52. Skye
SKYE
A slightly desperate look in Nikola’s eyes was telling me he was holding something back. My instinct warned me it had something to do with his therapist, but instead of questioning him, I decided I’d leave it alone. For now.
“ Do you still want to show me your… surprise ?” I asked hesitantly.
“Of course. That’s all I’ve been thinking about all day.
” Nikola pulled me closer, so close that our lips were a hair’s breadth apart, and kissed me with that familiar possession.
His inked fingers came to rest on my hips and latched on to them.
“And I mean it, Skye. Don’t you dare starve yourself.
I love you just the way you are. Besides, this way I can hold on to something when… ”
He never finished the sentence, but it was enough to set me alight.
But rather than caving into my desires, I signed with shaky fingers and lust in my veins, “ Let’s go before you turn to filthy talk, Nikola, and we forget about whatever plans you have. You know how much I love surprises. ”
He chuckled. “Don’t I know it.”
It’d been like this since I arrived. He’d surprise me with dates, dinners, or even frequenting Mardi Gras. And then there was my favorite: staying home. I loved cuddling up and making out while the movie played in the background, but we never went further than kissing and innocent petting.
It was as if he was waiting for something.
Once we were in the car, I expected the driver to take us to downtown New Orleans.
Instead, it was a short ride and we found ourselves in front of an exquisite white Italianate-Greek Revival home with historical charm but all the modern luxuries, such as surveillance cameras and an electric gated entry that surrounded lush gardens.
“Where are we?”
“Our home.” I shot him a surprised look. “My parents’ property borders this one in the southeast. I figured we’d want some privacy.”
“ Oh .”
“Is that a good oh or bad oh?”
“ I’m not sure ,” I admitted. “ Somehow I always pictured you—us—in your parents’ home .”
“Not me. They’ll be close enough for visits, but this is just for us.” I struggled to follow his words and moods. “We can raise our children here one day.”
“ So we’re back to children, huh ?”
Something was definitely wrong. This wasn’t like Nikola, and his sudden talk about children was setting me on edge.
“I don’t want you to miss out on anything.”
I stared at him, dumbfounded. I’d never thought about kids before today. Maybe I was terrified of passing on the gene Mama and I carried that would destine my children to a life without hearing. Or maybe because I was only twenty years old.
“ What if I don’t want kids ?”
Nikola tilted his head as if thinking about it. “But you could change your mind. Right?”
I sighed. This was not how I envisioned this afternoon going.
“ I guess, ” I answered vaguely, both of us still in the car while a potential new home waited for us. “ Is this because you want kids? I just think we’re way too young to even think about kids. ”
He pinched the bridge of his nose while shadows danced in his eyes. “You’re right. We aren’t even married yet.”
I smiled, slightly relieved. “ Exactly. Let’s not rush things. Unlike our friends, let’s try to enjoy the process of planning a wedding and getting married. ”
He chuckled.
“Thank God, then all my prior plans tanked. We’re breaking the tradition, you know.”
“ How so ?”
“The past several weddings occurred with a groom forcing the bride to say ‘I do’ or even holding a gun to her. We’re setting a high standard,” he stated, then winced, smiling sheepishly. “Well, aside from the sex tape.”
“ Force of circumstance, ” I offered up a reason.
He opened the car door and I did the same, then rushed around to help him. He used his arms to shift over to the wheelchair, his veins and muscles bulging, and I found my mouth part at the view. I swallowed, my pulse throbbing between my legs.
I ignored it, letting my gaze stray, and locked on the beautiful home while I waited, wondering where all this was going.
I’d been so caught up in my thoughts that I was startled when a hand tugged on mine. My eyes lowered to Nikola’s inked fingers intertwined with mine, my name on his ring finger.
My gaze met his.
“Are you ready to see our home?” I nodded. “Let me give you a tour and you can tell me whatever you want changed.”
Then, without a warning, he lifted me up and set me on his lap. A squeal escaped me and we laughed for the next few hours as I got a detailed tour of what would be the beginning of our future.