Page 107 of Gilded Wicked Mirrors
“No.” His eyes sparkled with mischief and dirty promises. She imagined the things he could do to her now that he wasn’t in pain.
And she wanted all of it.
Quinn bit her lip. His kisses were passion personified. And oh, how she wanted a chance to experiment again. This time, she wanted to feel his tongue on a different part of her flesh. But—
She couldn’t.
Because if she did, she’d want him to care about her—to want her. Rogue princes didn’t care about their conquests.
“You can’t kiss me or do more.” She coughed. “I am not one of your girls.”
He cocked his head, a reel of expressions playing on his face. He stroked one finger along her chin. “No, you are not.”
The response stung more than she wanted to admit. He would never see her as desirable or as someone he could love. Not that she wanted that. Of course, she didn’t want that. But . . .
She did want to be desirable.
She wanted someone to look at her the way Emrys looked athis dalliances.
Emrys stepped back and slid his fingers into his pockets. The distance between them felt like a chasm, and she instantly regretted saying anything.
“What else would you like to know about me or vampires, Quinnevere?”
“Everything,” she whispered. Before thinking, she blurted, “Can I study you?” She wished she could have taken the words back the second they left her tongue. “I mean . . . can I examine you? I would like to see how your . . . your body . . .” She gulped and bit the inside of her cheek. “. . . is different than ours. I just want to understand.”
He didn’t even flinch at the change in subject. Instead, he laughed softly. “And clearly, the only way to understand is to probe at it scientifically.” It was a joke with the underlying message thatI see you, and I understand you.And that act made her speechless. “I will let you study me if I can return the favor.”
“What does that mean?”
“Everywhere you touch me, I get to touch you back.”
Quinn’s breath hitched, and wetness grew between her legs. Emrys was too talented at getting a reaction out of her body. It was utterly irritating and exhilarating. She ran her fingers along her lips as she thought and remembered the feel of him there . . . and in so many other places. But she had just promised herself she wouldn’t be another one of his girls.
But did it count as being one of his girls if it were for science?
“Fine,” she finally responded.
“Just fine?” he asked. “I would expect more excitement.” She raised a rosewood eyebrow, and he chuckled. “Alright. I have a lab if you would like to do it now while we continue our conversation.”
“Why do you have a lab?”
His cocky brow arched with amusement. “I enjoy science. Studying things and knowing how they tick. We’re not so different, Miss Ashelle.”
Thirty-Six
Ten minutes later, they were in his lab.
It had refrigerators stocked with blood bags, telescopes, medical equipment, and beakers filled with chemicals.
A chill stroked the back of her neck as she nervously fiddled with Emrys’s equipment. Now that she knew vampires were still alive, her scientific brain wanted to probe at them. She wanted to know if there was a biological difference between them. She also needed science to keep her from thinking about everything that happened, from the murders to the threading notes to wanting to kiss Emrys Avalon.
Keeping busy and focusing on her insatiable need to understand things would keep it all at bay, and it would keep her lust at bay. Quinn would touch him, and she would let him touch her back, but the investigation came first.
Besides, she needed to know if blood flowed through vampires’ veins, if they had heartbeats, and how their powers and reflexes worked.
It was science, and it was necessary.
One day, she would be one.
