Page 41 of The Vampire's Receptionist
She huffed, and he could practically see the twisted-up face she made whenever she was caught in a lie. Dad was supposed to be the mischievous one according to stereotypes, but it was Mom who taught Kian how to play pranks.
“Your father is driving me nuts. He wants to retire, which is all well and good, but when I asked him what he’d do with his day, all he could come up with was puzzles. I do not want him filling my house with puzzles, Kian. They’ll cover every surface before the first year is out.”
Kian snickered at the thought. For his dad, the idea of a good time was a good book or a quiet night in. The only reason he ever went to parties was to make Mom happy. He and Dorian would get along well in that regard.
“So, what are you up to? Are you still at the file clerk job or did they move you somewhere else?”
Mom had no problem with Kian’s constant need to find a new job. He didn’t get into trouble like his cousins, and most of the jobs he told her about were safe, according to her. He maybe sort of lied about a few of the more dangerous jobs or the vows he made while working as a paramedic. He didn't want to stress her out about all that.
“Not at the clerk job anymore. Morana sort of promoted me. A big company needed a whole bunch of temps at one time, and I’m the liaison so she can handle everything else. They all go through me right now.” Not that he could actually do his job while he was bedridden. He wasn’t sure who was doing his job at the moment. He never asked. Hopefully, no one needed his help while he was still laid up.
“Oh, honey, that’s wonderful!” she exclaimed. “I’m so proud of you!”
It wasn’t that big a deal, but he soaked up the praise anyway. For too long, the only kind words coming his way were from his parents. She still made him feel like he could do anything, even when he knew his own limits.
“Now all you need to do is tell me you’re seeing someone, and I’ll be a happy camper,” she teased.
Kian rolled his eyes. “Don’t start.”
“What? It’s been decades since you brought someone home. I’m your mother. I’m allowed to want my son to be happy and taken care of.”
His mind flicked to Dorian and his careful attention to Kian’s needs. His stomach flipped when he remembered being held in his arms as he brought him back to his room, or the sweet way he bought an entire garden just to make him more comfortable. His mother would love him just for those acts alone.
Those thoughts were dipping into dangerous territory. He wasn’t going to have a relationship with Dorian. They were going to figure out why only Kian’s blood fed him, then they’d both part ways. Maybe as friends, but certainly not as anything more. Harlem had a point. Dorian was too straight-laced for Kian.
He didn’t at all admire his parents and their opposites attract kind of romance.
“Kian? Are you still there?” his mother prompted when he was quiet for too long.
“Yeah, still here,” he replied distractedly. He blamed the feedings. They were too intimate. They were messing with his head.
He caught up for a while with his mom before saying goodbye. She was no closer to figuring out what to do with his dad when he retired, but Kian wasn’t any help with that regard. He just suggested hanging the puzzles on the walls. Then sealingthem somehow and making them into floor mats. Or bath mats. Really, he was just being an ass because he was bored, and she was fun to tease. She finally hung up because his dad was on his way home, and she didn't want Kian to give him any funny ideas. He was still chuckling to himself when he hung up.
He didn’t have time to get bored before someone knocked on the door. Dorian waited for Kian to invite him in before joining him, his expression rueful.
“Feeding time?” Kian asked knowingly.
“I’m afraid so. Are you feeling alright? The nurse Doctor Chapman is sending to check up on you is late, but we can wait if you’d rather–”
Kian shook his head, cutting him off. “I’m fine. Ready when you are.”
His stomach quickened as Dorian moved to join him on the bed. Kian thought about sitting up, but readjusting might make Dorian think he was uncomfortable, and it would only drag this out.
“Any more meetings today?” he asked, a tad too breathlessly, in his opinion.
Dorian hummed, taking Kian’s wrist in his hand. “A few. Reworking an entire division of a company means a lot of meetings.”
“I’ll bet,” Kian agreed. His gaze flicked to the door that was closed without their normal chaperone present. “Uh… Should we be waiting for someone?”
Dorian shook his head. “I called Doctor Chapman and asked if we could continue without supervision. He’s comfortable with it as long as someone is in the house to hear if you call out. I thought you might like more privacy.”
A breath of relief whooshed out of him. He never expected the thoughtful gesture. He figured Dorian would wait for Doctor Chapman to give him permission. The vampire didn’t seem likehe’d be willing to push if it’d potentially risk Kian’s safety. But he took Kian’s comfort into account and made the request, all to ease the embarrassment a little.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Dorian’s smile made his heart skip. He was so bewildered by the reaction that he forgot to look away when Dorian brought his wrist to his lips. Watching the vampire sink his teeth into Kian’s skin was… hot. And once he started, Kian couldn’t look away. Pleasure burned through him like a forest fire, focused in his cock, and still, he couldn’t drag his eyes away. He panted for breath, whimpering as the suction swept him toward the edge of release. How did it keep getting better every time Dorian bit him?
Dorian’s eyes flicked open, locking on him, and the hungry look in his eyes shoved Kian over the edge. He threw his head back, his hips thrusting as his release spilled into his pants. It went on and on, almost never-ending, and Kian realized too late that it’d keep going so long as Dorian was feeding.
