Thieves of Dreams: Stories of the Night [A Collection of Short Stories]

Say Yes, Albert

"Albert?"

He felt a soft touch caress his neatly shaved face. He loved it when Nina did that. It was always soothing for him. Why? he will never know.

"Hmm?" he replied in approval.

He felt Nina's body press onto his, and whisper in his drunk ear, "Marry me."

Albert opened his eyes and awoke from his slumber.

"What?" he asked sheepishly, still blinking away the remainder of his drowsiness.

"Be my Husband, Albert Malcolm."

He looks at his best friend with shock and confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Is it not clear?" she titled her head.

"Why? Why would you even say that?" 

Albert stood from his bed with a force that almost pushed Nina to her back.

"Why not? You and I want the same things, have the same dreams and understand each other. What makes us incompatible?" she stood up and ran to him as if she were ready to win this arising argument.

"Nina, you're my best friend." He looked with his eyes full of genuine brother-sister love.

"I know, which makes us a perfect match!" she smiled cheerfully.

"I don't know what game you're playing, but it's making me uncomfortable."

Albert squeezed her shoulders comfortably while maintaining eye contact.

"It's not a game, Albert. Just Marry me," she looked back at him with determination filling her tiny physique.

She touched his arms and drew her fingers tenderly, something she knew he enjoyed very much.

"Hmm, what's your motive?"

"To be your wife."

"What's your actual motive, Nina."

"To be your wife, Albert," she replied calmly.

"You know I don't think of you that way, Nina. And I mean-" he blushed.

"Sexually?"

He nodded in hesitation.

"But I do. Is that a bad thing?"

He looked at her in surprise. Albert new his friend was bold, but he never seen her that bold nor this tinder feeling of vulnerability.

"We've been there before."

He walked away coldly from the room, leaving her speechless.

She stormed after him, making the wooden floor of his apartment shake.

"When you rejected me before, I was young then. I'm not young now, Albert."

She drew closer, and he drew back.

Offended by his reaction she continued, "I'm a woman. A successful CEO in the biggest Stock company in this country! And the hell I know what I want! and that's You, Albert Malcolm. So take me to be your wife."

She drew closer, and this time Albert didn't draw back. At that moment something in Albert changed. As she walked slowly towards him, he realized she is no longer his young best friend/sister. She was a woman. A grown woman.

They were no longer 15 and 25. 

"I'm too old for you," he shook his head, refusing to fall in.

"Maybe. But I know is this," she grabs a hold of his face and they french-kissed like their life depends on it.

"Does this feel old to you?" she asked huskily.

Hungry for more, he finally let himself be taken by this marvelous female in front of him.

"Say Yes, Albert."

Nina teased him by rubbing her nose against his, tenderly.

"Not on my watch," he smirked at her confused face.

"I'll make sure it's me who proposes when the time comes, not you," he smiled devilishly and held her to his room in their shared apartment.

"I'll take that as a Yes," she looked at him full of emotion.