Page 41 of Shadows of Eternity

That would be better for all of them.

Chapter Seventeen

Leia woke early in the morning, her thoughts conflicted. She loved Rohan, or thought she did. When she was with him, she had no doubt of it, but when they were apart … When they were apart, she was troubled by the differences between them. Would those differences eventually drive a wedge between them, or bring them closer together? What if he wanted her to become a vampire? That was definitely a deal-breaker! She liked being human, thank you very much. No matter that he could do some amazing things or that he could live forever. It just wasn’t natural. When they were together, he seemed normal, human, and yet there was no disguising that dark undercurrent that was as much a part of him as the color of his hair.

If only he had never told her the truth. Maybe ignorance really was bliss.

Sighing, she ate a quick breakfast, loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, and returned to her room to dress. The day stretched before her. The apartment was squeaky clean. The sky a beautiful, clear blue after the rain. She didn’t really feel like washing the windows or doing anything else. What was Rohan doing? Silly question. Probably resting.

If they stayed together, she would likely spend most of her days alone. She told herself it wouldn’t be too bad during the school year. And he could be awake during the day …

Before she could talk herself out of it, Leia stepped into her shoes, grabbed her keys and her handbag, and drove to Rohan’s hotel. She parked on the street, hurried inside, and rang for the elevator as if she belonged there. Her stomach was in knots by the time the elevator reached the top floor.

Heart pounding like a freight train, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Several long minutes passed. Maybe he wasn’t home. Feeling a rush of disappointment and a dash of relief—he might not be happy to have her drop in uninvited. She was about to leave when the door opened and Rohan stood there. Clad in nothing but a pair of black briefs, his hair falling over his bare shoulders, he was cover model gorgeous.

A slow smile spread over his face. “Well,” he drawled, taking a step back, “this is a pleasant surprise. Come on in.”

Suddenly uncertain, she stepped inside, knew a moment of doubt as she heard the door close behind her.

Arms crossed over his broad chest, he asked, “What brings you here?”

Leia shrugged. “I was bored.”

“Well, then,” he drawled, “I guess I’ll have to find a way to entertain you.”

She licked her lips as his heated gaze moved over her. She didn’t need three guesses to know what he had in mind. Truth be told, it was on her mind, too.

He smiled as he pulled her gently into his arms. “We can just sit and talk, if you’d rather.”

Sit and talk? Was he kidding? She could hardly think with him standing there practically naked. Mercy, the man had the body of a Greek god and her fingers were itching to explore every inch of it.

“Damn, woman, if you don’t stop thinking like that, we’re gonna do it on the floor, right here, right now.”

She blushed from head to toe as he swung her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Dark drapes completely blocked the sun. A blessing, she thought, as he placed her on the mattress and caressed her out of her clothing and shucked his briefs.

“It’s not too late to change your mind,” he murmured, as he rained kisses over her cheeks, her eyelids, her lips, the hollow of her throat.

Smiling, she whispered, “Yes, it is,” as she pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips.

It was an odd sensation, making love in the dark, and yet freeing somehow. She kissed and caressed him, boldly exploring, touching and tasting to her heart’s content until, with a low growl, he rolled over, placing her beneath him. She was more than ready when he rose over her, his voice husky with desire as he whispered that he adored her.

Rohan sighed as Leia fell asleep in his arms. They had made love again before she fell asleep. While they lay spent in each other’s arms, he had asked if he might taste her and she had said yes without a second thought. Her blood was indescribable. Warm and sweet, yes, and so much more.

His gaze moved over her. Even in the pitch blackness of his room, he could see her clearly, her glorious red hair spread like a silken flame across the pillowcase, her lips bruised from his kisses.

She had pulled a sheet over her nakedness, but he knew every curve and hollow, every delectable inch of her. He had made love to many women, but none had captivated him the way she did, or pleased him as much, or in so many ways. He hadbeen delighted and surprised to find her at his door and even more astonished to discover the reason for her visit.

He smiled faintly as he ran his tongue along the length of her neck. Later, he would ask her for another taste. But for now, he was content to lie beside her as he drifted into oblivion.

Leia woke to darkness. Momentarily confused, she wondered where she was but then, feeling Rohan lying beside her, she grinned. She had acted like a trollop, she thought, and she didn’t regret it at all.

Slipping out of bed, she padded into the bathroom, quietly closed the door, and stepped into the shower, hoping it wouldn’t wake him. When she finished, she wrapped herself in a towel and tiptoed into the bedroom, feeling around for her clothes, which lay in a heap on the floor.

She couldn’t find her bra and didn’t want to turn on the lights, so she left it wherever it was. She dressed in the living room, found her handbag and her keys on the floor, and tiptoed out of the apartment.

The desk clerk gave her a knowing smile as she hurried outside, leaving Leia to wonder if lone women coming in and out of the hotel in the middle of the day was a usual occurrence. And then she frowned. Good grief, he probably thought she was a hooker!

She grinned all the way home.

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