Page 46 of I Summoned A Demon For A Date?!
Aldaine's eyes darkened as they swept over me, appreciation evident in his gaze. "You look perfect to me," he murmured, voice pitched low enough to send another shiver racing down my spine. "But perhaps not for public consumption."
We slipped in through a side entrance, thankfully encountering no one as we made our way back to our room. Once inside with the door safely closed behind us, I caught sight of myself in the mirror and gasped.
"Oh my god." The woman staring back at me was a strange. Wild-eyed, mouth swollen from Aldaine's kisses, skin glowing that I hardly recognized. And there, stark against the pale column of my throat, was his mark, a perfect crescent of teeth impressions, the skin around it already darkening to purple.
Aldaine appeared behind me in the mirror, his eyes meeting mine in our reflection. The possessive heat in his gaze as he looked at the mark sent a fresh wave of desire coursing through me.
"You're magnificent," his hands coming to rest on my hips.
I leaned back against him, savoring the solid warmth of his chest against my back. "I look thoroughly fucked," I countered, though I couldn't keep the smile from my voice.
His lips brushed the shell of my ear. "Yes," he agreed, sounding entirely too pleased with himself. "You do."
I turned in his arms, rising on tiptoe to press a light kiss to his mouth. "Smug isn't a good look on you," I lied. In truth, the satisfied glint in his eyes was devastatingly attractive.
He caught my bottom lip between his teeth, tugging gently before releasing it. "Liar."
We stood there for a long moment, foreheads touching, breathing each other's air. I felt drunk on his nearness, on the strange new bond humming between us.
"I should clean up," I murmured eventually, reluctant to break the bubble of intimacy but aware that we couldn't stay locked in our room forever.
Aldaine nodded, releasing me with obvious reluctance. "I'll do the same."
I headed for the bathroom, conscious of his eyes tracking my every movement. Under the warm spray of the shower, I let my fingers explore the mark he'd left, the sensation sending echoes of pleasure through me. It wasn't just the physical evidence of our passion that moved me, it was the commitment behind it. Something in me recognized the significance of what he'd done, even if my conscious mind didn't yet understand what it meant.
By the time I emerged, wrapped in a fluffy towel, Aldaine had already showered in the bathroom across the way in an empty room and changed into fresh clothes. The sight of him in crisp dark jeans and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms momentarily robbed me of breath.
"You look," I trailed off, unable to find words to express how he affected me.
His slow smile showed he understood perfectly. "So do you."
I dressed simply in a flowing skirt and soft sweater, but paused when it came to my neck. The mark was too vivid, too unmistakably what it was, to leave exposed among family.
"I need something to cover this," I gestured at my neck with a shy smile.
Aldaine's expression darkened briefly, and I could read the conflict there, pride in his mark warring with practicality. "Here," finally, he reluctantly pulled a silk scarf from my suitcase. The deep brown color complemented my sweater perfectly as he arranged it around my neck with careful fingers.
His knuckles brushed against the mark as he adjusted the fabric, sending a spark of awareness through me. Our eyes met, and for a heartbeat, I thought we might end up back in bed. Then a sharp knock at the door broke the moment.
We both jumped slightly, then exchanged sheepish smiles at our reaction. Aldaine moved to answerwhile I made a final adjustment to the scarf, ensuring the mark was completely covered.
A young man in the estate's staff uniform stood in the hallway. "Miss Thompson? Mr. and Mrs. Thompson request your presence in the library as soon as possible. Your companion is welcome as well," he added with a polite nod toward Aldaine.
Something in his tone set off alarm bells. This wasn't a casual summons to tea.
"Did they say what this is about?" Anxiety began to curl in my stomach.
The young man shook his head. "No, miss. Just that it's important."
After he left, I turned to Aldaine, worry creasing my brow. "That's not normal. Dad and Jan don't usually do joint meetings unless something's wrong."
Aldaine's hand found mine, his thumb rubbing soothing circles against my palm. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
The simple promise steadied me more than I cared to admit. This was new territory, having someone firmly in my corner, ready to stand with me against whatever was coming. I squeezed his hand in silent thanks.
We had gone far beyond our contract.
The walk to the library felt both too short and interminable. My mind raced with possibilities, none of them good. Had Stephany complained about me? Had someone seen Aldaine and me in the garden? Was I about to be lectured on proper behavior while a guest in their home?
