Page 19 of Hooked on Trouble

The next day, I marched into the police station and faced the music.

Nico must see potential in the kids he helps, see them for what they are: full of crap. The pricklier the pear, the sweeter the fruit. Like my grandmother saw me. My awareness of his size and strength and beauty, inside and out, amplifies as we wait. If he asked me on a date right now, my answer would probably be yes.

Back in the car, Tim sniffles a few times. Nico asks him what he learned, and the two discuss how vital the money he stole is to the programs offered by the legion, how members of the serving and former Canadian Armed Forces are often in financial distress, loved ones sometimes unable to support themselves after losing a spouse.

Then Nico’s tone hardens. “You did good tonight, Tim. Real good. But this was a one-time pass. You steal again, you face the full punishment, and you won’t be welcome back at the rec center. Do I make myself clear?”

I can almost hear Tim swallow. “Clear.”

Tim’s heartfelt apology when we drop him off is more rewarding than landing my job, but Nico’s intensity lingers as he drives me home.

I try to bite my tongue, not stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, but the longer he broods, the tougher it gets. “Seems kind of harsh, warning to cut him off. I mean, I get the one-time-pass thing—if he does the crime, he does the time—but won’t pushing him away ruin the good work you’ve done?”

“No.” There’s no hesitation as he flexes his hands around the wheel. “One thing I’ve learned from my brother and sister is give them too much slack and they fall. I was too easy on them. Offered too many chances. My brother screws up again, he’s on his own. Tim makes a bad decision, he won’t have me to bail him out. They know right from wrong. Real consequences push them to be better.”

Uncompromising much? “You could be right, or you could be setting yourself up for a lonely, disappointing life.”

If my grandmother had laid into me and told me one more screw up would ruin my chances at a bright future, I’d have gotten defensive. Instead she showed me compassion, and I soaked it up like the needy sponge I was. Nico’s hard-nosed ways make me wonder what he’d think if he saw my record. Arson. Vandalism. Heroin possession. Would he still want to ask me out? Would he think I’d worn out my chances?

Do I still want to say yes?

Silence extends as we drive, my mind spinning to the stupid stuff I did as a teen, circling around Nico’s honor and his stringency. Shaking my head to clear it, I focus on his forearm porn. An excellent distraction. The clench and release of his muscles have me clenching, too. I’m a little sad when we get to my place.

As I reach for my things, he puts his hand on my wrist. Tingles flutter up my arm, making my belly dip. Definitely lots of clenching. “I’m sorry, Raven—about Aspen. I wish I could go back and do things differently.”

Keeping my distance from Nico would be a hell of lot easier if he wasn’t so freaking nice. If he didn’t give his time to others, asking for nothing but goodness in return. Sighing, I lean back. “You don’t have to keep apologizing. I already forgave you.”

“Doesn’t feel like you forgave me.”

I fight my instinct to lean into him. “Why? Because I wouldn’t go out with you?”

He smiles at his lap. “Yeah.”

Seriously. This guy rumbles out one syllable, and I want to crawl over the center console and straddle the real power in this mammoth truck. There’s no mistaking the thick line pressing against the zipper of his jeans, the zipper I’d love to tug down with my teeth.

“See something you like?” he asks.

My eyes snap up to his. Forward Nico takes this attraction I’m avoiding to a whole other level. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

His boyish grin makes an appearance. “I would.” Then, “Will you go out with me?”

There’s that question I’d hoped for earlier, but none of my options feel right. Saying yes means facing potential hurt again when I’m gearing up to find Rose. If my search for her falls apart and he kicks my heart to the curb, I’m not sure I’ll snap back so quickly. But flipping him the finger after he trusted me with Tim and gave me a ride home doesn’t sit well, either.

I settle on a straightforward “No.”

“So you haven’t forgiven me, then.”

“Persistent, aren’t you?”

Instead of answering, he hops out of his side of the truck and has my door open before I’ve collected my bag. He grabs my thighs and angles my body toward him, wedging his waist between my legs. “Go out with me.” This time there’s no question in his voice. “We can take it slow. All I’m asking for is one date.” His hands travel up my thighs, just an inch. Enough that my eyes nearly roll back in my head.

He isn’t making this easy.

Unable to resist a touch, I place my fingertips on his forearm and trace the grooves that flexed each time he turned the wheel. His grip on my legs tightens. I lean toward him, my lips brushing his ear. “Thanks for the ride.”

Grabbing my bag, I try to hop down from my seat, but he barely moves, so I end up sliding down his (rock-hard) chest and thighs, then I duck under his arm.

Looking for Rose is about as much drama as I can handle right now, and everything about Nico is too much. Too much charm. Too much heat between us. Too much him. And he doesn’t know the details of my past, the stains on my character. I’ve never hidden my infractions from people. I was a stupid kid who did stupid things. It’s not who I am now. But I’m not so sure Nico would see it that way. Better to focus on my job and finding my sister, not giving the guy who hurt me a second chance.