Page 57 of Grave Beginnings

“Yes,” I agreed. Cake covered Angel was even better.

“What was I doing with the cake? Or better yet, what wereyoudoing with the cake?”

I sucked in a breath, cock going incredibly hard. Shifter senses and all, he had to know how close I was. “I, uh…”

“Really?” Angel asked, drawing out the word like he could see inside my head.

I licked my lips to try to get out something in denial of my depravity. But he leaned in to press his forehead to mine. “Sweet Jude, who loves sweets…” Angel murmured, his breath across my face sending a shiver down my spine. “And isn’t afraid of shifters.”

“Yes,” I said. “Not afraid.” And so turned on.

“You know, most HVs avoid shifters because we can smell when they want us, and they think of us as more animal than human.”

“That’s insane,” I said.

“We’re just a kink to them.”

“Creepy.”

“But you don’t think that way,” Angel said.

“Uh, no.”

“You were turned on by me before you even knew I was a shifter.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Sorry.”

“Why?”

“Because you probably want a normal partner. Not one whose brain turns to mush with lust when he looks at you.”

“I don’t, and I’m not sorry.” His lips brushed mine, a whisper of a touch, gentle and tentative as if giving me the chance to retreat. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I needed him like I couldn’t recall ever needing anyone before.

My breath caught, and then he kissed me, tongue slippingbetween my lips, welcomed into my mouth. He tasted of sweet coffee and heat, and I sank into his warmth. His hand slid from my cheek to cradle the back of my head, drawing me closer. Our magic twirled together, a melding of fire and ice, braiding itself into a tizzy of rising passion. I gripped the edge of the desk for stability, even as everything else seemed to spin, the world spiraling into a need just for him.

When he finally pulled back, he repeated, “Shifters are possessive. Flirting with me is asking for trouble.”

I sucked in air as if I’d run a marathon, heart hammering in my chest. “Holy fuck,” I cursed, unable to form a G-rated thought.

He stared at me, studying my expression, wary now, as if waiting for me to slap him. After a few, long seconds, Angel sighed and took a step back. I leapt at him, grabbing his shirt and pulling him down to kiss me. His startled gasp was lost to my lips as I tilted my head and begged for entry. He froze beneath my touch for half a heartbeat before softening into my kiss. Angel slid an arm around me, pulling me close as our kiss heated, his body against mine hitting all my buttons, my hands fisted in his shirt to keep him close.

I drank in the flavor of him—his touch, the taste of his lips, the heat of his skin—cursing myself for giving him all of my neediness. Decades with human touch forced on me more as transactions than affection were making me desperate.

He broke away with a breathy sigh, forehead resting on mine, eyes glazed with heat as we both sucked in air. Warmth flooded my cheeks with embarrassment, but he had me good and trapped against the desk. I would have run if I could——it was what I was good at and saved my heart from breaking—even though I wanted him like I’d never wanted anyone before.

“Jude,” Angel began.

Here came the rejection. The heartbreak built with gut-wrenching speed. “It’s okay. I’m sorry. I should have warned you…”

“About what?” He asked, still holding me close. His hard cock pressed into my thigh and I gasped at the spread of desire that poured through me with the cooling sweetness of his magic.

“That there’s something about you that I…” I sighed, trying to break free, as I wasn’t certain how to clarify that, but he tightened his hold and leaned in to press his nose to my neck as though breathing in my scent. It felt like heaven, having him wrapped around me. Was it terrible that I longed to make this all real? Maybe I was still asleep and this was my brain adding to the delicious encounter of Angel covered in cake. “You don’t have to…” I struggled to form a coherent thought.

A throat cleared from the doorway. I flinched, and looked up to find Ezra there, but his gaze was on Angel, who didn’t glance his way.

“I’ve added names and details to the tags in the videos,” Ezra said, “if Jude can look at the information and let me know if anyone needs to be interviewed?”

“Sure. I’ll get right on that,” I answered, even while Angel held tight, and I panted, dreaming of being put over the desk or hugged until all the nasty memories of my life vanished.