Costin laughed. “Oh no, you can’t blame me for your sudden desire to ravish me.”
Now Sally’s face was as bright as ripe tomato.
“I guess now that I have thoroughly embarrassed you maybe we should call it a night. We can work on mixing the drinks tomorrow.” He tugged her close to him and leaned down and buried his face in her neck. After several minutes of him breathing her in, he bit gently on her neck just below her ear. She gasped and then moaned when his lips gently kissed away the pain of his bite.
“Soon, my love,” he whispered in her ear, “you will bear my mark.”
Sally tried to respond but she had yet to regain the ability to speak. Costin stepped back and grinned, his dimple appearing on his handsome face.
“I better take you back to your room before I talk you into letting me bite you now.”
That snapped Sally out of her stupor. She let him pull her behind him as he led her from the room.
When he dropped her off at her door he kissed her gently on the neck where he had bitten her. As he turned to walk away she grabbed his arm.
“Wait,” she said a little desperately. She looked up into his eyes and told him with all the sincerity she could, “I’m so glad it’s you.”
Costin understood what she meant and took her face in his hands and kissed her fiercely. When he pulled back they were both breathing heavily.
“Let me stay,” he whispered, nearly as desperate as she had sounded. Sally’s eyes widened.
Costin’s lips lifted in a crooked smile. “Just to sleep, Sally mine.” He ran his fingers through her hair and then down her back. “I just want to hold you. I’m not ready to say goodnight.”
“Me either,” she admitted.
He grinned wickedly. “Excellent.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her into the room, shutting the door behind him.
Sally’s brain was going ninety to nothing as she tried to process what she had just agreed to. She had never slept with a guy.
“Don’t overthink this, beautiful. I promise to be a perfect gentleman.” Sally heard him through the bond and had to admit she loved the intimacy in it, that she was the only one he could do that with.
“I trust you. It’s just weird,” she told him as she grabbed her pajamas and head into the bathroom to change.
When she came out of the bathroom she froze. Costin was lying on his back in her bed, arms behind his head, legs crossed. He was attempting to look as innocent as one could on his girlfriend’s bed…shirtless. She took slow breaths as she approached her bed, unable to keep from noticing his defined chest and arms, and flat, washboard abs. She closed her eyes as she climbed into bed next to him. Her only thought was how she could ever compete with such perfection. She wasn’t athletic in any way – in fact, the only exercise she ever got was when Jacque and her had to run for their lives because of some stunt Jen had pulled.
She didn’t have washboard abs, she didn’t have defined arms, but she had a defined chest, just not in the same way his was.
“Hush now, quit your worrying,” Costin told her as he rolled over and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back against him. “I assure you, your body is perfect for me. And I’m quite glad that your chest isn’t defined like mine. To be honest, that would be a little disappointing.”
Sally couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled up at the picture he had in his mind. She slapped his arm. “You said you were going to behave.”
“I have been. You’re the one who brought up your chest. I mean, really, Sally, how is a man supposed to ignore that topic?”
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t think about how it would affect you,” she told him bashfully.
“Go to sleep, beautiful. One day I will show you just how perfect you are for me.”
Sally snuggled closer against him and smiled to herself. She believed Costin. After the things she had seen and felt in his mind, she knew he would never lie to her. If he said she was beautiful, then he meant it. If he said her body was perfect for him, then she would stop worrying about it.
~
“What do you ladies want to do tonight?” Fane asked Jacque and Jen as he and Decebel led them out of the meeting room.
Jen looked at Jacque and grinned. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“I’m feeling the need to get furry.” Jacque winked at Fane.
Fane and Decebel grinned.