She basked in the comfort he gave so easily, and the ache eventually vanished.

Great! My “weakness” is showing. She pulled back, embarrassed, and licked her lips. Let’s get this date on track. “I’m going to be completely honest with you. I look amazing. But I’m already wanting to 127 Hours my feet. These heels are mountains!”

He barked out a laugh, the sound so rusty she knew he hadn’t made it often. “Aren’t you supposed to compliment me?”

“No way. Ladies first.”

His gaze raked over her slowly, heating, his lids growing heavy. “I’m going to be completely honest with you. I don’t deserve a compliment. I’m unworthy of your exquisite beauty.”

What a compliment! The ache returned, but this one was different, hot and glorious...throbbing. Peter had praised her often, but she’d taken every “Looking at you is the reason I exist” for granted. Never again.

“Thank you.” I won’t fall into his arms before dinner. Well, not again. “And Baden...you deserve a thousand compliments. You are a feast for my eyes, and no other man can compare.”

Because he wasn’t a man, she reminded herself. He was immortal, and life and death meant different things to them. And that was okay. They weren’t trying to forge a forever-after bond here. They were temporary.

At this stage in her mortal existence, a little fun was all she wanted, all she needed.

His amusement drained fast and sure.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, unsure where she’d gone wrong.

“You think me beautiful.”

The problem? “I do.”

“The beauty is only on the outside.”

“That’s not true. I see beauty inside you, too.”

He searched her features, as if he couldn’t quite believe her claim but could think of no way to refute her. With a sigh, he held out a gloved hand. She craved skin-to-skin contact more than water or wine to drink, but she kept her disappointment in check and twined her fingers with his.

Contact hurt him, he’d said, but he wasn’t sure if the problem was mental or physical. Her guess? Physical. Sometimes, when a dog spent the bulk of his life chained up outside with very little human contact—see Katarina turn into a momma bear—his fur became overly sensitized.

If she was right, Baden needed contact. It was the only way to desensitize him. But she couldn’t push for too much too fast. They had to take this one step at a time.

As he ushered her down the hall, she said, “What do immortals do on dates?”

“I don’t know, but this immortal is having a candlelit meal with his favorite human.” With a tug, he pressed her against the wall, eating up her personal space, his warm breath fanning over her brow. “Unless you’d rather do something else?” His coppery eyes devoured her...dared her...

A new cascade of shivers had an avalanche effect, growing stronger and hotter as they tumbled through her. The throbbing between her legs returned and amplified, her nipples beading, pressing against her bra, desperate for contact. For him.

Despite her desire to pull him closer, she flattened her palms against his pecs to hold him at a distance. “You really think I’m that easy?”

“If I say I hope so...?”

“Your honesty will impress me...but it won’t sway me. Let’s eat.”

He leaned closer, traced his tongue over the seam of her lips. “What if I want to eat you?”

Oh, sweet heaven. “I’m not on the menu.” More shivers, accompanied by tingles. “Yet.”

“That’s too bad, krásavica.” He rubbed a very impressive erection between her legs. “Too bad, indeed.”

A whimper escaped her. “I think you need to work on your Slovak. Krásavica means glamour girl.” Fashion wasn’t her thing. Never had been, never would be.

“I know. Glamour girls are lovely...charming.”

An-n-nd there went her pleasure. “Basically another word for useless.” He’d never see her any other way, would he? “I have a name. I prefer it.” She pushed at him, and he frowned.

“I meant no insult. In a life as ugly as mine, beauty isn’t useless. Beauty is priceless.”

Guilt flared in the pit of her stomach. Perhaps she’d been a little hard on him for his choice of designations. “I’m sorry for giving you attitude.”

“Don’t be. I happen to like your attitude.” He led her down a flight of steps and into the kitchen where he’d set up the candlelit dinner for two. The scent of seafood, butter and yeast filled the air, making her mouth water.

“Did you cook this?” No, impossible, she thought as soon as the question left her. She’d only given him an hour. “I bet you sent one of the girls to a nearby restaurant.”

“Wrong on both counts. I had Lucien—he’s the keeper of Death—”

“I know. I’ve met him. Even wore his T-shirt.” He seemed to be the most levelheaded of the bunch. He loved rules, strove for a peaceful resolution whenever his friends argued and, the best, he always remained gentle with Anya, his fiancée; he’d earned Katarina’s respect.

“Lucien can flash. What you and I did the day I took you to Aleksander, moving from one location to another with only a thought. He called in an order and picked it up.” Baden held out a chair for her. “In Paris.”

Impressive. She sat, asking, “Why didn’t you pick it up? You can flash.”

He settled in the seat next to her, their thighs brushing together. “I can only flash to specific people. And apparently any place I consider home.”

People like Aleksander. So...Baden’s victims?

A gloved finger stroked the line of her jaw. “You just flinched. Why?”

“Your intentions toward Alek,” she said, opting for honesty. Hide nothing.

A vein throbbed in the center of Baden’s forehead. “If you’re planning to ask me to release him, don’t. He won’t leave the fortress alive.”

On one hand, yay! No more crazy, cruel Alek terrorizing the world. On the other hand... “Cold-blooded murder isn’t an acceptable solution to anything. And I don’t want him released.” Don’t want you committing a dark deed, sending you deeper into your turmoil. “I want an annulment...and maybe for you to leave him locked up for the rest of his natural life. As long as there’s breath, there’s hope.”