The question causes Niko and I both to pause. It’s such an innocent question. A valid one too. I agreed to move into the apartment attached to the garage but Niko and I haven’t discussed the details yet.
I reach over and grab Sophia’s hand. “Not tonight, Sophia. I still need to pack up my things. But I’ll be here tomorrow to hang out with you during your dad’s game. How does that sound?”
Sophia seems to think it over for a moment, tilting her head back and forth as if she’s undecided. Niko pretends to scratch his face, doing his best to hide his smile.
“That sounds good. Can you read me a bedtime story tonight?”
“Sophia.” Niko’s tone is firm. He has the whole “dad voice” thing down, I’ll give him that.
“I don’t mind. If it’s okay with you.”
Sophia’s eyes are pleading and her hands are clasped under her chin as she silently begs her dad to say yes.
“Fine.Onestory tonight, Sophia.”
She bounces her head up and down and jumps out of her chair. I stand and start to clean up my place setting but Niko stops me.
“I got the dishes. You get the girl. Deal?”
He makes his way over to me and when he grabs the plate, our hands brush ever so lightly. The small amount of contact is enough to quicken my pulse.
“Deal.” I give Niko a smile and then follow Sophia up the steps.
Hopefully I can calm these fraying nerves by the end of one bedtime story.
I did, in fact, have enough time to calm down. Sophia must’ve asked a hundred questions to prolong bedtime, and a half hour later I’m just now closing the door to her room.
“She pickedEloisedidn’t she?” Niko’s voice startles me, and I bring my hand to my chest, my heart pounding vigorously against it.
I find him leaning against the opposite wall, arms across his chest, feet crossed at the ankles, his crutch leaning beside him. He is so effortlessly handsome I still can’t believe Claire let him get away.
“Goodness gracious. You scared the crap out of me!” I whisper-hiss at him.
Niko laughs quietly and then grabs his crutch before pushing himself off the wall. “Sorry. I was going to tell Sophia to move things along but I was enjoying listening to you two. Hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”
“Not at all.”
We stand together in the hallway, the silence stretching between us. I really don’t want this night to end so I don’t make a move to go down the stairs to leave. Niko scratches the back of his neck, his only tell that he might be feeling nervous right now. That makes two of us.
“I know bedtime took longer than expected, but I was wondering if you’d still like to join me out on the patio for that glass of wine? We can talk about your plans for moving in and get everything squared away before I travel with the team in a few days.”
Oh, thank god.
“Yes!” It comes out louder and more excited than I intend, and Niko laughs. “I mean, I’d love to.”
He places his hand on my lower back and ushers me to lead the way down the steps.
When I walk outside to his back patio, I’m in awe of the scene that greets me. The patio is lit up by Edison bulb string lights and there’s a giant fireplace in the center of the spacethat Niko must’ve lit. An outdoor couch is placed directly in front of the fire with the comfiest looking knit blanket just waiting to be snuggled up in. On the coffee table in front of the couch are two glasses of red wine.
“You were pretty confident I would say yes, huh?” I tease.
Niko shoots me a devastating smile. “Not confident. Hopeful.”
There go the butterflies that have taken residence in my stomach these days. Constantly fluttering about whenever I’m near Niko. I bite my lip to try to hide my smile.
Niko’s hand brushes the small of my back. It’s barely there, the lightest of touches, but enough to make my skin ache.
I make my way to the couch and sit down first. Niko hands me a glass of wine, and I’m pleasantly surprised when he sits down next to me so close that our knees brush. The warmth of the fire is nice, but it’s nothing compared to the heat I feel being this close to Niko.
