Page 30 of Tempting the Dhampir

“My family owns a few, but Auvere Hotel is mine.” He’s not boasting when he says it, but his pride in his hotel is clear.

“The Auvere? That’s… yours?” I ask incredulously, looking at the male in front of me through a different lens.

He’s not once flaunted his wealth or status, and I find myself appreciating this side of his character.

“Yup, do you know it?” Surprise widens his eyes.

“It’s on my mood board.” I did not mean to say that out loud.

“Is it, now?” The serpentine smile Everett gives me is nearly lethal. “What was the theme of this board?”

“I’m not telling you. You’d have to ‘beg’ me.” My grin is smug.

“You want me to beg you, sparkles?” Everett’s words are a dangerous purr, making the tiny hairs on my nape stand on end.

“How bad do you want to know?” Crossing my arms, I try to feign nonchalance.

“I’d rather beg for something else.” His eyes caress down my body and back up again.

“Would you now? Care to expand on that?” I try to call his bluff.

“I totally would, but the car has stopped and Pierce is very patiently waiting to open my door.”

And with that, I’m zapped back to reality, the bubble of seduction officially popped.

I look out the window. We’ve arrived at an airfield. He wasn’t shitting me.

How did I get so distracted to not notice that the car had stopped?

I lift my chin and tuck my hair behind my ear, the picture of cool indifference. If only this silly blush would stop heating my cheeks, then it might be a little more convincing. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go, zooms.”

Everett shoots me a bemused smile and subtly shakes his head. “Your wish is my command, sparkles. Wait right there.”

He gets out of the car and indicates to Pierce that he’ll get my door. With one hand on my open door, Everett bows slightly at the waist and holds out his other hand expectantly. When I place my hand in his, he curls his fingers around mine and pulls me up, leading me to the airplane. His airplane.

As we climb the stairs, the flight attendant greets him by name while Pierce loads our luggage.

Everett gestures for me to choose a seat first, then takes the seat next to mine on the opposite side of the aisle, the distance between us a reprieve.

The attendant is friendly and professional, supplying us with refreshments the moment we’re settled.

Then the pilot comes out of the cockpit, greeting Everett like an old friend, and explains the flight plan to us.

My head is still spinning with everything Everett just unloaded on me in the car. I don’t think I can handle anything more, never mind carrying on a conversation, so I nod along blankly to whatever is said.

I turn to the window once the pilot heads back to the cockpit and stare blankly out at the verdant mountains in the distance. I don’t comprehend that the airplane has taken off until the sight below me has changed to lush islands encircled by crystal-clear cyan-blue waters, dark teal ocean spreading out beyond.

The attendant moves inconspicuously around the plane, keeping Everett and myself fed and hydrated as I keep my face plastered to the window and he works with single-minded focus on his laptop, his phone nearly glued to his ear for the duration of the flight.

I don’t try to listen in, nor do I mind the lack of opportunities to talk to him. My brain has reached its capacity for the day, and I need the time to think and process.

I wonder how Cece is doing and if she’ll be able to enjoy her time in Germany. I’ll text her once I’m settled. But right now, I can’t think beyond my own circumstances, wondering what the next couple of days—or however long it’s going to take Adelbert—will look like for me.

Eventually, I get my thoughts under control and have an impressive desire to disassociate before we land in my new reality. I turn my personal screen on and flick through the library of reality TV shows they have.

Like the fates have designed it, I find the latest season of a dating show on a tropical island that I like to watch. I get engrossed in the show and blissfully tune the rest of the world out until the airplane’s wheels kiss the tarmac in Vegas.

In what feels like no time at all, we’re disembarking in the middle of the scorching desert.

---