"...Kaden...this is beautiful."

I took a tentative step forward, wrapping my thin shawl around me.

Kaden stood before me surrounded by hundreds of flowers and twinkling candles looking rather proud of himself. He offered me his hand as I took my first step onto the small stairway that lead up the hidden gazebo I never even knew was here. "I'm glad you like it pet...I wanted something private but special for this."

My eyes widened at the sight of the small elegant table set to perfection with a bottle of wine and two covered plates, "W-what is all of this?"

He offered her a somewhat less confident grin, "our first date...even if it has to be a secret, you deserve this Calla. I haven't actually done this in a bloody hell of a long time and I know times have changed but I thought you may enjoy something like this."

I nodded, looking out at the huge pond the gazebo looked over, tears springing to my eyes, "its perfect Kaden...I don't even know what to say."

He pulled out my chair for me, "You don't need to say anything. Just...enjoy the evening."

I nodded taking a seat, giggling a bit when he lifted the cover off my plate to reveal a stunning pasta dish I didn't even know the name of but couldn't wait to eat, this was so strange and surreal.

Pouring each of us some wine he picked up his for pointing at me, "Okay baby tell me about yourself."

I froze, food halfway to my mouth, "theres not much to tell my life was pretty boring."

He looked like he didn't believe me but shrugged it off, "Then how about you tell me about your name?"

I smiled gratefully, guilt gnawing at me a bit at the disappointment flashing in his eyes. "my mother named me Calla after the Calla Lilly because she said the stood tall and proud like the best women do, She had the purple and black Calla lily's mind when naming me, apparently it stands for royalty and black was for elegance. She wanted me to be strong and regal-like I guess."

He smiled a bit, "Calla means beauty in greek, did you know that?"

I shook my head, "..no."

"it suits you."

I blushed, "o-oh what about you? anything I should know about your name?"

"It means Fighter, my mother knew I would need to be strong."

My lips parted in surprise and I itched to ask what happened to her but I could tell he didn't want to talk about it. I let it go, with a playful wink, "well I think it suits you perfectly."

He gave a low chuckle.

I grinned, "whats your favorite color?"

"Red."

I rolled my eyes, "typical vampire."

He laughed, "you?"

"Cerulean Frost."

He stared at me for second, "what does that even look like?"

I shrugged, "its like a grayish blue."

"hmm typical."

I laughed, "oh shut up, favorite animal?"

"wolves."

"oh the irony."

He chuckled, "werewolves aren't real."

I shrugged, "Still. Mine's a squirrel."

"Because thats not weird at all."

I mimicked him childishly, "Favorite food."

"Shepherds pie."

I grinned, "That is so English of you."

"I am English my little flower and I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say yours is honey cake?"

I gasped, "oh my god yes that stuffs amazing!"

He laughed, "You really are something."

I shrugged sipping at my wine, "I am who I am."

He smiled at me lightly, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"...I didn't need all of this you know?"

"I know. But I wanted to do this, I wanted to see the look on your face and that beautiful crooked grin of yours."

I grinned hiding my mouth behind my hand, "My grin is not crooked."

Swirling his wine in its crystal glass he winked, "is too, in a very lovely Calla like way."

This man was going to be the death of me, i couldn't believe he actually wanted me, weird, loud, irrational me

He was a powerful man, a lord, well respected and feared by his peers and he he was smiling at me over candle light and pasta like I was some great gift from the heavens above.

I didn't do anything to deserve this. Hell the only thing I have ever done was cause problems, "Kaden...why do you want to be with me?"

everything was silent for a moment, then the clink of a glass being set down.

I could practically feel his eyes burning into my skin, "Because, you are the most wonderfully beautiful creature I have ever had the privilege to come across, you are light hearted witty and clever Calla. I love that you are unafraid of saying what you think and are always up for a debate, I adore that you take interest in my work but pretend that you do not the moment I look your direction and that you will tell me to go to hell with a smile if I need to be put in my place. You keep me on my toes and are easy bring laughter into an otherwise drab world. Your smart and sweet with just the right amount of fire. The fact that you are physically beautiful as well is just the icing on the preverbal cake."

I blinked at him rapidly, shocked, "oh."

He rose a brow, "was that not enough explanation?"

I shook my head slowly, clearing my throat, "no more explanation necessary, that was more praise than I deserve."

He shrugged, "really, I don't think it was nearly enough."

Kaden has to be the only man on the planet who could make a girl want to drop her panties without even trying simply by completely sincere and serious all while making her want just curl up into him and shower him with innocent kisses.

He simply made feelings confusing as hell.

How the hell did I get so lucky?

His low rhythmic chuckle broke through my spell, "Calla love, you look like you're about to eat me."

I didn't even think, "maybe because I kinda really do want a taste of you."

Flashing me a devilish smirk he toyed with the stem on his wine glass, "keep saying things like that and you may get just that."

I bit my lip, sipping at my own glass in a sad attempt to cool myself down.

"Maybe if your good I won't even tie you to the bed."

He wouldn't even have to remove my panties, I'm pretty sure they just turned to ashes. "..is that supposed to be a privilege?"

He nodded, a deviously dark look in his eyes, "I have a feeling after I try it once you'll be finding yourself tied to my bed more often than not."

Yup defiantly turned to ashes.