Neve (Silver Skates #3) - Helen Scott Page 0,46

want to leave the reindeer out here by himself, especially after doing something so sweet.

Before I could decide what I wanted to do, Niklaus said, “Have dinner with me. Better yet, let me bring you dinner, wherever you are. You can take a break, and we can get to know each other a little more. I don’t mind where, just let me know when.”

I smiled. It was the first time Niklaus had actually seemed like he wanted to get to know me, rather than just being driven by his physical desires. There wasn’t much I knew about mating, but I did know that the urge to fuck like bunnies was strong in the beginning. “That would be lovely.”

“It’s a date,” he said as he dropped a quick, chaste kiss on my lips before heading off somewhere.

When I turned back to the coffee shop, I caught Seren watching with what I could have sworn looked like jealousy on his face. Interesting. The hare was jealous of the reindeer. Something had definitely changed in Seren’s mind or heart, and now I was curious exactly how far that change went. My mind replayed the kiss at the ice rink the first day I spent with Seren. I hoped that soon, I’d get to experience more than just a kiss from my snowshoe hare.

18

Niklaus

I remembered exactly where Neve’s apartment was from last time, when we’d had to listen to that awful conversation with her father. The asshole didn’t deserve to have a daughter like her. My mate was sweet and kind and wanted to do the right thing. She was also a city girl, and I could tell just from the few interactions we’d had that Silver Springs might be a little on the small side for her.

Whether it was too small or not wasn’t the question in that moment though. All I had to do this evening was make her some dinner and get to know her. Well, more of her, though I could swear I still tasted her on my lips whenever I thought of our kiss.

When I knocked on her door, I heard a rustle of commotion from inside, and then Neve was there, the door swinging open to reveal her, and just like every other time I saw her, my heart stuttered in my chest. Her chestnut waves curled around her face and highlighted her stunning gray eyes. I’d never seen anyone with a shade quite like hers. Blue? Sure, I’d seen plenty, but this cloudy gray? Never.

“Niklaus.” She smiled as she said my full name. I should really correct her, but there was something about the way she said it that stilled my tongue. “Come in!”

I strode past her, carrying the bag containing our dinner and setting it on the counter of the kitchenette that made up one side of the living area. “I hope you like pasta,” I said, suddenly feeling unsure, which was very unlike me.

“Love pasta,” she said as she came over to the other side of the counter. “I honestly can’t tell you if the oven works or not. Can I get you a drink?”

“I came prepared,” I said with a wink as I withdrew the bottle of wine from the bag.

“Good man,” she said as she dug a bottle opener from a drawer and reached for two wine glasses. With practiced ease, she opened the wine and poured us both a glass as I turned the oven on and set it to preheat. I pulled the baking dish full of lasagna from the bag, along with the classic Caesar salad. I’d also bought some tiramisu from Buttercup earlier as well.

“A three-course meal, courtesy of yours truly.” I grinned and gave her a fake bow.

“Fancy! This will probably be the best meal I’ve had since I came to Silver Springs. I’m not exactly a fan of cooking, in case you couldn’t tell by the oven comment earlier.”

I hadn’t thought she was. When I was here before, I had noticed how squeaky clean the kitchen was, aside from the microwave, which was what clued me in to her opinions on cooking for herself. It was also what had given me the idea to make her dinner.

“I like to cook enough for both of us, don’t worry. Though I will admit, Buttercup made the tiramisu, not me. I did make everything else though,” I replied.

“More than I can make, I promise you that,” she said with a snort.

The oven dinged, and I put the lasagna in to