“Amore.” He bites out the word against my skin.
His tongue flicks over the pulse in my neck, and my entire body grows taut. More of that unbidden pleasure fires through me, a fresh wave of heat, and I become desperate for more pressure, more points of connection between our bodies.What’s happening to me?I think, promptly followed by:Who the fuck cares?
I let my head loll back as Orfeo drags his tongue over my pulse point, working it in easy, persistent circles.
“Orfeo,” I gasp, arching my back.
“Yes,” he breathes against my skin. “Say my name.”
I drop a trembling hand from his chest and grab at my own breasts before pushing my fingers into his thick, dark hair.
He moves on from my neck and leaves me almost desperate with desire. He kisses me softly, like he’s soothing me. He sucks at my bottom lip, stroking my hair away from my face and settling his hand on the curve of my hip, touching me like I’m precious. His words blaze through my mind:you’re special.
Am I? God, I want to believe him—especially now.
When Orfeo pulls away, I realize our legs are tangled; I’m half straddling his lap, and the thick ridge of his erection is nudging at my core.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers, his eyes glowing that honey-hued shade of yellow, “if this was not on your agenda for the evening.”
I try to gain control of my breath. I shake my head, pressing my lips to his cheeks, then his chin, and finally his lips. “You areridiculous.”
He stares down at me, and I can’t quite make sense of the look he’s giving me. “A hazard of becoming a vampire.” He begins to shift and I untangle my legs from his, smoothing my hands over my hair. “I should go,” he says.
“Of course,” I reply, though I’m still dazed. “Do you wanna leave from the balcony again?”
He nods and I lead him to the doors, swinging them open. We step out into the night, and before I can wonder how this moment will end, Orfeo reaches for my hand, lacing his fingers with mine and bringing them to rest against his lips.
“Thank you,” he murmurs against my knuckles.
I lurch back at his words. “Thankme?”
“Yes, thankyou.”His lips tug into a small smile. “This week has been the most memorable of my afterlife. Sometimes the days, months, years—they blend together into nothing.” He sweeps his thumb over my lip, dark irises lightening to that stunning shade of amber. “With you, I feel alive. I can’t describe it any other way.”
“What if…” I swallow roughly. “What if we went back inside?”
“It’s best if I don’t…” He drops his eyes to our tangled fingers. “I am very hungry.”
“Oh.”Of course.“That makes sense.”
Orfeo takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger, pulling me closer until I feel the heat of his words against my lips. “One more kiss?”
I oblige, wrapping my arms around his neck and parting my lips. I give in to him and his rhythm and his firm hands as they skim under the hem of my shirt. They find the sensitive flesh at my waist, flaring goose bumps up across my body. I give in to the impulse to lift my hips and meet his.
He backs me up against the brick wall until our hips meet, the ridge of his erection a welcome pressure against me. A choked half-moan works its way up my throat and I pull my mouth away from his, dropping my head back against the wall. His mouth is relentless, traveling across my jaw and down my neck as he pulls my hips flush against his for just a moment. With each brief connection, a new sound escapes me. A pant. A whispered plea.
Are those noises really coming from me?
Suddenly, they sound foreign. Far.
That’s not me.
My eyes fly open and I strain to hear the commotion. I search over Orfeo’s shoulder. There, in the alley below us, is a couple. The woman is pushed up against a wall, eyes thrown open in a glassy, stupefied expression. Her tongue lolls out of her mouth, eyes narrowed in effort—and suddenly it hits me that she’s screaming.
Or trying to scream. Not with pleasure—she’s struggling to breathe, to speak, her voice growing weaker and weaker as blood bubbles up from her throat and spills over the sides of her mouth, drenching her attacker. Her words are garbled and distant, but I know what I hear.
Help me.
I gasp and shove my hands hard into Orfeo’s chest. He backs off immediately, eyebrows knit with concern. “Everything okay?”
