Page 16 of Fated Mates and How to Seduce Them (Fated Mates #4)

Ian, standing at his side, gave a sour grunt.

The sounds outside were picking up in ferocity; he could hear the branches of the trees hitting the roof and sides of the house like a pro baseball player in a batting cage.

Even as he watched through the window, lightning arced across the sky, the booming thunder only a second behind it.

“That does look bad. The forecast called for rain, but no one said anything about a monsoon.”

“Seriously. Ian, I don’t think it’s wise to try and drive through this. For one thing, visibility is, like, two feet. For another, the road dips pretty badly in sections. Some of those areas are sure to be flooded.”

Ian nodded, agreeing, a stressed sigh escaping his mouth. “I think we better stay here tonight.”

André was all for this. Really, he didn’t care about the lack of spare clothes. Staying over was fine by him. Besides, this way, he got more time with Ian. What did he have to complain about?

He hadn’t had a sleepover in ages—well, not a platonic one, at least—so he was all smiles when he went into the kitchen, looking for either Mary or Emma. He found Emma at the stove, washing a pot.

“Emma, do you mind if we stay over tonight?”

She turned, expression relieved. “I’m glad you asked. The thought of you two driving home in this worried me. It’s terrible outside. We’ve got futons and extra blankets, so why don’t we set you and Ian up in the main room for tonight? Casper’s already settled in there, after all.”

Score! André carefully kept the evil laugh in his head, clamping down on it before it could escape. “That’s fine. Where are the futons? I can get them out.”

“Oh no, let me get them.”

It took ten minutes to dig out futons, blankets, and pillows.

With all the extra clothes André had bought for the kids, they were able to borrow two of the teens’ T-shirts to change into for pajamas.

André somehow got roped in to story time with the kids before bed, some of the little ones nervous due to the storm.

He didn’t mind, but it was late when he finally made it back to the main room.

Ian lay stretched out on one of the futons, propped up on an elbow, reading something on his phone.

He was distracted. Perfect.

André didn’t hesitate. He snuck closer, grabbed his futon, and hauled it toward him until it was aligned right next to Ian’s. Not even a millimeter separated them. Only then did he slide under the lightweight blanket.

“André,” Ian drawled, still looking at his phone. “You are not a rabbit. You do not need to sleep right next to me.”

He didn’t answer. Just inchwormed a little closer, taking his pillow with him.

“André.” Ian finally put the phone down to stare at him levelly. “What are you doing?”

“I’m cold?” André tried with a hopeful smile.

“Bullshit. It is not cold in this room.”

He did have him there. André went for the next excuse. “I’m not used to sleeping in unfamiliar places?”

Ian let out an exasperated sigh. “I know for a fact you spent most of your life hopping between different countries. I call bullshit on that too.”

Damn. As expected of his intelligent Ian, he was hard to hoodwink. André switched tactics. “I’m used to hugging a body pillow when I sleep.”

Ian raised an eyebrow. “Body pillow. That’s what you’re going with?”

He dared snuggle in a little closer, getting a hand on Ian’s waist. “You’re an excellent body pillow. You even smell nice.”

Ian’s sigh sounded resigned. “I can tell you’re not going to give up.”

He would not. André had been good all day. He deserved snuggles.

“Fine. Sleep next to me if you like, but the second you try to seduce me, I will throw your ass into the hallway, and you can sleep there tonight. Clear?”

“Crystal,” André answered. He was thrilled to have gotten his way. Just wait; after a night of cuddling, Ian would see how nice it was and become addicted. André was addicted already.

He didn’t dare put his head on Ian’s shoulder as he wanted, but he did manage to inch just a bit closer so his chest pressed up against Ian’s arm.

He hadn’t lied earlier; Ian did smell amazing.

Warm male skin and something flowery, or was it citrus?

Whatever bodywash he used, it was delightful.

The rich scent of blood wafted under that smell, tantalizing him.

Ian radiated warmth, too, the heat of his body seeping into André’s.

In the dim lighting of the room, with only the occasional flash of lightning as illumination, it felt warm and cozy next to Ian.

André wanted to stay awake and cherish this time, as he had no idea when he’d be able to do this again, but he could feel his eyes drooping already. It wasn’t a surprise—he’d had a full day—but dammit, he wanted another ten minutes at least. Just ten minutes to properly indulge.

“André?” Ian whispered into the dark, tone hesitant.

“Hmm?”

“I…don’t know if I can give you the answer you want.”

Shit, this sounded important. André nudged his brain back awake. “You’re saying this because you don’t trust me yet.”

“I just…can’t date for the sake of dating.

I’ve never been able to. If I don’t see a good ending with a person, I won’t start a relationship.

Plus, there’s the glaring fact you’re a vampire, I’m human, and our lifespans don’t even begin to match up.

This is kinda an important thing in a relationship. ”

André could feel a vise around his heart. “See? Like I said, you don’t trust me yet. I never said what I want with you will be temporary.”

“You…really want me as a long-term boyfriend?”

“For every moment I know you, I am more sure of that.”

Silence descended around them.

“It’s all right,” André assured him when it seemed like Ian was at a loss for words.

He himself had to focus because having Ian’s neck right there was incredibly tempting, but this was truly the wrong moment to think with his instincts.

He mentally slapped himself and tried to come up with the right words to reassure him.

“I know not everyone goes at the same speed. Benedict said I came at you like a typhoon. I overwhelmed you. It’s all right if you need time to get to know me first. I won’t take it any further than this until you’re ready. You set the pace.”

“You’re assuming I’m not straight, you know that, right?”

“If you weren’t attracted to me on some level, you’d have punched me and told me off already.”

“It pisses me off that I can’t argue that.”

André snorted and snuggled in a little closer, daring to place a hand on Ian’s chest. He liked that response. He’d suspected Ian’s attraction to him—the man’s eyes and scent gave him away sometimes—but hearing the confirmation was a balm to André’s smarting ego.

“The lifespan thing is bothering you, I can tell. But you know, I’m happy to turn you. If we date for a while, and we feel like the relationship is solid, I can turn you so you can stay with me.”

“Huh. That easy?”

“Sure. Turning someone isn’t hard.”

Ian fell silent, but it was a ruminative silence, as if he had taken the words in and was mulling them over. André was perfectly happy for him to think on that one.

“If you’re waiting for me to give up, Ian, it won’t happen. The only way to get me to stop is to tell me flat out you don’t like me. To tell me to stop. Should I stop?”

There was another long silence, and André found himself holding his breath. He didn’t know how Ian would answer.

Slender fingers reached up and wrapped around his wrist, holding his hand still on Ian’s chest.

“Go to sleep, André.”

That had not been a no. Inwardly, his heart threw some colorful confetti. It was damned close to a yes, and right now, after a long month, André would take it.

He didn’t even try to suppress his smile as he let his eyes close.

Ian tilted his head just enough to let his eyes roam over André’s face. He always looked handsome, but something about the wan lighting here in the room made him beautiful, much like a painting in sepia tones.

Wow, Ian really was sliding if he was thinking in such poetic terms. He was about to despair of himself.

André had fallen deeply asleep, his breath slow and steady, but his grip on Ian hadn’t let up. Between him on this side and Casper tucked in next to Ian’s other shoulder, he wouldn’t be moving anytime soon. The two had him precisely where they wanted him.

Ah, maybe that was it. Like a cat, André had taken one look at him and said “mine” and refused to let go.

In a whisper, the words so soft they barely stirred the air, Ian told the slumbering man, “You make me wish for things I’m not sure I can have. You sorely tempt me, André.”

Ian had much to think on now. André’s offer to turn him had been unexpected.

Ian had thought you were like a child to the vampire who turned you, but apparently this wasn’t always the case.

However, vampires turning their human lovers in order to keep them, live out their lifespans together, made perfect sense. It must be a case-by-case thing.

He wasn’t sure how to feel about being a vampire, though.

He could barely plan out his natural human lifespan.

Thinking about having to make decisions that would affect him for centuries to come seemed immensely daunting.

That murky, unclear future made his stomach tighten and twist uncomfortably.

Still, the offer was also alluring. To have the natural speed, health, and power to protect himself and those he loved was incredibly enticing.

Having André as a loving partner to live out those centuries was also a major plus— if their relationship survived the passage of time, of course. But how would he know if he didn’t even give them a chance?

Mary had been right. It wasn’t fair to leave André in limbo.

Ian should make it clear where he stood.

And yet…and yet, when the conversation had given him the perfect opening to tell André he couldn’t date him, to give up, he hadn’t said that.

His throat had closed down before he could choke those words out.

Ian suspected his heart was already dangerously attached to this man.

If that was the case…then he didn’t know what to do next.