Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 64

Ria's POV:

Four days had passed since we arrived in Montreal, and while the trip had been filled with its fair share of drama and surprises, it had also been... fun. Even if my attempts at skiing were more a 'dancing pinguin' than 'elegant swan.' Yesterday's adventure on the ice had been a disaster-again. Let's just say that gravity and I were not on the best of terms.

But today was a new day, and Nikolai had promised me something different. When I'd asked him what we were doing, he'd simply grinned and told me to "dress cute but warm." Which left me with more questions than answers. What could he possibly have planned that required both fashion and insulation?

As I stared at my reflection in the mirror, I decided on a cozy outfit-dark stocking with a cute mini skirt, a navy turtleneck sweater, and my boots with some white leg warmers. I paired it with my long, warm black coat and a cute knit beanie that brought out the color of my eyes. Cute? Check. Warm? Double check.

Just as I was fixing the final touches of my makeup, there was a knock at the door. Nikolai, of course, punctual as ever.

I give myself one last glance before grabbing my purse and heading to the door. I swung it open to find him leaning against the doorframe, looking effortlessly handsome in a dark coat, a charcoal scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. His blue eyes lit up as he took in my appearance.

"Fuck," he said, his voice full of admiration. "You look good."

I rolled my eyes, a smile tugging at my lips despite myself. "So do you."

He chuckled, reaching out to take my hand. "Ready for your surprise?"

"I don't know, am I?" I teased, letting him pull me out into the hallway. "This better not involve anything with skis."

"No skis, I promise," he said with a wink, guiding me toward the elevator. "Just food. I made reservations at a place I think you'll love."

"You think I'll love it, huh?" I arched an eyebrow as we stepped into the elevator. "Pretty confident, aren't you?"

He shrugged, leaning casually against the wall as the doors closed. "What can I say? I've been paying attention. I know what you like."

"Oh really?" I shot back, crossing my arms. "Then enlighten me. What do I like?"

He smirked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, for starters, you like croissants, especially when they're warm and flaky. You prefer your tea without sugar, though you really seem to dig matcha-which I will never understand. You don't eat meat or eggs, but you do eat fish, which means you're most likely a pescatarian, and you can't resist anything with peanut butter or Thai. However, your favorite cuisine is Japanese."

I stared at him, a little taken aback by how spot-on he was. "How do you even know all that?"

"I told you," he said, grinning. "I pay attention."

I felt a flush creep up my neck, both embarrassed and a little flattered. "Okay, so maybe you do know me a little."

"A little?" he scoffed as the elevator doors opened. "I know you better than you know yourself, my love."

"Oh, please," I shot back, trying to hide my smile. "You don't know everything."

"Name one thing I don't know," he challenged, leading me out of the hotel and into the crisp morning air.

I bit my lip, thinking hard. "Okay, what's my favorite color?"

"Easy. It's burgundy," he said without missing a beat. "Like that sweater you always wear when you're feeling down. The one that's way too big but you refuse to get rid of because it's 'comfortable.'"