Page 43 of Love Bites Extra Hard

He slid one of his hands up the curve of my waist, then dragged his thumb lightly over my nipple. “Okay.”

“We would sleep in our own rooms,” I clarified. “Have our own lives. You’ll still have to take me back to the Manor when we find a way to kill Sylvester.”

“Alright.” He squeezed my breast lightly, then refocused on my nipple.

“We wouldn’t bedating,” I added. “Just screwing, exclusively. Outside of the sex, we would still just be friends.”

“Mmhm.” He pinched my nipple, and I scowled down at him, even though it felt amazing.

“Talon.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not even listening to me.”

He lifted his gaze to mine. “We’re screwing exclusively. Friends with benefits. No living together. You’re going back to the Manor when Sylvester’s dead. Right?”

Maybe hewaslistening.

“Right. But you didn’t tell me what you think about any of it.”

“I think I’ll take anything you’re willing to give me, Ave. You make the rules. I’ll follow them. Mostly.”

My chest warmed. “Alright.”

“Now who’s not saying what they think?”

I smiled grudgingly. “I think I want you to take me back into the pool and fuck me again.”

He smirked. “Yes ma’am.”

Talon carried me back to the pool and gave me exactly what I wanted, until I was so exhausted I was basically boneless.

nine

TALON

I was living a fucking dream.

After the night in the hot springs, we fell into a routine.

Breakfast was in Avery’s room. On the best days,shewas breakfast. After I walked her down to the prison, she spent most of her day using her magic on Sylvester, with Stella, while I worked. I brought lunch down for both of them halfway through, and carried dinner down when the day was finally over.

When we got back to her room, we fucked until we were both too exhausted to keep going. She always kicked me out afterward, but I didn’t care.

Eventually, she’d let me stay the night.

Nights were the worst part of every day. Even though her room was just down the hall from mine, I couldn’t sleep when she was out of my sight.

So, I spent every night sitting against her door, grinding the sharp edges of my scales down for her.

Eventually, I’d lose all of those fuckers and be done with it.

And eventually, I’d get tired enough to actually manage some sleep in that damn hallway.

When two weekshad gone by since I took her from the vampires, she reminded me that I’d promised to fly her out so she could text her sisters. She’d already bundled up in a few layers of clothes to protect herself from my scales, and her expression was so bright, I couldn’t have turned her down if I wanted to.

I didn’t tell her she didn’t need the layers anymore.

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