16. Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sixteen
Ali
Ali stared in the mirror, braiding her hair to the side. Her eyes lingered on her stomach, where the smallest bump was beginning to form on her slender figure, though it was mostly hidden by her long, flowing emerald-green dress with thin straps and a plunging neckline.
On the counter, a variety of necklaces and bracelets were on display, all of them borrowed from Grace.
She held up a necklace with green gemstones that matched the dress but shook her head and set it back down.
There was only one necklace she ever wore, and it was the one Nik had given her with the amethyst rose on a gold chain.
She paired it with a dainty bracelet with stones that shimmered green or violet depending on the light.
Moving from the bathroom to the bedroom, she found Nik lounging on the bed, one arm tucked behind his head. She might’ve thought he was asleep, except his gaze was fixed on her.
“Can you zip me up?” she asked, turning around and holding her braid to the side.
The bed creaked, and she felt his presence behind her, grabbing the zipper near her lower back and gently pulling up. When he was done, he placed his hands on her hips and spun her around. “You look absolutely stunning.”
Heat rose, spreading from her cheeks down to her chest. It didn’t matter how many times he complimented her. She’d always turn into a flushed mess at his praise.
“You’re quite handsome as well,” she said, lacing her fingers behind his neck.
He wore black slacks and a white button-up shirt, but he’d left the top two buttons open, showing off a small amount of his tan chest. Part of her wanted to open the rest of the buttons and pepper kisses down his stomach and then a little farther, but they had company arriving any minute now.
Nik caught her staring at his groin and smirked. Sliding his hands around to her ass, he licked his lips and squeezed. “What are you thinking about?”
Ali huffed a laugh. “Nothing in particular.”
“Mm,” he hummed. “Do you want to know what I think?”
She nodded, admiring the way his eyes darkened as they roamed her body.
“I think you were visioning my cock inside your mouth.” He pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her chest, his lips grazing the bare skin where her dress dipped low. “Or perhaps inside your pussy…”
Somehow, his hand had moved from her ass to under her skirt without her noticing. He slipped it between her thighs, and she bit back a moan. Her eyes fluttered closed as Nik continued to stroke her slick center, building her into a frenzy.
She felt like a river of water seconds away from toppling over a dam.
Her legs felt like they were about to give out at any moment, and he hadn’t even pressed inside her yet.
When she opened her eyes again, Nik was staring at her with such intensity that she couldn’t look away.
Neither of them blinked, completely entranced by the other.
With one sharp inhale, Nik slid his fingers inside her.
Ali pitched forward, and he was there to catch her as her pussy clenched around his fingers. She wasn’t sure how long it was before he removed his hand from between her thighs. Her racing heart had settled, and his lust-filled eyes had turned from dark iron gray to a dazzling metallic blue.
He released a heavy sigh as she picked herself up, standing straight once again. She brushed out the rumples in her skirt and made sure her breasts were still tucked into the top of her dress. Running a hand over her braid, she let out a breath of relief that her plait had suffered minimal damage.
Nik headed toward the bathroom to wash his hands, and Ali once again found herself eyeing his straining pants. She’d been thoroughly satisfied, but what about him? She still wanted to wrap her hands around his cock and taste the result of his unraveling. She reached out and grabbed his forearm.
He tilted his head. “Yes?”
Before shame or embarrassment could block her speech, she asked, “What about you?” Her eyes briefly flicked to the button on his pants.
Nik gave her a crooked smile. “I’ll be fine, Ali. If you get your hands on me, we likely won’t leave this room at all. Save it for after the dance, sweetheart.”
She might’ve argued, but a knock at the door reminded her they were expecting company.
She greeted Sam and Eli, who walked in holding bags full of sealed containers.
They placed them on the table and began to peel back the lids, revealing an assortment of steaming side dishes.
Mashed potatoes, a vegetable medley, a loaf of bread that smelled like nuts and angelfruit. The scent alone made her stomach growl.
She took turns hugging Eli and Sam once their hands were free.
“Hey, Ali,” Eli said, ruffling the hair on the top of her head. She dipped down to avoid his hand and made sure her braid hadn’t been messed up.
Eli looked dapper with a fresh haircut and a crisp black shirt and gray trousers. Though she could tell he had forgotten to shave the stubble on his chin. It suited him, though. Without it, he looked like a teenager. This way, he looked more distinguished and mature.
“Good to see you again,” Sam said, more formally than Eli. Sam’s dark hair was slicked back, and his deep red shirt complimented his tan skin. He had dressed to impress at tonight’s ball too, and Ali had a hunch who had inspired such an effort.
Nik returned from the bathroom and greeted the guys. He even clapped Eli on the back. It was a sight Ali had never expected to see, but it made her heart swell with affection for the love of her life and the best friend she’d ever had.
While Nik pulled the main course from the oven, Ali set the table with plates, glasses, and silverware.
“Damn, I didn’t realize you were such a chef,” Sam joked.
Nik shrugged off the unexpected compliment. “It’s just chicken.”
Chicken that he had painstakingly marinated and seasoned to perfection. The skin was the most delicious shade of brown, and if the sides hadn’t made Ali salivate already, the savory aroma of the roasted fowl would have.
Eli sucked in a sharp breath and snapped his fingers. “I completely forgot to bring a bottle of wine. I’m sure you guys have one, right?” He moved toward the cabinet that they usually kept theirs in, but Nik stopped him.
“Actually, we’re all out. I can go to the supply chamber and grab a couple bottles.”
“Don’t be silly,” Ali said. “We can do without.”
Nik shook his head. “It’ll only take fifteen minutes. Angelfruit okay? Or do you want something else?”
“That’s fine with me,” Eli said.
“I’ll come with you. I’d like to see what other options they have,” Sam added.
Once Nik and Sam had left, Eli pulled out a chair and gestured for Ali to sit.
With a grin, she lowered to the cushioned seat. “What a gentleman.”
“You know me so well,” he said, finding his own seat across from her. He began to place the lids back on the dishes to keep them warm while they waited for Nik and Sam to return.
She really did know him so well. Probably better than anyone else. Even though they hadn’t had a moment alone together in weeks, she felt as close to him as ever.
Well, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. There was currently a chasm between them, one that grew wider with every day that Ali didn’t share her big news. But every time she tried, her hands got sweaty and her heart began to race.
Initially, she couldn’t determine what she was so scared of. But then she realized she’d be devastated if Eli wasn’t happy for her. She pictured a bright future where her child was surrounded by a loving family, including an “Uncle Eli.”
But what if he didn’t want to be part of that future?
She thrummed her fingers nervously on the edge of the hardwood table. Finally, she said, “You and Nik seem to get along well these days.”
Eli grinned. “I suppose so. He’s…tolerable.”
“You can’t fool me. You forget that I’ve seen the two of you training together on many occasions. You almost look like friends.”
A pleasant change that could all be undone if Ali’s news didn’t land well with Eli.
Leaning forward in his seat, Eli rested his elbows on the table and ran a hand over his scruffy chin. “I don’t hate him.”
Ali’s smile stretched across her face.
“It’s good to see you smiling again. How are things going…with you?” he asked.
Although he hadn’t been there to witness her darkest days spent searching for him, she’d filled him in on nearly every bitter moment.
The hollow feeling that had consumed her.
The restless nights spent replaying every loss of life around her.
Some days she still woke up with an overwhelming weight on her chest, but she was getting better at coping and learning to lean on Nik when she was unable to face the day on her own.
“Good,” she answered honestly. “It’s weird, isn’t it? Did you ever think this is where life would lead us? I still miss Andus and my mom and your dad, but I can see us growing old here together. Getting married, having children…”
Eli’s brows rose. “It is unbelievable, huh? Assuming I win the Rite, Grace and I will be married by the end of the year.” His eyes went wide at his own words, and Ali almost giggled.
“Are you ready for that?”
He only took a few seconds before he responded with certainty. “Yes, I am. As crazy as it sounds, I feel like I’m the best version of myself with Grace.”
“That’s not crazy at all.” Ali recalled the moment she had first met Nik and the things he’d made her feel. It had been so hard to explain those feelings to Eli back then, but by the look on his face, he understood them now.
“Kids, though…” He laughed. “Can you imagine us with kids? We can hardly take care of ourselves. That’ll have to wait a few years, don’t you think?”
Ali struggled to swallow—some invisible object the size of her fist had gotten lodged in her throat. She stood up and grabbed a pitcher of water from the counter, pouring some into her glass. “Water?” she asked Eli. When he nodded, she filled his glass as well.
She took a few sips and set the glass down with shaky hands. “Eli, I have something to tell you.”
Eli leaned forward and slid the lid off one of the dishes. “I’m starving. Do you think they’ll notice if we dig in without them?” Unsatisfied with the first bowl, he peeked under the lid of another and inhaled a deep breath, moaning at the delectable scent emanating from underneath.
“Eli…”
“Do you have a serving spoon?” he asked, still distracted by his rumbling stomach.
Why was this so hard?
“I wanted to tell you—”
The door swung open, and Nik and Sam came in, laughing about something she hadn’t heard.
“Thank god. I was about to start eating without you,” Eli said, taking a bottle of wine from Sam’s hands. He read the label and nodded approvingly. “Peach, huh? I don’t think I’ve had this one.”
Nik sat another bottle on the table and Ali recognized it as their favorite angelfruit wine. Then he pulled a third bottle from a bag. “We also got this angelfruit lemonade. It sounded too good to pass up.”
Ali smiled, knowing he’d gotten it for her benefit. Now she didn’t have to make an excuse for not drinking wine when there was a non-alcoholic beverage to choose from.
The guys found their seats around the table and took turns dishing food onto their plates. Her stomach turned and her appetite all but disappeared.
While she poured herself a glass of lemonade, she tried not to focus on the fact that she’d missed another opportunity to tell Eli her good news. Or the fact that he might not consider it to be good news at all.