Page 26 of TBR: Dead But Well Read

I knew he could have snapped my neck without effort, but I wasn’t worried. Not even when his kiss grew demanding, and he sucked the energy from me at a frantic pace. I didn’t think he’d ever kill to eat, but right now, I was still his prey and his body was in survival mode.

Rather than struggle, I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him closer. The oversized white T-shirt I’d created to sleep in rode up over my hips, leaving only a lacy thong covering me.

Loch’s thumb brushed along the bare skin of my neck. It was a tender gesture, and a sweet reminder that I was more than a meal to him and he wouldn’t hurt me.

I did my best to ignore the ache between my thighs that was growing more demanding. Apparently, I couldn’t share energy without getting turned on by the physical contact. Only, they didn’t call it sharing, they called it feeding. My brain swirled with questions. Was this something they needed often? Did they feed from other ghosts? And did those ghosts get turned on too? An uncomfortable surge of jealousy caused my chest to tighten and ache. It didn’t matter that I barely knew these guys, or that I’d been so determined about not wanting to make space in my life for them… I couldn’t stand the idea of another woman experiencing this with my guys.

My guys.

Were they mine? They’d made it clear they wanted me, and my heart knew we fit together. But how could this work?

Lochlan’s mouth pulled me from my thoughts as he moved from my lips, down to my neck. The hand that had gripped my throat moved to my thigh, then trailed over my butt.

“You need to focus on feeding,” I protested, my voice husky with need.

Unhooking my legs from around his waist, I dropped onto the mattress. He shifted slightly down the bed and I bent my legs and pulled them toward me to give him more room for whatever he was doing.

When his strong fingers gripped my legs and began parting them, I tried to wiggle away. Lochlan was having none of it and held me in place.

His eyes bore into mine. “If you don’t want this to go any further, say the word and I’ll let you go.”

I hesitated, still embarrassed over the raw neediness I’d shown with Evander while Lochlan and Rhodes watched.

As if reading my thoughts, Lochlan purred, “You were beautiful in your ecstasy. I was jealous, in awe, and painfully turned on watching the show you two put on. Getting to watchyou being pleasured by him, put to rest any doubts about my ability to share you with another man. I still wanted to be the one touching you, but I enjoy watching you, too.”

“How did you know what I was thinking?” I asked in a hoarse whisper.

“Boo, your face is far too expressive. Plus, your blush, combined with the flickering overhead light, made it easy to guess. But you don’t need to feel embarrassed.” Loch leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to each of my legs. “Let me see you. Please.”

“What about your, um, you know… feeding?” My voice squeaked and my muscles trembled. “Shouldn’t we focus on that, instead of…”

The overhead light flashed on and off like it was at a rave. Until I’d met these men, I had no idea that ghostly embarrassment would take such an embarrassingly obvious form.

“Sweet, innocent woman. Collectors don’t need to kiss in order to feed.” Lochlan’s delighted rumble of laughter was laced with a positively wicked note. “Do you really think I’m going to kiss Rhodes or Ev? That isn’t going to happen even if I were in dire need of healing and they had the energy to spare. We can absorb energy through our skin.”

As if to illustrate his point, Lochlan rested his open palm against my stomach. The heat from his skin seeped into me as my energy lurched toward his touch. I sucked in a breath as the energy flowed from me and into Lochlan.

What the fright?!

They could’ve fed just by holding my hand or touching my arm? My gaze jumped to Evander to find he was awake, likely due to Loch and I moving around, but he was looking everywhere but in my direction. I glanced at Rhodes, who’dawakened as well, but instead of guilt, he grinned unashamedly at me.

Lochlan’s laughter deepened. “Yeah, he didn’t need to kiss you to feed. But cut him some slack. We thought you knew, and no man in his right mind is going to turn down the chance to kiss you.”

“Axe, I’m sorry. I was going to say something, but when you snuggled against me, I couldn’t even speak. At that moment, I forgot all about needing to feed. All I could think about was how desperately I wanted to taste your lips.”

Evander’s eyes swirled with guilt and hunger. His honesty made it hard to be upset with him. Especially when I’d wanted it too.

Pushing aside my shyness, I reached out and brushed my knuckles along his stubbled jaw. “I liked it. A lot.”

“Good.” Evander caught my hand and placed a soft kiss on each of my fingers.

“Alright, enough,” Loch grumbled, his laughter dying away. “You had your turn, Evander. I’m hungry and it’s my turn to feed.”

Slick arousal rushed between my thighs as the double meaning of his words sank in. In my old life, I was not what anyone would consider adventurous when it came to the bedroom tango. But this was my second chance to be whoever I wanted. Whoever said reading romance was a waste of time didn’t have a clue what they were talking about, because I was about to put my long hours ofresearchto good use!

I could let go andboogie.

Relaxing my locked muscles, I watched Lochlan’s tongue slide across his bottom lip as he guided my legs apart.

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