by Sarah Curtis
"Where are we going?" She had to run to keep up and nearly stumbled as they raced down the stairs.
He paused, partway turning around and sweeping her up into his arms before continuing his descent, barely missing a beat.
She tried again. "Where are we going?"
"Out."
They were already out the front door and halfway to the garage before she thought to remark. "I don't have any shoes on." Not to mention, her hair was still wet, hadn't been brushed, and without the help of some product it would dry a frizzy mess. "Nico, this is silly. Put me down and let me finish getting ready, then we can go out."
With a resigned sigh, he set her on her feet. After a beat, she yelped while bouncing on her toes. "Pick me up. Pick me up. The ground is hot."
Sweeping her back up, he chuckled, making his way back to the house.
He deposited her in the foyer. "You've got five minutes."
She took fifteen. Coming down the stairs to a frowning Nico pacing the marble, she couldn't help but laugh.
He looked up, a smirk on his lips as he held up a hand. "Before you say anything, I'll admit, that wasn't my finest moment."
She met him at the bottom of the stairs, and he took her hand, leading her out the front door. "I don't know, I thought it was kind of sexy. I've never been swept off my feet before."
He gave her a grin. "Then I take it back. It was definitely my finest moment."
"Where are we going?" she asked when they reached his Porsche, and he opened the passenger door for her. She looked around, finding it odd none of his men were in sight. Marco was usually always at his side.
"It's a surprise." He gave her forehead a kiss before lightly pushing on her shoulder to direct her into the car and shutting the door.
Turned out, her new husband had connections. Not that she should have been surprised by that. He led her through a maze of hallways of one of the more popular hotels on the strip until they came to a large set of doors. They opened into a small, empty concert hall. Rows of plush seating led to a backlit stage. They walked down the center aisle and took seats ten rows back from the stage—a perfect view without having to crane one's neck.
The audience lights dimmed as the stage lights glowed and loud music poured from hidden speakers, vibrating through the seats and pounding through her body.
Nico took her hand, squeezing it as the curtains parted and a lone figure dressed in a sparkling bodysuit twirled onto the stage.
Leaning forward in her seat, her jaw dropped, and her free hand flew to cover her mouth, tears filling her eyes.
Her head swiveled. The lighting was dim, but she still saw the smile on Nico's face, his gaze directed at her and not the stage. She was beyond words as she swallowed the emotion suddenly clogging her throat. That he'd remembered and then acted on something she'd said almost in passing—rambling pillow talk after sex—more than a week ago was beyond her comprehension.
He nodded at the stage, and she turned back. More acrobats had arrived. She gripped his hand tighter as her shock was replaced by excitement. She watched in awe, her thoughts drifting to when she was fourteen and the Russian acrobats had first come to Vegas. There'd been a documentary on TV, and she'd been instantly captivated. The way they could move their bodies, the trust they had in each other to perform such great feats, it had blown her away. She'd promised herself, somehow, someday, she'd see a live performance. And Nico had made that day come to pass.
Olivia gave the bowing performers a standing ovation, clapping with all her might as the stage lights dimmed and the house lights came back on.
"Did you enjoy the show?"
Olivia twirled to Nico with a smile so big, her cheeks hurt. "I loved it. Thank you. I can't believe you remembered such an inconsequential thing."
"Nothing out of your mouth is inconsequential. I absorb and remember every word you speak."
She stepped into him, her arms going around his waist, her head pressing so tightly against his chest she could hear the soft thump of his heart. His arms came around her, cradling her in warmth and protection. She felt another piece of her heart get stamped with Nico's name. She was falling for him fast and knew if he felt even a fraction of what she felt for him, she could live out her days content.
He gave her a squeeze. "Come on, would you like to meet the performers?"
She pulled back enough to see his face, sure the emotions she was feeling still showed in her eyes as she whispered, "I'd love that."
* * * * *
Nico stood on the sidelines as Olivia fawned and gushed over the performers. Her laughter rang out after one of the male acrobats said something to her, making his teeth clench. The only thing saving the young punk's neck was the arm he had slung around the waist of the female performer standing beside him, and the fact it looked content to be there.
A text flashed across the screen of his phone, and he quickly typed a reply to Marco before making his way to Olivia. "You ready to go?"
She looked up, eyes twinkling, a big smile lighting her face as she nodded. She looked back at the acrobats. "It was a wonderful performance. Thank you so much for talking with me."
Nico took her hand, leading her out of the hotel and back to the car. "What would you like to do next?"
She looked up at him in surprise.
He chuckled. "I'm all yours for the day, and tonight, I have another surprise for you." He helped her into the car then hurried around to get in and turn on the air. He'd parked in the underground parking, but the inside of the car would still be warm.
He turned to her as she fiddled with her seat belt. "Well?" He raised an eyebrow.
She shrugged. "I don't know."
Yeah, well, he didn't either. He'd taken women to dinner then to bed, and that had been the extent of his interaction with them. And as much as it pained him to admit, he was out of his element. "Surely there's something you enjoy doing?" His words come out harsher than he'd intended. It sounded almost like a dare.
He saw her shoulders stiffen and was about to ask again, softening his tone, when she blurted, "Can we go see a movie?"
He was silent a few beats. "A movie?"
"Never mind. It was a stupid idea."
He didn't like the look of disappointment on her face. Doubly so because it was his careless response that had put it there. He grasped her chin, turning her to face him. "It wasn't a stupid idea. I just wasn't expecting that answer, and it threw me for a loop."
Her lips twitched. "Threw you for a loop?"
He traced a thumb over her lips. "Yeah, though I should be used to it by now. You never do or say anything I'm expecting you to."
Her lips brushed the pad of his thumb as she asked, "And is that a good thing?"
He leaned in, his nose brushing alongside hers as he breathed in her scent. "I'm thinking it's a really good thing."
Nico couldn't remember the last time he'd been to a movie—maybe sometime in his teens—but a lot had changed. Seats were roomier, cushioned, and tipped back. The screens were larger, and the sound quality was better. But his favorite improvement was his accidental discovery of the lifting armrest.
With Olivia snuggled at his side, his arm wrapped around her, and her lap full of movie snacks she'd insisted he buy—not that she'd had to twist his arm—he was a very content man. He was also thinking movie night would need to be added to his newfound "date night" regime he planned to implement.
He reached his free hand into the bucket of popcorn, tossing a handful of the popped kernels into his mouth. Too much butter and salt, but strangely addictive. Just like his wife's lips that glistened from said butter and that he wanted to lean over and
lap at, knowing they'd taste even better than the damn popcorn.
"Want a sip?"
He was pulled from his thoughts of her buttery lips sliding down his cock when she thrust the cup of soda his direction. He leaned his head down and took a sip through the straw. "Thanks."
She gave him a wide smile, her whole face lighting up. "This is fun, isn't it?"
"Yeah," he mumbled distracted by her smile.
The object of his fixation dimmed, her lips flattening into a straight line. "You're not having fun."
He forced his eyes away from her mouth. "I am." He put force behind his words so she'd know he meant them. "I was even just thinking we should do this more often."
He got her smile back. "I'd like that."
The movie started, and he lost her attention. But she didn't lose his, and by the time the ending credits rolled, he had no idea what in the hell they'd just watched.
Chapter Eighteen
After the movies, Nico had dropped Olivia at home with instructions to get dressed for an evening out, and he'd be back in an hour to pick her up. The problem was, as she stared into her closet with its vast array of new clothing, she had no clue what to wear as Nico had still refused to tell her where they were going.
She walked to the dresser and picked up the phone Nico had given her a couple of weeks ago, telling her he wanted her to have it in case of an emergency. She'd yet to use it, in fact, she'd never even powered it on. Al, always being near, was her usual line of communication with Nico. As she stared down at her phone, waiting for it to load, she grinned, thinking a wardrobe emergency probably wasn't the type he'd had in mind.
Only one number was stored in the phone, simply labeled N. She tapped it, bringing the phone to her ear.
It only rang once before it was picked up. "Tesoro?"
His voice was extra deep and smooth over the line, and she decided she needed to think up more reasons to call him in the future just to hear it. "Um, hi."
His chuckle caressed her ear. After a beat of silence, he asked, "Did you need something, or did you miss me?"
"Oh, um, no. I mean, not that I don't miss you, but it's only been a few minutes, so it would be silly to miss you, right?" She cleared her throat. What was wrong with her? One day spent with him, and she was stuttering and rambling like a teenage girl with a crush. Taking a deep breath, she told herself to chill out. "I know you won't tell me where we're going, but I need to know what to wear."
There was a moment of silence where she envisioned him mentally cataloging her outfits. "The black dress that has the one long sleeve would be perfect."
She knew the dress he spoke of. Black, stretchy material that hugged all her curves and fell to the tops of her knees. It had one long sleeve that covered her right arm to the wrist and was strapless on the other side leaving her left arm and shoulder bare.
"I'll see you soon, tesoro." The background static abruptly cut out, so she knew Nico had hung up without giving her a chance to say goodbye. Sighing at his lack of phone etiquette, she set her phone back on the dresser and went to get ready.
Thirty minutes later, she was back in the car with Nico, only this time they were in the town car. Surprisingly, Marco wasn't behind the wheel.
"You look beautiful, tesoro." Nico took her hand, entwining their fingers before bringing their joined hands to his lips to place a kiss on her knuckles.
Olivia felt her cheeks heat. Gah, why did she still blush? "Thank you." Fiddling with the hem of her dress, she felt Nico's heated gaze. She didn't dare look up, knew what would happen if she did. She'd get lost in his stare. The rich mocha of his eyes would hold her enthralled. She'd get sucked into their mesmerizing depths and lose another tiny piece of her heart. A piece she couldn't afford to lose, not if she wanted to keep any shred of dignity.
Fingers lifted her chin. Pressure turned her head. She settled her gaze on his nose, refusing to look any higher.
His thumb brushed across her lips before he said, "You have an interesting look on your face, but I can't tell what you're thinking."
And she wasn't going to tell him either. Instead, she said the first thing that popped into her head. "Marco's not driving us?" It was a reasonable question as she'd yet to see Marco not driving Nico.
He stared at her for a few seconds. She could see his mental debate, deciding whether to continue his original line of questioning or let her change the subject. He chose the latter. "No. He's busy taking care of something for me."
"Because you took the day off?"
He gave her a small smile. "No."
He didn't elaborate, and she didn't ask further questions. She wasn't stupid. She knew what he was, what he did for a living. Some might think it naive or foolhardy to turn a blind eye and bury her head in the sand, but she truly didn't want to know the particulars of that side of her husband's life. She saw a side of him that she was sure few others saw, and she was scared that her Nico would disappear if she started asking too many or the wrong questions.
Dropping the subject, she gazed out the window. The glowing neon caught her eye like a moth to a flame, and she couldn't look away. Nothing was quite like the Las Vegas Strip once the sun set. Multicolored flashing lights as far as the eye could see, strangely beautiful for all its gaudiness. Nose practically pressed to the glass, Olivia smiled before looking over her shoulder at Nico. "It's beautiful. Isn't it?"
"Breathtaking." But he hadn't been looking out the window when he'd said it. He'd been looking right at her.
"So this is what all the fuss is about." Olivia had to yell to be heard. They were at one of Nico's clubs, the second surprise he'd planned for the day. Olivia took in the atmosphere. Strobe lights bedazzled every surface, people gyrated on the dance floor, and music blasted from what felt like a million speakers.
Where Nico had looked uncomfortable and stood out like a sore thumb at the movies earlier, there at his club—though still overdressed in his suit and tie—he was in his element and seemed completely at ease. She couldn't say he blended in—just his mere presence set him apart from the rest—but he stood out in a good way. In a comfortable way.
Olivia blended in, but while she looked like all the other club goers, she couldn't help but feel a little special while holding Nico's arm.
He led her up a set of stairs to a secluded section currently empty of people and sat her in a booth, sliding in next to her. "Is it everything you'd imagined it would be?"
"Everything and more."
He raised a brow. "And what's the more part?"
From their lofty view, Olivia could look down on the dance floor. The lights were almost a dizzying kaleidoscope of colors flashing to the beat of the music. "It's a little more... flamboyant than I thought it would be."
Nico chuckled. "I'm always looking for innovative ideas for improvement. Any suggestions?"
Olivia shrugged, then said with a quirk of her lips, "People seem to be enjoying the flamboyancy."
Their server arrived with a bottle of champagne in a chilled bucket and two champagne flutes. "Can I get you anything else?" she asked after filling their glasses.
"No, thank you. That will be all." Nico picked up his glass, clicking it with Olivia's and giving her a wink before taking a large sip.
Olivia secretly smiled at the wink while taking a smaller sip of her own. She set her glass down, watching as their server sidestepped around the person walking up the stairs.
Nico stood as Marco drew near. "I need to talk with Marco. I'll just be a minute."
Olivia slid from the booth, grabbing her clutch. "I need to visit the ladies room, anyway. You guys go ahead and sit here."
Nico tipped his he
ad, and a bouncer type materialized from out of the woodwork. She hadn't even seen him lurking in the shadows. After a few words from Nico, the guy turned to lead the way.
Nico detained Olivia with a hand on her elbow. "Sam's going to escort you to the V.I.P bathroom. It'll give you more privacy."
She nodded, and he let go of her arm. Olivia made her way to where Sam waited for her at the top of the stairs. He walked beside her, pointing the direction they should go, leading her through the club to a softly lit, deserted hallway.
The small space with a large vent blowing cold air left the bathroom chilly. She ducked into the closest stall, wanting to hurry, knowing the bouncer was outside the door waiting for her. Not a fan of public bathrooms, she balanced her clutch on the toilet paper dispenser then took care of business, hovering over the seat, refusing to make contact with any part of her exposed flesh. When she finished, she flushed, using her foot to push the lever.
The sink only produced cold water, but luckily the soap dispenser was full. After washing and drying her hands, she opened her clutch, digging through it, looking for her lipstick.
"Olivia Miller?"
Olivia's back stiffened, and she peeked in the mirror. A man stood in front of the closed bathroom door. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place him. Big guy, blond hair with pale skin and meaty features. He was decked out in faded jeans and a t-shirt that proclaimed his love for Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
She didn't correct his use of her maiden name. She also didn't confirm her identity.
Her lack of response didn't seem to phase him as he continued, "You're a tough woman to get alone."
She felt around in her purse as she spoke into the mirror. "Why would you need to get me alone?"
Her fingers found her phone, and she glanced into her purse, waking it and hitting the redial button. She wasn't sure which god to thank for her last minute decision to put her phone in her bag, but they deserved a pat on the back.