Page 67 of Wild Life

“Why did you hide it from me?” I asked, caressing her arms.

She shrugged. “I was embarrassed. Shy? I don’t know. It’s kind of a private thing.” Her hands fidgeted against my abdomen.

I tucked my finger under her chin and lifted her face to meet my gaze. “You don’t have to hide from me. Anything that happens to you, happens to me.”

Her lips spread into a radiant smile. “Why are you so sweet?”

“Is this why you didn’t want to have sex?”

“Yeah, it’s a bit crazy down there,” she said, pointing downward.

“I don’t mind blood.” There was nothing about her that would repulse me.

She grimaced. “Yeah, but it’s uncomfortable.”

“Let me take care of you.” I planted a kiss on her neck.

“I’m not used to allowing a man to do that to me.”

I pressed another kiss to her lips and then lifted her, and she immediately wrapped her legs around my hips.

“I’ll get you messy,” she whispered, holding on to my shoulders.

“Impossible. It’ll wash away.”

I braced my hand so she could lay back and float peacefully. It was about to be her favorite time of day, the time when her face lit up the most.

Suddenly, the purple sky dimmed, shaded with black specks. The bats fluttered overhead, working overtime to keep up with each other.

Maris’s eyes glittered with excitement, and her mouth opened to release a dazzling giggle at the sight of her favorite animal. My heart could have burst.

“I could stay here forever,” she said.

I hoped she did. I really hoped she did.

Chapter 30

Half-and-Half

Maris

Was I falling in love with Aleki?

Whatever it was between us was growing exponentially, but I didn’t know quite how to place it. It had transformed from hate to tolerance to lust, and now to thisthingthat made my heart flutter anytime he was near. I suspected I already knew the answer, but I needed time to digest it. I had never fallen in love before or even opened myself to the possibility of it.

This was insane. Aleki was someone the universe had forced on me versus one I had chosen on my own. I hadn’t vetted him or weighed the pros and cons of committing to him. Hell, we belonged to two different worlds. None of it made sense. Yet, when I was by his side, everything felt right. Like I belonged. I no longer had to consciously extract the safety and comfort I desired from a man. He gave it to me willingly, without expecting anything in return.

Was that what love was?

Or maybe I was just obsessed with him, or specifically obsessed with his dick? It was certainly a nice one, and Aleki had mastered the use of it in no time. He was, no contest, the best sex of my life.

Maybe I had simply fallen victim to good dick.

Then why did I still feel complete when we were together while not having sex?

I didn’t have much of a reference for love. Aunt Sherri had never dated when I’d lived with her. And my parents had been the result of an arranged situation.

What was it like to fall deeply and madly in love?

---