Page 54 of Dating the Dealing Demon

Desire hotter than brimstone fire floods my veins as shock wars with lust. “Have you thought through all the consequences?”

She snorts a choked giggle. “Do I ever?”

That’s not answer enough for such a life-altering decision. I tighten my grip on those lovely, rounded hips under thatabsolute tease of a lab coat which has become my new favorite fashion statement. “I’m serious, Vicious.”

“No, but I’m betting you have. You overthink everything.”

Ignoring the possible slight since it’s true, I try to slow things down, a strategy my body decidedly doesnotagree with. “Yeah.”

“Then we’re good. Show me what you can do with those twin peens of yours. Unless you’re not up to the task.”

I groan, my restraint quickly fading. “You’ll be the death of me, Vicious.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Val

“Only if you’re lucky,” I taunt Theo.

He jokes about me being the death of him, but I seriously think he may be the end of the life I thought I knew. The boring human one where my greatest fear was the press finding my apartment or Mom forcing me to do extra appearances on the show. Now, I’m in a world of monsters, portals, and a family fighting to the death for a crown.

Still, I could’ve dealt with Theo as long as he’d simply stayed the hot jerk who drives me crazy with wanting him. But no, he made me miss him when he’s gone.

Damn him.

I crave more than the cuddling and physical closeness. The asshole had to go fight for my friends, keep his word about getting Ava to me, and now he’s switched fromyou will do as I command because I’m the prince of all that’s awesometo asking me how we make this work.

I’ll figure out how to fix the world’s problems. Tomorrow. Maybe. If I can actually concentrate long enough to finisha single experiment. But right now? I only have one kind of chemistry in mind.

Avoiding him didn’t work.

Pretending we hadn’t kissed certainly hadn’t helped.

Getting interrupted by my best friend’s kraken mate? Yeah, I can’t process that right now.

“I don’t need luck.” The arrogance in Theo’s voice matches the possessive way he slides his hands beneath my lab coat to cup my ass like he owns me.

I open my mouth to argue. He kisses me to shut me up, and I end up sighing instead of rattling off whatever excellent points I’ve already forgotten. I’ll teach him not to interrupt me…sometime. But first I’ll win this war of making him as desperate for me as I’m feeling right now.

I push against him, taking over the kiss, but he teleports, yanking control from me yet again. I’m knocked off balance and spiraling through the shift until we land, his mouth still on mine.

In the kitchen no less. He lifts me onto the counter, and I part my knees to pull him closer. The heat of him all around me makes the cold marble beneath me more startling.

I can’t catch a breath and I’m not sure whether to blame the magic or the man. Or the monster if I’m being honest. Because while human Theo is hot, demon Theo steals all thought with the forbidden fantasy I can’t wait to live out.

Twisting my fingers in his shirt, I haul him to me in a fight for dominance. When he gives a low chuckle that has my insides tightening, I slip my tongue against his and hit a fang. A sudden pain stings as though I’ve licked a razor blade. I guess his human glamour isn’t completely demon proof.

A hiss slips from me, but he doesn’t let go.

“An accident,” he says, a dark rumble to his words that makes me think his fang cutting through the glamour was anything but accidental.

“Riiight.” I dig my nails into the nape of his neck, not bothering with gentle. If he wants to play rough, he needs to be able to take as much pain as he inflicts.

“I’ll kiss it better.”

“Mm-hmph.” It’s all the protest I can manage when he slants his mouth against mine, biting instead of licking. A sharp throbbing screams through me yet, just as quickly, it’s gone. In its place, a sparkling sensation worthy of the best champagne bubbles across my skin. Euphoria wraps me in its grasp, and I needmore.

He pulls away, and I chase the kiss. “Venom,” he says. “Remember? It heightens desire. I don’t want you saying yes because?—”

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