Page 89 of Undying
His mouth parts, a little whimper escaping him, and my heart races as I brace for him to kiss me. Instead, his fang nicks his bottom lip, and my insides tighten when a bead of blood wells up from the small cut, as if he’s trying to entice me.
“Kiss me.” The tortured whisper is both a demand and a plea, the yearning so strong that it echoes my own longing. After everything he went through when he was turned, I can understand why he’s unable to make the first move.
Although he is older than me in human and vampire years, I suspect I might have more experience. I nibble on my bottom lip, struggling to think past my need to taste him, worried that I might be taking advantage of his kindness.
Milo isn’t the type to kiss a woman on a whim. He’s the kind of man who would woo a woman first, take them out on dates and commit to them fully. The gorgeous remodeled room and piles of clothing suddenly make more sense.
I’m both charmed and flustered by his attention.
But I don’t want to fuck this up.
I have to do this right, which means I have to know the truth. Feeling awkward as fuck, I ask him softly, “Are you a virgin?”
To my shock, Milo doesn’t duck his head or act embarrassed, just continues to stare at me with his unwavering gaze. He swallows hard, blows out a shallow breath, then bobs his head once. “Yes.”
I sit speechless for a moment, loving that he’s completely unashamed of his answer, and I find myself respecting his beliefs.
And I don’t want to be the one who breaks them.
“I don’t understand. If you waited this long, why now? Why me?” Suddenly feeling very uncertain, I look anywhere but at him and begin babbling. “My future is uncertain and beyond dangerous. The chances of survival are slim. You would be much safer to choose someone…” My throat closes at the thought of him even looking at another woman, and I can’t finish my sentence.
Sadness invades my soul at the thought of him no longer being in my life, then darkness blooms in my chest, awakening a possessiveness that demands I claim him now. I ruthlessly shove it down, wary why it wants to claim him so urgently.
“I will be by your side either way, bite or no bite.” Milo’s expression is so earnest that my heart swells. He leans toward me, resting his forehead against mine, close enough that our breaths mingle. “Even before I was turned, I always wanted to belong to someone special. I wanted someone I could take care of and worship, but I never found the right woman.
“Until you.” A self-deprecating grin kicks up the corner of his mouth in a lopsided smile, and a light blush stains his cheeks. “It must sound horribly old-fashioned to wait for the perfect woman to come along before having sex. Thankfully, the vampires who turned me found no interest in playing with me that way. For the first time ever, I feel like I belong…to you. You’re the missing pieces to a puzzle that I didn’t know I’ve been searching for my whole life. You make our group feel like a family.”
He reluctantly pulls back, his grip tightening as if he believes I’ll try to get away from him after opening his heart. His eyes narrow as he searches my face, and a hardness enters his green eyes. “You have doubts about your future, but I have none. I’m yours either way, and I’m content to wait until you’re ready, if that’s what it takes to win your heart.”
I place my hand against his chest, and a shudder goes through him at my touch, a moan catching in the back of his throat before he can swallow it. I brush my fingers over his collarbone, watching as he sucks in a sharp breath, his eyes closing in pleasure, and I marvel at the fact that I have such an effect on him.
It’s an addicting, powerful feeling that leaves me craving more. Cinnamon fills my mouth as my fangs lengthen, and I tighten my lips to keep from flashing them and revealing my emotions. Gosh, fangs are so difficult. I don’t know how men can stand walking around with a hard-on, their penises like a flag advertising their feelings.
It’s a struggle to think rationally and not just take what I want, but I don’t want him to regret his choices later. I glance up at his green eyes, the hope so visceral that I swallow back my protests. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.” His simple answer is devastating in its sincerity. “There will never be anyone else.”
I want to call him naïve and foolish, but the lump in the back of my throat tells me that I’m only lying to myself. Since I was a child, I’ve desperately wanted what he described, I just never expected to find it with more than one man.
Turning in his lap, I part my legs and straddle him, leaving only inches separating our faces. He inhales sharply at the change, his hands clamping down to prevent me from moving, and we both freeze.
His cock is hard and heavy against me, and I purr at the feeling of his length at my core. It’s only his grip that keeps me from squirming. He tilts his head to the side in a silent offer, giving me his complete submission.
“I need to take a shower and get ready for supper.” When he wilts, I lean toward him, my lips lightly tracing along his neck, then I whisper into his ear. “Join me?”
ChapterTwenty-Six
JOLIE
Milo doesn’t hesitate to scoop me up in his arms, then shoots to his feet in an amazing display of agility and power. He clutches me close, as if afraid I might escape, but I only tighten my legs around his waist, and a husky laugh escapes me as his long strides eat up the distance between us and the bathroom at the far side of the room.
I clutch at his shoulders when he bursts into the room. He hesitates near the vanity, then seems to decide against setting me down, like he can’t bear being parted from me for even a second. Whirling, he heads toward the shower, then bumps the door open with his shoulder.
He expertly balances my weight with one hand, then leans forward and twists the dials to get the water running. As he tests the temperature, I give in to temptation and nip at the strong column of his neck.
The growl that rumbles from his chest has my nipples hardening, and I scrape my fangs against his skin. His grip turns almost bruising, his body vibrating with tension, and I take pity on him. Releasing his neck, I lean in close and whisper, “Wash me.”
Without hesitation, he steps under the shower spray with me, clothes and all. While I’m left gasping, he carefully lowers me to the floor, protecting me from the pounding spray. Ignoring his own soaked clothing, he reaches for the hem of my shirt, then peers up at me from under his lashes, looking for permission.
