The door snicked open, and Nikhail’s voice was a low, indistinguishable murmur. Tingles ran up her spine. A few moments later, the door shut, and his feet practically glided over the floor as he returned bearing an enormous brown bag, the bottom darker than the rest.
“Sands save me, that smells incredible.” River’s stomach grumbled, the promise of food infusing her with strength.
She rolled into a seated position, tucking her feet beneath her as Nikhail moved to the only table in the room. He reached into the bag, unveiling the veritable feast he’d ordered. Two foil-wrapped burgers, fries, a closed container of noodles, and a box of donuts all made their way onto the table.
“Nik…” She hadn’t even seen him pull out his phone to place the order. “When did you do this?”
He reached into the enormous bag once more, placing his final offering on the table. The slab of chocolate cake was the size of her face, and it looked delectable.
A dazzling smile spread across his face. “On the way here. You barely touched your dinner these past two nights, and you seemed hungry.”
He’d noticed. Of course, he had. It shouldn’t have surprised River that Nikhail had been watching her close enough to see her mother’s nitpicking and cold remarks, but it did.
“So, you bought enough food for a small army?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I just picked some things that I’ve seen you enjoy in the past.” His cheeks colored, and gods, that sight was everything. Had she ever seen him blush before? She didn’t think so, and there was something empowering about being the person who drew it out of him. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like tonight.”
Like the coffee, he remembered her favorites. That was… a lot. She wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that information, but she tucked it away for further examination.
“Thank you, Nik.” She pulled her feet out from under her and half-dove, half-slid towards him. “Thank you so much.”
She kissed him, letting her mouth tell him how much it meant to her that he’d seen her. That he cared about her.
“You’re welcome, River.” He ran his knuckles across her cheek. “I didn’t do this so you’d kiss me, although I’m certainly not complaining. I want to take care of you.”
Even if fae could lie, she would never doubt his words.
“I know, but I’m just… overwhelmed. Not in a bad way,” she hurried to add as his brows furrowed. “I’m happy, truly. This is just… It’s more than anyone has ever done for me.”
Her past experiences with relationships had been brief, and none of her previous partners had ever paid attention to these kinds of details.
Nikhail’s arms wrapped around her, and he held her close to his chest. Her head tucked beneath his, and she pressed her ear against his heart. Gods, she loved sitting like this. She’d never been one for constantly touching her partners before, but she got the feeling that would change with Nikhail.
“You deserve to have someone look after you,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head. That seemed to be a favorite move of his, not that she was complaining. Every time he did it, butterflies exploded in her stomach. “Let me be that person for you.”
How could she say no to that?
His hands found her hips, and he turned her smoothly on his lap. She faced the table, her back pressed against his chest, and his arms wrapped around her middle.
“There’s only one chair,” he said by way of explanation.
River’s brows shot up, but a quick perusal of the hotel room proved that he was right.
“Hmm.” She shifted on his lap, delighting in the firmness beneath her. Being the cause of his hardness, knowing he desired her as much as she desired him, made her feel powerful. “You’re sure that’s all it is?”
He laughed darkly, brushing her hair aside to press a kiss to the back of her neck. Tingles swept through her, and she shivered.
“Little storm, I said I wanted to take care of you, but I never claimed to be virtuous.” Her mouth fell open, but beforeshe could reply, he gestured to the table. “Take your pick. What would you like?”
The selections all looked good, but in truth, there was really only one thing she wanted right now. She stared at the table, biting her lip. “I…”
“Tell me, River,” he rumbled softly. “They’re all for you. I won’t judge you, no matter what you choose.”
“I want the cake,” she admitted in a rush, her cheeks heating. “I know you got so much food, but that chocolate looks so good, and I barely got to touch the cake tonight, and…”
He’d already reached around her to the table and opened the dessert container, producing a fork from the gods only knew where.
“Excellent choice.” He dug the fork into the chocolate cake, but he didn’t pass it to her. “There was only one fork, too,” he said rather cheekily. “We’ll have to share.”