"He'll be back soon," Cole whispers to me. "He just needs time."
"What did he tell you?"
"Liv, don't ask me that. I’m not getting in the middle of your relationship with him. It's weird and I already have too much weird going on."
"Okay, you're right. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for bringing you so much weird."
"I love you, Liv," he says with a small chuckle. "I'd better let you go. You don't want to keep him waiting. Bye, my love."
"I love you too. Okay, bye." And I hang up.
CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN
Stepping out into the sitting room, I stop conversation again when I’m noticed, only this time it isn't because they don't want me overhearing what they are talking about, but rather because of how I look.
"You are breathtaking, my sweet," CK says proudly.
I incline my head in thanks. "As are you," I tell him as he is rocking an expensive navy suit that makes me want to rip it off him and have my wicked way. He smiles smugly at me as he sees that thought flash across my face. He knows he looks good. He always looks good.
"You look incredible," Sebastian offers up and I smile my thanks. "Worthy of capturing and showing to the world," he adds.
I simper at him and move over to join CK, brushing past Nico, who is looking everywhere but at me. "Nico," I murmur.
He clears his throat, "Liv. You look lovely."
Geez, what is it going to take?
CK pulls me close, eyes never leaving mine as Sebastian takes a picture of us gazing into each other’s eyes. Oh, now that is the kind of behavior that won't do in public.
"Send that to me but don't post it publicly," I tell him.
CK's eyebrows go up in question. "Cole," I mutter, and he looks annoyed that I had to mention him.
"So where are we going?" I ask CK as he leads me to the elevator.
"Just dinner. I am afraid that is about my limit with this."
"Well, it's perfect," I say, and he smiles down at me.
Thankfully it has stopped raining, but I pull the wrap closer to me that Nico had handed me. Not so much out of a sense of the chill, but I’m terribly conscious of my very intricate tattoo. I had to keep covered up for a few months due to its sudden appearance until we could explain it away as something I’d had done. Fortunately, though, as it turned out, the whole Power of One marking wasn't visible to those outside of the supernatural community so at least we didn't have to go into explaining how that vanished overnight. Don't get me wrong, I love my marking, but it moves sometimes when my mood changes and it wouldn't be good if someone saw it who shouldn't.
Stepping into the car that is idling by the sidewalk, CK follows me and takes my hand as Nico closes the door.
"Can I ask you something?" I say.
"Of course," he says but he looks wary as I usually only ask that before a question comes out of my mouth that he doesn't want to answer.
"Of all the dresses you could have picked out, why this one?"
He looks relieved that it is something he doesn't mind discussing. "I wanted to see if it would make you look more like Aefre," he says almost shyly.
"Pardon? I do look like her. I am her," I say, slightly baffled by his comment.
He shakes his head. “No, you look like Liv. Don't get me wrong, I love how you look and dress but just once I wanted you to be mine. Just mine. And short of having you trussed up in a 15th century gown, I went for something that makes you look… softer."
"I figured you were going for that look but wasn't sure why. Oh, and I wouldn't say no to being trussed up in a 15th century gown," I add with a glint in my eye.
He chuckles. "I will bear that in mind. I love the hair by the way. It suits you," he says with a sidelong glance and I snuggle into him.