“That’s not it!” he singsongs. “Ava, do you have a guess?”
“I don’t want to partake in your childish games,” she harumphs and crosses her arms.
“Since nobody wants to guess, I will tell you.” He leans forward conspiratorially and whispers. “It’s the fucking you two should be engaging in. I’m getting blue balls at this point.”
“Zavier!” Celine yells and he shrugs before sitting down for Larry’s turn.
Ava is a bright shade of red, and if I could blush, I’m sure I would be too. Envisioning sinking into her wet heat has me hardening on the couch, which is unacceptable with her parents in the same room.
God help me.
When the game is over, and my dick has deflated some, Linda insists on serving us all dessert that consists of homemade apple pie and vanilla ice cream.
Eventually, we all get ready for bed. Zavier and Celine are crashing on the pullout couch, and I’ll be taking the tiny trundle bed in Linda’s home office while Ava sleeps in her childhood bedroom. I wait outside the bathroom for her to finish up. Not because I need to use it, but because I want to see her before we goto bed.
When the door finally squeaks open, she startles when she spots me. I reach out and grab her elbow to steady her.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I wanted to say good night.”
“Oh.” A delightful pink warms her cheeks. I like knowing I have some sort of effect on her, considering how she has me twisted in knots. I’ve never felt the things I feel for her. Attraction is new to me. For a long time, I felt my vampirism has been a curse, but having Ava as a mate is a gift. “Uh … good night.”
“Good night,” I repeat, eyes on her lips.
I’ve never kissed someone before Ava, and now I find myself thinking about her mouth all the time. The way she tastes, the little sounds she makes, the?—
She cuts off my train of thought when she stands on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek.
“Sleep good,” she says softly, passing by me and stepping into her bedroom.
The door closes, and I remain until her scent fades.
CHAPTER 22
VALEN
I can’t sleep.
I wish I could blame it on the lumpy mattress. Or how the bed is too short for my long legs. But while all those things are true, it’s not the reason I’m awake right now.
Though I hate to admit it, I’ve gotten used to sleeping near Ava. Her even breaths and the steady beat of her heart help lull me into a peaceful rest. Something I went way too long without.
Even knowing I’ve escaped that hellhole, I’m reluctant to fully surrender myself to being by her side every night. It feels too good to be true. What if she’s ripped away from me like my sister was?
Disgruntled, I shove the blankets off myself and stand.
I don’t want to wake her and disturb her, but I also know Ava wouldn’t like to find out that I struggled and didn’t go to her for help. She’ll ask me how I slept in the morning, and I find it impossible to lie to my mate.
Easing the door open, I nearly fall flat on my ass when I find Zavier standing there with a shit-eating grin. He leans casually against the wall across from me, arms crossed over his chest, fangs on full display.
“What are you doing?” I ask, looking around. “Why aren’t you downstairs with Celine?” With the way he follows her around, it’s hard to believe he left her side.
He bounces on his toes. “I was waiting for this.”
“What’s this?” I ask dumbly.
“For you to sneak out and go to Ava’s room.”
“That’s not what I was doing.” It’s exactly what I was doing, and his smile tells me he knows I’m lying. With a sigh, I grumble, “I sleep better near her.”
