Chapter Nine
Rhys
I had no idea what I was doing as I steered the SUV into the parking lot at Zilker Park. The botanical gardens were beautiful. I discovered them my second week in Austin and came here regularly. So regularly that the attendant, Joe, greeted me by name when I pulled up to pay the entry fee.
Savannah was watching me with open curiosity as I parked. “Do you come here often?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Once or twice a week.”
She looked around. “What is this place? I’ve lived in Austin for years and I’ve never been here.”
“It’s a botanical garden.”
“It’s so pretty,” she murmured.
As we got out of the car, I noted that clouds were gathering in the sky. I hoped the rain would hold off for a bit so I could show her my favorite spot. I wanted to reach for her hand, but I suppressed the urge. I should be keeping my distance from her, not trying to pull her closer. I shouldn’t have even brought her here, but once I spoke to her again and saw the gentle warmth in her dark eyes, I found myself inviting her to join me.
First, we walked through the Butterfly Garden, admiring the flowers and the beautiful wings of the butterflies that skimmed from bloom to bloom. Then I led her to my favorite area in the garden. Lush green trees and grasses lined the stone path that led to the koi pond.
Savannah sighed when she saw it. “This is so peaceful,” she murmured. “And beautiful.”
I knew she would see it as I did. Beauty and peace in a busy world. A place to breathe.
“I try to find peace where I can,” I replied. “There is so little of it in this world.”
Her head turned toward me. “I don’t agree with that.”
Surprised, I met her gaze. “You don’t agree?” I asked in confusion.
“That there’s very little peace in this world,” she clarified. “I think there is plenty of peace, even in the middle of a busy city. You just have to be willing to experience it.”
“How do you mean?” I asked. Savannah often said and did things that made me wonder how she saw the world. Her perception was so different than mine.
“Peace isn’t always found. Sometimes, we have to make our own.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” I disagreed.
She laughed and shook her head. “Don’t be so literal, Rhys. It’s possible to be peaceful in the midst of chaos. You only have to look for your opportunity. Like my garden. We live in a crowded area. Lots of homes and people everywhere. Yet I feel my calmest when I’m working there. I find serenity there because that’s where I want to find it. That’s where I look for it.”
Strangely, her reasoning made a great deal of sense. I’d never looked for tranquility wherever I could find it because, until Cornelius died, I hadn’t believed it existed. I was still learning how to relax, but I doubted I would ever stop looking over my shoulder.
Savannah returned to her contemplation of the koi pond. “Can I ask you something?”
Unsure of why she was requesting permission to ask me a question, I replied, “Of course.”
“How old are you? You look around my age, maybe in your late twenties, but your accent and the way you speak…” She fell silent.
I knew that I sounded antiquated when I spoke because I rarely spent time with other people. I also knew I needed to work on that in order to assimilate into modern society, but I loathed the idea of spending so much time around other people. Crowds made me feel under attack.
“The answer to that question is complicated,” I replied.
“You don’t have to tell me if—”
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you,” I interrupted. “I’m not sure if I can.”
She looked up at me, a frown tugging at her brow. “What do you mean?”
“When I was born, record keeping was not as important as growing enough food to survive in my village. My first master said I was born in the spring and I do know that was about a century before what you call the Common Era.”
Her eyes widened. “You were born before the Common Era? That means you’re over two thousand years old.”
“I feel every single year,” I sighed.
“Now I really have a ton of questions,” she said, her voice high. Savannah took a deep breath and studied my face. “But they can wait. This place is where you come to relax.”
My body stilled completely as she faced the koi pond again and slid her palm into mine. The contact was unexpected, but sweet. Reflexively, my fingers tightened around her hand. Our arms brushed with each breath, making me aware of her body in a way I was unable to ignore.
We stood there in silence until a crack of thunder interrupted the tranquility. A few seconds later, the skies opened up and released sheets of rain. She yelped, instinctively lifting her arm above her head as though it would protect her. Quickly, I decided our best course of action was to head up to the teahouse perched on top of the hill behind us. I helped Savannah up the stone steps toward the top of the garden where the teahouse sat overlooking the greenery and had a view of downtown Austin.
Holding hands, we dashed under the cover of the teahouse. Savannah looked up at me as she laughed and drops of water sparkled on her face. Joy radiated from her face and it was so pure and sweet, I couldn’t resist her any longer. It might be a mistake that I’d regret later, but I couldn’t stop myself.
Holding both of her hands in mine, I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. Savannah froze. Her body stiffened and her hands clamped down around my fingers, pressing our joined hands against my legs. I nearly pulled away, but she suddenly softened and I was no longer thinking about ending the kiss. She leaned into me, her breasts pressing against my torso, and I was surrounded by her scent intermingled with the smell of rain. It was an intoxicating combination. Her lips clung to mine as her hands crept up to my neck and wrapped around me.
The kiss was light, nearly chaste, but it still had the power to knock me on my ass. I could feel the hunger rising inside me, the urge to plunder, to take what I wanted. Savannah hummed against my lips, opening her mouth beneath mine, and I no longer thought of anything but tasting her.
The feelings I’d been suppressing over the last weeks exploded and I wrapped my arms around her waist, gathering her to my body. Savannah fisted her fingers in my hair, her fingernails scraping against my scalp. The hum in her throat became a moan and her body undulated against mine. My fingers dug into her hips, pressing her closer. The embrace was beyond my control and I couldn’t stop, even if I wanted to.
Another rolling boom of thunder made her flinch and broke through the heated haze that surrounded my mind. We stood in the circle of each other’s arms for a long moment, both of us breathing hard. Gradually, Savannah withdrew enough to look up at my face.
Her smile was tremulous, as though she could sense my doubts and fears. “It’s been a long time since anyone’s kissed me like that,” she murmured. Her fingertips lifted to my lips, brushing lightly across them. “Well, actually, no one’s ever kissed me like that.”
The stab of guilt pierced my heart. I had no right to put my hands or my mouth on this warm, gentle creature. Despite her reassurances that she didn’t think I was a monster, I knew better. This couldn’t happen again. While I couldn’t regret it, I also understood that I couldn’t repeat it.
I released her slowly, making sure that she had her balance before I stepped back. “I’m sorry, Savannah.”
She frowned at me. “Sorry? For kissing me?”
“I shouldn’t have done that.”
Savannah rocked back on her heels and stared at me, her dark eyes piercing in a way I’d never seen before. “I’m pretty sure it takes two to kiss.”
“Savannah, I can’t do this with you. It’s wrong.”
Her body grew rigid. “Wrong?” Her eyes moved to a point over my shoulder and I realized she misunderstood what I was trying to say.
“Savan—”
“You’re right, Rhys. This would be wrong. I don’t want to push you into something that you aren’t interested in.”
I nearly laughed at her words. If she hadn’t felt my interest earlier when I kissed her, I wasn’t going to point it out.
With her gaze returning to mine, Savannah continued, “I want the person I’m with to be one hundred percent sure that they want to be with me.” She smiled, but for the first time since I met her, it didn’t reach her eyes. “The rain has let up, so why don’t we head back to the house?”
It seemed there was nothing else to say.