Page 3 of These Wicked Desires
He leans in to whisper in my ear, “It’s a surprise.” His breath tickles my neck and I wait for him to kiss it, but again, he pulls away.
I bite my lip in agitation and look at Sterling. He’s grinning from ear to ear like he knows exactly what they’re doing and planned it from the beginning. Swallowing my frustration, I let Cade lead me outside into the warm night air. Kai’s already in the driver's seat of the hummer, and Sterling hops into the front with him.
“After you, love,” Cade says, holding the back door open for me.
I climb in, and get situated. Looking between my three guys, I wait for one of them to say something, but they don’t. Cade doesn’t even hold my hand as the car descends the mountain. What kind of new torture is this? I think I’d rather be training than sit so close to my guys and not touch them.
“A little hint would be nice. And seriously, why the fuck aren’t any of you touching me?”
“Patience, love. Patience,” Cade croons.
Ellis
I’m about to jump out of my skin by the time Kai stops the hummer. They said nothing the entire drive, no matter how many times I tried to get them to tell me where we were going. I didn’t recognize the roads Kai took, and when he pulled off the main road and we bounced over uneven terrain, I knew we weren’t going anywhere public.
Sterling hops out and opens my door, giving me a hand down. He doesn’t let go like I expect him to, since apparently they all agreed to tease me and leave me begging for their touch. He leans in and presses a soft kiss just below my ear. “Almost there, kitten.”
My toes curl in my strappy heels as his voice washes over me. “And where is there?” I ask for the hundredth time.
Surprise surprise, no answer.
It’s so dark, it’s hard to make out where we are. Looking around, I can tell that we’re on another mountain. Pine trees surround us and their scent reminds me of Sterling. There is no path that I can see, and besides the four of us and the car, there is nothing around.
“You’re not bringing me out here to murder me, are you?”
Kai huffs and shakes his head. “No. That’s our plan for next week’s date. Come on.”
Cade raises his hand and purple light flares in his palm, illuminating the way. I follow them, with Sterling close behind. He has to help me keep my balance because walking through the woods on a mountain in heels and an evening gown is incredibly challenging. Obviously this entire thing, outfit included, was thought out by a guy, because what girl in their right mind would traipse through the woods in high heels?
We walk for a few minutes, when I notice a soft white glow coming from up ahead. The closer we get, the faster my heart beats. Anticipation, excitement, wonder. It all bubbles inside of me, spilling over when I step between two large pine trees into a clearing.
It’s the lake we can see from the front porch of the cabin. And hanging from the branches of the pine trees are fairy lights that twinkle softly in the darkness, reflecting off the dark waters of the lake. Off to the side are blankets and pillows spread out in invitation, with trays of food and glasses of wine.
“It’s a midnight picnic,” Cade says, brushing his fingers down my arm.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. Sterling leads me to the blankets and we sit down, my red skirts puddling around me. “Is it safe? We’re so out in the open here.” I can’t help but glance around. Anyone could be hiding in the darkness beyond the clearing.
Cade sits on the blankets with Kai and shakes his head. “I laid so many wards around here, an ant can’t make it through without me knowing.” He leans forward to tuck my hair behind my ear, even though it springs right back. “Don’t worry tonight, love. Tonight is for you to relax and enjoy yourself. Leave the worrying to us. We’ll keep you safe.”
I know they will, but it’s hard to let go of everything when I’ve been holding it so close for so long. And just thinking about everything hanging over our heads, and everything we have to do, weighs down my shoulders with heavy guilt.
Kai hands me a glass of wine. “Here. This will help you take your mind off things.”
We sit on the blankets, talking, drinking, and eating. Before long, I find myself relaxing. Crickets and cicadas sing their nighttime songs around us, and I let the sound mix with my guys' voices. Since Sterling and I have finally accepted our bond, the tension between the three of them has disappeared. It’s almost like watching them interact together for the first time. They joke, harass, and argue with each other like they’ve been doing it for years. And they have. It’s good to see them together again. A unit. A family.
After a time, Kai stands and walks to the edge of the lake. He slowly strips out of his clothing, like he’s putting on a show because he knows I can’t tear my eyes away from him. I don’t have to look at Cade to know his gaze is also glued to the vampire. In the fairy lights, Kai’s pale skin almost glows. He reaches above his head and dives straight into the lake, his body perfectly poised and sculpted.
He surfaces and shakes his head, spraying droplets of water in all directions. “Who’s going to join me?” A wicked grin spreads across his face displaying his fangs.
I smile but shake my head. “I actually spent time on my hair tonight. I’m not ruining it so soon.” It won’t last. Especially if we end up having sex. But I’m going to try, at least.
Cade stands and kicks off his shoes. “Why the hell not?”
I watch him strip out of his clothes and dive into the water with Kai. “Are you going to join them?” I ask, turning to Sterling.
He watches them with a smile. “No. I’ll let them have some time together.”
I scoot closer to him and lay my head on his shoulder, making sure I can still see Kai and Cade in the lake. Watching them swim around, splash, and laugh makes my heart flutter behind my ribs. “Have they always been like this?”