Page 27 of Watercolor Skulls

And, she only has the dragonfly to blame. The dragonfly brought me an angel and I sure as fuck am not about to let her go.

Chapter Thirteen

Lily

???

Oh fudge. Oh fudge. Oh fudge.

What have I done? What was I thinking, coming to a bar, dressed like this? Like me.

My heart skips and trips and sidesteps and fucking just about keels over as I think about what will happen when we get to my house.

I’m not a virgin. But I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve never had anyone look at me with hungry eyes like Dan is giving me. He’s possessive. Benjamin was possessive but in a different sort of way. He owned me like one would own a car or a boat. He took me out of the garage every once in a while to show me off but then he parked me neatly back inside until the next time he needed Senator Ramsey’s perfectly poised daughter on his arm.

Dan wants me. Me. The real me.

I want him too.

“No, I don’t want to be safe. I want to be reckless, and crazy and I want someone to watch over me while that happens.” I’m breathing hard. It’s scary being honest with him, but I think he might be the only person I can be candid with at this point.

He holds a helmet out. “I’ll watch over you. If you trust me.”

I reach out to take it, bowing my head slightly. “I trust you.”

Dan swings his leg over his bike, kicking up the stand. He nods to the seat behind him. I shove the helmet on and as lady like as I can with my dress, straddle the seat. As soon as I settle behind him he runs his palm up my leg before pulling my hands around his torso. “Hold on tight.”

Sliding as close to him as I can, which feels pretty darn good, I hold on to his t-shirt, feeling his hard muscles twitch beneath my hands. The moment he starts the bike something shifts inside me. It’s…oh gosh. Wow. I could get used to this.

He takes off slowly out of the parking lot. As he picks up speed on the open road I wonder how the hell I got here. Oh, yeah, a little dragonfly. I rest my head on Dan’s back, a small smile on my lips. This feels good. So good. It’s an adventure.

I don’t know what will happen when we get to my house and honestly it’s kind of exciting not knowing. Will he come in? Will we talk? Will he want to do more than talk? Will I?

A sane woman would be scared of this big brute of a man. I’m not. I don’t know why. Especially with the way he treated me back there. He literally told a whole bar full of men to keep their eyes off me as he dragged me out the door. It should have pissed me off, not warmed my heart.

I like that he is possessive, even though I’m not his. He’s not mine. I wish he were, but I don’t know how someone like me holds onto someone like him. I’m okay with whatever it is. Jenny told me sometimes people come into your life for a short period, sometimes only minutes but that doesn’t diminish the importance of them.

Whatever Dan is in my life, I’ll accept it. Not only that, but I’ll also cherish it. It’s been a great journey so far. If it ends after tonight so be it.

Dan drives right to my house. I didn’t tell him where I lived, but maybe Jesse did. He pulls up in front and shuts the engine off. I slide off and hand him his helmet back. I grab my keys from my purse, heading up the stairs. I listen to see if he follows. He does. My heart is beating wildly in my chest.

When I open the door and step inside I realize he stopped on the porch. Slowly I turn around to find him leaning against the door jamb casually. He doesn’t say anything he just watches me as I set my purse down on the coffee table.

“Um, I don’t have much…yet, but would you like to come in?” I’m suddenly nervous. This is all so new to me.

His amber eyes glow as they move across the room, taking in what little there is in my space. When they land back on me he grins. “You should never invite a vampire into your house, silly girl, it renders you powerless.”

My eyes drop to the threshold and I laugh. “Are you telling me you are a vampire?”

“No, I’m worse.”

My laughter faulters, he’s trying to scare me. But I think it’s his own hesitation keeping him on the other side of the door. I toe off my heels as I think about it. “What if I want to be powerless.”

He growls. Literally growls.

It makes me shiver and not in fear. Taking a deep breath, I look him in the eye. “Would you please come in.”

He glances over his shoulder once before turning back to me. “You sure this is what you want?”

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