Page 35 of Only Human in Strangeville

Suddenly feeling a little mischievous, I grinned back at him. “You do know that Bridger has been flirting with me, right?”

“I’m not surprised.” Oliver didn’t sound overly concerned.

“And that Katsuro and Davin are practically drooling on me?”

“Wolves do drool, though vampires are far too refined for that sort of thing.” The skin around Oliver’s eyes crinkled into laugh lines.

“And what do shades do?”

“We’re patient.” He winked at me. “Sometimes too patient.” His expression shuttered for a moment before lightening again. “It’s not always beneficial, I suppose.”

This made me laugh gently. I sensed a story behind that last bit, but I wasn’t going to push just yet.

“I’ve been alone too long,” I admitted. “It’s making me reckless. And restless.”

Oliver focused on me, his gaze turning intense. “Why did you move to Beechworth, Hannah?”

The deep breath I took failed to calm the anxiety that curled through my chest. I took another. I’d never had anxiety, or panic attacks, until the last couple of years.

“I did not mean to cause distress.” Oliver backed off the intensity, obviously sensing something from me, though I’d developed a pretty good poker face, too.

I held out my hand, taking his loosely, in case he wanted to pull away from the touch.

“It’s complicated, Oliver. Something I’m supposed to be leaving completely behind. Unfortunately, everything that’s happening is bringing all of it back. It’s nothing I did, just something I found. I chose Beechworth because it was completely different from my old life and full of tantalizing rumors.”

He brought his free hand up to my cheek, and I leaned into the contact.

“I will not hold it against you, if you should tell me you’re not interested,” Oliver said. “I promise you and Nimbus will be safe in these walls no matter what happens between us on a personal level. I do not care for all my tenants, but unless they are themselves a danger to others here, they are welcome. I just wanted you to know that. I do not want things to be awkward between us.”

“You’re not making it any easier for me to have restraint.”

“That was not exactly my intention.” He glanced away for a moment, as if embarrassed.

Need raged through me. Desire for my sexy landlord and his gentle ways. Curiosity at the monster that lurked beneath the surface combined with the way he made me feel safe, respected, and desired. I tugged gently on his hand. “Oliver, do you want to come in?”

“I do. Very much.”

Heart thudding in my chest, anticipation swirling through me, I stepped back, allowing Oliver into my apartment. He let the door shut behind him, then took my hand and gently tugged me into his arms. There was no point in pretending we weren’t both here for some physical contact. I readily went into his embrace. The feel of his hands on my body reached deep into my soul and touched me in a way I hadn’t felt in ages. I pressed closer and met his lips with mine.

This kiss was less restrained. We were both starving for affection and touch. Oliver’s fingers dug into my back, and he cupped my head with his other hand. I had no hesitation about digging my fingers into his ass. He didn’t wear particularly tight pants, so I was a little surprised at how firm and muscular it felt. Though I didn’t let that exploration distract me much from the skill with which this shade was kissing me. The way his tongue danced with mine made me desperately want to know what else he could do with it.

The need I felt traveled through my center and settled deep inside me, heating me. The nearly embarrassingly needy moan his touch pulled from me came straight from that heat and spread tingling threads all the way to my fingers and toes. I was uncomfortably wet, and I squeezed my legs together, needing relief.

Oliver’s cinnamon scent intensified, and he broke off our kiss for a moment. The shade took a deep breath. “You smell amazing,” he whispered against my neck.

“You smell like baked goods.” I couldn’t help joking a little.

He chuckled. “Sorry about that.”

“There are worse things,” I replied before nibbling gently on his neck.

He rumbled softly in his throat and let me tug him farther into the apartment. Then I paused.

“What’s wrong?”

“I, uh, was not expecting to be entertaining. I don’t have condoms. After the last time I had sex, which was forever and a half ago, I did get tested, and I don’t have any stds. I don’t have the paperwork though, to show you.” I couldn’t show him even if I’d had it. It had my old information on it. Shit.

“I believe you, Hannah. Also, shades are immune to most human diseases including all but the worst sexual ones. The same goes for humans. I don’t know about procreation though. While I have not undergone any sort of testing, as there isn’t that sort of facility for my kind, I would know if I had anything transmittable to a human, and I do not. Nor do I believe I have any other diseases. They are very rare among my kind. Also, it’s been an age and a half for me, as well. There are plenty of things we can do that won’t put us at risk for procreating though.” He smiled gently at me.

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