Page 39 of Love Heals
"I'd give you a discount," I offered.
"You don't need to do that."
My lips twitched up. "So you'll pay full price then? That's much appreciated."
The faintest blush colored his cheeks, making me laugh. It looked so out of place on his face.
"Relax," I said, stepping closer. "I'm only playing with you." In reality, I knew he'd never buy a blowjob from me.
And if he ever wanted one, I wouldn't make him pay. After all, aside from my friends on the street, Jared was the only one who'd ever cared about me. I was never going to take him up on his offers, but he cared. That meant a lot.
"It's okay that you're straight," I said. In a way, I was almost glad that he didn't have the hots for me. At least it meant he had no ulterior motives. But I could still get a kick out of teasing him a little bit—while also indulging my own little fantasies. Leaning a little closer, I pressed my lips to his cheeks to give him a kiss.
At the very least, that was what I had intended. Before my mouth could brush Jared's cheek, he moved his face, and my lips landed on his instead.
Time froze.
For a heartbeat or two, neither of us moved.
My thoughts raced. Was this kiss my fault or was it his? Had it been an accident or not? Maybe he only wanted it to look like an accident? No, ithadto be an accident.
His lips sure felt nice, though.
In a moment of daring, I darted my tongue out to tease along his lower lip, just to see if he would take me up on it,hopingthat he would take me up on it.
He didn't do that. He broke away and stared at me.
"Don't you fucking dare judge me right now," I said before he could say anything.
His throat worked.
"What?" I asked. "Did I steal your first kiss?"
Jared shook his head, but still, he didn't say anything. Almost as if he was too stunned to say anything, which was weird. He was the quiet type, yeah, but usually his quiet wasn't for lack of words.
I sighed, turning away. "I get that you're not gay, but you don't have to act like a kiss from me is the worst thing that ever happened to you." He should begladto get a kiss from me. Lots of guys were. I huffed as I walked away with a chip in my pride and a crack in my heart. Of course Jared wasn't glad to be kissed by me. He wasn't gay, and even if he were, he'd never go for a street rat like me.
The memory faded slowly as reality spun around me, disorienting me. It took me several minutes to realize that I was in Jared's room, that I had just drawn blood from him because I was a vampire. I closed my eyes and kept them close. The afterimage of my former self felt jarring as it tried to integrate itself into my head. It was as if I were trying to borrow another person's skin and walk around in it.
Michael had been angry and frustrated, but also oddly optimistic and... what was that term... resilient? Hopeful. There'd been a sort ofenergyto him that I couldn't even begin to understand in my current state.
It was hard to believe I'd ever been him at all.
Except for one thing.
I opened my eyes again and glanced at Jared, who was still sitting next to me. It was only now that I noticed his hand on my shoulder again. The attraction coming off him that still hung in the air between us.
'Not gay' my ass.
I glared at Jared.
He held my gaze.
Once I found my voice again, I asked. "It wasn't an accident, was it?"
"It wasn't." Jared didn't say anything more than that, but he didn't have to.
"I used to have a huge crush on you," I admitted.
