Letterman Jacket

35 / eight days before

My eyebrows furrowed as Nico gazed at me from head to toe, face carefully void of expression. I looked down at my clothes—a black, spaghetti strap tank top paired with a gray pleated skirt that ended around my thighs. A simple gold necklace hugged my neck, and a soft, pink jacket covered my shoulders. "Okay, what's wrong with it?"

"Nothing," he said lowly, eyes raising to meet mine, "you're sexy as hell."

"You sound like you're being forced to say it," I muttered, clearing my throat as I backed away to look at myself in the full-length mirror. "Honestly. Is it that bad?"

"No."

"Then why do you sound like you're angry?"

Nico rubbed the nape of his neck. "I'm not angry."

"But...?"

"But nothing."

"Nico," I said, placing my hands on my hips. "We're not leaving until you tell me what's wrong."

He sighed. "I don't want to be that boyfriend."

"What boyfriend?"

"The one that tells you to get changed."

I blinked and tilted my head. "Yeah, no. You're not going to be that boyfriend."

"I'm just worried," he admitted guiltily. "Again, you look sexy as hell. There's just...there'll be a lot of strangers at this party, and I don't want to take the chance of someone touching you or God forbid, hurt you. We're not staying long, but East Hampton's going to be there."

"I have a jacket!" I took it off my shoulders and waved it in the air. "The skirt's not too short, either..."

Nico exhaled heavily and forced a smile. "Yeah, okay. I'll wait for you downstairs."

"Nico," I helplessly called before he could move another step, "I just—I just think women like me are supposed to wear whatever the fuck we want without worrying about disrespectful assholes. I'll also be with you and Theo the whole time, you know? No one's touching me without getting their ass beaten."

"I know, baby," he said, stepping forward to take my hands. "I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Thank you for worrying," I murmured, following him as he walked backwards and sat on the bed. I stood in between his legs as his hands slid around my waist, squeezing my hips as he looked up at me.

"You're right," he said, "no one's touching you without getting their ass beaten."

I smiled.

"You're fucking gorgeous," Nico whispered, bringing his hands lower, and I gasped as his fingers grazed the back of my thighs, dangerously close to my behind. "Thea."

"Mm?"

"You're staying with me tonight. In my house. In my room, and on my bed."

My smile stretched to a grin. "Demanding."

He leaned down, brushing his lips against my bare shoulder before tugging me forward. A shiver ran up my spine as I climbed onto his lap, knees in between his hips to straddle him. His fingers grazed my skin lightly. Lovingly. "Baby...you don't know what you do to me," he whispered, eyes locking with mine.

Having a pretty good idea, I lowered myself down, and my grip tightened on his shoulders as a quiet gasp escaped me. Nico sucked in a deep breath through his teeth and tilted my head to kiss me once, twice, fitting my lower lip between his own and tugging gently. I moved closer, pressed my mouth more firmly to his, and his tongue slid across my lips and dipped inside—tasting and claiming me whole.