Page 43 of Soren

Gabe shook his head. “No, it makes sense now. Why you got…distracted back there.”

Soren squeezed his arm. “No, dummy, not that. I’m sorry I brought this to your doorstep. I should have left a long time ago.”

The thought was like a knife to the chest. “Don’t say that. I’m glad you stayed. I wish— I wish I was stronger. I wish I could help you. Protect you.” Gabe took a deep breath, hoping he could keep off a panic attack. The pressure in his chest just didn’t want to let up. “So…you stay. For now.”

Soren nodded. “I stay. Danny and Roman will be back soon… It sometimes helps to ward him off, having other vampires around.”

They had a week left of Gabe’s brother’s honeymoon. It seemed in that moment like an awfully long time, with so much potential for something to go horribly wrong.

But…the selfish side of Gabe didn’twantSoren to disappear. Not even with an evil ex on the horizon.

Gabe took another deep breath. “Come here.” He motioned with his arms to Soren, who arched a brow at him.

“Why?” Soren asked.

“I want to hold you.” Gabe made “gimme” hands at the reluctant vampire.

Soren was smirking now, the little brat. “Why?”

Gabe sighed but kept his arms up. “Because you just told me a sad story, and I want to comfort you.”

Soren crossed his arms. “I don’t need comfort.”

“Then I want you to comfortme.” It wasn’t even a lie. “Will you?”

Soren huffed at him but stepped around the counter to come stand in between Gabe’s legs. Gabe wrapped his arms around the petite vampire, holding him as tightly as he could, knowing Soren could more than handle his human strength.

There. That was better.

The tightness in Gabe’s chest released slowly as he held Soren in his arms, breathing in that ocean-and-pine scent.

Soren ducked his head into Gabe’s chest, mumbling something that was muffled by Gabe’s shirt.

Gabe pulled back slightly. “What was that?”

Soren stared firmly at his chest, avoiding his eyes, but repeated himself. “I don’t want you to pity me.”

“I don’t,” Gabe reassured. When Soren scoffed in response, he explained further, “I hate that this happened to you. Hate that you had your humanity taken away by someone who didn’t appreciate you, who didn’t take responsibility for what he’d done. I hate so much that someone out there wants to hurt you. But I don’t pity you.” He slid a hand around to cup Soren’s face, gently guiding his vampire to look him in the eye. “I know how strong you are. How loyal you are to those who deserve it. You haven’t let your past define you.”

Soren bit his lip. “Even though I still run from it, like a little coward?”

Gabe stroked Soren’s cheek with his thumb. “Self-preservation isn’t cowardly. You’ve been protecting yourself.”

Soren pulled his head from Gabe’s hand, moving instead to rub it against Gabe’s chest. Gabe had a feeling his vampire liked cuddling more than he let on. Soren was such a physical creature; how could he not?

“I wish I were stronger. I wish I could protect you.”

Soren tilted his head away from Gabe’s chest just enough that his words came out clear. “I don’t need that from you.”

“I don’t get what you need from me at all, I guess. Other than blood.”

“Orgasms.” Soren smirked at him again.

Well, shit. That was all Gabe was to Soren? He shouldn’t really be surprised. The wealth of this vampire’s life experience was overwhelming. What could Gabe, small-town rube turned small-town doctor, really offer him?

But before he could go to a dark place with his thoughts, Soren continued, the smirk dropping from his face, “Notjustorgasms, human. I’ve never told anyone that story. I spent over a century in a community where any vulnerability was immediately taken advantage of, with a beast who took any opening to punish me for—for my own feelings. Youdon’t take advantage. You don’t begrudge me my strength. You don’t make me feel…lesser.”

Gabe laughed. “That’s like, the bare minimum of a healthy relationship, brat.”

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