After realizing how little he’d paid attention to me, how little he’d noticed, being out of that relationship was so freeing. And with every look, every comment, every gesture, Nyx seemed to see more and more of me.
“So why Dracula? I asked. Our talk back at the tattoo shop had circled in my mind.
“Oh, for my favorite everything? Well, in case you didn’t notice, I’m a bit of a spooky bitch, so the gothic imagery, vampires, always spoke to me. But the loneliness, the obsession, the fixation kept its hold on me. The transformation into a truer form. Shouldn’t be too hard to make the correlations there.”
My heart thrummed. God, I loved that answer. She was so vibrant, so fascinating, and I wanted to discover every last thing about her.
“You can’t leave me hanging, though,” she said. “Who’s your favorite horror movie monster?”
“Truthfully, I’m more of a werewolf girl than vampire,” I admitted. “Sorry if that’s a deal-breaker.”
“Completely. Date over. We’re at war now,” she said in a deadpan tone. I glanced over to see the twinkle in her eyes that settled me at once. Given that I had an outspoken mom and a chill dad, I couldn’t explain why I was such a people pleaser, but the tendency had started early, and I still struggled to break it.
The easy acceptance Nyx gave me helped. The way she teased but didn’t criticize, how she genuinely wanted my answers helped me open up.
“So why werewolves?” she asked.
“Man, you’re making me work tonight.” I squeezed my nape. “Uh, probably the whole animalistic thing. In case my love for animals wasn’t clear by the everything about me. But the connection to nature, the idea that this other side of you is brimming beneath the surface.”
Nyx stopped in the middle of our stroll down the sidewalk, and her gaze locked on mine.
“Fuck, I really want to kiss you right now.”
Her stark admission rang in my ears, and my whole body flushed with want. “Yes, please.”
Right in the middle of the sidewalk in Phoenixville, people walking by us, cars whizzing along the street, Nyx stepped up to me and placed her hand on my chin. She tilted my face up, and her lips descended.
Sights and sounds faded away. Her lips on mine elicited the thrill of seeing a sleepy pup blink their eyes open after a successful surgery. Of a kitten’s first stumbling steps toward mewhen I’d earned their trust. Euphoria burst inside me, and my whole body sparked to life as I clutched to her hips with all my might. She drove her tongue inside my mouth, stroking against mine with a promise I wasn’t immune to. My legs grew shaky as pleasure trembled through me.
She tasted darkly sweet, and the scent of her, plum and violets, surrounded me. My core throbbed from the way she took control, dominated our kiss. I melted into it with a whimper that she lapped up with her tongue. My nipples grew sensitized, my skin electric as she claimed my mouth. All I could do was hold on to her waist and kiss back with all my might, getting swept away by the sensations I’d been craving for so long.
Our movements slowed and grew languid as we tasted each other, satisfying and addictive. A catcall from behind us snapped me out of the moment. I drew back, my nerves sparking. Shit, we were making out in the middle of the sidewalk.
Nyx’s grin grew broad. “Damn, you’re delicious.”
I let out a strangled whimper, incapable of speech. I wanted to trace her tattoos with my tongue, nip and suck at her skin. Her tits looked amazing, those curves clear through the sheer lace shirt and black bra. “How far to your house?”
A sharp, bright laugh escaped her. “Only a few more minutes. Then you can have whatever you like.” The insinuation was clear, and fuck yes, I wanted everything she could offer and more.
We walked faster, as if both of us were eager to face the imminent explosion that would occur once we got behind closed doors. I was so achingly new to being with anyone but cis guys, but I craved anything with her. Normally, the nerves would set in, performance anxiety that I wouldn’t be doing enough, but Nyx was so open and easy to talk to that her attitude swept those fears away.
“I’m up there on the right.” She pointed to a cute twin. One of the doors was black, and I didn’t have to guess which house belonged to her.
“Was the door originally red?” I joked.
She rolled her eyes. “Very funny, Becks.” She hopped up the steps, unlocked the door, and pushed it open. “Come on in.”
My heart thumped hard.
Fuck yes.
Chapter four
Nyx
Becky stepped into my space, and electricity pulsed through me stronger than ever.
This place was my sanctum, my safety, my solace, and normally, I didn’t invite people back with me. However, the natural way we clicked, the vibes I got from her, and her sheer enthusiasm and vulnerability were all the indications I needed to take the leap. She wandered over to the pictures on the walls and stroked the frames with her fingertips.
