Page 24 of Love Bites

“How the fuck am I going to make her fall in love with me, then?”

Egan grinned. “You don’tmakeyour mate fall in love with you. You stick around and tell her the truth, and eventually she realizes she can’t live without your stubborn ass anymore than you can live without hers.”

I barked out a laugh. “Romantic.”

“Romance is a lie. Real love is strong and determined. It’s a white-knuckled hold that you refuse to release, no matter how hard things get. It can be stubborn and bloody, and sometimes it hurts—but it’s as good as you make it. And you can make it really fucking good.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “I just need to see her.”

“Then go find her. She probably needs to see you too.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Stick around and bug her. Eventually, she’ll realize she’d rather spend her whole life being bugged by you than alone.”

“Sounds like wishful thinking.”

“I would think you’ve had enough loneliness in your life to understand.”

He was right.

It used to feel good to wake up alone. To have a peaceful life full of things I enjoyed.

But the novelty had faded ages ago.

And as it did, I would’ve killed to have someone there to mess up the perfection. To bring things they loved. To make some noise.

“Is that what worked with Lou?”

He barked out a laugh. “You don’t want to know how well.”

“Probably true.” I stretched my legs out beneath the desk. “Alright, I’m going to find her. But if it blows up in my face, you’re the one who has to wipe away my tears.”

He snorted. “Get out of here.”

I laughed. “Tell Lou I’m working on her mountain of paperwork. And tell her not to hate me for pissing off the sirens. I can tell she has a soft spot for them.”

He saluted me. “Yes sir.”

I rolled my eyes, and he grinned.

seven

BLAIR

I’d been lyingon the bottom of the pool, processing the emotions of the day for what felt like a lifetime when the first shoe sunk down beside me.

My eyes followed it past the gorgeous rock formations and jewel-inlaid walls to the floor of the pool.

It was a man’s dress shoe.

How had someone dropped their shoe while walking next to a pool? That kind of clumsiness shouldn’t have existed among vampires.

A minute went by before another shoe followed.

That one landed on my boob.

I made a noise of indignation.

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