Connor entered and busied himself with the taps, while I began to undress, peeling off my shirt and jeans. Connor was oblivious until the room filled with warm steam, prompting him to turn around. Shock crossed his face as he saw me standing there naked, a cheeky grin on my lips.
“Thanks,” I said, slipping into the shower and closing the curtain.
“You don’t have to stand there. You can join me if you want,” I called out, letting the warm water cascade over my body. I heard Connor clear his throat, followed by the sound of his jeans being unzipped and dropping to the floor. I continued to enjoy the warmth enveloping my skin as Connor stepped into the shower with me.
I turned around and there he was, his excitement evident. Connor’s naked body was terrifyingly beautiful. His muscles were toned from what I suspected was due to Vampire slaying and it reminded me that every inch of him was a weapon. Small scars trailed along his torso and arms. All various lengths and sizes from the fights he’s been in. A trained weapon to kill me.
And yet, there I was, standing bare before him, my body aching … with no desire to run.
“Are you just going to stand there, or will you kiss me already?” I asked.
His response was immediate, his hands finding my face as he pulled me closer. He hesitated for a moment, but I parted my lips and his found mine, wet from the shower. He tasted like coffee, and I pulled his bottom lip into my mouth, sucking on it. Memories of the last time I was with someone in the shower flashed through my mind, the images of blood intruding into my thoughts. I pushed them away, focusing only on the pleasure of the moment, kissing him deeper as he pulled me into his arms. His hands trailed down my back, grabbing my ass. I lifted my leg, wrapping it around him, andhe pushed me against the shower wall, intensifying the sensation.
Our lips collided in a hungry dance, an exploration that ignited a fierce craving within me. My fingers tangled in his wet hair as I kissed him with an intensity that bordered on desperation.
I am so fucked,I thought between kisses. There was no going back to the façade, no pretending or hidden agendas. Because for me right now, this was real, raw, and undeniably consuming.
His uneven breaths mirrored my own as he cradled my face, his touch sending a thrill through me. “Let’s go to my bed,” he suggested, his voice a seductive murmur.
He turned off the shower and picked me up, carried me out of the bathroom, and laid me gently on his mattress on the floor. His lips trailed a path of kisses from my neck to my sternum, each touch sending sparks of pleasure coursing through me. I wanted more. When his lips brushed against the pendant on my skin, goosebumps erupted across my flesh.
I wrapped my legs around him, and shifted our weight, and rolled on top of him. I needed to be in control.
I could feel him under me, and I took his arms and raised them above his head, holding onto his wrists and kissing down his neck. His stubble tickled my lips as I kissed and licked. I took in the scent of him and licked the spot on his neck where my instincts so desperately wanted to sink my teeth into. I could sense his blood pulsing beneath, and my fangs began to extend.
My primal need to feed tore through me.
I halted.
Rolling off him, I rose to my feet, the air heavy with unspoken need and lingering heat. It was a delicate dance between instinct and restraint, desire and control.
“Sorry, this is going too fast,” I told Connor, my wet hair clinging to my back. I hurried to the bathroom, pulling on my shirt and jeans, struggling with the fabric against my damp skin.
“Rose, I don’t want to push you to do anything you’re not ready for.”
“No, it’s not that,” I said, tossing him his jeans. I tried to control my breathing, but his intoxicating smell lingered on my wet skin. I needed to leave; I got too carried away. I almost blew my cover. I wanted to sleep with Connor … but also, I really, really wanted to drink his blood.
Connor put them on and approached me. “I like you,” he said, and placed a kiss on my forehead. The sentiment was sweet, and for a moment, I almost allowed myself to lean in, the desire to rip off his jeans resurfacing.
“I just don’t want to complicate anything. I’m only in town temporarily, and I don’t want to rush anything or hurt you,” I whispered in a low voice. “I should go.”
“I don’t want you to go,” he replied, his hand cupping my face.
I wanted him desperately. I wanted all of him, but I couldn’t give in to those desires, not now, when it could lead to hurting him or myself. This was only temporary, I reminded myself. Soon, I’d be gone. Out of town, free again, on my own. The internal struggle echoed in my mind as I wrestled with the conflicting desires for connection and self-preservation.
Connor’s cell phone rang in his jeans pocket. “Do you mind?” he asked, and I shook my head. “Yeah?” he answered the phone, his brows furrowing as he listened intently.
I glanced around his apartment as he spoke, pretending not to listen to his call.
“I’m kind of busy at the moment,” Connor replied, his tone reluctant. I heard Sam on the other line, urging Connorto join them in investigating the crime scene in the woods from the other night. “Now? The Woods? Okay, fine,” Connor relented, ending the call and sliding his phone back into his pocket.
“Who was that?” I asked even though I already knew.
“It was Sam. He wanted …” Connor hesitated for a moment. “Fuck it, you already know. Sam wants us to investigate the murders at the campsite from the other night. He has a feeling it was Vampires and not animals who attacked them.” He had been right when he said Sam had a good hunch when it came to Vampires.
“He wants you to go now?” I asked him, batting my eyelashes.
“Yes, but I don’t want to,” he reassured me, planting a kiss on my lips.
