Riley had the gall to sound affronted. “Otherworldly’s a copout. You already know I’m a vampire.”
“Okay. You act like I’m the only thing you see or care about.” Seth could feel Riley’s grin, and he refused to look back and be charmed by it. “That’s not healthy,” he pointed out. Why did he have to keep telling people this? Wasn’t it obvious?
Riley huffed. “I. Don’t. Care. My life hasn’t been healthy. It’s been weird and confusing and sometimes sad.”
God, he kept tugging at Seth’s tender heartstrings. And he knew it, the little sneak. Seth focused on his dough. He was going to cross the line into overworking it at any moment, but he was afraid to stop and have to face Riley for real.
“You think I’m beautiful?” Riley asked after a moment.
Seth let out a wry laugh. “You don’t?”
“I don’t know. I think I’m…off-putting. People stare. In town.”
“People stare because you’re hot. And you can get away with off-putting when you’re hot. It’s called pretty privilege.”
“Pretty privilege.” Riley brushed his fingers softly against the back of Seth’s neck, and Seth tried and failed to control his shiver. “That’s what you have?”
Seth’s cheeks went hot. He finally lifted his hands from the dough, releasing it from his torture. “No. I mean, I get by, but you—” He coughed. “It’s different.”
And then Riley’s hands were on Seth’s hips, turning him to face Riley. He was so close, his dark eyes filled with molten heat. “No, it isn’t,” Riley said softly, his gaze drifting down to Seth’s mouth. “I can’t look at you without wanting to kiss you.”
“You’re a special case,” Seth told him. The words came out in a whisper.
“Seth?”
Seth blinked up at him. “Yes, Riley?”
“I’m going to kiss you.”
Seth sagged in place. This was why he shouldn’t have turned around. He was weak. So weak. “Okay.”
Riley’s mouth came down to claim his. Seth’s hands were useless, covered as they were in sticky dough, and Riley took full advantage. He crowded Seth back against the counter, hips pressing into him, cupping Seth’s face as he directed him exactly where he wanted him.
Riley shouldn’t have been this good at kissing already. It was ludicrous, the way he could make Seth’s knees give out like this, the counter and Riley’s broad body the only thing holding him in place.
It was the hunger that did it. The mix of appetite and restraint, the way Riley licked into him with abandon while holding his face so damn gently. He kissed Seth like he was starving for him, and Seth’s body flooded with arousal.
By the time Riley broke away to kiss at Seth’s upturned jaw, Seth was so hard he ached. He couldn’t seem to catch his damn breath. “If—If you were still wooing me,” he panted, “what would be next?”
Riley nuzzled his nose against the line of Seth’s neck, making his way to a tender spot below Seth’s ear. “I’d be trying to get you into my bed,” Riley murmured, pressing a hot kiss to Seth’s racing pulse. His erection was digging into Seth’s hip, and it was only the dough on Seth’s hands that stopped him from sliding his hands into Riley’s jeans and grabbing for it. “I’d be on my knees begging to fuck you. I feel like I’ve been waiting an eternity. Forever.”
It hadn’t even been a month since they’d met, but Seth couldn’t bring himself to snark about the time discrepancy. Ithadbeen forever, hadn’t it? He needed—God, he justneeded.
“We—” Seth let his head fall back, giving Riley more room to work with as he sucked and nibbled on Seth’s neck. “We have to let the dough rise for—for a couple hours.”
Riley made some sort of hum of acknowledgment, pulling the neck of Seth’s T-shirt away so he could lick at Seth’s collarbone.
Seth shouldn’t have let his guard down. It had served a purpose, protecting him from the intensity of Riley’s desire. Now it was like staring directly at the fucking sun, and Seth was melting. Dizzy and hot and melting, like icing left out too long in the heat.
He licked at his lips, chasing Riley’s taste. He couldn’t stop the words from leaving his mouth. “Take me to your room, Riley. You don’t have to beg.”
17
RILEY
Riley endured a mini eternity waiting for Seth to wash the dough off his hands.
He tried to be patient, but he knew he was hovering, breathing hotly against Seth’s neck as he seemed to have a habit of doing these days. He couldn’t help it—Seth smelled the sweetest there, right at the back of his neck, his orange scent so tart and rich it made Riley’s mouth water.
