Chapter 21
Last First Date
An hour later, Nikhail was leaning against his rental car. Ryker had left a half hour ago, and now the air fae was absent-mindedly spinning a ribbon of air between his fingers. The habit, one he’d picked up shortly after his magic first came in, soothed something deep inside him.
He flicked his fingers, sending the wind away the moment the front door to Atlas’s house flew open. River raced outside, the long black winter coat she’d donned flapping.
“Sorry!” Her boots slapped the pavement. Pink dusted the apples of her cheeks, matching the dress she wore beneath her coat. She had a scarf of the same color around her neck, along with gloves that peeked out from her pocket. “I was talking to Ember, and I must’ve lost track of time.”
Nikhail opened the passenger door, brushing his lips over River’s, and sparks raced through him. “You never need to apologize to me. I would’ve waited all night for you, if needed.”
Her lips parted as if this was a surprise. As if she didn’t know she was the driving force behind everything he’d done recently. As if she didn’t know that she was his everything.
Gods above, he was falling hard for this woman. He loved her, yes, but this felt like… more.
And they hadn’t even gone on a date yet.
Nikhail kissed River again—he couldn’t fucking help himself—then he gently pushed the small of her back, urging her to get into the car. He didn’t want her to catch a cold.
Once she was in, he shut her door before making his way to the driver’s seat and getting in. Turning on the car so the engine could warm up, he twisted in his seat.
“I already waited years for you, River. Another few hours, in the grand scheme of things, would be nothing.”
“Nik,” she whispered, sounding equally pleased and in disbelief as she fiddled with the black manacles around her wrists. “You can’t… You shouldn’t be saying things like that.”
“Why not? They’re true.”
She dampened her lips, which were glossy and a faint pink. Nikhail pictured those same lips kissing a trail over his bare chest, leaving marks as she explored him, and, gods…
He coughed, adjusting himself. Quite frankly, River had no idea what she did to him.
Were he less of a gentleman, he’d take her somewhere private right now and see how sensational those lips would look stretched around him. Then he’d find out what, exactly, she was hiding beneath that pink dress of hers.
But they were going out on an official date, and that was important to Nikhail. Their relationship hadn’t come about in a conventional way, but River deserved to be taken out and treated like the queen he knew her to be.
“It’s just that… I’m me, Nik. You know?”
“Perfect in every way?”
“No,” she said. “I mean… I’m still broken.” She studied the manacles, then looked back at him. “I’ll always be that way. I’ll never be whole.”
It would’ve hurt less if she’d taken an ice pick to his heart. He hated that she thought that way about herself, hated that she still couldn’t see her the way he did.
“Don’t say such things.”
“Why?”
“Because.” He drew her upper half across the center console, needing her closer like he needed air. “If you’re broken, then I must be, too.”
Her lips parted, and he took the opportunity to lean over and press his mouth against hers. “And let me be clear about this: I don’t care if I’m broken. Not if it means I can be with you.”
“Oh,” she breathed.
It was clear that River didn’t yet understand the depths of his affection, but one day, she would. For now, he’d do everything in his power to make sure this date exceeded all River’s expectations.
“Oh, my gods, I think this might be the best burger I’ve ever had.” River took another bite, moaning.
Good gods, have mercy. Nikhail had never heard anyone enjoy food as much as River was right now.
The possessive part of him wanted to bundle River up and take her far from here—the sounds she was making were far too incredible to share with the denizens milling about the public park where they were currently eating.
River’s eyes slipped closed on her next bite, and he discreetly adjusted himself.
“I’m so glad you’re enjoying it.” Nikhail covered the roughness in his voice by tossing a crispy fry into his mouth.
“I certainly am.” River took another bite and moaned again.
A Light Elf was walking behind the bench, and a growl rumbled through Nikhail before he could stop it. With a squeak, the older man hurried on without a backward glance. That was good, because gods above, he didn’t want anyone else to hear the sounds of River’s pleasure.
Once her mouth was empty, she asked, “Where did you find this place? It’s kind of out of the way.”
“That’s a polite way to call the restaurant a hole in the wall,” he teased.
“I’m nothing if not polite.” She shot him a grin that spoke otherwise.
“Sure, you are.” A smile played on the edges of Nikhail’s lips. “That’s why I’ve seen you screaming at the television, your hands curled into fists, when your team is losing in Laser.”
River huffed adorably. “That’s different.”
“Oh?” he asked, knowing it would rile her up.
“Everyone knows there’s no room for manners in sports.” She lifted her chin. “That’s just the way of the game.”
She spoke so matter-of-factly, with such dignity, that Nikhail couldn’t help but snort.
“I’ll have to remember that.” He pulled out his phone, pretending to jot a quick note. “Manners are not required for sports spectating.”
“Exactly.”
“Any other times the rules of etiquette don’t need to be followed?” He waved his phone in the air. “So I can take note of them for later.”
Her brows furrowed in mock concentration. “I can’t think of anything.”
But as she said the last word, a flash of something bitter crossed her face, and she frowned.
And he couldn’t let that stand. He slung his arm over the back of the bench, drawing River closer. His fingers played with her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
There was a lengthy pause, then she sighed.
“It’s not important,” she said.
The bitterness coating her words told a different story.
“Doesn’t sound that way to me. Tell me,” Nikhail coaxed. “The thought obviously bothered you, and I want to know what it was.”
He wanted to know everything about River. Her thoughts, her likes and dislikes, her opinions. Every part of her fascinated him.
River fiddled with the hem of her jacket. “It’s not really first-date material, you know?”
“I don’t care.” He kissed her cheek. “We’ve done everything unconventionally; our date can follow suit. Besides, you can tell me anything. I won’t judge you, River.”
Not about this or anything else.
“It’s just… if you asked my mother, she’d tell you that manners and etiquette are always important. At least for Waterborns.”
Of course, this was about Tertia Waterborn.
Nikhail pulled River closer. “What do you mean?”
River snuggled up against him and sighed, drawing her sleeve over the manacle on her wrist. “Waterborns have to be the picture of perfection.” Resentment dripped from River’s words.
“Strong, beautiful, resilient. Everyone should look at us and think, ‘Gods, I want to be them.’ At least, that’s what my mother always said. ”
Nikhail thought he already detested Tertia Waterborn, but it turned out there was still room for his hatred to grow. Who knew?
“Fuck perfection,” he growled.
And fuck Tertia, too. How dare she make her daughter feel like she had to attain such impossible standards?
River stiffened. “What?”
“Fuck. It,” he said, enunciating each syllable. “You shouldn’t have to worry about what anyone else thinks of you, River. No one’s opinion matters but yours. Especially not your mother’s.”
“I like the sound of that,” she admitted softly.
“Yeah?” He brushed his lips across hers. “Me, too.”
Their gazes locked, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The park, the sounds of traffic, even the pounding of his own heart. There was nothing here but the two of them.
A long moment that felt like an eternity and a blink of an eye passed before Nikhail blew out a long breath. He tucked a lock of hair behind River’s ear.
“To answer your original question, I discovered The Shack when I first moved to Golden City for training. It looks the same today as it did all those years ago.”
The base wasn’t far from here. He’d been out for a late-night stroll after a long day when the aroma of fried food had caught his nose. Led by his stomach, he’d followed it here, where he’d quickly discovered that while the food smelled great, it tasted even better.
The Shack was perfectly named. Calling it a restaurant would be a stretch, since it was built in an alley between two buildings. More of a permanent food stall than anything else, it was a fixture of the neighborhood.
The owners, Sarai and Samantha, were the only two people Nikhail had ever seen behind the counter.
It wasn’t surprising, since the space was incredibly tight.
The wives were constantly bumping hips and touching shoulders as they moved in the small space, although based on the laughter that often passed between them, it didn’t seem to bother them.
Over the years, Nikhail had sampled every dish on The Shack’s menu.
Each had been a symphony of flavor in his mouth.
The Shack was a hidden gem and one of the neighborhood’s best-kept secrets.
Although, maybe the secret wasn’t that well-kept, since every time he visited, the line snaked out of the alley and onto the sidewalk.
River polished off her burger and crumpled the wrapper. “Well, I’m glad you found it. This food is delicious.” She snuggled against him. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
Nikhail’s chest warmed at her proximity. “You’re welcome. I wouldn’t want to share this moment with anyone else.”
She beamed, and the joy on her face could warm him on the coldest winter nights. “It was a great first date.”
“I’m glad you think so, but this isn’t the end of our date.”
She lifted her head. “It’s not?”