Page 13 of His Infernal Purr
His cheeks flush slightly. “I definitely don’t want it to be over.”
The walk home seems both interminable and too short. We don’t speak much, but our hands brush against each other until, with uncharacteristic hesitation, I take his in mine. His fingers intertwine with my larger ones, a small point of connection that somehow feels monumental.
When we reach the apartment, there’s a moment of awkwardness as we stand in the living room, the weight of possibility hanging between us.
“Would you like—” I begin.
“I really want—” he starts at the same time.
We both stop. Finn laughs softly, then steps closer, looking up at me with determined eyes.
“I really want to kiss you again,” he says. “Properly this time.”
“I would find that acceptable,” I reply, my voice rougher than intended.
He grins. “Wow, contain your enthusiasm.”
Before I can formulate a more appropriate response, he rises on his tiptoes, places his hands on my shoulders for balance, and presses his lips to mine.
This kiss is nothing like the brief contact from earlier. This is deliberate, exploratory. His lips are soft but insistent against mine, and when I respond—wrapping an arm around his waist to steady him—he makes a small sound of approval that sends heat coursing through me.
The kiss deepens naturally, his tongue tentatively tracing my lower lip until I grant access, my free hand coming up to cradlethe back of his head. He tastes like chocolate and champagne, and something uniquely him that I find instantly addictive.
When we finally part, his breathing is uneven, pupils dilated, lips slightly swollen. He looks… magnificent.
“Wow,” he breathes. “That was…”
“Acceptable?” I suggest with a raised eyebrow.
He laughs, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. “Way better than acceptable. That was… demonic in the best possible way.”
I can feel my wings straining to manifest—a physical response to emotional intensity I’m still learning to control. “Would you like to continue this… exploration?”
His eyes darken further. “Yes. Definitely yes.”
We move to the bedroom—his bedroom, which I’ve respectfully avoided until now. It’s simply furnished but comfortable, with a large bed that dominates the space. Finn turns on a small lamp, casting the room in soft golden light.
There’s a moment of uncertainty as we stand beside the bed, the reality of what we’re about to do settling over us.
“I haven’t done this in… a while,” Finn admits, fingers working at his shirt buttons with unusual clumsiness. “And never with a, you know, Duke of Hell.”
“I have certain advantages in this area,” I inform him, gently moving his hands aside to unbutton his shirt myself. “Centuries of experience, enhanced stamina, detailed knowledge of human pleasure points…”
He laughs, the sound trailing off into a soft intake of breath as I push his shirt off his shoulders. “That sounds… promising.”
“I intend to be very thorough,” I promise, bending to place a kiss on the newly exposed skin of his shoulder.
His hands come up to my suit jacket, pushing it off before starting on my shirt buttons. “Can I see them?” he asks quietly. “Your wings?”
The request surprises me. “You want to see my true form?”
He nods, fingers pausing on my half-unbuttoned shirt. “I want to see you. The real you.”
Something profound and unfamiliar moves through me at his words. No one has ever asked to see my true form out of desire rather than fear or necessity.
I step back slightly, focusing my energy, and allow my form to shift. My skin darkens to its natural obsidian, horns extending to their full impressive curve, and my wings unfurl behind me, stretching nearly wall to wall in the modest bedroom.
Finn’s eyes widen, but not in fear. In wonder.
