Page 16

I took one last look in the mirror, smoothing down the fabric of my emerald cocktail dress.

The color made my eyes pop and complemented my copper hair, which I'd styled in loose waves that cascaded down my back.

My makeup was still intact from when I'd finally gotten around to applying it after Aldaine and I had spent most of the day wrapped up in each other.

My cheeks flushed at the memory. I could still feel the echo of his hands on my skin, the demanding press of his mouth against mine. Hours lost to pleasure that had left me boneless and giddy.

"Ready?" Aldaine appeared behind me in the reflection, his human form impeccably dressed in a tailored charcoal suit that accentuated his broad shoulders. The rich chestnut of his skin seemed to glow in the soft lighting of our room, and his dark eyes never left mine as he stepped closer.

"As I'll ever be," I sighed, leaning back against his solid chest. "Can't we just stay here? Order food from the kitchen? "

His large hands settled on my hips, warm and possessive through the silky fabric of my dress. "Tempting," he murmured against my ear, his breath sending a delicious shiver down my spine. "But you've got family obligations."

"Don't remind me," I groaned, tilting my head to give him better access as he pressed a kiss to my neck. "Haven't we satisfied our social quota already? Two more days of this is going to kill me."

"I won't let that happen," Aldaine promised, his lips curving into that devastating smile that made my knees weak. "After all, I have a vested interest in keeping you alive and well."

"My soul, you mean," I remarked, trying to sound casual even as my heart gave a painful twinge.

Something flickered across his face, too quickly for me to interpret, before he stepped back, offering me his arm. "Shall we?"

We made our way downstairs and out onto the sprawling grounds of the estate.

The late afternoon sun cast everything in a golden haze, transforming the ordinary into something magical.

Fairy lights had been strung through the trees, waiting for darkness to fall when they would illuminate the space like earthbound stars.

Crystal champagne towers glittered in the fading light, servers in crisp uniforms weaving through the growing crowd with trays of hors d'oeuvres and flutes of bubbling champagne.

"This is ridiculous," I muttered to Aldaine as we walked toward where my father and Jan stood greeting guests. "Who needs this many events for an engagement? It's not like Stephany's marrying royalty, just my high school ex-boyfriend."

Aldaine's warm hand pressed reassuringly against the small of my back. "Think of it as a theatrical production," he suggested, his voice low and intimate despite the crowd around us. "And we're giving an Oscar-worthy performance."

Before I could respond, my father spotted us and waved us over, his face lighting up with a genuine smile that warmed something inside me. At least someone was happy to see me.

"Rosie!" Dad enfolded me in a tight hug, then held me at arm's length, examining me with concerned eyes. "How are you holding up, sweetheart? After yesterday..."

I forced a smile, grateful for his concern but unwilling to make a scene. "I'm fine, Dad. Really."

To my shock, Jan stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. Her pale blue eyes, so like Stephany's yet somehow warmer, held genuine remorse.

"Rosalind, I want to apologize sincerely for my daughter's behavior yesterday," her voice quiet but steady. "There's no excuse for how she spoke to you. It was cruel and completely unnecessary."

I blinked, momentarily stunned into silence. In all the years Jan had been married to my father, she had never once taken my side against Stephany. Not once.

"I, um, thank you," I managed, unconsciously leaning into Aldaine's solid presence beside me. His arm slipped around my waist, supporting me effortlessly. "I appreciate that."

"We're just glad you stayed," Dad added, glancing approvingly at Aldaine. "Both of you. It wouldn't be the same without you here, Rosie."

I swallowed past the unexpected lump in my throat. "Thanks, Dad."

Jan offered me a tentative smile. "You look lovely, Rosalind. That color is perfect on you."

Another first, a genuine compliment from my stepmother. I was beginning to wonder if I'd stepped into some alternate dimension.

"Thank you," I repeated, feeling oddly off- balance. "Everything looks beautiful out here." I gestured to the elaborate setup, the twinkling lights, the elegant landscaping.

"Stephany wanted fairy tale perfect," Jan replied with a small shrug, though there was something in her expression I couldn't quite read. "You know how she gets."

Oh, I certainly did. My stepsister had always needed everything to be the biggest, the best, the most impressive. Nothing was ever enough.

"Well, she certainly got it," I commented, keeping my tone carefully neutral.

A server passed with a tray of champagne, and Aldaine smoothly snagged two flutes, handing one to me. His fingers brushed against mine, lingering just a moment longer than necessary, sending a shiver of awareness through me.

"To family gatherings," he toasted with a hint of irony only I could detect.

I clinked my glass against his, taking a sip of the crisp, bubbly liquid. "And to surviving them."

I almost choked on the champagne.

Dad chuckled, clapping Aldaine on the shoulder. "I like this one, Rosie. He's good for you."

If only he knew just how unusual my relationship with Aldaine truly was. The contract, the soul debt, the mind-blowing sex that was definitely not part of our original agreement. I hid my flush behind another sip of champagne.

"He certainly is," I glanced up at Aldaine's perfect profile, the warm chestnut skin glowing in the golden hour light.

Jan and my father were soon pulled away by other guests arriving, leaving Aldaine and me to wander through the party. The string quartet played softly in the background, the music weaving through the gentle hum of conversation and occasional bursts of laughter.

We found a relatively quiet spot near a beautifully sculpted topiary of some animals, and I let out a long, slow breath, some of the tension finally leaving my shoulders. Aldaine's hand found the small of my back again, his touch grounding me.

"See? Not so terrible," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear.

I looked up at him, taking in the way the dying sunlight caught in his dark eyes, turning them almost amber. My heart gave a traitorous flutter. "The day's still young. Plenty of time for disaster."

His laugh was rich and deep, the sound wrapping around me like velvet. "Such optimism, little minx."

"I prefer to call it realism," I countered, but I couldn't help smiling in response. "Whenever Stephany's involved, there's always a catch."

"Yet here you stand, looking delectable, and… eatable," his gaze sweeping over me in a way that made heat pool low in my belly. "The most beautiful woman at this entire event."

"Now you're just earning your contract fee," I teased, though the words sent a pang through me. Because that's what this was, wasn't it? A business arrangement. No matter how real it felt when we were alone together, when his hands were on my body and his lips were claiming mine.

"Am I?" His voice dropped lower, taking on that rumbling quality that never failed to make my pulse quicken. "Perhaps I simply speak the truth."

Before I could respond, he continued, "Though I must admit, the benefits of this particular contract have far exceeded my expectations." The heat in his gaze left no doubt as to exactly which benefits he was referring to.

I laughed, the sound bubbling up from somewhere genuine and unguarded. "Exceeded mine, too, if I'm being honest."

His answering smile was slow and devastatingly sensual. " Always be honest with me, Rosie. I can smell a lie, remember?"

"How could I forget?" I rolled my eyes, though there was no real annoyance behind the gesture. "Demon senses and all that."

"Indeed." He leaned closer, his lips nearly brushing my ear as he whispered, "And right now, my senses are telling me exactly how much you enjoyed our morning activities."

A flush spread across my cheeks, down my neck, as memories flooded back with his mouth between my thighs, my hands in his hair, the way he'd looked up at me with those dark, hungry eyes.

"Aldaine!" I hissed, glancing around to make sure no one had overheard. "We're in public!"

His chuckle rumbled through me. "And yet your heartbeat just quickened, your pupils dilated, and there's a very particular scent.."

"Okay! I get it!" I cut him off, my entire body now feeling like it was on fire. "You're impossible." I slapped my hands over his mouth.

"I'm exactly what you summoned," he countered, his expression smug as he pulled my hands down, kissing them.

I couldn't help but laugh again, the tension in my body transforming into something lighter, almost giddy.

It struck me then how comfortable I felt with him, how natural it was to lean into his side, to share these small, intimate moments.

For someone I'd known only a matter of days, he felt surprisingly right.

The thought should have terrified me. Instead, I found myself relaxing further into his embrace, letting the warmth of his body and the rumble of his voice wash over me.

"Tell me something. Something real. Something about you that isn't part of this," I waved my hand vaguely, not wanting to say 'contract' out loud again .

Aldaine considered me for a moment, his eyes thoughtful. "I've lived on Earth for centuries, yet I've never seen a sunset quite like the one reflecting in your eyes right now."

My breath caught. It wasn't what I'd expected, something so tender, so personal. "That's, wow. Smooth."

"I don't do smooth, little minx," his face serious. "I do truth. And the truth is, you're unlike any human I've encountered in my very long existence."