Page 35 of Into The Light

“Oh, please. It was no big deal. I was a total bore just whining about my pathetic life choices.”

“No.” He stepped forward, his tone startling me. “No, you were not a bore. I... I enjoyed our talk. It’s just that, I’m not good at this whole socializing thing. I haven’t done it in a very long time. I just wanted to apologize.”

“No apology needed. Being a social butterfly and catering to my need to talk wasn’t part of the bargain.”

He looked worried, nervous. Like Jimmy Higgins the day he’d asked me to prom and then promptly threw up on my new shoes.

“Allow me to make it up to you?”

“There’s really no need...”

“Please.” His eyes pleaded with me.

“Okay.”

He drew a deep breath through his nose, exhaling his relief quickly. “Good. Meet me back down here in three hours. Wear pants.”

Wear pants? What the...?

He didn’t wait for an answer. He flashed out of the room before I could blink. It still made me gasp every time I saw him move that way.

***

Donning a pair of Dolce & Gabbana skinny jeans that had been calling to me, I left my room three hours later and headed for the den. Not sure what he had in mind, I had also tossed on a plain white tank top and a pair of Frye boots. Cute, comfortable and ready for anything.

Aiden stood in the den with his back turned toward me. The first thing I noticed were the shiny black riding boots pulled over tight, white riding breeches. My eyes moved up to his ass. Those breeches weren’t hiding a thing and there would be no complaints from me.

Pure ass perfection.

He held the little horse carving I had picked up before. It looked even smaller as he turned it over in his large, muscular hands.

“That one’s my favorite,” I said, announcing my presence.

Turning around, his gaze raked my body. Seeing him in full formal riding gear and a crisp white polo, I questioned my outfit choice.

“Mine, too.” His gaze met mine.

“I’m sorry. I think I should go change. You said to wear pants, but I missed the part about formal.”

“No. Please. You look perfect.”

He smiled at me. A warmth slid behind it, like an open hearth on a cold, winter day. The icy shell around him fractured even more.

“Are you sure? I don’t mind changing,” I said while I looked him up and down. The front of those pants didn’t hide anything either. Again... no complaints from me.

Damn. That thing needs its own zip code.

“I’m positive. You’re perfect.”

It didn’t go unnoticed that he’d said, ‘you’re perfect’ this time. I tried not to read too much into it.

He’s a vampire, Emilia. This is going nowhere. No. More. Bad. Boys.

My promise to myself after Jeff had been no more tortured artists and no more bad boys. A brooding vampire who sculpted beautiful wooden pieces of art was about as bad as it got when referring to my rules.

Do. Not. Fall. For. Him.

Not that he would want me anyway. He may be warming up to me, but he certainly wasn’t going to be falling in love with me. Billionaire vampires like Aiden didn’t fall for simple girls from Milwaukee.