Life After Dark: Book Two of the Dark Series

Chapter 123

~ Timoria ~

"So, how should I dress for my party?" Dawn asked. A bright smile was on her face and in her eyes as she looked up at her husband. A giggle escaped from her lips as he flushed and shook his head at her.

"What party?" Nikolas asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"My party," Dawn said, giggling. She reached for his hands, and he gave them to her willingly. "I know that something is going on because you just told me that Stefan would be there. So, I'm guessing that it's a party. Am I right?"

Smiling at her, Nikolas was very tempted to tease her with a negative response, but he couldn't. Besides, she was right. He had all but given himself away when he admitted that Stefan would be there. He nodded. "You're right, and that's all I'm telling you."

"But you have to tell me how to dress," she said. She held on tightly to his hands as he helped her rise from the window seat. "I can't just show up in any old thing. I'm the guest of honor, for goodness' sakes!"

Nikolas laughed. "You're incorrigible is what you are." He kissed the tip of her nose and said, "Stay right here. I have something for you."

"Okay!" Dawn beamed. The earlier melancholy had left her and now she was filled with giddy anticipation. As Nikolas left the room, she grabbed Winnie-the-Pooh and took him to the baby's crib. She set the stuffed animal down inside the crib and took a step back. In her mind, she saw a dark-haired newborn sleeping peacefully and she was trying to imagine if Winnie was good enough to stand watch. "Mm...I dunno," she mumbled.

"What don't you know?" Nikolas asked as he returned to the nursery. In his hands, he held a nicely decorated box. "Is Winnie not good enough for our baby?"

"I'm not sure," she answered before turning to face him. Her eyes sparkled as she saw the large box and to her credit, she didn't grab it from him. Instead, she sweetly asked, "Is that for me?"

"Why, yes, it is," Nikolas said, grinning. He positioned the box in his hands so that she could open it while he still held it. "Go ahead. Inside is the answer to your question."

"Cool!" she said before she ripped into the box. She tore off the lid and rifled through the tissue paper. A look of awe came into her eyes as the dark lavender dress was revealed to her. Carefully, she pulled the dress from the box. The dress was a floor-length ballgown. It had an off the shoulder cut with velvet trim. She held the dress up and admired it with a smile. She whispered, "This is beautiful. Thank you, Nikky."

The tears he saw brimming in her eyes touched Nikolas. He tossed the box to the floor and pulled her into his arms. "Sweetheart, you're crying."

"I know," she said through her sniffles. "Those blasted hormones are at it again. It really is beautiful."

"Well, you have Carrie to thank for that," he told her. "I suggested the color and she did the rest. She did a wonderful job, and I'm looking forward to seeing it on you."

"Should I get dressed now?" she asked. She moved out of Nikolas' arms and carefully folded the dress over her arm. "What about shoes? Did you get shoes for me, too?"

Nikolas laughed. "Lucky's right. You are greedy. Yes, there are shoes for you, too, courtesy of Dara. And there's hose, too." He laughed again as Dawn smiled. As she reached the door, he added, "The hose are the kind that require a garter...courtesy of yours truly."

She shook her finger at him. "You have a one-track mind."

Nikolas placed his right hand over his heart. Grinning at her, he said, "Guilty as charged."

Dawn's voice drifted back to him as she sang "Happy Birthday to Me." He laughed again. He glanced at his watch and decided that he had better start to get dressed, too. He picked up the empty gift box and carried it into their bedroom. He placed it on the floor beside the wastebasket. His fingers were in the process of unbuttoning his shirt as the telephone rang. Fully capable of doing more than one thing at a time, Nikolas continued to unbutton his shirt as he answered the phone. "Hello."