I squint at him and plant my hands on my hips. “That may be true, but I doubt you’ll go home without taking someone with you.” I tilt my chin in Luna’s direction, and a conspiratorial smile graces Levi’s lips. “Why do you keep calling her wife?” I ask, my tone accusing.
Levi shrugs and adjusts his corded arms where they rest against his lean stomach. He’s the picture-perfect example of the cat that ate the canary.
“That information is on a need-to-know basis, and you, Ms. McGuire, are not in the need-to-know category.”
Throwing my hands in the air at the cryptic demon, Ifight my way through the dressing room curtain and yank it shut. Two of the three dresses are a definite no, but the last one has me gasping when I try it on.
I sweep the curtain aside. “What do you think?” I show the girls and both of them gasp when they see it.
I think I may have found my winner.
Falling around me like silk, the dress starts in a pale pink that matches my hair and gradually flows into a green. You’d think it wouldn’t work, but somehow it does.
I feel like me—an elevated version, that is.
Luna and Celine clap. Even Levi gives an approving nod when I glance his way, but his golden eyes go right back to Luna.
“Two for two. Celine?” I ask.
She holds up the original dress that she wavered on. “I’m going with my gut and picking this bad boy.”
Her selection is a pale blue dress with sheer sleeves dotted with delicate pearls. It makes her dark hair stand out, and I know Zav is going to go feral for it.
“Yay!” I head to the dressing room to change back into my clothes so we can check out.
After securing shoes and matching accessories, we say our goodbyes.
I’m antsy to get home and chat with Valen.
I want to bring up the mating bond and see if he’s ready to solidify it. I love the stoic but sweet vampire and don’t want to wait anymore.
It’s very possible something bad could happen at the gala, even death—I won’t sugarcoat it to myself—and I want to belong to him in all ways before that happens. I’d rather be his bonded mate for a short time than not at all.
CHAPTER 56
AVA
“How was shopping?”Valen asks, following me into the bedroom where I hang the garment bag in the closet. The three of us paid extra to have the seamstress alter the dresses to fit perfectly while we were there and then grabbed lunch while we waited. Levi seems to have a fondness for Panda Express. He ordered two full boxes of food and ate it all.
“It went well,” I say, shutting the closet door and carrying the other bag of goodies with me to the bathroom. “I like my dress.”
“I missed you,” he says in a low murmur.
I turn around.
He looks adorable. His eyes are full of yearning, and he has his lips puckered slightly in want of a kiss.
So like any good girlfriend, I shut the door in his face.
In my defense, it’s for a really good reason.
“Ava?” he huffs on the other side. The knob rattles. “Let me in.”
“Nope.” I set my bag down on the counter.
“You realize I could break down this door, right?” he asks as I turn the knob for the shower. It squeaks loudly. One of these days maybe I’ll remember to pick up some WD-40 from the store.
“I understand that, but you’re not going to do that because you’re not Zav.”
