Page 109 of Moonlight Hearts

I was about to tell him that that was even worse than the VIP pass, which I liked far too much, when I realized what he was doing.

“Are you changing the subject right now?”I frowned.“Or is this… Don’t you know what day you were born?Because it was back then?”

He sighed.“It’s not important when my birthday is.”

“So you know when?”

He rolled his eyes.“I know when.You’re not going to like it though.Amory, I’ll tell you, but you must promise me that you won’t be too mad at me.”

“Why would I be mad at you?”

“November twenty-fifth.That’s my birthday.”

My jaw dropped.“Are you fucking kidding me?That was…that only just passed.”

He pointed at my face.“Do you see what I mean?You promised not to be mad.”

“It’s the same day, but a different month.And yoursonly just passed.”

“No getting mad, Amory.”

I was so agitated that I made the gondola sway.We were almost at the top now, and it was beautiful.Soyer was beautiful.

I let out a breath.“I should’ve asked you sooner.This is my fault.I should’ve known this, but you just… You’re immortal, and you took me to the underground and showed me all those invisible wonders of the world.”I turned in his arms, pulling my legs up on the bench.“Oh, wait.That was Monday.Your birthday was on Monday.When there was construction at the diner.”

“So?”

Tears were coming to my eyes.I’d made a mistake, ever since I’d been with Soyer, I’d made a mistake.I’d forgotten that there were always two people in a relationship.That it took two people to make something like what we were doing work, to make it last.

“You wanted to spend your birthday with me.And I didn’t know that because I was blinded by vampires and werewolves and everyone who has more or less limbs than what is generally the norm.”

“Amory, I don’t think I like the idea of you counting any pawn’s limbs.It’s not something you should spend your time on when you’re engaged to be married.”

I let my head drop to my chest.“I got you to get engaged to me, and I didn’t even ask this.”

“My heart, I planned on giving you my ring.I count myself lucky that you stole it first.You were the one who caught the hint.Who cares when I was born?It was centuries ago.”

“Yeah, but you’ve never celebrated with me, have you?And now we’re going to have to wait another year.”

Soyer frowned.“Amory, what is that?Are you pouting at me right now?”

“Uh, well…”

“Stop.I had you all to myself.I woke up next to you and fell asleep with you safe in my arms.As far as I’m concerned, it was the best birthday I’ve had since I was born, and this—” He pointed at my face again.“—this isn’t necessary.”

“I didn’t even get to give you a present.”

He hugged me close.“You know what I like.Anything for my rampant libido is always appreciated.Only if you want to give it, of course.”

“I can’t believe we didn’t talk about this sooner.”

“Hmm.Look at the view though.The view is fantastic from up here.”

It was.I looked around.“We’re at the top.I think you’re supposed to kiss when you’re at the top.”

Soyer liked hearing that.I could see that in his smile, in the way his dark eyes shimmered with desire.We were so close already that it didn’t take much to kiss.Even if the gondola only kept some of the cold at bay, his warm skin against my own soothed me like a blanket, like all the comfy shirts and pants he’d bought for me to make sure I felt at home in his phoenix nest.

In that moment, when our lips connected and our breath mingled, I made a promise to myself.I wanted to be better for Soyer, wanted to make sure to return the love he gave me, the care with which he surrounded me.I wasn’t him, and I couldn’t cook like he could or command supernaturals with my mere presence, but I could bake a birthday cake for him and drag him to a surprise party.Maybe I could even… Maybe I could even think of how I could make myself sexier for him.