Chapter Ten
She couldn’t leave. That much was clear. I needed her in my life, and she was destined to be my mate. I’d waited years for her. I’d spent years with just a hazy dream that felt more like a memory than something made up in my sub-conscious. I knew without anyone telling me that the vision was of the future, and if I wanted to get there—to a moment when my mate was with me truly and completely— I had to find a way to keep Allie at my side.
She wanted me. She opened up around me, she smiled more. I was as good for her as she was for me, but I needed to make sure she saw that. I needed to make sure she realized just how much I could and would offer her. But I couldn’t tell her everything, at least not yet. Too much information too fast might scare her off.
I hadn’t been over to my parents’ house in a while. My father was away on business which left me blissfully free from his disapproving eye. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with another lecture on my inadequacy. At least I’d found my mate. Everything else would fall into place.
My mom didn’t hear me come in through the front door, so I went right upstairs. I was on a mission, and I didn’t want to have to explain what I was doing to her. I was nervous enough about the monumental step I was about to take. I didn’t need anyone trying to stop me. It was for that reason I hadn’t told my friends. For once they both would have agreed on something, that I was an idiot. And maybe I’d have thought the same thing if it weren’t for the way she made me feel—the way that memory ran through my mind on repeat, the way her body called to me constantly. And those eyes. Those damn green eyes that were my complete and utter undoing. And even my selfish reasons aside, I needed to keep her safe. As much as I hated to admit it, my father was right. She’d stopped being just a human the minute I took more than a passing interest in her. Turning back now was out of the question.
I walked into my old bedroom and went right over to the dresser. I opened the top drawer and searched for the ring. It wasn’t there. A moment of panic hit me until I remembered. I’d taken the ring already, weeks before. I’d stuffed it in a pair of my slacks. Had I really forgotten? Allie was making me lose my mind.
I took the stairs back down two at a time.
“Levi?” Mom watched me from the entryway.
“Hi, Mom. Just getting something from my room.”
“What did you get?” She looked me over, probably looking for evidence of what I’d taken.
“It wasn’t here after all.”
She crossed her arms and looked at me. “Do I need to know what you’re up to?”
“No. Not at all.” I couldn’t waste time chatting. I needed to get home. I had to find that ring.
“Do you want to stay for dinner? I wasn’t planning anything big since your father is away, but I can whip up something.”
“Oh. No thanks. I have plans.” I slipped passed her to the door. “Maybe another time.”
I practically ran to my car, well aware that my mom was watching me. I didn’t let it bother me. If things worked out the way I expected them to, she’d be very happy with me. I’d more than make up for blowing her off.
I raced back to my apartment in record time. I walked right by Jared, ignoring his questioning stare. I searched my closet. I checked the pockets of every pair of pants I owned. Nothing. I slammed my fist into the wall creating a large hole. I’d have to clean up the plaster later. Had I seriously fucked up that bad?
I thought about Allie. How close I was to getting exactly what I wanted. I had to find the ring. I glanced around and found exactly what I was looking for. Balled up on the floor by my desk were the pants, and the ruby ring was exactly where I’d left it.
I fished it out and carefully placed it in my night stand. Hopefully it would be securely on Allie’s finger in just a few days. After that there was no way anyone was losing that ring.
***
I forced down my nerves as I knocked on her door. I’d spent so many nights doing the exact same thing, but that night was different. That night was going to end with Allie as mine.
She opened the door, and my jaw dropped. She wore a short black dress that had me breathless. The lacy material showed off her legs, and every last one of her curves. After a moment I pulled myself back together. “Hello there, gorgeous.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” She grinned at me.
“You ready?” I reached out to touch a few of her wavy tresses. I loved when she wore her hair down.
“Definitely.”
I took her hand and led her to the elevator. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I was like a school boy. She shivered. “Are you cold?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Does that mean I’m the cause of the goose bumps?”
“Maybe,” she said coyly. She was so good at that. She toyed with me and left me needing more. Needing everything.
The thought of just how much she still had to offer had me grinning. “Nice.”
An older couple entered the elevator one floor down. The woman smiled at us, taking in our appearance. “Celebrating something special tonight?”
“No, just a night out,” Allie quickly answered.
“There is always something worth celebrating,” the woman continued.
“Right,” Allie replied politely. She’d switched to her I’m uncomfortable voice. “Have a nice night.”
“You too.” The woman smiled.
We walked out into the sticky heat of the night, headed for dinner.
I squeezed her hand. “You were wrong, you know.”
“About what?”
“We are celebrating tonight.”
“Oh yeah? What are we celebrating exactly?”
“We’re celebrating you.” I stopped short and placed a hand over her heart. “And me, and an amazing summer.”
She smiled up at me. “All things worth celebrating.”
We walked the rest of the way to the restaurant in near silence. I was far too nervous to come up with anything worth talking about. Instead I just enjoyed having her hand in mine and her body beside me.
We got the best table in the house at Antonie’s. I’d made sure of that. I was still trying to sell Allie on the uniqueness and culture of New Orleans so the ambiance at Antoine’s was perfect. I wasn’t sure whether she’d ever tried French-Creole food, but Allie seemed open to almost any cuisine so I didn’t worry.
The waiter approached our table shortly after we sat down. “Welcome to Antoine’s. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Yes, we’ll have the 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild.” I wasn’t cutting any corners. This was going to be one of the biggest nights of both of our lives.
“Nice choice, I will be back with it shortly.” The waiter tried to hide his surprise. That was good if he expected a good tip.
“So you know a lot about wine?” She unwrapped her napkin.
“You could say that.” I took the napkin and spread it out on her lap for her.
She didn’t seem to mind the gesture. “What do you mean?”
“My family is originally from France, and we still have some vineyards in Bordeaux.”
“Oh, wow. That’s really cool.” Allie’s face matched her words. I had so much to offer her. So many things she’d get to experience for the first time.
“Yeah, it’s a very beautiful area. We’ll have to visit sometime.” Many times.
The waiter returned with the wine, and I slowly tasted it. “Yes, perfect, thank you.”
Allie watched me like she was seeing me for the first time.
After the waiter retreated, I made a toast. “To a truly amazing summer and to many more celebrations.”
I watched her take her first sip. “What do you think?”
She closed her eyes. “Wow, that’s really smooth.”
“I thought it was perfect for tonight.”
She smiled and picked up a menu.
“You don’t need that.” I gently removed the menu from her hands and placed it dow
n on the table. The waiter appeared immediately.
“Are you ready to order?”
“Yes. We’ll start with the huîtres a la Rockefeller and escargot la bordelaise. Then we’ll both have the chateaubriand.”
I waited for Allie to argue. Surely she wasn’t going to let me get away with ordering for her? Surprisingly she didn’t say a word. Allie was always full of surprises.
I refilled her wine glass. Either she was nervous or she really liked the wine.
She sipped the second glass slowly as we waited for the food to arrive.
Allie set her wine glass down when the waiter brought our appetizer to the table. She dug right in.
“Okay, the Oysters Rockefeller are incredible,” she said between bites.
“The dish was invented here.”
“Really? That’s cool.”
She seemed to enjoy the rest of the meal as well. I’d ordered us an entrée designed for sharing, and she appeared to enjoy the intimacy that it created. She wanted to share with me, she wanted us close. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her, and that’s why I was making the right decision—for both of us.
“I have something for you.” I’m sure I was sweating. Confident about my decision or not, there was still the possibility she’d refuse to accept it.
“Really? You didn’t have to get me anything.” She didn’t cover her excitement well. She was eager for a gift.
“It’s actually a family piece, but it was made for you.”
“Levi… I can’t take anything like that.” Her face was a mix of emotions.
“Shh. Just let me enjoy giving it to you, okay?” I’d been waiting for this moment for years.
“Okay.” she smiled.
I pulled out a small black box from my pocket. I wasn’t taking a chance on losing that ring again. I gently opened the box, and pulled out the ring covered in rubies. I slipped the ring on her finger and my heart about stopped seeing it there.
This was right. The ring was where it belonged on her left ring finger. “Perfect.” I was making the right decision I reminded myself. Allie was meant to be mine. She wanted to be mine. She would be safe with me. She’d have everything she’d ever wanted.
She absolutely glowed as she admired the ring. Then her face fell and she started to pull it off. “Levi, it’s beautiful, but I can’t take it.”
I stilled her hand. “It looks perfect, doesn’t it? Do you like it?”
“I love it. Red is my favorite color, you know.”
“I know.” And that was just another reminder of how right we were.
The glow was back. “Thank you. It’s beautiful, and I’ll treasure it.”
“I’m glad.”
“I can’t believe the summer is almost over, it went so fast.”
“Entirely too fast.” I’d planned to have more time. I planned to tell her more about my life first, but I couldn’t. I didn’t have time for everything. I’d have to do things backward.
“So what happens now? Or when I leave?” She winced. Maybe she’d bitten her tongue.
“We’ll make it work.”
“You think?”
“I know.” I glanced at the ring. The ring would fix everything. She’d be with me. She’d be mine.
“I guess at least we don’t have to worry about airfare if you want to come to visit.” She laughed lightly.
“Let’s not even think about it now. Just enjoy tonight.” I took her hand again, running a finger over the small stones of the ring. She’d told her parents she’d consider college in New Orleans. I really hoped she was serious. I wasn’t interested in starting out our life together long distance. She needed to stay in her city.
“You’re absolutely right.”
“Do you want dessert?” I asked after the last of our dishes were cleared.
She paused as though she were considering it. “Maybe later.”
“Good, I agree completely.” I’d get her anything she wanted later, but there was something we both needed first.
I signaled for the waiter without taking my eyes off of her. I paid the check, and we headed back out onto the street.
The usual electricity between us sizzled even stronger as we walked hand in hand through Jackson Square. It was the ring. It had to be the ring.
I needed her and couldn’t wait any longer. I pulled her into Pirates Alley with me and pushed her up against the bars of the railing. I moved gently as I pinned one of her arms above her head. She held onto a bar with her other hand as if to steady herself. I used my hand to pull her body toward mine.
She shivered underneath me, but her eyes never left mine.
I threw out any attempt to be gentle. I smashed my lips into hers. I held her closely, unwilling to let go as I took over her mouth again. She opened up to me. She opened up more than ever, and I knew she wanted exactly what I wanted. I used my free hand to roam her body. She wasn’t shy about letting me know she liked my touch. She closed her eyes. Still, there was far too much material between us. I reluctantly broke the kiss, and she opened those beautiful green eyes.
I asked her the question with my eyes because I was unwilling to break the spell with my words. She answered the same way, and I quickly discarded my dress shirt. I returned my lips to hers before taking off. I’d never kissed her in flight before, but it was definitely an experience I would have again. It brought things to a new level of intensity.
We landed on her balcony. Without letting her go, I opened her door and moved us inside. I closed the door with my foot before leading her toward her bedroom.
My lips moved to her ear, and I gently ran my tongue over her earlobe. Her body responded as she slipped off her shoes and dropped her purse. She was ready. She was ready for me.
Never taking my eyes off her, I unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor. I kissed her neck as my fingers found the clasp of her bra. She disrupted my view as she pulled my shirt over my head, but it was worth it to have my bare skin against hers.
Her breasts teased me as I held her close. I tilted her head up toward me, kissing her hard on the mouth. Her perfect mouth that went with her perfect body.
She wound her arms around my neck. I intensified the kiss and picked her up. She wrapped her long legs around my waist as I carried her over to her bed.
I pulled down the comforter, placing her gently on the sheets.
She looked like an angel. Her entire body was finally on display for me, and I didn’t know where to start. I’d waited so long for her. So long to see and explore every inch of the most beautiful body that I’d ever seen.
I lay down next to her, letting my eyes soak in every inch of her before my hands and mouth got their chance. Her body was even more incredible than I imagined. I cupped one of her breasts, marveling in how well it fit into my hand. Designed for me. The mate I was always meant to have. She rested her head back and closed her eyes. She was giving me full access—letting me enjoy her in any way I wanted. But I needed her to look at me. I needed to know she wanted everything I did. “Open your eyes.”
“The first time you told me to do that we were hurtling through the sky.”
“I do plan to give you quite the experience, Al, but this one will be a different sort of flight.”
“Ok.” Her lashes opened, revealing her eyes to me.
I replaced my hand with my mouth, grazing my teeth over her nipple to see how sensitive she was. I could tell she was already struggling to keep her eyes open, and I liked knowing how easily I could make her lose control.
I ran my hand down her stomach and further down. She opened up to me, letting me slip my hand between those amazing legs of hers. She was ready for me. That knowledge only turned me on more.
She took me in her hand, but before long I had to stop her. I moved over her, taking another long look at her absolutely breathtaking body. “Do you want to be mine?” I had to ask. Maybe I wasn’t telling her everything, but I was still letting her choose whether or not she wanted to be with me.
“Aren’t I yours already?” Her eyes were big and her breathing heavy.
“You’re amazing Allie Davis.” I thrust into her. She welcomed me home to the place I’d been waiting forever to find. Never in a million years had I prepared myself for the pleasure that being with her could bring.
She was so responsive, her body moving perfectly with mine as I sped things up, always careful to make sure she was comfortable. Everything felt different—I’d never experienced sex like it before, because it wasn’t just sex, it was so much more.
Her breathing further picked up, and she moaned my name. Her nails dug into my back, and I groaned. Everything was so primal and perfect with her. She yelled out, before closing her eyes and rolling her head back. I shuddered, never more fulfilled than when I reached release.
I stayed on top of her, unwilling to pull out until I absolutely had to. Her body was home, it was mine. She was mine, and she was going to be mine forever.
Chapter Eleven
I never wanted to leave her bed. The night before had hands down been the best night of my life. I’d had her twice and had wanted her more, but she’d fallen asleep and there wasn’t a chance I was disturbing her. Instead I contented myself by holding her and making plans. I’d need to find a new place. For the remainder of the summer we could stay in her hotel room, but afterwards I didn’t want to subject her to my roommates. Pterons had incredible hearing, and I definitely didn’t want her holding back when we were alone. Besides, I wanted her all to myself. I wanted showers, and half naked breakfasts, and all those things intimate couples have.
I needed to tell her. I had to explain to her that she’d just become Pteron royalty. I couldn’t tell her everything at once. I needed to do it slowly. Hopefully she’d feel just as euphoric as I did.
She moaned lightly and moved in my arms. I kissed the top of her head.
She rolled over to look at me.
“Good morning, beautiful.” I played with a few stands of her long brown hair that were splayed out on the pillow.
“Good morning.” She smiled, confirming my hopes. There was no awkwardness, no regrets.
“You are so beautiful when you sleep.”
First & Forever (The Crescent Chronicles Book 4) Page 12