NICCOLÒ

36. Smoke and Shadow

"Allow me," Niccolò murmured, far too close to Cee's ear as he reached around her for the car door, his arms brushing against her waist. He couldn't help himself, lingering for a second too long, inhaling the soft scent of roses from Camilla's hair; she was angelic.

Cee rolled her eyes, fighting off the blush that threatened to rise to her cheeks. She knew what he was doing; they both knew he wasn't even pretending to have an excuse to be this close. Regardless, she let him finish off his gentlemanly act, allowing herself to smile - only a tiny bit, though, so she didn't encourage him.

Niccolò ducked into the driver's seat, joining her in the plush interior; it wasn't his father's car this time - some flashy sports car that Elias had persuaded him to buy on a whim. Glancing at the angel sitting, slightly uncomfortably, in the seat next to him, he finally approved of the ostentatious buy; perhaps it was the shimmer of her dress against the black leather, or the way she'd glanced at the sleek, midnight exterior of the car with a look of awe before climbing in.

He wanted her to feel like a princess - if not a Queen; subconsciously, Niccolò resolved to provide her with anything and everything she wanted.

"Seatbelt," he ordered calmly, refusing to even start the ignition before she was strapped in; she sent him an incredulous look, which only made him smile before the engine purred, the car smoothly rolling away.

Cee tried to relax into the smooth leather, nervously tapping her fingers against her thigh. Was she nervous for the date? Or for what would come after?

"I'm nervous," she confessed to Niccolò, for the second time, refusing to meet his gaze even as he glanced up at her from the road.

"Tell me why," he murmured, demanding in his usual way but with no hint of anger or offence - he was going to make her as comfortable as he could. Accidentally, Cee met his eyes in the rearview mirror and blushed, casting her eyes down to her fidgeting fingers.

"I don't know what to expect," she mumbled in response, daring to peek up at him through her lashes; he nodded once, shortly, expecting her to go on. "And you're still a little bit scary."

Niccolò, at first, had to force himself to stay calm, clenching his fists around the steering wheel and glaring forward at the road; he hated the idea that she was scared of him. He was the one person in this world that she could trust with her life, and he would never hurt her.

Abruptly, Camilla interrupted his flash of anger, a horrified expression on her face. "I mean, I'm not scared of you! You're- you're intimidating, sure- I meant that you- I mean, I-"

"Do I make you nervous, carissima?" Niccolò's expression was amused, making him smile when she nodded, a fierce blush on her cheeks. "Do I make your heart race?"

"Niccolò!" Cee protested, her hands flying to her cheeks to hide the blood rushing to her face; he always knew exactly what to say to make her heart flutter.

"Don't cover your blush," he instructed, catching her wrist with one hand and gently tugging it away, a small smile on his face. Cee turned her head away pointedly, even her ears burning with heat now; she heard his quiet hum of pleasure before he brought her wrist to his lips.

"You're lucky I allow you to disobey orders," he murmured, finally releasing her hand to indicate left, the neon lights of the city glinting across the windscreen. Cee risked a quick glance at his profile, briefly imagining what it would be like to tangle her fingers in his hair, to kiss his sharp jaw, to lie against his muscular chest at night - every night.

Niccolò made a low disapproving noise, feeling his entire body tense, straining to reach out and pull Camilla onto his lap; that look she was giving him, with her big chocolate-brown eyes, her lips parted just slightly, her cheeks flushed - she was irresistable. "Stop looking at me like that."