Page 14 of Longing for the Minotaur
Soon, the alcohol comes out, and the turkey gets closer to finishing. Everyone is in a good mood. Whenever I look over at Banon, he’s already got his eyes on me, watching like he wants to eat me even more than Thanksgiving dinner.
Finally, the oven timer beeps, and the turkey comes out. Banon whips together the gravy while the last few items come off the stove, and we plate everything up and bring it to the table.
“Thanks for pitching in, everyone,” Dad says, raising his glass of wine. “This year, I’m grateful for my kids, who always find time to spend with their folks even though they have lives of their own. Cheers to another year.”
We all hold up our drinks and clink them together. Then, we dig into the food.
I’ve always loved Thanksgiving, as problematic as it is. Each year, I try to take a moment and reflect on what I’m truly grateful for.
Under the table, a foot nudges mine, and when I glance up, Banon’s smirking at me.
“Valentina,” he says in a silky voice, “pass me the gravy?”
Marissa nods approvingly, clearly pleased that we’ve made up.
I stuff myself so full I almost don’t have room for the amazing pie that’s been cooking, but I manage. There’s always room for pie.
After we’ve all worked together to clean up and put away the leftovers, Marissa yawns dramatically.
“I’m exhausted, Fred,” she says to my dad. “Can you wrap up out here?”
He nods and kisses her on the nose before she retreats down the hall. I find myself pretty exhausted, too, so after finishing off my wine, I get the dishwasher going and say goodnight.
“Goodnight, sweetie,” Dad says, giving me a hug.
Banon nods at me with a grin, his eyes twinkling. “Goodnight, Val.”
I smile back, and for the first time since I was a girl, I feel like I finally understand him. Like the pieces of the puzzle that is our lives makes sense.
I wave as I head off to my room. “Goodnight.”
I’m reclined on my bed in my pajamas, reading a book I swiped off Marissa’s shelf, when I hear the slightest, lightest knock at my door.
It must be Banon.
I open it quietly, and sure enough, there’s an immense, handsome minotaur standing on the other side.
“Can I come in?” he whispers.
My entire body lights on fire at once.
“Yes,” I say, opening it for him. “Please do.”
In the blink of an eye, he pushes the door closed with one hoof, then descends on me. His arms curl around my back, dragging me in close as he kisses me again. This time, he’s gentler, more exploratory, but his hands are another story. One ducks under my shirt while the other slides down my ass to cup it. With our hips pressed so close together, I sense when he grows hard under his jeans again, and I want nothing more than to set him free.
“Valentina,” he murmurs against my lips, gently pushing me toward my bed. “Do you know how to be quiet?”
I nearly choke. So he wants the same thing I do. Right now.
“I know how to be quiet.”
Little does he know I’ve had quite a bit of dorm sex, trying to keep it down so I don’t wake the girls that share a thin wall with me.
“Good,” Banon says, his blue eyes burning. “Because I’m going to make you want to scream.”
CHAPTER
SIX
