Page 68 of Hot Blooded

She moved past Amos, unable to quite meet his gaze, and stepped outside. Amos followed closely. Ma stood in the doorway, watching, so Tessa walked in silence until they were out of sight of the house.

At the end of the block, Tessa stopped beneath a pool of orangey streetlight and turned to face Amos. She hadn’t prepared herself for the intensity of his gaze. Caught off guard, she almost looked away.

He stood at a distance, just out of arm’s reach. “Tessa, I lied to you.”

Her brows rose. “You… what?”

“I lied. Because I’m a coward. I’ve wanted you since… I don’t even know. Probably the first time we met. But I promised you a proper courtship, and I swore to be patient. But the more I know you, the more I want you. And when I realized the thrall had fixated on you—when it crossed my mind that a claim could protect you—I took advantage of that fact to get what I wanted.”

Tessa’s heart lifted. A helpless smile pulled at her mouth. “You want—”

“You, Tessa,” he said roughly. “I want to put my claim mark on you. I want it so badly it’s making me crazy. Every time I see you I get closer to breaking down and begging.”

She didn’t know how to put into words what she was feeling. Her chest constricted pleasantly, robbing her of breath.

“By your standards, I’m an old man. But that just means I’ve been around long enough to know exactly what I want. To know what love is when I feel it.”

“Love?” Tessa repeated, almost in disbelief.

“You’re thoughtful and clever and playful. You make my dull life exciting just by existing, and every minute you spend away from me feels like an eternity. I would do anything it took to make you happy. I want you tied to me, body and soul, forever, because I’m desperately in love with you, Tessa.”

“Amos…” His name came out on the faintest of breaths, and she gave in to the urge to throw herself into his arms. “I love you, too,” she rasped, burying her face against his chest.

He tightened one arm around her, holding her close, and tilted her chin up with his other hand. His mouth met hers in a brutal kiss in which nothing was withheld. All the want, all the desire, all the bottled-up emotion between them came pouring out in a physical explosion. Amos’s fangs scraped against her lower lip, drawing blood. He tasted it immediately and they both groaned as he sucked on her lip, drawing out that faint thread before the wound closed.

But his venom was in her mouth, too, sinking into that little wound. A glowing warmth radiated from the spot, spreading through her body. It wasn’t as potent or intense as when he fed fully from her, but a little orgasm suddenly seized her, making her gasp. Amos caught her as her knees gave out, holding her close as the delicious tremors chased through her. When it passed, she clung weakly to him, breathing raggedly.

“Are you alright?” he asked gently, his words underscored by the purr rumbling in his chest.

Tessa laughed. “Well, I’d prefer that hadn’t happened in the street, but I’m definitely alright.” She gazed up at him, tightening her hold on him. “I know you wanted a proper courtship, but if I’m going to accept your claim, I want… more than that. Like, I want to have sex with you. Is that—”

Amos ducked suddenly, throwing Tessa over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.

Tessa shrieked, laughing as she pounded on his back. “What are you doing?”

“Taking you to my house. Right now.”

Still laughing, she pleaded, “Wait, Amos. Put me down.”

With obvious reluctance, he set her back on her feet.

“I can’t tonight,” she said, still breathless from being thrown around so easily. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to tease you. I just wanted to know if it was on the table.”

“Yes, sweetheart, it’s on the table. And the bed. And the floor. Hell, we can do it on the roof if you want. Let’s go. Call in sick.”

She groaned. “I can’t. I wish I could, but I just can’t. We’re really short-staffed right now, and I can’t make it worse if I don’t have to.”

Amos sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I made it this long. I’ll last a few more days, I suppose.”

Tessa smiled wolfishly. “You only have to last for one more. I’m not working tomorrow night. I can be with you all night.”

Amos’s pupils dilated wide. He stepped into Tessa’s space, big hand cupping the back of her head as he kissed her. He broke this kiss, still gripping the back of her neck, his forehead pressed against hers. “Tomorrow night,” he growled, “You’ll accept my claim?”

Tessa nodded, nearly dizzy with desire and excitement. “Yes.”

“Do you understand what you’re giving up to be with me?” he asked, sounding pained. “You’ll outlive all of your family. You’ll never have children of your own.”

Outliving her family would be painful—especially her niece and nephew—but she was done planning her own life around her family. And not having children… she’d always envisioned herself getting married and having children, in a vague, compulsory sort of way. But, with the option taken off the table, she felt no sense of loss.

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