Pleasure filled her. “Glad to hear it,” she said, tapping her wine glass against his.
“I take it you enjoy your work with the Redgrave foundation?”
“I do,” she replied. “It’s something I seem to be good at, but every now and then…” Her voice trailed off.
He arched an inquiring brow, popping a carrot into his mouth.
Melissa leaned forward to rest her arms on the table. “I want to do more than plan parties and hold events. My father is always caught up in making important policy changes that help govern our world, and I have no part of that branch of the Redgrave responsibilities.”
“What would you change?”
She sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t know. I plan other people’s charities but I have no cause of my own.”
“Nothing to fight for.”
“Exactly.” Melissa leaned back. “But I suppose I’m too young to be of any real use to my father. I haven’t had time to learn about all the inner workings of our world.”
“I disagree,” Tarian replied. “Your youth gives you fresh eyes. Allows you to look at problems from a different perspective. Is there nothing facing your father you could assist with?”
Melissa scoffed. “He’s dealing with the necromancers. Not an area I’d be inclined to offer ‘fresh eyes’ on.”
Tarian paused in mid chew. “No,” he replied, his voice subdued. “I suppose not.”
Melissa studied her companion as she tipped the last swallow of blood to her lips. He scraped up the last of his potatoes before setting his cutlery on the empty place.
“Was it good?” she asked with a smile.
“Wonderful,” he replied. “I’ll have to remember this place.”
“There are several restaurants that cater to our kind, but Celeste’s reigns supreme.”
“Dessert?” he asked.
She shook her head. While they did have a delightful blood sorbet, she couldn’t eat another drop. “I’m completely satisfied.”
When a knowing smile tugged at his lips, she mentally amended the statement. Her hunger for blood was completely satisfied. Her hunger for him, however, was only growing.
“Then let me grab the check,” he offered, flagging down the waiter.
Melissa leaned back in her seat. Usually she offered to split the bill, but it tended to annoy the more old-fashioned immortals. Given how well the night was going, she decided to let this time slide.
“Thank you for dinner,” she said as he signed the bill and handed it back to the waiter.
“It was my pleasure,” he replied, offering a hand to help her stand.
Though unnecessary, Melissa would take any chance she could get to touch him.
She slipped her fingers into his and rose from the chair. This close, she had to tilt her head up to see him, despite her heels.
“We’ll have to do it again sometime,” she breathed.
Tarian raised her hand to his lips and pressed a light kiss to her knuckles. “Agreed.”
With him keeping hold of her hand, they navigated their way through the restaurant. Melissa grinned at the envious glances being thrown her way. Logic told her he’d be going on other Fated Match dates, but tonight he felt like he was hers alone.
Together they stepped into the night, and she inhaled the cool air out of habit rather than necessity.
“Full moon,” she said, looking at the sky. “There’ll be weres running around Central Park tonight.”
“No doubt,” he agreed from by her side.
Leaving the bright sky, she transferred her gaze to her date.
“So,” she said, unsure of what to say.
A grin flashed across his lips. “So.” He turned to face her, still keeping a hold of her hand.
Nerves gripped her as she looked up at him. It was ridiculous at her age to be acting like a schoolgirl out with her first crush. She’d perfected the art of suave seduction, but Tarian made her forget all her tricks.
He stepped forward, crowding her against the brick wall.
“I was told 48 percent of first dates don’t end in a good night kiss. I think that’s an appalling statistic.”
“Absolutely terrible,” she agreed. “We should do our best to offset the data.”
She caught a brief view of his grin before his mouth claimed hers.
Melissa’s eyes closed as she twined her arms around his shoulders. His lips trailed over hers with tantalizing gentleness. She knew he was teasing her, and though she enjoyed the play, she pushed up on her tiptoes to demand more.
The light teasing left his touch as he took possession of her mouth. Her lips parted for him and welcomed his questing tongue.
Tarian’s hands slid over her hips to cup her waist. He pulled her against his hard body and she moaned against his mouth. Fire flared through her as she kissed him. In the back of her mind, she pictured them making out like teenagers on a very exposed street corner but didn’t care. All she could think about was the pressure of his mouth, the heat from his hands.