Page 52 of Elemental Healer

She whimpered as I ran my tongue around the outer edge of her ear. I growled and shoved my face into her pillow. My heart was racing, and my Love element was adding to my already-turned-on body.

“You’re very good at this.” Her chest heaved against mine as she caught her breath. “How many women have gotten close to those lips of yours?”

“Four. And it was just my lips they got close to.” I couldn’t tell what her reaction was to my words. “How many men have tasted your lips?”

“One. Only you.”

I pushed myself up to look down at her. “So, the bathroom…That was your first?”

She nodded.

My mind played through last night again. The kiss we’d shared had been smoldering, and I’d been aggressive until I’d released her. Then I’d humiliated her and kept her up most of the night. No wonder she’d tried to kill me.

“Oh, Tessa. Little one, I’m so sorry.” I was such a jerk. No words could fix this. I’d taken something that should have been wonderful for her and turned it into a nightmare. “What can I do to make this up to you?”

She snorted, taking me by surprise. “I poisoned you, remember? I think I deserved what I got. We both did some things we’re not proud of. If we dwell on the past, we’ll never move to a happy future. We’ll be bitter, and I know where that leads. I don’t want that for us. We have a chance at happiness. That’s what I want.”

I moved off her but didn’t go back to my side of the bed. Instead, I pulled her to me so her back rested against my chest.

“I want that too.”

“Then let’s grab some sleep. We’ve got some great acting to pull off in the morning.”

She had to feel my fear and hesitance still, but I tried to push them back. I had to have faith in her, in my brothers, and in myself. The other races would lend a hand in her safety as well once they knew. I had to trust that we could keep my little one safe.

“Good night, Noodles.”

“Good night, Jefferson.”

My alarm wentoff the next morning, and I groaned. The warm body sprawled over me was the last thing I wanted to leave to turn the stupid thing off.

“I’m going to break your phone.” Her deeper-than-normal morning voice made me want to pick up where we’d left off last night, so I crawled from the bed.

I wasn’t really a morning talker. Being with Tessa had thrown me the last couple days, but this morning, I really wasn’t in the mood to talk. Not until I’d had a cookie.

Jazz had had contractions during the night again, and both the contractions and Drew had woken me from my sleep on multiple occasions. I loved my brother, but unless he wanted me falling asleep during delivery, he needed to back off. I’d told him just that during his last wake up call.

Tessa’s worry filled me when I was in the shower, so I pushed my happiness to her. She made me happy. I was just tired.

“You look exhausted.” Tessa ran her hands through my hair when I stepped from the bathroom, and I swayed on my feet.

“Jazz will be starting her labor any time. Drew’s worried. He kept me up a bit last night.”

“What can I do to help?”

Her floral scent hid an even sweeter smell as I hugged her close. It was the smell of her blood. “May I have a little of your blood? I can ask Nate if that would be better.”

She pulled back and glared at me, though there was no anger in it. “You will not ask Nathaniel. I am your Consort. I will give you what you need.”

Without further comment, I took her hand and brought it to my lips and kissed her wrist. “A bite from an Elemental is different than a bite from anyone else. This will feel, well, I’ll just let you find out.”

I bit down, and her emotions changed from apprehensive to turned on in a second. It took me a few breaths and swallows to push past the onslaught, but I did and took just a little more. There was no point in trying to bond with her as I drank. Life said she was too young. I didn’t want to be disappointed when the bonding wouldn’t take.

“That was…wow.” I laughed at her words when I pulled back. My arm around her waist was the only thing holding her up.

“I need to check on Jazz before we go. Can you be ready quickly?”

“Have Nathaniel make me an egg sandwich. I’ll be right down.”

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