Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 92559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Linking his arms over his chest, Apex said in a low voice, “And what kind of advice did he give you.”
There was a pause. After which Callum crossed the distance that separated them. “He said I should be with the male I want. He told me . . . the past needs to stay where it happened.”
All the breath in Apex’s lungs left in a slow rush. “Well . . . I agree with him. On both fronts.”
“And you don’t have to ask.”
“Ask what.”
“Who . . . it is I want.” Callum hesitated with his hands just hovering over Apex’s shoulders. “I think it’s you. But I’m just not sure that I can get there . . .”
There was a slice of pain at hearing the confession. Yet it was more than he could ever have hoped for, this opening, this tender, vulnerable chance.
A bloom in winter.
Biting his lower lip with his fangs, Apex swayed. Then he whispered hoarsely, “Touch me, please. Oh, fuck . . . just touch me if you can. Anywhere, I don’t give a fuck.”
The fingertips that trembled over his cheeks, his jaws . . . his mouth and throat . . . were calloused and gentle. And the eyes that watched the exploration were softly focused, as if Callum were witnessing a third party’s movements, rather than directing his own hands.
“What happened to your gold fangs?” the wolven asked.
“I had a vampire dentist take the caps off. I don’t live that life anymore.”
“Oh . . .”
For a moment, Apex wished he’d left things as they were. Assuming the male liked those little mouth daggers.
“I’m sorry,” Callum murmured.
“For what?”
“I don’t know. I guess I don’t know what else to say.”
“You don’t have to talk, then.”
When the wolven tilted his head to the side, Apex’s heart rate doubled, but there was no kissing, no meeting of hungry mouths. Instead, the other male’s fingertips continued down onto his neck, and as they hesitated over the jugular, he knew Callum was feeling that pump-pump-pump.
And then the touch went even farther, to his chest. His stomach.
There was no way Apex could hide what was going on at his hips—and just as the thought occurred, a palm cupped his erection.
The pressure on his cock made him hiss and close his eyes—and fuck yes, he finally felt a pair of lips brush the pulse that flickered at the side of his throat.
“You’re so hard,” the wolven groaned.
Apex babbled some kind of response—because holy fucking hell, the male was stroking him through his leathers, feeling his erection, exploring as that mouth nuzzled and sucked at his neck. He couldn’t help it. His hips started thrusting up and back, up and back, so that that palm was turned into a very poor substitute for the kind of friction he really wanted from the male—
At that point, Apex totally lost the plot, and before he could think better of it, he pulled the wolven closer, to feel more, to do more, even though this wasn’t a good place—although hey, there was a pantry with a solid door over there—
Callum let out a strangled sound. Then there were two jerks against Apex’s body, like . . . pumps. And then a scent that there was no forgetting. Ever.
As the wolven went still, Apex released his hold and just stood there, in case there was any panicking.
“I . . .” Callum stepped back and looked down at himself. “I came.”
Apex searched that stark, surprised face. “Yeah, you did—”
The phone going off was just perfect fucking timing really, the vibration in Apex’s ass pocket, the demand from God only knew who, absolutely not welcome as it shattered the moment.
“It’ll go to voicemail.” Apex shoved his hand at the thing and silenced the interruption. “It’s nothing.”
Callum glanced around the kitchen as if he didn’t know where he was. Then his eyes passed over the groceries like he didn’t know what they were.
And of course the fucking phone started ringing again.
“You better get that,” Callum mumbled. “It’s important—”
“You’re important.”
“Will you excuse me? I have . . . to . . .”
The wolven tore off like he was the one having to take a call for work.
Left to his own devices, Apex swung round, braced a hold on the counter, and leaned into his arms. In the silence, the cell phone’s sarcastic purring was like a scream in his ears.
CHAPTER TWENTY–SIX
As Mahrci closed herself and Remis in the bedroom, she made sure to stay next to the door. She hadn’t lied to Hemmy about there having been no violence between them during their relationship, but there was a lot going on. A lot that she knew now that she hadn’t before.
And as Remis’s nostrils flared and he looked at the messy bed she hadn’t yet made up, she realized she had made one mistake.