Page 161 of Vampires of Eden

No one bats an eye, though, as I’m escorted through the restaurant and toward a narrow archway at the back of the space. A few vampires turn their heads, curiously, but no one breaks their conversation. Nor screams or pitches stones in my direction.

“Right through here.” My guide eyes me curiously, but politely gestures once we reach the open arch. I cross the threshold and Raphael stands just inside, beaming.

“Of course you got here the second I stepped away.Welcome!” Raphael lifts a hand toward a large window. “Your booth is there.”

I glance around and we’re in a smaller, secondary space full of plum tufted booths and charcoal and navy-colored paisley wallpaper. A more mellow, jewel-toned inverse of the outer larger room. Here, all of the booths are empty, except for the one closest to the floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the spring courtyard beyond the glass.

Alexander stands, his golden-brown eyes transfixed on me as I draw nearer. He’s holding an elegant bouquet of white roses in his hands and he’s wearing the t-shirt I gave him beneath his chic jacket.

He smiles. Lovely and bright. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Lifting my hands to cup his face, I pull him into my body, then kiss him over the luscious and velvety scent of the roses because I’ve missed him and his nearness. I kiss him because I don’t want to keep making the same mistakes—thoughtless errors that make him doubt my feelings. No more hesitations.

When I release him and stare into his face, he opens his eyes and they’re alighted and golden. Of course they are. “Are these for me?” I say quietly, flickering my gaze down to the beautiful bouquet.

“Yes,” he says, matching my tone. “Thank you for having dinner with me.”

“Thank you for inviting me. Why white? Because I’m pale?”

“No, silly.” He laughs. I laugh too as I take the flowers as well as his hand, then pull him toward the booth. The seat bounces as we scoot inside until we’re nestled and cozy.

“White just felt… right,” he says, still gripping my hand and with his eyes vivid and glowing. “A clean slate. Like a new canvas that we can decide to paint whatever colors we want. Colors no one has ever heard of.”

I lean into him, brushing my nose into his. “You’re so poetic. White roses signify new love.”

“And innocence.”

“I amnotinnocent.”

He smiles. “But maybe our feelings are? I like that you’re not innocent.”

“Do you?” I tilt, dipping my nose and mouth into the warm curve of his neck. His skin radiates heat like a cloudless summer day.

“Yeah,” he says, his body tensing. “It’s better if at least one of us knows what the fuck he’s doing.”

I laugh, throaty and entertained as I lick the length of his neck. His hand clenches mine as he inhales sharply. “I missed you,” I whisper before licking him again. God, I want him right now.

“I missed you?—”

A loud thud makes Alexander jump and I lift my head. Raphael stands before us on the opposite side of the booth’s table. A bucket of champagne on ice is set in the center and Raphael holds two glasses in his hands.

“Your drinks,” he says flatly and with his eyebrow raised.

Alexander rubs his closed eyes with his fingertips. “You said you were okay with this.”

“Yeah, I said I was okay with getting your drinks and food—not watching the two of you make out for the second time.”

I draw back, confused. “How is this the second time?”

“The driveway,” Alexander says, still rubbing his eyes.

“Ah yeah, right.” I had forgotten about that. How determined I was to eat his face in that moment after he called me out on being paranoid and detached.

Raphael sets the glasses before us. “I’ll be at the outer bar in the main room. I’ll come back in exactly twenty minutes for your food order. Please don’t be sucking face? Do you need anything else right now?”

“No, we’re good.” Alexander drops his hands and his eyes have burned out. He frowns. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.” Raphael’s eyes widen facetiously, then he turns and stalks toward the archway leading to the larger room.