Deeper Healing

34| Friends Before Lovers

Leilani Edwards

"Nikolai Coleman, you're so fucking evil," I grumbled, looking at all the mouth-watering food the staff set at the breakfast table where we sat, some I'd never seen or heard of before but my stomach approved in anticipation. "At this point, I'm never going on any sort of a diet."

Nikolai chuckled in turn, withdrawing his cup of coffee from his lips and setting it on the table. "You can't blame me for spoiling the foodie I know thrives in you," he smiled, picking up a plate of heart-shaped doughnuts with a creative style of frosting. "Especially the one that can't resist the best doughnuts you could ever taste in your entire lifetime," he said, placing the plate in front of me.

I looked at the donuts that already had my stomach rumbling then back at him with a slowly widening smile. His lips only seemed to stretch even wider as he leaned his elbows against the table, staring at me like I was the most interesting person to look at. "Go on," he encouraged, gesturing at the doughnuts with his hand. "Take a bite and fall in love."

With a soft smile, I picked on one with pink frosting and took a bite while he watched, anticipating my reaction which pretty much didn't disappoint. One bite was enough for me to moan in satisfaction, swallowing it and savouring its rich and unique taste. Yeah, I could always start watching my diet on a Monday.

I raised my thumb in approval, taking a sip of my coffee. "I think I'm actually in love," I chuckled, taking another bite.

He smiled, leaning back in his chair. "See? I'm never wrong."

"But seriously," I said, finishing it all up in one last bite and swallowing together with coffee. "How is the flavour so accurate?"

"Simple," he shrugged, picking up his cup of coffee again for a sip. "I just listen when you speak and I couldn't have missed your all-time favourite office break snack and how you like it."

Coffee and doughnuts.

I couldn't resist smiling as a rush of heat swarmed my chest. "Oh, yeah?" I mused, leaning at the table the same way he had been. "Tell me when my birthday is then," I challenged.

"Not fair," he groaned. "I'm sure you've never mentioned it, but I'm a douche for not asking either."

I chuckled at the guilt in his tone. "You can always take a guess."

He hummed, leaning back at the table as though he was shuffling through his mind for a perfect guess, I looked at him in amusement, waiting for his wild guess as what I supposed would be the last dishes of the breakfast were set at the table.

Just watching Nikolai made me feel lighter in my chest, warmer and happier. He was a great guy with a little bit messy life, but who didn't? That only made him less fairytale-like and more human and real. 

I guess being around him more and getting to know him better made me feel like I wasn't too bad and off course after all. I was imperfect, but that didn't mean I didn't deserve good things too and forgive myself to live a better life.

"This is kind of a wild guess, but something tells me you're a Sagittarius, probably a December one," he said uncertainly with a light chuckle. "I don't know, but that's the first thing that came into my mind."

"You're sure I've never mentioned it before because there's no way you'd take such an accurate guess."

"So I did get it right," he laughed, smiling wider than I'd seen him do all morning.

"Yes, you did," I agreed, my lips matching the near grin on his. "I was born prematurely on the 18th and my mom always told me it was like one of the coldest days in the UK and it wasn't an easy delivery, but look at me now."