16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Taran

T he memory of our movie night carried me over the next few days and helped keep the usual anxiety that crept in before I needed to venture out at bay.

Nothing like a beautiful woman getting herself off on your lap to keep your mind occupied.

Maeve and I had agreed that I would pick her up for the party with Frostfire and Kirkmuir’s elite without Stuart. She hadn’t mentioned her lapgasm and neither had I. Perhaps she forgot about it ?

This, too, had gotten easier over the past weeks: driving the car. I’d even made it to a nearby shop to pick up a few bottles of whisky by myself.

Stuart would gladly have taken care of it, but it felt strangely nice to be doing these things.

I’d been so eager to see Maeve again, that I had gotten dressed in record time.

“Taran, I want to make sure I understand correctly. You really don’t want me to drive you, right? It has been at least a decade since you last drove a car.” Stuart stood by the stairs leading up to the first level of the castle, wringing his hands.

More like fifteen.

Giving myself a once-over in the mirror to check my outfit one last time, I shook my head. “I am absolutely positive about this. I don’t think she would approve of me bringing you along on a date.”

“You know I would make sure to be discreet, if you are completely sure about this.” He met my reflection’s gaze and a smile, full of paternal affection, appeared on his face. “A date… I haven’t seen you this excited in years. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you, Stuart. You can trust me to bring back the Helix intact and undamaged.”

The only response I received was a faint snort, and then my butler departed for the kitchen.

I drove carefully so the car wouldn’t get a scratch, but still got to her place with almost an hour to spare before the party.

It was Vaughn who opened the door for me, grasping my hand in his fur-covered palm. “Taran, man, good to see you. Come in. Maeve will be right there with you. Sorry, I have papers to grade. Make yourself at home.” With this, the snow leopard hybrid disappeared back into his room.

I hovered in the hall until I decided to check out the bookshelf in the living room.

“Taran?” I hadn’t heard her approach and turned.

No words left me as I was distracted by the warm dark pink glow surrounding her, and that dress. I had seen it in the shop. But she had done something to her face that made her glow even more. Purple strands softly curled around her cheeks.

“Yes?” My voice sounded embarrassingly hoarse, but by the Moon Goddess, in those heels, Maeve looked like seduction on mile-long legs.

She didn’t stop until she was right in front of me, the faint scent of cinnamon and vanilla surrounding her like a cocoon.

“Thank you for inviting me to go with you, and for this beautiful dress and the shoes,” she breathed .

Something in my brain glitched. It was the only explanation for my arm sliding around her waist and pulling her so abruptly to my chest her breath hitched in her throat. And for my lips somehow finding hers again.

For as long as I lived I would never forget how perfect this woman tasted and felt in my arms.

We both exhaled a shaky breath when I pulled back, and our lids slowly fluttered open.

“It’s a gorgeous dress, but it’s nothing compared to the woman wearing it,” I told her in a quiet voice. Then I took her hand and wrapped it around my forearm. “Shall we?”

“Okay.” She sounded at least as confused as I felt, and didn’t speak at all until we pulled up in front of the venue.