Page 45 of Tempting the Dhampir

“I know, but I’m bracing myself anyway. Floor twenty.” The strength in Sadie’s voice is now almost gone, leaving her completely vulnerable.

I feel incredibly lucky that she’s letting her guard down around me, and I’ll do almost anything to keep her trust.

I infuse extra strength into my voice, a counterbalance to hers that she can take from. “Get ready.”

My foot is on the first step, ready to run the moment she needs me.

“Twenty-five.” Her quiver is stronger than before, but she’s not even trying to hide her nerves now.

I bounce on my feet, anxiety swimming in my gut.

“Everett.”

The phantom hook in my gut pulls me forward the moment she says my name.

“Stop the elevator, Sadie,” I bark as I fly up the stairs. “What floor are you on?”

“Twenty-seven.”

“I’m coming, Sadie. Hold on.” This must be the fastest my feet have ever carried me before, the need to get to her quickening my strides.

Breathing hard, I exit onto the landing on the twenty-seventh floor. Sadie is waiting in front of the closed elevator doors.

“You really just ran up twenty-seven floors?” She gawks at me, eyes big, mouth agape.

I pant, “Are you okay?”

The image of her standing in the middle of the great room in Bertie’s house, looking so forlorn, still haunts me. I never want to see her looking or feeling like that again. I have a new inherent need to guarantee her safety. Her happiness. The draw to her keeps getting stronger and stronger.

“I’m okay. Are you hurt?” Sadie asks in a soft voice, understanding the concern visible on my face.

There’s no use in trying to hide it, it’s too strong.

“Not hurt. Did you feel a tug like last time? Did the invisible tether move you? Hurt you?” My hands hover between us, wanting to reach for her body and inspect her myself, but not knowing if she’ll welcome my touch.

“Not like last time. It felt more like a strong pull to you from deep in my body. I had an urge to get out and run to you,” Sadie explains.

“I guess this time it was reversed for us. I’m glad you’re okay, but let’s not stretch that boundary again. I don’t want you to experience that level of discomfort again.”

It feels so unnecessary to inflict this on both of us. I’d rather just stick close together for the foreseeable future.

“That’s really sweet. Thank you, but I’m totally fine. I’m more concerned about you having run up so many flights.” Sadie gestures to my heaving chest.

“It’s really fine. I work out a lot.” I shrug, trying to pretend it wasn’t a big deal. “I’ll just count that as my cardio for the day.”

“Work out? Really? I couldn’t tell,” Sadie says dryly.

Her sarcasm catches me so off guard that I reach out and tap her butt with a light spank.

“Oh,” she moans.

I close my eyes and breathe deeply. I did not intend to spank her. It just kind of happened. But her responding moan is unexpected, and the burgeoning scent of her arousal fills my lungs.

“I’m sorry, sparkles. I didn’t mean to do that. I seem to lack basic self-control when I’m around you.”

“Don’t apologize. That little swat was just threatening me with a good time.”

I stab the button repeatedly to call the elevator again, and my brain belatedly registers what she’s saying. “Threatening with a good time?”

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