Page 21 of A New Year's Toy

The one Nola nailed.

Not thanks to me, obviously. I did nothing except sit quietly by her side in the booth the three of us occupied and listened in. The pastry shop down the street from Avryll’s apartment wasn’t busy, but it was still nice to have our corner for Nola to examine Avryll’s toys and talk business.

During their negotiations, I noticed Avryll’s prices were fairly lower than Nous Somme Rose’s. The reason they weren’t lower was due to Nola’s insistence on exclusivity, a factor Avryll calculated, fairly, into the final price offer.

But my fondness of her wasn’t just about her being fair to my Nola.

Avryll treated my girlfriend with genuine kindness and respect, as Nola deserved. It tugged at my heartstrings, the ability to offer Nola the opportunity of a fair meeting those bastards denied her.

I hoped while looking at her artwork of a profile, that if everything went according to plan, she’d enable me to give her plenty of others in the future.

Once everything is sorted out, I—to Nola and Avryll’s protests—pay the check. We unfold ourselves from the booth, heading to the front of the pastry shop.

Avryll puts on her gloves, coat, and woolen hat in the coat room. “It’s been lovely meeting you, the both of you.”

“Thank you for carving out time out of your holiday for us.” Nola accepts the coat I hold for her, slipping one hand in after the other. “We truly appreciate it.”

“We do,” I acquiesce.

“Don’t even mention it.” She picks up her bulky, leather suitcase off the floor.

Nola mirrors her movement, lifting a bag of her own from the floor. A large, pastel-yellow bag that says Avryll’s in amethyst script lettering. The Christmas spirit and the women’s burgeoning friendship have put Avryll in a giving mood, and despite Nola’s unease with receiving gifts, she accepts them.

“Our ride is right outside.” I gesture to the street where the Bentley awaits.

Snowflakes pour from the sky, white prisms on a dark, cloudy night. Our evening meeting has slipped well into the late hours, and it seems rude that we send Avryll off by herself.

“I insist you let us take you home. It’s the least we can do.”

“No, no.” She lifts her scarf to her nose, her green eyes smiling at Nola, then at me. “I’ve been sitting for far too long. I could use the walk.”

“You sure?” Nola asks, sounding way too upbeat for someone who’s been up for so many hours, plus the jet lag.

I gaze at her wide eyes, her effervescent smile. Energy whirrs and buzzes around her slender frame in a sphere.

Earlier, I might’ve contributed it to the signing.

Now that we’re about to be left alone to play, I know better.

“Oui,” Avryll replies. Without giving us another chance to argue, she spins on her heels, rushing out into the night.

“You have plans for us.” I drape my coat on top of Nola’s head.

The walk to the car is short—I won’t miss it, won’t freeze to death during the two minutes there. Nola, on the other hand, is mine to protect for even half a step in snowy weather.

“Is that an issue?”

I climb into the car after her, engulfing Nola in the warmth of my body. My lips lower to her ear, nuzzling my nose to her hair.

She giggles and shifts as my cold mouth meets her ear, and I suck her scent in. It’s partly her flowery fragrance, partly the crisp winter. I embed it into my head, as I do the curve of her thigh with my palm.

“The only issue I have is being unable to teleport us into the hotel room.” I snake my hand between her thighs, cupping her cunt above her dress.

Or that you might stumble upon the gift I’m saving for your surprise tomorrow.

The ring is hidden in a compartment in my suitcase, where it should stay until tomorrow night. Thing is, ever since I told Nola about my sister’s passing, we’ve held no secrets from each other. We have an open channel of communication twenty-four seven and because she’s practically moved into my house, all my rooms are available for her to browse through.

There isn’t a drawer in my home I keep locked, no secret stashed in my metaphorical attic.

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