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“Yeah, it did. Anyway, this was all a long-winded way of saying, I trust you, and I’m all in. If that’s something you’re interested in.”

Esther clenched Ashley’s hand. “But? I feel like there’s a but in there.”

“But I want to take it slow. Or at least not my typical diving in blindly. You feel like something big, Esther, and I don’t want to mess this up.”

“That’s fair and smart actually.” She hugged Ashley’s arms to her again. “I don’t want to mess this up either. We have time. Let’s just see where this goes, and if it doesn’t work out, we’ll cross that bridge then.”

Ashley tucked a finger under Esther’s chin and tilted her head up. “And if it does?”

Esther’s eyes darkened. “Then we’ll figure that out too.”

Esther kissed her, turning to all fours and crawling over Ashley. Ashley grabbed the back of Esther’s head and pulled her in closer, deeper, trailing a hand up and down the curve of Esther’s back.

In the end, it was Ashley that had to break the kiss. “I would love to keep this going, but we should probably pack so we don’t miss our flight.”

Esther rolled off her and sighed. “If we must.”

Ashley got up and tugged on a shirt and pants and wrapped a blanket over her entire body. As she headed to the door, she noticed the two crosses resting on Esther’s nightstand.

“Your earrings are still off.”

Esther stretched and scratched her head. “Well, I don’t wear them to bed. That would be uncomfortable.”

“Do you wear them most days?”

Esther’s cheeks pinkened when she made eye contact. “I used to.”

Three words. That was all it took to take Ashley’s breath away. Esther said the earrings didn’t fit her outfit last night, but it was clear now that it was for Ashley’s benefit. And boy, had she benefited. Esther had literally made herself vulnerable, opened herself up to Ashley, and Ashley would not squander that level of trust.

“I…Esther.” Ashley had to look away to control her tears.

She didn’t know what to say, what to do with this. She was dangerous. Vampires were dangerous, and Esther trusted Ashley enough to leave herself bare.

Ashley walked back to the bed and took both of Esther’s hands in her own, kissing her knuckles. “You are a treasure, Esther Green.”

And the sweet smile that spread across Esther’s face was worth every sunset.

“But…” Ashley pieced together what she wanted to say. Esther alone in a room with Hannah and how helpless Ashley had felt flitted through her memory. Esther may trust her, but there were still other dangers in the world. “I’d like it if you still wore them in Plattsburgh.”

Esther studied her face but finally nodded, and a weight Ashley didn’t know she was carrying lifted.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” She kissed Esther’s hand one more time before tucking the blanket tight around her and heading for the door.

“Where are you going?” Esther asked.

“To the garage before my parents get home. I stuck the last of my blood bags in the bottom drawer of the beer fridge for safekeeping. I’m about to go chug like five of them just in case. We’re not having a repeat of our last flight.”

“Good plan.”

Ashley reached for the door again.

“Wait, one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

“What happened that first time you tried to join the vampire house?”

“Oh.” Ashley laughed. “That was dumb. Someone caught me with a deer near the end of my second semester and ran off screaming. I told Claribel and Cynthia right away, and we managed to find the person before they told anyone else. But I still had to leave while the vampires did a sweep just in case. I didn’t even need that deer. I just wanted to know if they tasted as bad as I remembered. So you know, they do.”