I can still taste him on my bottom lip. Nick kisses the tip of my nose, then looks at my chest. I follow his gaze to see a long line of pink. We laugh together and I stroke along the color. “Think that’s a sign?”
“It just might be.” He smiles.
We get through the paintings and even though Nick’s looks amazing, mine doesn’t look terrible. We made sure to include different characters to make it fun. Nick managed to nail sunset while mine is definitely at night with some playful, but sweet-looking ghosts hiding.
The ‘teacher’ claps his hands. “Wonderful. Should I get the wine?”
“Just the snack tray, please,” Nick corrects.
“You can have wine, Nick. I won’t be upset. Maybe a little jealous, but ..”
“I’m frustrated I forgot our fancy juice in the limo.”
We snack on a lovely cheese and fruit spread that makes me feel like we’re going to head to Broadway after this. Once our canvases are dry, I flip them and put the date on the back. Nick rubs my back. “Do you want to get a real dinner? Or go see a movie?”
“What movie?”
Nick hugs me to him. “One without cartoon characters.”
I moan and kiss him. “I love you.”
We get a little naughty in the movie theater, teasing each other with progressively more daring touches until we give up on patience and just make out through the movie. I love Nick, and the fact that he can turn what could have been a stressful day into something beautiful.
When we get home, he holds up his finger. “Now, do I give you the goodnight kiss now?”
“You could give it to me in bed,” I say.
Nick kisses me slowly, dragging it out, but teasing me like he’s expecting to get interrupted. It has me suspicious, and that suspicion continues when we get into the penthouse and the entire house is dark and silent.
I swallow. “Nick?”
“Surprise!” All the lights turn on and both our children run to us.
Link hugs me. “Are you surprised, Mommy?”
I don’t know what to do with myself. I don’t know what the surprise is for, or why my parents are here. Roman smirks at me while Gunner sweeps Link up and blows on his belly. Nick hoists Cora up so my daughter can kiss my cheek.
What the hell?
5
HOLDEN
Of course, Sophie would forget her birthday. I glance at the guys and Nick shrugs. “Sweetheart, it’s your birthday.”
She digests that slowly as she takes Cora into her arms. “Is it?”
“You’d lose your head if it wasn’t attached,” Valerie says as she comes out from behind Sophie’s mother.
Diana rubs Valerie’s shoulders as Sophie drops the painting she was holding from two fingers. “Val?”
“Every girl needs her best friend on her birthday,” Diana says.
Valerie crosses the room and takes Cora in her arms. “Look at how big you are! Are you five?”
“No!” Cora squeals. “Did youeata five-year-old? Where’s Link?”
“Right here!” He yells.