Page 29 of Fated Mates and How to Seduce Them
André wanted to stay awake and cherish this time, as he had no idea when he’d be able to do this again, but he could feel his eyes drooping already. It wasn’t a surprise—he’d had a full day—but dammit, he wanted another ten minutes at least. Just ten minutes to properly indulge.
“André?” Ian whispered into the dark, tone hesitant.
“Hmm?”
“I…don’t know if I can give you the answer you want.”
Shit, this sounded important. André nudged his brain back awake. “You’re saying this because you don’t trust me yet.”
“I just…can’t date for the sake of dating. I’ve never been able to. If I don’t see a good ending with a person, I won’t start a relationship. Plus, there’s the glaring fact you’re a vampire, I’m human, and our lifespans don’t even begin to match up. This is kinda an important thing in a relationship.”
André could feel a vise around his heart. “See? Like I said, you don’t trust me yet. I never said what I want with you will be temporary.”
“You…really want me as a long-term boyfriend?”
“For every moment I know you, I am more sure of that.”
Silence descended around them.
“It’s all right,” André assured him when it seemed like Ian was at a loss for words. He himself had to focus because having Ian’s neckright therewas incredibly tempting, but this was truly the wrong moment to think with his instincts. He mentally slapped himself and tried to come up with the right words to reassure him. “I know not everyone goes at the same speed. Benedict said I came at you like a typhoon. I overwhelmed you. It’s all right if you need time to get to know me first. I won’t take it any further than this until you’re ready. You set the pace.”
“You’re assuming I’m not straight, you know that, right?”
“If you weren’t attracted to me on some level, you’d have punched me and told me off already.”
“It pisses me off that I can’t argue that.”
André snorted and snuggled in a little closer, daring to place a hand on Ian’s chest. He liked that response. He’d suspected Ian’s attraction to him—the man’s eyes and scent gave him away sometimes—but hearing the confirmation was a balm to André’s smarting ego.
“The lifespan thing is bothering you, I can tell. But you know, I’m happy to turn you. If we date for a while, and we feel like the relationship is solid, I can turn you so you can stay with me.”
“Huh. That easy?”
“Sure. Turning someone isn’t hard.”
Ian fell silent, but it was a ruminative silence, as if he had taken the words in and was mulling them over. André was perfectly happy for him to think on that one.
“If you’re waiting for me to give up, Ian, it won’t happen. The only way to get me to stop is to tell me flat out you don’t like me. To tell me to stop.ShouldI stop?”
There was another long silence, and André found himself holding his breath. He didn’t know how Ian would answer.
Slender fingers reached up and wrapped around his wrist, holding his hand still on Ian’s chest.
“Go to sleep, André.”
That had not been a no. Inwardly, his heart threw some colorful confetti. It was damned close to a yes, and right now, after a long month, André would take it.
He didn’t even try to suppress his smile as he let his eyes close.
Ian tilted his head just enough to let his eyes roam over André’s face. He always looked handsome, but something about the wan lighting here in the room made him beautiful, much like a painting in sepia tones.
Wow, Ian really was sliding if he was thinking in such poetic terms. He was about to despair of himself.
André had fallen deeply asleep, his breath slow and steady, but his grip on Ian hadn’t let up. Between him on this side and Casper tucked in next to Ian’s other shoulder, he wouldn’t bemoving anytime soon. The two had him precisely where they wanted him.
Ah, maybe that was it. Like a cat, André had taken one look at him and said “mine” and refused to let go.
In a whisper, the words so soft they barely stirred the air, Ian told the slumbering man, “You make me wish for things I’m not sure I can have. You sorely tempt me, André.”
