Page 96 of A Bloom in Winter

He’d been so focused on Apex that he hadn’t paid attention to his own body: the fact that he was hard, that he was straining for a release, that his balls were getting tight. And his hips just took over as he began to work his erection against Apex’s.

Even though his combats were a barrier, he felt enough.

He felt so much.

Breaking off the kiss, he dropped his face into Apex’s neck and shuddered and bucked and grabbed on to whatever there was—the vampire’s arms, his shoulders. Then he locked ahold of the other male’s hands.

It was so good, it was so right.

It was like being cleaned from the inside out. And when he finally stilled, he exhaled and went limp.

“Are you okay?” Apex asked roughly.

Dimly, through his wonderful float of relaxation, Callum thought . . . that was the third time the vampire had posed him that question.

Callum lifted his head. “I’m trying to be.”

Apex closed his black eyes. “You shouldn’t force it.”

“I think . . . I might be,” Callum whispered.

He had to believe it was possible.

He justhadto.

CHAPTER THIRTY–THREE

Come with you?” Mayhem repeated. “Where?”

Even though, duh, the answer was yes. Disney World? Sure. Off the lip of the fucking Grand Canyon? Fine. Edge of the world? All she had to do was—

“I know asking you is a little forward.” Mahrci reached out. “And it’s not because I think you can’t handle yourself.”

Oh, so this was about Remis and his band of Brooks-Brothers-wearing thugs? Hey, at least the bastard’s name fit, ’cuz Mayhem sure as shit would like to ream—

“I’m not worried about him.” He smiled. “And you can be as forward as you like with me. I’m just curious where we’re going.”

An answering grin teased her mouth. “We’re? So you’ll—”

“I told you.” He memorized the way she looked at him. “I go with the flow. And you’re . . . my kind of flow.”

“That’s just . . . thank you.”

There was a long moment. Then he couldn’t help himself. He stepped into her and touched her face.

“You’re welcome. Although I feel like I should be the one with the gratitude. And you still haven’t answered me, but it’s good. You just let me know where to go and I’ll be there. I trust you.”

“Let’s leave as soon as you’re done, okay?” That worried look came back to her eyes. “Please?”

“Sure.” Even though he really didn’t want to get back to work. He had . . . other things . . . on his mind. “I’ve got about—well,let’s say another couple hours? And I’m going to need to do some final testing with Apex.”

He wasn’t exactly sure where the guy was, but he had a feeling it was across the yard in that garage. That wolven had always been a thing for Apex. Maybethething.

What a road, though. With that kind of past?

“Oh, and listen, I didn’t bring much,” Mayhem tacked on. “As long as Apex is good with taking the SUV back to Caldie? I’m free as a bird to ghost out.”

Mahrci’s smile returned and he couldn’t help it. He dropped down and brushed her lips with his own. As she gasped, he eased back.

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