Page 49 of Into The Light

Flip-flop. There went my stomach again.

“Thank you, Aiden. You look...”

Perfect? Sexy? To die for? Incredible? Other worldly? So good I want to toss you on the ground and kiss you again? Instead, I finished with “Really good” then took the flower and inhaled its sweet scent.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his eyes sparkling a brighter blue tonight.

“Ready for what?”

“You’ll see. But first, I need to take something from you.” He reached out and took my hand, exposing my diamond perimeter bracelet. He inserted the key. It clicked and slid off my wrist, falling into his open palm.

“I think this one suits you better.” My gaze fell to the black velvet box. He opened the lid and I gasped when I saw the beautiful bracelet. Row after row of diamonds stretched out against the black pillow inside. The unique design and more than twice as many diamonds as my original bracelet made this one exquisite in every way.

“It’s vintage. I thought it suited you better,” he said, pulling it from the box. “The best part about this bracelet? No perimeter alarm.”

My head snapped up. “What?”

“It would be difficult to have a perimeter alarm going off all night while we’re out. Also, I trust that my secret is safe with you now.”

“Out? We’re going out?”

Aiden smiled and nodded. “Ready?”

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

He offered me his elbow. With a deep breath, I slid my arm through his and let him lead me out of the house. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw Mark leaning on the edge of the balcony. He grinned as he waved goodbye.

The helicopter sat silent on top of the grassy hill just outside the yard. Two men in suits stood on opposite sides of the doors, and their intimidatingly rigid poses caused me to slow my steps. Aiden must have felt me hesitate. He slid his hand over mine and smiled down at me, easing my fears with the softness of his gaze.

Once we settled into our seats, I looked over and caught him staring at me. An almost childlike excitement bubbled in his eyes.

Tipping my head, I asked, “Where are you taking me?”

“It’s a surprise,” he said, his voice getting louder over the thumping of the blades as the helicopter started.

As we lifted off, worry crept back into my gut and I fidgeted with the bottom of my dress.

Aiden glanced at my hands and stopped my fidgeting with his soft smile. “Don’t be nervous. You’re safe with me.”

Just hearing the words, seeing the softness in his eyes, soothed me. My apprehensions disintegrated beneath his gaze.

I would go anywhere with you, I thought while I tumbled into their depths.

And in fact, I was.

CHAPTER NINE

Aiden

The wheels of the jet shrieked when they touched down on the runway. After a short helicopter ride to Chicago and just over an hour on my jet we had arrived.

Emilia barely spoke during the flight. She seemed nervous. I wasn’t sure if she was nervous about the flight, nervous about the trip, nervous about being alone with a vampire, or nervous about the kiss. Perhaps a little bit of everything. Several times I’d attempted to strike up a conversation, but the right words never came. Instead of the apex predator I normally was, I’d felt like a pimple-faced teenager asking a girl on his first date.

She stared out the window as we taxied down the runway, her red lips pursed while she tried to figure out our location. Little wrinkles formed on her nose as she surveyed the dark surroundings out the window. The plane slowed to a stop and my flight attendant knocked and then pulled open the door to the secluded private lounge.

“We’ve arrived, Mr. Mackay.”