Chapter Twenty-Four
Esme
I was tired after having sat in the park with Phillip into the early morning hours, and all I wanted was a hot shower then sleep.
But all my thoughts went out the window when I saw a large black box sitting on my bed wrapped with a satin bow on top.
My apartment was locked, just like I left it, so I knew it was from Dorian. He had used his power to flash in and leave this.
My fingers were slow to open the box, feeling the softness of the ribbons before peeling off the lid.
Oh my.
Inside was layers of chiffon. He’d bought me a dress for the event tomorrow night.
I reached in to grab the bodice and held it up to my body. It was an off-the-shoulder, whimsical dress, that would be snug around my breasts and waist, then flowed out toward my feet. Attached to the bodice were very loose sleeves that stopped at my elbows. The color was a grayish blue and white, like the sky on a stormy day. The dress looked like a bohemian version of Cinderella’s dress.
I noticed something shiny out the corner of my eye and looked over to see sparkling shoes sitting at the bottom of the box.
They were a simple style, but the outside looked like it was covered in little diamonds, giving it the appearance of being a glass shoe.
Well, seems I wasn’t the only one who thought this looked like a hippie Cinderella dress.
I shook my head while walking to my closet and pulled out a hanger so this dress could breathe from the box. The material was so soft and fine. I’d never owned anything like that in my life. Dorian had money, and he’d lived a long time, so I’m sure he’d accrued it over the centuries. If he wanted to spend whatever ungodly amount he spent on this dress for me, then fine.
After a long shower, I curled up in bed and was just about to pass out when light flashed in my room, making my eyes squint together even more.
“I’m too tired to have sex,” I muttered, not even opening my eyes to look at his face.
He didn’t say anything, and for a moment I thought that maybe the bright light was something flashing from outside into my apartment, but then the bed dipped, and arms wrapped around me, pulling my body to lie against his chest.
“I like the dress, but I’m curious how you knew my size,” I whispered while nuzzling myself against his apparently bare chest.
“I know every inch of your body. Knowing your size was no difficulty.”
True. I guess that made sense.
I had one last question before I stopped fighting the sleep that was trying to grab hold of me.
“If you’re the bad guy, why do you save lives?”
His body tensed, then relaxed a moment later. I guess he was surprised by my question.
“It’s what I know. But things will be changing soon.”
“Please don’t,” I whispered so low that I’m honestly surprised he heard me.
“I won’t stop now. I’ve come too far.” He shook his head and I didn’t ask him anymore questions.
We slept together for hours, and then I felt him kiss me briefly before leaving the same way he came.
I woke up with hope inside my chest.
Dorian was falling for me, whether he knew it or not. I felt it deep inside my chest. There was no way he could hold me while I slept, buy me a dress that was perfect for me, and honestly not leave me when it would have been so easy to cut his losses, if he didn’t care for me deeply. Especially with my ties to his opposers. He’d never asked me about them or tried to get me to play both sides. He only wanted my body, and that was it. Somewhere in our time together, he’d changed.
I got dressed quickly and went to work, hoping he was working tonight so I could kiss him and tell him officially that I loved him and had faith in that. That I wasn’t giving up on being together. Ultimately, I was hoping he would choose love over his mission to destroy mankind.
Unfortunately, Dorian was off tonight, but I knew I’d see him tomorrow since I was his date.
