Chapter 243: Moonlit Temptations
Eve’s hands, roaming slowly and low over the firm, hard, yet incredibly warm surface, affected her even with her eyes closed, and she could not help feeling compelled to continue exploring.
But there was only so much she could do with Ivan’s shirt unbuttoned only to his chest. Unable to move any further, she paused at the centre, feeling his heart pounding steadily beneath her palm. There was something both calming and irresistibly alluring about it, and she inched closer until she felt his warm breath brush against her lips. She knew that if she leaned even an inch closer, she would meet the owner of them. So instead of moving in, she remained where she was and finally opened her deep blue eyes, meeting his molten red gaze, which was already fixed on her, silent yet intensely aware.
They both remained perfectly still, as though lost within each other’s eyes. Eve felt utterly spellbound by his godlike form, now softly illuminated by the moonlight seeping through the large arched window of the room. Wrapped in shadows, his features appeared even sharper, enhancing his breathtaking beauty. It was the same face she had loved so deeply in her past life, and the same face that once again drew her in like a moth to a flame. She wondered how someone could be so magnetic, blessed with such angelic beauty, yet she felt not even the faintest hint of complaint within her.
As her gaze traced his features, one thing always stood out above the rest, his molten red eyes, fire swirling endlessly within them. The longer she looked into them, the more she felt as though her very body was being set ablaze by their heat.
Then there were only three words poised on the tip of her tongue, words she had wanted to tell him so desperately when they had been torn apart. She remembered clearly how she had wished for him to know them then, and she wanted him to know them now just as much.
The emotions crashing through her were so overwhelming that she fought the urge to cry. She swallowed softly, her throat working with the small motion, a detail his unyielding gaze did not miss. Slowly, he lifted his hand from her waist to her neck, where he felt her pulse flutter wildly beneath his touch. He sensed she was trying to say something, so he remained silent, giving her the space and time she needed.
She released a soft, shaky breath before finally parting her lips. "Ivan," she whispered, his name falling from her mouth like a siren’s call. No matter how many times she spoke it, the effect was always the same. His name never sounded more alive than when she was the one calling it.
Compelled to answer her, and only her, he replied quietly, "Hm?"
"Ivan," she said again, her voice deeper, heavier with feeling, and he felt himself sink even further at the sound of it.
"I... I..." Her lips trembled, as though she were struggling to give voice to the emotions overwhelming her. Ivan saw her hesitation clearly, so he slid his hand from her neck to her back and began tracing gentle, comforting circles, offering silent reassurance before speaking.
"Whatever it is you want to tell me," he murmured softly, his voice steady and warm, "if it feels too hard to say right now....you can tell me later, when you are ready. I am not going anywhere..." His hand moved from her back to her chin, lifting it gently, his fingers giving a light, reassuring pinch. "...you know that, don’t you, my Eve?"
Still gazing deeply into her eyes, he traced his thumb along her jaw, and little by little, she began to relax.
"I....," as colour rose to her cheeks, she released a shaky breath before finally parting her lips and blurting out in a flutter, ".....wanted to ask if you would like to go swimming again?"
Ivan’s brows lifted slowly in surprise, then his eyes danced with amusement, clearly aware that this was not what she had wanted to say earlier. Still, he chose not to press her further. Besides, he liked the idea of swimming at night, beneath the moonlight.
His lips curled slightly as he tugged her chin closer, murmuring in a low, husky voice, "Is this your way of telling me that you miss our little adventure behind the falls, hm, Eve?"
As the colour on her cheeks deepened, the memory of them behind the waterfall flashed through her mind, and she lowered her gaze shyly, only for it to land on his sinful, tempting lips. Lips she had tasted far too many times before, and a sudden urge to claim them again swelled in her chest.
She murmured softly, "That’s not what I meant..." but even to her own ears, it sounded far from convincing.
She bit her lip, trying to rein herself in, and Ivan saw straight through her. Desire darkened his eyes, yet instead of giving her what she so clearly wanted, he chose to tease her.
"I see," he said lightly. "That’s unfortunate."
With that, he pulled away, and he instantly caught the flash of disappointment that crossed her face. Still, he maintained his composure and added calmly, "Why don’t we get to it then?"
Before she could react, he slipped out of the bed, leaving her momentarily dumbfounded. He noticed the protest that nearly spilled from her lips, words she ultimately held back, though her blue eyes continued to track him, assessing him intently as he made his way to the room’s door.
"I will see you downstairs then," Ivan said, glancing over his shoulder to give her one last look, only to catch her quietly pursing her lips in displeasure. Unable to restrain himself, a sly smile slipped ever so slightly across his lips. Eve noticed it at once and narrowed her eyes at him, but before she could say anything, he slipped out through the door, his footsteps fading moments later.
Eve continued to stare at the now-empty space with a disbelieving expression before muttering under her breath, "That sly devil."
Releasing yet another dramatic sigh, she flopped back onto the mattress and covered her face with both hands, replaying just how embarrassingly desperate she had started craving him and his touch.
"Have I seriously turned into a pervert?" she muttered.
"Maybe I really did hit my head too hard during that fight."
She could not help wondering when exactly her behaviour towards Ivan had taken such a sharp turn. These maddening wants and impulses felt like they had developed minds of their own, steadily pushing her towards a very undignified edge, and she desperately hoped Ivan had not noticed. Then again, knowing how annoyingly perceptive he was, nothing ever escaped those infuriatingly mesmerising eyes of his.
’Ah, those eyes,’ she groaned internally. ’They should come with a warning label,’ especially when she felt heat pool between her legs again.
"Ha!" she gasped, rolling onto her side and hugging a pillow to her chest as though it were a life-saving device. "That’s it. This is officially his fault for corrupting my once innocent mind."
But then she remembered that sly little smile of his and knew that he had been doing this on purpose. Playing with her, enjoying it.
A sudden urge to return the favour bubbled up inside her.
But how exactly was she supposed to outplay the devil himself?
She racked her brain before her gaze drifted down to the low-cut white gown she was currently wearing, a faint crease forming between her brows as a thought struck her. ’Wait. Who changed my clothes?’
According to Ivan, he had taken her straight from the carriage the moment they left Dartmouth. Could it have been him? The very idea made her blush furiously. But then she remembered being cared for first at the Palace of Demos, which meant it could just as easily have been the maids.
Her eyes wandered once more to the daring neckline of the gown, and this time her thoughts took a different turn altogether. Mischief sparked in her mind, and a soft, knowing smirk curved her lips.
...
Downstairs in the cottage, after emptying the entire supply of blood that could have sustained him for days, he finally felt rejuvenated, and the fatigue beneath his eyes slowly but surely began fading away.
Having kept his promise to Eve to feed properly, he now rested his back against a rock near the waterfall, his gaze fixed on the moon. Its soft, cool glow bathed him in silver light, making him look like a god stepped straight from the heavens, which was not far from the truth, considering Ivan was a soul birthed by the God of Fire himself.
He had already heated the entire stream with his immense power so that Eve would not feel the chill of the night. As he waited for her, he recalled the small, muttered complaint she had whispered under her breath when he left the room, and a faint smirk curved his lips at the memory.
