I paced back and forth across my master suite that night after my outburst in the kitchen.
Even Jonathan couldn’t stop me from blowing up in that moment. There was no way in hell I was risking Hawk like that. If he became a vampire, that would mean the vampire hunters would be after him, too. I’d just found him; I wouldn’t risk losing him over something so simple.
If he stayed human, he could convince the hunters he had no idea who we were—or that he didn’t even know us. He’d have a better chance at staying safe.
When I heard footsteps in the hallway, I darted to the door and whipped it open, hoping Hawk was coming to talk.
But instead, I saw Mr. Dupont blinking at me in surprise.
“Sorry, sir,” he started.
“No, I’m sorry. I thought…” I shook my head. “What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to let you know that Mr. Verity is settled in the guest room.”
“Thank you. Does he need anything else?”
“I told him I’d bring up some tea to help him relax.”
I moved before he had a chance to say anything else. “I’ll get it. Thank you, Mr. Dupont. We won’t need anything else tonight.”
“Yes, sir.”
He walked back downstairs to retire to his room, and I followed him down and detoured to the kitchen, finishing the tea Mr. Dupont had started.
I knew Hawk was upset. He’d insisted on finishing his conversation with David alone and then wanted to get settled in his room for the night. I took it as a good sign he hadn’t left to go back to the B&B—or left town altogether. But he hadn’t wanted to speak with me, let alone look at me.
It was like a dagger to the heart. I hated hurting Hawk. But I couldn’t risk him in any way.
I carried the tea upstairs, hoping we could find some middle ground. I didn’t want him to sleep alone tonight. I wanted to be next to him in case he had another nightmare.
Even the simple act of laying next to him brought me pleasure. But the idea of doing more, of wrapping my body around his and kissing every inch of his bare skin made my cock harden.
When I knocked on his door and didn’t get a response, I listened more closely and heard water running. He was taking a shower.
I released a breath. It had crossed my mind just briefly that he might have left. But no, I would have heard him.
Instead of leaving the tea at the door, I brought it aside and set the tray on the bed. After a brief moment of hesitation, I walked to the bathroom door and inched it open just slightly.
Steam billowed in my face, nearly obscuring my view of the man standing naked in the shower several feet away. My arousal was swift and complete.
I cleared my throat. He whipped in my direction and I nearly fell to my knees at the blurry sight of him so close, but so far away.
“Can I join you?” I asked, an ache in my voice I hadn’t expected.
He was silent long enough, I was ready to apologize and turn around. But then, he said softly, “Yes.”
I was out of my clothes in a flash. When I stepped in behind him, he was facing the other way. Moved and guided by my own love for him, I put my arms around him from behind.
Even with the warmth of the water, I could still feel the heat when our skin touched. The buzzing of energy traveled up my limbs, down my torso, and only fueled my need for him. Even though my cock was pressing hard against his ass cheeks, begging for a release, I made room for words first.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, my chin touching his shoulder.
His hair dripped onto my cheek. He smelled like heaven. Like he’d walked through a forest of cedar and found me waiting, knowing how badly I needed to breathe him in. It was like being given a second chance at life.
He set his hands over mine as they wrapped around his waist and settled on his abdomen. His body was soft and hard at the same time, dips and curves I wanted to explore. Every part of him was perfect for every part of me.
“You are the most precious thing that has ever come into my life,” I told him, my lips brushing his ear. “Risking your life is not something I’m willing to do.”
He shook his head. “It’s not risking my life—it could be saving it.”
“Don’t you understand? The hunters won’t stop to question anything—whether you’re good or bad. Dangerous or not. If you’re a vampire, they will stop at nothing to kill you.”
“But—”
“Please,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Please. I can’t lose you, Hawk.”
He must have heard the anguish in my voice because he turned to me, eyes full of love. A love I’d never seen aimed at me.
“I don’t want to lose you either. If—”
“Not tonight,” I said, my voice choked. “Please. Just for tonight, let me be with you. Let me know I have you here with me, and you’re safe.”
Conflict raced over his features. But finally, he nodded. “For tonight.”
The tension fled, leaving me with an aching need for him, and love so sharp, I didn’t have words.
I turned off the water and guided him out of the shower, as gently as I could with so much need raging through me. In a second, I moved the tray to the dresser and appeared at Hawk’s side again.
His lips parted in surprise. I only used that moment to slide my tongue into the seam of his mouth, plunging it into the warmth I was growing so familiar with.
I let my hands wander, sliding over his arms and down his chest, toned muscled that jumped under my fingers.
He released a long sigh that hummed against my lips and turned me on even more.
“It’s never felt like this with anyone before,” he said.
“I know.”
We hadn’t even had the chance to explore each other’s bodies yet and already I knew it was different. Almost sacred. This was, by Fate’s definition, the perfect person for me, body, mind, and soul.
We belong together, and the only thing left was come together like this and fill each other in every way possible.
But then I paused.
I gentled my hands even further. I had to remember he was human. He was fragile.
“What is it?” Hawk asked.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“This doesn’t hurt,” he said with a smile in his voice.
“I can’t risk it. Not yet.”
He opened his mouth to argue again. I had a feeling we were going to be doing a lot of this. But I covered his mouth with my own once more.
“No arguing,” I said between kisses. “Lay down.”
He obeyed the command, climbing on the bed and reclining, so his entire magnificent body was stretched out before me.
His cock curved up to his belly, long and hard. I could see the thick veins wrapping its girth, pulsing with his life.
“I have to go slow,” I told him. “I just…I don’t want to do anything wrong.”
“There’s no way.”
Despite his assurance, I worried getting myself too aroused wouldn’t be smart for the first time. Besides, I wanted this. I wanted to pleasure him. I wanted to hear the catch of his breath when he came.
I got onto the bed with him almost reverently. It had been so long since I’d been with someone like this.
His eyes followed my movements, straying down my chest and to my dick. Drinking it in with hunger in his gaze.
“Fuck,” I murmured, the arousal growing. “Please don’t move.”
His lips curved just slightly. “You want me to just lay here?”
I straddled him and his eyes swooped shut just briefly in pleasure when my cock brushed his.
“Yes. Just lay there,” I said, returning his smile. “And take it.”
I swiveled my hips, making him gasp. Then I levered over him, kissing his mouth, then his jaw, and working my way down to his chest, to the smooth skin and hard muscle underneath. I licked one of his nipples and heard his heart beat even faster.
That was life running through him and I couldn’t take it away from him. I wouldn’t take it away from him.
He was human, and right now that was his greatest weapon.
But that didn’t mean we couldn’t share this. That I couldn’t taste and touch. And I knew, without a doubt, he’d have no trouble bringing me to my knees either.
I let my mouth lead the way and followed with my hands, moving from his chest to his abdomen and the pausing at the happy trail that was making my mouth water.
Easing back to give myself more room, I ran my tongue in one long lick along the bottom of his cock before gripping it with my hands.
Hawk’s breath hissed in, loud in the silence of the room. Then he said my name on a breath, almost a sigh.
Heaven. That’s what he said without having to use words.
I knew how he felt. Being able to touch him like this, to give him a part of myself I hadn’t given someone in a long time, meant everything to me.
And when I took him in my mouth, I knew I’d do anything and everything in my power to keep Hawk in my life forever.