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“Ilike‘pomegranate’.”Julessmiledat me.

“Let’s use that, then?” I suggested. “Unless you’d rather not.”

“No, I would very much like to try it again.”

My heart hammered in my chest, my mouth flooding with saliva at the mere idea of giving him a kiss.

“Let’s take our time, yeah?” I whispered, bringing his hand up to my mouth and pressing a few more tiny pecks on the knuckles.

“Okay.” He swallowed hard.

“Jules. I am not mad or upset if you say no, okay? Forgive me for asking. I shouldn’t have assumed you were interested just because you are nice to me.”

And because you kissed me. Goddamn it. Of course he isn’t interested.

Jules was protective of me and something short circuited in his brain.

“But I am. Interested,” he whispered, a tentative smile on his face.

Oh, you pretty thing.

“Promise to say ‘pomegranate’ the moment it doesn’t feel right for you,” I told him, unable to stop the smile that crept onto my face.

“I promise.”

Okay, here goes.

Good thing I wasn’t nervous about giving this age-old creature his first real kiss in three centuries. What if I messed up and he spent the rest of his days haunted by our horrible kiss? Or what ifIdid? With my brain that was a likely outcome.

Letting go of his hand, I caressed Jules’ smooth cheek before cupping it in my palm. He stared at me like I was the most wondrous thing he had ever seen.

“Okay?” I asked, and he nodded, careful not to dislodge my hand.

Inching closer, I brought my thigh flush to his, and turned my upper body to face him.

Don’t disappoint now. It’s enough you suck as a human. Least you can do is be a good kisser.

Tilting my face, I softly touched my lips to his. Jules exhaled against my mouth before returning the pressure. It remained a close-lipped kiss. I backed out after a few seconds, already craving more but not wanting to overwhelm him.

“God, I’ve been dreaming of doing this all week,” I told him.

“Bunny?”

“Yeah, Jules?” I didn’t have it in me to tell him that he was calling me by a pet name, and how very much I loved that he did.

“That felt really nice.”

“I’m glad it did.” With my free hand, I squeezed his leg above the knee, letting go instantly when he gasped. “Sorry.”

“No, don’t be. It feels confusing. I don’t understand what’s happening to me when you touch me.” Jules blushed and fuck, I did, too.

What happens to you, baby boy?

“My body reacts very strongly to you, Bunny,” he told me as if he’d read my mind.

“Yeah,” I huffed before I could zip my trap shut. “Same.”

“Can you kiss me again?”