The candlelight flickered across Aeliana's face as she leaned in to laugh at some ridiculous joke I'd tossed out.
She was radiant, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling. For a brief moment, I felt my nerves melt away.
Proposing didn't feel like such a terrifying prospect anymore; she was so damn perfect that being hers felt like the most natural thing in the world.
But then it hit me the reason for the slight haze I'd been ignoring all night. Tonight was a half-moon.
Just my luck. I'd forgotten what that meant for my half-demon blood: a head full of dirty thoughts and a body that just wanted... her.
Damn. I'd been doing fine all day, but now, across the table from me, every sweet look she threw my way just twisted the knife.
It didn't help that she was dressed so well tonight, practically glowing. I tried to focus on our conversation, laughing at her teasing and her bright stories, but every time I looked at her, my mind slipped.
"What?" she asked, catching my eye with a slight frown. "You're staring."
I forced a smirk. "Oh, am I? Guess I can't help myself. You just look too good tonight."
She blushed, but I could see that smug little smile of hers, even as she looked down to hide it. That sweet expression nearly undid me.
Half of me just wanted to lean across the table, pull her in close, and...
Focus, Ciara, I told myself, half-rolling my eyes at my own lack of control. My fingers drummed against the table as I fought the urge to touch her.
We had a whole night ahead of us, and I'd be damned if I was going to mess it up by giving in too soon. Even if it felt like pure hell to sit across from her, every little move, every laugh was just... torture.
I gritted my teeth and tried to keep my cool, but damn, Aeliana wasn't making it easy. She leaned forward, that coy smile playing on her lips, her eyes glancing up at me through those lashes in a way that nearly made me lose it.
"Ciara?" she asked, her voice so innocent it had to be on purpose. "You seem... tense. What's going on?"
"Oh, nothing," I replied, doing my best to sound casual, but it came out more like a strangled growl than anything else. "Just, you know… rough day."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.
"Rough day? You? You were fighting demons today, and I'd bet it didn't even make you break a sweat. Don't think I haven't noticed something's up." She narrowed her eyes, half-amused, half-intrigued.
"What's going on in that head of yours?"
"You don't want to know." I tried to smirk, but it felt more like a grimace. With the half-moon overhead, just looking at her was enough to drive me out of my mind. It was like some cosmic joke.
"Oh, I think I do," she teased, leaning back in her chair with that infuriatingly sweet grin.
A part of me wanted to just drag her across the table, pull her close, and kiss every inch of that smug smile off her face.
Instead, I took a deep breath, doing my best to rein it in. "Trust me, Aeliana, you don't want to know what's going through my mind."
"Oh, come on," she said, her voice dripping with playful innocence. "I thought you were the type who always spoke her mind. So what's stopping you now?"
This woman. She was doing this on purpose. I was sure of it. Every single innocent blink, every tilt of her head it was all a trap, and I was the poor demon about to fall right into it.
"Alright," I said, leaning in, my voice low. "You really want to know what's going on in my head?" Her smile flickered, but she nodded, clearly up for the challenge.
"Fine," I continued. "Every time you laugh like that, I have to remind myself not to just… grab you and have my way with you right here. Happy now?"
Aeliana's eyes widened slightly, and I felt a surge of satisfaction. But instead of getting flustered, she bit her lip, leaning forward with a challenging glint in her eye.
"Well then, Ciara," she replied smoothly, "it's a good thing you're trying to behave. We wouldn't want to get thrown out of your own dining room for... improper behavior."
I laughed despite myself, the tension breaking just a bit. But it was impossible to keep my hands to myself much longer.
So when she reached for her glass of wine, I stretched out a hand, brushing my fingers over hers as she lifted it to her lips. She didn't pull away, and the warmth of her touch sent a jolt straight to my core.
She looked at me over the rim of her glass, and the playfulness in her gaze turned into something warmer, softer. The look alone was enough to make me want to teleport us straight to my bedroom. But I forced myself to wait, if only for a little while longer.
"Honestly, Aeliana," I muttered, shaking my head. "You have no idea what you do to me, do you?"
Her cheeks flushed, and she bit back a laugh. "I think I have a pretty good idea," she replied, a spark of mischief in her eyes.
Just then, one of the demon sevant walked in, carrying the dessert tray. He shot us an awkward look, clearly noticing the tension in the room, and placed the tray on the table with an apologetic nod.
"Good evening, Your Highnesses," he said, casting a quick, curious glance at Aeliana. "I, uh… hope you two enjoy your dessert."
As soon as he was gone, I couldn't help myself. "You see how he looked at you?" I muttered, trying to sound casual but failing spectacularly. "It's like they're all rooting for us or something. They think we're… cute."
Aeliana laughed, reaching over to pat my hand. "Oh, come on, Ciara. You don't have to get jealous over a soldier's harmless curiosity."
"Jealous?" I scoffed, trying to play it cool. "Me? Never."
"You just looked like you were ready to fight him over a glance," she teased, grinning. "Admit it—you're hopelessly smitten."
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't hold back the smile creeping onto my face. "Yeah, well, maybe I am," I muttered, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. It wasn't like me to get all sappy, but here I was, completely wrapped around her finger.
We shared our dessert, the teasing and laughter melting into a comfortable silence as we finished the meal.
All the while, I felt the pull between us, the electricity hanging in the air, crackling just beneath the surface. But as much as I wanted to give in, I knew there was something else I had to keep in mind.
In a few days, I'd be proposing to her, asking her to spend the rest of her life with me. And damn it, I wanted that moment to be perfect.
So despite the fire in my veins, I took a deep breath and forced myself to keep it together—just a little longer.
When we finally finished dinner, Aeliana leaned back in her chair, a contented sigh escaping her lips. "That was amazing, Ciara. Thank you."
I nodded, feeling a soft smile tug at my lips. "Anything for you."
But just as we were getting up, she turned to me, brow furrowed with a look of playful suspicion. "You've been distracted all evening. Are you sure there's nothing else on your mind?"
I froze, caught between wanting to kiss her senseless and keeping the proposal a surprise. She was right; I'd been distracted, but I couldn't let her catch on just yet.
"Oh, don't worry about it," I replied, attempting a shrug. "Just thinking about… the future, I guess."
She didn't look fully convinced, but before she could press me further, I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers, hoping it would be enough to keep her questions at bay.
When we finally broke apart, she sighed, her gaze softening. "Well, whatever it is, I'm sure it'll work out. And you know I'm here if you need to talk."
I nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thanks, Aeliana. Really."
She smiled, and I felt the familiar warmth settle in my chest.
As much as tonight had been torture, it had also been a reminder of just how much she meant to me. And soon, if everything went according to plan, she'd have a ring on her finger, a promise of forever.
But for now, I'd have to keep my mouth shut and hold on just a little longer.
As she got up to head to bed, I took one last look at her, feeling a surge of determination.
"Goodnight, Aeliana," I called softly.
She glanced back at me with a warm smile. "Goodnight, Ciara. Don't stay up too late."
As I watched her disappear down the hall, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the days to come.