Page 59 of Taste of Forever
“Thank you,” Laith said after we’d both managed to compose ourselves. “For your blood.”
“You…I don’t think you took very much this time.” I tried to say it casually. It wasn’t like I could get mad at him for not getting me off.
He nodded and glanced at me with a small smile. “I don’t need to take as much since we’ve been seeing—I mean, doing this regularly. I’m not starving like I was in the beginning.”
“Oh. I see.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up higher. “Do I sense disappointment, Science Barbie?”
“No! I mean, I was just curious.” I flipped my hair behind my shoulder. “A Science Barbie should be curious about everything, don’t you think?”
Laith let out a genuine chuckle. It didn’t carry the same weight as his normal laugh, but I’d take it. “You’ve taken to the nickname rather well.”
“Hey, IlovedBarbie as a kid. Still do. I don’t consider the nickname insulting at all.”
“Good,” he said seriously. “It’s not meant as an insult.”
He got that intense look again, the one that made me want to squirm under his gaze. A parade of fully naked women could have strutted up to the VIP loft right then, and I was certain Laith wouldn’t glance at any of them. It was flattering to have his full attention like this, especially since I was starting to feel things I’d never expected to feel.
I should have gotten to business and asked more general vampire questions—the type of stuff Soren would grill me aboutlater—but I couldn’t bring myself to care at that moment. No one belonged in this moment except me and Laith.
“Hey, did I notice new ink on your arm?” he asked suddenly.
“Oh yeah.” I pulled up my sleeve to expose my whole forearm. “My oxytocin molecule was feeling a little plain so I added to it.”
He moved closer until his thigh pressed lightly to mine, taking my forearm in both hands. “Oh wow, this is beautiful work.”
I couldn’t help the giddy grin at his praise. “Thanks. I’m really happy with it.”
My oxytocin molecule was now framed by orange and red lilies, my favorite flowers. I’d had the tattoo appointment for months and finally got it done the day after I last saw Laith.
“It’s pretty fresh. I hope the ink didn’t make my blood taste weird.”
Laith licked his lips, his expression turned pensive. “Hmm, I thought I caught some undertones of ballpoint pen in there.”
“What?” I laughed. “No, you did not.”
“Mm, no, you’re right. It was more like the red Sharpie flavor.”
“Shut up.” I smacked his arm with the back of my hand, already cracking up. “Now I know you’re fucking with me.”
He grinned. “I’m back, baby. All thanks to you.”
The urge to lean in and kiss that sexy grin was so overwhelming, I had to ball my fists at my sides. “Well, I’m glad I could make you feel a bit better after such a shitty night.”
“You did,” he said softly. “Not just your blood, but you, Heather.” One fang dragged over his lip and damn if that didn’t make me want to kiss him more. “I’m glad I got to see you tonight.”
The worst part about my pulse speeding up right then was knowing he could hear it. “Me too.”
“And don’t worry. Whatever ink is in your bloodstream did not affect your taste in the slightest.”
I swiped a hand across my forehead. “Phew.”
He laughed dryly. “What kind of flowers are those?”
“They’re lilies. The design is based on the tiger lily, which is probably my favorite variety.”
“They’re the same kind that grow at your place, right?”
