Page 29 of While She Sleeps (The Hunter and The Thief #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

ORION

I ’m an hour early to pick up Ember, and there’s a voice in the back of my head telling me you’re not supposed to seem quite so keen on a first date.

But the rational voice in the back of my head is fighting a losing battle against the unhinged version of myself that comes out to play every time my little flame is involved.

I work on my phone. I pace up and down the sidewalk. I count down the fucking seconds until I can head up to her apartment and see her in the dress I purchased.

There’s a whole wardrobe at my apartment waiting for her, but this was the one I chose for tonight, wanting to show her I see her.

Not the mask she shows the world. Not the fighter she has had to be since the day she was born.

No. I see the Ember she is deep down, but has never had the chance to truly be, and I’m desperate to prove that to her.

When quarter to seven rolls around, I’ve had enough of waiting and basically bound up the stairs to her apartment.

If the cameras inside her apartment are anything to go by, she’s still getting ready, but I couldn’t give a fuck about whether she thinks she’s perfect for our date, because the reality is, I’ll think that enough for the both of us.

I rap my knuckles on the door and take a step back, fixing my tie before I shove my hands in my pockets just to give them something to do. If Killian could see me now, he’d be laughing his fucking ass off.

The day he finds his own Ember is a day I’m going to relish forever, because he has no idea how hard he’s going to fall.

That’s just the reality for men like us.

We don’t have the time to fall slowly. Dating and courting and long, drawn-out engagements are useless to us, and more than that, they’re dangerous as hell.

If our enemies catch wind of a woman we care for that doesn’t share our last name, they’re fair game, and that’s something I won’t allow Ember to be.

The sooner she’s in my penthouse with twenty-four-seven security, the better.

It takes a minute for her to answer the door, looking flustered and fucking perfect.

Her makeup is just a light layer with a smoky eye to bring the outfit together.

The dress I chose fits her like a glove, and I hope she doesn’t ask any questions about how exactly I knew what size she wears in both clothes and shoes.

I look down and find the ankle boots I knew she’d love already on her feet.

She looks like a fucking dream, even with the roller on the top of her head that I assume is holding the front pieces of her hair while the rest frames her face in wavy strands.

“You’re breathtaking,” I breathe, stepping forward before I can catch myself and realize she hasn’t invited me in.

“You’re early,” she huffs, looking over her shoulder at the clock above the television.

I chuckle and brush my fingers along her cheek, needing to touch her before I lose my fucking mind. “I couldn’t wait anymore,” I admit. “Forgive me.”

Some of the annoyance bleeds from her features as a small smile tips up the corners of her lips. “You’re forgiven. But only because you have impeccable taste in shoes.”

A laugh bubbles in my chest, and the grin she rewards me with makes my heart clench in a way it never has before.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I smirk and carefully step us back until I can close the door.

During my pacing up and down the street, I made sure there was no one watching her building, but you can never be too careful, and risking Ember’s safety isn’t something I’m ever going to be okay with. “Finish getting ready. I can wait.”

“If that were true, you wouldn’t be fifteen minutes early,” she sasses as she steps away from me and heads back toward the bathroom.

If only she knew.

I t takes Ember another ten minutes to emerge from the bathroom with the roller out of her hair and the waves refreshed, but she looks every bit as stunning as she did when she answered the door.

“See, this is how I was supposed to greet you.” She waves at herself, and I can’t help but smile.

This woman seems to have such a hard exterior when the rest of the world is involved, but this playful side seems almost exclusive to me, and I’m fucking honored that she’s allowing herself to be her true self.

“You’re still breathtaking,” I confirm, reaching out a hand to coax her closer.

Her couch is uncomfortable as hell, explaining why she never sits here to watch television and chooses to watch it on her laptop in bed instead.

There’s a spring I can’t seem to escape, no matter how much I shuffle around, but now that she’s back in the room, I can’t remember why it was bothering me in the first place.

Ember takes my hand and allows me to tug her onto my lap, settling the part of me that can’t handle when she’s out of sight.

Things will be much easier once I’ve got her in my apartment, where I can watch day in and day out, but for now, the small cameras I installed here will have to be enough.

“That’s better,” I murmur against her throat. “I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but you need a new couch.”

She laughs. “Oh, I’m more than aware. This thing is uncomfortable as hell. I should have told you to sit at the table to save your ass from the springs.”

“Are you ready for dinner?”

She nods against my shoulder, dragging her bottom lip between her teeth.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” She shakes her head.

“Ember,” I warn.

She sighs. “It’s just that if this dress and your suit are anything to go by, we’re going somewhere stupidly expensive to eat, and I can’t really afford that right now.”

I press a kiss to her shoulder. “It’s a good thing you’re not paying then, isn’t it?”

“Orion…”

“No, Ember. This isn’t up for debate or argument. I asked you out on a date, and as such, I’m going to pay for the meal.”

“But you already bought me all of this.” She gestures down at the clothes she’s wearing.

“Because I wanted to,” I say.

“But—”

Before she can track the movement, my hand brackets either side of her throat, gently forcing her eyes to meet mine. I don’t miss the flare of lust that stares back at me.

Interesting. It seems my little virgin isn’t as innocent as I expected her to be. Likely for the best, considering my tastes are hardly vanilla.

“No buts, Ember,” I growl. “Now, I suggest we leave now to make sure we make our reservation, because if I have you in my lap for much longer, I don’t think we’ll be leaving at all.”

A smirk tugs at her lips, and I drag her face down to mine for a chaste kiss that ends far too soon.

This woman is wrecking me in every single way, and as much as I likely should be, I’m not mad about it. If anything, I’m excited.