Stay with me

91 Taming the stubborn

It was Jansu's thing, as special and daring as she was.

Thin stiletto heels beat off a leisurely knock as the beautiful princess in the form of a vamp woman walked towards him. Niko was waiting for her, and the heart in his chest was beating in a ragged rhythm.

"Hi," she said, stopping.

"Hey," he exhaled. Glancing, from head to toe to the tips of her shoes, her fine figure, he said, "You are dazzling!"

"Thank you," answered Jansu.

She did not blush or be embarrassed. Received the compliment with royal dignity. Niko, who was trembling and alternately thrown into heat and cold, with a mixed feeling of admiration and annoyance, thought that in her veins, if not kings, then the padishahs' blood was running.

"Maybe we can go inside?" Jansu lightly nodded to the door.

Niko finally recovered. Holding out his arm bent at the elbow, he said, "I'm sorry. I'm dumbfounded by your beauty."

"You look good too," Jansu said, taking his arm.

Niko rejoiced like a boy. Not bad, certainly not dazzling, but also a good option.

The maitre d' was waiting for the couple inside. Bowing down and giving a compliment to the beauty of Jansu, he led the young people to a table fenced off from the rest of the hall by a screen entwined with flowering vines. There was a delicately fragrant bouquet of tea roses on the table and candles were burning. Niko, without taking his eyes off, watched Jansu's face intently. She was struck in the heart. It, poor, could not help but freeze from admiration for such a romantic setting.

"Very beautiful," she said. "I love tea roses."

"I know," he said.

Tears welled up in Jansu's eyes. He knows ..., remembers all the little things and insignificant details ..., Niko loved her then, four years ago ... he told her about it today. And he also returned the money, although no one demanded it. But for him, it was a matter of honor to return them and only after that - to return himself. It was hard for Jansu to admit her mistake, but she was always honest with herself. Nobody but her is to blame. No one! She ruined her own life. Instead of talking and listening, she ran away, - and then drove Niko away...

"Jansu," he called hoarsely.

She woke up from her thoughts, raised her face to him, and smiled, putting into the smile all her tenderness, love, and a request for forgiveness. He smiled back. He smiled openly and easily. Never before, not in the past, not now, has Jansu seen his smile like that. Grasping the back of the chair and pushing it back, he bowed playfully and said, "Princess, please! We have a great dinner from the chef."

She picked up his frivolous tone, made an elegant curtsy, and, gracefully sinking into the chair, ceremoniously thanked, "Gracie, signor!"

The set tone lasted the entire dinner. Niko poured jokes, Jansu laughed and joked back. She teased him, and he looked with loving eyes and thought that he wanted time to stop and this evening would last forever.

Niko and Jansu were the last to leave the restaurant. It was approaching midnight, the street, the road, and the square behind it was practically deserted. Only occasionally cars passed, but among them, Jansu did not notice a single taxi.

"I was stupid," she said. "I should have asked the restaurant administrator to call a taxi."

"What taxi?" Niko was indignant. "I'll take you!"