“A middle-aged mess.”
“—and was struck by your determination to stand against evil. Your humor in the face of death. And I suddenly found myself interested.”
“So interested you ignored me for days,” I reminded.
“In my defense, my decision to save you took me by surprise. I’ve only ever made a handful of fledglings in my lifetime, and never someone that I’d been interested in for a lover.”
“Making me special.” I’d not meant to say that aloud, but his soft smile as he stroked my cheek reassured I’d not spoken out of turn.
“Very special. Now, enough with the sappiness. I want to give you your gift before dawn.”
“We still have a few hours.”
“We do, but I have a feeling you’ll want to spend time with this present before going to sleep.” He offered a mysterious smile that, along with his cryptic statement, roused my curiosity.
“Where is this gift?” I asked glancing around his bedroom decorated in navy blue, with gold trim and heavy dark wooden furniture. Very masculine like him.
“Downstairs under the tree.”
“When did you manage to do that?” Because I didn’t recall seeing a gift earlier and we’d been together since we got home.
“I didn’t. Gwen handled it for me.”
“Got something I can borrow so I’m not streaking naked down the hall?”
Cillian loaned me one of his robes, the fabric a navy-blue velour that had me snickering.
“What’s so funny?” he asked wearing a gray terry cloth version.
“Shouldn’t this be red?” I fingered the fabric.
“I swear movies have ruined vampire reputations,” he grumbled.
“And they certainly haven’t done you justice.” I’d seen the movie Nosferatu—three versions at this point—and that vampire certainly wouldn’t have me horny again already.
“Behave,” Cillian admonished as we left his room.
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You don’t have to.” He grabbed me and dragged me close for a torrid kiss. “Your mere existence makes me hungry.”
He almost got dragged back to bed for that statement. I’d never had a guy make me feel like I truly was the sexiest thing in the world.
Instead, we padded downstairs where the tree had been lit and a fire crackled in the fireplace. I paused on the bottom step, seeing two boxes set in front of the tall fir. Same size, but with different colored paper.
“Which one am I supposed to open?” I asked glancing at Cillian who frowned.
“The pink one. I don’t know who the blue one is for.”
“That would be from us, boss.” Gwen and Randy appeared, looking pleased with themselves.
“You didn’t,” Cillian said aiming the remark at Gwen.
Her lips curved. “And if I did?”
Cillian shook his head before glancing at me. “Seems like we both have a gift to open.”
I didn’t need to see the poked holes or to rip the paper free to know what hid inside mine. The smell and tiny meow gave it away. A good thing for those clues, since I couldn’t see for the tears brimming.
