Page 18 of Not Part of the Plan
Ed set their drinks on the bar in front of them.
“Can I get another one of these for my open-minded friend here?” Niko asked, pointing at the vibrant green shot.
Emma wrinkled her nose when Ed set the shot in front of her.
“I’d think you’d be used to stuff like this, coming from L.A.,” Niko said.
“Maybe I came here to escape cold-pressed juice and protein pancakes.”
“Either way, I’m glad you’re here to keep me company during my lonely nights.”
“That’s sounding a little too friendly,” Emma warned him, shifting on her stool to face him.
He grinned. He liked seeing this softer, slightly less guarded side of her. In her cozy sweatshirt, with her messy hair, she was infinitely more approachable. Niko liked that she had no qualms about being seen in public without a blow out and a full face of makeup. He didn’t know many women in the city who would be as confident without their armor.
He held his glass to hers. “To friends.”
Her lips quirked. “To night owl acquaintances,” she countered.
They knocked back the grass green liquid, and Emma immediately reached for her martini. “That tastes like a mouthful of mowed lawn,” she gasped.
Niko studied his empty glass. “That wasn’t bad.”
“Wasn’t bad? Now, there’s a ringing endorsement,” Emma grumbled.
“But you tried something new. Isn’t the adventure alone worth something?”
“Uh-uh.” She jabbed a warning finger at him. “I’m asking the questions now, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Friendly.”
Niko picked up his beer and leaned an elbow on the bar. “Ask away.”
“Why are you in Blue Moon indefinitely?”
He blanched. “How about we work our way up to that one? Let’s start with some nice easy questions. Consider it foreplay.”
Emma took a tidy sip of her martini. “Fine. We’ll warm up with some softballs. How old are you?”
“Thirty.”
“Books or movies?”
He smirked. “I live in Manhattan. We’re all about live performances.”
“I bet you don’t spend much quiet time at home to read,” she guessed.
“Mmm, not so much,” he agreed. He didn’t spend much quiet time anywhere, except when he was editing photos.
“So what are you doing when you aren’t at home and you aren’t working?”
Given the extra innocent look on her face, Niko knew she was setting him up. “Why don’t you just ask me how many women I’ve dated?”
“Oh, isthatwhat they’re calling it these days?” she asked slyly. “Nikolai, we’re friends.” She put a hand on his arm. “There’s no judgment here.”
Oh, there was plenty of judgment in those meadow green eyes. “I like women,” he acknowledged.
“But not one enough to stop seeing all the rest of them?”
“First of all, I don’t ‘date’ more than one woman at a time. Secondly, I’m not against relationships. I just don’t have time for them.”
