Page 69 of Hot Blooded

“I’m okay with that,” she said, “if it means I get to be with you.”

Amos cupped her face, thumbs stroking along her cheekbones. “It’s probably for the best that we need to wait a day. It gives you time to think. If you change your mind, I won’t hold it against you.”

She wouldn’t change her mind. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

He nodded. “Let me walk you to work.”

Chapter 19

That evening, Tessa awoke with butterflies in her stomach. She forced herself to get ready slowly, patiently. But even after meticulously grooming each individual skin cell and hair follicle on her body, changing her clothes six times, tweaking her winged liner a bit on one side and then the other again and again until she had to wipe it off and start over again, changing her clothes again, and forcing herself to eat a sandwich, the sun still hadn’t set.

She stood at the front door, peering impatiently out at the street. According to her phone, sunset was seven minutes away. It would take Amos another few minutes to cross the city and reach her. Mercifully, Ma was at Rob and Sarah’s house, helping make bomboloni for a school bake sale, so Tessa didn’t have to deal with Ma’s questions and scrutiny. She could stare out at the street like a dog waiting for its owner to come home, and not have to bother being subtle or explaining why.

Each passing minute felt like a new eternity, but at last, a shadow emerged from beneath the tree in front of the house. The details of Amos’s features resolved as he stepped into the glow of the porch light.

Tessa flung the door open, locked it hurriedly behind her, and flew down the steps. Amos met her at the bottom step, pulling her into his arms.

“You seem happy to see me,” he said, smiling wryly, the corners of his eyes creasing. “Can I assume you haven’t changed your mind since this morning?”

She shook her head. “There was never a question of it.”

“You want my claim?” he asked, voice roughening.

“Yes.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes.”

He let out a slow breath, looking almost shocked. And then, before Tessa could react, he scooped her up and ran. Choking on a laugh, she clutched his jacket and closed her eyes against the dizzying speed. A few minutes later, they stopped. She blinked her eyes open in the soft light in front of Amos’s front door.

Inside, Amos helped her out of her coat. She bent to slide her boots off, but Amos was already kneeling there, one hand clasped behind her knee while the other worked the heel of her boot free. First one, then the other. The hem of her dress rode up as she lifted her foot for him, revealing the tops of her stockings. Amos’s gaze landed there, transfixed, hands frozen. After a long moment, he tore his eyes away, getting back to his feet. He took Tessa’s hand and led her to through the house to the staircase.

Tessa had been expecting a slightly more savage response than the quiet, restrained way Amos was handling her. He didn’t look like a man who was about to get laid for the first time in nearly a century. His shoulders were stiff, his pace almost reluctant. They reached his bedroom door, and he paused with his hand on the handle, frozen.

He was afraid, she suddenly realized. A mixture of exasperation and tenderness overwhelmed her.

“Amos,” she said gently.

His knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on the doorknob. “Hm?”

“Look at me.”

He obeyed, his expression stiff and blank.

“I’m not going to change my mind.”

Something flickered behind his eyes, but the stiffness didn’t ease.

“I want this. I want you. Okay?”

He nodded, looking marginally relieved, but still not exactly bursting with joy. He opened the door and scooped Tessa into his arms, carrying her across the threshold. The shades were open, letting moonlight fill the room with a silvery glow. Tessa cupped Amos’s face as he carried her to the bed, pressing sweet kisses to his lips, his jaw, his cheeks, his nose. As he laid her down, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, keeping him close.

He remained braced over her, his forehead pressed to hers, eyes closed, simply breathing her in. Tessa stroked her fingers slowly up and down the nape of his neck, warmed by his closeness, letting him take his time. It occurred to her that a man who hadn’t had sex in a century might not necessarily be desperate to get his dick wet. He might actually be incredibly anxious about the momentousness of it all.

Amos had always made her feel cherished and safe and cared for, and this moment was no different. Tessa tilted her face up, catching his lips in an undemanding kiss. Her hands slid from the back of his neck to the buttons of his shirt. She worked the first one open as she kissed him. If her sweet vampire was uncertain, then she would take the lead. He made her feel so good all the time, she was happy to focus on making him feel good. To give him the intimacy and comfort and pleasure he’d been missing for so many years.

She got his shirt open and spread her hands over the broad expanse of his chest, dragging her fingernails through coarse blond hair. Amos shuddered, breaking the kiss with a gasp.

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