His smile falters slightly. “Yes.” Nodding, he leaves the room.
Faintly, I hear the shower turn on, running water pattering against tiles. He’s sweet, sweeter than I expected a man like him to be. At this point, though, I don’t know why I’m surprised; our first date was extremely thoughtful. I guess I’m just not used to this.
I get out of the bed, keeping his sheet wrapped around me as I head toward the sound of the water. Inside the bathroom, he has his hand under the stream, testing the temperature.
“I don’t know how hot you want it.” He sounds slightly embarrassed, like this is something he should know. “Vampire body temperature is not the same as a human. We’re usually resistant to temperature, so it doesn’t matter what we set our showers to.”
Does that mean I’m the first human who has stayed over? The only one he has shared his shower with? It’s not like meto hope so, but I do. I want to be someone special to him. Hesitating for a second, I can’t help myself but to ask, “You actually want me to stay for breakfast?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” His voice hardens, brows dropping slightly as he looks over at me.
I shrug, feeling awkward for the first time in a long time. “I don’t know.”
“Mallorie.” He removes his hand from the water, drying it quickly on his towel as he closes the distance between us and places his hands on my arms. “I want you around, for more than just the morning. I don’t want this to be a one, well two, night thing.”
“You really don’t?” I try to stifle my uncertainty, but it’s overwhelming.
He shakes his head. “Absolutely not. You make me feel…different than I’ve ever experienced before.”
I let out a small laugh; I know that feeling. My normal sass and confidence seem to have left me, and my heart pounds a bit faster every time he looks at me. No man has ever made me feel this way, in the bedroom or out of it.
Emris came across as cocky and full of himself when I met him, and to some degree he is, but it’s confidence more than anything. Beneath all that, he’s kind and thinks things through. He’s gentle and caring.
“I told you, I want it all at no cost,” I tease, letting a smirk dance across my lips.
“And I told you, as a business man, I can’t accept that deal.” The corner of his lip twitches, his voice lowering. “All I want in exchange for giving you everything I can give is you. Your love. You are all I desire.”
Raising my arm, I jokingly tap on my chin, as if I’m pondering his offer. He lets out a chuckle, shaking his head atme. I slip my arms around his neck, pulling him down and gently grazing my lips against his.
His hands fall to my waist, the sheet loosening around me and threatening to come tumbling down. The kiss is sweet, gentle, with a different desire than the passionate ones we exchanged last night. This kiss feels eternal.
“Counter offer,” I whisper as I pull back, his forehead resting against mine. “I want everything. Love, stability, independence, and support, the kind two people share when they mean everything to each other. Everything you give me, I’ll give you, too.”
He nods against me. “Deal.”
“Deal.” I beam up at him, excitement building in me.
My lips meet his again, his hands pulling me closer. I melt into his arms, his cool touch warming my heart. He’s the one, I just know it. No one compares to him, and no one ever will. He is the change I desperately needed and wanted, and now, he is mine. Is it crazy to think I might just be in love…this soon?
“Now, shower up, I’ll make breakfast,” Emris says as he breaks the kiss, his hands slipping from me.
I nod, turning my head to watch him as he crosses the room. He stops at the door, looking back at me and smiling, eyes sparkling. My cheeks flush, and I scrunch my shoulders slightly.
He lets out a chuckle and steps out, closing the door behind him. I drop the sheet and make my way to the shower, slowly testing the water. It’s perfect. Somehow, he chose just the right temperature. It’s hot enough that some may say it’s scalding, but I like a hot shower.
It feels like Emris knows me inside and out already, remembering every little detail about me and then some. I want to learn everything about him, be able to do little things like this for him. Anything to make sure I can keep him around forever.
Somehow, breakfast lasted all day, and now that it’s nearing dinner, I made Emris take me back to my place. We spent the entire time talking, joking, flirting; it was nice. There really is more to him than his CEO persona, and I can’t get enough.
Now, his hand is intertwined with mine as we walk through the halls to my apartment. He asked if he could see it, since he wasn’t ready to part ways just yet—honestly, I wasn’t either. I told him yes, but now that we’re here, I can only think of how messy my little place is.
As we round the corner to my hallway, my steps slow and my heart stutters in my chest. Sitting outside of my door in the hallway is my estranged mother, someone I haven’t seen or spoken to in five years. What could she possibly be doing here? And how did she find me?
At the sound of our footsteps, her eyes lift from whatever she’s doing in her lap. Emris stops beside me, sensing something is wrong and giving my hand a squeeze.
“What are you doing here?” I call out, still standing at the far end of the hallway.
She pushes herself up, walking toward us as she calls back, “I’ve been looking for you.”
