Pressingmy tongue against the seam of her mouth, she parted her lips and let me in.Wetasted of red wine and hearty sauce, our shared meal.Onething was for certain.Iwas forever changed.BecausenowIknew for certain whatI’dsuspected for quite some time.Shewasn’t just a womanIlonged for—she was my mate.
AndIdidn’t have a clue what to do about that.
Whenwe finally pulled apart, breathless,Igazed into her hooded eyes.I’dnever wanted anyone so much in my life and had to fight the urge to carry her into her bedroom.She’dgone through so much since yesterday.Icouldn’t take advantage when she was already so shaken and vulnerable.
Summoningmy willpower,Isaid, “Youneed to get some rest,LittleOne.It’sbeen a long day for you.”
Shegaped at me, appearing as dazed by the kiss asI’dbeen.Thenshe nodded. “Right.”
Iforced myself to stand. “I’llbe right outside if you need me.”Forcingmyself to take one agonizing step after the other away from her,Ireached her door.Iturned and said, “Thesweetest of dreams.”
Sheheaved out a low breath. “Goodnight,Hugo.”
ThenIopened the door and left.WhenIclosed it behind me,Isagged against it, struggling against the yearning to go back in.
Itwas a continued struggle to leave her and patrol from outside her apartment building.Mylegs trembled andIseemed to float above the ground likeIwas in flight.Ifelt as shaken as she must have been when she’d learned of my existence.Butit wasn’t out of fear.I’dfound my mate and kissed her sweet lips.They’dforever be imprinted to memory.
Thenthe clammy fear slammed into me, binding around my ribs.Nothinghad changed between us except that earthquaking kiss.Shewas still human andIwas a gargoyle.Theodds of her ever wanting to be part of my world stretched as impossible as ever.
CHAPTER9
ANYA
Sweetblazes.Ikissed him.Kisseda gargoyle!
AfterHugoleft my apartment,Iwalked around in a daze.Ipressed my fingers to my lips.Fascinatedby him,I’dtaken that bold step in touching his bare torso.Andoh my, was that an experience in itself.Butkissing him, wow.Thatcould shatter the stars.
Perhapsmy brain would return to my body at some point, butIwould gladly abandon all thought to keep these heightened sensations throughout my body.
Thehigh lasted through the night.WhenIwent to bed,Islept hard, thoroughly exhausted after the restless night before.ThoughtsofHugoslipped into my dreams.Morekissing.Moretouching.Moreexploring his incredibly powerful body.
AfterIwoke, the sensuality of those dreams lingered in my body, and whenItook a shower,Itouched my lips once more.WhenIthought about what had happened,Ilet out a shaky laugh.Howwas this my new reality?Onein which gargoyles not only existed, butIkissed one?
Anda part of me wanted more.
Hugohad been surprisingly gentle for someone so massive and intimidating.Whilethe hot water sluiced down my body,Ireplayed every moment of our kiss.I’dbeen so on fire thatImight have let things go further, but he’d been a gentleman and insistedIneeded rest.
Hewas probably right.Istill had encyclopedias full of questions without answers, but that didn’t meanIhadn’t craved more of his touch.Eventhinking about the hungry glint in his eyes as he appeared ready to devour me had every part of me lit up like aChristmastree inOldMontrealduring the holidays, my favorite time of year when theJacquesCartierSquarebrimmed with festivities.
AsIwashed my body with a soapy foam on my loofah,Irecalled howHugo’sfingers had stroked my skin.Thedark velvet timbre of his voice when he’d called meLittleOne, making me feel tiny and dainty next to his massive form.Thelow rumble in his chest when he seemed to be affected by something deep and primal.CouldIreally have stirred such a strong desire in someone?
TheAnyaof a couple of days ago would have scoffed at the thought.I’dwished to find someone who wouldn’t just be turned on by a librarian gone wild fantasy, but someone who wanted that for more than just one night.SinceIhad a difficult enough time trying to date my own species, that would be utterly impossible with someone who wasn’t even human.
Yetthe wayHugolooked at me had seemed more than simply desire.Couldit mean something—more?
“Ha!”Ibarked out in my shower.Thatwas crazy talk.Ishould be thinking more analytically.AssessingwhyIwas attracted toHugo.Ah, yes,I’donce read a study about heightened attraction during dangerous situations.Ididn’t remember all the details, but that would sure fit the case for whenHugoandImet during an intruder’s assault.AndHugohad saved me.So, of courseI’dfeel grateful to him for protecting me.
Yetthe way my body tingled went beyond simple gratitude.
Sinceit wouldn’t do any harm to fantasize,Ilet my mind wander, travel to a scenario in whichHugohadn’t left last night.Instead,I’dinvited him to my bed.He’dtaken his time as he’d run his hands over my body, heating me up.Myfingers trailed down my soapy body asIpictured him doing with his large hand, andIled them to my center, whereIwas already slick.Islid a digit inside and then ran the tip over my clit, already so sensitive with my heightened desire.Hugowould pull out his massive cock and stroke it as he watched me.
AsIenvisioned this, my fingers worked faster and my breathing quickened, growing audible.Whatwould it feel like to have that massive gargoyle inside me?Wouldhe even fit?
Iignored an option that would ruin that fantasy and instead let this scene play out.Strokingharder, faster.Thepressure was so intense.Iwas almost there.Ona moan,Ishattered, sparking a thousand colorful lights asIfloated across the sky.
Wow, that felt incredible.Thatwas exactly whatIneeded to take the edge off of all the tension worming inside me.Whenwas the last timeI’dtaken care of myself in that way?Fartoo long.
Idropped my head down and pressed my back against the tile.Mybody was even hotter than the water sluicing down on me.Overthe next several minutes,Icame down from that high and hopedIcould keep the embarrassment from my face whenIsawHugoagain.
