Hopefully, Ember wasn’t at work right now, because Riverreallyneeded to speak with her best friend. What did one wear on a first date with their brother’s best friend?
CHAPTER 21
Last First Date
An hour later, Nikhail was leaning against his rental car. Ryker had left a half hour ago, and now the air fae was absent-mindedly spinning a ribbon of air between his fingers. The habit, one he’d picked up shortly after his magic first came in, soothed something deep inside him.
He flicked his fingers, sending the wind away the moment the front door to Atlas’s house flew open. River raced outside, the long black winter coat she’d donned flapping.
“Sorry!” Her boots slapped the pavement. Pink dusted the apples of her cheeks, matching the dress she wore beneath her coat. She had a scarf of the same color around her neck, along with gloves that peeked out from her pocket. “I was talking to Ember, and I must’ve lost track of time.”
Nikhail opened the passenger door, brushing his lips over River’s, and sparks raced through him. “You never need to apologize to me. I would’ve waited all night for you, if needed.”
Her lips parted as if this was a surprise. As if she didn’t know she was the driving force behind everything he’d done recently. As if she didn’t know that she was hiseverything.
Gods above, he was falling hard for this woman. He loved her, yes, but this felt like… more.
And they hadn’t even gone on a date yet.
Nikhail kissed River again—he couldn’t fucking help himself—then he gently pushed the small of her back, urging her to get into the car. He didn’t want her to catch a cold.
Once she was in, he shut her door before making his way to the driver’s seat and getting in. Turning on the car so the engine could warm up, he twisted in his seat.
“I already waited years for you, River. Another few hours, in the grand scheme of things, would be nothing.”
“Nik,” she whispered, sounding equally pleased and in disbelief as she fiddled with the black manacles around her wrists. “You can’t… You shouldn’t be saying things like that.”
“Why not? They’re true.”
She dampened her lips, which were glossy and a faint pink. Nikhail pictured those same lips kissing a trail over his bare chest, leaving marks as she explored him, and, gods…
He coughed, adjusting himself. Quite frankly, River had no idea what she did to him.
Were he less of a gentleman, he’d take her somewhere private right now and see how sensational those lips would look stretched around him. Then he’d find out what, exactly, she was hiding beneath that pink dress of hers.
But they were going out on an official date, and that was important to Nikhail. Their relationship hadn’t come about in a conventional way, but River deserved to be taken out and treated like the queen he knew her to be.
“It’s just that… I’m me, Nik. You know?”
“Perfect in every way?”
“No,” she said. “I mean… I’m still broken.” She studied the manacles, then looked back at him. “I’ll always be that way. I’ll never be whole.”
It would’ve hurt less if she’d taken an ice pick to his heart. He hated that she thought that way about herself, hated that she still couldn’t see her the way he did.
“Don’t say such things.”
“Why?”
“Because.” He drew her upper half across the center console, needing her closer like he needed air. “If you’re broken, then I must be, too.”
Her lips parted, and he took the opportunity to lean over and press his mouth against hers. “And let me be clear about this: I don’t care if I’m broken. Not if it means I can be with you.”
“Oh,” she breathed.
It was clear that River didn’t yet understand the depths of his affection, but one day, she would. For now, he’d do everything in his power to make sure this date exceeded all River’s expectations.
“Oh,my gods, I think this might be the best burger I’ve ever had.” River took another bite, moaning.