Not as of lately. “I can do without. ”
“I don’t want you doing without. You wouldn’t ask me to not eat. ”
She doesn’t understand what it’s like for me. Hell, I didn’t even understand. But things had changed. “I don’t need as much blood as I once did. I can easily go three days between feeding. ”
“But Sebastian partakes of the blood swans every day and he’s older than you. ”
“I think he probably does it mostly for the companionship. He can’t possibly require blood every day if I don’t. ”
She lifts her face and looks me right in my eyes. “Promise you’ll come to me if you need to feed. ”
“I will. I promise. ”
“Do you think it’ll be hard to pretend nothing is going on between us when we’re with the others?”
I feel like quite the actor. “I’ve been pretending everything was normal between us for months now. I think I’m pretty damn good at it if I do say so myself. ”
“Your poker face is quite good. No one suspects anything so I guess we’ll continue as we were but how are we going to do … this?”
“We wait and you’ll come to me on the third morning when the others are sleeping. ”
“But I don’t want to wait that long to be with you again. Can we see each other the mornings you don’t drink from me?”
Vampires associate with their blood dolls for very few reasons other than the drinking of their blood but that isn’t what was happening here. I couldn’t give a name to what we were doing just yet but it definitely wasn’t that. “I’d like that very much. ”
Chapter Four
Three days. That’s how long it’s been since I drank from Avery but this morning will put an end to our wait.
We’ve been thieves stealing every available moment together and taken far more chances than we should. It’s becoming harder each day to not allow myself to look at her for too long. Touching her at dinner is now pure torment because it always ends too soon. I almost blew it last night when I held her hand for too long after the sacrament and I strongly suspect Jenn noticed. I’m almost certain of it.
It’s dawn and the others are down for the day. Avery should come to me at any moment and I’m impatient to have her in my arms. It has nothing to do with drinking her blood and never has; I don’t need it. I just want to share our special coalesce again.
And return her most treasured possession.
The buzzer rings and I streak toward the door to open it. I can’t walk at human speed because I’m too anxious about having her close. I’m enchanted by her–not that I’d want to break free of the spell she’s cast over me.
I open the door and she gives me that look–the one that tells me she can’t wait to be in my arms with my mouth pressed against her skin.
I suddenly feel timid about what we’re going to do. “Hi. ”
“Hi. ” Her hands are behind her back and she’s twisting back and forth as she shrugs her shoulders and tilts her head to the side. She looks so sweet and innocent. It’s a great look on her.
As if possible, I want her more than ever.
She brings her hands from where they’re hidden behind her back and I take them so I can pull her into my office. Once she’s inside, I push the door closed. And lock it. I don’t want anyone walking in and interrupting what comes next.
I can’t wait to touch and kiss her so I pull her close. She puts her hands over my shoulders and leans in, pressing her body into mine. Our lips touch and she opens her mouth to invite my tongue inside. She tastes so good–all sweet and minty.
I feel her mouth spread into a smile. “Today took it’s sweet time getting here. ”
“I couldn’t agree more. ”
“How do you want to do it this time? The bathroom again? Or would you be willing to try something … different?”
All of what she just said sounded naughty. “Sounds like you have something in mind. ”
“I do if you’re up for it. ”
She wasn’t the only one that had been thinking about this for days. “I’ll try anything you want. ”
She takes my hands and leads me around to my chair behind the desk. She puts her hands on my chest and pushes. “Sit. ” I do as she says and she climbs onto my lap–a knee on each side of my hips–so she’s straddling me. I think she likes this position.
Oh, hell. There it is again–that intoxicating aroma that takes over and controls my brain anytime when we’re close like this.
She reaches for her hair and pulls it away from her neck so it falls over one shoulder. “I want to try doing it like this if it’s okay with you. ”