Page 36 of Beyond Enemy Vows

I glance around the smoke-filled kitchen, considering our options. "Oh, there's a pizza place next to the pub. Maybe they deliver?"

Niko wrinkles his nose, looking pained at the suggestion. "Pizza."

"What's wrong with pizza?"

"Nothing."

I roll my eyes. "It won't be like in Chicago, but I've never had Irish-made pizza before."

"Fine," he says and reaches for his phone. "I'll call. What do you want?"

"Anything," I say, then reconsider. "Actually, no pineapple. I'm not a monster."

He stops and looks up at me. "Seriously? Hawaiian pizza is like the best fucking pizza. Why does everyone hate it?"

I stand and cover my mouth, acting like I'm throwing up. "I can't. What? Where are your standards, Niko? Like, why do you hate your taste buds so much?"

"Oh my god, Calli," he says and brings the phone to his ear.

As he makes the call, I take the opportunity to find some pants, feeling suddenly self-conscious about sitting half-naked in the kitchen with the windows open. When I return, Niko is still on the phone. He looks up at me and winks.

I get warm all over again.

"Thirty minutes," he says after hanging up. "They don't deliver, so I had to bribe them."

"Wow, really? Well, I guess this is a small town."

"Yeah," he says, walking toward me and kissing me. "You cold? I'm cold."

"Well, you're in boxer briefs, so…"

He laughs. "Good point. I'll get dressed and start a fire. The windows being open brought in all the cool night air."

Ten minutes later, warm flickering light fills the living room, casting golden shadows across the walls.

Niko shuts the windows now that the smoke is all out, and we sit down in front of the fire, close enough for our knees to touch. I pull the blanket over both of us. The wine glasses are refilled. The pastitsio is in the trash.

And I am as happy as I've ever been.

I tilt my head against the couch as Niko stands and watch him as he pokes at the fire with the iron rod, adjusting the wood until the flames catch higher.

"You know," I say, lost in this perfect moment, "I've never done this before."

He glances over. "Started a fire?"

I laugh. "No. This. All of it. Let someone get close enough to see me." I stop and take a drink. "I don't know why I'm saying this. Maybe it's this really good wine you got. Has secret powers."

He sets the fire iron down and rejoins me so we're face to face.

"Were you hiding?"

I shrug. "Not on purpose. I just… It's easy to be who they expect. It's hard to be anything else."

He takes his wine glass. "I've been expected to be someone my whole life," he says and takes a sip. "But the past few days, with you, I've never felt more like myself."

I meet his gaze, and my chest tightens with something sweet and terrifying. "Me too," I say.

"Even when I wrapped that cloth around your neck?" he asks, teasing.