5. Aileen
CHAPTER 5
AILEEN
T he limo glides to a stop in front of McFly's. A line snakes around the block, but Charles guides me straight to the entrance. The bouncer's eyes widen at the sight of him.
"Mr. Varakian, welcome." The velvet rope drops.
My heart skips. I've never skipped a line in my life. The envious stares from the crowd make me stand a little straighter, especially in these amazing tights.
The doors swing open and my jaw drops. It's like stepping through a time portal. Mirror balls scatter rainbow light across the dance floor. The air thrums with the beat of "Stayin' Alive." Platform shoes and bell bottoms everywhere I look.
"This is incredible!" I bounce on my toes, drinking in the atmosphere.
Charles's fingers lace through mine. He tugs me toward the packed dance floor where bodies move in perfect sync.
My stomach drops. "No, no. I'm a lousy dancer, I can't."
"Trust me." His golden eyes capture mine. His thumb traces circles on my palm, sending tingles up my arm. "Everything will be fine."
Something in his gaze melts my resistance. The warmth of his hand, the way he looks at me like I'm the only person in the room...
I squeeze his fingers and let him lead me onto the dance floor.
The moment we start moving, something clicks. My body syncs with his as if we've danced together a thousand times before. His movements guide mine with an effortless grace I didn't know I possessed.
"See? Perfect." His smile lights up brighter than the disco ball above.
The beat pulses through my veins. I spin under his arm, my dress flaring. When I return to face him, I bite my lip and throw him a playful wink. His eyes spark with delight.
"Where did you learn to move like this?"
"Natural talent, obviously." I shimmy closer, gaining confidence with each step.
The music shifts, the familiar opening notes of "How Deep Is Your Love" floating through the air. Charles pulls me in, one hand settling on my waist. The other clasps mine against his chest.
His heartbeat thrums steady beneath my palm. The scent of his cologne wraps around me like a warm blanket. We sway together, and the rest of the club fades away.
"This is nice." The words slip out on their own.
"Very nice." His thumb brushes across my knuckles.
I rest my cheek against his chest, closing my eyes. Something about this feels right in a way I can't explain. Like puzzle pieces clicking into place.
Warning bells should be ringing. I barely know him. He wants to buy my family's restaurant. But here in his arms, none of that seems to matter.
"Aileen." The way he says my name just does it for me.
I tilt my face up to meet his gaze, and my breath catches. The look in his eyes... no one has ever looked at me quite like that before.
The last notes of the Bee Gees fade away. Charles cups my face in his hands and his lips find mine. The kiss steals my breath away - hot and electric and perfect. My knees go weak, and his arm slides around my waist to steady me.
I reach up to touch his cheek, and pause. The texture under my fingertips feels... odd. Not quite smooth, almost like... I can't place it. Different patterns, geometric almost, beneath the surface.
But then his tongue traces my bottom lip and coherent thought vanishes. My fingers curl against his jaw as the kiss deepens. Whatever I felt doesn't matter - maybe he just needs a shave. His mouth moving against mine sets my blood on fire, makes my head spin in the best possible way.
When we finally break apart, I'm panting. My lips tingle. Heat floods my cheeks as I realize we're still on the dance floor, surrounded by other couples.
Charles's eyes have gone dark, intense. Without a word, he takes my hand and leads me through the crowd. My pulse races as we weave between dancers, his fingers intertwined with mine.
The cool night air hits my flushed skin as we step outside. The limo idles at the curb, door already open. Charles guides me inside with a gentle hand at the small of my back.
The door clicks shut and Charles pulls me onto his lap. His mouth captures mine, hot and demanding. A gasp escapes my lips as his tongue sweeps inside, tasting, exploring. My fingers tangle in his hair while his hands roam my back.
"You're incredible," he breathes against my lips.
I arch closer, heat blooming everywhere we touch. The limo turns a corner, making me grip his shoulders for balance. His mouth trails down my neck, leaving a path of fire in its wake.
"Charles..." My head falls back as he nips at my pulse point.
His hand slides up my thigh, the silk of the tights doing nothing to dull the scorching heat of his touch. My dress inches higher with each caress. I should stop him. I barely know him. But my body betrays me, pressing closer instead of pulling away.
"Your skin is so soft." His fingers trace patterns on my inner thigh, making me shiver.
Streetlights flash past the tinted windows, casting shadows across his perfect features. I capture his mouth again, drunk on the taste of him. His other hand tangles in my hair, angling my head to deepen the kiss.
The city blurs past outside while we lose ourselves in each other's touch. His hand inches higher, setting every nerve ending ablaze. I moan into his mouth as his fingers trace the edge of my tights.
"Tell me to stop," he whispers against my lips.
Instead, I kiss him harder.
My fingers trace down his chest as my mind races. His penthouse must be incredible. The thought of seeing where he lives, of not ending this night so soon...
"Charles, I was thinking-"
The streetlight flashes through the window, illuminating his face. My words die in my throat. For a split second, his perfect features dissolve into something else entirely. Red scales. Golden eyes. Ridges along his forehead.
I blink and Charles's human face is back, concern creasing his brow.
"What's wrong?"
My heart pounds. Scales. The weird texture beneath my fingers makes perfect sense now. The too-perfect face. The strange accent.
He's not human.
I should scream. Run. Demand answers. But his hands are still on my waist, warm and steady. The same hands that led me across the dance floor. The same lips that made me forget my own name.
Whatever he is, he's still the man who looked at me like I hung the moon. Who made me feel beautiful and cherished. Who set my soul on fire with just a touch.
"Nothing." I press my lips to his again, tasting the truth of him beneath the illusion.
His fingers tighten on my hips as he pulls me closer. The rough patches I feel beneath his skin don't frighten me anymore. They're just another piece of the puzzle that is Charles Varakian - or whatever his real name might be.
At least I know why his face feels different, I think as his mouth trails fire down my neck. And I find I don't mind at all.
Varak trails kisses down my neck, his lips lingering on every sensitive spot as if he's known me forever. My skin tingles with each touch, and I instincitivelyt arch into him, craving more. His hands, strong and confident, slide down to my waist, hiking up my skirt. The cool air of the limo brushes against my thighs, sending a shiver up my spine.
"I must taste you," he growls, his voice a low rumble that vibrates through me. Before I can respond, he tears my panties off with a swift, decisive motion. I gasp, the suddenness of it sending a thrill through me.
He dives in, his mouth hot and eager against me. I jolt at the first touch of his tongue, a moan escaping my lips. He's not gentle, not tentative. He eats me out with a hunger that matches the intensity in his eyes. His tongue moves with skill, tracing patterns that make my hips buck and my breath hitch.
"Oh god," I whisper, my fingers gripping his hair. The sensation is overwhelming, building quickly and fiercely. His hands grip my thighs, holding me in place as he devours me. The rough texture of his disguised skin adds a layer of friction that sends me spiraling.
Every lick, every suck, every flick of his tongue drives me closer to the edge. The limo, the city outside, everything fades away. All that exists is this moment, this feeling, this man.
The orgasm hits me hard, a wave of pleasure that crashes over me, leaving me twisting and writhing in his grip. I cry out, my body convulsing as he continues to lap at me, drawing out every last shiver and moan.
I collapse back against the seat, panting, my body limp and sated. Varak looks up at me, his golden eyes dark with desire, my juices glistening on his lips. He grins, a wicked, satisfied smile that makes my heart flutter.
"You taste incredible," he says,in a hungry growl.
I can't help but laugh, a breathless, delighted sound. "You're not so bad yourself," I manage to say, my body still tingling with the aftershocks of pleasure.
The limo slows to a stop, and I hurriedly smooth down my dress. My legs still tremble from his touch.
"Papa Marella's Pizzaria," the driver announces.
Charles - or whatever his real name is - takes my phone. His fingers dance across the screen, programming in his number.
"This is yours." He hands the phone back, then reaches into his pocket. The silk of my ruined panties dangles from his fingers for a moment before he tucks them away. "But these are mine."
A delicious shiver runs through me. His possessive smile makes my heart race all over again.
He pulls me close, his mouth claiming mine in a searing kiss that curls my toes. His tongue sweeps inside, tasting me one last time. When he finally releases me, I'm breathless.
"I'll call on you soon." His voice holds a promise that makes heat pool low in my belly.
I float up the stairs to our apartment, barely feeling my feet touch the ground. My lips still tingle from his kiss. The memory of his touch, his taste, his hunger for me... My whole body hums with satisfaction.
Mom sits at the kitchen table, a knowing smile on her face. "How was your date, dear?"
I think of golden eyes and scaled skin hidden beneath perfect features. Of a man who's definitely not human but who made me feel more alive than anyone ever has.
"Out of this world."