His eyes flick down to my fingers lightly brushing over his written words and he smiles, remembering too – most especially the part where he rewarded me for good work and my nipples tighten in response to his intense gaze.
“I asked if you would go and see your mother. See if she can speed this up a bit,” he says.
“Oh. Erm, sure,” I stammer, surprised that he would ask for help. “But it’s going to have to wait. There’s too much other shit going on next week.”
He nods. “Yes. We need to deal with your Demon friend.”
“Vegas road trip!” Sebastian says. “I’m totally in, by the way.”
“Who asked you?”
He shrugs and says, “I’m not sitting around here while you guys go off for a couple of days of debauchery.”
“It’s business,” I growl at him.
“Still, I’m sure there will be time for playing as well,” he replies with a wink and I glare at him.
“Anyway,” I say to CK, “it’s going to have to be next Wednesday due to the time shift and all my other… commitments.”
He doesn’t look best pleased that I will be cutting our time short but it’s this or nothing. “Fine. Is there any way for me to come with you again?” he asks.
“To the Sahara, yes. To the Dragon Realms, no, I’m afraid not.”
“Well, I will go as far as I can then.”
“Liv,” Cole interjects now, and I look at him. “We’ve been gone for nearly five hours. We did have plans. Can we get back to them at some point?”
“Yes, of course, baby,” I say and stand, much to CK’s disappointment. Sebastian doesn’t look too pleased either that I am leaving him alone again with a moody sire.
I brush my lips over CK’s, lingering slightly and then wave to Sebastian. I Astral me and Cole back to our suite.
We settle on the bed, Cole with a film and food, me with my wine and laptop. He sulks at me for working but I tell him I’ll just be a minute. He is leaning against the pillows and I am on my stomach tapping away. He tickles my foot absently and I giggle as a shiver goes up my spine.
“I love it when you touch me,” I say.
“I love it too. It makes me feel…complete,” he says hesitantly.
I turn over and sit up facing him, “If I ask you something, will you answer honestly and not just what you want me to hear?”
He looks wary but agrees.
“Are you okay? On the days I’m not here, are you coping?”
He stares at me for a few minutes, his blue-gray eyes clouding over. “Yes,” he says. “I cope. I obviously want you here with me always, but I know it’s not possible. But yes, I’m okay.”
“Okay, good,” I say quietly. He knows I’m thinking of Gustav.
“I don’t want to have to say this, Liv, but if he knows the extent of what happens, why would he threaten you, threaten us with that?”
A damn good question.
I sigh. “After today, I have to think it is an empty threat. He wouldn’t put me through that on purpose,” I say convincingly but not altogether sure in my convictions. “We shall definitely be having words about it, and not pleasant ones, I guarantee you that.”
He nods, not convinced either.
“Stop working and come here. I need to hold you,” he says. I obey without hesitation as I need him too after this god-awful day. I snuggle up to him happily and feel myself drift off in his arms.
I awake a bit later. Cole is fast asleep with the TV still on quietly. Something has woken me, but what? I glance at the clock and it says 3 AM. Shit! I fell asleep on Cole without us being together. This is getting to be a right pain in the arse. The candles burning on the bedside cabinet flare up suddenly. I cautiously climb off the bed, still clad only in the sexy black babydoll negligee I’d changed into when we got back here. Closing the bedroom door, I wander silently into the sitting room and all the candles there – that had been extinguished before – are all burning brightly, the flames licking the air far above normal heights.