"You look beautiful, Sprite."
She smiled, and pink flooded her cheeks and the tips of what he'd dubbed elfin ears.
"Thanks. You look handsome, too."
He thrust the flowers at her. Her eyes widened.
"Oh, these are gorgeous, Xavier. You didn't have to-"
"Yeah, sweet girl, I did," he said, swallowing to moisten his dry mouth.
"Come on in. I'll put these in water," she said.
He moved inside, admiring the way her curls caressed her shoulders. It was growing out again. His fingers twitched. He longed to bury his hands in her silken strands and inhale her scent. But he refrained. If he did that, they wouldn't be leaving the house. Her movements were graceful as she retrieved a mason jar and trimmed the stems. There was a lightness present she hadn't possessed when he first met her. Progress.
"We're going to an art gallery?" she asked.
"Yeah, a few friends of mine are showing their work at the Clover Gallery tonight."
"From the Club?" she asked, wrinkling her nose as she flashed him a look brimming with skepticism.
He laughed. "Nah. I have friends outside the club, too, Sprite." The tips of her ears turned red, and he looked down to hide his smirk.
"Okay, I'm all ready," she said, stepping away from the flowers she'd artfully arranged and placed on the kitchen table.
"You're good at this decorating thing, Sprite."
"It's all the staging books and articles I've been reading for the house. I want to make sure you put your best foot forward if it comes to a custody battle," she stated quietly.
His love for her grew.
"And I appreciate that." He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her to his side, and placed a kiss on her crown. The scent of fresh blossoms rose up.
"A-Are you sniffing me?"
"And if I am?"
"Um … I'll try not to worry about you trying to wear my skin."
"You smell good, sweet girl. Just like the flowers I brought you tonight."
"Charmer." She placed a hand on his cheek and he marveled at the current that flowed between them. This feels right.
"Come on, let's go be fashionably late."
"Wait, is there a certain time we should've been there?" she asked, pulling away and placing her hands on her hips.
In that moment, he could see the teacher and mother in her stern face.
"No, ma'am. It started at six, but runs until nine. It's why I thought seven thirty would be the perfect time to slip in and say hi. We've got dinner reservations for eight thirty."
She relaxed. "Okay. For the record, I hate being late."
"Trust me, sweet girl, I noticed you run a tight ship a long time ago."
"Hey, it's not a bad thing."
"Never said it was," he said. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and she tilted her face toward him. Unable to resist, he bent down and sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. She moaned, and his mouth tingled. When he slipped his tongue inside her mouth, she sucked on his tongue. He wound his fingers in her hair, pulled her neck back, and tilted her head, deepening the kiss as he sampled her. She was a fine whiskey, aged and flavored to perfection. She seared her herself on his heart and set his senses aflame. They pulled apart breathing heavily.
"If we don't leave now, sweet girl, we won't be going anywhere."
She gasped. "Then we should go."
"You sure about that?" he asked, searching her lust-filled glossy gaze.
"Yes?"
The uncertainty in her voice was the green light he'd been waiting for. Tonight she'd learn who she belonged to.
§
"Wasn't there an act of terrorism here last year?" she asked as they stood outside the rebuilt building.
"Yes, a car bomb was placed outside. They were randomly targeted. No need to be concerned."
"You sound so sure about that," she said, narrowing her eyes.
"I know the owner," he replied with a shrug. And the perpetrators. But you don't need to know about that.
"If you say so," she muttered as they walked inside. The crowd was small, but the sold tags on the paintings told him it'd been a good night.
"Snake!" Collen exclaimed, greeting them.
"Hey, Collen, how are you?"
"Good. I'm so glad you came. The kids will be happy to see you. All three of them. Who's your pretty friend?" Collen asked.
"Yeah, brother, who's the beautiful woman you somehow convinced to show up here with you?" Enzo asked, coming up with Aibhlinn beside him, his goddaughter, Aoife, in her arms. Her dark curls spilled down her back, obscuring her face from his view as she snuggled into her mother's shoulder.
"This is, Estelle, my old lady. Estelle, this Aibhlinn, Enzo, my goddaughter, Aoife, and their mother, Colleen."
At the sound of his voice, Aoife pulled away from her mother and turned her head.
"Nake, Nake!" she cried.
"Hi, baby girl," he said, rubbing her back.
"Oh," Aibhlinn breathed.
"Wait, your what?" Es questioned.
"It's nice to meet the woman who tamed this wild man," Aibhlinn said.
"I didn't-"
"Don't let her fool you. She ran me through the paces, and makes me walk the line," Snake stated with a wink.
Es sputtered behind him, sounding like a car out of gas.
Enzo laughed. "Did you tell her this before now?" Enzo asked.
Snake grinned, wrapped his arm around Es's waist, and squeezed her hip. "I'm telling her now."
He loved her blushing and speechless. She blinked and recovered after flashing him a look that said she'd have his ass later.
"It's nice to meet all of you," Es said.
"Show us around, brother. I wanted to brag to her about my artistic friends," Snake said.
"All right."
"Here. You take her. She's going to pitch a fit otherwise," Aibhlinn said, handing him the squirming Aoife.
"Hey, baby girl. You miss your Godfather?" he asked, tickling her face with his beard.
Aoife laughed and pulled on his hair playfully.
"I'll take that as a yes. Be a good girl, so I can see Mommy and Daddy's work."
"Kay," she said, giggling as she hugged his neck. He cherished her small weight, rubbing her back as he turned his attention to the adults.
§
Estelle
She'd always found Snake attractive. But seeing him with his goddaughter set her ovaries on fire and made it impossible to stay upset with him. Old lady? She understood the significance of the title. In his world, it was something akin to a wife. Does he really feel that strongly about me? Do I feel that way about him? The questions swirled around in her head as the wind blew her hair out behind her. They'd left the gallery reluctantly to make their dinner reservations. She liked his friends. Enzo and his wife both had a certain charisma which made it difficult not to feel at ease. The Irish brogue didn't hurt either. She could listen to Aibhlinn and her mother for hours. She snuggled into his back, loving the smell of old leather. Riding on a motorcycle was exhilarating and incredibly arousing. The large machine vibrated beneath her, making her wish for a different beast between thighs.
He pulled into the parking lot of The Prescient, one of the most well-known steak houses in the city. He really went all out. The gesture cooled her anger even further. She removed her helmet and they climbed off the bike.
"I can't believe you got us a table here."
"I can do romance, and believe me, you deserve the best. I'm lucky you gave me the time of day. I know that. I wonder why you stay."
His honest words stunned her. "Is that why you said that back at Clover?"
"No. I said that because it is true."
"How do you get to decide that for both of us?"
"I didn't. All I did was put a name to what's been happening organically. It was a clarification."
"According to you."
"According to everyone with eyes, sweet girl. I promised you I'd go slow. I believe I've honored that. But I can't have you hanging in the wind."
"What are you talking about?"
"Protection."
"Nothing's going to happen to me," she said, placing a hand on his chest.
"I screwed up last time with Jade and Jocelyn. I won't do the same thing with you. I need this, Es. I also need to define your role in my life in case I go to court for Jocelyn. Is it so bad to be linked with me?"
"No, of course not. I … " She bit her bottom lip. "I just don't know if I'm ready to take such a huge step."
"Sprite, you are. We're already doing it. Naming it shouldn't make a difference. Make no mistake, title or no title, you're mine. You have been from the moment you walked into the support group that day looking lost and frightened. I didn't realize it at the time. I know you're scared. Hell, I am, too. But I'm not willing to lose this thing between us over fear. We've both been given a second chance at things. Let's not squander it." He smoothed down her hair. "Listen, don't make any decisions now. Let it all sink in and let's enjoy our dinner together. We'll talk all this over tonight at home, okay?"