I punched his arm. “Get upstairs and start dinner. What are you cooking, anyway?”
“It’s something French and delicious. Do you want to stay? We could open a bottle of wine, and I can lick your whole body while you tell me grisly stories about old biddies keeling over into cakes.”
“Not tonight. I’m going for a drink with Jo.”
“Too bad.” Morrie led me by the hand through the corridor behind the main room, into the Children’s room, where he wrapped his body against mine and met my lips in a furious kiss.
“We can’t do this in the Children’s room,” I panted, breathless, trying to shove him away. “We’ll corrupt the books.”
“Good.” Morrie pressed his lips to mine, and I gave up fighting. James Moriarty was relentless when he wanted something, and right now, he wanted me. His hard cock pressed against my thigh, and my fingers itched to touch it, stroke it, and make him lose control again.
But there was something I had to do first. I whispered. “I’m going on a date with Heathcliff on Friday night.”
“You work fast. Does Heathcliff know it’s a date?”
“Unsure.”
“Then wear that sexy jersey dress of yours. That way he won’t be left with any doubt.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea? You’re not weirded out by me going on a date with Heathcliff?”
“I’d be more weirded out if youdidn’twant to date him.” Morrie’s hand drifted under my blouse, rolling my nipple between his fingers as I gasped. “I’ve read enough online fanfiction to know that he’s the original brooding bad boy. I keep telling him he needs a motorcycle.”
“Don’t do that. If he has a motorcycle, he’ll be impossible to resist.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Morrie growled, a wildness in his eyes I’d never seen before – the beast within threatening to take over.
“Tempting.” My body shivered as his teeth scraped along my collarbone. “But I want to hear about Mrs. Scarlett’s autopsy.”
“You’re choosing riveting conversation about a dead old biddy’s liver over a home-cooked meal and a night of unbridled passion with yours truly?” Morrie kissed my cheek and stepped back, though he looked as though it took all his self-control. “Well played, gorgeous. You really are my girl.”
“Maybe not after Friday, if Heathcliff sweeps me off my feet.”
“I’m not worried.” Morrie darted from the room, taking the stairs two at a time. I wondered if he’d done it on purpose, just to leave me breathless and needy in his wake. I sucked in a breath and straightened my skirt, trying to get my heart rate under control.
“Mina.”
I whirled around. Quoth stood under the arch that led into the main room. He was still completely naked. I opened my mouth to tell him to put on some clothes, that a customer could come through the door at any moment, but his beauty closed my throat. His pale skin contrasted against the gloom of the bookshop, making him appear to glow with a faint aura. Black hair hung in silken strands over his chest, reaching down to touch the edge of his pelvis andoh…
He was half hard.For me.Brown eyes ringed with fire regarded me with predator-like intensity. I gulped.
“Mina, you should stay for dinner,” he whispered, his velvet voice caressing my skin.
I opened my mouth, closed it, and opened it again, trying to find the words to say what I felt, what wicked thoughts went through my head as my eyes trailed over his perfect body. But all that came out was a strangled cry.
Quoth unnerved me, not because I was afraid of him, but because my own pain reflected back at me in his eyes. I had to be careful around him, so careful, because I could fall completely for him – my sweet, broken boy – and I could break him, and he could break me.
So instead I stepped back and said the only thing I could think to say that would push him away. “I wanted you to hear this from me. I’m going on a date with Heathcliff on Friday night.”
“Oh.” His features didn’t move. His half-hard cock bobbed between us. My fingers itched to touch it, to feel that perfect body against mine.
“Quoth, I want you to know that I’m not choosing—”
He shook his head. “I understand, Mina. I accept it. Heathcliff and Morrie can take you on dates. I cannot.”
“That’s not what I meant. I—”
Quoth’s body exploded in feathers. His lips puckered out, forming a hard, curved beak. The last thing I saw was his face contorting in pain as his limbs snapped into place. My chest clenched. Was that pain caused by his shift, or by me? I didn’t want to cause him pain.
