They spilled into a building to approach a banner.
"Why are we at a cinema?" Vivian stared at the movie banner. Ten p.m. show.
"To watch a movie, wife."
"Don’t call that," she spat out.
"Why not?" Nikolas’s lips pulled tight in a flat line as he turned toward the female ticket clerk. "You’re my wife."
"How many, sir?" the clerk asked.
"Two." He flashed a smile.
She flushed beet red, clearing her throat as she shifted closer to the counter to hand him a movie ticket.
Viviana arched her brow. What in the world was the woman blushing for?
"And how many boxes of popcorn would you like, sir?"
Nikolas glanced beside him, asking, "Do you want one?" But Viviana’s attention was narrowed on the worker.
He chucked her under the chin, tilting her gaze back to him. "Viviana?"
"Yes. I’d like one."
He furrowed his brows. Maybe it was his imagination, but she seed pissed off for so reason. Did she not really want to be here? It wouldn’t be a surprise if a woman like her didn’t do simple things like movies.
Turning back to the worker, he responded, "Two."
The woman giggled lightly, blushing harder than she did before as she wrapped up his order.
Viviana’s expression darkened.
He glanced at her.
She held no smile. Her face remained stone cold, eyes narrowed at the worker.
"Here you go, si..." The clerk’s voice trailed off the second she crossed gazes with Viviana as if finally noticing she was there. And even as Nikolas walked off with Viviana, she turned her head, leveling her with a knowing look.
The clerk swallowed.
"Why here of all places?" Viviana asked as they settled in one of the empty seats inside the theater.
The corner of Nikolas’s lips curved sinfully. "I can’t afford much, but since I can afford a movie, why not bring you, hm?"
"But you don’t have a clue what I like," she clipped.
"I don’t," he agreed. "Tell . What genre do you enjoy?"
"Cody."
He cocked a skeptical brow, taken aback.
She frowned at him. "What? Why are you staring at like that?"
"I didn’t think you’d enjoy cody. I an, it’s a favorite of mine too, but you..."
"What about ?" The question felt harsh on her mouth.
"I didn’t think you’d enjoy cody."
"What exactly do you an by that? I am a big fan of cody."
"It’s unexpected." A slow smirk spread across his face. "You have no humor."
She seed to have taken offense at his statent, sitting up on her chair to fold her arms. "And what makes you think that, MR? What sort of a person do you think I am?"
"Hmm. Let’s see." Nikolas tipped his head to the side and tightened his face with a cold stoic expression. "This type?"
Viviana blinked frantically at him. At the face he was making. And she abruptly scoffed out a big laugh. "You are funny."
Nikolas grinned ear to ear, decidedly aloof. "I’ve never heard you laugh before."
She stopped instantly, collecting herself. That chilly look was back on her face like it never left. Outside, no one would be willing to approach her at all.
He stared at her.
Her lashes fluttered at him as her eyes slowly fell to his lips. The only thing that crossed her mind in that second was their first night after the wedding. Why had he kissed her like that? He was drunk, but still...
’What a kiss thief he is’
’Does he even know he stole my first kiss?’
Nikolas’s green eyes lit up like Christmas. His lips parted like he had sothing to say. "Viviana."
She swallowed the sudden thick lump in her throat. Why was he saying her na like that? There was always this thickness to the way he said it. With a hard V. Bold, as if he were—
The abrupt sound of the movie starting snapped her out of her thoughts, and she quickly looked away from him toward the massive screen. She wouldn’t et his gaze again. Instead, she cleared her throat and dragged a deep breath to focus on the movie.
Thirty minutes into it, she glanced at him, saying, "I would like to apologize in advance."
"For?" Nikolas asked.
"I may not be able to pay you your money for now."
"Huh?" He raised a brow. "What mone—OH!"
She let out a deep sigh. "I’m sure you are very disappointed."
"And what makes you think that?"
She refused to et his gaze, sowhat embarrassed.
"It turned out my pa had frozen my account without my knowledge," she bit out. "You can consider broke as of now until I can get it settled. My father is not an easy man to deal with. But nothing to fret about. I do not intend to take back my word. So please, Nikolas, if you will, kindly do a favor and swallow that mockery at the tip of your tongue. Because yes, I know what you’re about to say."
"And don’t make that face at . None of this is funny, and I can see you, about to... CACKLE," she said unkindly.
Nikolas couldn’t help but begin to laugh, his head thrown back.
Viviana narrowed her eyes, then opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind.
"There’s nothing to worry about, Viviana," he said, grabbing at her chin and craning her head. "Whenever your family lets go of your account, we’ll discuss it again."
Her lips twitched close.
"Thank you," she said as she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "But I’d advise you not to get overly familiar with . Ti will co, and we’ll go our separate ways."
She looked away from him.
Nikolas smiled in amusent, which made her subconsciously realize he enjoyed their exchanges very much. It was a bit infuriating.
No wonder he found everything funny.
Nikolas crossed his legs and rested back against his seat to focus on the movie as well.
A thought crossed his mind.
What exactly was it about Viviana Di-grassi that the thought of separating from her was leaving him restless? He didn’t like the feeling or even the idea. It was too odd, strange, and lingering in his chest ever since that night he’d t her.
A few more minutes in, and suddenly, he felt sothing rest against his shoulder. Lowering his gaze, he found Viviana fast asleep against him.
Didn’t she say she was a fan of codies?
He knew it. This woman lacked far too much humor to enjoy cody like he did. There were still a few more minutes until the movie was over. Yet, she’d fallen asleep, quite soundly at that.
He found himself chuckling.
Even after the show ca to an end, Viviana was still asleep, not even stirred around once.
Rising to his feet, he looked over her fra, grabbed her hand, and pulled up her body a bit. He wrapped his arm under her legs and scooped her up into his arms.
Nikolas held her with a single arm and grabbed her bag with the other. Then he made his way out of the theater, having no trouble seeing in the dark.
They spilled out outside into the cold air. And Viviana, who was still sleeping, threw her arms around his shoulder, burying her face in his chest.
She was cold.
But...
He felt warm.
Her body was warm. So warm, and he’d never felt this sort of warmth from a human.
"This makes no sense. She is not my mate at all. A fire had yet to co alive inside of for her. Not even a flicker," he muttered. "So then why...?"
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