Page 99 of Inked in Bloom
Pink kisses her cheeks, and I narrow my stare, searching the bond for any further hint of her emotions. As usual, there are only momentary flickers before they’re tucked away and out of reach. “Are you saying you were planning to seek me out after you woke from rejuvenation?”
“Didn’t you get my bat signal earlier?” The playfulness in her tone, and the realization it was intentional on her part, has my cock springing up for attention.
“Oh, you mean the hard-on I had to hide in front of my family at the Radix meeting?”
“Oops.”
I arch a brow at her faux contrition. “Didn’t realize that was intentional.”
“Think I’d do that unintentionally?”
“I don’t have to think it, I’ve lived it.” The number of times I’ve woken up in the night or had to excuse myself from classes or meetings has been more frequent than I care to admit. Though part of me was filled with smug satisfaction that she’d been dreaming of me at all—thinking about our time perhaps. Not that she’d ever admit it. Even if she wanted to pretend that glamoured wall had never come down between us.
“You may have been asleep the last few months, but I was not.” A flash of her spread open for me across the glass, my jacket hugging her shoulders as she works herself to climax eagerly hops into my mind. “Believe me, today wasn’t the first ill-timed erection. Not by a long shot.”
And it wouldn’t be the last.
She laughs and surprises herself with a snort, covering her face a moment and peering at me between her hands. “I could tell you I’m sorry, but I’m trying to keep myself honest.”
Is sheflirtingwith me? My fingers twitch at my sides. This gives me something to hold on to.
Hope.
“Well then, in the spirit of honesty,” I say before I lose my nerve, “would you like to talk about it over dinner tomorrow night?”
She gnaws at her bottom lip, attention drifting to anywhere in the room but where I sit. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” I press. “Would you like to?”
Her throat works and her mint-green gaze finally reaches mine. “Yes.”
“Good.” I temper my smile, not wanting to come off overeager but so thrilled that my foot taps on the floor a few times before I’m able to stop myself. Monroe chuckles, not missing it. “I’ll come for you at six.”
“That makes this sound suspiciously like a date.”
“We’ll have dinner and if there’s time, we can look for some books on the ceremony,” I say, straightening up and stopping myself from continuing my thumping. “Think of it as…research. Most definitely not a date.”
Dates are for mortals and unmated amateurs.
“So long as that’s clear.” She speaks slowly, as if it’ll help me understand her better.
I flash her a smile. “Crystal.”
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Professor Briar,” she replies with a nod, drawing that barrier back up between us. She thinks it makes her sound professional. Distanced. Littledoes she know that the honorific from my mate’s lips will replay on a loop as I stroke myself to soothe the ache her intentional and unintentional desires nurture within me.
“See you then, Dr. Tanner.”
She walks me to her bedroom door and opens it, following me down the stairs. I stop in the entryway and lean against the doorframe. “I promise, tomorrow I’ll use the front door.”
“And here I was hoping you’d be sneaking through my window.”
Shaking my head, I exit the cottage, letting the door snick shut behind me. With each step toward home, my smile grows.
This is my shot at building a future with Monroe, and I’m going to earn it. Day by day, brick by brick, until those walls she hides behind have no choice but to crumble away. Until she can no longer hide from the truth.
I’m not going anywhere.
I’m eternally hers, whether she wants me or not. And if this bond between us remains unclaimed for the rest of our immortal lives, it doesn’t change the fact that she’ll never be alone.
