the
table. I swear he jumped a foot.
The waiter appeared with the
champagne, showed Nik the label and skillfully popped it open, and poured two
glasses. Nik’s eyes returned to me, never leaving my face, his breathing
slightly jagged. I smiled at him, thanked the waiter and raised a glass.
“To good health,” I said, offering
my favorite toast.
Nik picked up his glass. “To
beauty,” he said, and clinked it against mine.
The champagne was delicious: dry,
cold and bubbly. Nik cleared his throat and returned to the menu looking most
uncomfortable.
“So how do you know what is good
if you haven’t been here?” I asked.
“I asked my manager. He did his
research and told me.”
“Really, he gets paid for that?”
“He didn’t mind bringing his wife
here a few times and trying it out. He calls it a bonus.” Nik shrugged. “So,”
he glanced down the menu, “he suggests… oh fuck it, I can’t think now.”
I gave him a smile and he shook
his head and smiled darkly at me. He threw the menu down. “I’m ruined,” he
declared.
*****
Eventually we managed to order and it was good, so good.
Nik’s phone pinged a few times during the meal, he apologized and put it on
silent. I was so impressed. I wondered who it was… some chick?
After coffee, I went to the ladies
and he paid while I was away. I love that too. Some paparazzi awaited us as we
came out and again he rushed me to the car and saw me in, returning to his
side.
“Why do they do that?” he asked,
“who cares that we’re dining out?”
“People love gossip,” I said, with
a shrug. “Just ask The Russian.”
“Yeah, he loves the inside scoop.
He’s been pumping me since I got here,” Nik agreed.
“Thank you, for dinner, for
tonight, it was wonderful,” I said sincerely to him.
“The pleasure is mine. Didn’t I
tell you it would be great, Süsse ?” Nik started
the car and pulled out of the parking lot. As we drove, he reached across and
held my hand; good thing it was an automatic car.
I felt such a heady rush; I wish
it could always be like this. I know loved deepened and the relationship
developed if it was meant to, but there was nothing like first date excitement.
“What are you up to tomorrow?” he
asked.
“I’m doing gym in the morning,
then Max and I are going to a fashion designer exhibition and I’m doing
Saffron’s wedding dress tomorrow night. She’s coming around for another
fitting,” I said. I didn’t want to move too fast or be on tap for Nik; there
were plenty of girls on hand to do that.
“Any catwalk flips?” he teased,
with a glance towards me.
“I’ll probably fit four or five
in. And you?” I asked.
“No, and no handstands, but I’m training
in the morning, then Lucas invited me around to watch the game, and I need to
get some clothes soon, but I can’t face it,” he said. “Will you shop with me?”
“Hell yeah,” I said, way too
enthusiastically, “but we can’t do it now until next spare weekend.”
“I can wait,” he said.
“Alice said you had only one
suitcase of clothes with you when you moved in. Seriously, is that it?” I
asked.
Nik nodded. “I’ll need to speak
with Alice, she’s infiltrating my spy ring and giving away secrets.”
I laughed. This man was so gorgeous
and I was going to shop with him!
“So you are too busy for me
tomorrow,” he said, sadly.
“You can’t talk,” I ribbed him.
“You’re spending the afternoon with Lucas.”
“I’d drop Lucas in a heartbeat
Sah-sha, to spend time with you. Besides, last few times we’ve travelled, Lucas
and I have had to share a room—we get plenty of bonding time,” he teased. “He
spends a long time in the bathroom.”
“Mm, that’s good information to
store,” I said.
“I didn’t tell you that,” Nik
said.
I wished the drive home was longer.
We were almost there. I can’t believe I was saying that—I’m such a yo-yo.
“What time will you get to the
match on Sunday?” he
table. I swear he jumped a foot.
The waiter appeared with the
champagne, showed Nik the label and skillfully popped it open, and poured two
glasses. Nik’s eyes returned to me, never leaving my face, his breathing
slightly jagged. I smiled at him, thanked the waiter and raised a glass.
“To good health,” I said, offering
my favorite toast.
Nik picked up his glass. “To
beauty,” he said, and clinked it against mine.
The champagne was delicious: dry,
cold and bubbly. Nik cleared his throat and returned to the menu looking most
uncomfortable.
“So how do you know what is good
if you haven’t been here?” I asked.
“I asked my manager. He did his
research and told me.”
“Really, he gets paid for that?”
“He didn’t mind bringing his wife
here a few times and trying it out. He calls it a bonus.” Nik shrugged. “So,”
he glanced down the menu, “he suggests… oh fuck it, I can’t think now.”
I gave him a smile and he shook
his head and smiled darkly at me. He threw the menu down. “I’m ruined,” he
declared.
*****
Eventually we managed to order and it was good, so good.
Nik’s phone pinged a few times during the meal, he apologized and put it on
silent. I was so impressed. I wondered who it was… some chick?
After coffee, I went to the ladies
and he paid while I was away. I love that too. Some paparazzi awaited us as we
came out and again he rushed me to the car and saw me in, returning to his
side.
“Why do they do that?” he asked,
“who cares that we’re dining out?”
“People love gossip,” I said, with
a shrug. “Just ask The Russian.”
“Yeah, he loves the inside scoop.
He’s been pumping me since I got here,” Nik agreed.
“Thank you, for dinner, for
tonight, it was wonderful,” I said sincerely to him.
“The pleasure is mine. Didn’t I
tell you it would be great, Süsse ?” Nik started
the car and pulled out of the parking lot. As we drove, he reached across and
held my hand; good thing it was an automatic car.
I felt such a heady rush; I wish
it could always be like this. I know loved deepened and the relationship
developed if it was meant to, but there was nothing like first date excitement.
“What are you up to tomorrow?” he
asked.
“I’m doing gym in the morning,
then Max and I are going to a fashion designer exhibition and I’m doing
Saffron’s wedding dress tomorrow night. She’s coming around for another
fitting,” I said. I didn’t want to move too fast or be on tap for Nik; there
were plenty of girls on hand to do that.
“Any catwalk flips?” he teased,
with a glance towards me.
“I’ll probably fit four or five
in. And you?” I asked.
“No, and no handstands, but I’m training
in the morning, then Lucas invited me around to watch the game, and I need to
get some clothes soon, but I can’t face it,” he said. “Will you shop with me?”
“Hell yeah,” I said, way too
enthusiastically, “but we can’t do it now until next spare weekend.”
“I can wait,” he said.
“Alice said you had only one
suitcase of clothes with you when you moved in. Seriously, is that it?” I
asked.
Nik nodded. “I’ll need to speak
with Alice, she’s infiltrating my spy ring and giving away secrets.”
I laughed. This man was so gorgeous
and I was going to shop with him!
“So you are too busy for me
tomorrow,” he said, sadly.
“You can’t talk,” I ribbed him.
“You’re spending the afternoon with Lucas.”
“I’d drop Lucas in a heartbeat
Sah-sha, to spend time with you. Besides, last few times we’ve travelled, Lucas
and I have had to share a room—we get plenty of bonding time,” he teased. “He
spends a long time in the bathroom.”
“Mm, that’s good information to
store,” I said.
“I didn’t tell you that,” Nik
said.
I wished the drive home was longer.
We were almost there. I can’t believe I was saying that—I’m such a yo-yo.
“What time will you get to the
match on Sunday?” he
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