Chapter 37 Nikolai
NIKOLAI
It was their last night in Italy. Nikolai had spent the entire day out making sure that everything was perfect.
Reid had gone out with Ace and Lucas to do some last-minute shopping, no doubt maxing out their credit cards and spending the last of their cash, which they were convinced couldn’t be brought back home because it was “single-use” cash that needed to be spent on this trip before it expired upon their return to the States.
Don’t argue—their logic was sound.
“You can’t come to Italy and not pick up a few outfits,” Lucas argued with his boyfriend, Caden.
“Plus, how often do you get to say you were in Italy? I can’t go home without a few essentials,” Ace added, looking at his husband like he should know better. Blade just shrugged his shoulders. It wasn’t like he was going to tell Ace off, especially with his brother standing just ten feet away.
“So, what’s your excuse?” Nikolai asked, turning to face Reid.
His mouth dropped open, appearing caught off guard.
“I’m bonding with the guys?” Reid suggested, shrugging his shoulders as if he were the innocent party in this band of merry men.
The guys just laughed, kissing their loved ones before hopping in a taxi.
That was eight hours ago.
Reid should be back any minute.
Right on cue, the happy trio stumbled into the courtyard, bags overflowing in their hands.
“Oh! Hey, honey!” Reid called, waving a handful of bags at him. “What are you doing out here?”
Niko smiled. “Waiting for you.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet.” Reid stepped up and gave him a kiss.
Niko wrapped his arm around Reid’s waist and pulled his body up against his.
“Mmm, someone’s happy to see me.” Reid grinned, taking note of Niko’s thick cock as it dangled softly against his leg.
Stupidly, Niko had decided to wear the thin cotton pants Reid had bought him special for this trip without any underwear. He didn’t realize until about two minutes ago that in front of the right light, you could totally see his junk through the thin-as-fuck material of his pants.
Was that why Reid bought him the pants?
Suddenly, the smiling man against him didn’t look so innocent.
“I thought we could go for a walk since it’s our last night,” Niko suggested.
“Oh, that sounds like a great idea. Let me just put these bags upstairs.”
Marcus suddenly materialized out of nowhere.
“No need. I’ll take your bags up to your room.”
“But you don’t have our room key,” Reid responded.
Marcus shot him a look. “Please… Like I need a key to enter a room.” He huffed and grabbed the bags from Reid, practically pulling his arms off in the process.
Niko nodded to his boss and friend.
“Guess I’m ready,” Reid said with a shrug as Niko took his hand and led him down toward the water.
Their path was lit with hundreds of twinkle lights, creating one of the most romantic settings Niko had ever seen.
If there was one thing about the Italians, they really knew their romance.
“Umm, it might be a little cool for a night swim,” Reid noted, as they got closer to the water, always the sarcastic son of a bitch.
“No, not exactly.” Niko chuckled, turning to his right and leading them down another path.
This one opened up to a private garden filled with exotic flowers that bloomed only in this part of the region. The walkway was paved with flat, gray and black stones, offering a sturdy path to the single round table set up in the middle of the gardens.
The table was draped with elegant white linen, carefully arranged with fine plates and silverware provided by the generously accommodating hotel staff.
Nikolai had made arrangements for a private dinner in the hotel’s lush gardens for just him and his partner.
The manager, an auburn-haired beauty with chestnut eyes and perfectly manicured nails, gushed at the request, expressing how much she loved romantic gestures and promised that the dinner would be both romantic and perfect.
“Oh my god…” Reid gasped as he took in the view before him.
“We couldn’t leave Italy without a little romance of our own,” Nikolai responded, loving the way Reid’s eyes brightened at the gesture.
Romance was not a regular part of Nikolai’s life. Sex had always been an activity that was void of emotion, which he had realized was one of the reasons why he only ever had threesomes. It was hard to get attached or open your heart to someone when that person was going down on someone else.
But Reid? Reid was different. Sex with him had always been filled with emotion… connection. Kissing his lips and looking into his eyes, he couldn’t imagine ever sharing that with anyone else.
Reid was his, and he was going to prove that to him tonight.
Leading him toward the table, Nikolai pulled out Reid’s chair and held his hand as he took his seat.
He imagined that this must be what Prince Charming felt like every time he held a chair for his princess. Not that Reid was a princess by any means. He was far from dainty and could hold his own in a fight against any attacker.
But still, it was nice to show his partner, his best friend, just how much he meant to Niko.
Rounding the table, Niko plopped himself down in his seat with a little less grace than he would have liked. How graceful can a six-foot-four man be? Especially when he’s distracted by his sexy-ass boyfriend sitting across from him.
“Niko… this…” Reid began before a man carrying a violin stepped out of the dark and began playing softly.
Niko couldn’t help but smile. For once, he had done something good and romantic.
A moment later, a man dressed in a fancy suit walked up the path carrying a bucket filled with ice and a bottle of expensive champagne.
Niko knew it was expensive because he had spent thirty minutes discussing the various options, flavors, textures, and bubble count with the fashion-model manager of the hotel.
Thankfully, the woman had patience because Niko had no idea what champagne should taste like.
He always drank whatever was placed in front of him.
“May I?” Niko asked him, pulling the bottle out of the bucket and lifting Reid’s flute.
Reid nodded, lips pulled back in an “I can’t believe I am witnessing this” smirk.
“I know. I’m romantic as fuck,” Niko offered, glancing up at Reid as he filled his glass. “Don’t get used to this. I do have balls after all.”
Reid nodded. “That seems to be the saying among your crew.”
They both chuckled as two more men carrying trays walked in, setting out appetizers and bread on the table. One man assisted Reid with his napkin, while the other assisted Niko with his.
“Niko, this… is beautiful,” Reid gushed, taking in the setting around them.
“I’m glad you like. It took me all week to figure out something special that you might like. I’m not the most romantic person, as you know.”
Reid reached across the table and took his hand.
“You knocked it out of the park with this one.”
Niko’s heart swelled in his chest as he saw the love he felt for Reid reflected back at him through his best friend’s eyes.
How had he gone this long without having this man by his side?
“Tonight, we will begin with an antipasto consisting of some salami, prosciutto, mozzarella, and some olives. Then we have scialatielli ai frutti di mare, which is a seafood pasta, famous in these parts of the Amalfi Coast,” the waiter explained.
“Then we have a bit of a tasting for you, some dishes the manager wanted you to try. And then, finally, for dessert, we have profiteroles al cioccolato, which is a dessert made of a pastry puff, filled with cream and covered in chocolate glaze sauce.”
Reid’s eyes lit up as he licked his lips. “Mmm, that all sounds delicious.”
Thanking their waiter, they began to enjoy the amazing meal laid out before them. As each course was finished, the servers quickly removed the plates and proceeded to bring out the next course.
They laughed and chatted and reminisced about their lives in New York. While their past had been dark, it created a bond between them that only grew with time.
Finally, once they had finished their dessert, Niko popped open a fresh bottle of champagne and began pouring Reid another glass.
“Niko, another bottle? At this rate, you’re going to be carrying my ass back to bed.” Reid chuckled, taking the glass he was offered and placing it down in front of him.
Niko stared at the man he had fallen deeply in love with and wondered how it had taken him this long to realize that life without Reid was meaningless. These past ten years, he’d been just going through the motions of living, without even knowing what was missing.
They belonged together.
He and Reid.
Forever.
Taking Reid’s hand in his, he stared into his best friend’s aqua-blue eyes and smiled.
“I used to make fun of Caden and Blade whenever they said they couldn’t live without Lucas or Ace, or that they had to make a quick phone call, just so they could hear their voices. It used to make me want to slap them and check to see if they still had their balls.
“But ever since you came back into my life, I find myself doing the same thing. I’m pretty sure that if you check, I no longer have balls between my legs.”
“Just as long as you still have that monstrous cock, I think we’ll be okay,” Reid added, reaching across the table and giving his hand a squeeze.
Nikolai nodded and blushed.
“Yes, we both know how obsessed you are with my dick. It can’t be helped.”
Niko glanced up at Reid and swallowed hard.
Why was he so nervous? This was his love. His best friend.
Because Reid could always say no…
“Basically, what I am trying to say is that even though you annoy the fuck out of me, with your constant snoring and the dirty tricks you play on me—”
“Hey! You’re the one who made me wear the hoochie shorts while out jogging!” Reid chuckled. “I still owe you back for that one!”
“Yes, one day I will let you outsmart me. What I am trying to say is that I can’t imagine my life without you. You have always been there for me, fought for me, even broken your ass trying to take this humongous dick of mine.”
“Hey. Okay, now you are starting to get a little too cocky for me, babe,” Reid interjected once again.
“Will you stop talking and let me propose to you?”
Reid’s mouth dropped when he realized what Niko was trying to do. His mouth slammed shut, and he nodded, eyes wide, enthusiastically.
“Jesus, you never shut up,” Niko huffed, taking a sip of his champagne before looking back at the suddenly sober man practically vibrating out of his skin.
“Okay, so where was I? Oh yeah.”
Reaching across the table once more, Nikolai took Reid’s hand in his and began caressing the skin between his thumb and forefinger.
“Before I met you, I didn't realize what love was.”
Pulling his other hand from his pocket, Niko slid the purple velvet box across the table. He slowly lifted the lid, revealing the white and yellow-gold engagement ring he had purchased for Reid before they left New Mexico.
“Reid sexy-ass Miller. Will you do me the honor and spend the rest of your life putting up with my stupid-ass shit?”
Reid jumped from his seat and rushed around the table. He threw his leg over Niko’s thighs and straddled him, crushing his dick in the process.
Arms wrapped around Niko, Reid stared into his hopeful eyes and smiled. “Of course, I’ll spend the rest of my life helping you out with your stupid-ass shit.”
A flood of relief crashed over Nikolai. He’d never been so happy to hear those words.
Without wasting another minute, their lips crashed together as they promised to commit their lives to one another. Grabbing the back of Reid’s head, Niko devoured his lips, moaning when his fiancé ground his ass into his lap.
The man was fucking delicious.
Jerking his head away, a panicked look quickly spread across Reid’s face.
“Shit! The ring! Let me see the ring!”
Niko burst out laughing. He pulled the ring from the box he still held in his hand and gently slipped it onto Reid’s finger.
A perfect fit.
“There. Now you’re mine.” Nikolai snickered.
Gazing at his ring, Reid’s face never looked so happy.
Standing, Reid took Niko’s hand and pulled him to his feet.
“Come. Now it’s time for me to mark you as mine,” Reid growled.
The hungry look in Reid’s eyes only meant one thing—tonight, Niko’s dick was going to be bruised as shit.
“Yes, sir,” Niko answered, following his fiancé back to their room.
He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. He was about to marry his best friend, a man who made him feel loved and cared for. Somehow, in all of the chaos, their hearts had found one another. Now he was going to spend the rest of his life showing this man just how much he really meant to him.
Niko couldn’t wait to share the news of their engagement with the guys. But for now, he had a fiancé to service and a love mark to receive.
He was the luckiest man in the world.