Page 11 of Those That Defy the Realm

“Cool. Just let me know if you need any.” I don’t know how conscious he is of it but when his hand drops, he places it on my thigh. The wolves are much more tactile by nature. They’re constantly touching one another in some way.

I’m very conscious of it. Of that hand on my leg. Of how each pad of his fingers places slightly firmer pressure into my skin.

Clearing my throat, I get lost in those deep blue eyes of his, of how they reflect the fire light and make his irises almost look like flames themselves. “Thanks again. For letting me crash here tonight.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Ash says honestly, those fingers moving fragments of millimetres, but causing my thigh to tense with the zip of awareness caused by that slight shift.

My eyes drop to where his hand is, just to check he’s not doing anything more than resting it there. He’s not.

But when I look back at his face his eyes are definitely heated this time.

“I… er… I have a bit of a confession. I’ve been wanting to get you alone. Properly alone,” Ash says, his voice suddenly taking on a deeper raspy tone.

“You have?” I ask, confusion pulling creases into my forehead even as my heartbeat increases.

His hand moves significantly this time. Brushing up from mid-thigh to higher. And the electric shocks intensify. This is insane. I’m imagining this sudden charged atmosphere, right? It’s got to be the alcohol. Maybe it was stronger than I thought, maybe I drank more than I realised.

“Tell me if I’m reading this completely wrong,” Ash says and his upper body leans in closer.

“Reading what wrong?” I ask stupidly. Of course my brain is adding up all the signs. and is quickly analysing all the different interactions I’ve had with Ash over the last month, trying to determine whether I’ve given him any hint. I know he found me attractive that first night, and that he can be a bit flirty at times, but wasn’t he like that with everyone? Have I been reciprocating subconsciously?

The evidence quickly adds up, however, and I have the sudden feeling that maybe what I thought was a budding friendship has been the building blocks of something completely different to the wolf now practically sitting in my lap.

“This,” Ash whispers before he leans over the final distance and places his lips on mine.

CHAPTER 5

ASH

Henry’s lips are as soft as they look. Warm as well.

Soft, warm, and pliant under my kiss.

He seems frozen at first, still but not pulling away. I keep the kiss brief, just a quick tasting of his mouth. My wolf whines in my chest as I pull back, not that I go far. Opening my eyes, I’m met with the rich honey of his irises. His eyes are wide but his pupils are slightly dilated. His heart is beating erratically in his chest, the boom boom of it thumping in my ears. I wait a beat, and then another. When Henry doesn’t attempt to push me away or ask me what the hell I’m doing I take another risk and kiss him again.

This time I move in closer. Bringing the hand that was on his thigh to his chest, his pulse thundering under my palm. This time pushing my lips more firmly to his, I get greedy and swipe at his bottom lip with my tongue.

Unsure whether he gasps from shock, or invitation, I don’t immediately deepen the kiss.

Over these past weeks my desire for this man, this vampire has only grown. With each conversation I’ve fallen a little more under his spell. His intelligence is magnificent, his kindness admirable and his smile. Gosh, I’ve gotten myself off more times than I want to admit at the way his entire face lights up when he smiles. And I mean his genuine smile, which is sadly somewhat rare. He has this other smile, one that he uses when he’s feeling self-conscious or is uncertain.

We’ve talked so much, I feel as if we’ve known each other for years instead of weeks. Except, I don’t yet know much about his life before, his life as a human, although I want to. I also have no idea of his sexual preferences. This right here is me firing blind because I cannot take another second of not knowing whether what I’m feeling is one-sided.

I suppose I could’ve just asked him but I’m more of a do now ask questions later kind of person.

A tentative hand wraps around my waist and I eagerly move. It’s a small signal, an unsure one, but I leap on it. Swinging my leg over his lap I twist my body until I’m straddling him, my knees on either side of his hips. Fuck, I almost combust at the feel of him underneath me.

Going all in, I sweep my tongue into his slightly parted mouth. It's my first proper taste of him and I’m immediately etching it into my brain. Slicking my tongue against his, I’m hit with the hints of the hot cider we were drinking this evening, the mix of peated whiskey and something deeper, something completely him that I want to bottle and savour.

Unable to help it, I grind down onto his lap a little, my cock already painfully hard and aching to join in the fun. But that’s when Henry jumps back.

“I’m sorry.” I’m quick to apologise. “Was that too much?”

“No,” Henry quickly responds but then screws his eyes shut and tips his head back. “Yes, I’m sorry.”

I go to move off his lap but his grip on my waist tightens.

“You’re giving me mixed signals here,” I chuff, attempting to keep my voice light even though disappointment is building like a tsunami, ready to crash over me if he rejects this.