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Everything about this beautiful human filled my days with so much happiness. Every moment spent with Nikolai was a ray of sunlight illuminating the darkness I’d experienced in all my centuries alone.

I showed him how to prepare the soil for the seeds, mesmerised by his intense energy and focus.

He plunged his hands into the earth and felt it. Watching him let the black earth fall through his fingers made me sure he found it as healing as I did.

“Hey, little friend. Here, let’s get you back on the ground.” He set a wriggling worm on the earth, watching it disappear from view. “Not as scary as I thought,” he said, raising his eyes and finding me staring at him. His tongue darted over his bottom lip, and he swallowed. “Am I doing this right?”

“Yes,” I breathed, mesmerised by his beauty all over again.

I got to my feet and retreated. There had to be more distance between us or I would do something exceptionally stupid.

Nikolai mirrored me. He walked around the raised bed.

“Is everything okay?”

I nodded. Nikolai took another step towards me.

“You’re an excellent teacher, Jules.” His minty breath brushed over my mouth.

He’s so close.

“I’m still a little scared of the critters but way less than last time.” Nikolai’s tongue swiped over his lips again. “I’m sure that worm bit me, though.”

Please don’t kiss me while we’re talking about worms and bugs.

“I’m glad,” I gasped, taking half a step back and stumbling over my feet. I hated myself when he retreated out of my personal space.

No, don’t leave. I didn’t mean it. You can kiss me if you want.

“I’m ready to cool off.” He walked backwards. “You said you swam in the pond when it was warm enough.”

“Yes, I…”

Nikolai turned and ran. He pulled his tiny crop top off and threw it carelessly to the side. Water splashed everywhere as he threw himself into the pond. He dove in, and I ran after him.

What if he drowns?

Then his head breached the surface, sending more droplets flying. They cascaded down his bare chest. Where the sun hit them right, they looked like tiny crystals.

Bunny shook his hair and laughed at the top of his lungs. I looked and looked until my heart threatened to burst from the feelings that flooded me at the sight of this carefree, beautiful human.

“Aren’t you coming, too? It’s great!”

“Yes, sure.” With shaking hands, I took off my trousers. His gaze never left me until he seemed to realise how nervous it made me to have a pair of inquisitive eyes on me.Of course it unsettles you.The last time I undressed in front of another person had been with Friedrich three hundred years ago.

Nikolai floated on his back, looking up at the skies above us.

“This is so fucking perfect, Jules.”

“It is,” I agreed as I joined him in the blissfully cool pond. Being here with him was as close to perfection as I had ever experienced.

We stayed in the pond, not speaking much but enjoying the water on our skins until gooseflesh spread on Nikolai’s chest.

He left the pond before me. For a moment, I found his backside level with my face. The shorts were plastered to his glutes.

Oh, by my trees.

I averted my eyes. There was no need for me to embarrass myself.