Page 134 of Demon with Benefits
He spent every day with her. He wanted to spend every day for the rest of time with her. He wanted to hear her laugh every one of those days. When he had to make a decision, he wanted her opinion first. His every desire or plan for the future involved her.
She’d told him she wanted to quit smoking, so he’d dropped the habit like a hot potato in support, and he threatened to beat the shit out of anyone who so much as mentioned it around her. She’d asked him to go to puppy obedience classes with her, and he hadn’t even complained about it.Puppy obedienceclasses.
He knew what all that meant.
He was a dumb-fuck demon, but he’d learned a lot, and suddenly, the weight of his realization crashed into him like a brick dropped from the roof of a building onto his thick head.
He had no choice but to sit down on the edge of the bed. His heart started racing, and his breathing sped up until his chest hurt, but he didn’t think he was going to have a full-on panic attack again. He wondered why, considering this realization was ten times scarier than the first one.
Then he realized it was because he felt safe. He trusted Iris, and he believed in her feelings for him. And suddenly, he wasn’t afraid to tell her anymore.
“Iris?” he called out.
“Yeah?” Her voice came from the bathroom.
“I love you.”
There was silence.
He waited. He was nervous, sure, but he wasn’t terrified. There was a difference.
And then she appeared in the doorway, mascara brush still in one hand. “What did you say?” Her voice was a whisper.
“I said I love you.” He stared at his gold sneakers.
He was looking down, but he saw a flash of movement in his peripherals and had just enough forewarning to brace himself before she crashed into him, knocking him flat on his back on the bed.
“You do?”
“Yeah. Is that okay?”
“Is it okay? Is itokay?” She laughed. “Of course it’s fucking okay, you bloody idiot! I love you too.”
He smiled at her, finally finding the guts to look into her eyes.Such a lovely shade of green.She was the sweetest damn thing with him, all sugar and honey, and a total bitch to everyone else, and he was the luckiest bastard alive.
To others, she was still the same old prickly Iris, who’d maybe mellowed out a little since her second trip to Hell and the defeat of her enemy. But Meph got to see a side of her that was just for him.
At night, she would cuddle against him and make adorable little humming sounds. When they spooned in bed, she would wriggle her butt as close to him as she could get and purr when he pet her soft skin. Her hair felt like silk, and fucking her was better than Heaven. He’d never been to Heaven, but he still knew it was better.
“What changed?” she asked, propping her chin up on his chest. The mascara brush was gone, and he figured she’d dropped it on the dresser before she tackled him.
“Nothing changed,” he said. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. Of course I love you. I just... didn’t put it together until right now.” He winced. “Sorry.”
She slapped his chest lightly. “Why are you apologizing?”
“’Cause I suck at emotions.”
“I don’t give a shite. You’re bloody perfect, and you’re mine, and you just told me you love me, and I love you too. Enjoy the moment.”
He knew she meant business because her Irish accent was coming out. He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
She smiled. “I like your shoes, by the way.”
“I like your dress.”
“I like your hoodie too. It matches perfectly.”
“I like your naked body, and if you don’t get off me, I’m going to take that dress off and fuck you until you’re screaming.”
