He let his breath out slowly, the red haze before his eyes receding, the demon struggling for supremacy leashed and muzzled. He had an eternity to win Alexandria. She was bound to him, soul to soul, mind to mind. He would find the patience to give her time to come to him willingly.
“Aidan?” This time her voice trembled. “Is something wrong?”
“No, of course not. Let me review things for you. Joshua believes me to be an old family friend. He believes that the two of you had been planning for some time to move into the suite of rooms on the second floor and that your illness at the restaurant merely moved the schedule forward.”
Her large sapphire eyes glinted at him; then her long lashes swept down. “Just how good of friends are we supposed to be?”
A small smile tugged at his mouth, and for one brief moment he looked almost boyish. Then the illusion was gone, and he was a powerful predator once more. “Oh, I would have to say close. Very close. And, fortunately for me, Joshua likes it that way. He is my staunch ally.”
One eyebrow shot up, and the dimple near her mouth deepened. “You need an ally?”
Again he glimpsed her mischievous nature, and it prompted another small smile. “Absolutely.”
Aidan had a way of tipping his head to one side and looking at her with such hunger that it took Alexandria’s breath away. It might have been a trick of the light, except there was no light. She concentrated on his words, trying not to react to his sensual looks or the mesmerizing sound of his voice.
“A rather odious friend of yours tracked you down here and demanded to see you. Aside from upsetting my staff, he did not get very far, he did return some property of yours. You are aware, of course, that both your friend Henry and little Joshua instinctively disapproved of this childish game maker. In fact, Josh has secret plans to make money so you do not have to sell your art to such a man.” Aidan reached behind his head to secure the thick mane of hair at the nape of his neck. “He has a smile reminiscent of a shark, do you not agree?”
Alexandria was held spellbound by Aidan’s simple act of securing his hair, finding the way he moved incredibly sexy. She shook her head, angry that such a ridiculous thought should even occur to her. “Are you talking about Thomas Ivan? Because if you are, show some respect. The man is brilliant at what he does. He actually came by here looking for me?”
She grabbed on to that notion. It was human and normal in a world gone mad. Thomas Ivan was someone she could relate to. Someone who had things in common with her. She ignored the fact that Thomas Ivan’s smile was exactly like a shark’s toothy grin. She ignored the fact that this creature in front of her was the most purely masculine man she had ever seen and that his smile alone held a fascination for her.
“The man’s story lines are idiotic drivel. He does not know the first thing about vampires.” There was contempt in Aidan’s voice, yet it still held such a purity of tone, she found herself leaning toward him and had to pull herself up sharply.
“No one knows anything about vampires,” she corrected firmly, “because they don’t exist. They can’t. And his work isn’t drivel. His games are brilliant.”
“I had not heard that about vampires not existing,” Aidan responded with a mocking grin. “I wish I had known earlier. It might have saved me a great deal of trouble over the centuries. As for Ivan, I fear I must agree with Joshua. The man is a pompous ass. In any case, he returned your briefcase, and I told him you would get in touch with him when your doctor says it is all right to do so.”
“I don’t have a doctor.”
Aidan’s white teeth flashed, and his golden eyes gleamed with wicked amusement. “I am your doctor. I am your healer.”
She could not meet that heated gaze. His amusement was as sexy as his sculpted mouth. “I think I’m getting the picture. So, what else has my little brother been told?” She glanced about the room. “Aren’t there any shirts of mine around here?” She lifted the tails of his elegant silk evening shirt. “Some that don’t reach my knees?”