Page 39 of Taste of Forever (Vampires of Sanguine #3)

Her explanation did not help with my confusion one bit. “Because I do care. About you. It’s just what I’m supposed to do.”

“You…” She trailed off, shook her head, then laughed quietly to herself. “You have done more for me in the few weeks I’ve known you than every boyfriend I’ve ever had, combined.”

“And it still doesn’t feel like enough.” I reached for her hand, already hating any absence of touch from her.

She didn’t pull away, but didn’t return my hold either. “What if I’m not enough?” she said in a small voice.

The idea was impossible for me to comprehend.

“What are you talking about? You’re brilliant and beautiful, Science Barbie.

You take my stupid sense of humor and dish it back twice as good.

I can’t imagine anyone better for me.” I leaned forward until my forehead gently nudged against hers.

“What have I done to give you the impression that you’re not enough? Tell me and I’ll fix it.”

Heather’s hairline brushed mine as she shook her head. “Not you. You’ve been amazing to me from the beginning.”

“But your ex-boyfriend made you feel that way.” It was damn satisfying to put the ex in front of that word.

She nodded. And despite the satisfaction of knowing she was no longer his, my chest felt heavy with sadness that she was ever made to feel less than.

“I bent over backwards for him,” she admitted.

“Did everything in my power to make his life easier and I wanted nothing in return except to just feel appreciated. Desired. Loved. All those things that are supposed to be normal, right?” Her fingers finally clasped around mine.

“Then, with you, I did nothing but give you blood and you treat me like…like I’m worth keeping. ”

“You are worth that and so much more,” I said. “And I’ll tell you right now, Science Barbie, I don’t intend on letting you go.”

Another coy smile broke out on her face. “I feel like hearing that should be a red flag, but I just love that you want to keep me.”

“I’ll never hold you against your will. I’ll just make you so incredibly happy and satisfied that you’ll never want to leave.”

“How do you intend to do that?” The note of playfulness returned to her voice and my senses lit up with desire.

“Come here.”

I cupped a hand around her nape and closed the short distance for another kiss, this one harder and hungrier than before.

We fell to the bed together, one hand supporting the back of her head while my other hand roamed. She’d never been properly appreciated? Desired? Loved? I would show her, again and again.

Our tongues tangled while hands explored.

Heather’s legs slid apart and I took the space between them.

Her hands never stopped moving, running up my arms and back like she couldn’t get enough of me.

The quickening beat of her heart was music in my ears.

I loved hearing the anticipation from her body while she melted in my arms.

Then, all too quickly, she stiffened. I paused my next kiss, noting her heartbeat going a bit too fast.

“Heather?” I lifted away, finding her panting and her face flushed.

“Give me a sec. I’m just a little dizzy,” she said between quick breaths.

I rolled to my side. “Guess it’s too soon for any real heart-pounding fun. You’re probably still low on blood.”

She let out a frustrated groan, which made me laugh.

“There’s no rush, Science Barbie. Your wellbeing comes first.”

“Don’t orgasms count toward well-being?”

“Well, yes. But probably not if they make your heart stop.”

“Fine.” She made a loud, exasperated sigh. “What else can we do?”

I lowered over her until our lips hovered inches apart. “I could kiss you breathless some more.”

I stayed there long enough to see her answering smile before lowering all the way down.

Our mouths fused together with practiced eased like we’d been doing this for decades already.

My hand slid between her back and the bed, rolling her toward me.

Her leg slid over my hip and I resisted the urge to press into the open space again.

Kissing was plenty for now. We could have been counting cobwebs on the ceiling for all I cared. She was here and she was mine.

Heather’s kisses deepened, pulling and nipping at my lips with an urgency that I also felt. Her leg wrapped around mine and drew me closer until we were flush against each other.

“Don’t make this hard,” I groaned.

I felt her grin against my neck. “Feels like it already is.”

“Heather.”

“Laith.”

“Trust me, Science Barbie, I want to give you all the pleasure you’ve missed with human men.” I brushed hair away from her face, entranced by her sparkling blue eyes. “But I want to take care of you properly first.”

She tilted her hips, increasing the friction on my very hopeful erection. “So what are you waiting for?”

My fangs nearly stabbed into my lip. “Fucking Temkra, you’re wicked.”

“I want you.” She kissed the racing pulse in my neck with eerie accuracy for a human. “I want to do more than just kiss.”

“So do I. Just, hmm…” I couldn’t think straight. The way she wrapped around me, the needy little whine in her voice, and her kisses peppering my neck were too much. Too distracting. Fuck me, how could I say no to her anyway?

Out of nowhere, she abruptly jerked back. “Wait. I have an idea.”

I was instantly suspicious. “What?”

Her expression was a mixture of shyness and coy suggestion as she untangled from me, putting a foot of distance between us.

“What if I watched you like how you watched me?”

An image popped into my head; one I wasn’t supposed to see. Heather in her bed, her head thrown back and back arched, hands working between her legs.

My body became doused in heat at the realization, erection aching in my pants. “You want to watch me…?” I stared at Heather, needing her confirmation.

“Yes.” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. “I want to watch you touch yourself.”