by Ellis, Aven
I step back from him, confused. “Why would you say that?”
Niko lets go of my face for a second, and I immediately hate the fact that he’s not touching me.
He draws a breath before speaking, as if he’s gathering up his courage. “Lexi, I’m still that kid from the bakery. I’ll never have the kind of money that guys like Nate and JP have. I know you could have a man like that if you wanted one. One who could give you everything you could ever want. Seeing you with JP made me realize that.”
Tears fill my eyes. Niko’s revealing so much to me in what he said. He’s strong enough to be vulnerable to me right now, to admit he fears he’s not enough for me. And to admit that after kissing me with such want and desire, to push that aside to make sure I’m thinking about what I need and want. I’ve never had any man care about me so much.
And as I stand here with Niko, in the shadow of the skyscrapers of Dallas on this December night, I know I love him. I know it with all my heart, all my soul, that this man will love me and be everything I need him to be in a boyfriend.
And I will do the same for him. I will be the woman who adds to his life, who values him, who will let him know he’s enough for me, the way he is.
“I want you,” I whisper over the lump in my throat. “Only you.”
“Lexi, are you s—”
I cut him off by pressing my lips sweetly against his. This time we kiss gently and sweetly. Niko wraps his strong arms around me, and I happily melt into him, savoring the moment I fell in love with him.
Niko breaks the kiss and takes off his jacket, draping it around me. Now he’s standing before me in his vest and white dress shirt, the fabric stretching against his muscular, boxer body. He has the sleeves rolled up on the shirt, and my pulse races at the sight of his sexy tattoo in full view.
I put my hands on his chest and gaze up at him. “I’m so sorry about what happened with Kimberlee. I . . . I thought you had asked her out. That’s what she led me to believe. And it made sense to me, since every guy tends to see me as the friend, or the nice girl next door until a beautiful woman comes along an—”
Niko immediately cups my face in his strong hands. “Stop right there. There has been no woman I’ve wanted since the day I saw you walk into the practice rink.”
I furrow my brow, trying to grasp his words. “Wait. Walk in? You noticed me before the puck incident?”
Niko begins stroking my face in that sensual way of his. “I saw you come in, this girl with the shiny red hair. I watched you sit down in front of me, taking out your stuff, pushing the sleeves up on those big sweaters you seem to love. I thought man, that girl is gorgeous. And she’s into hockey. Then I shoved you into a bleacher—”
I can’t help it. A giggle escapes my throat, and Niko grins in response.
“. . . and you’ve had me ever since, Lexi. It’s you, Lexi. You’re the one I want.”
Niko’s mouth finds mine again, and I eagerly pour my heart into that kiss, knowing this man finds me beautiful and sexy and no other woman exists to him.
Niko breaks the kiss and studies me. “What did Kimberlee say?”
I groan. “That you asked her out to dinner.”
“Come again?”
“You asked her out, and you were taking her out somewhere fabulous.”
Niko’s eyes flash angrily. “ότι η σκύλα! That bitch!”
“What?”
“I did not ask her out,” he spits.
“I know, Niko,” I say, stroking his face and trying to calm him down. “I know that.”
“And guess where we ate?” he snaps, still angry. “At a fucking pizza place. And we split the tab!”
I burst out laughing. “Oh my God, she must have died.”
I see Niko’s expression shift from mad to amused. “Well, Kimberlee did seem shocked when I suggested we split the bill.”
Then we both burst out laughing.
“She’s not getting away with this,” Niko declares.
“It doesn’t matter,” I insist. “I know you want to be with me, that’s all I care about.”
“I do want to be with you, baby,” he whispers. “I’ve waited for this since the day we met.”
Niko takes my hand and leads me over to one of the lounge chairs. He sits down, then takes my hand and pulls me down next to him. Niko draws me to him as we lay back in the chaise, with him cradling me protectively in his arms. The city of Dallas lights the sky around us, and I hear the water lapping in the pool, and the moment is perfect.
“One perk of being my girl is we can do stuff like this in public and nobody gives a shit,” he says, grinning at me. “We can spend all night making out under the stars and nobody will notice us.”
He caresses the side of my face with his hand and leans down to kiss me again.
“I’m so happy,” I murmur.
“Me, too,” Niko whispers back, kissing me again.
His hand gently covers the side of my face in a protective way as we kiss. Niko’s hand slides underneath the suit jacket, finding the curve in my waist, and strokes me gently as we continue our exploring kisses. God, I want this man so much. Heat and desire rage through me, and I’m ready for more than kissing him.
I want to make love to him.
“I’ve wanted this for so long,” I admit, breaking the kiss. I reach up and stroke his face, relishing the feel of his sexy stubble against my skin. “And I’m ready for more.”
Niko cocks an eyebrow. “Like?”
I feel my face grow hot as Niko toys with me. “You know what.”
“On a chaise lounge in public?” Niko grins. “Well, aren’t you the little exhibitionist?”
Now my face is flaming. “No, not here. But I want to be with you.”
Niko bends down and presses a sweet kiss on my lips. “Don’t worry, baby, we have plenty of time for that. I need to at least take you to dinner first.”
I laugh and stroke his face. “You don’t have to take me to dinner. I know I’m not a hook-up.”
“Don’t tempt me. I’m trying to be a gentleman here.”
I love him even more for being such a good man.
I lace my fingers through his and gaze up at him. “So when are you taking me to dinner, Niko Xenakis?”
Niko gazes down at me through his long eyelashes, and my breath catches in my throat. “Tomorrow night, Lexi. I want to be with you tomorrow night. Anything else is way too long.”
Butterflies shift in my stomach at the desire in his eyes. And as we seal the deal with a kiss, I know tomorrow night is the first time I’ll ever make love to a man I love.
And I can’t wait to show Niko how much I love him.
I somehow manage to get a few hours of sleep before waking up in a state of complete excitement. I’ve got a date with Niko tonight. A shiver of anticipation races down my spine. We’re going to have dinner first, and then we’re going to walk around Highland Park Village and look at all the Christmas lights.
And, of course, the evening will end up with us in his bed.
I sit up, happiness radiating through every inch of me as I recall how we sat outside for hours last night by the pool. I spent the rest of the night curled up in his arms, being kissed and touched and whispered to under the shadow of glittering skyscrapers.
It was the most romantic night of my life.
Until tonight.
I reach for my phone on the nightstand. And my heart leaps with joy when I see I already have a text message from Niko:
Wake up, baby. I miss you.
Ooooooh! That’s the sweetest thing any man has ever said to me.
And I’m beyond ecstatic that the man who said it was Niko.
I smile and happily text him back:
I’m awake and
miss you, too.
I wait for a moment, and he replies:
We should switch our date for breakfast.
I laugh and respond:
I have to do some shopping before our date tonight.
Namely, shopping for some new sexy lingerie from Nordstrom. He instantly texts back:
I could help you. Like hold your purse. That’s what boyfriends do, you know.
Oh, I do love how he called himself my boyfriend.
And if he knew what I was shopping for, Niko would totally be on board for helping me, I think slyly.
Nope, it’s a surprise. It will be worth waiting to see me for I promise.
He responds:
No lie, I can’t wait to see you tonight. Surprise or not.
My heart melts even more from his sweet words. Words I know he means. I finish our conversation by telling him I’ll be ready by seven o’clock and put the phone down.
Gah, I’ve never been so eager for a date in all my life. And for once my Sunday won’t be spent eating all of Kenley’s test confections and reading the latest Amelia Thorne novel on my Kindle.
And as much as I love Kenley’s desserts and Amelia’s books, I’ve never been happier to have a change in my routine.
I spray my Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt perfume and walk into it, letting the earthy-scented mist fall all over me. I set the bottle back on the marble vanity top and check my appearance one more time before Niko is here to pick me up for dinner.
I’m wearing a long-sleeved silk black V-neck blouse, my Seven black-coated skinny jeans, and a tight slim-fitting black leather jacket thrown over the top. I’ve looped my classic Burberry plaid scarf around my neck, and I’ve selected my silver monogram necklace as my jewelry, the one that has LSN for Lexi Nicole Stewart.
But my favorite part of my outfit is my over-the-knee-Stuart Weitzman boots, a prized find from a HauteLook.com sale. These are sexy, no doubt about it. My long red hair is swept back into a stylish twisted, bohemian side braid. I open my drawer and find my NARS Dolce Vita lipstick and swipe it across my lips.
Perfect, I think as I press my lips together. I’m ready.
I continue to hum along to the music I have playing from my iPhone, feeling that same ‘it’s Friday night vibe’ Kenley and I used to get when getting ready to go out at TCU.
Except this is much, much better than going to a bar or fraternity party.
Suddenly the doorbell rings, and butterflies shift excitedly in my stomach.
He’s here.
I draw an eager breath of air to try and calm my nerves. I head to the front door and glance through the peephole.
Oh my God.
It’s Niko, and he’s dressed up for me. I don’t waste a second and open the door, as I need to see my sexy man, right now.
I flip the lock and pull the door open. And my pulse burns the second I lay eyes on him.
He’s wearing a charcoal wool blazer over a navy crew neck sweater, dark-wash jeans, and dark-brown leather driving shoes. Shit. He’s totally refined yet rugged and sexy.
Niko stands still, his eyes flickering over me. And as they do, I feel myself grow hot with desire.
“Lexi,” he breathes, “you look gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” I say softly. “You look so handsome, Niko. Come on in.”
I let him inside, and Niko walks through the doorway, and the scent of his spicy, cedar cologne wraps around me as he does.
“Welcome to my home,” I say. “And you can pretty much see everything from the doorway.”
Niko draws me into his arms. “There’s only one thing I’m interested in seeing tonight,” he says, his hand finding the curve in my waist. “That’s you.”
He pauses and glances around. “Is Kenley home?”
“No, she’s having dinner with Nate. Why?”
“So I can do this.”
He drops his head down, and I feel his warm, full lips against mine. Niko eases my mouth open, his tongue teasing me in a slow, sexy kiss, igniting the fire that was already sparked by his presence.
A groan escapes my lips. “We don’t have to eat dinner,” I murmur against his mouth.
“We don’t?” he murmurs back before deepening the kiss.
No. No, we don’t. I reach for the back of his neck, my fingertips dancing across the nape of it, and then locating his thick, dark hair and caressing it with my hand.
“We have a reservation,” Niko whispers as his mouth finds the side of my neck, where he places a gentle kiss.
I melt from his touch. “We can order a pizza.”
Niko laughs softly and lifts his head. “No, baby, we’re doing this right,” he insists, linking his hands with mine. “You’re getting a date tonight. Dinner, a gingerbread latte, a walk under the Christmas lights. Everything my woman deserves.”
I stop breathing. My woman. I’m truly his woman tonight.
And while he knows he could take me right now in this living room if he felt like it, Niko won’t. Not until he’s had a date with me first.
A lump swells in my throat. I love you, I think as I gaze at him.
“You’re special,” I say, as obviously I can’t tell him I love him yet. Lord knows it’s too soon for him to hear it, even if it’s what I’m feeling inside.
“So are you,” Niko says, gently running his fingers over the braid in my hair. “And I’ll always treat you that way, Lexi. I promise.”
Then he leans forward and brushes his lips sweetly against my forehead. “Come on. Get your purse. Let’s go have dinner.”
So I grab my purse, and we head on out. Niko takes my hand in his, and I can’t help but think it’s the most natural feeling in the world to have his hand entwined with mine.
He leads me to his car, which is parked in a visitor spot in my garage.
“It’s not a Bentley,” he teases.
I laugh as he leads me to his car, which is an Infiniti.
“Most people don’t drive Bentleys,” I say.
“Yeah, you’re right,” he says as he opens the door. “The Mercedes S600 might be more popular.”
I slide into the passenger seat and don’t say a word.
Because that’s what my dad drives.
Niko comes around to his side of the car and slips behind the steering wheel. His comment about the car weighs on me for a moment. Should I bring this up tonight? That I while I do come from money, I don’t care about it? That I pay my own bills? That I buy my clothing on sale and occasionally get a nice pair of shoes for my birthday from my mom?
He turns the key in the ignition and backs his car out. And as soon as he is exiting the garage, Niko reaches for my hand, linking it through mine again.
No, tonight is not the night to bring up money. Tonight is about us, not what our parents are or do because that doesn’t matter. And after we make love for the first time, Niko will know that he is what matters to me.
And everything else is irrelevant.
“So while you said you’d settle for pizza,” Niko says, interrupting my thoughts, “I think you’ll like dinner at this restaurant better.”
“Oh, I thought you took all your dates out for pizza,” I tease.
“Nah, I only take my pretend dates out for pizza,” Niko jokes.
I grin at him. “So where do you take your real dates to dinner?”
“My woman,” Niko says with emphasis, “gets to go to a sexy bistro tonight. Where I hear they have a kick ass black truffle lobster macaroni and cheese.”
My heart leaps, as I had told him that day at brunch that I love lobster mac and cheese. Niko obviously made a mental note of it.
“I don’t need a menu. I’m having that. I’ll work it off in barre class tomorrow,” I declare.
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br /> “I think you’ll be working it off tonight, baby,” Niko says, moving his hand to the top of my boot and trailing his fingers suggestively across where it hits my lower thigh. “These boots are hot, by the way.”
Desire once again flickers through me.
“I’m glad you like them,” I say.
“Love them,” Niko says, turning into the restaurant parking lot. “They’re sexy. And it’s almost enough to make me want to turn back and order a pizza.”
I laugh, and he does, too.
Niko valets his car, and we head inside. It’s a dark, sleek restaurant in Uptown with a chic and modern vibe. After we’re seated, we study the wine list and decide to start with two glasses of merlot.
“Let’s get an appetizer,” Niko says, glancing at the menu after the server leaves to retrieve the wine. “What do you want to try?”
I scan over the list of options. “Ooh, they have razor clams. I’ve always wanted to try those after I saw them on a cooking show.”
“You need to go to Greece,” Niko says. “You’d love the seafood there.”
I lift my eyes from the menu. “Do you go there often?”
“Every summer,” Niko says. “It’s my post-season break. My parents come from Sidari, and my aunt and uncle own a café there.”
“That must be fantastic,” I say, imagining the blue waters of the Mediterranean. The same color of the eyes of the man I’m sitting next to right now.
“Yeah, it is. I do a lot of swimming, eat a ton of seafood, and be lazy for a month. It’s great.”
I nod. “I’d love to go to Greece. I’ve never been. I’ve been to England, France, and Italy, but never Greece.”
“You’d love it,” he says. “Especially if you like the water.”
We begin talking about traveling and by the time the server returns with the wine, we’ve neglected to decide on an appetizer. Niko gets an order of razor clams and then his favorite, charred octopus.
“Very good,” our server says. “Are you ready to order dinner?”
