Page 80 of A Taste of Bliss

Taser lifts his brows at me. “Oh, because you have Grim now?”

My eyes whip back to his. “What?”

He takes a step towards me and I take one back. He stops and shakes his head, putting his hands in his pockets. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. You can sleep with whoever you want.”

“You’re fucking right I can,” I say. My voice almost sounds like Amelia’s in this moment.

“So what’s going on then, Bliss?” Taser asks, eyes boring into mine. “You barely talk to me these days, but then you used me this morning. So why am I here?”

I let out a hollow, hoarse laugh. “Is this a good time to remind you that you cheated on your girlfriend with me?”

His eyes widen. “Shit,” he mutters, sitting down on the bed. “Amelia told you?”

“She didn’t have to. I overheard you say it.”

Taser puts his head into his hands. “If it makes it better, I broke up with her the next day.”

“You broke up with her?” That’s news to me. Tension I didn’t even realize I’ve been holding in my shoulders melts, and I feel myself relaxing. If they’ve been broken up since that day, then what I did with Taser this morning was completely fine.

But you didn’t know that and you did it anyway,a voice reminds me.

He nods. “Of course I did. She obviously deserves better.”

“And what about me? Don’t I deserve better?”

He finally looks at me. “I did the best for you that I could. I wasn’t just going to let you die. I know I’m one of the few people you’d be comfortable feeding with.” He stands up and stops in front of me. “I’m not going to apologize, Bliss. I’d do it again.”

I roll my eyes. It’s the same thing Amelia said. “You and Amelia both act like the ends justify the means.”

“They do.” I start to argue, but he shakes his head. “No, Bliss. When the ends are life and death and the means aren’t, then the ends do justify the means.”

My mouth snaps shut. How the hell do I argue against that?

“So whatever,” he continues, “hate me, or don’t. But I did what I needed to. And I’ll do it again, if you ever need it.” He starts to leave, but I reach out and grab his arm. He’s completely right.

“Stars, I’m sorry.” I search for the right words. “Thanks. For being there for me. You’re a good friend. One of my best friends. And I put you in a really tough situation.”

Taser wraps me up in a bear hug. I can’t stop myself from smiling. “You never need to apologize for just trying to stay alive.” We both fall silent, enjoying the comfort we’re each getting out of this hug.

After a few moments, I break the silence slowly. “So friends do friends favors, right?” I ask, still being crushed into him.

He breaks the hug, his hands coming to rest on my shoulders. “Sexual favors?” he asks with a grin. I swat at his upper arm.

“No.” I shake my head. “I was wondering if you could track a scent for me.”

He scrunches up his face at me. “Wrong fae, Blissy.”

“Don’t call me Blissy. What do you mean wrong fae?”

“I’m not a wolf shifter. Or any animal shifter that would have the ability to sniff things out.”

“But you have all those superior senses!”

“Yeah, like, I have a great sense of smell, but I can’t track things like a fucking dog.”

My shoulders and head slump. “Damn.”

“Why?”