Page 30 of Last Shot at Love

The sheet had slipped and now pooled around our waists, which meant my bare breasts were on display. I gently tugged the sheet up to cover myself, relieved Cerulean was asleep and hadn’t noticed.

Don’t be silly, Beryl. He saw pretty much everything last night, so why are you getting bashful now? My inner voice was always grouchy before coffee.

Staring at his face, I was once again struck by how stunningly gorgeous he was. Seriously, it should’ve been a crime for a man to look that beautiful. I bet if we slapped his face and body on romance book covers, women would be demanding the paperback version instead of an e-book just so they could stare at him all day.

And Cerulean was mine…

Well, at least on paper.

I’d made it sound like I’d adopted a puppy instead of a whole smexy-arse man. Laughter bubbled in my chest, and not wanting to wake him, I struggled to stifle it.

Cerulean’s blonde eyelashes fanned against his tanned skin, and his lips were slightly parted. He was as sweet as he was stunning, which was a lethal, heart-stopping combination. I’d come into this match from a business stance, but I could feel my internal walls trembling.

What would he taste like? What would it feel like to have his lips brush against mine?

Since I hadn’t shifted forms before falling asleep, my vampiric saliva had kept any morning breath at bay. I was staring temptation in the face, and unable to resist, I leaned forward and caught his bottom lip between mine.

His taste exploded in my mouth, like the little juice-filled candies that coated your tongue with intense flavor. I moaned in delight and sucked his lip, being careful not to cut him with my fangs.

Over the years, I’d experienced some mind-blowing kisses, but never one this addictive… and Cerulean wasn’t even kissing me back.

My body moved on its own, scooting close and hooking my leg over his hip. So lost was I in his taste that I didn’t even notice when his hand moved to grip my butt. It was when his mouth captured my lips in a burning kiss that I realized he’d awakened.

“Good morning to you too, beautiful,” he laughed against my mouth.

Reluctantly pulling away and feeling more than a little embarrassed at my lack of control, I watched him from beneath my lashes. “Hi.”

Cerulean yanked me close again. “Hey, you don’t have to stop just because I’m awake.”

With my mouth still tingling from our kisses, I couldn’t resist his offer. Sliding a hand to the back of his neck, I pressed my lips to his again.

“Why do you taste so good?” I murmured between kisses.

“My venom breaks down when exposed to air and becomes sweet.”

He has venom? Well, isn’t that just freaking great? That meant I was probably going to die.

Oh well, since it was already too late for me, there was no reason I should stop kissing him now. Why not die happy, right?

Intensifying our impromptu morning make-out, I slipped my tongue into his mouth to dance with his. From there, our kiss went from steamy to rated XXX in about two seconds flat.

It was Cer who pulled away first, gasping for air. “Hades, woman! Are you insane? I told you I have venom, and instead of being horrified, you nearly kissed the soul from my body.”

Like a self-satisfied feline, I licked my lips and savored every last bit of his taste. “If I’m going to die, then I’m going to do it enjoying myself.”

“Wow. If you thought you were dying, I’d have expected you to run to your phone and give your assistant last-minute instructions on how to run your business.” Cerulean drew in another ragged breath and ran his fingers through his messy, sun-bleached hair.

His comment gave me pause. I’d been awake for a while now and hadn’t thought of work… not once. Instead of reaching for my phone, I’d reached for Cerulean.

How the heck had this man affected me so quickly?

A sharp arrow of worry pierced through my dreamy, lust-filled haze. I couldn’t risk losing focus on my work, especially not when I had the acquisition of a century lined up, a deal that could fund an early retirement if I wanted to take it.

I’d never planned to retire, but lying in Cerulean’s arms, listening to the sounds of the tropics through the open patio door, had me questioning how I wanted to spend the rest of my life.

Get it together, Beryl. I gave myself a mental shake.

Flings were okay, but falling in love came with a huge time commitment… time I didn’t have to give.Rolling away from him, I pressed my fingertips to my eyes. “You’re right. I really should check in with work.”

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