“I—I didn’t understand it that way,” Nina says, embarrassment coloring her entire face.
“Probably because he didn’t explain,” Drako cuts in, pausing his laughter just long enough to answer for me. “We warned him!”
“I’m sorry,” she says after hearing what my idiot friend had to add, and I sigh.
“It’s all right. This is one of the rare occasions when Drako is right. I don’t think I was very clear.”
She gives me a small smile—and it’s that smile that makes me act on impulse for the second time today when it comes to this woman.
“So let me try again,” I say. “Would you like to be my date tonight, Nina?”
CHAPTER 7
NINA MARCHESI
The words pop in my head like popcorn, and I suck in a breath through my mouth when their meaning finally hits me:his date tonight.
“Oh, Nero…” Apollo says. “Judging by her face, I think she’s trying to find a polite way to say no.”
I turn my head toward him as he speaks and watch him and Drako burst into laughter once again. I really wish I knew what those two find so funny.
I arrived at the party determined to behave like the adult I am, instead of the teenager I spent the entire afternoon performing as. I would greet the Fantastic Four when I ran into them and then simply go on with my night—just like every other guest.
Except I didn’t even get the chance to try.
The moment I stepped into the hall, three of the four of them surrounded me with smiles and conversation, making me wonder what alternate universe I’d woken up in. And even so, I found myself unable to pull away.
And although I started out very monosyllabic, talking to them turned out to be easy. Apollo and Drako are perfectly capable of carrying a conversation on their own. They don’t need help in that department, and between all the laughter they pulled out of me, I spent long minutes without needing to say a word.
Atlas is still more serious than the others, but even he has his moments. The adult version of me took control quickly, and within minutes I felt capable of talking normally—at least until Nero appeared.
The instant my eyes landed on him, the adult in me ran for her life, leaving me with nothing but an unjustifiably racing heart.
I turn my gaze back to the reason I’m struggling to remain rational and find his brows slightly furrowed—probably because I’m taking too long to answer.
“If you don’t want to, I—”
“I do,” I interrupt before he can misinterpret my reaction completely. “I’m just surprised,” I add honestly, and he smiles at me.
I’m certain there are butterflies beating their wings in my stomach. My face mirrors his smile, and Nero extends his hand toward me. I stare at it for two seconds before taking it, needing proof that this is real.
His touch is firm and warm, and I restrain myself from sighing. I feel ridiculous and foolish for how my body reacts to this man—but I can’t stop any of it.
“Gentlemen,” he says, turning ironically to his friends. “You’ve already monopolized my date for long enough.”
Nero gives me a wink that pulls a mortified giggle out of me before guiding us toward the bar, leading us away from the Fantastic Trio while all I manage is a hurriedexcuse me. They don’t seem to mind.
I tilt my head back, finally allowing myself time to absorb the details while trying to calm the skin still buzzing from Nero’s fingers intertwined with mine.
Impressive doesn’t even begin to describe the beauty of the association’s party.
Endless Christmas ornaments hang from the high ceiling, suspended meters above the ground, filling the spaces not taken by artificial snow on the windows and the many Christmas trees scattered throughout the hall with red and gold.
Tall cocktail tables gather groups around them while the buffet service moves endlessly between guests. Ribbons, twinkling lights, flowers—everything comes together in the most beautiful winter décor I’ve ever seen.
It’s almost as if we have real winter here. One of Khione’s most incredible features, no matter the season, is that our temperature never drops below twenty-five degrees Celsius. I sigh, enchanted.
“You like it?” Nero’s voice startles me, which is absurd because I haven’t forgotten his presence for even a second. I look at him to find his attention completely focused on me.
