Heather couldn’t seem to stop smiling. She and Ethan had spent the night and most of the morning making love. Each time seemed to have meant more than the last, bringing them closer and closer together. And he was a cuddler. How awesome was that? Even now, he dozed with his body curled around hers, one arm forming her pillow, the other wrapped around her.
A knock on the door made her jump.
Ethan swore and rolled away. Slipping from the bed, he strode naked to the door.
Heather watched with both pleasure (the man’s ass was just too attractive) and amusement, wondering if he intended to flash whoever was out in the hallway.
He opened the door enough to reveal his tousled head and bare chest, but kept the rest of himself behind the door. “What?”
“Put this on,” Tracy said, out of sight, “and come upstairs in half an hour. Don’t ask any questions. Just do it.”
Ethan took something from her and closed the door. Turning to Heather, he frowned and held up a hanging clothing bag.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I have no idea.”
“Maybe it’s new hunting clothes.” Tossing back the covers, Heather rose and padded over to him.
His eyes acquired a familiar amber glow as they roved her bare body. “It’s too early to hunt. The sun won’t set for several hours yet.”
Laughing, she shook her head. “How can you still be turned on when we just made love I don’t know how many times?”
He smiled. “You just push my buttons, beautiful.”
She winked. “Push them and stroke them and—”
“Enough!” He laughed. “Or we won’t find out what this is about.”
Heather grasped the zipper on the bag and drew it down. “It’s a suit,” she told him, puzzled. “And a dress. I think there are even shoes in the bottom.” She rummaged around. “Yep. There are shoes.” She drew out the dress, far fancier than anything she had ever owned. Not that she usually went places that required formal dress. “What do you suppose this is for?”
“If it means I get to see you in that dress, I don’t care.”
She grinned. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you in that suit either.”
“Let’s do this then.”
Fortunately, they had showered a couple of hours earlier before they had finally drifted off to sleep. So all Heather had to do was don the clothing and see if she could tame her hair.
The dress fit perfectly. Clinging to her from breasts to hips, it flared out into a looser skirt. Spaghetti straps left her shoulders and arms bare. The neckline dipped low, exposing more cleavage than she was accustomed to showing. Heather wasn’t sure it suited her until she saw Ethan’s reaction.
His eyes lit up like candles as he gave her a long, slow once-over.
She grinned. “Just like a mood ring.”
“You look beautiful. As always.”
“Thank you. You look hot.”
The suit fit his large, muscular form as though it had been tailored to him. Silver pinstripes adorned black material whose quality, she suspected, was of the you’ll-never-be-able-to-afford-this variety. A bright white shirt provided nice contrast to his naturally tan features. He had even shaved, she noticed, as he lifted his chin and reached up to adjust a black necktie.
“I mean, you look really hot,” she repeated, straightening it for him.
His face brightened with a teasing grin. “So I clean up well?”
“Definitely.”
He seemed genuinely pleased by the compliment. “Let me help you with your shoes.”
Warmth filled her when he grabbed the high-heeled shoes and knelt in front of her.
Was this what it felt like to be a married couple? she wondered. Taking pleasure in even something as mundane as getting dressed together?
He guided one of her feet into the first shoe, then did the same with the other, as if he were Prince Charming and she Cinderella. Sitting back on his heels, he frowned at the sexy pumps. “How the hell do you walk in those things?”
“I may not be able to,” she said with a wry smile. “It’s been a while.” She took a few cautious steps toward the door and back, feeling wobbly as hell. Then her legs and ankles seemed to say, Oh yeah, I remember this crap, and she found her stride. “Just like riding a bike.”
Ethan rose, shaking his head. “I’m glad I’m not a woman.”
She winked. “I am, too.”
Chuckling, he slipped his own dress shoes on, then offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
She looped her arm through his. “We shall.”
When they stepped out into the hallway, they found Zach and Lisette doing the same. The other couple was dressed as formally as Heather and Ethan.
Zach looked handsome as hell, but kept shifting his shoulders and reaching up to tug at his tie. Lisette was beautiful. Heather wished she were that pretty and glanced up to catch Ethan’s response.
Her pulse skipped.
He had barely spared the others a glance. His luminous amber gaze instead continued to devour her.
Heather licked her lips.
His eyes brightened.
Forcing herself to look away, she greeted the other couple with a smile. “Anyone know what this is about?”
Lisette shot Zach a squinty-eyed look. “I think Zach does, but he won’t tell me.”
The elder immortal smiled. “I was enjoying your efforts to tease it out of me too much.” In a sultry voice he said, “Please, Zach. If you tell me I’ll—”
Lisette clapped a hand over his mouth and flushed bright red.
Heather and Ethan laughed.
Zach removed Lisette’s hand from his mouth and pressed a kiss to her palm instead of bending over to reach her mouth.
Heather glanced up at Ethan and thought him the perfect height for her. He was tall, but not tall enough that he would have to pick her up to kiss her properly.
“Ahh,” Zach said, “but picking Lisette up always puts her right where I want her—pressed up against me with her legs wrapped around my waist.”
Lisette’s mouth dropped open. “Zach!”
Heather didn’t know whether to laugh or to complain about Zach’s having read her thoughts.
Ethan settled a hand on her lower back. “I’m not even going to ask.” He guided Heather forward. “Let’s go see what’s up before Lisette’s face gets any redder.”
Zach and Lisette held back to let them pass, then followed behind them.
Heather had to take the stairs slowly, unused to climbing them in such high heels.
She loved that Ethan seemed to know it and slid an arm around her for support.
Heart already pounding in her chest, she felt the most wonderful fluttery feeling in her belly, almost as if they were going out on their first . . . date.
She and Ethan stopped short upon exiting the basement stairwell. Down the hallway, Tracy and Sheldon waited for them, both garbed in tuxedos. Two tables, draped in white tablecloths, had been placed close together in the center of the living room. Tall white tapers sported flickering flames that illuminated lovely place settings.
All the other furniture had been moved to the edges of the room.
“What’s this?” Lisette asked, pleasure brightening her voice as she and Zach stopped beside Heather.
“I heard what Ethan said about wishing he could court Heather properly,” Tracy said, “and know that you and Zach didn’t have anything close to a normal courtship when the two of you got together, so I thought it would be nice for you guys to have a date night. Or day. Whatever.” She grinned. “Sheldon helped me put it all together.”
Sheldon saluted them with a grin.
Lisette smiled up at Zach. “Is that why you played music all night and wouldn’t let me come upstairs for a sandwich? You knew what they were doing?”
He nodded, his lips turning up in a smile. “I heard Tracy call Sheldon and enlist his aid.”
Grinning, Lisette hugged him tight. “I love you so much!”
Heather looked up at Ethan, tempted to say the same.
He winked down at her, a soft smile playing about his lips.
Tracy bowed and motioned to the living room. “Your tables await.”
Ethan held Heather’s chair for her, then seated himself across from her.
Zach did the same for Lisette.
Sheldon approached the table with a white towel over one arm and dramatically poured each a glass of . . .
Heather raised her eyebrows. Sparkling grape juice?
He smiled as he filled her glass. “Alcohol sort of lost its appeal for immortals when they lost the ability to get a buzz from it. The virus doesn’t let alcohol affect them at all.”
“Oh.” That was kind of a bummer.
“I was going to bring you some wine,” he said as he straightened, “but figured you’d want to drink whatever they drank. And, honestly, I’m a beer kind of guy. I wouldn’t have known what to buy.”
She smiled back. “This is fine. Thank you, Sheldon.”
Bowing low like an obsequious servant, he backed away and bumped into Zach.
Heather laughed as he straightened with a jerk and spun around.
Zach narrowed his eyes.
Sheldon smiled and shrugged. “Sorry, man.”
Heather thought his steps were a little quicker, though, as he headed into the kitchen.
Ethan smiled. “I’m beginning to see why Richart keeps him around.”
Lisette nodded and smiled at Heather. “Sheldon is my brother’s Second and is a never-ending source of entertainment for us.”