Page 33 of Toward Immortal Ruin

His chuckle followed her as she bolted up the stairs and dropped to her knees in front of the bag containing the emerald one-piece. The ruffled bottoms and sleeved top of the swimsuit covered just enough to ensure her slightly emaciated frame wasn’t fully on display. She quickly changed, deciding not to linger on her self-consciousness.

She needn’t have worried. Nero looked dumbstruck. Those warm, fathomless eyes were riveted to her as though she were a model and not an average woman showing the ravages of disease. Her self-esteem had plummeted in recent months. Keeping weight on was far more difficult when the pills she took occasionally made her nauseous and commonly stole her appetite.

Giving a nervous chuckle, she folded her arms across her midriff. “You okay there, Coffee Shop Cutie?”

“A bit starstruck. You’re gorgeous.”

“Excellent. My suppressed vampire genes must finally be surfacing.”

“Ah, that must be why you’re sparkling.”

“Okay, Edward,” she snickered.

Nero’s wet shirt still clung to his body, the material pulling taut against the muscular frame beneath. She nearly drooled at the memory of seeing him bare-chested, up close and personal.

“A parting gift from your cat?”

“Huh?”

Nero pointed to the trio of Band-Aids covering her forearm where the rabid wolf had bitten her the night they met. “Oh. Nope, just me courting death.”

She didn’t particularly want to linger on that part of the memory.

“Something I’ll try my best to prevent, Eden Hawthorne.” Nero’s genuine concern for her was bitter-sweet.

Eden frowned for a second as she took a peek underneath the bandages. It’d been a fairly deep puncture, confirmed by the doctor who administered her first rabies shot. It was surprising to see it disappear nearly overnight, but the ways of her body were unpredictable these days.

“Guess it’s all better now.” Shrugging noncommittally, she ripped the unnecessary Band-Aids off. “Where’s that jacuzzi you threatened me with?”

“Oh, yes, the Chinese water torture, minus the dripping! Your sparkle caught me so off guard I almost forgot what a dangerous fiend I have on my hands.”

Without a word of warning, Nero easily gathered her in his arms once more. A giddy shriek sprung from her lips, and she considered protesting for a second. A very short and clearly misguided second, because the look of contentment on hisfeatures was unmistakable. The man clearly enjoyed carrying her, and who was she to ruin the mood.

The warm, bubbly waters frothed as Nero gently lowered them in the jacuzzi, and her body let go of aches she didn’t even realize she had. A sigh of contentedness while she settled back against the curved wall. Swirls of heat licked at her skin, and Eden understood what heaven would feel like.

And then, somehow, things got considerably better when Nero snaked an arm around her waist and pulled them closer.

“I’ve taken the liberty of ordering us some food.”

She stared at him. “When? I was gone for like two seconds!”

“I’m magic,” he replied. He nodded to the tray that nestled alongside the jacuzzi, something she hadn’t even noticed until now. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I got a bit of everything.”

Her mouth watered instantly, greedy fingers coming out of the water to nab a cube of cheese. The savory taste exploded on her taste buds as she popped it in her mouth, and she let out an unladylike moan.

“This is delicious.” Eden took another bite, downing it nearly as quickly as the first, then spied the chocolate. “And chocolate! I love me some chocolate.”

Swooning at his thoughtfulness, she savored the food he’d brought. As she chewed, she worked through how she’d broach the subject of her declining health—and prepared herself for how he would react. Here he was dotting on her, and she’d done nothing to deserve it. Something foreign within her twisted.

She picked up a small cube of pineapple and held it to his mouth. “Open up, Nero.”

He dutifully obeyed. Gently, Eden slipped the fruit between his lips, intent on making sure he was fed. When she tore her gaze away from that delectable mouth, she found his eyes searing into hers.

Their lips met.

Eden’s arms locked around his neck while his strong fingers cradled her waist. The water jets bubbled around them, heightening the sensation of their consuming embrace. Kiss for kiss, Nero’s soft lips burned into her, and she became lost to the sensual feeling.

Nero pulled her closer, and Eden readily complied. She was desperate for the feel of him, as if he was her air, and she’d been treading water, gradually slipping below the surface.

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