#Chapter 33: Invitations

Elara That night, Alaric surprisingly came to bed before I fell asleep. I was already tucked under the covers, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting a warm circle of light across the room as I flipped through my book. He loosened his tie as he entered, barely looking at me. I glanced up furtively from my book, my cheeks warming ever so slightly at the sight of his handsomely mussed hair and five o’clock shadow, then quickly averted my gaze as he strode to the wardrobe and began unbuttoning his shirt. It was hard not to watch as he undressed. His tense movements, his broad shoulders, the way his dark hair curled at the back of his neck… Suddenly, I realized that I hadn’t turned the page of my book in some time. Finally, I cleared my throat and looked back down. “I saw the invitation earlier,” I said. He paused, glancing over his shoulder at me as he folded his tie and placed it on top of the dresser. “The charity auction?” “Yes,” I said, setting