Chapter 22
The veggies sizzle in the skillet as I swish the wooden spoon through them. Bright red, yellow, green, and orange, the peppers are a confetti of color against the black cast iron. While my hand moves, my mind wanders to the snowy-haired vampire I left in the shower.
There’s this strange ache in my chest, like someone’s put a noose around my heart and they keep pulling it tighter when I’m away from Vanessa. It’s hard to breathe and harder to focus.
And when we’re together… Merde, I can’t keep my hands to myself.
It wasn’t like this with Annabelle. Ever. Sure, we were companionable and cared for each other. I did love her, but it wasn’t all-consuming like it is with mon soleil. I think my heart may stop beating and burst into a billion pieces if she ever left me.
Is this what real love feels like?
Slender arms thread around my waist, a cool body pressing to my naked back. Her delicate fingers trail over my belly and toy with the tie on my sweatpants. There’s a large inhale against my fur, then a muffled, “I missed you.”
That overwhelming need to have her in my arms takes over again, and there’s no point in fighting it. I don’t stand a chance.
Lowering the burner and setting the spoon to the side, I spin to face Vanessa, whose eyes widen when I grip her waist.
My hands slip down to her naked ass, and I use my grip on the supple flesh to haul her up.
Creamy thighs wrap around my middle as I cross to the opposite counter, depositing her on the worn butcher block, but not leaving the sanctuary of her thighs.
I inhale the familiar, soothing eucalyptus scent of her shampoo.
My lips brush the damp strands when I say, “Tu m’as aussi manqué.
” I can’t remove my hands from her body, and she seems to be having the same problem.
Dressed in one of my flannels—and nothing else—her legs tighten around me and her fingers trail through my chest fur.
“Is it always this intense between mates?” I ask, breaking the silence and voicing my inner turmoil aloud.
She tips her head to the side, eyes on my face, but doesn’t respond, so I continue.
“This profound need to be inside you the second I see you? Or how I can’t seem to go two seconds without touching you?
Is that normal? I don’t remember it being this intense with…
” I cough, not wanting to bring up my past, the source of so much pain. “Annabelle,” I finally whisper.
My lids fall closed when gentle fingers trail through the fur on my cheeks.
Vanessa’s voice is just as gentle as her touch.
My eyes open to find hers brimming with sincerity.
“You know you can talk about her, Luc. We both have pasts, and she’s part of yours.
” She hums, chewing her bottom lip. “To answer your question… I don’t know.
I’ve never had a mate before. This.” She waves a hand from me to her.
“This is what’s normal for us, and that’s all that matters. ”
“You’re right,” I say before squeezing her hips in a playful gesture.
Leaving her on the counter, I swing back to the stove to check on the stir-fry.
When I turn around again, Vanessa’s kicking her feet and munching on one of the snow peas I washed and prepared earlier. They’re the last to go in with the other veggies. “It’s kind of kismet, don’t you think?”
She scowls when I swipe the bowl from her hands and dump the contents into the skillet. “What?” I stir the veggies before giving her my full attention again.
“Well, you found the orchard when you needed it most, and a few decades later, it brought you a second chance at a mate.”
My brow dips at her words.
“Think about it. If Viktor hadn’t taken that contract, he wouldn’t have been in the Alps with Maggie, and I wouldn’t have been stuck out in the snow.” That last part has her smirking, no doubt remembering what an ass I was when she blew in with the storm.
“I suppose you’re right, mon soleil.”
Anticipating my next move, Ness hops down from her perch on the counter, blurring past me to grab bowls and forks. “Why do you call me that… mon soleil? It means your sunshine, right?”
Taking the dishes from her, I set them next to the stove before cupping her face.
My hands swallow her delicate features, sending my heart into a canter.
“Because Vanessa, you brought light and laughter back into my life after I’d been living in the dark for so long.
With you, I remember what it’s like to be carefree.
To be happy. You are the sun that I orbit. Forever, mon soleil.”
She blinds me with her smile, rising onto her toes as her lips meet mine. The kiss is sweet and almost innocent, the opposite of most of our relationship, but it suits the moment, so I don’t take things further.
Against my lips, Vanessa whispers, “You’re pretty romantic when you want to be, big guy.”
I grin against her mouth. “Only for you.”
After eating, we fall into our usual roles. Domestic bliss washes over me as Vanessa hands me a bowl to dry. Even these menial tasks are more bearable when she’s by my side.
Since Vanessa is a terrible cook, she always washes the dishes after I cook.
And apparently, since I can’t be more than a foot away from her, I usually end up drying the dishes. It works for us and gives us more time to talk about the big and small stuff.
I set the last bowl in the cupboard and close the door as Vanessa turns off the water.
Grabbing the dish towel from my hands, she loops it around my neck and pulls me down to her level.
Garnet eyes dance with mischief, making me smile.
“You said something about a surprise? Oh! Is it a new toy?” She winks.
I can’t help but chuckle at her one-track mind. Taking the dish towel from her, I toss it on the counter and grip her hand. “No. Sorry to disappoint.” Leading her to the stack of papers on the island, I shuffle through them until I find the list of potential properties.
“It’s not a lot, but I stopped by Peg’s office yesterday. She’s the realtor in town.” Pulling the paper from the stack, I hand it to Ness. “These are all the available storefronts on Main Street. Maybe one would work for your boutique spa.”
Her eyebrows crease. A hush falls over us.
Finally, her face softens, and she whispers, “You did this for me?”
“I want you here, Vanessa, with me. But I don’t want you to give up on your dream either. If one of these doesn’t speak to you, then we’ll keep looking. But I…I—”
Bouncing onto her toes, she presses her lips to my cheek.
“We’ll make it work. Don’t worry, big guy.
Let me grab my laptop, and we can look at the listings to see if any strike inspiration.
” When she reaches into her workbag, she pulls out not only a sleek silver laptop, but an envelope.
“Oh! I forgot that I grabbed your mail on my way in.” She presses the plain white envelope into my hand, but my eyes are glued to the name written on the return address.
Nausea ties my stomach into a tight knot.
Why would she contact me now?
How does she even know I live here?
“Who’s it from?” Vanessa smiles up at me. One look at my face, which I’m sure has gone a shade or two paler, and her grin falters. “Luc?”
Stunned into silence, my brain races to come up with a logical explanation, but I must be taking too long because Vanessa plucks the envelope from my trembling hand. “Annabelle? Why would she send you a letter after two decades?”
Her words are muffled over the thunderous beat of my heart and the blood pounding through my ears.
All the heartache.
All the pain.
It comes careening back like Annabelle’s betrayal was yesterday.
Instead of letting me sink inside myself, Vanessa grips my cheeks and forces my gaze to hers. “Hey, talk to me. What’s happening up here?” She taps my temple.
“I’m finally happy, and she’s going to ruin it. Why would she do this? How did she get my address?” I place my hands on the outside of hers, needing the comfort. Breaths saw in and out of my lungs, the pain turning to something else… anger. Vision flickering, my blood turns to lava.
Vanessa slides a hand out from under mine, and it settles over my galloping heart. “It’s okay to be angry or upset or even sad. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s all okay. She hurt you. And now she sends a letter, out of the blue. That takes a lot of balls. Do you want me to open it?”
My nostrils flare when I blow out a breath. “I don’t know. I’ve moved on. Do I want to give her more of my time? It’s been twenty years, for fuck’s sake!”
“Okay.” She places her other hand on my heaving chest. “Breathe, Luc. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. Keep talking it out with me. You’re doing so good. Let’s say you open it?”
I shake my head, a brittle laugh cracking my throat. “Anything she says in that letter won’t change what she did. She betrayed me on a level I can never forgive. Not even to have her in my life as a friend. You’re my future, Vanessa Bielski. Nothing in that letter is going to change that.”
Her mouth spreads into a small smile. “You’re my future, too, big guy. So… don’t open it. Don’t give her the attention she wants.” Grabbing my hand and the envelope, she leads me to the fireplace where flames dance inside the brick hearth.
Keeping a death grip on her hand, I close my eyes and toss the envelope onto the roaring fire.
“Do you feel better?”
I peel my eyes open. The white paper curls at the corners and turns black.
A weight lifts off my chest when it disintegrates into ash among the logs and flames.
“Yeah, seeing her name brought up all those feelings again.” I turn toward Vanessa, my hand still clutching hers. “Thank you for talking me through it.”
Her sweet smile melts my heart and washes away any thoughts of Annabelle.
My past doesn’t matter because this radiant vampire is my future.
“That’s what I’m here for. You don’t have to fight these battles on your own anymore.
No matter how big or small, I’ll always be here.
This whole relationship thing may be new for both of us, but as long as we communicate, we’ll be fine. ”
“I think we did some pretty amazing communicating earlier.” I waggle my eyebrows before pulling her in for a hug.
Her giggle turns into a snort. Fuck, she’s adorable.
Spinning out of my embrace, she zips over to the counter and grabs her laptop. “That we did. And we can communicate again… later. If you help me look through these property listings.” Her sultry wink is the only motivation I need, pulling her down on the couch with me as she boots up her computer.