Loved by a hero, Jakob Minegold.
Sophie sucked in a great lungful of air and shot up from her chair. Jesse barely had time to set down the kettle before she was in his arms, kissing him hard. “I love you.”
“I love you! I’m sorry, Sophie, I shouldn’t have lectured.”
“Shhh. You were right. I... I can’t believe it. I was loved all along, but I spent all this time hating myself.”
His hands pushed back her hair, his face the picture of worry. “Well. You can stop.”
“It’s not that easy,” she laughed wetly.
“Sweetie. You’re superhuman. You’re dating a vampire. And you’re in college. I didn’t say it would be easy. But it’s going to be easier. I mean, you’ve got all these people who love you. Gotta be easier to love yourself when you have such an excellent role model,” he winked and tossed his glossy hair back.
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Maybe.”
“Do me a favor?” He gently pushed her coat from her shoulders and let it fall to the chair.
“What?”
“Pick up the mugs?”
Sophie obeyed, puzzled.
“Thank you.” Jesse gave a soft grunt and slid his arm under her legs and one behind her back. “Try not to spill on the carpet. Mom’ll have a fit.”
“Where are we going?”
“Upstairs. I’m going to give you Loving Sophie lessons.”
HE SAT HER ON HIS DESKand took the cocoa from her with deft hands. “Want some?”
Sophie sipped the hot liquid, faintly flavored with chocolate. They hadn’t stirred it up so all the gritty powder was at the bottom. Jesse made a face and took the cup from her hand.
“That wasn’t appetizing. But you... you are always appetizing. Always loved.” Jesse leaned forward and rested his forehead to hers. “I know it’s hard to find out secrets,” he whispered. “Hard to keep them, too. Anything you deal with or share, I’ll go with you.”
“How can you love me like that? So fast?” Sophie nestled into his arms, head under his chin as he wedged himself between her knees.
Jesse didn’t answer immediately, but his silence wasn’t fraught, simply reflective. Finally, he sighed, “Because you came back. You didn’t believe what I said was true. You believed I was delusional or lying, but you came back to give me another chance. You thought that even if I was mentally ill, that was simply part of who I was. You didn’t abandon me. I’ve seen a lot of hard things, including people who don’t believe you or who change when you do. I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re not just my Night Queen. You’re the queen of my heart, okay? That’s why I love you ‘like that’, so fast.”
“You stepped out and took a risk first,” Sophie shook her hair back and tilted her head to regard his softly smiling face. “You literally stepped in front of my car.”
“I had a feeling it wouldn’t kill me if you ran me down.” He winked.
“That’s terrible!” Sophie slapped his shoulder lightly, but she was laughing. They were both laughing. At the end of the draining day, they could both laugh together. “God, I love you. I love you like crazy— no pun.”
He smirked and pulled her from the desk, letting her weight propel him backward until he flopped on the bed, her sprawled over top of him. “I'm crazy about you— yes, pun.”
Sophie ran her hands down his chest. “People say all kinds of things when they’re in love, don’t they? Especially in love for the first time.”
Jesse let his fingers walk slowly up her arms and end at her collarbone. “Doesn’t mean they’re not true. I’ve already told you the hardest truth. Why lie about what comes easy?”
Sophie sank on top of him, her lips lingering above his. “It’s scary loving someone. It’s easy loving you, and sometimes that scares me, too.”
When he spoke, each word brushed their lips together. “You’re the one who has the ‘monster’ pinned, Babe. What’s to be scared of? I don’t bite.” He winked and sealed his lips to hers.
Sophie stretched against him as the kiss turned into a dozen kisses, tongues tangling, fingers tugging gently at shirts and jeans. His teeth clamped down on her neck and worried the skin in a way that sent pulses pounding to her pussy.He doesn’t bite. Except for love bites.Feeling bold, she latched her own teeth on next, working from his ear to his pulse point, listening to his moans crescendo.
“I want you so much.”
