Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
LORI
Nothing in my entire life, not even the amazing sex from last night, can compare to waking up in Ion’s arms. I am an idiot, but I’ve fallen in love with an original vampire.
I have no idea what that means for my future, my daughters’, or Ion’s.
Honestly, at this moment, with the hint of sunrise peeking around the curtains, I don’t care. I just don’t want it to end.
“You are awake.” His deep voice awakens all the desires of last night.
Stretching long, I smile. “How did you know?”
“Your breathing changed.” Sliding his hand along my ribs, he rolls to face me and props his head on his hand. “How do you feel?”
“Like I’m living some kind of dream.” That may have been a bit too honest.
“I’m happy to hear that, but my question was prompted by my worry that you might be sore this morning.” He kisses my forehead.
“Deliciously sore, but I’m fine.” I snuggle against his chest.
Wrapping his arms around me, he makes a sound close to a purr. “What time will Dorothy and Olivia be home?”
I sigh, wishing there were more time, but also longing to hear how their night away went. “Probably between nine and ten.”
“It is already after eight.”
I’m keeping him when he wants to leave. I pull away. “You didn’t have to stay. Though I won’t lie, I’m glad you did.”
Cocking his head, his mouth tips into a warm smile. “I stayed because there is nowhere else I want to be. Having you in my arms and watching you sleep was pure bliss.”
“You didn’t sleep?” It never occurred to me that he’d been awake all night while I slept.
“Vampires don’t require much rest. I can see that you’re fretting, and I wish you would not.
” He thinks a moment. “How did you put it. You asked if I was toying with you. The answer is no, Lori. I am not playing any kind of game. Wanting you feels as if it was always inside me, and meeting you has awakened those feelings.”
“You must have had many romances over your long life.” I pull the sheet up to cover myself.
“Of course, but this is not like those encounters. What I feel for you is beyond anything I have ever felt before. I would call it love, but the word hardly seems big enough.” He caresses my cheek.
“You love me?” I grip the sheet tighter. This was the last thing I expected. This magnificent creature can’t possibly love a single mother from a small town. He should be with supermodels and rock stars.
Fast and sure, he shifts and moves until he sits facing me. His nudity is distracting, but he seems completely comfortable naked. I can understand why. He’s perfect. He cups my face with both hands and presses his lips to mine. “I love you. I shall never love any other. Do you understand?”
It’s hard to breathe. Words are out of the question. I shake my head.
His smile shoots desire between my legs. “I think you do. I love you, Lori Manning. I will keep telling you until the look on your face is less horrified.”
Despite my shock, joy fills me. Even if he doesn’t mean it, which I think he does, hearing those words from Ion is a thrill. Not ready to risk my heart, I let my blush and smile do the talking. “I should get cleaned up before the girls get home.”
“Of course. Do you wish for me to leave or stay?” He watches me leave the bed.
“Don’t you have someplace you need to be today?” Still wrapped in the sheet, I stand in my bathroom door, wishing we had a full day to shower together and make love.
“I would not wish to confuse your daughters, but with you is the only place I wish to be. That said, I’ll leave if that would be your preference.” He rises and pulls on his clothes.
“Stay for coffee, but maybe it would be better if, when they got home, you were not here. I should explain that we are dating before they find you in the house in the morning.”
He moves in a blur and wraps his arms around me. “Dating? I like the sound of that.”
My cheeks are on fire. “I do too.” Laughing, I push him back and get into the shower.
When I reach the kitchen, the coffee is made, and the bedding, including the sheet from the bathroom floor, is in the washer. I never heard him come in and gather the evidence of our extremely active night, but I don’t mind that he’s the kind of man who will help around the house.
Seth wouldn’t have even noticed the sheets needed cleaning. I shake my head and promise never to make that comparison again.
Ion smiles. “I didn’t know how you take your coffee, so I couldn’t pour for you.”
“Milk and a little sugar.” I head to the refrigerator and then fix my coffee. I look in his mug. “And yours is black?”
He nods.
It’s intimate sitting at the kitchen table and learning about each other. “Maybe I can get a babysitter one night.”
“When?” He brushes my hair out of my eyes and tucks the strands behind my ear.
“When do you want to get together?” This is by far the boldest I’ve ever been in any relationship.
“Tonight.” Staring into my eyes, he seems mesmerized by me.
A laugh bursts from me. “I’ll try, but it’s hard to get a sitter on a Sunday night.”
The doorbell rings.
I look at the clock. “It’s too early for Willa to be bringing the girls home.”
Frowning, Ion takes a deep breath. “It’s Seth.”
My gut tightens, but I get up and move toward the door.
“I’ll be in the next room, Lori. It will be less complicated if he doesn’t know about our…relationship. However, I’ll not leave you alone with him.” He rises and takes his cup with him into my bedroom.
Standing on my front porch, Seth’s face is drawn, and his eyes shift nervously. “Hi, Lori.”
“What are you doing here, Seth?” I keep the door open and step out. I have no desire for him to be inside my house.
“I’m leaving town.” He digs in his pocket and pulls out money.
He hands it to me. “It’s two hundred dollars.
I know that’s not enough, but it’s all I have right now.
Maybe you can get the girls something for their birthday.
” He swallows and dashes a tear from under his eye.
“I’m sorry about yesterday and all the other days. ”
“The girls aren’t here. They had a sleepover.” I clutch the money and wait for him to snatch it back and fly into a rage.
Instead, he nods. “That’s good. I need to sort some things out before I see them.”
I hand the money back. “You might need this.”
Pushing my hand away, he shakes his head. “No. You keep it. I’ll send more when I can.” He shifts from foot to foot as if he needs to go somewhere.
“You know, there are places you can check in and get help with all that.” Trying to believe what I’m seeing and hearing, I offer the only help I can think of.
“I’m heading back to the city. Gerry has family in Brooklyn. We can stay there a little while. Maybe I’ll look into a program there.” He twitches and looks at his car parked several doors down.
I squint as the sun hits the windshield.
Gerry waves a hand out the window.
Waving back, I laugh. “Get your life together and you can see the girls, Seth. You are the only thing standing in the way of having a relationship with them. They are worth whatever you’d have to suffer to get clean and sober, that much I can promise you.”
He rubs his arm and bounces, making me think that his addictions may have gone beyond alcohol, but I don’t ask. With a little wave, he says, “I’ll be in touch.”
I watch until he gets in his car, then close the door. “That was interesting.”
Leaning on the wall at the threshold to my kitchen, coffee cup in hand, Ion watches me. “Do you think he can do it?” Of course, as a vampire, he heard every word.
I shrug. “Not on his own, but maybe with a program. It will depend on whether he wants to clean up.”
Ion washes his cup and puts it in the drying rack. “I’m going home so you can greet the girls without me confusing them. If you want to come over tonight, I can see if Tilda and Max are available to watch them. However, I can wait.”
My feelings are hard to contain. Loving this vampire is more than I could have ever expected from my life.
Having him love me feels magical. “Why don’t you come and have dinner with us here tonight.
I’m making spaghetti, and there will be wine.
You can tell them a story, and we can spend some time together. ”
When he doesn’t respond right away, nerves get the better of me, and I put my cup down harder than I intend. “Or not. You probably don’t want to spend time with all of us. People want to ease into a whole family and not have it thrust on them. I’m sorry I said anything.”
Another blur and he’s holding me in his arms. “I am not some human idiot who thinks he’s owed some ridiculous grace period where you pretend you don’t have children.
I would love to spend time with you and your twins.
I love you, and I love them. If you feel the same one day, I hope we can be a family.
” He threads his fingers through my hair, cups the back of my head, and kisses me.
My knees buckle, and a low moan rumbles in my throat.
Breaking the kiss, he steadies me. “Now, I’m going, and you will remember that I’m not like the other men you’ve dated.”
I giggle. “That much is certain. I’m sorry if I offended you, Ion. I just don’t want to rush you, but after your speech, I can see that my worries are unfounded.”
“I’ll see you tonight.” He walks to the front door, but doesn’t open it. Instead, he turns and looks me up and down. “When you do come out, and we have that date, do you think you would wear that yellow dress you were wearing at the dance?”
“I…um…yes. I can do that.” My face and neck are on fire as I consider what he wants to do with me in the very revealing dress I wore to try to get his attention, but ended up sending him away in a jealous fit.
The light in his eyes brightens. “Good.” He pulls his hood up and heads out the door.