shrugged. “I had time, but not entirely. Sissy packed you a bag.”
He pointed at the duffle.
“She also wants you to come get Sassy for a bit,” he added. “I guess she’s distraught because she can’t figure out where you are or when you’re coming back.”
That morning, she would’ve said never. Now, she wasn’t so sure.
Walking down the hall to greet him with a soft kiss, she said against his lips, “I’ll go get her tonight.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Tonight?”
“I only have the Rolls. I want the Supra, too. I can drive with you tonight, stay until morning, and bring Sassy with me until the party.”
“You forgot something.”
“Did I?”
Nico nodded. “You walk the stage for your diploma tomorrow, babe.”
“So, I’ll stay tomorrow and come after graduation.”
He eyed her curiously. “Why the change?”
She shrugged. “Sometimes things are just bigger than me, you know?”
His teeth flashed in a smile. “Yeah, I know. Hard to believe, huh?”
“That’s probably another part of growing up, right? I get to figure all that shit out.”
Nico outright laughed. “That, and so much more. Come on, get the door open so you can help me haul this stuff in.”
She put the key into the deadbolt. “How was work?” Frankie asked, grabbing the duffle.
He grabbed one of the two boxes in the hallway. “Not very interesting today. Except for the part where the Skip gave me keys to a place in Vauxhall.”
“Like an apartment?”
Nico made a noise under a breath. “Or like a house.”
“A whole house?”
“I mean, it’s nothing big, but—”
“A house, Nico?”
The two stood in the entry foyer of the penthouse, the light from the wall of windows in the living room making the white walls even brighter around them. They stared at one another, neither moving an inch, nor saying anything.
He broke the silence first.
“He owed me, that’s all,” Nico said.
“For what? How long have you been working for this guy? It can’t be long; you’ve only been around for a handful of months. I mean—”
“Frankie, stop.”
She did. Especially as he stepped forward and his warm palms found the sides of her throat so he could tip her head back and stare down at her.
“What’s the problem?” he asked.
She didn’t know.
“I just...I don’t understand,” she mumbled. “It makes me nervous, I think.”
He dropped a peck to her lips. Then, another and another.
“Don’t be nervous. This is what I want, babe.”
That made her think.
“Is he connected? This...boss. Your Skip?”
Nico smiled widely. “Yeah, you’re spot on.”
“That makes me more nervous.”
“Don’t be. I happen to be good at what I do.”
“Which is...?”
Nico laughed and pulled away, heading for the remaining box in the hallway. Over his shoulder, he said, “Marry me someday, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know, Frankie. That’s how it works.”
She froze. “What?”
He carried the box in, stopping alongside her to give her a chuckle. “What did you think I meant in bed when I said, in theory, I could tell you things.”
“I didn’t really think about it,” she admitted.
Nico nodded once. “Okay, well that’s what I meant. That’s how it works,” he repeated pointedly.
“Well, I’m not going to marry you just so you’ll tell me every detail about your day.”
“Damn. That’s cold.”
Frankie scoffed. “Please, it probably didn’t even sting.”
“Not really. But you didn’t say never, either. So...”
“Uh—”
“Nope, too late. The option is still there.”
“For what?”
Nico leaned in close enough to kiss her grinning cheek, his green eyes gleaming with something like delight and pure pleasure. “That you’re gonna marry me someday.”
He dropped the box onto the other one, immediately opening it to pull out two things. First, he handed her the item that wasn’t wrapped in brown paper. A package of Egyptian cotton sheets. Cream in color, and still in new packaging.
“And if you don’t know how to make your own bed,” he joked, “don’t worry, it’s not hard. I’ll teach you.”
She smacked his arm lightly. “Mean.”
Nico laughed. “There’s also towels, dishes, a set of pots and pans, and some other necessities for your place. Between the boxes and bags.”
Frankie sighed while surveying the items in the foyer. “I can’t believe you really went shopping for me. I’m not incapable, Nico.”
“I know, but I think you coming here was just a reaction to a bad situation. You weren’t ready, which is also probably part of the reason you haven’t gone out to get any of this yourself.”
“Fair enough.”
“Mmhmm. Furniture next, okay? Shit, we can even do some of that on our phones tonight. They’ll probably deliver it tomorrow while you’re walking the stage. I can set it up with the doorman to give the delivery guys access, if you want.”