Page 39 of Cherish

I roll my eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Yes, but I don’t think you know whatImean. The Vampire Court has given me nothing but bloody misery my entire fucking life. There is nothing about that place that I want to rule. And even if I did, you’re the goddamn gargoyle queen, Grace, and no one deserves it more. There’s no way I’d ever think about asking you to give that up.”

“Well, maybe you should,” I tell him, and my knees tremble.

His eyes narrow. “What exactly does that mean?”

“I’m not sure.” I shake my head. “I just can’t help thinking that I’m not very good at this, you know? You’d be a way better vampire king than I’ll ever be a gargoyle queen.”

He laughs, and the tension leeches out of his stance. “Now I know you’re exhausted. And, apparently, delirious. You know you’re a kick-ass queen.”

“I’m really not,” I tell him. “A lot of the time I don’t have a clue what the hell I’m doing.”

“But being able to concede that is more than half the battle. Most rulers are way too arrogant to admit when they don’t know something. Maybe if they did, things wouldn’t get so bollocksed all the time.”

He wraps his arms around me, starts to pull me into his chest. And while I think about resisting, the truth is I want to be held by him as much as he wants to hold me.

But that doesn’t mean he’s completely off the hook. “I still think you should have at least mentioned it to me.”

“Fair enough.” He rests his cheek against the top of my head. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. Since I have no intention of taking up the crown, I really didn’t think it was important.”

“We’re partners. If something is affecting you, it’s affecting me. Understand?” I give him a fierce look as I angle my head so our eyes can meet.

It’s his turn to roll his eyes. “Understood. As long as you understand that it isn’t affecting me. I am exactly where I want to be.”

I tuck my head under his chin and whisper my greatest fear. “For a minute, I thought you didn’t say anything because you didn’t know how to tell me you were leaving me.”

His entire body stills, not even his chest rising with his next breath. “The only way I will ever give you up, Grace, is if you ask me.” His voice is as rough as sandpaper. “Are you asking me to leave?”

I don’t hesitate to give him the only answer I can. The answer he deserves. “Never.”

I didn’t realize he was nervous about my response until he exhales with his entire body, like that one word just took the weight of a thousand thrones off his shoulders. I reach for him then, but he’s already pulling me closer and closer still, holding me in the space between one breath and the next as the warmth of what we have chases away the specters of what we never want to be.

Then he puts a finger under my chin and tilts my face up so that he can slowly, sweetly brush his mouth against mine.

The moment our lips meet, I can feel the tension leave me in a rush. And for a moment, just a moment, things feel normal. Like we’re back in San Diego, going to classes, building a life together, spending every night wrapped in each other’s arms and every day texting ridiculous things to each other.

There’s no Crone who wants to destroy the entire paranormal world, no friend whose life depends on us not messing up, no secrets between us that I don’t understand.

There’s just Hudson and me and the never-ending heat that wells between us.

He must feel it, too, because he pulls back just enough to look me in the eye as his strong, talented hands cup my face. “I love you, Grace Foster,” he whispers.

“I love you, Hudson Vega,” I whisper back, right before I tangle my fingers in his hair and pull his mouth down to mine.

And the moment our lips touch, it feels just like I need it to.

Hefeels just like I need him to.

Familiar and safe and hot and exciting all rolled into one. All rolled into Hudson.

It feels amazing. We feel amazing. And so do I, when he’s in my arms.

Heat wells inside me, making me ache for him in a way that I hope never goes away, and I slowly walk us toward the bed. What I want to do with him right now will definitely benefit from us both being horizontal…

Hudson must have the same thought, because it only takes a second for him to fall backward onto the bed, pulling me with him as he goes.

I land directly on top of him, my body stretched out over his lean hardness in a way that has every nerve ending inside me standing up and scrambling to attention. All I can think about—all I can need—is Hudson.

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