Page 63 of Incubus with Benefits
Sure, he’d said it before, but all those other times had been during sex so did they really count?
I sat down on the edge of his couch, trying to formulate how to start the conversation tactfully, but then decided that blunt was the best and only option. “Earlier you said I was yours.”
He froze.
“Did you mean it? Or was it just something that came out in the moment?”
He sat beside me and was silent for a long moment. “Even though I know we were just supposed to be friends,” he finally said, “I can’t stop this feeling that we are more. That you are mine.”
I swallowed hard. “Was that why you were parading me around the club the day you got arrested?”
He seemed to shrink. “Yes. And you were uncomfortable. I felt it. I know I’m just an incubus, not exactly someone anyone would consider a good catch. I don’t have any prestige or come froma family of strong magic. Hell, I’m the first one people suspect when witches go missing. I know I’m unlovable, but that didn’t stop me from falling for you. I love you, Lily. I don’t know how it happened, but I do. And I wanted to let everyone know that you were mine, and I was yours. But all I did was make you uncomfortable.”
I didn’t know what to react to first, the fact that Julian just told me he loved me or the fact that he thought himself unlovable because of what he was. Had he thought I was uncomfortable that night because I was too embarrassed to be claimed by him? I hadn’t known that the proud-seeming, almost outrageous incubus hid this side of himself from the world.
“I was uncomfortable,” I admitted. “But not because of you. It was the way everyone looked at me like I was just your flavor of the week. And it kind of hurt because…” I hesitated. “Because I was falling for you too, and I didn’t want to admit it. Like you said, we were just supposed to be friends.”
He stared at me, almost in a daze. For a second, I wondered if I’d misunderstood and said the wrong thing.
“You were falling for me?” He pulled me close, tucking me under his arms.
I nodded, and he shook his head like he couldn’t believe it.
“But I’m just—”
“You’re a successful businessman who’s done more for your community than anyone ever could. So what if a few idiots are still prejudiced because outdated morality police still claim thatsex is inherently bad and that you are monsters for needing it to literally survive. I seeyou, Julian, not just ‘some incubus,’ and I love what I see. You are more than enough.” But now the insecurity ball was in my court. “But I’m worried you’ll get sick of me when you have the entire world to choose from. I know you need variety, and—”
He cut me off. “I don’t need variety. I need you. I’d never get bored of you.”
His words made me feel giddy. But I was almost afraid to believe them. Julian must have felt my doubt because he forced me to look at him.
“Prax is happy with just Penny,” he said. “I used to think that was strange. Why would anyone tie themselves down? But I understand now. Did you know I haven’t touched anyone since that first time we danced weeks ago? I went Upstairs to get into things but couldn’t. No one there could hold a candle to you. I’ve never had a mate, so I’ve never known what that felt like. But now I do. You’re my mate. I love you, Lily. Please stay with me.”
My chest was so full of hope and happiness I could hardly breathe. Then, since words seemed to have left me for the time being, I threw my arms around him, grinning through the happy tears that were already spilling down my cheeks. I was smiling so hard my face hurt. “Yes,” I finally managed to squeak. “I’ll stay. And Julian, I love you too.”
“You do?”
“I do,” I said, barely able to get the words out through the rush of emotion.
His lips crashed into mine, and I met him halfway, hunger and desperation evident in the kiss. His hands slid up my back, anchoring me to him, and I felt the tension melt away as we lost ourselves in the deep, messy kiss, so full of everything we hadn’t said until now. The world around us blurred. All I could feel was him and the way he kissed me, like I was the only thing that mattered.
When he finally pulled back, he was grinning. “So now that we’ve confirmed we are both madly in love, it’s time to get naked, right?”
I laughed. “Not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m covered in dirt. I don’t exactly feel sexy.”
He stood, sweeping me into his arms. “Then let’s get you cleaned up.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You just want an excuse for shower sex.”
“Obviously,” he said. “That’s why my shower is that big. So we have plenty of space for fun. And just so you know, I’m very thorough when it comes to back scrubbing. And front scrubbing. And everywhere in between.”
Istretchedlazilyonthe bed, rubbing myself against Julian’s super silky sheets. He wasn’t in bed, but the smell of bacon and eggs told me exactly where he was.
But it wasn’t the promise of breakfast that woke me up fully, it was the sound of a doorbell. Oh right! Officer Cooley and Hayes!
I quickly got up and did a quick morning prep in the ensuite. I stepped out of the room just as the officers were stepping in. Gina was already sitting at the kitchen table, looking luscious as always.
The two officers took our statements, and it seemed that Julian had already told Gina exactly what to say. As we spoke, Julian kept bringing up plates after plates of bacon, which Officer Hayes helped himself to with a casual, “Don’t mind if I do.”
