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They were having dinner together, in public, and they were all going to play nice. “Or else.”
Nikita hadn’t specified what she meant by that but her tone and facial expression had made clear she wasn’t talking about pleasant consequences. Alex had shivered a bit at the glare Nikita had leveled at her while Amanda just raised one eyebrow for a moment then nodded her understanding.
It was, after all, Amanda’s birthday and Nikita was determined that it would be a good one, starting with dinner.
So they went to the fancy French restaurant Amanda preferred where there were reservations and special flowers on the table and Amanda’s favorite wine already opened so it could breathe and be ready to serve upon their arrival.
When the sommelier started to pour Alex a glass of wine after having already served Nikita and Amanda, Nikita cut him off with a sharply negative shake of the head. “Water for her, please.” She said, ignoring Alex’s pout.
“You’re underage.” She stated firmly after the man left the table trying to head off the argument she was sure was coming.
“You’re overprotective.” Alex retorted, just a bit sullenly.
“You are underage, dear,” Amanda interjected looking at Alex. “And you are somewhat overprotective.” She directed that comment at Nikita even as she handed her own wine glass to Alex. “However, I believe that you are old enough to be permitted at least a sip or two. It is a special occasion, after all.”
Alex accepted the wine glass but held off on drinking from it while Nikita and Amanda looked at each other; watching as an entire conversation she could only partially follow was held without words. Finally Nikita sighed and rolled her eyes before laughing softly.
“Alright. You’re right. I am overprotective.” She rolled her eyes again before nodding her consent at Alex, who had been unconsciously waiting for that permission.
Alex took the permitted sip and handed the glass back to Amanda as she rolled the wine around on her tongue, savoring the taste. Amanda was looking at her expectantly, patently waiting for her opinion.
“It’s nice.” She said simply. Then she surprised them all by leaning across the distance between them and placing a soft kiss on Amanda’s cheek. “Thank you for letting me try it.”
“You’re very welcome, dear. Now, if we’ve got the matter of the wine out of the way, we should move on to appetizers. That’s bound to cause no turmoil.”
Except that it did, of course, though this time the disagreement was between Nikita and Amanda as they debated moscardelli versus escargot and ended up agreeing to get both. To Alex, the argument looked like it was more a matter of form and habit than actual disagreement.
Thankfully selection of the entrees was a matter of individual choice and Alex’s French had come along far enough that her pronunciation of her choice was acceptable not just to the snooty waiter but to Amanda and Nikita as well, a real coup since the two of them were pickier about speaking French properly than even the most nationalistic Parisian.
When their dessert choices were brought out, along with two glasses of specially chosen dessert wine for Nikita and Amanda, there was no additional argument or discussion as Amanda once again handed her glass to Alex to taste.
Nikita and Amanda laughed though at the face Alex made in reaction to the wine’s extreme sweetness. Nikita, who had begun to relax over the course of the evening as she realized they were all being nice, even teased a little bit. “You’d prefer vodka, I suppose?” Her eyes twinkled as she asked the question.
“Well, it does go with everything.” Alex retorted, sticking her tongue out and laughing when Nikita stuck hers out in return.
“Children, children, please. We are in public.” Amanda admonished them both.
“Not for much longer.” Nikita answered, her tone slightly suggestive as her look at Amanda became ever so slightly predatory.
Alex smiled and looked down at her dessert, giving them a moment of privacy. Nikita had plans, she knew. Big ones, if the number of candles she’d seen carried into Amanda and Nikita’s bedroom earlier had been any indication. Alex was sure Amanda already knew but was pretending she didn’t, in order to let Nikita enjoy her planning and surprise.
It was nice that Nikita hadn’t been required to follow through on her “or else” threat from earlier. Then again, as she looked up in time to see Nikita lean forward and kiss Amanda, a searing kiss that left no doubt of her later intentions and a little doubt of her sense of propriety, she wasn’t sure Amanda would have objected to “or else”. But they could negotiate that on their own in the bedroom later.
Or sooner. She realized as Amanda’s hand slid indelicately high on Nikita’s thigh. She signaled the waiter. “Check, please.”