“Oh my gosh. Tai Aksel Kristiansen. The most Scandinavian name in the history of the world.”
“My father is very Danish and very proud.”
“No kidding.” She couldn’t keep the grin off her face. She loved his name, and she loved his endurance of it, and she’d never tell him, but Aksel spelled the Danish way was kind of sexy. “You don’t look overly Scandinavian, though, with the black hair.”
His pause lasted a second too long. “I take after my mom.”
Claire squashed her curiosity hard and fast. No more stressful topics. Not tonight. “My turn. I’m about one tenth as Dutch as you are Danish, and my middle name is Elisabeth.”
“With ansor az?“ he said.
“Ans.”
“Good.” As if he’d made a bet on the answer. Then he said almost to himself, “Claire Elisabeth Vanderlaan.”
Claire’s heart gave a hard beat of pleasure at the music of her name, wrought by his rich voice. And he must have noticed, because he leaned over her and kissed her. Long and slow this time, and Claire reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting herself to meet the kiss, to show him she could be slow too, gentle and careful and safe. When he made a little sound against her mouth, she pushed her fingers into the hair at his nape and delighted in the way his mouth hardened in response.
When they ended the kiss, she whispered close to his ear, “Do you believe it now?”
“I’m getting there,” he said, and it wasn’t a tease. It was more honesty.
Claire brushed a kiss along the side of his jaw. “Take all the time you need.”
Fourteen
All day Friday, Tai wanted to text her. Something, anything. But the risk froze him every time he had a minute of downtime at work, and there weren’t many of those anyway. His job definitely had best and worst aspects, and today he was stuck at his desk fine-tuning budget reports to send to his boss, foundation CEO Holly Herron. By the time he left the office at five-fifteen, all reports completed and emailed, he’d checked his phone at least ten times.
Claire hadn’t texted.
Thewhywas too obvious for doubt. She’d woke up this morning to the realization that she’d kissed a bloodfiend last night, and she’d decided never to do it again.
He could have slaked at the bar, then insisted on silence while he drove Claire straight home. He should be furious with himself for not doing it, and all day he tried to understand why he wasn’t. As he stepped onto the elevator in his building and entered the code that would take him to the top, suddenly he knew.
Maybe Claire regretted last night. Maybe she’d shut him out tomorrow at the wedding. But even if she did, he could never regret the tiny slice of time with her. Once she knew the truth, once his minutes with her were numbered, of course he took hold of as many minutes as he could. Tai had forgotten to hide from her in the simple desire to be with her.
He did wish they could have gone horseback riding.
He tugged his loosened tie from his neck and tossed it over a chair as he moved through his condo. From the pocket of his dress pants, his phone vibrated. He pulled it out, and his body went still.
Claire:I finally figured it out, why you’re so quiet today. You honestly think I’m over here wishing last night hadn’t happened.
Tai cradled his phone in one hand and stared at it until the screen went to sleep. Then he kept staring until it vibrated and lit back up.
Claire:So allow me to say I’m not sorry I experienced the best kiss of my life last night. Several times.
His mouth tugged with a slow smile of satisfaction and memory. If she stood in front of him now, he’d try his very best to outdo himself. Still his fingers weren’t ready to type a response.
Claire:Also. I’m sorry for how it happened. I’m sorry humans were hurt last night, and I’m sorry for how hard it was on you. But I’m not sorry I know more of you. I get it if you are, but I’m not.
He had to respond. He’d wanted to text her all day, and now he couldn’t find any words. Instead he held onto his phone, closed his eyes, and let her texts sink into his soul. Claire still wanted him.
She didn’t text again. It was up to him now, to return to hiding or to meet her here as their intensity last night had met and matched and built together. One hundred percent friendship success rate, Ryker had said. The friends who knew he was defective and didn’t slam their doors in his face, instead invited him into their home as if he were whole and normal.
Now here was Claire going further than friendship. As if he were whole and normal.
Tai began to type, backspaced and tried again three times before sending his final three-word draft.
I’m not sorry.
