“Who wouldn’t? I’m pretty sure half the people in this office want you. It’s your magic, right? You put off something that attracts us?”
“I don’t do that here. What I’m hearing is you’re attracted to me and trust me. I’ve done nothing to make you feel that.”
“So it must be just you, then,” Rowan murmured. “This is going to sound crazy, but that first night, at the restaurant, I felt something when we looked at each other. I could see you felt it, too. I have an admittedly overactive imagination, but I wasn’t imagining that.”
“No, you weren’t. I find you breathtaking.”
Rowan’s eyes widened. “Oh,” he whispered.
Ivor half expected him to say something self-derogatory and was glad when he didn’t. He seemed to accept at face value that they were both attracted. For someone who didn’t seem to havea lot of self-confidence, that flat out acceptance was hot as hell. Arousal teased his senses.
Rowan still stared at him with those beautiful eyes wide. “So, you said you said you won’t use me. Is it possible for you to have sex and not feed?”
Ivor slowly shook his head. “I can rein it in some, but I inevitably do. My magic absorbs the feelings during sex and especially the full-on release.”
“That’s actually…pretty cool. I bet you have a lot of great sex, then.”
He knew his grin was pure wickedness. “Oh yes, Rowan, if there is one thing I know I do well, it’s sex. I was made for it.”
Rowan shuddered, and Ivor grew more aroused. He wanted to lock the door, stretch Rowan out on that bed, and make a feast of his body. Wanted to hear the noises he would make with his own desire, with the pleasure Ivor knew he could give him.
The air between them grew thick and heated.
“Damn,” Rowan said softly. “I think we’re gonna have to put a pin in thisnot wanting to use mething because right now, I really, really want to be used.”
Those words sent a flood of lust washing through Ivor, but he tamped it down. Ivor had always operated under a catch-and-release policy, but the problem was he didn’t want to release Rowan. He was too damn special.
But not releasing him could be deadly.
Chapter Twelve
Rowan
When Rowan woke early the next morning, there was a brand new Kindle in a box next to the bed. He picked it up and just held the box, his heart swelling until it felt double the size. He knew Ivor had left it for him. How he’d gotten it so fast was a mystery.
With a giddiness he hadn’t felt in a long time, he opened it and went through the setup to link it to his account. When his collection folders showed up, some of the tension he’d been carrying for nearly two weeks dissipated. He had both author folders and his “read again” folders for different genres within the overall romance genre.
He pulled up one of his favorite paranormal books and settled back on the bed to read. It wasn’t like they needed him out there. He wasn’t supposed to be at Daniel’s office until ten, and it was only seven.
But his mind refused to focus because all he could think about was that sexy-as-hell conversation he’d had with Ivor the night before. The incubus truly wanted him, and though he hadn’t said it, Rowan could tell it just wasn’t for food. There was a strong connection there, something Rowan couldn’t attributewords to. He’d wanted to get up, cross the room, and crawl into Ivor’s lap so badly, he’d had to close his hands into fists.
He’d only read about this kind of awareness in books. Learning it was an actual thing made him want to experience so much more. He wanted to have actual sex with Ivor, and he was wracking his brain over how to make that happen. But he also had the feeling Ivor would ruin him for anyone else, and it sounded like he was too worried about his power draining Rowan to be with him more than once.
The absolute sadness that had swept through Rowan told him his feelings were already strong for the incubus. He’d meant it when he said he felt a connection to him. He felt it in his soul. He couldn’t shake the powerful feeling that he and Ivor were meant to be something.
What, he didn’t know.
All he did know was that it was for more than a one-time hookup.
But…he’d take that if that was all he could get.
He looked at the brand new Kindle in his hands. Ivor had gone out of his way to get this to him overnight. That also said so much more than a one-time hookup.
The incubus had obviously been trying to warn Rowan not to get too attached. It was far too late for that. He’d been attached right away, by both his attraction and the feeling of safety Ivor gave him. And the more time he spent around him, the more those feelings grew. They’d continued to talk the night before, and he’d found Ivor had a wonderful sense of humor and a genuinely high set of principles. He was a truly good person. Or incubus… Should he be referring to preternaturals as people? He had no idea.
Person or not, Rowan wanted Ivor. And not just for one time. He wasn’t afraid of his energy being drained—he had plenty of it. He just wanted to burrow into all that sexiness. Wanted to bebent over this bed and drilled through it. Wanted to experience the very real passion he could sense they’d have between them.
Frustrated, Rowan got up and pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and another sweatshirt. He took his bag to the restroom and took care of washing his face and brushing his teeth. Brushed them so hard he spit a little blood into the sink. He gripped his toothbrush and closed his eyes. He couldn’t let this frustration get to him like this. Opening his eyes, he stared at his thin, freckled face and gave himself a much-needed pep talk that ended with him deciding that he’d find a way to experience that passion before he left this place.
