224- Between Desire and the Silver Blade
POV Elowen Grimwald:
With all the windows open, I sat between his legs on a thick blanket spread over the rug. My thighs rested on his, and my groin nearly brushed the bulge in his pants.
One of my hands supported my body leaning back, and the other held the glass we shared. I was content with just one; asking for another would be far too suspicious.
Around us were two bottles of wine, but the first was already halfway gone. Determined not to take his hands off me, he slid his large palms along my thighs, applying pressure.
I could say that, besides the alcohol—which I sipped sparingly, just enough to fill myself with courage instead of getting drunk—I was also getting a massage from him.
From hellish bitch to pampered bitch.
“Now that you’re convinced I’m not a spy, can you tell me how you became a scientist?”
“You and Nerin have been gossiping too much, don’t you think?” I laughed softly.
“It’s inevitable; we spend a lot of time together, but I assure you she only says what you allow.” I would break if the blame for what I intended to do fell on her, even after knowing she lied about the gift.
“I believe you. However, I’m still not sure whether you are or aren’t a spy.” He dumped a bucket of cold water over me.
I rolled my eyes.
“Aldren, please, it’s so obvious.”
“Spy or not, you’re still my prisoner and you don’t have my trust.”
I swallowed the frustration, trying to disguise it.
Focus, Elowen, focus.
“All right, I understand.”
He pulled one of his hands away from my thigh to take the glass from me. He took a sip and filled it again, staring at me with a mix of desire and curiosity.
“Some of mine died from intoxication after being treated by humans in hospitals. There’s also the problem of aging, so for certain long periods we need to remain isolated. I only started some research and grew fond of it in the process. I’m a problem solver.”
That explained part of the admiration Nerin felt for him.
“So you started to help others, then…”
“Something like that,” he said, as if it weren’t important.
“That’s very admirable of you.” He laughed.
“I make more money than I could spend in my next century and a half of life, don’t fool yourself.”
“Well, it’s deserved. I can’t imagine myself studying science—ugh, how boring.” It would have been better if I pretended to like it, but my tongue was worse than a whip.
“If you had a teacher called Aldren Valmorin, I guarantee he could make you like it.” He winked, sexy as hell.
“Yeah, I think so…” If only my cheeks weren’t as red as they burned.
I took the glass from his hand, took a final sip, and leaned forward to place it on the floor before crawling closer to him, brushing our groins and grabbing his strong shoulders.
Quickly, his hands intertwined at the curve of my back, pressing my body against his with desire.
“In a bit you’ll drink more. I was wondering if I could get another kiss.” And afterward I would ask him to get me water, to baptize his glass.
Consumed by the deep green of his eyes, a few seconds passed before the answer came.
“If I kiss you, Elowen, I’ll only stop when there isn’t a single area of your body my mouth hasn’t tasted.”
Oops… change of plans.
“Hmm… tempting. So… you know what I was thinking? What kind of music plays at that so-called lust party?” I deliberately changed the subject, and he found it odd, lightly furrowing his brow.
“The selection is usually worldwide, with a more danceable rhythm, sometimes slow and sensual.”
“Really? I confess I’d give anything to see you dancing.” His eyes gleamed provocatively, full of challenge.
“Do you want to dance now?”
I widened my eyes and my heartbeat went wild.
“Are you serious?”
“There are two speakers built into the beams of the ceiling. One command and they start playing my recorded selection.”
I looked up, searching for them, before answering.
“I’d love to!” I said, already standing up. The moment I got to my feet with my back to him, I took a stinging smack on the ass.
“Did I allow that?” I teased, turning around.
I watched him use his strong arms to rise, never taking his dangerous eyes off me.
“You did. I come from the future to tell you that tomorrow this skinny ass will be completely marked by my fangs.” The new blend of his arrogance and humor struck me; I couldn’t deny it.
“Wow, that’s tempting too.”
Smiling dangerously, Aldren walked to the bed and picked up his cellphone. I thrilled at the idea of dancing with him, while at the same time searching for the hatred inside me, trying to remember every horrible thing he had said to me, so I could keep being angry.
Hate, Elowen, feel only hate.
“Done.” The melody filled the room, and Aldren tossed the phone back onto the bed. “I hope you know how to keep up with the steps of a three-hundred-year-old alpha.” He hooked me, pressing our bodies together with one firm hand spread over my lower back.
With the other, he took my left hand, interlacing our fingers and lifting our arms horizontally.
“Can we focus on one step forward and one step back?” I asked, moving my hips, showing off my only dance technique, at the peak of my twenties.
“For a start, I can accept that, but I have some better moves for us to do tonight.” He was suggestive, and that alone made my fingers tingle.
“Aldren, Aldren…”
Swaying to the enveloping sound, I allowed myself to be guided by him. Dedicated to pleasing me, he moved smoothly to the simple step I suggested.
“This is English, right?” I asked about the song.
“It is. Do you know the language?” I shook my head.
“But I assume you do.”