Page 40 of Charming Her Monsters

I’ve drooled on him, now he’s mine.

Hey, we all got to have our signature move. Casually, I lift my head, and rub my hand to remove the evidence.

He does not need to know about this.

Despite my best efforts, Maxum thwarts my crafty plans when he captures my wrist and says in a deep, raspy voice, “Iknowwhat you’ve done.”

“Uh?” I play innocent. “What do you mean?”

“I have to bite you to claim you. Drooling or licking doesn’t work in a cosmic bonding ceremony.”

“What? How did you…?” I stir and prop myself up to gaze down at him. Damn, he’s a sight. His obsidian eyes remind me of unfathomable depths—the surrender to the oblivion of an orgasm. “An abyss of bliss…” I mumble to myself.

“Is that my new nickname? Seems a tad long,” he jokes and wipes the drool from the corner of my mouth with his thumb. How can he make that sexy? Must be a magic demon thing. “But I can make it part of my formal title.” He gives me a sweet kiss, and my heart melts.

Arran flings open the door and rushes to greet me. “I was trying so hard, but I couldn’t stay away for another minute.” He snatches me from Maxum’s grasp, and my wolfman clutches me to his chest, inhaling deeply, taking in my scent.

I didn’t know it was possible for my heart to further turn to goo, but yeah, it happens.

Flint appears in the open doorway, his back turned to me so he gives me and my nakedness privacy. “I have more food for you.” His stone skin around his neck turns a lovely peachy color from his embarrassment. “Don’t fret. It is not as much as our last meal.”

“You are too sweet,” I say. “I’ll be right there.”

After Flint disappears, and we can hear he’s in the kitchen, readying things for our arrival, Maxum whispers in my ear, “It appears our gargoyle might have caught feelings after four hundred years of immunity.”

“He’s just being nice.” I wave Maxum off. “Maybe you don’t realize people can be nice without needing to mate.”

Maxum shrugs. “True, but he doesn’t makememeals of his own volition.”

My head spins with what he’s implying. Is the anti-touch, anti-social, and stoic gargoyle developing feelings for me?

Arran thumbs the crease between my brows. Apparently, I’ve been frowning. He attempts to reassure me, “It probably doesn’t matter much since he won’t want to actually act upon them.”

Disappointment and sadness rise within me. I kick myself. I should be happy that I have two amazing guys in my bed right now. And if Osen isn’t gone, maybe I’d have him, too. I don’t need tocatch them alllike this is one of my why choose books or pokémon.

I doubt Flint would be up for sharing my affection even if he could get over the mountain of issues we would have to overcome.

I will just have to be friends with him and ignore my growing attraction—no matter how many spicy muffins he bakes for me.

* * *

Fortunately, there is less food this time, and the meal is uneventful, since Calder doesn’t show to haze me.

The sun is setting on the lake. It’s stunning, and I gasp at the sight of cotton ball clouds of rich peaches and pinks.

Standing from the table, I drift over to the huge picture window and gaze at the beauty. Always being cooped up in my writing cave and getting so caught up in working every single day, I’ve been missing out on life.

Maxum walks up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist and rests his chin on the top of my head, both of us taking a moment to absorb the beauty.

I suppose it has taken near-death experiences and these caring souls, who the human world considers monsters, to slow me down enough to question the pace of my life.

“How many spectacular sunsets have I missed?” I ask no one in particular.

“I don’t know, but maybe the question should be: what are the beautiful moments we have left to share?” Maxum squeezes me. “I know that for the first time in forever, I look forward to finding that out—because of you.”

Arran walks over and kisses my cheek. “Me too.”

“Would you like to take a flight over the lake?” Maxum asks.

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