“It would give me enough time torecover.”
“Uh-huh,” he murmured when her hand dippedtoward his erection.
“Or at least I think it would. I’m not surehow well I’ll handle the transformation.”
“You’ll be…” His voice trailed off when herwords sank in, and his eyes met hers. Hope thundered through hisbody with every beat of his heart. “The transformation?”
She gave him a mischievous smile as sheleaned forward to kiss his neck. Her hair fell forward to ticklehis chest when her tongue traced his flesh. His hands twisted inthe blankets as he resisted grabbing her, flipping her over, andburying himself inside her.
“Yes,” she murmured in his ear. “I want tospend an eternity with you, and I don’t see any reason to put itoff anymore.”
She pulled back and smiled at him when shecupped his cheek. She ran her thumb across the bristly hairs of histhickening beard.
“Unless you think there’s some reason towait,” she said.
“None at all. There’s plenty of blood in thefridge for me to drink so you can feed afterward. Cassidy and Kyleare going to stay away for the day, so we’ll have the place toourselves.”
“You talked to them?”
“Kyle texted me after you fell asleep. Theyrented rooms at a hotel and were checking in to make sureeverything was okay.”
“I hope they don’t think they have to stayaway.”
He cupped the back of her head and pulled herclose to nibble at her lip. “I hope they do.”
She chuckled, but though she felt terriblethey were staying away from their home, she liked having the placeto themselves.
“Is this really what you want?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ve wanted nothing but you for thepast four and a half years.”
“You’re all I’ve ever wanted too.”
When he kissed her, Aida melted into himbefore recalling Nicolette and pulling away. “I have to call out ofwork first.”
She reluctantly removed herself from his armsand walked over to retrieve her phone from her bureau. She bracedherself while she listened to Nicolette’s phone ringing.
“Hello,” Nicolette answered brusquely.
Aida pitched her voice low so it sounded likeshe was dying while she told her boss she was sick… small cough…and would try to be to work on Tuesday when she was scheduled toreturn… sniffle. Nicolette did a lot of huffing and guilt-tripping,but in the end, there was nothing she could do, short of showing uphere and dragging Aida into work.
“You better be there on Tuesday,” Nicolettesnapped and hung up.
Aida set the phone down and turned to findJulian sitting on the edge of her bed. He’d tossed the sheets asideto reveal his naked form. Just looking at him made her wet. Thispowerful man was about to possess her in every way possible. Arational person would fear what they were about to become and theagony of the transformation, but she could only think about herfuture with him.
Those monsters on the island tore herinnocence from her, but Julian and his family gave her a place tobelong. They protected her, they became her family, and he would beher mate.
“You’re quite the actress,” Julian said andgave a small cough before sniffling. “And your boss has zero socialskills.”
“She has tons of social skills; she couldsell a painting to an elephant, but she hasnoempathy.”
“Very true. My bank account is still cryingover her salesmanship.”
“Aw, you poor thing. Is there anything I cando to make you feel better?”
“You know there is.”
With a crook of his finger, he beckoned herforward. Aida lifted an eyebrow before sauntering toward him. Whenshe was close enough, he grasped the belt on her robe and pulledher into his arms. Locking his thighs against her sides, hecouldn’t control the tremble in his hands as he undid the belt. Hepushed the robe back on her shoulders to reveal the old T-shirt shepulled on before passing out last night.
