Page 26 of Dark

He hesitated, like this was the last thing in the world he wanted to tell me. “It’s permitted as long as we’re careful. Obviously, humans can’t find out what we are. One-night stands are fine. Except for a day or two at the full moon when our viral levels rise, there’s virtually no risk of transmission. But a relationship would have put both of us at risk.”

“So why kiss me?”

“Because just for a second, even though I knew I shouldn’t, that we couldn’t ever… be anything, I wanted to pretend like we could. Wanted to kick myself for weeks afterward, for screwing with your head that way.”

“You never even considered telling me the truth?” I said, testing the next words carefully. “Because you can’t tell me humans and weres never get into relationships. I’ve read too many romance novels.”

“Oh, it happens,” he said dryly. “Just not quite in the hearts-and-flowers way you’re probably picturing. It never would have been allowed—at least not while you remained human. Had the Council found out, they would have ordered you forcibly changed. And no way could I have done something like that to you, stolen your chance at a normal life.”

Which, okay, was kind of noble. For a beat, the wind rocked the car. I took a steadying breath.

“And now?”

Ethan tugged at my foot, dragging me across the bench seat into his lap. “I’ve always told myself finding someone was out of the question, that I could never live that sort of life. Never be—”

He trailed off, brow furrowed. I skimmed fingertips over his stubble, wanting to taste his skin, feel his beard rough against my chin as his tongue swept through my mouth. He closed his eyes at the touch, and I felt my heartbeat as a tangible, physical ache in my chest.

“And now you’re here. You’re a were, and not because I snapped and stole your life from you. I don’t know, Hays. I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t been constantly on my mind since the moment you showed up last night. That you and I, that maybe we could.”

He smoothed loose strands of hair back from my face, fingertips rough and calloused, waiting, asking permission. I held my breath, trembling in anticipation.

“Yes,” I whispered.

Ethan gripped the back of my neck, drawing me in. Fingertips skated up my spine. I shivered. When his mouth touched mine, it wasn’t hard, wasn’t hungry. Ethan kissed me as if he feared he might break me. Might break us. And in that dizzying, incandescent moment, for just a second, I let myself believe.

“Hays,” he whispered, just as we were interrupted by his phone. Tracing my cheek, he swiped to answer it. “Yeah, August, go ahead.” There was a pause. “Hang on. I’m going to put you on speaker.”

Traffic hummed in the background. “Something’s up. Does Ellie have a boyfriend? Anyone who’d have access to her car?”

My breath stilled. “No. Not that I know of, anyway.”

For a beat, August was silent. “Checked her car a little while ago when she went to class. Someone’s been sniffing around. They tried all the door handles, poked around with the latch to the trunk—”

“Another were—”

“No,” August said quickly. “Scent was fresh. Human male.”

“Could he be working with someone?”

“Might be nothing. Some rando trying to decide if she had anything valuable in the trunk who got freaked and bolted when someone walked by. But I’ll keep an eye out.”

Ending the call, Ethan got out of the truck. “Right now there’s nothing pointing towards Ellie as a target and the guy tailing you seems to have moved up into our territory. That said, with all the disappearances the past eighteen months, we have no idea how you were targeted, so it’s probably better if we keep someone watching her and see how things play out.”

“She’s supposed to leave town with my aunts this Sunday. They’re visiting medical schools on the east coast.”

Because despite the fact that my sister’s heart was in veterinary medicine, she couldn’t justify the guilt of taking on four years of debt she might never be able to pay off.

“That gives us time.”

He pulled off his shirt and Vans and tossed them into the truck bed. I opened my mouth, any reply I might have made catching in my throat. Lean and angular, his torso was all hard angles and planes, the six-pack at his stomach arrowing down to a dark scrawl of hair trailing below his navel.

The corded muscles of his arms seemed to be carved rather than sculpted, all sharp sinew and bone. He scraped a hand across his chest, his arms bare but for his wrist cuff. I swallowed, throat suddenly dry. How many times had I watched Ethan’s hands brew coffee or swirl art into a cup? Those hands that had expertly cupped my breasts as he pushed me back onto the counter, tongue invading my mouth in a panty-scorching kiss. My gaze fell to his nipple rings, and I felt a pulse between my legs, remembering the way he’d groaned when I sucked the barbell in his tongue. What would he do if I tugged on his piercings while we were—

“Eyes are up here, Daisy.” Ethan smirked, flipping me his knit hat.

I caught it. “If you’re expecting tips for this little strip show then I get to pick the music.”

He popped the button on his jeans. “Yeah. You should start getting undressed, too.”