There Was You

56: You Bring Out The Best In Her

Pushing his fingers back through his hair, Iker took a pace closer to the mirror, studying his reflection for a moment. It had been a little while, after he and Riley had gotten engaged, a few weeks had passed and with his season with Porto having reached its conclusion, they’d headed to Madrid, something which had encouraged Maria to suggest throwing them a small engagement party, something he and Riley had hesitantly agreed to. They didn’t want to make too much of a fuss, despite their engagement being common knowledge, both he and Riley were keen to keep things moving at a relatively slow pace, but when Maria had suggested that it would be a good opportunity for the two sets of parents to meet, they’d allowed themselves to be talked into it.

Frowning a little, he studied his reflection for a moment longer before he lifted his hand, gently adjusting the slightly askew knot in his tie.

“How are you dressed already?”

Iker shrugged but didn’t turn away from the mirror, a small smile on his face. “How are you not?” he retorted, his eyes glancing at Riley’s reflection.

Riley shrugged, her fingers gently adjusting the belt of her dressing gown. “I don’t quite know what to wear” she admitted quietly “I mean, I bought a few dresses with me, but I don’t quite know which one of them would be best. I don’t want to look like I am trying too hard, but I also don’t want to look too casual. Is that stupid?” she asked, nibbling on her lip uncertainly.

Iker blinked a couple of times, caught off guard by how nervous she sounded, before he turned around, shaking his head softly. “You do know that this party is for us, right?” he asked gently.

Riley nodded. “I know” she mumbled.

“Then why do you look so worried?” Iker prodded.

Riley was quiet for a moment, thinking over the question, before she shrugged her shoulders uncertainly.

Iker frowned before he stood up, gently offering his hand out towards her.

Riley eyed it for a second, hesitating, before she took half a step forwards, allowing her fingers to slip through his.

Iker tugged on her hand gently, pulling her reluctantly towards him, before he lifted his hands to her face, cupping it gently. “No one’s coming tonight to push you into anything” he murmured gently “I mean, yes, there will be playful comments from people, mostly your mother and Marisol, but they’re just teasing you, Ry. This is our engagement, and it will be as long or as short as we want it to be” he insisted, kissing the end of her nose softly.

He knew it made her nervous, the prospect of people pushing them into making plans seemed to have been a worry of hers since he’d proposed, but he knew that no one had any intention of prodding them, even if people did tease them. He knew that their friends and family were more than content to sit back and let them do things in their own way and in their own time.

Riley closed her eyes. “You don’t think they’ll be disappointed?” she breathed out “I mean, Marisol and Nuno were...”

“We’re not Marisol and Nuno” Iker interrupted softly “We’re Iker and Riley” he added.

Riley’s lips quirked upwards, something which made Iker smile gently, kissing the corner of her lips lightly. “We’ll do it our way, Ry” he mumbled “And they’ll just have to put up with it. Three months, three years, they’ll just have to wait for the date and show up” he added, brushing a soft kiss over her lips.

Riley smiled against his lips, drawing out the kiss for a few seconds longer than Iker had been expecting, before she leant back. “I should probably get dressed” she noted.

Iker nodded. “Good idea” he quipped “I mean, I know it’s our party, but maybe the dressing gown would be a step too far, even if it does look great on you. It’s not really an engagement party outfit” he joked.

Riley’s cheeks lit up with a soft blush before she leant up, stealing another quick kiss before she padded towards the bathroom, stopping only to collect a dress which had been laid out on the bed.

~#~
Placing his empty champagne glass down onto the table, Iker quirked a small smile, his eyes catching Riley’s for a brief moment before she turned away, her cheeks flushing pink as she turned back to her conversation with her sister. They hadn’t spent a lot of time together, almost as soon as they’d stepped into the restaurant that Riley’s parents had booked for the evening, they’d been separated by the group of cooing guests, but Iker hadn’t minded, even if he was used to having Riley at his side when they went out. Watching her face light up and, more importantly, relax was more than enough for him.

Grinning at Riley’s bright expression, he watched Mia shoot him a playful roll of her eyes before the sound of someone sitting down next to him caught his ears, causing him to turn, watching Nuno sit down next to him. “You know that you can just go over to her, right?” he chirped “I mean, we are at a party celebrating you two getting engaged. If you want to go over there and kiss her, no one’s going to be surprised” he added, placing a new glass of champagne down ahead of the keeper.

Iker nodded, thanking him for the drink. “I’m fine where I am” he quipped.

Nuno offered him a playfully dubious look, something which made Iker roll his eyes. “Did you need something, Nuno?” he asked.

Nuno shook his head. “I just thought I’d come and offer my congratulations” he noted “I mean, Riley is...she’s something” he noted.

Iker breathed out a little laugh. “Something?” he asked.

“You know what I mean” Nuno replied.

Iker nodded. “I do” he confirmed.

Nuno was quiet for a second before he shook his head, patting Iker’s shoulder gently. “I’m glad it’s you” he noted “I mean, I know we tease each other a lot, me and Riley, but the idea that she could have ended up with that...with you know who, that makes my stomach ache. She was different with him, always tense and uncertain, but with you...”

“You bring out the best in her” Marisol finished for her husband, a gentle smile on her face.

Iker blinked a couple of times, surprised by Marisol’s interruption, before he smiled sheepishly. “You think so?” he asked.

Marisol nodded with hesitation.

Iker grinned a little to himself, something which made Marisol shake her head, grinning gently. “Just to warn you, though” she mused “Although, I’m sure that you’re already know it given that you’ve been with her for almost a year, she’s the least decisive person you’ll ever meet, so if you want to pick a date, I’d give it a couple of years. She’ll need all that time to make decisions” she teased.

Iker laughed.

Riley, who’d been stepping towards the table, stopped, her forehead furrowing a little. “Should I be worried?” she asked.

Iker shook his head. “Of course not” he noted.

Riley offered him a dubious look before the sound of someone tapping their glass filled the air, causing her to turn around, watching as her father stepped towards the front of the room, a glass in hand. “I’d just like to say a quick something” Isaac mused.

Riley jumped, feeling Iker’s arm move around her waist.

“I know no one wants to listen to me go on” Isaac quipped “But I would just like to say congratulations to the happy couple. I really do wish you all the happiness in the world. To Iker and my beautiful daughter, Riley. Congratulations, sweetheart” he gushed with a smile.

Riley smiled back at him gently before she closed her eyes, feeling Iker press a gentle kiss against the top of her head.
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Thanks to FootieJo for the comment :)