Page 56 of Taming the Beasts (Crooked Point #3)

Saturday

Emma

I watched as Callum took a tentative bite of his hamburger. His eyes grew round and he stared at me. “This is better than the meat and potatoes I remember.”

I laughed as he took a huge second bite. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him look this happy and carefree before. He was practically inhaling his burger and fries.

“I like this cheese better than the Yankee one,” he said.

That was probably good. Because I didn’t know what Yankee cheese was. If it even still existed, it might be hard to find these days.

“And who knew that thick milk could taste so good?” He drank half his milkshake in one gulp.

“It’s a milkshake,” I said with a laugh. “Not thick milk.”

“It’s definitely thicker than normal milk though. At least that I remember. You’d think it would be sour, but it’s so sweet.”

I smiled. “It’s more ice cream than milk in there, that’s why it’s sweet. Oh my God. Callum, have you had ice cream before?”

“No, but I’ve always wanted to taste it. Ice cream was a new delicacy when I was young. But my family wasn’t wealthy enough to try it. ”

I guess it made sense that it was super expensive back then. Since there were no freezers. “You have to try it next. There are so many flavors.”

“Okay, where can we go to try that?”

“Actually, I think they might have some here.” Where there were milkshakes, there was ice cream. I waved the waiter over. They only had the basic flavors for milkshakes. But I ordered him a banana split so he could try vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

Watching Callum’s eyes light up from eating different foods was one of my new favorite things. I was excited to take him to all the different restaurants back at Crooked Point. It would be fun to see him eat something garlicky now that it was safe.

For so long I’d been worried I’d never see him again. And once we found our way back to each other, I’d been worried about not getting to be with him forever. I’d wanted him to change me.

But seeing him here right now tonight? I was so glad he hadn’t. This was how he wanted to be. Human, with me. Our forevers were finally aligned. Our wedding night hadn’t gone as planned. Not even a little. But I wouldn’t change a single thing about this moment with him.

The waiter dropped off the banana split and for some reason Callum picked up his fork.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Eating.” He put his fork into the ice cream.

“I feel like you’re just messing with me now.” I slid out of the booth and joined him on his side. “You need a spoon.” I grabbed two, handing one to him and keeping one for myself. “I know they had spoons in the 1700s. ”

He smiled. “Fine, maybe I’ve been messing with you a little. But you look so cute when you’re explaining new fandangled things to me.”

I laughed and took a bite of the chocolate ice cream.

He did the same and his eyes lit up.

“You’re the cute one,” I said. “You look adorable trying all these foods for the first time. Like a little baby.”

“Excuse me? I am not cute like a baby.” He lightly tapped his spoon against the tip of my nose, smearing ice cream on me.

I squealed and tried to slide out of the booth, but he caught me around the waist, pulling me back in close.

He lowered his face to mine. I thought he was about to kiss me, but then he licked the tip of my nose. I was used to him biting my flesh. There was something about the action that was reminiscent of that. And I felt myself melting in his arms.

“Okay, you’re not cute,” I said. “You’re ridiculously intoxicatingly handsome.”

“You’re the one that’s ridiculously intoxicatingly beautiful.” He kissed the side of my jawline and then my neck. “And I think maybe it’s time I tasted something else. My wife.”

Before I never knew if he was talking about me or the blood pumping through my veins. But now I knew. I’d never have to wonder again.

I smiled up at him. “Then maybe we should go home.”

“Home. I love the sound of that.” His hand slid to my ass and he lightly slapped it so I’d climb out of the booth .

I laughed and slid out as he left some money on the table. Before he followed me, he quickly tried the vanilla and strawberry flavors too.

“What’s the verdict?” I asked as we made our way outside.

“Definitely chocolate.”

“That’s my favorite too! Wait until you try dark chocolate though. It’s so so good.”

He opened up the car door for me.

I still wasn’t used to his chivalry. The small gestures always seemed to hit me the hardest.

“Oh and in the morning, I’m going to make you all my favorite breakfast foods.

” Pancakes, waffles, omelets. I’d have to invite Zoey’s boyfriends over too because I was going to make the biggest feast so Callum could try a bit of everything.

“What was your favorite breakfast food before you changed?”

“I mostly ate porridge. But it wasn’t my favorite.”

“Is that like oatmeal?”

Callum shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. On the weekends we’d usually have something more substantial. Meats, pies. Chocolates if we were lucky.”

Chocolate for breakfast? I thought that was just a modern thing in cereals and doughnuts. I’d have to put chocolate chips in the pancakes. And I’d make him a bunch of meats too. Sausages and bacon. He was going to lose his mind when he tasted those.

We drove past the town square and I was relieved to see that it looked like nothing had happened at all. The chairs from the ceremony and tables from the reception had been cleared. And I couldn’t see any blood anywhere. The gazebo had even been repaired .

I was vaguely aware that anything the portrait artist had captured was probably ruined. All traces of our wedding were gone. For a few minutes there, our ceremony had been beautiful. I hoped one day I’d remember just the good parts.

“I’m excited to try coffee in the morning,” Callum said, drawing my attention back to him. “You and Zoey seem to really love that.”

“Did they not have coffee in the 1700s either?”

“No, they did. But my family was more into tea.”

“Well if you’re still feeling exhausted tonight, you can try some coffee right now.”

“I think I have plenty of energy tonight,” he said as he pulled into our driveway. Before I could respond, he was out of the car and opening up my door for me.

He may have lost his vampire speed, but he was still pretty quick.

He grabbed my hand and helped me to my feet. And then he lifted me into his arms.

I laughed. “What are you doing?”

He carried me up the steps of the front porch. And then somehow managed to get his key into the lock while still balancing me in his arms. “Carrying you across the threshold.” He opened the door.

Yeah, his old-fashioned romanticism was never going to get old with me. I hadn’t even remembered that people did that. But this was perfect.

I was smiling so hard as he carried me into the home we’d worked on together. He’d done most of the work fixing the place up. But it was a perfect combination of both of us .

Callum didn’t set me down when we walked inside. Instead he kept going, carrying me up the stairs and into our bedroom.

The four-poster bed that had been in his previous home was now in our room. He set me down on it and stared down at me.

His eyes were perfectly golden. And they always would be. I’d never have to worry about them turning dark as he slowly lost control. And we’d no longer need the handcuffs attached to his bed.

In his last home, he’d recreated the room where we’d first met. I was so glad we finally weren’t living in a memory, but creating new memories together. This was a fresh start.

Callum stood up to remove his bowtie.

And that’s when I saw the new painting on top of the dresser, leaning against the wall.

“You found what the portrait artist was working on?” I pushed myself off the bed and walked over to the painting. It was only half finished. Part in color, part only a sketch.

“We can get someone to finish it,” Callum said as he walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around me.

I shook my head. Something about it felt just right exactly the way it was. The artist had captured a partial moment. Because every moment was fleeting. It was so beautiful. “I like it the way it is.” I was just so happy we’d gotten any picture of our wedding at all.

“Hm.” He kissed the side of my neck. “I also found your discarded wedding dress in a bush.”

I laughed .

“Hopefully the local dry cleaners can work wonders. And maybe we can dress up one day and take a few actual pictures.”

I smiled. “I’d like that. Wait!” I pushed his arms away and ran over to my nightstand. “I can take pictures of you now!” I’d wanted a picture of him ever since we’d first met. I snapped one of him before he even had a chance to react.

He blinked from the flash.

And I stared down at his face on the screen of my camera. He was so handsome. “I finally got a picture of the elusive Callum Walsh.”

He chuckled.

“I need about a thousand more of these.” I started taking pictures of him as he walked over to me. Who knew a walk could be so sexy? Callum belonged on a runway. Or maybe in a magazine. Yeah, he definitely belonged on the cover of a magazine.

“Baby.”

I lifted my gaze from the lens.

“We have our whole lives to take pictures. But only one wedding night.” He grabbed the camera from my hands and set it back down on the nightstand.

“Which is why we need to document our wedding night...”

He silenced me with a kiss.

Okay, maybe he was right. Being lost in the moment was probably a better use of time. I could take a million pictures of him later.

He pushed the tuxedo jacket off my shoulders as I undid the buttons on his dress shirt. As soon as his fingers touched my skin I felt frantic .

I’d been with Callum Walsh the vampire and my boyfriend many times.

I’d been with Callum Walsh the mortal and my husband zero times. And I couldn’t wait to change that number.

I undid the buckle of his belt as he undid the clasp of my bra. I was used to his touch being cold. But it felt so right to not be shivering tonight. He was warm. Alive. Human.

He slid his hand beneath the front of my thong. And again, I was surprised at how warm his touch was. It was the same, yet different. And I was equally addicted.

He groaned as his fingers felt my wetness.

I grabbed the collar of his dress shirt. “You don’t need to warm me up. I’ve been dying to have you just like this...”

His lips slammed against mine.

He tasted different too. Sweet like the ice cream we’d just had, instead of minty fresh after trying to erase the taste of blood on his tongue.

He no longer needed to try to hide who he was.

Not that I’d ever asked him to. But tonight it felt so good to be just us, without any heaviness.

I’d gotten so used to always having a hint of danger in the air when we touched.

The only danger tonight was me coming before he barely freaking touched me. I was desperate for him.

He grabbed my ass, lifting me up. I wrapped my legs around him as he carried me over to the bed.

“I never thought I’d get to feel you as...me,” he whispered against my lips as he set me down.

“I hope it feels just as good.” I reached for the sides of my thong .

“It’ll feel better.” Before I could push my thong down, he grabbed the front of it, ripping it in two.

“Callum!”

“I’ll buy you another.”

I laughed.

He got down on his knees in front of the bed and lifted my ankle to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss against my ankle bone.

“Absolutely not,” I said and wiggled my foot out of his grasp. “I need you right now.”

He shook his head. “I’m planning on making love to my wife on our wedding night.” He grabbed my foot again. He leaned down to kiss the inside of my shin bone.

But again I wiggled it out of his grip. “You can make love to me after I feel the new you.”

He raised his eyebrow at me.

“Please, Callum. I can’t take it anymore...” My voice trailed off as he slowly stood back up.

“Are you asking me to fuck you on our wedding night?”

“Yes. That.” I spread my thighs wider.

He put his hands on either side of me on the mattress and stared at me.

“You’ve had to be in control for centuries. Lose control right now. With me.”

“Baby, there is no way I’m not cherishing every inch of your body tonight. I know you prefer a villain in the bedroom...”

I pushed myself up. “No. I prefer you.”

He smiled down at me .

“And you, Callum Walsh, are no villain.” I was worried I could say it a thousand times and he’d never believe it.

His Adam’s apple rose and then fell. “I’ve done unspeakable things.”

I was glad he hadn’t spoken to me about all of those things from his past. Because it didn’t matter.

“You weren’t you when you did those things.

No matter what you tell me, I will never think you’re a monster.

” I linked my arms behind his neck, pulling him closer.

“I’d figured you out the moment we met.”

“You did, huh?”

“Well, not immediately. Right after you walked away I thought you were a complete asshole. Especially since you made me feel like a crazy person for ten years.”

He chuckled.

“But I could tell you’d been hurt.”

“That’s where you have it wrong. I’ve done the hurting.”

I shook my head. “No. Someone changed you into a vampire. You had no idea how to control yourself. And as a consequence, you’ve lost everyone you’ve ever loved as they grew old and you never changed.

You were forced into an impossible situation.

Which you overcame. You overcame your cravings for me.

Because you love me. Because you’re a good person. ”

He dropped his forehead against mine. “Do you really believe that?”

“Yes.”

He exhaled slowly. “I’m used to being a monster.”

“How about you get used to being my husband instead?”

He smiled against my lips .

“This is our fresh start. A new beginning. As husband and wife.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Me too,” I said.

“You are so perfect,” he whispered against my lips.

“And so are you.”

“I’m excited about this fresh start.” His lips trailed to the side of my neck. “But don’t worry. As your husband, I’ll keep giving you exactly what you like.” He lightly nipped at my neck.

I moaned and dropped my head backward, letting him bite me with no consequence.