Okay, I was totally joking, but his comment made my body shiver with want. “Uh…”
“Karli?” he whispered.
“Hmm?”
“Stop talking.”
The first hint of dawn peeked over the hill as our lips touched. “Leo, look!”
He pulled back and stared as the blue slowly gave way to brilliant shades of pink, orange, and yellow. As the sun climbed higher and higher into the sky, Leo squinted, never once looking away from its magnificence. As the sun continued to rise, I became entranced by his beauty. Seeing him awestruck, being able to witness such a significant moment in his life, was humbling. He’d been deprived of this for over five hundred years and I’d been taking it for granted daily.
He closed his eyes as the first rays warmed his face. As I watched him, a single tear inched down his cheek. I wasn’t sure he even realized it was there. Leo was normally so reserved…so controlled, but in that moment, he couldn’t have been more exposed. Every bit of his incredible soul was on display.
He opened his eyes as I swiped my thumb across his cheek. “Breathtaking.”
“It is,” I agreed.
“I wasn’t talking about the sunrise.” He smiled as he lovingly stroked my jaw. “I’ve never regretted my decision to become a vampire until now. Seeing your skin glowing like this, I’ve never known anything more beautiful in my entire existence.”
“Oh,” I breathed.
Leo leaned in for a soft, sweet kiss that lingered. When I pulled away, I happened to glance down on the village. The front door belonging to the bungalow closest to us had opened. Naela stepped out, looking incredible even first thing in the morning, wearing a short robe. I felt like a peeping Tom because she was obviously saying goodbye to an overnight guest, but something inside me refused to look away. Right as I was internally chastising myself for being nosy, Vance stepped out behind her.
I flinched; it felt like someone had just physically slapped me across the face. Vance was wearing the same clothes from yesterday and looked like he hadn’t slept a wink. It wasn’t hard to figure out what they’d been up to all night. He looked surprised when he spotted me up on the hill but then frowned when he saw Leo. There was a devilish glint in his eye as he pulled Naela into a hug before walking back towards the guest cottages with what appeared to be a little extra spring in his step.
“Oh,” I repeated.
Leo and I were standing in front of my cottage. “Are you sure you’re okay? I’m sure you weren’t prepared to see something like that.”
I looked at Vance’s door out of the corner of my eye. “I’m fine,” I lied. “We’re all adults. Vance and I aren’t together anymore. I’ve moved on and now clearly so has he.”
I was a complete train wreck inside and couldn’t hold it in much longer. I needed to get away from Leo fast before I started bawling hysterically.
Leo frowned. “It’s okay to have regrets.”
I could feel his hurt. “Oh, Leo, I don’t have any regrets about you. About what’s happened between us. I just…well, it’s complicated.”
He placed a kiss on my cheek. “I understand.”
“Do you?”
“I do,” he said and nodded. “I don’t like it, but I do understand why you’re upset. I certainly don’t fault you for it.”
A sob escaped my throat. “I just need time.”
He pulled me into his arms. “We have all the time in the world, my love.”
I woke to someone banging on my door. Loudly. I crawled out of bed ready to rip someone a new asshole when I yanked it open. Thylus stood there grinning like a loon.
He swept a gaze from my head to my toes, taking in my rumpled appearance. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“I was sleeping,” I yawned. “I was up really late.”
He smiled. “By all means, crawl back under the covers. I’ll keep you company.”
I rolled my eyes. “Did you have a reason for stopping by?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I’m here for our first lesson.”