“So, dragostea mea,” Andrei said when they came up for air sometime later. “Where do we go from here?”
Tessa shook her head. “I don’t know. I just know I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t.” He ran his knuckles down her cheek, then kissed the tip of her nose. “Even if I have to live like a monk for the rest of your life.”
“Andrei, that wouldn’t be fair to you.”
“I can wait. I know how you feel. It’s a big decision for you.”
“Not for you, I guess.”
“I love you, Tess. I just want you to be happy.”
“You make me happy. But . . .”
He pressed his fingertips to her lips. “But I’m a vampire. I get it.”
“Jilly and Luke are getting married.” She regretted the words as soon as they were spoken.
“Is that what you want, Tess? Marriage?”
Yes! She bit down on her lip to keep the word from escaping.
He regarded her through unblinking eyes. When she felt him probing the edges of her mind, she put up her walls, not wanting him to know what she was thinking. Feeling.
“This isn’t the time for secrets between us,” he remarked. “Most girls want to get married. There’s nothing wrong with that. But I need to know who you have in mind.”
Taking him by the hand, Tessa moved to the sofa, sat down, and tugged him down beside her. “You, of course. But . . .”
“But I’m a vampire,” he said again. “And that complicates things.”
She nodded. “It’s not just what you do to survive. I can accept that. It’s . . . well, look at you. You’ve lived hundreds of years and you still look young. What happens when I grow old and you don’t?”
“I won’t love you less.”
“But how will I feel about you? What if I start to hate you? What if I suddenly decide I don’t want to die and I ask you to turn me when I’m old and gray and you find yourself stuck with a fledgling wife who looks like your grandmother?”
“Tessa, stop. You can’t live your life worrying about what might happen. Life is fragile, uncertain.” He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer. “There are no guarantees either one of us will be here tomorrow. There’s only today.”
It was pretty much the same thing Jilly had once said.
Maybe it was time to listen.
* * *
In the days that followed, Andrei didn’t pressure her one way or the other. He had promised her weeks ago not to try to take advantage of her, to wait until she was ready. And he kept his promise. Tessa didn’t know if her indecision was harder on him, or herself. His longing was evident when she looked in his eyes. And when he held her close, well, there was no denying that he wanted her. Or that she wanted him. It was, she knew, only a matter of time before she surrendered to her own desires.
In the meantime, Jilly was getting married.
The girls at the office gave her a surprise shower after work on Friday.
Tessa met Jilly at the bridal shop the next afternoon. The happy couple had set the date for the following weekend and time was running out for Jilly to find a dress.
After trying on more than a dozen beautiful gowns, she finally narrowed it down to two.
“I just can’t make up my mind!” Jilly exclaimed. “You decide.”
“I like the one you had on before. It fits like it was made for you. And it accents all your curves.”
“I think you’re right. Let me try it on one more time.”
Tessa sighed as Jilly ducked into the dressing room. For a moment, she pretended she was getting married, imagined herself in a long white gown, walking down the aisle on her father’s arm . . . the thought brought her up short. What if she decided to spend the rest of her life with Andrei? How would she explain him to her parents? Would she even be able to tell them the truth? Perhaps Andrei wouldn’t want them to know. Eventually, they would notice that he never looked any older, that he was never sick, that he rarely ate, or drank anything but red wine. Just thinking about all the complications and possible repercussions gave her a headache.
“So, are you sure about this one?” Jilly asked, emerging from the dressing room.
“What? Oh yes. Jilly, you look beautiful.”
“Thank you. And thanks for coming with me. Let me change, and I’ll take you out to lunch.”
* * *
Tessa grabbed a towel as she stepped out of the shower, eager to spend the evening with Andrei, just the two of them. Bailey had gone out with Tristan. Again. The two were becoming inseparable. Tessa had a feeling that it wouldn’t be long before Bailey decided to join Tristan’s pack, whatever that entailed.