Page 67 of Into The Light

I needed to slow down... and not just my pace moving toward her. This didn’t need to happen tonight, and even as the thought of her mortality ripping her away terrified me, I realized I should ease her into the idea with a bit more decorum and finesse. Tonight would be about us, and instead of putting so much pressure on her, I would take my time and feel her out.

What happened between us wasn’t just sex, and I was certain she had felt the connection, too. This wasn’t a fling, or a whirlwind romance... it was a love that could last through the ages and sustain us through eternity. Perhaps it was a vampire thing that made it so instant and intense. It was what I had felt with Isobel, though with Emilia it was even more powerful. My brother, Lothaire, had a similar connection with his wife, Grizella. They had only known each other for two days before she’d agreed to turn and spend eternity at his side. That was over four hundred years ago and their love hadn’t diminished in the slightest. Now I just had to hope Emilia felt it, too.

The clicking of Emilia’s heels down the hallway pulled my attention from my spiraling thoughts, and I turned the corner and met her at the dining room entryway. She paused when she saw me, and that soft pink color rose to her cheeks and then settled down into her chest. I loved the way she looked when she flushed.

“Hello, Emilia,” I said, moving toward her. She wore the black Versace gown I had picked out for her last night. It looked even better hugging her enviable curves than I had imagined. She shifted in front of me, biting her lower lip before giving me a nervous smile. God, how I wanted to kiss those lips.

Take it slow, Aiden.

“Did you sleep well?” she asked as I stepped in front of her. She pressed her back into the door frame, and her lips parted when I stepped closer. Each step I took toward her sent her heart beating faster.

Take it slow, I reminded myself, but when her gaze drifted to my lips, I lost my resolve.

Maybe just one kiss.

I slid my fingers beneath her chin, drawing her toward me. Her eyes danced with desire before closing when I leaned down and touched my lips to hers. Those familiar sparks ignited my skin, and I inhaled the sweetness of her breath as it mingled with mine. It took everything I had in me to pull my lips away and not rip off her new gown and take her on the floor.

“How did you sleep?” she asked between soft kisses.

“I slept better than I have in centuries.” I smiled and pecked her lips once more. “Are you hungry?”

She leaned back and quirked a brow. “I’m always hungry. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”

I chuckled at her never-ending sense of humor and gestured toward the dining room. “Please, have a seat. Mark has dinner for you on the table.”

Pressing my hand into the small of her back, I escorted her to the oversized table. Even though it could seat twenty, it barely filled the over-sized dining room. For someone who never hosted guests, I certainly had the space to hold lavish parties and get-togethers. But tonight the only get-together I cared about was the one with me and Emilia.

After she sat, I pushed in her chair and moved to the other side of the table. She closed her eyes and took a deep inhale of the steam rolling off her plate.

“It smells so good,” she said before picking up her fork.

“What is it?” I tipped my head, looking at the pile of noodles in a cream-colored sauce.

“Shrimp fettuccini alfredo,” she responded before taking a bite. She made that “mmmm” noise while she ate, and it caused my stomach to flutter. It was the same noise she had made when I’d stroked her to climax last night, answering my question about the noises she made eating being similar to the noises she made writhing beneath me. Hearing her make them again sent my pulse pounding and my heart racing.

“Good?” I asked, leaning forward and resting my chin on a fist. Her eyes bulged while she nodded, her mouth too full of food to answer. I chuckled at her enthusiasm for eating, and once again I wondered what her meal tasted like. I could smell it, but I had tasted nothing with those smells before, so I struggled to imagine what flavors it contained. Dry bread, mutton, potatoes and root vegetables had been most of my meals before blood became my new nourishment.

“What did you want to do tonight?” I asked while she finished chewing her food.

“I’m not really picky,” she answered. “I don’t suppose shopping sprees in New York and brainwashing my ex into destroying his life are something we’ll do every night, so you tell me what’s on the agenda.” She grinned before taking another bite.

“We can go for a ride. Or perhaps a swim. Or both?”

“That sounds perfect,” she answered.

“Or if you prefer, I can call the helicopter and take you somewhere off premises?”

“What, like Paris?” She chuckled.

“Sure. Would you like me to call for a ride and head to the jet?”

She snorted and nearly choked on her food. “I was kidding! Are you serious? If we wanted, we could just... go to Paris?”

I shrugged and nodded. “Of course. I’ve even got a light-tight penthouse there. We can go anywhere in the world you want, anytime you want to go. It’s a perk of having a helicopter and a private jet and a staff on standby twenty-four hours a day.”

“Holy shit, Aiden. I was totally joking.”

“Just say the word and I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”