Chapter 13
Rising Tensions
Natasha had her legs slung across Alianna’s sofa, lying back against the cushions, as Alianna entered her living room in the eighth dress that she had tried on.
“I like that one. It’s sultry, elegant, and says ‘take me to bed’ without saying take me to bed,” said Natasha. “You’d need some heels to go with it. Maybe a necklace, but nothing dramatic. Keep it simple.”
“I kind of liked the last one. If I eat too much bread before the main courses come out and I get bloated, which often is the case, then it won’t cling to me like this one will.”
“Do you have any others?”
“I have one more. Hang on…”
Alianna exited the room and returned to her bedroom. Shadow lay on her bed, near her pile of discarded dresses, watching her as if to say, “you’re going out again?!”.
“I know, boy, I know,” Alianna said, unzipping her dress and letting it fall to the floor.
She stepped out of it and returned to her wardrobe, pulling out a black satin dress.
It had a high neck, so the necklace Natasha mentioned was out.
The dress itself was backless, so a bit more risqué than she was used to.
Otherwise, the dress was simple, would cling to her curves in the right places, and stopped just above her knees.
“You always have a great time with Auntie Tash, Shadow. I know she lets you sleep on her bed all night.”
Alianna zipped up her dress and went back out to her living room, giving Natasha a twirl.
“That is the one. Don’t change again. We need to get you some shoes, a little clutch bag. Can I do your hair?”
Alianna sighed and smiled. “Alright. Black heels?”
“Black heels. Do you still have that sequin clutch you haven’t used for about two years?”
“I do.” Alianna went to dig it out of her cupboard and select a pair of shoes, as Natasha turned on her curling iron and began to lay out some makeup across the counter.
When Alianna was ready, even she had to admit she looked pretty good.
Natasha had curled her hair, combing most of it out but leaving a few tighter curls as they were.
She had pinned these curls back elegantly.
The hair that was not pinned in place fell down Alianna’s bare back, drawing attention to the skin beneath.
She had swept a subtle coating of brown eyeshadow on her lids, complimenting the hazel of her eyes, added blush to her cheeks, and applied a deep red lip stain that she had promised was “wine proof, dinner proof, and kiss proof.” Alianna had rolled her eyes at this.
As they walked down the stairs to the road where Natasha was parked outside, they discussed Alianna’s plans to head home later.
“I’ll just get a cab,” Alianna said, waving away Natasha’s requests to come and pick her up. “You’re not my mother, and you’re doing me a huge favour looking after Shadow again.”
“He’s my pal, I don’t mind one bit. He doesn’t complain when I watch reality TV.”
***************
Rionan had reserved a table earlier that day. Apparently, there wasn’t one available, but with a gentle push of his power, just the right amount of eye contact, and a smile, he had managed to get a table in the restaurant that night.
“I want the quietest booth you have. Not next to any loud, large party tables. Not right next to the front desk.”
“Yes, Mr West.”
“You will put dinner and drinks on my tab, which I will settle again in a few days’ time,” he instructed, holding eye contact with the member of staff.
“Yes, Mr West. Dinner and drinks will be on your tab.”
Rionan had returned to his room to shower and select his clothes for the evening. Looking in the mirror at his human form, he sighed. He ran his tongue over his too-flat teeth. Soon. He would be home soon.
Almost in time with his thoughts about missing his true form, he heard a familiar voice in his head.
The girl. The girl. The girl.
He stiffened, but remained curious. “What about her?”
Alianna. Alianna. Al-i-ann-a.
The third repetition of her name was slow, drawn out, like the name was being tested and savoured.
“I know she’s linked to all of this. I don’t know how, but I know.”
Porthan. Porthan. Porthan.
The usual, unhelpful word. Rionan said nothing further, combing his hair back and then using his hand to mess it up slightly so that it didn’t sit so perfectly in place.
***************
“I’m meeting somebody here. Max West. He has a table reserved for us?”
“Right this way, ma’am.”
Alianna followed the waiter through the restaurant. The marble pillars leading up to the ceiling were accented with gold filigree, which also gilded the edges of the tables and the bar area. He took her to a dimly lit area, away from the busier, more centralised space of the restaurant.
“This part of the restaurant is reserved for our guests who occupy the grander suites within The Rinniel.” The waiter explained. He gestured to a quiet end booth, and there sat Rionan. A faint smile played on his lips as his eyes landed on her.
Alianna’s heels clicked against the floor as she walked towards the table, smiling broadly. She swept her hair over her shoulder and made to sit down opposite him.
“Your coat, ma’am. May I take it for you?” The waiter asked, arm outstretched.
“Oh. Yes, please.” Alianna stammered, handing it over. She hadn’t been to a restaurant where anyone hung up somebody else’s coat for them.
He took her coat, dipping his head. “I shall be back shortly to take your drinks order.”
As the waiter swept away, Alianna turned her attention back to Rionan. His eyes hadn’t left her, and his smile hadn’t faltered.
“Hello, Ali,” he said, leaning forward in his chair.
“Hello, Max. This is,” she gestured around. “A pretty spectacular-looking restaurant.”
“It is rather nice, isn’t it? Although, the most beautiful thing here is sitting just opposite me.”
Alianna felt her face flush as she set her bag by her feet.
“Wine?” She asked, picking up a drinks menu.
“Wine. I can even ask if they’d put a strawberry on the rim of the glass, just for you.”
***************
Three courses, one shared bottle, and a small plate of macaroons later, Alianna felt as if her cheeks were hurting from laughing this evening.
“You actually fell off the horse, into horse poo?”
“Yes. It was a miracle I ever decided to try and ride them again. Thankfully, our stable hands - ”
“Wait. Your stable hands. You have your own stables?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “The horses are ours, and we have people who help us tend to them.”
Alianna sighed. “I would love to ride a horse. Let alone have my own. Where do you ride them?”
Rionan considered his answer. “Through forests, fields, by rivers and waterfalls. Wherever the feeling takes me, and wherever I feel that I need to go.”
“That sounds wonderful. Maybe someday, I could enjoy such a thing, too. ”
Rionan looked away from Alianna briefly, his smile not falling off of his face, but averting his gaze. He trailed his index finger around the rim of his wine glass, the movement slow. “Maybe. Do you have a stables nearby?”
Alianna cringed at the implication beneath the words, but tried to ignore the voice inside her head that was telling her that he thought she should find her own damn stables to go to.
“No, we don’t. There aren’t many horses around here, actually.”
Their waiter walked past and stopped to refill their wine glasses.
“Another bottle, sir?” he asked, as he drained the remaining drops into Rionan’s cup. Rionan looked to Alianna and raised his eyebrows in question.
“Yes,” she replied on his behalf.
The waiter returned a few moments later, placing the new bottle of wine in the cooler, which was in the middle of their table, and quickly departed.
“So, what’s it like staying here?” Alianna asked.
“At The Rinniel? It’s nice. What makes you ask?”
Alianna sighed. “The truth is, I have never been here before. I’ve always viewed it as a bit out of my budget. I haven’t eaten here before. I’m more than happy to pay my half of the bill tonight, of course - ”
He leaned forward across the table and placed his hand atop her own. It caught her off guard, and she felt her chest flutter, looking up at him.
“You will do no such thing,” Rionan said softly. “My treat, I told you that. I wanted to bring you here. Allow me. Please.”
“Thank you, Max. That is incredibly kind.”
She looked down at his hand, which she noticed he had not hastened to pull away.
His gaze seemed to follow her own, and his eyes drifted back up to meet hers.
Alianna bit her bottom lip, which didn’t go unnoticed by him.
Rionan sat back in his chair, trailing his hand backwards as he moved, but leaving their fingertips touching across the table.
“It’s a nice place, I suppose. The staff are very attentive. The room service is good. The mini fridge is well stocked, and the décor is to my taste.”
“That all sounds rather posh, you know. What are the rooms like?”
“A nice balcony view. A good size. A shower big enough to have a party in,” he winked, catching the colour that flooded her cheeks. Rionan laughed. “I am sorry. I’m joking.”
“No, it’s fine. Can I see? The room, I mean, the view, not the shower…”
“If you’d like,” Rionan looked around. He scooped up his wine glass, motioning for her to do the same. He grabbed the full bottle from the cooler. “This way.”
“You’re staying in a suite?” Alianna marvelled as they walked through the door. “This is bigger than my apartment.”
She took in the large four-poster bed, the seating and living area, and scanned her eyes around the room until they landed on the door to the balcony.
Casting her coat onto the sofa, she went outside.
Rionan followed. He topped up their wine glasses before placing the bottle atop the table on the balcony and taking a seat.
Rionan drank in the sight of Alianna as she peered over the railings, looking down at Porthan. She looked toward the beach – West beach, where she had found him – and her eyes scanned the area below.
“You can see my apartment building from here, and the café.” She pointed to the area where she worked, a space Rionan had already identified when he had spent time working out how to get around Porthan on foot. The view from above made doing so quite easy.
She turned to Rionan, who had one leg hooked over the other, and met his gaze as he looked at her.
“Do you like the dress? A bit different to the red one.”
Alianna felt instantly stupid at the childish question. She had just been looking for a way to fill the silence.
“I love it, actually.”
He stood up, moving next to her.
“This,” he said, trailing his fingers very lightly along her bare back, “is very pretty.”
She felt a shiver run up her spine.
Alianna suddenly became aware of how close he was standing behind her. She could feel his breath on her shoulder, steady and even. The opposite of hers right now.
Alianna turned to face Rionan. The sun was beginning to set, casting a myriad of orange and pink throughout the sky. His eyes, caught in the light, glittered and danced. They were locked onto her.
She could step back, and she knew that he’d respect it for what it was. They could return to their wine, continue talking, and enjoy each other’s company for the rest of the evening until she called a cab to collect her.
Alianna scanned Rionan’s face. The way his hair flopped down into his eyes. His sensuous mouth. His perfectly straight nose and chiselled jawline. Her eyes dropped to his chest. His shirt was once again unbuttoned. Two buttons. Her eyes dropped lower…
She felt him step forward, and she looked up. The air hummed as Rionan leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. He pulled back slightly, enough to speak, but not enough that she could see his face.
Alianna felt him raise his hand and tuck her hair behind her ear again.
“I have very much enjoyed my evening with you,” he whispered to her, his breath gently caressing her ear. She found herself, without thinking, leaning towards him, silently begging him to close the gap between them. Alianna felt him once again place his hand, gently, on the bare skin of her back.
Do it. She inwardly pleaded again.
She was certain she heard a sharp inhale, as he pulled his head back to look at her. Their foreheads were almost touching. It would take so little effort for her to close that gap.
Without thinking any further, Alianna leant forward and kissed him softly. She closed her eyes, savouring the feeling of his lips on her. His lips were soft, inviting, moving gently against her own.
They pulled away from each other, eyes searching each other’s faces for a moment. Then Rionan pulled her to him, kissing her again.
She felt him pull her close, his hand pressing against the bare skin of her back, as his other hand rested on her hip. He deepened the kiss, and she opened her mouth to him.
Rionan kissed her slowly, softly stroking her tongue with his own in a silent request. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, entangling her tongue with his own, angling her head for better access.
The kiss became heated, more desperate, and he nipped on her bottom lip with his teeth as he lowered his hands to her backside, scooping her up and carrying her in from the balcony.
Rionan placed Alianna gently onto the sofa, leaning over her.
He trailed kisses downwards, peppering them across her jaw, down her neck.
His hands remained on her waist and hips, gripping her softly.
Alianna grabbed one of these hands, wishing he’d stop being so respectful.
She dragged it up the contours of her body, and she felt him laugh breathlessly against her neck as he stroked lazy circles over her breast with his index finger.
“I don’t want you to think you have to do anything you don’t want to do.” Rionan murmured against her skin, continuing to kiss downwards, until the dress blocked any further access.
“I want to. I wanted to yesterday. I want to now.” Alianna sighed, sitting up and reaching for the zip of her dress.
“You’re sure?” he asked, pushing himself up above her, looking down. He looked exasperated, full of desperate want and need.
“Yes. Now get this dress off me.”
He laughed and reached for the zipper, slowly, teasingly sliding it downward.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.