Page 94 of The Demon Court

“You feed off us.” She nodded, staring off into the distance with determination on her face now. “I understand it. If we weren’t around, then you wouldn’t have a natural food source. Of course, that requires you to have a regular meal, and that makes all of you a bit like parasites. Or symbiotes, if you wish to think of yourself in kinder terms.”

He had no words. Not a single word to respond to her insulting his entire species like that.

He opened his mouth, ready to spout whatever he could to tell her how utterly wrong she was, only to see her lips twitch.

Just the side opposite of him first, and then she slanted her gaze to his. Those glittering dark orbs were filled with so much mirth, he thought she was going to burst with it. Then she did. Selene tilted her head back and a rush of laughter bubbled out, the sound tumbling from her lips and easing all the wounds she’d delivered.

“Parasites,” he snarled one last time, giving her shoulder a shove with his. “Do you really think that?”

“No.” She shook her head, still chuckling at her apparently very enjoyable joke. “You feed off something we have in abundance. And I’ll admit, even after you claimed to have tasted my lust, it did not dull the sensation that I felt.”

“It doesn’t,” he grumbled. “We’re not taking your emotions away from you, foolish woman.”

“Ah, don’t call me that because you’re upset with me.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.” She giggled again, shaking her head. “But that’s all right. I deserve it for such a comment.”

He grinned. She looked so pleased with herself, so happy that she’d made him smile. How could he not? And it was the first time she’d joked with him. The conversation between them was so easy. So simple that it was hard to not grin at her, knowing how precious these quiet moments were.

They both returned their attention to the glittering lights of the city below them before she blew out a long breath.

“What is it?” he asked, eyes still trained on the horizon.

“You don’t touch me like you used to.”

He scoffed. “Do you want me to?”

“I’m saying that you used to force me to touch you. There were all these lingering touches, gazes. You were constantly pushing me with your body, as though you had something to prove.” She cleared her throat. “You don’t do that anymore.”

“I do not,” he whispered.

“Why?”

Lust had to swallow the sudden lump in his throat. But she deserved the truth, so he told her. “You didn’t like it.”

The quiet stretched between them, so thick that he almost didn’t hear her say, “Well, maybe I would like it now.”

He straightened. His damn chest puffed out like she’d told him he was her god, and he stared at her in shock. She didn’t look back at him, though the peaks of her cheekbones turned bright red.

Was she really letting go? Was she asking him to touch her because she wanted it?

Hesitantly, he reached for her. Selene let him guide her against his chest, sighing against his skin as he settled her in his arms. He didn’t know what to do with them, so he wrapped her up in his grip and hoped he was doing this right. He’d never snuggled with anyone before, never had to. But right now, this felt good. Right. Exactly the way it should.

He set his chin on the top of her head and asked the question that sat on the tip of his tongue. “Things have changed between us, then?”

“I suppose so. I’m no more happy about it than you are.”

But he was blissful. So pleased with this that he could stay out here in the cold air with her in his arms for hours. Still, he licked his lips and tried his best to convey how he felt. “I’m not unhappy about it, Selene. Not at all.”

Her breath fanned over his collarbone. She didn’t respond, and he supposed she didn’t have to.

Right now, all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and watch the stars blink to life.

ChapterThirty-Two

She’d fallen asleep in his arms again. Not because he’d wrung out another orgasm that rocked her world, but because he’d been sweet and comforting and she’d sought him out. What a change in such a short amount of time.

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