Alaric resisted the urge to reach for her with superhuman speed that his vamp nature allowed.
He leaned back in his seat instead, and spoke softly. "Salviana, I've never kissed anyone—nor done anything more. Not a single soul," he confessed, his eyes never leaving her face, hoping she would see the truth in his words.
He caught the brief flicker of disbelief in her eyes, and for a moment, A pang of regret stirred in him for whatever had caused her to question his loyalty.
He reached out, brushing a strand of her fiery hair behind her ear, and felt the warmth of her breath as she looked up at him, both surprised and uncertain.
The silence between them stretched, charged with emotions neither had voiced before. "Salviana," he murmured, his voice like a promise.
"For all that they say, no one has held my heart. No one has been close enough." His gaze deepened, a vulnerability flickering in his dark eyes that she'd never seen before. "Until now."
