Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
KARL
We stop at a boutique in the hotel so Nancy can look for a dress, but she comes out empty-handed.
“Nothing suits you?”
Her nose scrunches in disgust. “It all felt like my old life. I don’t want to marry you wearing my old life.”
“Are there any more places around?”
“I don’t know, but I’m too hungry to care. Can we go eat, and maybe I’ll run out in the morning and see if I can find something?”
I take her hand and lead her to the parking garage. “You could wear a robe from the hotel. I bet you’d still be the most beautiful bride in that.”
“It may come down to that,” she jokes. “It would also be easier to get undressed after.” I look over in time to see her blush.
“Would I seem common if I admit how much I’m looking forward to that part of our wedding day?”
“I’d be worried if you weren’t after the last twenty-four hours.”
“If anything, the desire has only gotten more intense.”
I guide the truck away from the flashing lights of Clifton Hill, feeling calmer as the scenes around us become less touristy.
“I think that’s it.” She points to a shabby building on the corner ahead of us.
“This is where people get the best wonton soup?” I ask, peering up at the sign. The name, Country Fresh Donuts, does not inspire confidence.
“Apparently,” she says, clearly as skeptical as I am. “Don’t you usually get delicious wonton soup with a side of donuts?”
“I’m not opposed to it,” I quip, parking in the tiny lot behind the restaurant. “It looks busy at least.”
The second we walk inside, my mouth starts watering, washing away any doubt I had. One minute it’s the smell of fresh donuts hitting me, and the next, it's wonton soup. Two smells that make no sense together but somehow work.
Nancy orders two bowls of soup, an apple fritter, and a maple dip. It’s an odd sight to see on the tray, but I’m not complaining.
“Holy moly,” she gushes the minute she has swallowed her first bite. “The hype is real.”
“How’d you hear about this place?”
“I honestly don’t remember. I just remembered it was here.”
I chew and swallow a tender wonton. “Well, thank goodness, because this is amazing.”
We eat in silence for a bit, and not one second of it is uncomfortable. I enjoy watching Nancy eat. She savors each bite, and at the end, tips the bowl up to get every last drop.
“I don’t think I could possibly eat the donut now.”
I’m twice her size, and I also don’t think I can eat the donut. "Should we see if we can get a bag so we can take them back? Maybe a midnight snack or a pre-breakfast snack?”
“A pre-breakfast snack?” she asks, eyebrows raised in question.
“You know when you want to enjoy a coffee in your room before going to get coffee?”
“Sure.”
“Wouldn’t that coffee be way better with a donut?”
“Probably.”
“Definitely, Nancy. Definitely.”
Nancy gets up to grab a bag while I take our empty tray back to the disposal area. When she meets me at the door, she’s got a box.
“No bags?”
“Um, well,” she stammers, opening the generic white box to reveal 4 more donuts than we had ordered.
“I got thinking, what if we wake up really early and want multiple coffees? Or maybe we have a midnight snack and pre-breakfast. Also, I didn’t know what kind you’d want, so I got all different ones. ”
“Marry me?” I ask, taking the box and then her hand.
“I’ll think about it,” she teases.
She pulls me to a stop when we reach the truck and points at a small thrift store across the street.
“I think I’ll pop in and see if they have something in there.”
“Something old?”
“Or I could put something under my shirt and return it after.” Her brows bounce mischievously. “Then it’s old and borrowed.”
“Even better if it’s blue,” I suggest. “Go ahead. I’ll wait in the truck.”
“Don’t eat any of those,” she says, pointing at the box.
I pat my stomach. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”
Fifteen minutes later, she skips gleefully back across the road, a paper bag swinging from her right hand.
“So not borrowed?”
“No.” She sighs, shaking her head as she buckles in. “I don’t think I’ll ever want to give this back.”
“Welcome back. Did you enjoy your dinner?” The concierge asks when we walk through the lobby on our way to the elevator.
“It exceeded expectations, thank you,” Nancy calls as we pass.
Back in the room, I set the box of donuts and the bag of snacks we grabbed down next to the coffee maker and turn to find Nancy standing in the middle of the room fidgeting nervously.
“What’s wrong, beautiful?” I sit in the chair next to her, reaching for her arm and gently guiding her between my legs.
“Nothing’s wrong exactly. I think it may be starting to sink in.”
“What?”
“This thing we’re doing?”
“Eloping?”
“Mmmm,” she hums as she runs her hands through my hair. I lean into her touch and rest my head on her stomach. “I, um, I don’t want to do anything tonight.”
I look up, my hands still on her hips. “That’s fine.”
“But I also do,” she says slowly, studying my face.
“That’s also fine,” I assure her.
Her eyes narrow at me. “Why are you so amiable? Don’t you want to ravish me?”
“God, yes, but my partner not being into that isn’t exactly a turn-on.”
Her expression softens, becoming almost wistful. “I really want you to ravish me.”
“Good.” I push her t-shirt up, revealing a sliver of skin, and press my lips to it. “How about tonight we just be together without the pressure of sex?”
Her face turns crimson at the mention of sex. “Get to know each other a bit more?” she suggests once she collects herself.
“Not the worst idea, even if I feel like I know you already. There are just some spaces I need to fill in the details.”
“Mad Libs style?”
“Something like that.” The main difference being I’ve never wanted to play Mad Libs as badly as I want to play this get-to-know-each-other game with Nancy.
“Should we maybe get into our pajamas and then stay up all night talking?”
“I can’t think of anything better,” I mutter against her stomach before slowly standing.
Blue eyes follow me as I reach my full height. “Really? I can think of something that has the opportunity to rival it,” she says quietly.
I press my lips to hers and lift her into my arms. Her legs immediately wrap around my waist, making it easier for me to make my way to the bed. “I’m going to put you down and go change in the bathroom,” I breathe out between kisses.
“Why can’t you change in here with me?”
“Because you’re my greatest temptation, and my resolve is at an all-time low.
” I drop one more quick kiss onto her pouty lips, then loosen my grip so she slides gently to the floor.
Once she’s steady on her feet, I retreat reluctantly and turn to my bag.
When I look back, she’s still standing where I left her.
“When you said pajamas, you didn’t mean birthday suit, did you? ”
She chuckles, shaking her head as she heads for her suitcase. “No, but I am a little concerned about how you’ll be able to resist me when you see what I sleep in.”
My imagination starts to whirl at the thought of her wearing some skimpy lace getup. No one sleeps in that stuff, though. There’s no way. “I can’t wait,” I squeak in the manliest way possible, practically tripping over my feet on my way to the bathroom.