“I won’t laugh,” I said firmly.
She took a deep breath and blurted out, “I’ve never been on a plane before.”
“You’ve never...Why do you have a passport?”
“My mom and I borrowed her boss’s condo in Mexico a few years ago,” she explained. “We drove past the border and stayed a few days.”
I stole a few looks at her, trying to understand what her life was like. She’d never been on a plane. She’d never been with a man. What exactly had she done? Or was this typical for this stage in a mortal’s life span? There were so many places she’d yet to experience, foods she hadn’t tried. Her whole life was ahead of her, and I had already done it all.
“You’re quiet,” she said after a minute, squeezing my hand. “Nervous about flying?”
She grinned up at me like she was letting me in on the joke.
“I was just thinking about all the places I’m going to take you,” I murmured.
“In Paris?” she said hopefully.
I raised our joined hands and kissed her knuckles absently as I exited the highway. “All over the world.”
I glanced over at her again and found her blushing.
“Are you sure I’m the best person to take with you?” she asked to my surprise. “I’m hardly some familiar trained to attend these parties. I’m going to embarrass you.”
I nearly drove off the road, but I managed to straighten the wheel. Obviously, this wasn’t just anxiety about flying. I didn’t answer her until we’d reached my private hangar. Turning my eyes, I locked mine on hers. “You are exactly the person I want by my side. You deserve the world. Let me give it to you.”
Thea’s throat slid as she nodded.
“Now that we’ve settled that.” I gently released my hold on her hand. “Shall we?”
But Thea turned her attention to the scene outside her window and stared. “Where are we? Where’s the airport?”
“We’re traveling by other means,” I told her. I didn’t want to risk using the words private plane while she was already struggling with imposter syndrome.
“Please don’t say coffins,” she whispered.
I couldn’t contain my laughter. The fact that she was so serious made it even funnier. “That’s definitely a myth.”
“Good,” she said with a resolute nod.
“Now that you know I’m not dragging you across the ocean in a coffin, are you ready?”
She bobbed her head, still chewing nervously on her lower lip.
I climbed out of the car, went around to her side, and helped her out. As soon as she was on her feet, she grabbed a fistful of my shirt and kissed me. It was hot and quick, and when we broke apart, she wore an unsure smile.
“What was that for?” I asked her.
“For luck.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with.”
I took her hand and continued to the other side of the hangar. As we rounded the corner, Thea gasped.
“What is that?” She pointed at the private jet waiting on the tarmac like she’d spotted a cockroach.
“Our ride.”
Thea stayed locked in place, staring at the massive executive liner. I stopped and swiveled toward her. “Come, pet, let me show you the world.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
THEA
Paris was alive. The city teemed with life. I stared out the car window, watching the crowds of tourists on the sidewalk. I’d fallen asleep on the flight, lulled into an easy slumber by the insanely comfortable seats on Julian’s private jet. I was still tired, but excitement and sheer force of will kept my eyes plastered open. A car zipped dangerously close to ours, and I shrank back out of instinct. Next to me, Julian laughed, not bothering to look up from his phone.
“That car almost hit us,” I told him, pointing out the tinted window.
“I forget this is your first time in Paris,” he said, still absorbed in his phone. “Don’t worry, Phillipe has everything under control, pet.”
I glanced at the uniformed driver that had retrieved us at the private airfield outside Versailles.
“I will keep you safe, mademoiselle,” he said with a heavy accent. He smiled at me in the rearview mirror.
A low growl vibrated from Julian, and I shot him a look. “Behave yourself.”
My boyfriend had gone from perfectly friendly to ice-cold toward Phillipe after the driver took my hand to help me into the back of the Bentley. I made a mental note to grill Celia about Julian’s beastlier tendencies the next time we were alone. Were all vampires so possessive? Or had I just lucked into a particularly dominating one?
“I will try,” Julian promised, taking my hand and lifting it to his lips. He paused with it a breath away from his mouth. His nostrils flared before he finally kissed it softly. He lifted his eyes, searching mine for a response.
“Okay.” I did my best to sound like a hard-ass but failed miserably. It was impossible to hold him accountable with his electric-blue eyes piercing me. I managed to tear myself away, sucking in a deep, steadying breath. I had a year of this ahead of me, and I was going to enjoy every moment of it. But for now, we were in mixed company. I peered over at his phone screen. “What are you doing with that thing? Are you addicted to Wordle like everyone else?”