52 Weeks
by Wizardtho
Chapter 2:
Caius stiffens as the words pass my lips, but he remains silent, waiting for me to give him my answer. I take in a shaky breath, then let it out, my eyes suddenly staring at my fidgeting hands. Here goes nothing. “I will stay… here, with you.”
Before I can register his movement, Caius is again kneeling at my feet, his hands gently taking mine, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles on the inside of my wrists. “Isabella, please look at me.”
My eyes slowly meet his crimson gaze. After a long moment, he pleads softly, “Again, Isabella. Tell me again, but look me in the eyes.”
The tremble is clear in my voice as I repeat, “I will stay… here, with you. I will stay and commit myself to this year with you if you hold true to your word. Not only about the Cullens, but about your intentions for me… for us.”
Caius lifts one hand to my cheek to caress it in a tender manner. “I give you my word, Isabella. First and foremost, as a man, but also as a Volturi leader. I will uphold my promise to you.”
With a slow but deliberate movement, Caius moves, leaning toward the cheek he is not caressing, then places a line of barely-there kisses along it. When he nears my lips, his nose trails my jaw back toward my ear, where he whispers, “Thank you, My Sweet. I will not give you cause to regret this decision, I swear it.”
With a kiss to the soft spot behind my ear, Caius smiles before standing, then turns toward the door while calling for Demetri. I’m left sitting in the chair, nearly breathless due to Caius’ touch and actions. This is definitely not the man I was led to believe he was… ruthless and cold, spoiling for the kill.
No, the man that was just kneeling at my feet was not a vicious man. The man who just turned the angry swarm of bees in my stomach into fluttering butterflies with a simple intimate gesture… that man could not be a heartless monster.
I chance a glance toward the door, where Caius is talking to Demetri. He must sense me watching him, as his eyes immediately seek mine while he smiles. My cheeks heat in response, so I know I must be blushing at being caught. I still can’t help but smile in return as he gives me a cheeky wink before releasing Demetri to his post.
Returning to me, Caius asks, “I am not familiar with your schedule, yet, Sweetling. Do you have need of freshening up or sustenance right now? My brothers are currently in a meeting. It will be another hour or so before they are free to speak with us.”
I nodded gratefully in return, asking, “An hour? That will give me time for both, hopefully. Between the long flight and the tunnels, I would truly love a hot shower, plus I haven’t eaten since we left Washington.”
Caius scowls as he takes my hand, helps me stand, then wraps my hand around his bicep, “Let us remedy these problems at once. I do not like the thought of you without nourishment.”
As he opens the door, he calls to Demetri, “Have Chef send a tray to my quarters for Lady Isabella. It has been too long since her last meal. Make sure I am informed when my brothers are available. Also, have Franco put on the schedule to meet with Lady Isabella within the week. She’ll need to give him her requirements. That is all for now.”
By this time, Demetri is following us down the hall, silently taking note of his king’s demands. My only thought is how completely odd it feels to be called ‘Lady Isabella’. Then something catches my attention, so I ask, “Caius, who is Franco? What requirements?”
He smiles at me while patting my hand, “Franco is the royal tailor. He takes care of any formal wear for my brothers and their mates, as well as for myself. Now, he will also be creating yours. As for requirements, he will be needing to take your measurements, then you will point out styles you like, colors that are acceptable, and so on. Hence, you will be giving him your requirements. From your answers, he will then create a line of formalwear for you.”
I feel completely out of my league here, so I try to give him a smile as I reply, thanking him for explaining. I don’t think I quite managed to pull off the smile, because Caius’ own smile fades as he gently squeezes my hand on his arm. We walk in silence the rest of the way to a pair of massive carved wooden doors, where Demetri bows slightly while saying, “Master Caius, Lady Isabella,” before posting himself beside the door. Caius nods, so I follow suit, then he guides me through the doors.
As soon as the doors close behind us, Caius turns to me. There’s a plea in his eyes of some sort as he says, “I did not mean to throw you in the deep end, Isabella. I know you are not accustomed to living lavishly. We will talk over all that is expected of us, as royalty, but I did not wish to bombard you with details as soon as you said yes. In truth, I have thought of little more than kissing you senseless since the moment the words left your lips.”
He runs his fingers through his golden hair with a slightly sheepish expression, offering, “I apologize if that was forward of me. I do not wish you to feel rushed.”
I can’t help but chuckle a bit, “It was truthful, Caius, and actually kind of sweet that kissing was all you thought about. I think truth is what we need between us if we are going to give this year an honest shot. With that said, I think I need to tell you something. Can we sit? I don’t think I can say this aloud while standing so close to you.”
He nods a little warily but guides me into the cozy sitting room. Once he sits with me on the sofa, I let out a breath. “Honesty… we need that. So, here it is. The reason your offer shocked me so much is that I’ve never been intimately involved with anyone. Edward and I never… I’ve never been… ugh, I’m still…”
Caius lifts my chin to catch my gaze, then says, “I know, My Sweet. It is something that vampires can sense, once we reach a certain age. I know you are untouched, which is not something you should be embarrassed by. It is a humbling thought to know I will be your first, but as I said, I will strive to make sure you feel untold pleasure at my touch... when we reach that point.”
I nod, letting out a breath. That wasn’t as hard as I thought, and he didn’t kick me out for not telling him beforehand. Crisis averted.
Caius, seeing I am relieved, chooses to mirror his actions from earlier. Instead of a hand on my cheek this time, his cool hand cups my neck before his lips trail along my opposite cheek. His kisses brush against my skin, the surprisingly soft stubble on his face leaving tingles in their wake, his fingers lightly massaging my neck.
My eyes slip closed as a shuddering breath escapes my chest. The feel of his touch, his lips against my skin, is more intimate than any kiss I shared with Edward. Yet Caius hasn’t even truly kissed me. It’s almost heartbreaking to know that a virtual stranger is making me feel more desired than my boyfriend ever could.
A long moment passes when Caius sits back, where I can’t bear to open my eyes yet. I realize that I didn’t want it to end. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to feel his lips against mine, to feel his desire for me as our tongues tangled. My thoughts are broken when Caius says softly, “I believe you wanted a shower, My Sweet. Shall I show you the way?”
My eyes open, only to see a small smile gracing his features. With a heavy breath, I reply, “Yes... shower.”
As the hot water rains down on me a few minutes later, I let my thoughts unwind. So much has happened in such a short time. I wonder if I will be able to see Alice and Edward before they leave, but then I realize that if it hadn’t been for Edward’s dramatics, I wouldn’t be here right now. I can’t decide whether I want to hug him or hit him more.
On the one hand, being here could potentially lead to something great. On the other hand, the life I knew is gone now because of this… because he chose to be dramatic.
My thoughts turn to Caius as my hands cup my neck. I can still feel his touch, his lips on my flesh. He is quite tall, his blonde hair reaching past his shoulders, and ruggedly handsome in facial features, though I could not tell about his body. His billowing robes hid his physique from me. His hands, smooth and large, told of immense strength. He could kill me with his pinky, yet the only thing I felt when he touched me was anticipation... dare I say desire.
Butterflies return to my midsection as the thoughts linger, so I cut them off before finishing my shower. Just before I move to shut off the water, I hear a knock on the door, followed by Caius’ voice, “Isabella, Darling? You did not bring any clothing with you. I took the liberty of gathering necessities for you until you have the opportunity to do so yourself. May I enter?”
I sigh at the position I put myself in, then reach for the towel on the warmer as I shut off the water. “Of course. Thank you. I didn’t think of that when I said I wanted a hot shower. Yours I could become severely addicted to, though. My God, it was heaven.”
With the water squeezed out of my hair, the towel wraps around me from underarms to knees. I step out onto the plush rug, thinking Caius has left the room, only to see him looking at me with desire radiating from his whole body. I halt my steps, but he slowly makes his way to me. “I was taking a few moments to accustom myself to your scent, Sweetling. As I said before, your scent is quite arousing. With the temperature of the water, it is carrying on the steam filling the room. There’s no need to fear me, Isabella. I will hold true to my word.”
He reaches me by the end of his explanation, his fingers trailing teasingly down either side of my neck, across my shoulders, then down my arms to grasp my hands. I look into his eyes as I reply, “I wasn’t scared… more caught off guard. When you didn’t say anything, I thought you had left the room. I just didn’t expect you to be standing there when I stepped out, is all.”
He brings both my hands up between us, then places a lingering kiss on each palm before whispering as his eyes flutter, “I must leave the room now. Your scent is truly intoxicating, and my desire to kiss you senseless is becoming overwhelming.”
Before I can register the movement, he is across the room to the doorway. He pauses to look back at me, desire still clear in his eyes. I can only respond with, “I will be out shortly. Thank you for thinking of clothing for me.”
He smiles, nods, then quickly leaves the room. The door is silent as the latch catches in his wake.
I chance a look in the mirror, to see if I can find anything that he might find attractive. Shockingly, my eyes are not the ruddy brown I’ve always seen. They look to be a deep milk chocolate in this light, and are… sparkling? My face... though thin, does not look gaunt, as it had in the last months. Instead, my features seem smooth, skin flush from the heat of the shower. My hair, though wet, is still full. The length trails in the deepest mahogany waves down most of my back.
With an internal hmm…, I remove the towel to dry off, only to peek in the mirror again. This time, as I stand straight, I see the pale skin of my breasts. They’ve gained size since I first moved to Forks, which now makes them a decent C-cup. Round and soft, the areola a blush pink, I can see how they might be enticing. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, then hurry to dry off and dress, leaving my assessment of myself behind.
Amazingly, Caius has gotten my sizes right. Laid out for me on the vanity are a pair of lace cheeky panties, matching demi-cup bra, black flare leg slacks, a colorfully printed silk top, and pair of cream leather pumps. I sigh in content at the silky feeling of the fabric against my skin as I dress, but seeing designer labels for each item, I know deep down this one outfit must cost more than Charlie makes in a month.
I’ll have to be careful not to damage these.
I quickly dry my hair, brush the strands until they are silky waves, then call for Caius. When he knocks then enters, I hear a slight gasp. I turn to find out what’s wrong, only to see him looking over me with clear appreciation. I smile in response, “Thank you. This is amazingly comfortable. Will you please bring my purse to me? It has my lipgloss and such inside.”
He disappears, only to reappear in the next second with my purse in hand. As I go about putting on a light dusting of makeup and lipgloss, Caius stands casually, leaning against the doorway.
He doesn’t move as I turn to him when I’m done, but his smile makes the very corners of his eyes crease. “You look incredibly beautiful, Darling.”
He holds his hand out to me, which I take lightly as he says, “Are you ready to eat? Your tray arrived right before you called for me.”
I nod, my stomach turning circles in its need for food. “Absolutely. Shall we?”
The covered tray sits atop a two-person carved pub table set. Caius settles in the seat opposite me, then lifts the cover from the tray. “I do not know of your allergies or likes, as of yet, so I was unable to inform Chef when he called to inquire. If need be, we can send this back and have something else prepared.”
I give him a small smile in appreciation as I offer, “I have no food allergies, but I appreciate the thought… and if you send this delicious-looking meal back to Chef, I will be upset. It smells divine, and I love stuffed portabella mushrooms.”
Caius grins widely at me while I take a closer look at my plate. It looks to be a meatless entree, with roasted baby tomatoes and some type of cheese filling the hand-sized portabella mushroom, which is placed perfectly on top of a bed of long grain and wild rice.
I eagerly cut and take my first bite, then practically moan as the flavors melt on my tongue. It’s incredibly flavorful, and I instantly long for another bite. Caius chuckles, then I notice he’s filling a wine glass for me while standing at my side.
After swallowing and wiping my mouth, I offer, “Sorry for my lack of conversation, but this is a flavor masterpiece. Honestly, if Chef comes up with food this amazing all the time, I won’t need to give him a list of my likes.”
He places a tender kiss to my neck, then settles in the seat across from me again, saying, “I could tell the moment you took the first bite, Sweetling. Your eyes fluttered, then there was that sexy little moan in your chest. Eat, enjoy, and I will tell you a bit about life here in the castle.”
As we talk, I thoroughly enjoy my meal. Several times, I can’t help but hum or moan, which I notice pleases Caius tremendously. He seems to enjoy seeing and hearing my pleasure with my meal. We talk a bit about how his schedule usually is on a normal day, how the castle runs, as well as the two guards who usually protect him and assist him in alternating shifts.
I am ¾ of the way through my plate when I feel full to the brim. I lay my fork and knife on the plate, wipe my mouth before placing my napkin next to it, then take a sip of wine. Caius stands, pulls a black velvet case from his cloak, then comes to kneel next to me. I turn to face him, curiosity taking hold.
His crimson eyes meet mine as he says seriously, “I saw this at my jeweler’s home when I went to have a jeweled cufflink repaired about two weeks ago. It was not complete at the time. I told him that if the piece was not sold, I wanted it upon its completion. I do not know what possessed me to buy it at the time, but it feels perfect now, for me to give this to you.”
He is holding the black velvet case out to me in both his hands, so I carefully lift the lid. Nestled inside is an earring and pendant set in blue and white diamonds. The earrings are blue diamond studs with a small circle of white diamonds surrounding it. The pendant is on a delicate-looking chain, a line each of blue and white diamonds weaving around and through each other.
I gasp as I look at Caius again, to which he says, “To me, these lines represent us… our lives. For the next year, hopefully longer, our physical and emotional selves are entwined. I thought it fitting that our journey together have a physical representation.”
I know he is waiting for me to speak, to tell him something. The words are caught in my throat, though. I shouldn’t accept this, with how expensive it must be, but there was clear thought put into Caius giving me this gift. I have to tell him… I have to say the words. “Caius, I…”
Caius stiffens as the words pass my lips, but he remains silent, waiting for me to give him my answer. I take in a shaky breath, then let it out, my eyes suddenly staring at my fidgeting hands. Here goes nothing. “I will stay… here, with you.”
Before I can register his movement, Caius is again kneeling at my feet, his hands gently taking mine, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles on the inside of my wrists. “Isabella, please look at me.”
My eyes slowly meet his crimson gaze. After a long moment, he pleads softly, “Again, Isabella. Tell me again, but look me in the eyes.”
The tremble is clear in my voice as I repeat, “I will stay… here, with you. I will stay and commit myself to this year with you if you hold true to your word. Not only about the Cullens, but about your intentions for me… for us.”
Caius lifts one hand to my cheek to caress it in a tender manner. “I give you my word, Isabella. First and foremost, as a man, but also as a Volturi leader. I will uphold my promise to you.”
With a slow but deliberate movement, Caius moves, leaning toward the cheek he is not caressing, then places a line of barely-there kisses along it. When he nears my lips, his nose trails my jaw back toward my ear, where he whispers, “Thank you, My Sweet. I will not give you cause to regret this decision, I swear it.”
With a kiss to the soft spot behind my ear, Caius smiles before standing, then turns toward the door while calling for Demetri. I’m left sitting in the chair, nearly breathless due to Caius’ touch and actions. This is definitely not the man I was led to believe he was… ruthless and cold, spoiling for the kill.
No, the man that was just kneeling at my feet was not a vicious man. The man who just turned the angry swarm of bees in my stomach into fluttering butterflies with a simple intimate gesture… that man could not be a heartless monster.
I chance a glance toward the door, where Caius is talking to Demetri. He must sense me watching him, as his eyes immediately seek mine while he smiles. My cheeks heat in response, so I know I must be blushing at being caught. I still can’t help but smile in return as he gives me a cheeky wink before releasing Demetri to his post.
Returning to me, Caius asks, “I am not familiar with your schedule, yet, Sweetling. Do you have need of freshening up or sustenance right now? My brothers are currently in a meeting. It will be another hour or so before they are free to speak with us.”
I nodded gratefully in return, asking, “An hour? That will give me time for both, hopefully. Between the long flight and the tunnels, I would truly love a hot shower, plus I haven’t eaten since we left Washington.”
Caius scowls as he takes my hand, helps me stand, then wraps my hand around his bicep, “Let us remedy these problems at once. I do not like the thought of you without nourishment.”
As he opens the door, he calls to Demetri, “Have Chef send a tray to my quarters for Lady Isabella. It has been too long since her last meal. Make sure I am informed when my brothers are available. Also, have Franco put on the schedule to meet with Lady Isabella within the week. She’ll need to give him her requirements. That is all for now.”
By this time, Demetri is following us down the hall, silently taking note of his king’s demands. My only thought is how completely odd it feels to be called ‘Lady Isabella’. Then something catches my attention, so I ask, “Caius, who is Franco? What requirements?”
He smiles at me while patting my hand, “Franco is the royal tailor. He takes care of any formal wear for my brothers and their mates, as well as for myself. Now, he will also be creating yours. As for requirements, he will be needing to take your measurements, then you will point out styles you like, colors that are acceptable, and so on. Hence, you will be giving him your requirements. From your answers, he will then create a line of formalwear for you.”
I feel completely out of my league here, so I try to give him a smile as I reply, thanking him for explaining. I don’t think I quite managed to pull off the smile, because Caius’ own smile fades as he gently squeezes my hand on his arm. We walk in silence the rest of the way to a pair of massive carved wooden doors, where Demetri bows slightly while saying, “Master Caius, Lady Isabella,” before posting himself beside the door. Caius nods, so I follow suit, then he guides me through the doors.
As soon as the doors close behind us, Caius turns to me. There’s a plea in his eyes of some sort as he says, “I did not mean to throw you in the deep end, Isabella. I know you are not accustomed to living lavishly. We will talk over all that is expected of us, as royalty, but I did not wish to bombard you with details as soon as you said yes. In truth, I have thought of little more than kissing you senseless since the moment the words left your lips.”
He runs his fingers through his golden hair with a slightly sheepish expression, offering, “I apologize if that was forward of me. I do not wish you to feel rushed.”
I can’t help but chuckle a bit, “It was truthful, Caius, and actually kind of sweet that kissing was all you thought about. I think truth is what we need between us if we are going to give this year an honest shot. With that said, I think I need to tell you something. Can we sit? I don’t think I can say this aloud while standing so close to you.”
He nods a little warily but guides me into the cozy sitting room. Once he sits with me on the sofa, I let out a breath. “Honesty… we need that. So, here it is. The reason your offer shocked me so much is that I’ve never been intimately involved with anyone. Edward and I never… I’ve never been… ugh, I’m still…”
Caius lifts my chin to catch my gaze, then says, “I know, My Sweet. It is something that vampires can sense, once we reach a certain age. I know you are untouched, which is not something you should be embarrassed by. It is a humbling thought to know I will be your first, but as I said, I will strive to make sure you feel untold pleasure at my touch... when we reach that point.”
I nod, letting out a breath. That wasn’t as hard as I thought, and he didn’t kick me out for not telling him beforehand. Crisis averted.
Caius, seeing I am relieved, chooses to mirror his actions from earlier. Instead of a hand on my cheek this time, his cool hand cups my neck before his lips trail along my opposite cheek. His kisses brush against my skin, the surprisingly soft stubble on his face leaving tingles in their wake, his fingers lightly massaging my neck.
My eyes slip closed as a shuddering breath escapes my chest. The feel of his touch, his lips against my skin, is more intimate than any kiss I shared with Edward. Yet Caius hasn’t even truly kissed me. It’s almost heartbreaking to know that a virtual stranger is making me feel more desired than my boyfriend ever could.
A long moment passes when Caius sits back, where I can’t bear to open my eyes yet. I realize that I didn’t want it to end. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to feel his lips against mine, to feel his desire for me as our tongues tangled. My thoughts are broken when Caius says softly, “I believe you wanted a shower, My Sweet. Shall I show you the way?”
My eyes open, only to see a small smile gracing his features. With a heavy breath, I reply, “Yes... shower.”
As the hot water rains down on me a few minutes later, I let my thoughts unwind. So much has happened in such a short time. I wonder if I will be able to see Alice and Edward before they leave, but then I realize that if it hadn’t been for Edward’s dramatics, I wouldn’t be here right now. I can’t decide whether I want to hug him or hit him more.
On the one hand, being here could potentially lead to something great. On the other hand, the life I knew is gone now because of this… because he chose to be dramatic.
My thoughts turn to Caius as my hands cup my neck. I can still feel his touch, his lips on my flesh. He is quite tall, his blonde hair reaching past his shoulders, and ruggedly handsome in facial features, though I could not tell about his body. His billowing robes hid his physique from me. His hands, smooth and large, told of immense strength. He could kill me with his pinky, yet the only thing I felt when he touched me was anticipation... dare I say desire.
Butterflies return to my midsection as the thoughts linger, so I cut them off before finishing my shower. Just before I move to shut off the water, I hear a knock on the door, followed by Caius’ voice, “Isabella, Darling? You did not bring any clothing with you. I took the liberty of gathering necessities for you until you have the opportunity to do so yourself. May I enter?”
I sigh at the position I put myself in, then reach for the towel on the warmer as I shut off the water. “Of course. Thank you. I didn’t think of that when I said I wanted a hot shower. Yours I could become severely addicted to, though. My God, it was heaven.”
With the water squeezed out of my hair, the towel wraps around me from underarms to knees. I step out onto the plush rug, thinking Caius has left the room, only to see him looking at me with desire radiating from his whole body. I halt my steps, but he slowly makes his way to me. “I was taking a few moments to accustom myself to your scent, Sweetling. As I said before, your scent is quite arousing. With the temperature of the water, it is carrying on the steam filling the room. There’s no need to fear me, Isabella. I will hold true to my word.”
He reaches me by the end of his explanation, his fingers trailing teasingly down either side of my neck, across my shoulders, then down my arms to grasp my hands. I look into his eyes as I reply, “I wasn’t scared… more caught off guard. When you didn’t say anything, I thought you had left the room. I just didn’t expect you to be standing there when I stepped out, is all.”
He brings both my hands up between us, then places a lingering kiss on each palm before whispering as his eyes flutter, “I must leave the room now. Your scent is truly intoxicating, and my desire to kiss you senseless is becoming overwhelming.”
Before I can register the movement, he is across the room to the doorway. He pauses to look back at me, desire still clear in his eyes. I can only respond with, “I will be out shortly. Thank you for thinking of clothing for me.”
He smiles, nods, then quickly leaves the room. The door is silent as the latch catches in his wake.
I chance a look in the mirror, to see if I can find anything that he might find attractive. Shockingly, my eyes are not the ruddy brown I’ve always seen. They look to be a deep milk chocolate in this light, and are… sparkling? My face... though thin, does not look gaunt, as it had in the last months. Instead, my features seem smooth, skin flush from the heat of the shower. My hair, though wet, is still full. The length trails in the deepest mahogany waves down most of my back.
With an internal hmm…, I remove the towel to dry off, only to peek in the mirror again. This time, as I stand straight, I see the pale skin of my breasts. They’ve gained size since I first moved to Forks, which now makes them a decent C-cup. Round and soft, the areola a blush pink, I can see how they might be enticing. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, then hurry to dry off and dress, leaving my assessment of myself behind.
Amazingly, Caius has gotten my sizes right. Laid out for me on the vanity are a pair of lace cheeky panties, matching demi-cup bra, black flare leg slacks, a colorfully printed silk top, and pair of cream leather pumps. I sigh in content at the silky feeling of the fabric against my skin as I dress, but seeing designer labels for each item, I know deep down this one outfit must cost more than Charlie makes in a month.
I’ll have to be careful not to damage these.
I quickly dry my hair, brush the strands until they are silky waves, then call for Caius. When he knocks then enters, I hear a slight gasp. I turn to find out what’s wrong, only to see him looking over me with clear appreciation. I smile in response, “Thank you. This is amazingly comfortable. Will you please bring my purse to me? It has my lipgloss and such inside.”
He disappears, only to reappear in the next second with my purse in hand. As I go about putting on a light dusting of makeup and lipgloss, Caius stands casually, leaning against the doorway.
He doesn’t move as I turn to him when I’m done, but his smile makes the very corners of his eyes crease. “You look incredibly beautiful, Darling.”
He holds his hand out to me, which I take lightly as he says, “Are you ready to eat? Your tray arrived right before you called for me.”
I nod, my stomach turning circles in its need for food. “Absolutely. Shall we?”
The covered tray sits atop a two-person carved pub table set. Caius settles in the seat opposite me, then lifts the cover from the tray. “I do not know of your allergies or likes, as of yet, so I was unable to inform Chef when he called to inquire. If need be, we can send this back and have something else prepared.”
I give him a small smile in appreciation as I offer, “I have no food allergies, but I appreciate the thought… and if you send this delicious-looking meal back to Chef, I will be upset. It smells divine, and I love stuffed portabella mushrooms.”
Caius grins widely at me while I take a closer look at my plate. It looks to be a meatless entree, with roasted baby tomatoes and some type of cheese filling the hand-sized portabella mushroom, which is placed perfectly on top of a bed of long grain and wild rice.
I eagerly cut and take my first bite, then practically moan as the flavors melt on my tongue. It’s incredibly flavorful, and I instantly long for another bite. Caius chuckles, then I notice he’s filling a wine glass for me while standing at my side.
After swallowing and wiping my mouth, I offer, “Sorry for my lack of conversation, but this is a flavor masterpiece. Honestly, if Chef comes up with food this amazing all the time, I won’t need to give him a list of my likes.”
He places a tender kiss to my neck, then settles in the seat across from me again, saying, “I could tell the moment you took the first bite, Sweetling. Your eyes fluttered, then there was that sexy little moan in your chest. Eat, enjoy, and I will tell you a bit about life here in the castle.”
As we talk, I thoroughly enjoy my meal. Several times, I can’t help but hum or moan, which I notice pleases Caius tremendously. He seems to enjoy seeing and hearing my pleasure with my meal. We talk a bit about how his schedule usually is on a normal day, how the castle runs, as well as the two guards who usually protect him and assist him in alternating shifts.
I am ¾ of the way through my plate when I feel full to the brim. I lay my fork and knife on the plate, wipe my mouth before placing my napkin next to it, then take a sip of wine. Caius stands, pulls a black velvet case from his cloak, then comes to kneel next to me. I turn to face him, curiosity taking hold.
His crimson eyes meet mine as he says seriously, “I saw this at my jeweler’s home when I went to have a jeweled cufflink repaired about two weeks ago. It was not complete at the time. I told him that if the piece was not sold, I wanted it upon its completion. I do not know what possessed me to buy it at the time, but it feels perfect now, for me to give this to you.”
He is holding the black velvet case out to me in both his hands, so I carefully lift the lid. Nestled inside is an earring and pendant set in blue and white diamonds. The earrings are blue diamond studs with a small circle of white diamonds surrounding it. The pendant is on a delicate-looking chain, a line each of blue and white diamonds weaving around and through each other.
I gasp as I look at Caius again, to which he says, “To me, these lines represent us… our lives. For the next year, hopefully longer, our physical and emotional selves are entwined. I thought it fitting that our journey together have a physical representation.”
I know he is waiting for me to speak, to tell him something. The words are caught in my throat, though. I shouldn’t accept this, with how expensive it must be, but there was clear thought put into Caius giving me this gift. I have to tell him… I have to say the words. “Caius, I…”