Last First Kiss (One Direction Fan Fiction) (Charlotte's Directions Book Two)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27         Charlotte POV                    Day 30 of Tour: Austin

The sparkly spotted Austin skyline sat outside the restaurant window. I let myself take it all in as Niall got back from the men’s room.

“Pretty isn’t it?”

I shot him a smile. “Mhmm.”

He sat down across the tiny circular table from me. A tall candle burned at the center of the table that was decorated with little rose petals. I smoothed the cloth napkin that sat on my lap and stared at the firelight.

“You should have told me we were coming someplace so nice,” I gestured to my outfit. “I would have worn a dress.”

“We’re the only ones here. You could wear whatever you wanted.”

Well he had a point there. The entire third floor of the fancy restaurant was rented out completely by the handsome young romantic across from me.

“Harry really seems to like Emily,” Niall told me.

I brightened. “That’s great! He’s so hard to read sometimes that I couldn’t tell.”

“I think they had a date tonight, actually. He was uncharacteristically nervous.”

“Emily’s great,” I nodded. “Harry’s lucky.”

Niall’s hand went under the table to rest on my leg. “He’s not the only one.”

I ran my eyes up the table to meet his. He was staring at my lips. I blinked my eyes dazedly.

“Your dessert, sir.”

Niall’s hand didn’t stray from my lap as the waiter set a piece of fudge cake down in between us. Niall thanked him and then he was gone.

“It’s so pretty I almost don’t want to eat it,” I said in awe as Niall lifted his fork. He stared at me in disbelief. “I said almost. I’m going to eat that little piece of heaven, believe me.” Niall chortled as a reply.

I watched as Niall dipped the prongs into the hot cake. Without saying a word he lifted it to my mouth instead of his. I gently shut my eyes and slid my mouth open. My lipstick painted lips closed and he took his fork back.

I had never in my life savored such a piece of sweet paradise.

“Goodness,” I muttered. “That’s amazing.”

Niall finally got a taste himself. He had the same reaction that I did. “Wow.”

I lifted my fork from the corner of the table and delicately sliced another bite. I contemplated how I was going to approach the next subject as I swallowed.

The words finally decided to just come out. “Niall can I ask you something?”

He nodded with a full mouth.

“What happens after this?”

Niall swallowed. “Well honey, the waiter will come and give me the bill. Then I’ll drive you home in Paul’s car. You might want to take a bath later, I’m not sure.”

I raised a brow. “You know what I mean.”

The way Niall shifted in his chair I knew he really did. He was only trying to stall the inevitable.

“I don’t know,” was his quiet response.

“Are we, are we over after this?” I waited in dread for his reply.

“No!” Niall squeezed my leg. “Charlotte I don’t plan on us ever being over. Ever.” He shook his head. “I’m just not sure what happens after this tour.”

“I don’t want to go home without you.”

“I know, I know. But it’s going to be okay whatever ends up happening. Because you’ll never be without me. Alright? I’ll always be right here. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

Except for maybe Europe.

I sighed and forced myself to accept the reality of it all. “It’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.”

Niall smiled. “We will.”