Zara’s POV
“Cover your eyes,” Nic said, handing me a black blindfold.
He had been acting a little strangely for the last twenty minutes, and I could not figure out what was bothering him.
I looked down at the blindfold he was holding, then looked up to meet his eyes.
I was uneasy about his request.
Ronan suddenly slowed the car, adding more tension to the request.
I kept staring at Nicolas and twitching my eyebrows while he laughed, clearly amused by my reply.
As he shifted in his seat to face me, his expression went back to being serious. “What is the issue?”
“I am not a big fan,” I said, pointing to the blindfold.
“Zara, I promise not to do anything to hurt you,” he said, taking my hand and dropping the blindfold inside. “I swear to you. It is just to amp up the excitement surrounding… uhm… the meeting.”
Kaya cocked her head to the side and looked at Nic. “He is trying very hard to make his surprise as memorable as possible for you,” she said.
As soon as Nic got into the car, Kaya sensed something was off, and she became curious. She left to ask Ray about the reason behind Nic’s distress.
“How does Ray feel about this?” I asked, shifting my attention to her.
“He stated that we should not be overly concerned,” she replied. “And that Nicholas has arranged a surprise. It will be something we will adore.”
“And the blindfold?” I questioned, glancing down at my hands.
Ronan had now brought the car to a complete stop. He waited patiently for me to put on a blindfold.
“As for the blindfold,” Kaya shot back. “He said nothing about it. But I believe you ought to grant his request.”
“Are you certain?” I asked, worried.
It was not that I did not think highly of Nic; rather, I detested having to wear a blindfold.
“I am,” Kaya responded. “Live a little. It might be fun! You may even come to enjoy it.”
“It’s easy for you to say,” I huffed. “You are not the one who is being blindfolded.”
“True,” she replied. “However, you seem to be forgetting that we share the same body. I will be blind too.”
With a sigh, I looked down at the piece of cloth in my hands.
Should I comply with the request?
“Stop being a spoilsport!” Kaya said. “You are wasting precious time. I am curious about what he had planned.”
I inhaled deeply as I made an effort to reduce my nervousness.
“Very well,” I caved in.
Even though I closed my eyes and raised the blindfold to my face, I was unable to secure it around my eyes.
“Let me help you,” Nic said.
A desired chill ran down my spine as his warm breath fanned over the side of my face. I wished he would rather kiss me than blindfold me. That would suit me better.
When Nic finished tying the blindfold behind my head, he gently pushed me back onto the seat.
“Trust me,” he muttered huskily in my ear. “I swear, we will be there soon.”
Ronan quickly shifted the car back into drive as Nic moved away from me while still holding my hand.
Nicolas followed through on his promise; a few minutes later, Ronan stopped the vehicle once more and turned off the engine.
“Where are we?” I asked, turning my head to where Nic sat.
“I’ll be right with you,” Nic said, ignoring my question. He opened his door and climbed out.
“He seems to be in a hurry,” Kaya mused.
“I wonder where to,” I replied. “Are you able to smell anything?”
Kaya sniffed our surroundings.
“No,” she replied. “I can only smell Nic’s scent.”
My breathing became labored, and I felt as though the car was smothering me.
I wanted to get out.
“Remain calm. Do not freak out,” I muttered to myself nervously. “I should have faith in Nic because he is our mate. He would not abandon us here unattended for very long.”
“That’s right,” Kaya said. “Consider this a test. I understand that you are uncomfortable, but…”
Kaya was interrupted as the car door unexpectedly opened, startling us both. All of my nervousness vanished as soon as I smelled Nic’s honey and vanilla scent.
“I am sorry for making you wait,” he said, taking my hand, lifting it, and pressing it against his lips. “I just wanted to make sure everything was set up for our… uh… meeting.”
I nodded slowly as I felt my heart quicken in my chest.
I got out of the car with Nic’s help.
“Easy now,” he said, pushing my head down. “Mind your head.”
Nic released my hand as soon as I got out of the car and shut the passenger door.
The moment the familiar scent of the forest entered my lungs, my animal instincts came into play. I could hear the forest calling.
My head snapped toward the sound of water. I had a sudden vision of how ideal the nearby river or waterfall must look.
My attention was drawn back to Nic. He didn’t move after he closed the passenger door.
Was he observing me?
Was he awaiting my response?
“Nic?” I uttered. “Can I remove-”
“Not just yet, my love,” he answered. “One more minute.”
A worried breath escaped my lips.
What did Nic have planned?
Why was he acting this suspiciously?
Do I need to be afraid?
Would he betray me?
“Relax!” Kaya reprimanded. “There is no reason to freak out.”
“How do you trust people so readily?” I asked. “I am terrified. I have been blindfolded for more than…”
“Ten minutes,” she said, cutting me off. “Although your hands are free to do so at any time, you have not even tried to take off the blindfold.”
“So?” I growled. “Perhaps I am simply terrified to find out where we are.”
Kaya stepped forward, turned her head to the side, and locked eyes with me.
“I believe you are intrigued and thrilled about Nicholas’s revelation,” she teasingly said.
“I am not!” I stated. “I have concerns. I have no idea where I am.”
“Take a whiff of your surroundings,” Kaya suggested.
“I had. We are in a forest.”
“Inhale deeply and pay attention,” she stated. “You know where you are. You have come here before.”
“I have?” I exclaimed, surprised.
“Yes, many times before. Now concentrate on your senses,” she said. “You should consider it good practice…”
“If something were to happen to me,” I gave a sour reply.
“Well, as you may recall, we are on the verge of war,” she reminded me. “Anything can happen.”
Kaya was right. A bit of practice might just save my life.
With a sigh, I gave in.
“All right,” I growled. “However, inform Ray that he must inform Nic that he must get his move on. If not, I will take off the blindfold and ruin his surprise.”
I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with air. There was still a hint of forest flavor on my tongue, but it tasted different. Something was there that did not belong.
I gave it another go, focusing on the scent.
Other than Nic’s smell, there was something sweet in the air. Something with a cinnamon scent to it.
Did Nic choose to take me out on a date as opposed to a formal contract signing?
Is that something he would do?
Would he really bring me somewhere where people would see us?
“What is that mouthwatering scent?” I asked. I can not wait to taste it.
“You know what it is,” Kaya said. “It is one of your favorites.”
There was something else-akin to butter-in the air.
Are we at the movies?
I dismissed the idea as quickly as it occurred to me.
“We are ready.” Ronan’s voice startled me. It sounded like he was standing a few feet away from me.
“Are you ready?” Nic asked, his voice full of excitement.
I managed to nod my head while swallowing the lump in my throat.
“Come,” he said. “It is only a few feet up ahead.”
Nic wrapped his arm around my waist before we moved forward.
Will I enjoy the surprise Nic has planned for me, or will it go horribly wrong?
****