In Other Words (Niall Fanfic)

Chapter Seventy-Nine

In Other Words…Chapter Seventy-Nine 

Niall’s POV

The stretch of lights ended abruptly at the spot where the city gave way to mountains and desert, which looked at bit like an ocean in the dark. Forty floors up, and I pressed my chest to the cool glass, the heat from the sun having quickly disappeared. I wished this room had a balcony.

“Jesus Christ, Niall.” She said, and I turned from the mesmerizing view. But it was only replaced by another- my girl in her knickers, bare feet on the marble tiled floor. “Get away from there. You’re freaking me out.”

“The window?” I laughed. “What could possibly happen?”

“I dunno.” She sighed. “But I don’t like you pressing against it. It makes my stomach flip.” She’s got a bit of a dislike for heights, and clearly I’d crossed the line. I stepped backward and tucked my hands behind my head and leaned against the window again, causally crossing my ankles in front of me. “Niall!” she spat, lunging across the room. 

“Okay, okay.” I said as she reached me, tugging the fabric of my shirt. “You realize I’ve been skydiving, right?” She nodded. “And bungee jumping?”

“Just. Please?” She was actually frightened, her eyes glossed, palm sweaty where I took it from my chest and brought her knuckles to my lips before she turned and padded back to the bathroom, footfalls echoing.

Her dress hung on the door, and I wondered how much longer she’d be perched on the sink messing with her hair before she decided to put it on. It was fascinating to me how the clothes she wore looked on their hangers or folded neatly in a drawer, as compared to how they looked on. This dress was something I hadn’t seen before tonight. “Where’d ya get this?” I said, pulling the collar down enough to take a peek at the label. Alexander McQueen.

“El and I found it in a resale shop on Oxford.” She smiled. “Helluva find. I keep imagining who might have owned it before.” It was funny how short she seemed with nothing on her feet, as she slipped past, plucked the dress from the hanger and tugged down the zip in the back before stepping into it; one foot, and then the other.

“Did you take it to the cleaners?” She pulled her hair off to the side, not acknowledging my question.

“Zip.” Slowly, I pulled the tab, the fabric clinging to her bit-by-bit, her silhouette hugged perfectly. She turned and checked herself in the mirror, smoothing the front and stepping into her shoes. “Ready.” She smiled. I drained nearly all of what was left of my bottle of beer, leaving the last swig for her, and picked up the phone on the desk to call for the car.

She’d perfected the art of getting into and out of low-riding vehicles without giving passersby a show, knees pinched together as she lifted both legs and twisted in the seat. Sliding a few bills into the palm of the valet, I got behind the wheel, loving the way the dash was lit up in the dark. This car was pure sex, and the perfect birthday present for a guy who wonted for nothing. Despite being in it for six hours today, I was happy to be back, the engine purring and the clutch beneath my foot. “Spago?” I said. I didn’t really know if she’d made reservations. “Or maybe we take this baby through the In ‘N Out?”

“We’re in Vegas, take me to a buffet.” She said, pressing down the button for her window and extending her arm outward into the night.

“A buffet? In that dress?” I laughed.

“I don’t mean one of those five dollar all-you-can-eat joints.” She said. “But yes, a buffet. In this dress. In this car. On your birthday.”